it's utterly amazing to me how religious belief in an omnipotent deity shapes some people's thinking.. one woman whose family missed the air asia flight which crashed stated that it was god's will to give her father hepatitis so that she canceled her family's vacation trip on that flight.
she says she believes god saved her family and protected them.
however, she later mourns the fact that she lost friends on the flight...so does she believe god deliberately planned for them to die?
I was interested to hear/read of Bart Ehrman's story. He is a renowned NT scholar, author, etc. and well-worth checking out on youtube.
Despite his academic work which identified the inconsistencies etc. in the NT what led him to become an agnostic/atheist from being a fully-committed BAC was the issue of 'suffering'. Worth looking at the interviews on yt he's given on this.
well, it's christmas eve afternoon here now in the uk.. traditionally a time when all the panic shopping is over, what's done is done, what you've forgotten you've forgotten, time to raise a glass (or two) and relax.. so may i wish all members/readers/posters a very happy xmas, whether you celebrate it or not, and extra 'get up and go' for 2015.. best wishes to all.. .
Thank you, and best wishes to you.
I will spend tomorrow (Xmas day) with my son, my sort-of daughter in law and my grand-daughters (3 & 5). Looking forward to it.
It's 2.30 pm here. The sun is shining and I should go for a walk n the beach. But instead I'm going to drink some pretty good beer and listen to old Prairie Home Companion shows online!
well, it's christmas eve afternoon here now in the uk.. traditionally a time when all the panic shopping is over, what's done is done, what you've forgotten you've forgotten, time to raise a glass (or two) and relax.. so may i wish all members/readers/posters a very happy xmas, whether you celebrate it or not, and extra 'get up and go' for 2015.. best wishes to all.. .
I'd like to expand on my own previous comments, if I may.
Here on JWN there are often very different views expressed (sometimes not so tactfully) and sometimes hackles are roused.
But, in the overall scheme of things I like to think that there is a fundamental sense of goodwill, and a substantial bank of practical help, available to those who need it. Sometimes, of course, people who may need it have been directly damaged by WTBTS. In other cases the cause of the damage is more tangential.
I believe that the 'well of goodwill' (sorry if that sounds a bit soppy but it's been exhibited here many times by so many posters) is a substantial thing which I, for one, appreciate.
I believe (as as a never-was dub) that this goodwill may be the most potent force in helping those suffering from the effects of WTBTS to realise that those of us in the 'real world' aren't so bad.
Sorry, that was a clumsy way to say what I'm trying to put across.
well, it's christmas eve afternoon here now in the uk.. traditionally a time when all the panic shopping is over, what's done is done, what you've forgotten you've forgotten, time to raise a glass (or two) and relax.. so may i wish all members/readers/posters a very happy xmas, whether you celebrate it or not, and extra 'get up and go' for 2015.. best wishes to all.. .
Heaven: thanks for your comments. Anyone would have done the same. There is a trendous amount of strength and caring here on JWN, available unconditionally where and when it is needed.
Phizzy: Cheers - yes it is. A bottle of Old Speckled Hen is going down very well here. I have a couple more, then I may have to force myself to walk a couple of hundred yards to the Cricket Club ...
well, it's christmas eve afternoon here now in the uk.. traditionally a time when all the panic shopping is over, what's done is done, what you've forgotten you've forgotten, time to raise a glass (or two) and relax.. so may i wish all members/readers/posters a very happy xmas, whether you celebrate it or not, and extra 'get up and go' for 2015.. best wishes to all.. .
Well, it's Christmas Eve afternoon here now in the UK.
Traditionally a time when all the panic shopping is over, what's done is done, what you've forgotten you've forgotten, time to raise a glass (or two) and relax.
So may I wish all members/readers/posters a very happy Xmas, whether you celebrate it or not, and extra 'get up and go' for 2015.
Best wishes to all.
i was talking with two brothers at the kingdom hall the other day.
one of them suggested seeing the new exodus movie.
the other brother says, "i heard it's really violent"!
Oh, brother ADCMS. you're not thinking 'properly' (tm) here.
Further prayerful reflection and study of the 'Divine Food' will surely bring you to the correct view that this was merely Jehovah demonstrating his loving ways.
(If you find it difficult to come to this correct view, Elders Dumb and Dumber would love to have a chat with you).
i don't understand the relevance of the first picture in this weeks study article?!?!.
wt week of december 15-21 "cherish your privilege of working with jehovah".
can someone post the pic?.
but .. but .. but ..
Where's the friendly blue square 'JW.Orgy' sign on that building? Or on the t-shirts and hard hats?
I'm a bit worried for 'Jehovah's Little Helpers' (tm) - spooky echoes of Santa's elves there. If they aren't wearing the Sacred Logo (tm) how will Jehovah recognise and spare them at the Big Bang?
I don't want to cause panic amongst the R&F, but they'd better get their badges NOW! The Big Bang is Right Around The Corner (tm), soon (tm), anytime now (tm).
Just a thought - does WTBTS in any of its many guises get royalty payments on sales of the Sacred Logo (tm) stuff?
PS: Yes, I know that WTBTS doesn't have tm rights on the Sacred Logo. Strange that Jehovah failed to foresee that someone else would register it first, but:
1. This may be part of the foretold persecution
2. GB has foretold that 'unexplained things' may happen.
3. Whether or not they comply with the 'authorities' depends on who the 'authorities' are for the time being (depends on 'new light' (tm) )
So that's alright, then.
ok so be a scrooge or grinch for 5 minutes.
you know you want to.. i loooove xmas songs but there are a few that make me cringe.. the old feed the world.
"there won't be snow in africa.
My miserable Grumpy Old Git persona comes to the forefront at this time of year.
' I don't give a sh*t who you are, Fatty. Get that f***ing sleigh off my roof'.
Apart from that I'm quite nice and cuddly, really.
yes, you heard right.. as you know, most christian organizations publish and distribute little tracts with their gospel message.
well they also make some that expose the lies of the wt, and explain how it is a cult.
even if people are not interested in the "gospel message" in these tracts, the tracts do a good job exposing the wt as a cult.. now, those of you who are now agnostic or athiests or just non-religious, please keep reading, to understand what i plan to do.... i am expecting to receive $$ for christmas.
(I never was a dub).
Dear snakeface.
I understand that you're in the US where (sadly) in some parts they take religion seriously. Here in the UK it is generally a matter of indifference (even with most church-goers) and borderline wacko groups like JWs, Mormons and rabid born-agains are avoided as far as possible.
For example, in my residential street the only reaction to dubs out in FS is that neighbours warn each other when they're on the horizon.
I concur with the above posts. Whilst I understand the damage that WTBTS causes, for those outside the organisation it is/they are inconsequential, irrelevant and no-one gives them a first, let alone a second, thought. They are a non-entity.
So, as others have said, you could spend your money better. Buy some books by Dawkins or Ehrman, go on a trip, or invest in your pleasure by buying some single malts.
There is a sayng: 'There's no point in discussing religion with the religious'. It's true. And there's no point in discussing it with anyone else because they don't give a toss - they regard it as the useless irrelevance which it ultimately is.
Good luck.
http://theworldnewsmedia.org/file/view/2012-wtbtsb-financial-report.pdf.
it seems it is possible to get some financial statements from some countries.. it's interesting seeing how they must report in what way they are a charity.
many spin doctoring and word games to make it appear they are doing charitable things.. also interesting was how the trustees were consenting to reducing the reserves and sending them to another country, probably wt usa it looks like.
marked
