Posts by Fred E Hathaway

44

Counting Time

by Xena in

jw
friends

i don't know about anyone else but this could be the source of major contention between dubs in my halls.

you had those who started their time as soon as you pulled out of the hall parking lot (me), those who counted from the first knock at the door or laundry mat visited, and the die hards who didn't start until they actually spoke to someone(my sister).

my sister and i would go round and round about this, i finally just pretended to start my time when she did just to shut her up.

Fred E Hathaway

to Blondie:

*** w06 1/15 p. 23 par. 13 Do Not Allow Place for the Devil *** Because of listening to the Devil and not rejecting his lies, the first human pair apostatized. So, then, should we listen to apostates, read their literature, or examine their Web sites on the Internet? If we love God and the truth, we will not do so.

The key is rejecting the Devil's lies. How did Jesus reject them? By refuting them, and standing firm against them. This site is not apostate, but has a cross-section of opinions and stands, just like we'd find going from house-to-house canvassing people's positions.

*** w93 8/1 p. 17 par. 10 Let No One Spoil Your Useful Habits *** Some commercial firms enable subscribers using a computer and a telephone to send a message to electronic bulletin boards; a person can thus post on the bulletin board a message that is open to all subscribers. This has led to so-called electronic debates on religious matters. A Christian might be drawn into such debates and may spend many hours with an apostate thinker who may have been disfellowshipped from the congregation. The direction at 2 John 9-11 underscores Paul’s fatherly counsel about avoiding bad associations.

This I can see. If I find that someone is negative at first, I will try to simply point out the alternate, positive viewpoint. If the negativity goes on, I go somewhere else.

*** w04 2/15 p. 17 par. 9 Guard Against Deception ***
How can we guard against being deceived by apostates? By heeding the advice from God’s Word, which says: "Keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them." (Romans 16:17) We "avoid them" by steering clear of their reasonings—whether in person, in printed form, or on the Internet.

The truth of truth will never accept the lie as true. The truth can always stand up under scrutiny, lies cannot.

12

So many JW coming to my door/Who is Mediator for Great Crowd?

by Guest with Questions in

jw
friends

ive had a number of witnesses come to my door in the last year.

i would guess that my mother requested the visits but i dont know for sure.

i first had two young men come to the door last summer and we talked for quite a while.

Fred E Hathaway

Thank you all for your replies. I will come back to respond but today I'm in the middle of making Easter dinner.

Surely the Easter dinner is over. So, we look forward to your responses.

19

What is your first Truth memory?

by 5thGeneration in

jw
friends

mine was a black and orange wt with the topic "will armageddon be fought in the middle east?".

1977???.

.

Fred E Hathaway

Mine was back in 1974 when I lived at what was then 5644 Pratt Road in Kamloops (BC) Canada, with 2 sisters at my mom's door. I was 7 then. I remember the green Bibles, and asking why they were green instead of black. My mom said she knew about white and maroon ones, too. The sister asked me to look around and guess what Jehovah's favorite color is. The sisters were also mentioning that the next year would mark 6000 years of human history. I was disappointed when my mom didn't invite those nice people in for a coffee. I remember checking my dad's KJV with the dates in it, and 4004 BC[E] was given for Adam's creation. It would be many years later, with the discovery of the explanation in the SI appendix, when I finally understood the truth about Ussher being off in his dating of Bible events.

51

Why do the GB members live so long?

by yaddayadda in

jw
friends

don't know if it's my imagination but a lot of these gb old boys seem to have a knack for living a really long time.

i think freddy franz was 99 when he died?

barber has just croaked at 102 (or 101?).

Fred E Hathaway

to greendawn:

That sense of power must have been exhilirating and given them some extra life prolonging hormones. One thing they never experienced is persecution for their faith, they rather persecuted those critical of their ideas and style of administration.

Being given so much power has been a humbling experience for them, from what I've seen. How can you say that they've "never experienced persecution" for their faith? How would it get so strong, if it weren't for persecution? How can you say that the GB has persecuted anyone? They're about as physically non-violent as a soldier comes.

51

Why do the GB members live so long?

by yaddayadda in

jw
friends

don't know if it's my imagination but a lot of these gb old boys seem to have a knack for living a really long time.

i think freddy franz was 99 when he died?

barber has just croaked at 102 (or 101?).

Fred E Hathaway

to Zico:

You'd think teaching deadly policies and having all those lawsuits would cause stress wouldn't you?

Christ did say that he came to put a sword upon the earth (Matthew 10:34). And 2 Timothy 2:3 says that as fine soldiers of Christ Jesus, they must take their part in suffering evil. One of the Kingdom Songs says that Jehovah will help his people to "bear all the stress".

51

Why do the GB members live so long?

by yaddayadda in

jw
friends

don't know if it's my imagination but a lot of these gb old boys seem to have a knack for living a really long time.

i think freddy franz was 99 when he died?

barber has just croaked at 102 (or 101?).

Fred E Hathaway

to Quandry:

Fred- I have never written to you and never gotten involved in any of your discussions. But several of your comments beg some questions.

1. Faith is proven by its works- do you feel that you are proving your faith by the "work" of writing on this website?

Yes. It is good practice for me thinking things through, and I get to see what responses I get. That helps me know if I'm satisfied with how I'm thinking things through, or not.

