Fred E Hathaway

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Posts by Fred E Hathaway

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  61

  Did God ever Exist?

  by found-my-way in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  Perry loves to parry sometimes. But how can he do this if the rules demand that he fight without his Sword? How will he parry then?
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  6

  You will love this

  by TooBad TooSad in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  last week during the public talk on sunday (no one from the public was there), the speaker.

  was criticizing or making fun of the catholic church for having law suits and paying out large.

  cash settlements due to pedofiles who were priest.. what really honks me off is that jw's don't even know the problems that the wtbts has with.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  I didn't love it, actually.
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  31

  Is Fading a DF Offense?

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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?.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  So, without mincing words, the answer is YES, it's comparable to being DF'd. Fading is dying, just like leaves do in the fall. Faith without works is dead. Dead limbs are lopped off so as to make room for new growth, and as a warning to those that remain. Whether an announcement is made or not, the reality is the same.
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  7

  OKAY THIS IS IT MY NUMBER IS 3000

  by orangefatcat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well it took me a few years to make it but finally after the absenses from the board due to illness i am proud of myself.

  still not that well but better then some of you who are and others who have been quite ill. i know how all of you feel.

  your in my prayers.. so who will be first in line to give me 3,000 paddy wacks?????????

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  Fred E Hathaway

  I guess that I'll be first to congratulate you for 3000. Unless, I'm too slow in writing this out.
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  7

  A guiding principal

  by lrkr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  like many of you whose posts i've read, i am having trouble not loosing all of my faith at once.

  when the cloak starts to fall, you begin to doubt everything.

  one thing i think i believe, though- a person needs a set of principles to use as a moral compass.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  The use of the word "cloak" reminds me that we need the whole suit of armor from God, not to hide with (as a cloak is often for), but to be active in our faith, always ready to defend what we know is right and just and admirable, with mildness and deep respect. Peace is not a passive condition, but dynamic, sometimes vigorous. Like the 2-armed handshakes my grandfather used (while he was alive) that could go on for a minute or more, as he engaged his neighbor in an excited conversation. Versatility is a good principle. Proving trustworthy is another. Showing careful attention to the delicate feelings among us is also a great virtue. Providing rigor and muscle in a deft way is also important lest the rights of the silent be trampled. Insight and wisdom are beautiful to see, as well.
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  51

  Why do the GB members live so long?

  by yaddayadda in

  1. jw
  2. 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?).

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  Fred E Hathaway

  A Bethel life is a rigorous life, with lots of fresh air, exposure to a variety of cultures on an on-going basis. Living in harmony with Bible principles allows one to have greater assignments. Faith is proven by its works, after all. Living unhypocritical lives and knowing how to research well means that they learn(ed) by counsel more than most, and less by experiencing the results of poor choices. We are what we eat. If we eat healthy spiritually, then we'll act in harmony with the spirit. It all serves as an inspiration for the faithful. If life can have so many blessings even being imperfect, imagine the joy that can be ours if we can be blessed with perfection, as a result of our dedicated, whole-souled, grateful obedience to those who have the right to be authority figures in our lives.
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  61

  Did God ever Exist?

  by found-my-way in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  Fred E Hathaway

  If there is anyone with power over someone, there is a god. It's as simple as that. So, I say yes, many gods exist. If the Bible and the many books referring to it and which can be likened to the Bible are accurate, then there is also a God (Powerful One) that determines the validity of all others with power (the rest of us, and those we give power to).
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  58

  How do JWs explain John 20:28?

  by Zico in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  much is made of john 1:1 in trinitarian discussions and there's a lot of debate over how it should be correctly translated, depending on your particular bias on the jesus god issue, but surely there is no scripture more clear that jesus is god than the one where thomas directly calls him god in john 20:28?

  27next he said to thomas: put your finger here, and see my hands, and take your hand and stick it into my side, and stop being unbelieving but become believing.28in answer thomas said to him: my lord and my god!

  how do jehovah's witnesses deal with this scripture?

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  Fred E Hathaway

  There is no argument (line of thought) which every person will accept. Some look at the fact that the word God/god (even in English) has more than one meaning, including divine one or even judge (when translated from Hebrew passages such as Psalm 82). Some look at the fact that in a different culture and time period, words together may have different idiomatic meanings than we suppose. The more familiar the reader is with various cultures and languages, the easier it is to get the spirit of the interaction between Thomas and Jesus.

  It reminds me of many conversations that people around hear snatches of, from which many twisted rumors are spread. The Apostle Peter was referred to as Satan by Jesus (Matthew 16:23), I think, in much the same way as Thomas referred to Jesus. Peter certainly was/is not, in fact, Satan [the Master Evil One], just as Jesus was/is not, in fact, Jehovah [the Supreme God of the Universe].
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  12

  Participation - Commenting - Answering-Up

  by IMHO in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  call it what you want.

  is it a privilege?

  considering most do not want to do it given the choice.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  Removal of privileges is a form of grounding (discipline).
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  29

  Norway

  by InquiryMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in norway, the ombudsman of children s welfare intervened and a lot of fuss were made when it was made clear that jws endorsed corporal punishment in their publications even though it was banned by law.

  it was even mentioned in the national news.

  the coordinator was even interviewed on tv and the day after it was proven from the wt indexes that he had been lying.... i remember it was very embarrassing.

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  Fred E Hathaway

  Fortunately, there are many, many Jehovah's Witnesses all over the world who do not use spanking as a means of discipline. After all, self-control starts with the parents, and there is no law that can stand against it or the other fruitage of the spirit (Galataians 5:22-24). We can note the passions/desires of the flesh in Galatians 5:19-21 that no longer are at work when the spirit is at play includes enmities, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, contentions, and things like these. Thankfully, faith, hope, and love reign among true Christian Witnesses of Jehovah.