do you think it is easier for an elder to wake up to the wtbts because of the position he is in which gives him access to info that the rank & file would not be privy to, or do you think it would be harder for him to wake up because of all the prestige/power/admiration he receives as a result of being an elder, or does it come down to something else entirely?.
Not meaning to demean anybody here , but Elders are big fish in a little pond .
In the outside world , for the most part , they are nobody`s , in the organization of J.W.`s they are perceived as somebody ,and of course the ego kicks in.
Here in J.W. land I`m a somebody , if I give the Eldership up I become a nobody again.
Just my 2 cents worth.
smiddy
but thanks to the excellent health care on this site iam on the road to recovery, and can now fully appreciate what a gloriouse thing it is to be free from the w.t and savor approaching spring in all its beauty, ....however i am not sure i am ready for debating on all the boards many heavy threads about gods existence and evolution .. anybody else feal the same?
" tis a gift to be simple, tis a gift to be free, tis a gift to wake up and breath the morning air, and tis a gift to each day walk on the path we want to be....." .
the rebel.
Well I read your non-sense ( Bio.) Rebel and am glad to hear this site has been a help to you
And I concur with Tornintwo`s posts,
Take care
smiddy
are our dead loved ones watching over us at all or are they really just gone now?
Someone should have asked Lazarus that question when they had the chance .
smiddy
what was the craziest thing you have ever heard an elder say after getting sauced?
Not that I can answer your question specifically Luther
. However I was an MS and associated with Elders socially and we all had plenty to drink at functions without getting drunk / I would say we could drink a lot without being visibly intoxicated .And in those days you could get away with it.and even drive.
We did have a good social life.among the J.W.`s
Nobody in our circle of friends was ever charged with drink driving.
Of course this never happened every weekend , maybe it happened once or twice a year in my 33 years as a J.W. , just to set the record straight.
No way could you get away with that nowadays.
smiddy
i am still not done with the miracle wheat article... there's just so much information to process!
i already did the summary, and the new information that i have doesn't change my conclusion: the entire scandal happened because russell was very gullible and didn't check with government agencies to see if the wheat was legitimate or not.
he went into a business venture on which he knew nothing about.here's some interesting stats about the finances of the watchtower back in 1911:it received, from the sale of books and donations, $150,000.
I look forward to more of your revelations ILoveTTATT2
smiddy
now that i'm free to bet, i figured it would be neat to start a pool on when the watchtower is going to change light bulbs on the prophecy about the united nations turning on worldwide religion.
there is no doubt in my mind that this prediction will be dropped.
not only is this the longest-running unchanged prediction in the wt's history (1925 and 1975 had much shorter gestations) it's the last detailed concrete prediction the society has left in its bag of tricks.
Wouldn`t surprise me Coded Logic , that`s what they usually do with failed prophecy`s made by them .
Between the 1960`s and 70`s they would quote the scripture that said " when they are saying peace and security " then instant destruction will be upon them " I Thes .5:3
We are more than 30 years after that fateful year.
But hang on the scripture in Revelation says , 2000 years ago,Rev :22 : 20 where Jesus is coming " quickly" , and he is still not here for that final judgement , over 2000 years later.
The United Nations did in fact declare a year in the 1980`s as a year of Peace and Security and nothing like 'instant /destruction " occurred .
I may be wrong but I don`t think that was the only year the UN designated a year as peace & security.
smiddy
this seems to be a question that even scientifically is still in the air.
right now your consciousness, is it the physical part of the brain?
the electrical signals in the brain?
Has science conclusively defined what consciousness actually is ?
I don`t know.
Before we were born we had no awareness of conscience , we had no brain.
While we are alive , we develop consciousness over time , because we have a brain, and we grow.
When we die , our brain dies , our consciousness must die with it., because it is associated with the brain .
People on life support systems are turned off when their is no function of the brain , in other words no consciousness.
To speculate that consciousness somehow crosses over to the spiritual world , if such a world really exists . at the point of death , has no scientific backing and belongs in the realm of science fiction.
, smiddy
in your personal experience, do you think that the wt attracts needy types of people?
over the years, my experience is that they do attract very needy, insecure, dysfunctional, types.
i had an acquaintance that i just basically cut off.
As a convert at age 19 , I would say it attracts vulnerable people who are going through some crises in their lives , whether it be small or major , and the J.w.`s take full advantage of that .
smiddy
i believe there was a magazine or newspaper published during russell's time called the people's pulpit.
i'm specifically trying to locate vol.
can anyone point me in the right direction?
C.T.Russell in one corner and J.F.Rutherford in another corner ,
come out fighting guys .
smiddy
my name is stephen and i am new to the forum.
i am a christadelphian and through my discussions with fellow members of my ecclesia it has inspired me to reach out to other religions to find out exactly what others believe to enhance my own faith and further bring me closer to our heavenly father.
in no way do i mean disrespect if it has been caused.
Billy
Did you watch the video MarkofCane posted , Dear Believer Why Do You Believer ?
If you did , was it with a closed mind ? or an open mind ?
I would suggest you look at it with an open mind.
The similarities between J.W,`s , Christadelphians also extends to in some respects the Mormons , Assembly of God ,Seventh Day Adventists ,and many other smaller sects.
Are you aware their are over 45,000 Christian sects alone ?Yet no God has ever put his stamp of approval on any of them
Another one that comes to mind is one that springs from the Phillipines ,that is very similar to the J.W.`s and even has more members worldwide than the J.W.`s
Oh , by the way welcome to this forum and good luck on your spiritual journey
smiddy
