Posts by Uncertain

70

What is your opinion of prayer?

by journey-on in

jw
friends

do you still pray?

how are your prayers different now that you're not a jw?

what do your prayers involve?

Uncertain

1. God knows what I need better than I do

2. God will do things his way, I can't sway him with my words or thoughts.

3. God knows what is in my heart (the GB tells him, right?) so I may not be as sincere as I think I am.

4. So, knowing all those things, I often pray. It organizes my thoughts,helps me analyze situations and I think prayers of thanksgiving are just plain polite.

5. I bow my head courteously when someone is leading a prayer, but they are usually not speaking for me, no matter how well-intentioned they may be..

6. The Lord's Prayer (Mat 6:9-15) leads me to think that if I cannot forgive debts or traspasses, my prayers are very hypocritical.

7. Asking in Jesus' name is admitting he is a mediator available to all, not just to the John class.

And, I suspect the coffee I got at Caribou several hours ago was not decaf.

17

Everyone please welcome worldtraveller!

by brinjen in

jw
friends

welcome to jwd!

Uncertain

Welcome, there are some very nice folks here!

64

Smell like a jock strap or like a perfumed girl? Shower Soap ?...

by Little Drummer Boy in

on the strength that my recent post concerning cheetos went to 3 pages and was referenced in at least 3 other threads, i feel that the time has come to discuss another most important topic: shower soap.. this thread topic most definitely falls under the category of intellectual starvation topics, so you should be forewarned that terry will not approve.

heh...(just funnin' yah terry).

to the point: i here refer to a liquid soap meant to be applied to a wet shower poof and then scrubbed onto the skin.

Uncertain

drbronner.com/main.html

The peppermint smells pretty good on guys, but be sure you "Dilute, Dilute, Dilute." You can start with a little bottle and then graduate to the gallon-size or buy refills from bulk at Whole Foods. It doubles as shampoo for some folks too.

11

A funny thing happened on the way to the Hall...

by Uncertain in

somehow, i wound up at a local baptist church.

folks were friendly and welcoming, the hyms made musical and verbal sense (mostly, one was about praising his name but never actually used a name except lord)) and the public talk (umm sermon) was taken from luke 13-34 inclusive.

there was no jumping to unconnected verses and no buzz words instead of logic.

Uncertain

Snakes and Changeling I know, frying pan into the fire has crossed my mind. But I truly am interested in fellowshipping, I'd like to meet some folks in the community. Further, I began studying with the JWs because I was seeking the god (or God or godess or any combinations) I need to make sense out of this world. I know that not everyone is in need of such a support system.

I did pass the collection plate right on over, and I thought it was touching that it jingled. I guess the kids still put change in, I remember trying not to lose the quarter I was given for that purpose when I was a youngster (just after the dark ages). I am not looking forward to the "God loves a hilarious giver" sermon that I'm sure will come up in my adventures. Thes guys had the last week's take listed on the back of the program as well as the budget for the year and the take so far. Nothing about it from the platform, though.

Almost, interestingly, the salient points of the creed were listed on the web site so as to save argument. I don't remember the Wits teling me about 1914 or 1975 as easily. I'll initiate that discussion if I go back to that church, and maybe at others.

The old joke about why baptists don't believe in sex (it can lead to dancing) was why I mentioned the dance clas in the program. I'll go visiting elsewhere before I make any decisions, and keep on reporting, if you like. I was amazed at how uneasy I was, I didn't realize how seriously my study in WTBS was affecting me. I am relieved that the big cross on the back wall seemed to be firmly attached and empty. And, unlike the KH, there were no windows. But the ac was not set on deep-freeze as it usually is in the hall.

Now, do I try opening a dialog with my study leader or do I just say noncomittal things? Or do nothing yet, except to say I visited a (gasp) church. I don't know if I want to offer her any anti-truth or if that would not be a kindness. She is third-generation and married to an elder. What to do?

11

A funny thing happened on the way to the Hall...

by Uncertain in

somehow, i wound up at a local baptist church.

folks were friendly and welcoming, the hyms made musical and verbal sense (mostly, one was about praising his name but never actually used a name except lord)) and the public talk (umm sermon) was taken from luke 13-34 inclusive.

there was no jumping to unconnected verses and no buzz words instead of logic.

Uncertain

Somehow, I wound up at a local baptist church. Folks were friendly and welcoming, the hyms made musical and verbal sense (mostly, one was about praising his name but never actually used a name except Lord)) and the public talk (umm sermon) was taken from Luke 13-34 inclusive. There was no jumping to unconnected verses and no buzz words instead of logic. The pastor stopped by my pew and said hello before things started, not mentioning his role. I figured him for someone important because he was one of the few in tie and coat. Most of the men were in clean, neat street clothes, the women in modest skirts or pants (the minister's wife was in slacks !!!) and all were attentive and polite.

