When I first looked at the Internet without worrying who authored what I couldn’t believe how many people had similar stories of frustration, lack of love and mental and emotional stress! Their woes made me feel better. I was not alone. One of my greatest concerns at that time was that I must be following Satan. After all, according to JW lore, if you are not following the WTS you must be following Satan. Singularly the best book I read at the time was Elaine Pagels’ Origin of Satan which confirmed to me that there was no Satan – that Satan was largely the bogeyman of the tumultuous times around 70 CE when the destruction of Jerusalem was imminent. One way to show this is to compare the Satan of the writings much before Christ’s time with the Satan of the New Testament. Job’s Satan was quite different than John the Revelator’s Satan. A totally different creation. Causes always do better when the enemy is clearly identified – make him to be the Great Serpent and it unites the followers. I read much of Russell’s work and concluded (as others had) that he would have been DF’d for his beliefs had he been around today. That didn’t make sense if these same beliefs were the ones Jesus’ picked when he came as king of the kingdom in 1914. Russell used a lot of freemasonry words and symbols (there’s a pyramid by his grave, the cross and crown on the WTs and the wings of Ra were on many books). Even Russell said that a true Christian would not be baptized into a religion, only Christ. So, if he had been baptized after 1985 he would have balked at the notion of being baptized “in association with God’s spirit-anointed organization”. I read much of Rutherford’s work and felt duped that the much-referenced booklet “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” was actually about 1925 when the “ancient worthies” would most definitely return to the earth. He also said that in 1918 the Holy Spirit was done away with when God’s Organization was identified 1918 {SALV216-7}– so how can the WTS be “spirit-anointed” when there is no Spirit. Rutherford, a mean-mouthed drunk, was packed off to San Diego when he got too embarrassing. The Great Crowd speech of 1935 came about at the last minute before the convention of that year – it helped Rutherford explain why there were more coming to the Watchtower than would fill the ranks of the 144,000. The WTS uses “…” when just quoting parts of scholarly references that support their doctrines. If you read the full reference, in many cases it’s not the same as the WTS doctrine. There are even copies of letters on file from these said references asking the WTS not to misquote them anymore! In the case of Johannes Greber (the quoted scholar behind “the Word was a god”) you’ll find that he was a spiritualist. There are 10,000 pieces of evidence that disproves 607 BCE as the beginning of the Seven Years calculation. 587 BCE is a well established date for the destruction of Jerusalem. There is actually no evidence that states otherwise. The appendix in the Kingdom Book is actually circular reasoning. There’s a lot of circular reasoning in WTS material once you take an objective position in studying it. Based on the writings of a former GB member, the WTS does not pray over any major decision as you’d expect, nor does a majority vote necessarily count. In the case of the brothers in Malawi in the 70’s there was a majority vote to allow them a political party card, and thus escape persecution, but the GB bylaws said that a 2/3rds majority is required to pass a motion, so they continued to suffer. The New World translation of the Bible is not as scholarly as claimed. Yes, the language is simpler than the KJV, but the words are often loaded with WTS meaning. There was not one member of the translation committee that had credentials, not even Fred Franz. For example, the word Grace was replaced by Undeserved Kindness. How do you feel about the Grace of God compared to the Undeserved Kindness of God - Grace is unconditional kindness, Undeserved Kindness implies it to be conditional. Many of the favorite WTS Scriptures imply more than what is written. “Bad association spoils useful habits” stops the JW from hanging out with non-JWs, at any time. Most other translations use the term Evil, but most non-JWs are not Evil – even the JWs know that. It becomes a tag-line to keep the JW in line. “Free without spot from the world” is one of the identifying marks of the true religion. I liked that about the JWs, they’d put their money where their mouth was and take hardship over compromise. Imagine the shock to see the WTS on Scientology’s and Jimmy Swaggert’s side as an amicus curiae in some court cases involving sales taxes! Add to that the WTS working with the UN to get a non-cult status in some countries – working with the wild beast! Worse than that is the letter from the WTS to Hitler before WW2 stating that the Nazis and JWs had a lot in common, as they tried to position themselves as good Germans! I doubt the several hundred loyal JWs who died in concentration camps knew of that.
