Posts by Cold Steel

4

"Discreet"???

by smmcroberts in

in a previous blog i showed why the gb cannot be a "slave".

in that blog i promised to review the rest of their infamous claim of being "faithful and discreet".

that blog is now ready for your consideration:.

Good points all! I agree 100 percent. They're a fairly closed people and their Bible translation is garbage. After all these years, I still like the KJV. I use other translations, but the New World Translation makes me groan when I read it because it's so crude and unrefined. It's like the translators went out of their way to force their doctrines. They formulated those doctrines, then translated the Bible to support those doctrines. The "slave" thing is particularly dreadful, though. I forget the scripture, but it even noted the difference between a slave and a servant. Strange that the JWs would then make those translations.

15

Calling Out Jehovah's Name

by God_Delusion in

if you're in trouble today, don't panic.

all you need to do is yell out at the top of your voice, "jehovah!".

well, that's what many jehovah's witnesses believe.

Cold Steel

Jehovah's Witnesses do believe in miraculous events...it's just that they're all invisible. Like Jesus coming in 1919 or so. It's like transubstantiation. Each time the priest blesses the Eucharist it becomes the actual flesh and blood of Jesus. It's a miracle each time it happens and it makes Catholics think something miraculous has occurred, but you can't see it, feel it, taste it (thank heavens), or test it. Kind of like the fastest gun in the West...wanna see it again?

The stories of people gaining deliverance by screaming "Jehovah" are, let's face it, mostly tied in to urban legends. People hear the pipes in their house groan, so they yell out. If they see a strange light outside, they yell out. And many times the stories change. The strange light which was a neighbor carrying something out to the trash with a flashlight becomes a demon. The pipes become a spirit that's chased away with the holy name.

In ancient times, the name was never uttered outside of the Holy of Holies, and it was uttered once a year. No one would dare utter it in vain or to scare off a demon. The apostles believed that the name of Jesus was more effective than anything, and they had the divine authority to speak in the name of Christ. After all, the miracles were performed in the name of Jesus and the church was the Church of Jesus Christ, not the Church of Jehovah. And people didn't scream "Jesus," they usually spoke in the name of Jesus.

13

Great Crowd Or Anointed...Your Choice!

by Cold Steel in

you're a jehovah's witness in good standing.

you have a choice of being one of the "great crowd" or being anointed.

your choice?

Cold Steel

Well, I agree that there aren't two classes in the resurrection. But if the Jehovah's Witnesses were right about there being an earthly and heavenly class, let's face it. Being stuck on a planet where you get to walk around in a garden paradise forever and ever wouldn't be my idea of a great way of spending an eternity. As a spirit, however, you can travel amongst the stars at the speed of thought, perhaps take part in the creation of other worlds, materialize a body and learn the secrets of the universe.

Meanwhile, on Earth, people get up, go hiking, biking travel to the moutains or visit beaches with white sand and green, cool waters. They'll have family reunions, have block parties and eat whatever they want without worrying about gaining weight. But even all this would grow old after two or three hundred years or so.

Since I've never darkened the door of a Kingdom Hall, I don't know whether they ever talk about which class they'd like to be resurrected to. Is it bad form to aspire to the spirit class? And if you did partake of the emblems, would anyone ever say, "Psssst...did you see old Jimbo take the emblems today? Who does he think he is?" Or if you go to a Sunday School class and say, "Man, I'd like to be one of the spirit class. How cool would zipping around the galaxy as a spirit be!"

Or perhaps they never even discuss it. But can someone fill me in?

14

BILL NYE (the Science Guy) on Creationism

by Terry in

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/24/bill-nye-creationism-science_n_1908926.html.

.

bill nye (the science guy) wonders aloud how creationism can provide anything but confusion..

Cold Steel

Yeah, well Nye believes the U.S. landed on the moon.

Look, anyone who doesn't believe the Earth was created on the back of a turtle is going to hell! I mean, do you think NASA would admit it if they discovered that we are all walking around on the shell of a turtle? Of course not! So they say we're on a big round ball of dirt and rock, which is ridiculous. I mean, what would be holding it up? See, they never answer questions like that. They may say, oh, gravity keeps things moving around the sun, but who's ever seen gravity? Have YOU? Here's a handful of gravity for you. See?

Once you come to believe we're on the back of a turtle, all questions get answered and everything makes sense.

13

Great Crowd Or Anointed...Your Choice!

by Cold Steel in

you're a jehovah's witness in good standing.

you have a choice of being one of the "great crowd" or being anointed.

your choice?