This service followed their Sunday school and lasted an hour and a half. And the kids (probably seven or eight year olds and up) were well-behaved. I'm not sure what variety of babtists, but their program mentioned a dance class being held at the church. I'm not looking at joining this church, but just entering it seemed awfully daring, which told me I should realize how much JW indoctrination has happened already

I hadn't intended to go visiting but I must have been more upset by the Watchtower Study than I thought. Or maybe the book study. I guess I have to figure out the nicest, firmest way to tell my study leader that I am less than convinced. I hate to have her spend too much more time with me, but I am still interested in the official stand on some stuff.

3

Two witness question

by Uncertain in

hebrews 10:28, mat 18:16, dt 19:15. are these the source for the rule that requires two witnesses before believing something happened?

same chapter of dt as (21) soul will be for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, fot for foot.

it certainly looks like this is intended to protect from false witness, not as a get out of jail card for the perp.

Uncertain

Hebrews 10:28, Mat 18:16, Dt 19:15. Are these the source for the rule that requires two witnesses before believing something happened? Same chapter of Dt as (21) soul will be for soul, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, fot for foot. It certainly looks like this is intended to protect from false witness, not as a get out of jail card for the perp.

This is probably only new to me, I'm amazed at all the Mosaic law that is ignored and yet this is used against victims.

11

2Cor 2:6 "This rebuke given by the majority..."

by freyd in

jw
friends

just happened to notice this.

the majority of who?

when there was a congregational trial it wasn't supposed to be secret and behind closed doors and conducted by hired men a la a court martial.

Uncertain

Or in the NIV: "The punishment inflicted upon him by the majority is sufficient for him." And then it instruct that you should forgive and comfort otherwise he will be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow.

I don't rememberthis showing up during my study...

2

Active force definition

by Shawn10538 in

jw
friends

active force-definition.

does anybody have a reference to the wt definition of the term, or any insight about how jws use the term?

Uncertain

Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

First printing in English

page 380

Spirit Definition: The Hebrew word ru'ach and the Greek pneu'ma, which are often translated "spirit" have a number of meanings. All of them refer to that which is invisible to human sight and which gives evidence of force in motion. The Hebrew and Greek words are used with reference to 1. wind, 2. the active life-force in earthly creatures, 3. the impelling force that isues from a person's figurative heart and that causes him to say and do things in a certain way, 4. inspiried utterances originating with an invisible source, 5. spirit persons, and 6 God's active force or holy spirit.

And p.381

"... it is logical to conclude that the holy spirit is the active force of God. It is not a person but is a powerful force that God causes to emanate from himself to accomplish his holy will."

Hope this is what you needed.

23

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 8-19-07 WT Study (CONQUERING EVIL)

by V in

"keep conquering the evil with the good".

that man of god, nehemiah, not only withstood opposition from ungodly people but also conquered evil with good.

would nehemiah 'let himself be conquered by evil'?.

Uncertain

As I study for the meetings, I think of the critical thinking Blondie shows with these. Besides the obvious anti-apostate stuff in this one, I looked at the three review questions and made notes on the second one: "What was the main objective of Nehemiah's enemies and what is the objective of God's enemies today?" My thought is that not all enemies of JW are enemies of God. I didn't offer that comment out loud of course, nor the one I wrote in lage letters next to paragraph 11. I underlined "Jehovah answeres their prayers" and wrote Malawi? in large clear letters for whomever was looking over my shoulder. I'm thinking that I should make other plans for Sundays, but I am still fascinated with the Rev book. Ahh, what to do.

10

When/If the society accepts Jerusalem's destruction in 586 BCE...

by B_Deserter in

607 and 586 are 31 years apart, so adding 31 years to the witness timetable makes the end of the gentile times 1945. i guarantee you that if this happens, the watchtower will try to tie in the end of world war ii to this.

they'll say that the world wars were a culmination of the old world, a conclusion, and since there haven't been any world wars since (fingers crossed) that proves that we are now living in the last legs of the old system of things..

Uncertain

Google, when fed atomic bomb and 1931, eventually spits out that 1931 was the year that research to develop the bomb began. Also the year Japan invaded Manchuria. (I'm using Firefox and had trouble quoting the website, I'll try again in IE.)

Could these events have more worldwide impact than Europeans in a squabble? I don't mean to discount World War One, or the multitudes whose lives were changed by it. But the events of 1914 had very little impact on most of the planet.

Can I go straight from study to apostate without rebaptism?

http://americanhistory.about.com/library/timelines/bltimelinemanhat.htm