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  5

  Scriptures for project on WT Emphasis changes?

  by Deleted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all.. i'd appreciate any feedback on this one.

  please email me (at [email protected]) any scriptures that come to mind that could illustrate the change in wt emphasis from the more benign russelism through to the strict legalism of today.. thanks!.

  glen james.

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  Deleted

  I DON'T KNOW WHY THIS DIDN'T ALL COME THROUGH ON THE FIRST POST ....

  Taking the 80/20 rule the math goes like this:

  Total Bible verses (approx.) 31,500 100%
  Used in Watch Tower magazines 20% 6,300 20%
  Used regularly 20% 1,260 4%
  Emphasized 20% 252
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  5

  Scriptures for project on WT Emphasis changes?

  by Deleted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all.. i'd appreciate any feedback on this one.

  please email me (at [email protected]) any scriptures that come to mind that could illustrate the change in wt emphasis from the more benign russelism through to the strict legalism of today.. thanks!.

  glen james.

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  Deleted

  Hello All.

  I'd appreciate any feedback on this one. Please email me (at [email protected]) any scriptures that come to mind that could illustrate the change in WT emphasis from the more benign Russelism through to the strict legalism of today.

  Thanks!

  Glen James

  WATCH TOWER EMPHASIS - then and now

  Glen James
  February 1, 2003

  Although the Watch Tower Society (WTS) has always claimed to be a Bible-based religion, the reality is that only a very small % of scriptures have been emphasized in WT study articles - currently supporting the unique beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses, its Law and very little else.

  Although we all would like to think we were conducting "Bible Studies," the reality is these were WTS publication studies. The Watch Tower magazine itself has become the regular study publication of six million Jehovah's Witnesses. No other study is given this much attention; the runner up would be the mid-week Book Study, another WTS publication. About 1/3rd pre-study the WT another 1/3rd read along with it at the Sunday meeting, including the public question and answer session. Four million JW's read re-read these articles each and every week. It is from these pages that WTS Doctrine is propagated and inculcated.

  Taking the 80/20 rule the math goes like this:

  Total Bible verses (approx.) 31,500 100%
  Used in Watch Tower magazines 20% less = 6,300 (20% of total)
  Used regularly 20% less = 1,260 (4% of total)
  Emphasized 20% less = 252 (
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  4

  Sinning against the Holy Spirit - is it for you?

  by Deleted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello all.. i used to think, early 1999 to be precise, that i might be following satan and sininng against the holy spirit by deliberatley leaving the organization.

  in my list of 30-odd nails in my jw coffin i have this.

  i thought it might help the lurkers who wonder the same.. peace.

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  Deleted

  Hello all.

  I used to think, early 1999 to be precise, that I might be following Satan and sininng against the Holy Spirit by deliberatley leaving the Organization. In my list of 30-odd nails in my JW coffin I have this. I thought it might help the lurkers who wonder the same.

  Peace

  Glen James (who once was Deleted) All along, the Watch Tower Told a pack of lies Broken hearts and promises So much wasted time

  JW COFFIN NAIL # __ - SINNING AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT

  One of the scriptures I couldnt reconcile is found at Matthew 12: 31-32. The NWT in the Kingdom Interlinear puts Jesus words this way:

  31, " On this account I say to you, Every sort of sin and blasphemy against the spirit (sic) will not be forgiven. 32. For example, whoever speaks a word against the Son of man, it will be forgiven him, but whoever speaks against the holy spirit, it will not be forgiven him, no, not in this system of things nor the in that to come,

  When I was just a newbie dub I was in a car group and we were talking about the Holy Spirit and I said it had a personality, and I was quickly corrected. But as youd imagine these verses burned an impression in me. Namely, to not "sin" against the Spirit of God, despite not agreeing that this spirit is like electricity and has no personality. So I accepted that it was really sinning against Jehovah God, and thats that.

  In the rural Portland area there is a very nice "apostate" (although never a dub) named John Warren. As a JW it would be sinning against God for me to talk with him. However, after a few months of deprogramming through Freeminds, Support4xjs and a very nice Portland "soul" therapist I was able to visit John. I had seen him once at the Estacada Kingdom Hall, with Duane Magani. I didnt have a "position" then but I bristled at their presence. I recall that outside they asked to see the library for certain older publications and told they could not.

