Posts by LiveLife

25

By Chr*st! I think they are pushing Baptism!

by cultswatter in

here is that watchtower format change letter again .

christian congregation of jehovah's witnesses.

2821 route 22, patterson, ny 12563-2237 phone: (845) 306-1100. .

LiveLife

MichaelM,

Yes, Baptist churches push baptism. The difference is, baptism in a church doesn't often contractually bind you to that specific organization in such a way that if you leave you become anathema to the rest of the churchgoers.

emptywords,

Acts 2:41; 8:34-40; 10:44-48; 16:11-15, 25-34 offer five examples of Christian baptism that did not follow the model imposed (by Jehovah's Witnesses) as a requirement of God.

The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses only allows for the possibility of being dedicated and unbaptized after praying a specific prayer of dedication (a completely unscriptural notion) and before being baptized at the following Convention or Assembly. Above are five examples of Christian baptism where this step is never stipulated and is never mentioned as taking place. Therefore, calling this a requirement for baptism is unscriptural.

During this period, the candidate must tell the elders that he or she wishes to be baptized. In the Bible, any Christian could baptize anyone else—just as any Christian could teach anyone else. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Therefore, calling this a requirement for baptism is unscriptural.

Then, the elders will determine whether the person has been a regular (i.e. monthly) publisher for long enough (arbitrary judgment) to merit baptism. In the Scriptures, there is no record of any such thing as an approved unbaptized Christian evangelist, but that is what an unbaptized publisher supposedly is. Above, there are five examples of people who did not evangelize at all prior to baptism, but who were deemed ready for baptism. Therefore, calling this a requirement for baptism is unscriptural.

The elders will determine whether the person has been regular in meeting attendance. In the five examples above, those who were baptized did not even attend one organizationally arranged meeting prior to baptism. Therefore, calling this a requirement for baptism is unscriptural.

If the person meets all the above criteria the elders will arrange to meet with them to determine if they know enough about organizational dogma to get baptized. In the five examples above, those who were baptized did not have to prove either their Bible knowledge or their knowledge of organizational doctrine prior to baptism. Therefore, calling this a requirement for baptism is unscriptural.

These are provable facts of their doctrine on baptism. The whole custom of baptism, as it is conducted by Jehovah's Witnesses, imposes requirements that the Bible never even hints at, much less stipulates. The ONLY requirement they have for baptism which is Scriptural is that of repentance and conversion of heart.

But I believe, what matters most right now is to be a shining light to the world as we

LIVE LIFE

25

By Chr*st! I think they are pushing Baptism!

by cultswatter in

here is that watchtower format change letter again .

christian congregation of jehovah's witnesses.

2821 route 22, patterson, ny 12563-2237 phone: (845) 306-1100. .

LiveLife

This is the JW version of larger Scriptures cases on their foreheads. It also allows them greater copyright controls over fair use of Watchtower materials; they can now claim that the study materials are meant for JW consumption only and go after sites like this for threads like Blondie's weekly study article critique.

Do you think Blondie got to them?

21

Did we welcome LiveLife yet? So many new ones! Can't keep up. :)

by nvrgnbk in

jw
friends

welcome livelife!.

i guess your nick says it all, huh?.

looking forward to your enthusaism and life-affirming style..

LiveLife

Thanks, everyone!

Richie, I HAVE to get that done!!! Then I can use my meathooks to beat some sense into some people.

Sorry about dropping of the radar like that, but work became a crushing delight. It is still a delight, but not a crushing one anymore (for now).

We are assigned to a house full (12) eighth grade boys, ages ranging from 12-15. I walk out into my back yard and I can go camping, the setting is that rustic. The nearest house is a mile away. Best of all, I am really reaching some of these inner city kids. They come here acting so street-hardened it would break your heart, and it is our job to release them from all that crap so they can start to truly live a life better than the one they were destined for by genetics and environment.

Every day is another opportunity to watch a child grow into a responsible young adult.

Life is wonderful. I am very glad I upsized mine and heartily encourage everyone to do the same. There will never be a need to regret doing so.

So, go!
LIVE LIFE

24

Why isn' the name "Jehovah" used?

by MichaelM in

is it because many believe that jesus christ / god / holy spirit are all one being, and after jesus christ was born they stopped using god's name and put all focus on jesus?

.

LiveLife

Sunspot (Annie),

[*applause*]

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

LiveLife

Michael,

Well met. I grew up in Albany, Georgia. I live in Pennsylvania now. I am a Star Trek fan, I play card games (well, just about any game that requires some thinking and memory), and I enjoy Dungeons and Dragons (both "by the book" and freestyle, but I like the closer-to-story-telling freestyle better).

You mentioned, "his logic will somehow demolish it, twisted or not." His "logic" style is sophistry. He learned it from the organization he represents.

