"And those that fled to the mountains died"
Would you provide a source for this statement?
Thanks,
Zarco
i know that you are all very familiar with the early verses of matthew 24/ mark 13/ luke 21.. i have prepared a study on these verses and am seeking constructive criticisms and advice.. the address is: http://au.geocities.com/doug_mason1940/beware_deceivers.pdf.
thanks,.
doug.
"And those that fled to the mountains died"
Would you provide a source for this statement?
Thanks,
Zarco
if i may as bold as to suggest a few readings/listenings for current jws.
the "demotion" of jesus to a position far lower than what philippians 2:11 teaches is demonstrated in a talk by lt and in several "threads" by auldsoul.
links are copied below.
If I may as bold as to suggest a few readings/listenings for current JWs. The "demotion" of Jesus to a position far lower than what Philippians 2:11 teaches is demonstrated in a talk by LT and in several "threads" by AuldSoul. Links are copied below. A link is also provided explaining the Bible teaching on baptism. Please listen/read the scriptural argument presented without any bias. Pray to Jehovah for guidance. If you feel it is appropriate pray to Jesus as well for guidance - Thomas did so. After prayerful consideration of the material presented, please follow your conscience.
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/20680/1.ashx
after much deliberation, i decided to go "out" at the end of a public talk.
it didn't go down too well, but at least i was able to give some of my reasons for leaving.. i've put some of the details on my homepage.
i'll update it more when i get the time and the strength.
LT -
Well done! The denigration of Jesus is what got to me also, although I am still "in" physically. Fabulous talk and thanks for the caring manner in which you exited. You dignified the congregation with your expressions of love and sincerity.
Zarco
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
nvr,
I did not intend to make anyone feel guilty, we all make mistakes. I do not require any apology from you.
I personally have not shunned anyone nor disfellowshipped anyone as it against my conscience. I would under all circumstances use the legal system if a case of child abuse or murder was involved. I realize that many elders followed their conscience when disfellowshipping abusers and the outcome was a good one. The process was a bad one. A legal/judicial solution would have been best.
zarco
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
willyloman -
Thanks for your perspective. I guess mine is that the judicial committee does not have the authority to act. The congregation itself does have that authority and could rightly exercise it if it so choose to do so. A congregational action seems a principled approach since it allows a full disclosure and collective decision making.
My reason for encouraging an apology is that I believe that repentance and conversion are required by a Christian and if one acted unscripturally by serving on a committee and disfellowshipping someone he must repent (regret) serving in that capacity and a conversion (reconciliation) with what God intends.
Regarding being involved in an unscriptural process and having something good result out of it - like protecting the congregation from an abuser - does not make the process right nor does it prove to be the most effective process for protecting the congregation - a legal approach would be much more effective.
zarco
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
Confession,
Thanks for keeping young people safe from a molester.
Possibly a better course would be to use the legal/judicial system to assure that the step to protect young ones is a permanent one at least the individual would be "marked" by being on a sex offender list and likely would spend a good deal of time in jail and in counseling.
The reasons I think an apology is necessary for disfellowshipping is that a judicial committee is not sanctioned or even identified by any scriptural teaching. Rather when a disfellowshipping occurred the early Church/Congregation heard the evidence and made a decision. This accomplished much in that the Congregation was warned by hearing the evidence, the "sinner" had his/her day to present a defense and if the Congregation needed protecting it was a collective decision.
When as elders we DF people for any sin, we are acting a judge with out training, we are involved in a process that is not sanctioned in scripture (judicial committe), we are forcing a set of consequences on the DF'd person that are for the most part man made.
In cases were the physical well being of the Congregation is in danger, a legal solution is best rather than a JC.
Zarco
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
In all seriousness this thread should be about the apology and response not about the reasons for action or the self justification
zarco
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
Fortunately for me all the other DF'ings I was involved with were cut and dried folks who wanted out. Do the folks you DF'd feel the same way, do you know that? I am completely amazed that the former elders on this forum did not follow their conscience. What kind of people are you?
i would like to pose some questions that may challenge your thoughts, if i may.... .
former elders, while i may commend you all for seeing the real truth on about the so called "truth" and thus leaving the borg for what it really & truly is, a lie.
former elders, have you ever thought about or attempted to contact anyone that have been disfellowshipped by your involvement in the j.c.?
How dare the former elders on this forum to try to explain away the reason they Df'd someone. This is not a spiritual teaching, it is not a loving arrangement, do not explain your self rather reach out to those you have harmed and apologize. The healing is not about you it is about those you harmed.
zarco
every time a circuit and district overseer visited our congregation,the elders always wanted a show of hands from the congregation to see if we would pay for their car expenses and travel.sometimes the congregation would pay for airline tickets.it was always approved.. do you know if the idea came from the local congregations to pay?
did the wts send out letters to each congregation to see if they would pay?
we know that the wts always get what they want.. it's amazing how we paid $250-$400 for each overseer visit and the wts paid nothing..
No untaxed income is involved. It is a reimbursement of expenses only with receipts being required.
Regarding any gifts of cash provided to the CO/DO from individual members, no tax is required unless such gifts exceed $10,000 from any one individual which is pretty unlikely ( US Tax law - maybe different elsewhere)
zarco