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WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU READ FREELY
by Deleted inwhen i first looked at the internet without worrying who authored what i couldnt believe how many people had similar stories of frustration, lack of love and mental and emotional stress!
their woes made me feel better.
one of my greatest concerns at that time was that i must be following satan.
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3-3-03!
by LovesDubs intoday is the third day of the third month of the third year of the third millenium!
cool beans!
wont be another one for a thousand years!
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Saint Satan, If I can write The Finished Mystery book in 1917, posthumorously, then I must be reading this. Your servant CT Russell
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upcoming elder visit, need help
by greven ini have been inactive for quite a while since i started to do research on the society.
the elders knew about this and even encouraged it, until i started to ask the wrong type of questions, mostly of the kind: "can you provide verifyable evidence for that?".
anyway, they wanted to meet to discuss my current position towards the religion and towards the bible.
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That wise sage Mommie Dark from the ol' support4xjws site told me when I was gonna send in a DA letter was: Why live by their rules? Don't do anything. I didn't and I am still not DF'd or DA'd. It seems like you might be a bit far down the road to ignore them, but don't lie to them. If you can be vague and evasive by using a version of Theocratic Warfare Strategy, that might be ok.
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This board like a headache
by Bhagavad inthis board has become very painful.
i've given it many chances.
so many posters do not know what the apostrophe is for or is not for.
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I think it is more persnickety than pedantic. But maybe I am being too pedantic. My favo(u)rite suggestion for a headache of this sort is to smoke a J, chill a little and enjoy whatever life you have left.
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Bad Doors in the field service
by JH in.
did you ever knock on a door, and realize that the person knew more about the bible than you did?
what was your worst experience in the field service?.
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The worst (and almost funniest) was when my wife, a pioneer, took a door out in rural Oregon (I was in the car, watching, stupefied)when a pet wolf sneaked up behind Jill, jumped and landed both paws on her shoulders. I wish I had had a camera.
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WHY NOT JAHVES or YAHWEHS WITNESSES?
by Deleted ini used to find the overuse of gods name at the kingdom hall irritating.
in particular, one brother must have used "jehovah" twenty-plus times whenever he said the opening or closing prayer to any meeting.. why did this bother me?
two reasons: it is absolutely not the right way of saying gods name.
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Thanks for all the interesting comments and references. Yi'yah sounds like a reasonable rendition. Joseph, I believe, was called Yu'ya.
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Why Not Just Let It Go?
by ikhandi ini am fairly new to this board, but have been lurking for awhile before i decided to become a registered member.
i have read many posts old and new and can't help but wonder why many of you just don't let it go?
some of you have expressed bitterness and disgust over what the wts has done to you.
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My turn. This is how I let it go. I try to make posts for any one concerned or interested to see how deceiptful the WTS, by referring to their own words. I think most JW's I knew were very fine people. I am concerned for them, even most elders. On the other hand I believe that those in responsible positions are Evil when they cover up lies. I don't think that is overstating it.
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WHY MEMBERS OF THE GREAT CROWD SHOULD PARTAKE
by Deleted inthe only point in time "known" that jesus came to inspect and approve the watch tower society was in the 1918/19 period.
if one takes that as present truth then you have to look at what the wts was emphasizing at that time.
what ever was taught at that time was the only truth we know jesus to approve.
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And if there any of the associated who want to know what the Society says now about The FInished Mystery, this was the most expanded comment. Obviuosly to not denigrate the book assumes acceptance of its message, then and now.
*** w87 5/1 26-7 Looking Back Over 93 Years of Living ***
"The Finished Mystery"On Tuesday, October 31, 1916, Charles Taze Russell died, without having produced the seventh volume to his series of Studies in the Scriptures. When on his deathbed, aboard a train returning from California, he was asked by his secretary about the seventh volume, he replied: "Someone else will have to write that."
In the following year, 1917, the seventh volume did appear as a commentary on the prophetic books of Ezekiel and Revelation, together with a lovely explanation of the Bible book The Song of Solomon. The Society planned a tremendous circulation of the new book. Accordingly, they sent cartons of this seventh volume to certain ones in the congregations throughout the United States. Many cartons were sent to my home at 1810 Baymiller Street, Cincinnati, Ohio, and stored while we awaited further instructions as to how the contents were to be distributed.
