Posts by FusionTheism

38

The "Ice Cream Video" - is it real?

by freddo in

jw
friends

the "don't buy ice cream give us the money video" that is the subject of other threads.. i am not very good with computer stuff - would someone tell me where it is to be found on jworg please?

i can't find it.. thanks..

FusionTheism

It didn't seem all that horrible to me.

It's merely showing that children can think about different ways they want to spend their money instead of spending it all on junk food.

8

Holy Spirit question

by TweetieBird in

does the new world translation ever reference the holy spirit as a "him"?

if not, does it refer to it as an "it"?.

thanks!.

FusionTheism

Actually, there's been New Light, the only unforgivable sin today is refusing to repent, and then dying at Armageddon

88

Damned if they do, Damned if they don't

by FusionTheism in

jw
friends

i see an attitude among some people here which is not very helpful.

i can understand it, but still, it's not constructive or helpful.. if you condemn the society for not changing, but then you also condemn them when they do change in a positive way, what incentive or motive does that provide for the people at the society to ever want to change for the better?.

also, what does that attitude look like to current witnesses who are having doubts?.

FusionTheism

I see an attitude among some people here which is not very helpful. I can understand it, but still, it's not constructive or helpful.

If you condemn the Society for NOT changing, but then you also condemn them when they DO change in a positive way, what incentive or motive does that provide for the people at the Society to ever want to change for the better?

Also, what does that attitude look like to current Witnesses who are having doubts?

It probably looks to them like the Society has been correct in the way they describe apostates as bitter complainers who are never happy with anything the Society does.

For example:

* "The Society finds crazy Types and Antitypes in everything, where it doesn't exist. Way too many deep layers of nonsense being taught."

* (After the New Light): "The Society is way too simplistic and dumbed down. What happened to the deep study?"

And when they recently have admitted to errors and say they've been wrong in big ways in the past, some accuse them of having some secret conspiracy theory motive behind it.

To the people with this attitude: What exactly is it that you WANT the Society to do?

Just my two cents and an observation.

8

Holy Spirit question

by TweetieBird in

does the new world translation ever reference the holy spirit as a "him"?

if not, does it refer to it as an "it"?.

thanks!.

FusionTheism

The Society says it's like when Paul personified sin and death as kings and rulers in Romans

8

Holy Spirit question

by TweetieBird in

does the new world translation ever reference the holy spirit as a "him"?

if not, does it refer to it as an "it"?.

thanks!.

FusionTheism

The NWT refers to the Holy Spirit as "him" only in John chapter 16, the rest of the Bible as "it."

There is some debate among scholars over this and the proper way of translating into English.

23

Why BOGUS PREDICTIONS and CHANGEABLE TEACHINGS only strengthen JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES

by TerryWalstrom in

today's jw knows less about the history of the watchtower religion than ever before.. there is no need to know.

only the present moment of new light has meaning.. there are too many enemies surrounding jw's to risk learning something faith-weakening.. such as facts.

the watchtower religion (jehovah's witnesses) has been 'getting away with it' since 1874.. setting dates built on false chronology, pyramidology, slanted quotations about world events, and misrepresenting their own authority, (channel of jehovah) is a profitable enterprise for the watchtower org.. how do we know they 'get away with it'?.

FusionTheism

Thank you for your post.

The only thing I would add to it, is that the current GB ("Governing Body 2.0") definitely is more open and honest and transparent in the new publications about their past errors, even though, as you point out, they don't really have to be.

For example, there was no urgent need for them to talk about all their past errors and mistakes with the Types/Antitypes and Parables, but they made a huge deal about it, and about going through and correcting those views.

They also made a big point at the 2014 Annual Meeting Talk about how bad Russell's Pyramidology was. There was really no urgent need to do that, but they brought it up anyway.

