Posts by betterdaze

50

Do You Feel Like You Were "Screwed Over" By A Judicial Committee?

by minimus in

jw
friends

.....or do you feel as though you "deserved" to be reproved or disfellowshipped?

?

betterdaze

***Men have no business dealing in sin.***

Amen! Welcome, Nulite!

~Sue

39

I need HELP and INPUT!!!!!

by webmustang in

i need to know something and i need help finding out the truth:.

if i retired from military as pharmacist, before becoming a witness and receive pension every month + benefits, is it contradictory with witnesses not being part of military?.

should i give up my pension to be in tune and harmony with our beliefs?.

webmustang, Welcome. You ask a good question and I'm happy to help answer where I can.

Scripturally, you may wish to consider the Roman army officer Cornelius from Acts chapter 10. He and his entire household accepted faith in Jesus and there is no record that he left his military service upon becoming a Christian.

My JW mother lives quite handsomely off the pension and benefits her NYC superior police officer husband (an unbelieving mate) EARNED throughout her years serving the Watchtower Society. The Watchtower accepted his earnings and now his pension as charitable donations and looks askance at wherefrom they are derived.

The Watchtower does not fret about "worldly" money as long as it keeps flowing in to their coffers. If you EARNED a pension and benefits through any means, I can assure you that 1) the WT will not hold these benefits against you or your family; and 2) They are more than glad to divest you of your funds.

Does this answer your question?

~Sue

19

A Non-JW account of CT Russell...

by Mad in

jw
friends

>subject: fw: presby.

minister's commentary on bro.

russell.

betterdaze

Hi Mad. Thank you for posting this biography of Pastor Russell from a Presbyterian minister. It clearly shows how mainstream Christians are more fair-minded in their appraisal of religious leaders than the Watchtower Society ever would or could be of them. The Society condemns to death all other "believers," as you know.

It's crucial to examine all sides of a bio before reaching any conclusions on the life and goals of a person we have never met, but we can discern much through Russell's writings and actions when he was yet living. Russell probably was a wunder-boy running his dad's business interests. He parlayed that experience (with great financial reserves) into a ministry that stands today no different than any startup preacher we see on the American airwaves. He was a product of his time and family and geography like everyone else. He most certainly was swept up with popular occultic fads, even kow-towing to Masonic types to gain their fraternal support for his emphatic ministry-cum-business venture. Nothing a multi-level marketer wouldn't employ today; it's all about networking, getting the word out, and attracting life-long customers who will bring others into the scheme.

"There is nothing new under the sun," a wise man once said.

Russell's pyramidology would be excusable if it were not so tragic that it mislead many, even up to our time, with failed prophecies and dates such as 1914. Rutherford grabbed the ball and ran with it to serve his own maniacal, narcissistic whims. What we're left with is a total corruption of Jesus' Gospel wherein 6 million people earthwide live under a death-threat from a rather insignificant cabal of elderlies in Brooklyn. That clearly was never Russell's intent, but the history of the Watchtower as it has unfolded over 130+ years bears out the lies and coverups that keep people enslaved to a corrupt corporate entity, rather than free in Christ.

I have no qualms with today's Bible Students who cling to Russell's teachings — to each his own; they seem like very sincere followers and I'd break bread with them anytime. The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society as it stands today is a false government in direct opposition to its very founder. With hindsight being 20/20, we must appraise for ourselves how Jesus chose this group above all others when even its founder's claims have been warped, rehashed and for the most part, discarded.

Please consider: If Russell were resurrected in the flesh this very day, would he even recognize Jehovah's Witnesses, or the organization that bears the name?

Mad, I wish you the very best on your journey of discovery, and I admire your pluck. Keep on keeping us on our toes, as it's healthy to reconsider the history of our beliefs (or lack thereof) from time to time.

~Sue

19

You Too Can Work For Nothing

by Clam in

whilst "reading" the april 15 watchtowera, i came across an article called disabled yet eager to serve.

i found it quite upsetting, and yet i have to accept the paradigm shifts in play here.. .

a brothera in el salvador has lost both of his hands in an accident, but has designed tools which adapt to his disability, thus allowing him to continue in his chosen building trade.

betterdaze

Hi journey-on,

Most here no longer receive the magazines so I gave a description. It may have been too graphic for some. I apologize if my comments offended anyone. It's not a pleasant picture at all, was my point.

