sweet pea

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Posts by sweet pea

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  13

  Jephthah's daughter.

  by Awakened07 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i suddenly remembered the story of jephthah's daughter, or rather, the way the watchtower interprets it.

  the story can be found in judges 11, from verse 29. .

  now the story loosely goes like this; jephthah wants to go against the ammonites and - as is par for the course - slay them all.

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  sweet pea

  I came across this issue a couple of months ago and am leaning towards the conclusion that she probably was sacrificed.
  
  In the NIV Life Application Study bible v.30 states that Jephthah promised to sacrifice whatever came out of his house as a burnt offering. V.39 says her father did as he had vowed after she'd had 2 months in the hills weeping with her girlfriends. V.38 says that from this the Israelite custom came of the young women of Israel going out for four days every year to 'commemorate' the daughter of Jephthah - the society's rendition of v40 says that once a year the women of Israel go to 'give commendation' to the daughter of Jephthah. Totally different to commemorating. Other points that come to mind - 1) God led Isaac to believe he had to sacrifice his son as a sign of obedience and loyalty. 2) God sacrificed his own son for mankind 3) Better not to vow than not to vow and not pay the vow, etc, etc.
  
  However, the NIVLASB does say that scholars are divided over this issue and that those who say Jeppie was considering human sacrifice use the following arguments 1) He was from an area where pagan religion and sacrifice were common. In his eyes, it may not have seemed like a sin. 2) Jeppie may not have had a background in religious law. Perhaps he was ignorant of God's command against human sacrifice.
  
  Those who say Jeppie could not have been thinking about human sacrifice point to other evidence 1) As leader of the people Jeppie must have been familiar with God's laws; human sacrifice was clearly forbidden (Lev 18:21; 20:1-5) 2) No legitimate priest would have helped Jeppie carry out his vow if a person was to be the sacrifice.
  
  Whatever Jeppie had in mind when he made the vow, did he or did he not sacrifice his daughter? Some think he did, because his vow was to make a burnt offering. Some think he did not , and they offer several reasons: 1) If the girl was to die she would not spent her last two months in the hills. 2) God would not have honored a vow based on a wicked practice 3) V39 says that she never married, not that she died, implying that she was set apart for service to God, not killed.
  
  The jury's out.
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  60

  Do you condemn the Society's no-blood policy and still do not DONATE BLOOD?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  it's your decision to make.

  it would be as wrong of this community to insist everyone donate blood as it is of the cult to insist otherwise.

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  sweet pea

  I keep thinking about donating, just haven't got round to it - what I love about it is the irony - any Jehovah's witness taking a blood fraction could be receiving our 'apostate' blood - how cool is that? 'Apostates' saving Witnesses lives! LOL
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  44

  Hi there!

  by breakingfree in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been coming to this site to read news and your stories for about a year now, but have never posted due to my mortal fear of somehow being found out... i have family in as most of you do, who are all very sincerely convinced that they are on the path of light.. i have never been happy with the beliefs, mainly the doublespeak on the status of women, the hypocrisy, the dramatisation of the smallest of matters, and the general guilt trip that was my life until i stumbled across some hard evidence that my suspicions about 'gods channel' were well founded.

  unfortunately i am now addicted to turning over every piece of information i can find, there seems to be no end to the amount of $#*& below the surface.

  i will probably remain in this state for awhile, hungrily devouring all the information that makes me feel validated for my stand against much of the mindless rubbish that has gone around me during my life as a jw.

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  sweet pea

  That's the great thing about this site. We really do have a worldwide brotherhood. LOL.
  
  Contrary to the false impression the WTBTS gave us that there was no where else to go......
  
  :-)
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  42

  I love you people.

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just wanted to say that.

  so many wonderful people here.

  so many crushed and broken hearts, healing together now.

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  sweet pea

  Love you too Jeff, you're an inspiration.
  
  Thanks to everyone else too, you are all an oasis in the desert.
• 
  44

  Hi there!

  by breakingfree in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been coming to this site to read news and your stories for about a year now, but have never posted due to my mortal fear of somehow being found out... i have family in as most of you do, who are all very sincerely convinced that they are on the path of light.. i have never been happy with the beliefs, mainly the doublespeak on the status of women, the hypocrisy, the dramatisation of the smallest of matters, and the general guilt trip that was my life until i stumbled across some hard evidence that my suspicions about 'gods channel' were well founded.

  unfortunately i am now addicted to turning over every piece of information i can find, there seems to be no end to the amount of $#*& below the surface.

  i will probably remain in this state for awhile, hungrily devouring all the information that makes me feel validated for my stand against much of the mindless rubbish that has gone around me during my life as a jw.