  So with a little anxiety, but somewhat solid in my belief of non-belief, I went to his home just a few miles away. I had just dumped all the WT publications including first-run magazines from the 50s not realizing their was an after-market of WT publications. Anyway, we had a nice visit, I think I disappointed him that I couldnt claim to be a Christian. He has been praying for over 20 years that someone would wake-up and realize the WT organization was essentially deceitful, notably in changing doctrines without explanation or apoplogy. In many cases doctrines that cause physical, was well as spiritual, harm.

  I did trade some more recent publications and he gave me some pamphlets deriding Russell and Rutherford by their opponents in the early 1900s. We talked about a few things and the subject of Holy Spirit came up and he handed me this from Rutherfords 1939 book "Salvation" on page 216-217.

  In this prophetic picture Job represents the faithful followers of Christ Jesus, and the covering ransom is found in the advocacy of Christ Jesus, who called in this scripture the Messenger or Interpreter. In the year 1918 the anti-typical Job class, the faithful followers of Christ Jesus whom Job represented, were in great distress because of oppression heaped upon them by the enemy. In that year the Lord Jesus came to the temple of Jehovah God. The holy spirit [in lower case, bolding is mine] that had been the guide of Gods people, having performed its functions, was taken away, and the Lord Jesus himself, being present, represented his people and advocated in their behalf before Jehovah God, that is, in behalf of those that have fallen into distress because of their failure to properly use their lips in proclaiming the truth. That class is pictured in the prophecy of Isaiah, wherein they cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard them and relieved them. (Isaiah 6:6,7; 12;1) The faithful who thus cried unto the Lord are the ones who found a covering ransom in the advocacy of Christ Jesus. Certainly this did not apply to the "evil servant" [apparently all Bible Students who disagreed with him - Ed.] class. Only the faithful remnant were spared from going down into the pit, because for them there was a covering. This text has heretofore been applied as a "restitution" text, that is, to the "people that will be restored in the days of Christs reign". But the application in this manner is not correct. It was the faithful who found an atonement or deliverance by and through their Advocate, Christ Jesus.

  Sorry for that but I hate to read things out of context, so it was best to type in the whole paragraph. Rutherford was a lawyer, hence what he writes is 4 times what it needs to be.

  So if the Holy Spirit had done its duty and was gone and only the faithful remnant had deliverance by Christ Jesus what does that mean in the light of Matthew 12:31,32?

  The copy I have of Rutherfords "Salvation" is the 1,000,000 edition. He was the chief and leader of Jehovahs witnesses at that time. He was the follower of the follower Russell, who in turn pieced his unique religion together from the Adventists, and a dose of this one and that one. Rutherford was the authoritarian and out-sold Russell in terms of Watch Tower publications. Rutherford outsold Hitlers Mein Campf about 10 to 1. Publishing was big business, as it still is.

  Knowingly, Rutherford created Watch Tower doctrine at this point by claiming the 144,000, those with the heavenly hope of ruling with Jesus are now the replacement for the Holy Spirit for the rest of mankind. And this had been happening since 1918. I am sure that in more recent publications this has been corrected. I recall "studying" the WT book "Holy Spirit", after we were baptized in 1981, it didnt mention anything about having left in 1918 and coming back again.

  You cannot make a silk purse out of a sows ear and a solid home must have a solid foundation. If this was Watch Tower doctrine in 1939 then this must have been considered as blasphemy by Jesus, Yahweh and the Holy Spirit to the extent each has a consciousness. Anyway you look at it the Holy Spirit would have been gone. If God actually picked the Watch Tower publishing companies as his chosen "faithful and discreet slave" he must have given up on them at least since 1939.

  So if you think you might be following Satan the Devil by leaving the Watch Tower and subjecting yourself and your family to eternal annihilation, think again. The Watch Tower has spent at least the last 60+ years running without that Spirit at all.
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  44

  Are You A Happy "Apostate"?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since you've left the "truth", are you now, finally, happy?

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  Deleted

  Well, I don't think I am an apostate, per se. But I did leave and will never go back. I had no joy as a JW and am much happier now.
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  24

  quote search: recognize His people by their love

  by Jacqueline in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am desperately searching fo rthe bible qoute which tells you that you shall recognize his people by the love amongst themselves.. i have not found any love amongst any witnesses in our hall, never ever...and we have attended this hall for nearly 2 years.

  i am still a study, my hubby grew up in the truth.

  elders are coming over tomorrow night to discuss our lack of meeting attendance.

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  Deleted

  Hi there, Jacqueline.

  The trouble is that they really, really, really believe they have love among themselves. They confuse the dogma of the forced unity as an expression of love. Here's a few thoughts from my 103 reasons why I'd never ever go back that might help.

