Posts by Cold Steel

28

Daughter doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her

by jws in

jw
friends

so i was talking with my daughter the other day and she tells me that she doesn't want me to push my beliefs on her.i am agnostic.

which isn't a belief.

it's a lack of belief.

Cold Steel

Many people find happiness and a great deal of comfort in religion. I'm not a JW, but I have my own religious beliefs and can see where your daughter is coming from. You should understand that there are many who find in religion a purpose for existing. Some may be comfortable in not knowing, but I can tell you that destroying someone's religious beliefs will not endear you to them, but may instead cause deep seated resentment and depression in the form of cognitive dissonance.

If your daughter is happy in her beliefs, I recommend you respect her wishes and not seek to undermine them unless those beliefs are being used by others to alienate her from family or friends. When people use the religious beliefs of others as a means of control, that can be challenged without destroying a person's core beliefs. But that's another problem entirely.

10

Oh the irony!!!!

by notsurewheretogo in

just saw this pop up in my facebook...i laughed out loud in the office and people looked at me.. .

is it just me or is it very ironic to post that scripture with a picture of the hq?

because following men at hq is exactly what they do!.

Cold Steel

Has the Society ever taken a positive position on whether the GB receives revelation or not?

If they speak when moved upon by the Holy Spirit, is that not revelation? Or if they are inspired to see things in a "NEW LIGHT," is that not revelation as well? The Society seems to shy away from the R-word except when discussing John's book. Officially it says the GB doesn't receive revelation as the prophets did, nor are GB members prophets. Rather, the GB, as a body, is a prophet.

But does the prophet actually hear from God? Do they, as a body, talk to God face to face as did Moses? Do they entertain angels like Abraham? See visions as did John? Prophesy as did Isaiah, Ezekiel and Zechariah? Do they say, "Thus saith the Lord" regarding anything? If, together, they are a prophet, how would they know that unless it was revealed? When the Lord looked at all the world's religions and chose the Society, it certainly wasn't in the papers.

So how did Jehovah convey His will to the GB, exactly?

These aren't just rhetorical barbs, but are legitimate questions.

The SLAVE has yet to address these challenges to its legitimacy.

44

What are the chances of having a one on one with GB member

by Chook in

jesus drifted amongst the lowly folk .

Cold Steel

Well, how does one get in? When one enters the Society's Bethel offices, can't one find their offices and just seek an appointment? How about someone who isn't a member? Would they be more likely or less likely to get in? Who do they meet with?

What kind of security does the building have? Certainly no one with guns, right?

What if you meet one in the corridor and ask if he has a few moments to discuss an experience you had?

54

where have the demons gone?

by aboveusonlysky in

jw
friends

does anybody remember some of the sensational demon stories jw's would tell back in the day?

i was a kid in the early 80's and i remember a few times hearing of people having real life encounters with demons.

for example, one sister claimed that before she became a jdub she would regularly talk to demons and they would even fix stuff like her washing machine!

Cold Steel

Do you think demons are governed in ways similar to the Society?

Like if they do something wrong they get counseled by elder spirits, and if they don't tow the line they perhaps get shunned. Our if they don't teach false doctrine they can get called up on charges and DF'ed? And do they keep stats on the hours they mislead? Perhaps they have conventions where they put on skits with ridiculous names. Or sing hymns:

The best things in life are free,

But you can give them to the birds and bees,

I want MONEY! (It's what I want.)

I want MONEY!

What if they're just as miserable as...well...you were?

13

Shepherding Visit Riposte

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

if an elder approaches you and wants to arrange a shepherding call one possible response is..... "well thankyou brother, but jehovah is my shepherd.

i shall lack nothing.

(ps 23:1) but thanks again anyway".

Cold Steel

Excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is a shepherding call? Is it where they just want to check up on you or does it mean they've noticed you need to be counseled in a certain area?

Just how free are people to counsel others without a request from others for that counsel?

59

Can you prove that our entire universe and existence is not a computer simulation?

by EndofMysteries in

if you were a computer programmer and you were to create a simulated automated world, that would constantly evolve and self run after initial designs.

first you would have to code the rules, laws, and core elements of this world.

while this is being coded, the program is not run yet, so none of it exists.

Cold Steel

Can I prove it? Yeah, every time I have a bad day, I can be found in my living room screaming, "Computer, end program!" Nothing ever happens.

BTW, in STAR TREK GENERATIONS, why didn't Kirk and Picard stay in the Paradise nexus? And two, what if they never left? How do they know they actually saved the planet? And the sun? On earth, it takes eight minutes for the light of our sun to reach the earth. So even if you knocked out the sun, we wouldn't know it for eight minutes. It would have to be at least the same on the planet, yet when the bad guy shot the sun, it darkened immediately. Ruined the entire movie.