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  sweet pea

  Hi Breaking Free, great to have you on board. Reading your post, that was me and my other half 7 months ago. If I had any advice for you it would be to not say or do anything rash for 6 months - devour all the information you can - it will be a roller coaster of emotions, the highs of thoughts of freedom and breaking free of the routine and lies but sadness and grief at all you have and will lose.
  
  I personally would avoid meeting with a CO - just say you're ok, struggling with some personal issues, depression, tiredness, work stress etc and thank him for his concern - he'll soon move on to someone else and the visit is so short anyway.
  
  You're going to need some serious time to adjust to your belief system falling apart, go slowly and do some fun things to counteract all the rough stuff.
  
  We're all here for you 24/7.
  
  Look forward to hearing more from you.
  
  Sam
• 
  44

  Hi there!

  by breakingfree in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been coming to this site to read news and your stories for about a year now, but have never posted due to my mortal fear of somehow being found out... i have family in as most of you do, who are all very sincerely convinced that they are on the path of light.. i have never been happy with the beliefs, mainly the doublespeak on the status of women, the hypocrisy, the dramatisation of the smallest of matters, and the general guilt trip that was my life until i stumbled across some hard evidence that my suspicions about 'gods channel' were well founded.

  unfortunately i am now addicted to turning over every piece of information i can find, there seems to be no end to the amount of $#*& below the surface.

  i will probably remain in this state for awhile, hungrily devouring all the information that makes me feel validated for my stand against much of the mindless rubbish that has gone around me during my life as a jw.

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  sweet pea
• 
  24

  I'm kinda shakey

  by Dagney in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just got off phone with newly appointed elder friend.

  at the end of the conversation, he says, "you know dagney, we need to have the conversation...the one about meetings...i want to see you in the new system....i think about you every day, everyday!!".

  i was all cheerful "sure!!!

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  sweet pea

  (((Dagney)))
  
  It's amazing that these conversations can make you feel like this isn't it?!
  
  You'll feel back to normal soon if you just don't dwell on it too much.
  
  You have successfully faded, keep it that way and just make it difficult to have 'that' conversation. If it comes to it, just tell him you just can't do it right now but that you're sure you'll make it to the new system anyway! :-)
  
  You need to be there for him when he starts to have his doubts..... (see The Scotsman's posts - went from being super smug full on Witness to giving his notice in as an elder within 12 months!!!!!)
  
  Love ya!
  
  SP
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  21

  But WHY don't they disfellowship bloodtakers ?

  by aligot ripounsous in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  any jw knows that one of the very bad things that a christian must not do is accepting a blood transfusion.

  respect for the sanctity of blood ranks highest, in jw theology, on the scale of christian standards, along with not being a murderer, an adulterer, a robber, etc.

  in fact, it is the identifying feature of jws for the onlooker.

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  sweet pea

  Aligot
  
  Thank you for this thread.
  
  I can't believe I have only just realised what is going on here.
  
  They are sneaky b@£$%!ds. So you don't get disfellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion, but you disassociate yourself by your actions BUT THE ANNOUNCEMENT IS STILL THE SAME - and all because the 'mother' doesn't want to get taken to court and sued for trampling on people's human rights.
  
  Absolutely despicable. Get me a bucket.....
  
  It is so sad that so many honest sincere people are being fooled by this contemptible organisation.
  
  More people need to take an open stand against them.
  
  Please?
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  62

  For those of you who don't go to meetings anymore...

  by exwitless in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  when you attended your last meeting ever as a dub, did you know it was your last?

  did something happen which made it clear in your mind you were 'never going back' (not to be confused with nvrgnbk)?.

  the last meeting we went to was the memorial in 2006. we only went because we knew we were already pegged for the elders' unwanted attention, so we had to go to keep them off our backs a little longer.

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  sweet pea

  All I remember about my last meeting was struggling to restrain a lively 2 year old and thinking how hard it all was but I still believed it all hook, line and sinker!
  
  My belief system fell apart over the course of 3 days and I decided I could never go to another meeting again - it it was the truth it was worth the struggle, but if it wasn't there was no way I was going to put myself through that.
  
  SP
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  43

  Well I finally resigned as an elder - Phew.

  by The Scotsman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thats right, about 2 weeks ago i confronted the po and told him i just could not do it anymore.. i genuinely have been under alot of pressure recently with my work so i used this as the pitch.

  he was not happy but i received little resistance, which suited me.

  i handed him my letter last week before i went on holiday.. i have to say it is a great weight off my shoulders, no book study, meetings for ministry, talks, public talks etc etc.. i will no doubt be the subject of local congregation gossip!

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  sweet pea

  Congratulations, Besty and I will have a drink in your honour.
  
  Wishing you much success and happiness as you carry on on your journey.
  
  Hope the ride doesn't get too bumpy.....