Cold Steel

Oh, c'mon. You don't have to be a JW to answer this. Just tell me what you'd prefer? Certainly the folks who are members would have discussed this, and there's bound to be some criticisms of some people partaking of the emblems. Are elders generally regarded of being of the leadership class.

9

Do JW now believe that they are not the only true religion?

by featherimiss in

hi all...it's been a while since i've visited the site.. i was speaking to a jw friend of mine last night.

and she said that they stated at the latest convention that they were not the only true religion.

is this true?.

Cold Steel

Certainly thou jestest! Your friend most likely misunderstood someone or she heard something she wanted to hear.

The book they teach from hasn't changed. The fact that they still send forth missionaries indicates they believe themselves to be the only true church.

4

"Discreet"???

by smmcroberts in

in a previous blog i showed why the gb cannot be a "slave".

in that blog i promised to review the rest of their infamous claim of being "faithful and discreet".

that blog is now ready for your consideration:.

Cold Steel

Unfortunately, “faithful and discreet slave” is a mistranslation. Playing devil’s advocate, the actual term is “faithful and wise servant.” Whether the term “faithful” can be used in connection with the Governing Body is moot. “Wise” is defined as “having wisdom or discernment for what is true, right, or lasting.” The term “discreet” is “exercising or showing prudence and wise self-restraint in speech and behavior.” And finally, a slave is “one bound in servitude as the property of a person or household,” where a “servant” is “one who is privately employed to perform domestic services.”

Now whether the Governing Body is a faithful and wise servant is something members of the Jehovah’s Witnesses must decide. But they also have to decide whether the GB is responsible for the horrendously awful translation of the scriptures.

You also quoted Revelation 22:18* to show that the translators shouldn’t have used “Jehovah” in their New Testament Greek translations. You wrote that “they did not remain faithful to the extant manuscripts.” As horrendous as the JW New World Translation is, a translation is merely to render into another language. If the GB is inspired of God, then making these changes is perfectly okay. Also, the scriptural reference to Revelation 22:18 refers only to the book of Revelation, and not to the Bible. The early Christians had an open canon. King James translators changed many references to God to “Lord.” This didn’t mean that they were adding to the scriptures, or taking away from them; nor did it mean that the translations were necessarily bad. But they are weighted to the JW doctrine where, for some insane reason, the term “Jehovah” is overly important to them. In most other faiths, Jesus is the one to whom Christians look. And the JWs believe that Jehovah is the Father of Jesus where the scriptures teach fairly clearly that Jehovah, not Michael, is the pre-existent Jesus.** If the GB is wrong about that, then that’s another doctrinal kink they have to answer for.

--------------------- * “For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book….”

** Both Jehovah and Jesus share the same titles, such as the First and the Last, Savior, Judge, etc. In fact, Jehovah will come to judge the nations, and his coming mirrors that of Christ’s. John declared that the Father judges no man, but has committed all judgment to the Son. (John 5:22) The Witnesses explain the identical titles by saying that Jesus is so much “One” with Jehovah that they can use the same titles.

13

Great Crowd Or Anointed...Your Choice!

by Cold Steel in

you're a jehovah's witness in good standing.

you have a choice of being one of the "great crowd" or being anointed.

your choice?

Cold Steel

You're a Jehovah's Witness in good standing. You have a choice of being one of the "great crowd" or being anointed. Your choice? And why?

And is being one of the anointed class something one can aspire to? In short, let's say being a member of one or the other is something you really want. You can be a physical being living on a lush, green earth...forever...or being an ethereal spirit for all eternity. If the latter, I suppose if not a choice, it's something that's revealed to you by the Holy Spirit. No one at the Kingdom Hall can dispute it or challenge it. And of course you partake of the emblems once a year.

Trouble is, you're not one of the anointed ones. You made a mistake. What happens? Let's say you really wanted to be one of the resurrected spirits. Are you punished for thinking you were one of the anointed?

I wish someone would explain the politics of being in the anointed class. When someone partakes of the emblems, is there any talking behind someone's back, open talk doubting it, etc.? And if you could be an elder for the rest of your life or being in the anointed class, what would your choice be? If you are one of the anointed, will you be able to visit loved ones on the earth by materializing a body? And what will be the duties of the anointed ones?

In fact, what will the duties of the great crowd be? What will they do forever, and will they have any super powers? Does anyone ever kick these things around the old Kingdom Hall? Chew the old Watchtower fat?

15

Calling Out Jehovah's Name

by God_Delusion in

if you're in trouble today, don't panic.

all you need to do is yell out at the top of your voice, "jehovah!".

well, that's what many jehovah's witnesses believe.

Cold Steel

Next time I'm attacked by a teddy bear, I'll be sure to scream "Jehovah!"

