In the Question from Readers in the September 15, 2003 Watchtower it distinguishes between Jesus as having "life in himself" (John 5:26), meaning he can impart life to others, and his followers as having "life in themselves" (John 6:53), meaning having everlasting life. This applies to the anointed when they are resurrected to heavenly life, and to the rest of Christ's followers after the end of the thousand years.
Earnest
JoinedPosts by Earnest
-
47
SECRET RECORDING 14TH APRIL:RALPH WALLS: MORE CHANGES ARE COMING!
by raymond frantz insecret recording 14th april:ralph walls: more changes are coming!.
( broadcasted to all british congregations today).
https://youtu.be/owg4bqj7pd0?si=yvfpkkos_qoy9u10.
-
-
Earnest
-
18
Alternative Military Service is Now OK
by Sea Breeze inbut i wonder: how many jw's went to prison during the years that the wt did not allow them to perform community service as an alternative to military service?.
anyone care to take a stab at the numbers?.
-
-
Earnest
Sea Breeze : how many JW's went to prison during the years that the WT did not allow them to perform community service as an alternative to military service?
A distinction should be made between community service and service (like Selective Service) which they considered to be part of the war effort. During war-time that is usually the only alternative offered to conscientious objectors.
-
37
They Came To The Door!
by NotFormer ingoing door to door with their "memorial" invitation.
"so you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?
them: "we can explain who is to partake".. me: "all jesus' followers".
-
-
Earnest
NotFormer : 'If the "coming" (parousia) happened in 1914, why the heck are you still doing the memorial, anyway??'
The words "until he comes" (achri hou elthe) in 1 Corinthians 11:26 is not related to parousia which JWs believe referred to his presence since 1914, but to erchomai which refers to his coming to judge the people of the earth. Compare, for example, Matthew 25:31-46; 2 Thessalonians 1:9,10. There is a discussion of the coming of Christ here.
-
18
Former Jehovah's Witness elder committed to stand trial accused of Sunshine Coast rapes, sexual abuse
by yalbmert99 inhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-20/former-jehovahs-witness-elder-to-stand-trial-accused-of-rape/103612422.
-
-
Earnest
Scully : Let me guess.... he was still an Elder™, In Good Standing™ at the time these incidents occur. No surprise there.
No, Scully. According to a Jehovah's Witness spokesman he "was not in an appointed position throughout the time of the alleged events”. (Courier Mail, September 5, 2022)
So it follows that he was removed as an elder before 2008, when the incidents started. That doesn't entirely tie in with the police allegation that he "used his position of religious standing within the Jehovah’s Witness community to target young men in their late teens to early 20s between 2008 and 2018" but it could be true.
It is unlikely that the victims were required to testify before the Judicial Committee as they had all left the congregation and were alleged to be homosexuals.
-
18
Former Jehovah's Witness elder committed to stand trial accused of Sunshine Coast rapes, sexual abuse
by yalbmert99 inhttps://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-03-20/former-jehovahs-witness-elder-to-stand-trial-accused-of-rape/103612422.
-
-
Earnest
TonusOH : They did not mention whether the victims had reported the abuse to elders, and I am wondering if that will ever come up.
The Courier Mail of August 31, 2022 reported that
Police said in court documents three of the alleged victims approached police independent of each other; two of which tried to report the matters to the Jehovah’s Witness Religious Elders.
The Courier Mail of September 5, 2022 reported that detectives said in court documents
“The victims were accused of being homosexual, rather than (alleged) victims of systematic sexual offending.
“They were therefore not believed.”
The Courier Mail of December 18, 2023 reported that
Mr Callaghan [the magistrate] also ordered for the documents from the church to be disclosed, inspected and copied to prosecutions and the man’s law firm.
I note that in the Courier Mail of September 5, 2022, a Jehovah's Witness spokesman describes the accused as a “congregant” who had no power within the church. However, the Courier Mail of March 20, 2024 describes him as a former Jehovah's Witness so it seems as if he has either left the religion or been disfellowshipped since the police investigation started.
-
37
s-395 Adjustments-to-handling-serious-wrongdoing-in-the-congregation
by gavindlt inthis was posted on jw leaks.. my truth's | dad seeking truth.
.
.
-
-
Earnest
hoser : Exactly how many years ago was that instruction [no need for elders to meet with disfellowshipped ones] made to the elders?
