Micro brewed beer can be a good choice. If you can find out what basic type of beer he likes, you can buy him a brand that he is unlikely to be familiar with. You can just start buying six packs until your budget runs out. If he likes beer, he will think about you every time he drinks a bottle.
Posts by DT
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47So Men tell me
by Lady Lee inwhat do you like as a gift?
i have absolutely no idea what to make or give my son-in-law for his birthday or for christmas.
he has all the newest gadgets which i could not afford anyways so i am stumped.. gotta be inexpensive (on a strict budget) and if i can make it all the better.
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13
Possible Reasons For The Faithful And Discreet Slave Change
by DT ini've been thinking a lot about the new faithful and discreet slave understanding.. first of all, i regard the faithful and discreet slave doctrine to be the core doctrine of jehovah's witnesses.
without a single charismatic leader like other cults, the watchtower society needed to have something to keep the rank and file in line.
the fds doctrine was mysterious and served to give the organisation a leadership structure that appeared to be directly connected to god.
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DT
"Its a consolidation of where the power structure was already; a pretty natural evolution, considering."
I tend to agree. However, I'm referring to the claim that Jehovah's Witnesses have agreed to follow the direction of the Faithful And Discreet Slave (as previously understood) and therefore are subject to the organization's disciplinary procedures. Changing the identity of the FDS in a move to consolidate power calls into question whether the Governing Body has any right to discipline those who refuse to accept this change.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
"you mean replace one organization...with another organization?...this is rather small-minded, isn't it dt?..."
I have no interest in replacing one organization with another.
My primary goal is to help people leave without facing the traditional sanctions. I am of the opinion that the Governing Body changed the conditions of membership of Jehovah's Witnesses and may have lost their claim to authority over those who refuse to go along with the new changes.
This provides possible legal defenses for faders who are later threatened by elders representing the Governing Body. I believe that simply no longer participating in meetings or the ministry is sufficient to establish that one is no longer associated with Jehovah's Witnesses. However, having a letter from a group that is following the traditional beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses acknowledging that the person resigned could make for an even stronger case.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
"Yeah right, a splinter group wouldn't have the $$ to stay active. That's why the WT has everything in its name."
It wouldn't require much money. All you would need is a simple website and some postage to reply to those who send in a letter of disassociation.
Suppose someone fades and formally disassociates by sending a letter to this group that is following the established tradition of Jehovah's Witnesses (unlike the Governing Body).
Now imagine that two years down the road the elders try to disfellowship him. If he can show that he already resigned and never supported the coup and power grab of the Governing Body, it could very dangerous legally for the elders to try anything. A lawsuit might not be automatically thrown out if it can be shown that it is not an internal religious matter since the one party resigned years earlier.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
"I personally think that is unlikely as the current GB have the money and the infastructure. Who would actually listen to a group of annointed men from nearby areas marching on Bethel?"
I would like to see a large scale rebellion, but my goals are more modest. Any group of anointed that challenges the Governing Body could have an enormous symbolic impact. It could be argued that they have the traditional authority and that the Governing Body is the group that defected by changing long established JW doctrine in a sneaky power grab.
It would expose this coup for what it is and possibly give dissidents a way to escape the authority of the Governing Body without experiencing the normal repercussions.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
"you just linked back to your own thread."
Oops, fortunately I was able to fix the link in time.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
If there were a group of three or more, they could formally invite every member of the Governing Body to a judicial committee.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
Some of these issues are also being discussed on this thread.
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45
We Need A Group Of Anointed To Challenge The Governing Body
by DT ini believe that a coup is one of the governing body's worst nightmares.. imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.. this may be one of the reasons the governing body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.. the irony is that this action is a coup in itself.
by declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree.
these people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders.
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DT
I believe that a coup is one of the Governing Body's worst nightmares.
Imagine a splinter group led by anointed ones that draw off enough of a following to cause confusion about who is directing the organization.
This may be one of the reasons the Governing Body removed the special status of the anointed and placed it on an organizational arrangement that they just happen to occupy.
The irony is that this action is a coup in itself. By declaring themselves leaders in complete control of the organization, they have created a rival group composed of those who disagree. These people have no obligation to follow these newly self appointed leaders. They have every right to stick to the previous arrangement and understanding.
I'm no lawyer, but I don't believe that any court in the United States would be willing to interfere in internal religious matters to determine which group is legitimate. For a person to side with one group would indicate that they are not under the authority of the other. A court might determine ownership of property, but would probably be unwilling to arbitrate theological issues.
What is needed is for the group that disagrees with the Governing Body's self designation as the Faithful And Discreet Slave to have a face and some level of organization. These would probably be disfellowshipped, if they aren't already, but they could also formally disfellowship the Governing Body. I don't believe there would be any legal basis for deciding which disfellowshipping would be legitimate.
Even one anointed person could be enough, although a group might be better. If that group has a website with some spiritual information, they could be said to be dispensing spiritual food at the proper time. The could have a claim on being the Faithful and Discreet Slave (or a part of it) that would be unlikely to be challenged by any court.
The Governing Body could face some serious legal challenges if they ever tried to punish those who never joined their coup. A religion doesn't have the right to punish nonmembers. The Mormons have gotten into trouble for this very thing, so there is a precedent.
There is one very useful thing that this rival group could accomplish. They could process letters of disassociation. I would recommend that they keep the identities of those who disassociate private, but they could send them a letter saying that the request has been approved. This letter could be used to threaten legal action against any elders who represent the Governing Body and try to punish them in any way, including an announcement that is intended to get the congregation to shun them.
I welcome your thoughts. I never claimed to be of the anointed, but I would be willing to offer some assistance to a group that wishes to challenge the Governing Body.
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57
Do You Realize That Almost EVERY Society Publication Is "Old Light" Now?
by minimus innow that the "faithful & discreet slave class" has become essentially the governing body since 1919, almost every publication is obsolete and useless!
(i know, they are useless)..... the fds doctrine is a core teaching unique to jehovah's witnesses and now i believe they will have to change all of their understandings that are recorded in the revelation climax book, ezekiel books---every prophetic book written by the society!.
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DT
"I wonder if this negates all our baptisms been as we signed up to a very different organisation and said yes to teachings and a structure that has now proven to NOT exist ?"
I think it could. This is being discussed in the comments of this thread.