There were eight pages of The Finished Mystery that contained quotations of what prominent figures had adversely declared regarding warfare. Under incitement by the religious organizations of Christendom, Catholic and Protestant, the United States government raised objections, so pages 247-54 were cut out. Thereafter, when The Finished Mystery was offered to the people, an explanation was made to them as to why these pages were missing. The United States government did not remain satisfied with this move, and under further incitement by the religious organizations of the land, it banned the entire seventh volume of Studies in the Scriptures.
I recall that on one Sunday morning I was working at the rear door of our house. Men came walking down the walkway alongside the house, and the leader pulled back his coat lapel, showed me his metallic badge and demanded entrance into the house. So I was obliged to take them inside and show them the cartons containing copies of The Finished Mystery. After a few days, they sent a truck and took them all away.
Later we learned that Joseph F. Rutherford, the Watch Tower Society’s second president, and six of his associates serving at the Brooklyn headquarters were erroneously convicted of interfering with the war effort of the United States. They were sentenced to serve 20 years at the Atlanta Federal Penitentiary on each of four counts, the sentences, however, to run concurrently. The war ended on November 11, 1918, and then on March 25, 1919, Brother Rutherford and his associates were released on bail. They were later completely exonerated. The book The Finished Mystery was also removed from under ban and authorized to be circulated freely once again.
How reviving it was to our spirits when the Society arranged for our first postwar convention at Cedar Point, situated on the tip of a resort peninsula near Sandusky, Ohio, for September 1-8, 1919! It was a most joyous privilege for me to attend that convention.
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WHY MEMBERS OF THE GREAT CROWD SHOULD PARTAKE
by Deleted inthe only point in time "known" that jesus came to inspect and approve the watch tower society was in the 1918/19 period.
if one takes that as present truth then you have to look at what the wts was emphasizing at that time.
what ever was taught at that time was the only truth we know jesus to approve.
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But they were still peddling it in 1919!
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WHY MEMBERS OF THE GREAT CROWD SHOULD PARTAKE
by Deleted inthe only point in time "known" that jesus came to inspect and approve the watch tower society was in the 1918/19 period.
if one takes that as present truth then you have to look at what the wts was emphasizing at that time.
what ever was taught at that time was the only truth we know jesus to approve.
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The only point in time "known" that Jesus came to inspect and approve the Watch Tower Society was in the 1918/19 period. If one takes that as Present Truth then you have to look at what the WTS was emphasizing at that time. What ever was taught at that time was the only Truth we know Jesus to approve. Therefore any specific claims of the Great Crowd, in those days Great Company, must be held to be true.
Which leads us to THE FINISHED MYSTERY book of 1917. This is directly from that publication and must, by default, be approved by the Lord Jesus Christ himself. The chapter and verse is from the Book of Revelation
5:11 …. Was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands
.- The number of the Great Company will apparently exceed one hundred millions.7:9. After this, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude.— When the Apostle tells us in 2 John 8, "Look to yourselves that ye lose not those things which we have wrought, but that ye receive a full reward," he is teaching that a Heavenly reward may be gained that is not as full as if a course more pleasing to the Heavenly Father is pursued
7: 11 Of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues
.— "As the number of the Bride of Christ is to be 144,000, it would be reasonable to think that each number of this class may have 144,000 to look after, as 144,000x144,000 equals 20,736,000,000 (twenty billions seven hundred and thirty-six millions), evidently just about the right number to be cared for— 144,000 would be quite a host for each individual of the Bride class to look after. So we can see the necessity for the work of the Great Company."— Question Meeting. 19:1. [And] after these things.— After the saints are glorified and present ecclesiastical systems are destroyed.I heard AS IT WERE a great voice of much people
.— The Great Company.— Rev. 7:10.In heaven
.— The only heavenly-minded ones remaining on earth.So there you have it folks. The Great Crowd is heaven bound and therefore it would be best to partake this coming Memorial. I would imagine that Jesus is pissed off enough with the Society, please don't add to His troubles.