Posts by Doug Mason

6

I am looking for a page

by Doug Mason in

hi,.

i am looking for a scan of: the interpreter's dictionary of the bible, edited by george a. buttrick, volume 1, page 166.. thanks,.

doug.

Doug Mason

Hi,

I wonder if anyone can help me?

I am looking for a scan of: The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, edited by George A. Buttrick, Volume 1, page 166.

Thanks,

Doug

27

In effect the GB says the new testament was only written for the 144k - right?

by Comatose in

because if you just read it then its plain that all should partake of the emblems and go to heaven etc.

they get around that by saying it only applied to those when written who all anointed and then a small group today.

so they take away the bible for the average witness.

Doug Mason

Rattigan,

"Revelation is for our day"?

This has been the catchcall of each generation, not just this one.

I suggest that research into the process during the first 600 years of Christianity in regards to Revelation is in order.

Decide whether Revelation (or any other NT book) should be in the Bible. It is only the RC Church that took a vote on which books should constitute the Bible, and that vote took place in the 15th century. All others base their decision on Tradition. Ironic, isn't it?

Doug

4

Why guilt people into joining the Org. if there is no eternal punishment in the first place?

by I_love_Jeff in

during the recruiting process, cult members use coercive methods of instilling guilt on those who are weak minded .

thus making them join out of fear.

the watchtower publication use powerful/scary illustrations in their .

Doug Mason

Religions convince people they have a problem ("sin") and that the only way to solve it solution is to join them and follow their instructions. The religions point to difficulties that a person is experiencing and the concerns they have, then they paint pictures of the Perfect Life that lies ahead when they join the religion.

The dream can be useful to help some people cope with life.

Money? Those glorious cathedrals in Europe were paid for by people who contributed money ("indulgences") in order to buy their way out.

Religion

8

Why does Hebrews 6 say that it is impossible to revive to repentance one who has "fallen away"?

by I_love_Jeff in

in the "reasoning" book (pages 34-37), this scripture is used to help define and understand apostasy: .

hebrews 6:4-6 .

"for as regards those who were once enlightened and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit and who have tasted the fine word of god and powers of the coming system of things, but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the son of god to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame.

Doug Mason

Caroline,

Strictly speaking, the "New Testament" did not appear until almost 400 years after the "Apostolic Times". And the "New Testament" was still open for argument a further few centuries.

Doug

8

Why does Hebrews 6 say that it is impossible to revive to repentance one who has "fallen away"?

by I_love_Jeff in

in the "reasoning" book (pages 34-37), this scripture is used to help define and understand apostasy: .

hebrews 6:4-6 .

"for as regards those who were once enlightened and who have tasted the heavenly free gift and who have become partakers of holy spirit and who have tasted the fine word of god and powers of the coming system of things, but have fallen away, it is impossible to revive them again to repentance, because they nail the son of god to the stake again for themselves and expose him to public shame.

Doug Mason

Jeff's lover,

First of all, provide yourself with answers to these questions:

1. Should the book of Hebrews be considered as Scripture?

2. Should the book of Hebrews be in the NT?

3. Should the opinions expressed in it be accepted?

Doug

25

New "Generations" WT Study Article in 2014??

by daringhart13 in

i see people mentioning this and have visited the site looking at all posted wt's.......i see no paragraph's discussing 'generations'....does anyone have any direction?.

Doug Mason

The anonymous people who wrote that Gospel and put the word "this generation" on to Jesus' lips were meaning their own generation, not some people living at some arbitary time in the future.

They got it wrong, just as Paul got it wrong (1 Thess), as did the writer of Revelation. They all thought the Coming was imminent, during their own time, the time of their generation.

Doug

20

Why are people beholden to ancient superstitions?

by Doug Mason in

how is it that in a world that is so technological, scientific, fact-based, evidence-based, and so on, that many people are superstitious - even more so, the superstitions of ancient cultures?.

doug.

Doug Mason

How is it that in a world that is so technological, scientific, fact-based, evidence-based, and so on, that many people are superstitious - even more so, the superstitions of ancient cultures?