Flip the page and there's another story about a little girl, Adryana, who is paralyzed in both legs and gave up a trip to a "world-renowned amusement park" so she could go to Bethel instead. Again, if even handicapped little kids can make sacrifices, how much more can you?

It's shaming like this that had my mother collapse in field service due to advanced heart disease. She should never have been out peddling mags in the August heat in her condition. But she reads this stuff and feels guilty and selfish for not doing more.

The WT is capitalizing on the disabled in an issue entitled, "Will Cruelty Ever End?". Apparently, not soon enough.

~Sue

19

You Too Can Work For Nothing

by Clam in

whilst "reading" the april 15 watchtowera, i came across an article called disabled yet eager to serve.

i found it quite upsetting, and yet i have to accept the paradigm shifts in play here.. .

a brothera in el salvador has lost both of his hands in an accident, but has designed tools which adapt to his disability, thus allowing him to continue in his chosen building trade.

betterdaze

OTWO, they shot themselves in the foot with that one. Surely the irony of the situation was lost on that sister and her husband. To push away volunteers from the Katrina relief effort is utter cruelty to the victims. And an insult to willing volunteers such as yourself.

Where is the love?

~Sue

19

You Too Can Work For Nothing

by Clam in

whilst "reading" the april 15 watchtowera, i came across an article called disabled yet eager to serve.

i found it quite upsetting, and yet i have to accept the paradigm shifts in play here.. .

a brothera in el salvador has lost both of his hands in an accident, but has designed tools which adapt to his disability, thus allowing him to continue in his chosen building trade.

betterdaze

It's a re-branding of the African sisters crossing crocodile-filled rivers to distribute magazines. "Do you have the same spirit in serving God?"

I find it disturbing that Leonardo had to fashion his own tools so he could participate — you'd think the brothers would help him with obtaining some proper prostheses like the churches of Christendom do. Instead we are treated to a view of crude metal cuffs chafing into his stumps as he gleefully pushes a wheelbarrow. How long could an able-bodied person last under those conditions?

One more reason why they have to go underground with the "inside edition" of the Watchtower in 2008 — worldly people rightly see this exploitation as a disgrace.

~Sue

31

Book: The Inside Story of Jehovah's Witnesses, Stevenson, 1968

by betterdaze in

the inside story of jehovah's witnesses .

stevenson, william charles, 1936- .

publisher: hart pub.

betterdaze

Thanks very much, cabasilas. The CO authorship gives it some amount of weight, I would hope.

Considering the late '60s publication date and that it denotes the exact year 1975 in its British title, it's of even more interest to me yet.

Appreciatively,

~Sue

8

Another Math question to answer

by JeffT in

jw
friends

a snail gets thrown down a fifty foot dry well.

everday he oozes up three feet, but slides down two feet every night when he's asleep.

how long does it take him to get out?.

betterdaze

Here ya' go:

He never does get out!

He dies while oozing up the wall of the dry well... becomes dessicated for lack of moisture. Leaves shrinking moulding snail flesh intact in a snail shell, stuck to the side of the well wherever on the way up, until it simply all falls away and rots at the bottom of said well.

No math necessary.

~Sue

31

Book: The Inside Story of Jehovah's Witnesses, Stevenson, 1968

by betterdaze in

the inside story of jehovah's witnesses .

stevenson, william charles, 1936- .

publisher: hart pub.

betterdaze

The inside story of Jehovah's Witnesses
Stevenson, William Charles, 1936-
Publisher: Hart Pub. Co.
Pub date: [1968, c1967]

Anyone familiar with this out-of-print book? I reserved it in my library system but with flooding from the recent storm, it's been delayed in transit.

I'm getting antsy! Not sure if it is pro or con. Any info appreciated.

Thanks in advance,

~Sue

P.S. My local will not accept a gift of Raymond Franz's CoC or ISOCF; they are only taking "fiction and children's titles." Yet the WTBTS Kingdom Proclaimers is in the stacks. Go figure!

22

Looking for a scripture...

by Tuesday in

any help would be fantastic.

the scripture is one that is lik luke 21:8 saying beware of those saying the end is near.

however i'm fairly sure it's in one of the books of timothy.

betterdaze

Thanks Narkissos!

~Sue