Computer, end program!

C:/endproram

37

JW Stand On Concealed Carry

by Cold Steel in

if a jw wanted to get a concealed carry permit, would the society have any moral or ethical problems with it?

in other words, if one of your elders noticed you were carrying concealed, would they be apt to just ignore it or would they counsel you on it?

.

Cold Steel

Got it. Do you think more JWs have guns than is generally thought? There sure seems to be lots of them here.

37

JW Stand On Concealed Carry

by Cold Steel in

if a jw wanted to get a concealed carry permit, would the society have any moral or ethical problems with it?

in other words, if one of your elders noticed you were carrying concealed, would they be apt to just ignore it or would they counsel you on it?

.

Cold Steel

Fisherman: God’s people have ‘beaten their swords into plowshares’ and do not buy guns to protect themselves from robbery or assault.—Micah 4:3.

The reference to beating swords into plowshares refers to life on Earth during the Millennium, and that because man will no longer need them. Also, those who live by the sword are those who settle their disputes with weapons. Jesus said that to Peter because he knew he was going to trial and that his time had come. God had not removed the bitter cup and it was Jesus' destiny to die. But Jesus also warned his disciples that the time would come when those who had not a sword would need to sell their cloaks to buy one. Scripture should not be twisted to say things it doesn't say, and in the Old Testament Yahweh spelled out to Moses when personal defense was justified. That, and capital punishment (Gen. 6:9) were never withdrawn by Christ.

Like I said, it's a God-given right.

37

JW Stand On Concealed Carry

by Cold Steel in

if a jw wanted to get a concealed carry permit, would the society have any moral or ethical problems with it?

in other words, if one of your elders noticed you were carrying concealed, would they be apt to just ignore it or would they counsel you on it?

.

Cold Steel

Thanks for your responses. Based on the Bible I don't see any problem with Christians defending themselves. I particularly have no respect for a man who can't, or won't, defend his family. For a man to sit by helplessly while someone raped his wife, to me, would be a source of great shame, not honor.

There was a case where a woman confronted a male intruder. Armed with a revolver, she couldn't bring herself to shoot the man who was grinning and moving towards her. Then her six-year old son entered the room. The man, still grinning, then turned towards the boy and moved towards him. But then the woman acted, emptying the gun into his chest and stomach, killing him. What woman wouldn't have? And if push came to shove, what man wouldn't do the same to save his wife or kids? (If not himself?)

Personal protection,to me, is a right bestowed on us by the Creator. In fact, man is the only one of God's creations to come into the world with no teeth, claws or significant muscle density. We need clothing, protection for our feet and weapons for defense because we were born with none of these things.

I suppose a JW could keep a weapon without telling anyone. But what is meant by "privileges"? Does it mean you can't go door to door and peach? And if someone used a weapon to defend one's wife or kids, or even himself, would he be disciplined?

And how about members of the GB? Don't they use security at Bethel or sometimes travel with security?

37

JW Stand On Concealed Carry

by Cold Steel in

if a jw wanted to get a concealed carry permit, would the society have any moral or ethical problems with it?

in other words, if one of your elders noticed you were carrying concealed, would they be apt to just ignore it or would they counsel you on it?

.

Cold Steel

How is one "counseled" in these matters? One wonders what would happen if an armed Muslim terrorist forces his way into a Kingdom Hall. A brother pulls a 9mm pistol and drops the guy in the lobby. No casualties except the gunman, who is dead. Would the brother be hailed as a hero or be condemned because he had a gun and carried it to the Kingdom Hall?

Here's another scenario. Joe just got his concealed weapons permit and is cleaning his new pistol in his basement. An elder drops by unannounced and is led downstairs by Helen, Joe's wife. "Here he is, Frank," she says, "and let me know if I can get you anything!"

"Hey, Joe, what are you up to?" Frank asks.

"Oh, this is my new pistol. Just got my concealed weapons permit and took a shooting course. I thought I should clean it before loading and carrying it."

"Ah," says Frank. "So when did you decide to do this? Did Helen approve?"

"Oh, yeah," he says. "She wasn't crazy about the expenditure, but my dad gave it to me as a gift. He says with crime being what it is, I ought to have some means of self defense. So," he added, "I decided that I probably should take a course and one thing led to another and I decided to get a carry permit."

I realize not all elders are going to give the same advice, but is this something Frank is likely to butt into? Also, is he likely to keep this to himself or will he be discreet? And what about action? Is Joe likely to lose his privileges or will he be just be counseled? Or will he be left alone?