Shepherd the Flock of God, October 2023, Chapter 25 Paragraph 20
There is no formal arrangement to visit disfellowshipped or disassociated individuals each year. Rather, elders should use good judgment in determining whether and how to make brief contact with such ones...Of course, contact should not be made with active apostates, with those who are trying to lead others into sin, or with those who have made it known that they want nothing to do with the Christian congregation.
-
17
What I Remember From The Past...
by titch infolks: regarding all the recent changes about dis-fellowshipping and time for re-instatement.
(and, even speaking to persons who are dis-fellowshpped.
) back in 1972, a new book was released at the summer district convention, that replaced the yellow-colored "lamp": book.
-
-
Earnest
titch : And, in that book it was stated that after a person was dis-fellowshipped, he or she could ask the BOE to be re-instated after a 6-month period.... So, a 6-month period was established, for applying for re-instatement.
In the book "Your Word is a Lamp to my Foot", 1967, it says (p.181)
No plea for reinstatement will be considered for at least a year after disfellowshipping, and in some cases even more.
In Organization for Kingdom Preaching and Disciple Making, 1972, it says (p.176)
So, it may be several months, a year or even years before a disfellowshipped person gives convincing evidence of repentance.
In Organized to Do Jehovah's Will, 2019, it says (p.153)
The elders are careful to allow sufficient time - many months, a year, or even longer, depending on the circumstances - for the person to prove that his repentance is genuine.
-
16
Elder abuser in Sunshine Coast down under (?)
by carla innot sure if this has been posted or not, apologies if it has.
i did a quick search and did not see it.
https://archive.md/5zcdi -a sunshine coast jehovah’s witness figure accused of horrific sex crimes has been remanded in jail for fresh offences which allegedly occurred the same day he attended court.. and https://archive.md/r2o6x -a sunshine coast jehovah’s witness figure who allegedly used his position in the church to sexually assault young men has been arrested by police.
-
-
Earnest
A commital hearing was held today and the Courier Mail reported :
A businessman and former Jehovah’s Witness figure on the Sunshine Coast will stand trial after he allegedly groomed a man over 11 years and raped him while he chanted affirmations.
The man was charged with 54 offences including 21 counts of rape, 17 of sexual assault, torture and incest, the last of which was alleged to have been against his great-nephew.
Defence barrister Saul Holt contested the charges of incest and torture, arguing the legal definition of incest did not include great-nephews. He also told the court the psychological trauma did not categorise under “severe pain and suffering” of the torture charge and asked it be dismissed.
Magistrate Chris Callaghan discharged the man of incest and torture, leaving 52 charges remaining.
Mr Holt also told the court the sexual encounters relating to two of the alleged victims were consensual.
Mr Callaghan directed the matter of consent was for a jury to hear and committed the matter to the Maroochydore District Court for trial. He adjourned the matter until September 25.
-
78
God, one person, or three?
by slimboyfat inthe trinity doctrine says god is three persons in one being.. yet the bible says god is one.. gal 3.20 a mediator, however, implies more than one party; but god is one.
niv.
gal 3.20 now a mediator is not for just one person, but god is one.
-
-
Earnest
aqwsed12345 : But anyway, as John 20:28 shows, He was Lord and God even before that, considering His divine nature.
John 20:27 "Next he said to Thomas: “Put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop doubting but believe.”"
aqwsed12345 : Although he received the title "The Lord" as a human also, but by this his human nature did not become God (because there can be no change in God), so it means sharing in the divine glory. “The humanity of Christ is a creature, it is not God” (Catholic Encyclopedia, 922).
-
78
God, one person, or three?
by slimboyfat inthe trinity doctrine says god is three persons in one being.. yet the bible says god is one.. gal 3.20 a mediator, however, implies more than one party; but god is one.
niv.
gal 3.20 now a mediator is not for just one person, but god is one.
-
-
Earnest
@aqwsed12345
Your lengthy discussion arguing that 'God' and 'Lord' are interchangeable belies the fact that Jesus was made Lord, and therefore there was a time when he was not Lord, just as there was a time when he was not Christ. As Acts 2:34-36 says :
For David did not ascend to the heavens, but he himself says, ‘Jehovah said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet.”’ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know for a certainty that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you executed on a stake.”
The importance of this new role as Lord is emphasized at Romans 10:9 :
For if you publicly declare with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and exercise faith in your heart that God raised him up from the dead, you will be saved.
which is why the identification of God as Father and Jesus as Lord (in 1 Corinthians 8:6) is necessarily so clear.