2. Living unhypocritical lives.- do you sit silently in a Kingdom Hall during the meetings listening to talks about having interactions with apostates while no one knows that you are secretly coming to this website?

Rejection of apostates is always encouraged. There are various ways to reject apostasy. How did Jesus do it?

3. Whole-souled, grateful obedience- Would you characterize yourself as whole-souled and obedient to the mandate from the Governing Body that faithful witnesses must not get involved with websites such as this one?

I am "not one of Jehovah's Witnesses", as was announced in December 2005. What is the intent of the "mandate" you refer to? To me, the Bible principle that's key in this regard is to avoid activity that weakens my faith in Jehovah and His direction through Jesus Christ and the FDS. I believe that I am actually strengthening my faith in Jehovah bye exercising my power of reason.

I am not disfellowshipped (the only thing I have done is come to this website) but have had a hard time understanding some things lately. Do you feel that I am doing wrong by coming here?

This would have made a good PM to me. I can deal with your specific aspects in greater detail that way.

Could you please answer my above questions? Thank you.

I believe I just did (for the general purposes of this forum). More specific, personal concerns will be glad dealt with by PM.

61

Did God ever Exist?

by found-my-way in

reading so many posts on atheism which is the belief that there is no god, and reading comments from creationists made me ponder if there was an alternate reason for our existence.. if god is up there, why does he permit suffering?

if i were god, i wouldn't of let it happen in the first place, these are my children, why would i let them suffer?

maybe i am influenced by my creationist upbringing and beliefs while a jw, because i find it hard to wrap my brain around the idea that everything came from nothing.

Fred E Hathaway

to FMW: God must have existed, because you believed in Him once (even if you may not want to now).

31

Is Fading a DF Offense?

by besty in

wife sweet pea and i are just starting the 2nd phase of our fade, which as we are already inactive and at 50% meeting attendance, means stopping going altogether.. supposing the elders decide they want to make a shepherding call - which we naturally decline - could they announce us as 'no longer known as jw's' for declining the call, not being at meetings and being inactive?.

what if we did take the shepherding call and told the elders we just weren't coming back, with no specific reasons given?

they would be bound to ask if we still believed the fds doctrine, which we could lie about use theocratic warfare strategy and say we were just a bit depressed, with money worries, struggling with the routine etc and would probably be back soon.. thoughts?.

Fred E Hathaway

Not all deaths are announced. Nor are all restrictions/discipline or other actions. But should you ever want to come back, you'd have to deal with all the questions you said you weren't interested in discussing. That's a tough barrier to put between yourself and Jehovah, since the elders represent Christ's belongings in the congregation territory.

31

Is Fading a DF Offense?

by besty in

wife sweet pea and i are just starting the 2nd phase of our fade, which as we are already inactive and at 50% meeting attendance, means stopping going altogether.. supposing the elders decide they want to make a shepherding call - which we naturally decline - could they announce us as 'no longer known as jw's' for declining the call, not being at meetings and being inactive?.

what if we did take the shepherding call and told the elders we just weren't coming back, with no specific reasons given?

they would be bound to ask if we still believed the fds doctrine, which we could lie about use theocratic warfare strategy and say we were just a bit depressed, with money worries, struggling with the routine etc and would probably be back soon.. thoughts?.

Fred E Hathaway

Fading can easily be a Markable offence. After all, Hebrews 10:25 gives the injunction not to forsake the gathering of ourselves as some have the custom, but to encourage one another, and all the more so as YOU behold the day drawing near. Our customs show our allegiances.

35

When is it 'going too far'?

by nekone041 in

i'm new to the forum (in fact, i just joined about 10 minutes before starting this post), and am a new jw (i began learning and attending meetings since about november of '06).

i have a question involving my girlfriend and i, and i'm hoping to find a moral answer.

my girlfriend and i fell in love two summers ago, and we're still pretty young (we're turning 17 this year).

Fred E Hathaway

Whatever is going on in your life, it's best not to talk about it with strangers like us on the Internet. Talk it over with those whom you trust that are your parents' age (I assume that your parents do not agree with your beliefs about the Bible). Since you identify yourself with Jehovah's WItnesses (I assume that you're not baptized with them), arrange your schedule so that you can read the magazines they publish, study the Bible with them using the What Does the Bible Really Teach? book. Ask them the questions that are important to your life, so that you can see the answers you need from the Bible. If you're bothered about crossing lines, it's better to be on the cautious side, and learn from counsel rather than experience. If you wonder about what advice you're reading, print it off and show it to those you're studying the Bible with. Get to know the elders and others in your Congregation. The more you get to know them, the better and sooner they can help you. That the big lesson from my years of experience with what is uncomfortable and wrong.

Remember, despite the claims to the contrary, real Christian Witnesses of Jehovah use the Bible as the basis of everything they do. We can't abandon the meetings where truth is taught to learn truth better. That would be nonsense. Stick to what you know is right. Faith is proved by our actions. Jehovah can see all our actions, even if we try to keep them private. Things have bothered you enough that you've opened up some weaknesses to us here. You'd be better to open up to those that are getting to know you in the congregation, so that you can benefit from their personal insights, training, wisdom, and practical understanding.