  JW-Love is conditional - based on the other's good standing in the congregation, as prescribed (and changed) by a few old men in Brooklyn.

  No one in Bethel has any social security, they had to take a vow of poverty to save the WT taxes. What's gonna happen to them when the walls fall down? I hope they are in "good standing" at the time and someone will take them in, not like so many others.

  Why are there Society changes and adjustments without apologies? - All the innuendo around 1975 (and 1986 UN saying the year of peace and security) that the end was coming, and then blaming the rank and file for relying on it.

  My co-workers and worldly friends accepted me when I was part of the collective, but the brethren avoided us when we "weakened", which is the True friendship?

  What is the JW fruitage in comparison to the World, isn't it the shiny wax around a rotten apple?

  JW's today have less freedom than the 4th century catholic church - try answering in the Watchtower meeting with your own views and see how much trouble that causes

  The German JW's in ~1934 said they had a lot in common with the Nazis, where's that in the wt and g?

  And where's the love for those that died from taking blood fractions that are now permitted, as well from not having vaccinations, and those poor folk in Malawi who died for not having a work permit.

  Peace and Love

  Glen who once was Deleted

  All along, the Watchtower
  Told a pack of lies
  Broken hearts and promises
  So much wasted time
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  78

  What song sums up your JW experience?

  by sleepy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  its got to be rage against the machine, "killing in the name of" .

  just had the bassline to this song rumbling through my head, havent heard it for ages though .

  you need to know the chorus.

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  Deleted

  Abaddon wrote a version of All Along the Watchtower a few years back. It starts out kinda sorta like this:

  All along, the Watchtower
  Told a pack of lies
  Broken hearts and promises
  So much wasted time

  Glen
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  1

  http://www.biblestudents.net/history/ Dublight?

  by Deleted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey y'all.

  according to those that thought rutherford was the evil slave the "truth" is still collecting its 144k, going to heaven, keen on the great pyramid, blood transfusions are fine, disfellowshipping is not a vicious weapon and so forth.. i feel like i have a soft spot for these folk, our "x-cousins" - but in no way would i want to be part another religious group, thanks to the dub experience.. however, i wonder if i would have done years ago if it had been an option then.

  deleted.

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  Deleted

  Hey y'all

  According to those that thought Rutherford was the Evil Slave the "truth" is still collecting its 144k, going to heaven, keen on the Great Pyramid, blood transfusions are fine, disfellowshipping is not a vicious weapon and so forth.

  I feel like I have a soft spot for these folk, our "x-cousins" - but in no way would I want to be part another religious group, thanks to the Dub experience.

  However, I wonder if I would have done years ago if it had been an option then.

  What dy'all think?

  Deleted
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  28

  How did your KIDS react when you left?

  by Prisca in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just curious here..... if you left the "truth" when you still had children living at home, what was their reaction to your leaving?.

  did they leave too?.

  did they want to remain jws?.

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  Deleted

  We are all out, leaving at the same time. Two things struck me.

  1. I asked our son what he thought about not going to meetings. He said that it felt like we had left a minimum security cult.

  2. I told my kids that I had already decided years ago that if they needed a blood transfusion they would have got it, to which our son gave a great sigh of relief and said thank God for that. I hadn't realized what it must have felt for our kids for all those years thinking that they might die because of their parents' beliefs.

  Peace
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  Visiting the UK 7/26 - 8/13 .... is Guv around?

  by Deleted in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey y'all.. i am visiting my mum in essex over the next couple of weeks and would like to know if guv (the host of the london meet-up on aug 3) would give me a call at 01268-750021 next week to let me know where it's at.. peace.

  glen james

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  Deleted

  Hey y'all.

  I am visiting my Mum in Essex over the next couple of weeks and would like to know if Guv (the host of the London meet-up on Aug 3) would give me a call at 01268-750021 next week to let me know where it's at.

  Peace

  Glen James
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  6

  CJ Woodworth Spills the Beans !!!

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  last march, i suspended my jfr trial series.

  i was being too detailed, and presenting it in too dry a fashion.

  so, in the last two months, i have been working on it from the approach of a story line, except that i retained the reference citations.

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  Deleted

  One self-inflicted reason that the WTS could not have had Holy Spirit to direct their sales efforts is this:

  1918 "The Holy Spirit was taken away in 1918 when Jesus came to the Temple" {SALV
  216-7} SALV J.F.Rutherford: Salvation, 1939

  I can't believe I was one of them .................

  Peace

  Glen who once was Deleted.

  All along, the Watch Tower
  Told a pack of lies
  Broken lives and promises
  So much wasted time