Doug

2

Truth Be Told!

by Atlantis in

.

a friend here on jwn wanted this sign posted.

he wonders how many people saw the film in the maryland area......atlantis

Doug Mason

Hi Atlantis,

I am not aware of this, so please tell me if this is what is meant:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3O0TRn-621U

Doug

10

Witnessing after the Big A?

by Doug Mason in

i had the understanding that after "armageddon", the jws would be witnessing to resurrected people who had not rejected them during their earthly lifetime, in addition to all those who had lived before the wts existed, plus every dead child and baby.

is that still taught by the wts?.

1. presumably all dead earthly-hope jws are resurrected first.. 2. then all jws would have to be taught what is the true truth.

Doug Mason

leaving quietly!

20 billion! I cannot believe it. That's 3 times today's population! Wow!

These it-2 figures of 3% and 24 years invoke the "rule of 72" that relates to compound interest; money in the bank left at compound interest doubles according to this rule. In other words, if you deposit $100 at 3% using compound interest (interest on the principle as well as on the interest earned) would double after 24 years. (10% per annum would double after 7.2 years, and so on).

For example, at 3% interest a deposit of $100 would become $103 after 1 year. The next year's 3% interest is then earned on that new figure of $103 (becoming $106.90) and so on, until it reaches $200 after 24 years.

This means that to reach 20 billion after 24 years at 3% annual growth, the initial resurrection on the first day is 10 billion. Even that is greater than today's total population of planet Earth.

The WTS's 3% growth figure would mean that at the anniversary of the first year a further 300 million would be resurrected. Then at the end of the second year, a further 309 million would be resurrected. The number being resurrected keeps increasing at the end of each following year, until year 24 is reached when 575 million are resurrected.

However, to confuse the unwary, they say that the process is going to take 300 years to reach 20 billion. But their 3% and 24 years sets the ground rules.

Using the principle of compound interest, as they explicitly apply, to reach 20 billion in 300 years still requires an initial resurrection on day one of 10 billion. The annual rate of increase would be much smaller - using the "rule of 72" it would be 0.24%. So the resurrection at the end of year 1 would be 2.4 million. It would increase each year so that at the end of year 299, there would be 49 million resurrections.

Doug

10

Witnessing after the Big A?

by Doug Mason in

i had the understanding that after "armageddon", the jws would be witnessing to resurrected people who had not rejected them during their earthly lifetime, in addition to all those who had lived before the wts existed, plus every dead child and baby.

is that still taught by the wts?.

1. presumably all dead earthly-hope jws are resurrected first.. 2. then all jws would have to be taught what is the true truth.

Doug Mason

I had the understanding that after "Armageddon", the JWs would be witnessing to resurrected people who had not rejected them during their earthly lifetime, in addition to all those who had lived before the WTS existed, plus every dead child and baby. Is that still taught by the WTS?

If so, then:

1. Presumably all dead earthly-hope JWs are resurrected first.

2. Then all JWs would have to be taught what is the true Truth. The 144,001 might have a role here, calling out from heaven, provided Russell, Rutherford and their descendants can be made to agree. They would need to communicate in a common language.

3. Then the non-JWs would start to be resurrected. Let's assume only 5 billion will come back to life - whether as spirits or as humans, I do not know.

4. Let's assume that one million are resurrected on the first day; the JWs have one day to convince each of that one million to become a WTS-follower. Presumably communication with them is in a common language.

5. On the following day, another million come are brought up from graves in the ground and from the waters. JWs extend their work to that next million.

6. EXERCISE: If one million are resurrected each day, calculate how many days before the 5 billion have been resurrected. (Hint: to get the number of days, divide 5,000,000,000 by 1,000,000. Then divide that answer by 365 to get the number of years.)

7. Until they are killed off again after 1,000 years (by edict from the 144,001 and the earthly JWs?), the resurrected ones will need to be fed, clothed, housed, and managed. I suppose they are now vegans.

Have you not seen these pictures in the WTS's books and magazines?

Doug