(courtesy of Merriam-Webster) sophism: an argument apparently correct in form but actually invalid; especially : such an argument used to deceive

Try thinking about this from the perspective of a character in a D&D game. Suppose a Dungeon Master's NPC is trying to convince you to do something that would prevent you from adventuring again until you decide to finally ignore what the NPC is saying, something that would possibly cripple you, and something that would require you rejecting all your former player character compadres unless they also choose to do this. Now suppose the NPC tells you that one of the Gods will grant you eternal life if you do this, but it will not be an eternal life of adventure, it will be an eternal life of servitude to the God. All you have to do to get this eternity of servitude is consume your current life (i.e. the life you know for sure you actually will get) with servitude.

What would you choose?

That's what you are being offered, and it isn't safely removed from you by only affecting a few sheets of paper and the hours you have invested in character development. It is your life.

Check out these threads:

What Does the Bible Really Teach?

Sophistry Lessons—JW Baptismal Prerequisites

I don't think you are going to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses. I was a baptized JW for 21 years and until I became open-minded I did not see the Corporation's self-serving reasons behind the doctrines. You are sensing it already, so you are not in any real danger.

Most importantly,
LIVE LIFE

23

Scans of new 'Come Be My Follower' book.

by nicolaou in

why anyone would want to see these i have no idea!.

.

LiveLife

Much of the doctrine in the Greatest Man book has been changed. They can't use it anymore because it is now wrong. But no JW should be bothered by that, it was right at the time it was written; especially the parts about prophecy that had to be adjusted to stay in line with present truths.

You see, Jehovah is a God of true, if ever shifting, prophecy. The fact that interpretations of prophecy have to change often is convincing proof that interpretations truly do belong to God. If it was a human interpretation it would be prone to error, but since it is God's prophecy it is only prone to need for later corrections. Isn't it great that all JWs have complete confidence that—if what they now believe to be true is, in fact, not truth—the earthly men they heed will be willing to change prophetic meaning whenever the passage of time makes the previous explanations impossible?

21

Did we welcome LiveLife yet? So many new ones! Can't keep up. :)

by nvrgnbk in

jw
friends

welcome livelife!.

i guess your nick says it all, huh?.

looking forward to your enthusaism and life-affirming style..

LiveLife

Valkyrie is correct. I can't remember my old password and my email address has changed four times since I last used a computer that had the cookie saved on it. Besides, LiveLife is an outwardly directed account name that better represents the counsel I am personally putting into practice right now.

I haven't had any time for the forum for quite a long while now. I am now posting from the network for the school campus where I work with about 600 staff members and over 1600 students.

But thank you for the welcome, just the same, nvrgnbk.

24

Why isn' the name "Jehovah" used?

by MichaelM in

is it because many believe that jesus christ / god / holy spirit are all one being, and after jesus christ was born they stopped using god's name and put all focus on jesus?

.

LiveLife

Suppose my name is Shirley. If someone claimed to be my friend and my spokeperson while consistently calling me Charles to everyone they spoke to about me, are they really representing me to others? I mean, after all, they are only changing the sounds of a few letters.

The name "Jehovah" is a made up name for God. It doesn't exist in any language prior to or during the time of Christianity's origins. There is not even a remote possibility that Jesus ever called the Father "Jehovah". Hallelujah uses "jah" and how is it pronounced? "hal-ay-loo-yah." "Yah", as in, "Yahweh."

Therefore, it is just as important to invoke the name "Jehovah" as it is to invoke the name "Oliver Twist" or "Frodo Baggins" ... these names are equally invented from human imagination. So, while many of the arguments presented are valid if presented in favor of the restitution of YHWH into the OT texts none are valid for the insertion of the name Jehovah into the texts.

As yet, there is not one shred of translational authority for inserting the name "Jehovah" anywhere into the NT texts, yet in the New World Translation it can be found 237 times. Twice the name "Jehovah" spuriously appears in the very chapter of the Bible where we find the following caution:

Revelation 22:18-19
"I am bearing witness to everyone that hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone makes an addition to these things, God will add to him the plagues that are written in this scroll; and if anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things which are written about in this scroll."

Jehovah's Witnesses want the Bible to apply to everyone but themselves.

50

LIFE IS GOOD!

by Dansk in

jw
friends

what the heck.

i'm sitting here with idle time.

ok, so what's so great about that?

LiveLife

Well done, Ian!

And it is indeed good for any who choose to live it. For those who shrink in fear from life it can be a needlessly nightmarish place.

We can all shrink from life and die, or ...

LIVE LIFE!

15

Paradise NOT

by TJ - iAmCleared2Land in

well, now, i knew there was a good reason why i didn't want to live forever in paradise on earth:.

from the sept 1906 wt .

for instance, those who will constitute the church, and who will be changed from earthly to heavenly nature in the first resurrection--"changed in a moment" --will be spirit beings like unto our lord, and like unto the angels also in respect that they will be sexless.

LiveLife

emptywords,

No. They started the paragraph talking about the spiritual resurrection and ended it talking about the world of mankind during the thousand-year reign.