Shunning & Disfellowshipped -- Simplified Suggestion

by FusionTheism in

a simplified, streamlined, scriptural, balanced view of shunning and disfellowshipping:.

jesus said to treat people who unrepentantly harm you and don't apologize, as people of the nations or as tax collectors.. jesus set the example by still being kind and friendly to tax collectors and gentiles, even though he may not have had them as his closest friends.

jesus also made a big point of being kind and eating with prostitutes and many other sinners.. in this case, it would be the individual christian choosing not to closely associate with people who intentionally callously harm them, which is wise.

FusionTheism

A simplified, streamlined, Scriptural, balanced view of Shunning and Disfellowshipping:

Jesus said to treat people who unrepentantly harm you and don't apologize, as people of the nations or as tax collectors.

Jesus set the example by still being kind and friendly to tax collectors and Gentiles, even though He may not have had them as His closest friends. Jesus also made a big point of being kind and eating with prostitutes and many other sinners.

In this case, it would be the individual Christian choosing not to closely associate with people who intentionally callously harm them, which is wise. This is not a mandatory shunning enforced by the Congregation.

In Christ's parable of the Prodigal Son, He shows the attitude we should have toward those who leave the Congregation and say they don't want to have anything to do with it anymore. We should respect their choice, and be ready to welcome them wholeheartedly when, or if, they return.

Jesus' other parable of the Lost Sheep shows how we should act toward those who may have been stumbled or have doubts: We should lovingly seek them out to help them return.

The Apostle Paul said people in the Congregation who flagrantly commit sexual sins such as incest, should be excommunicated. The Congregation should not allow them any privileges or have close friendship with them, or make it look like they approve of the sins.

In addition, Paul also taught that people who openly contradicted the Congregation leaders, stirring up divisions, and causing doubts, should be given two warnings, then they should be marked by the Congregation, but they should still be viewed as brothers and sisters.

The Apostle John said that a person who contradicts the main Good News about Jesus and what He did, should be totally shunned, to the point of not saying a greeting to him or showing support for him.

I would say that none of these commands in the New Testament would support cutting off family relationships, except perhaps John's command about not speaking to those who are anti-christ.

109

Did judge Rutherford piss off Hitler

by greenhornet in

the jws at the time in germany where considered part of the aryan race, (since they were not jews).

then things changed for the jws after rutherford mailed a letter to hitler bragging about jehovahs kingdom on earth.. so can we add this to the bloodshed that that the watchtower corp is responsible for?.

FusionTheism

Do we blame the Jewish victims in the Holocaust for practicing their faith or for speaking out against Hitler?

Most people usually consider them to be brave heroes.

I think anti-Watchtower bias and bitterness is showing through on some of these comments.

109

Did judge Rutherford piss off Hitler

by greenhornet in

the jws at the time in germany where considered part of the aryan race, (since they were not jews).

then things changed for the jws after rutherford mailed a letter to hitler bragging about jehovahs kingdom on earth.. so can we add this to the bloodshed that that the watchtower corp is responsible for?.

FusionTheism

I actually have no problem at all with Rutherford and Witnesses writing letters condemning Adolf Hitler and speaking truth to power, especially evil power.

We should all stand up and condemn evil wherever we find it.

To me, it looks like a case of blaming and shaming the victims (JWs) instead of the evil monster (Hitler) who committing the atrocities.

7

The Other Sheep and the Little Flock -- Simplified Suggestion

by FusionTheism in

if you look at the context of the scriptures, you'll see that the "little flock" jesus was going to give the kingdom to (luke 12:32) are the leaders in the congregations, the ones who faithfully serve his sheep, beginning with the apostles and original jewish believers.. in addition, the "other sheep" who would be brought into the congregation later, given the context in the gospel of john, would be the gentile (non-jewish) christians.

(see john 12:20-32).

nothing in these scriptures says anything about an earthly hope for the other sheep and a heavenly hope for the little flock.. that is going beyond what is written..

FusionTheism

Island Man,

That's definitely a valid possible interpretation. It could be that way, since in another passage, Jesus tells the Apostles they will be twelve kings on thrones and in Revelation it portrays the 12 Apostles and 12 Tribe-Leaders as the 24 Elder-Kings.