You might also consider sneaking up on loved ones and, grabbing them by the shoulders, yelling "Jehovah" at the top of your lungs. If they jump out of their skin, accuse them of coming in contact with a cursed or possessed object. Tell them you're going to keep doing it until they stop jumping...just to make sure they're no longer affected.

I'd like to hear more stories though. Since Jehovah isn't actually the name of God, it shouldn't affect an evil spirit at all, but hey, do what works. Jump out of a plane without a parachute, scream...well, you know.

38

SAFE WAY to awaken, VERY POWERFUL. Even called Bethel elder on it.

by EndofMysteries in

i've found this topic and subject to be extremely powerful.

this is for those who still believe in god, realize the wt is apostate, and trying to help family.

(meaning i do not wish it to be used on trying to turn people athiest, i respect everyone's choices, i just believe and would hate my help to do what i feel is wrong) it might help fix things, or if you are still wondering how to awaken them without scaring them and being instantly shunned.

Cold Steel

Fascinating eschatology.

In all my reading of the scriptures, I've never read anything that would lead me to the conclusion that there are two classes of resurrected beings, spirits and physical beings. In fact, all men will be resurrected according to the scriptures; and in the Lord's house there are many mansions, or degrees.

Since the Lord's resurrection, I see no reason why the First Resurrection isn't still continuing. But the vast majority of those resurrected will, I think, rise at the coming of Christ when he returns in the clouds of heaven to Jerusalem (which is his coming in glory) and brings the battle of Armageddon to a close.

The big question is why does it matter? The notion that Jesus was resurrected as a spirit is absurd. He went through great lengths to show his disciples that he wasn't a spirit ("for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see I have"). It's important to keep in mind that flesh and blood is not the same as flesh and bones. In the former, blood is the corrupting agent. When it is replaced by spirit, it has the best qualities of both spirit and physical. This is why Jesus was able to show his disciples the wounds in his hands, side and feet, and yet go through walls and ceilings. As a resurrected being, he is able to withhold his glory and appear as a man or, when he returns, will appear in all his glory which will destroy the wicked who aren't quickened. And according to John, the resurrection of the righteous will be like Jesus' resurrection. And that is all the righteous. There is no "great crowd" or "other sheep" by way of resurrections. Most scholars believe the "other sheep" are the gentiles, while others believe they are the "lost" tribes of Israel socked away somewhere. But none that I know of believe they're a separate resurrected class.

Finally, the notion that man having a spirit is not a pagan belief. All throughout the New Testament, the apostles liken the body as a "tabernacle" for the spirit and Peter wanted to "depart" and be with Christ, but to stay with the church was more needful for it.

In 1945 the Dead Sea Scrolls and the Nag Hammadi library were discovered. The Nag Hammadi writings were collections of both Gnostic and more conventional writings, and we learn quite a bit about conventional Christianity. And it's clear that the early Christians believed that men have spirits. Also, many people of all religious backgrounds have had Near Death Expieriences that indicate not only do we have spirits that continue on after death, but that our spirits existed before we came to the Earth. Some accounts I've read of people who died in accidents or on the operating table describe meeting people they knew before coming to the Earth.

If people live after they die, they exist as spirits, which mean they're not resurrected as spirits. They're resurrected in the same manner as Christ, which are physical resurrections with spirit instead of blood. Thus, the Father is spirit. It doesn't say he is a spirit. That was added. In the book of Hebrews, it reads of Christ: " Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high: Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Further, Jesus was "appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." (H ebrews 1:1-4) This is one of the most succinct scriptures in the New Testament. In essence, Christ is resurrected to be exactly like his Father gaining, by inheritance, all that the Father has.

Paul, in his epistle to the Romans, writes that " For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. ... The [Holy] Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. Thus, if Jesus becomes equal with the Father because he's an heir, and we too are heirs of the Father and "joint heirs with Christ," what does that mean for us? It means we inherit all that the Father has? So would you rather be a part of the "great crowd" and live on a garden planet for trillions of years, or would you rather be a "joint heir" with Christ and inherit all that he inerits?

This would be an interesting question to ask the guy at Bethel. After all, if we are the children of God we are heirs, and if heirs, then joint heirs with Christ. It doesn't say that only the "other sheep" can be children of God, does it? In fact, you can be a joint heir just by claiming it. There is no great crowd and there is no other sheep categories. Why? Because all the righteous can claim to be the children of God and become joint heirs with Christ, regardless of what resurrection category they think they're part of. Why would anyone choose to become part of the great crowd and spend the rest of eternity tending gardens and having family reunions? Wouldn't most normal people choose to be heirs with Christ and the Father, inheriting all that the Father has?