Gopher

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Posts by Gopher

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  10

  What a View

  by ThiChi in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is really a sight to behold!

  scroll to the right.

  "the image is a panoramic view of the world from the new space station.

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  Gopher

  Obviously CYG -- Buffalo is easy to spot. 6 feet of snow reflects light quite well!

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  15

  The UN and YMCA

  by larc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the un and the ymca,.

  according to the wt, the un is the scarlet colored beast of revelation with 7 heads and 10 horns and religions that cooperate with the un are the harlot that rides the beast.

  now, despite this belief, the watchtower and bible and tract society decided to take a ride on the beast for ten years.

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  Gopher

  More on JW connections with the religious / military elements of the "evil" world they condemned:

  Those in the northern Indiana area know (or if you read the details of the assembly locations in the back of the Watchtower, you knew) that the JW's had held district conventions on the grounds of NOTRE DAME UNIVERSITY at its CONVOCATION CENTER. This is the basketball arena for that university's team. This university is a CATHOLIC institution. (BTW, "Notre Dame" is French for "Our Lady", otherwise known as the Virgin Mary, adored by nearly a billion Catholics worldwide.) So the WT Society paid this Catholic institution rent, and brought thousands of its adherents onto this campus, which has a large "idolatrous" image of Jesus across from its football stadium. (Yes, that is Touchdown Jesus.)

  Here in Minneapolis, all through the 1950's, 1960's and early 1970's, the local circuit assembly was held at the NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY. Yes, they rented this downtown armory, paying money to the local branch of the US Army, for twice-annual events (Friday night thru Sunday at the time). And how fascinating it was to go view the display cases with war weapons during lunch breaks!!

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  23

  I'M A NEWBIE! My story...

  by terafera in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just came across this site not too long ago and have been reading the stories.

  i am filled with relief and at the same time frustration mixed with tears, because i have been holding my story in and not sharing it with anyone, except my husband.

  i have felt many of the feelings expressed here but was afraid to say them out loud for fear of being an 'apostate'.

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  Gopher

  Tera,

  Welcome to the board! Thanks for sharing your story. Even with only a few paragraph breaks, your story was readable and had me captivated until the very end!

  You tried so hard to do what was right, and in the end got kicked in the teeth for doing so. What a loving mother and organization you did NOT have!!!

  We don't need to have a mediating organization trying to run our lives and eventually ruining it. We have God-given brains and consciences, and he expects us to use them, not for an organization to run our life. Your story shows how the organization can really screw up life!

  I hope you will hang around this board and read and learn. It has helped me immensely in my journey to a more normal life, along with the book Crisis of Conscience which you can order from Amazon (see the ad posted in the upper right side of the screen).

  Best wishes.

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  12

  Difficulty of serving on Judicial Committee

  by Masterji in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for me?

  the other two.. more on that later.. your thoughts?.

  m

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  Gopher

  Richie,

  Your post shows the lack of wisdom in the whole judicial arrangement as it currently exists. Where in the Greek Scriptures is there a reference to any such committee?

  You are so right, it is almost impossible to defend oneself in this setting. And if you don't say the right things or look sorry enough,
  your arse is grass. Appeal committees? If three people won't believe you , why would six (including THE appeal committee)?

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  6

  We Had Dinner w/Venice & Her Parents Tonight

  by FreePeace in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  tonight, tracy and i met venice and her parents for the first time, and had dinner.

  they were very nice people and we really enjoyed getting to know them.. we talked about a lot of things, one of which was doing an apost-o-fest in florida sometime.. thanks to you venice and folks for spending time with us!.

  doug & tracy.

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  Gopher

  Sounds like a fun time. Who made the long trip across Alligator Alley???

  Anyhow, it'd be fun to know when the Apostofest is. You just never know who might show up, even from outside the Sunshine State!

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  5

  Favourite Christmas Song

  by Latte in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  just wondering what your favourite xmas song is??.

  i just love paul mccartneys 'wonderful christmas song' .

  (sorry if this is a similar thread to any others).

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  Gopher

  Razormind,

  Jose Feliciano may be the singer you're thinking of -- for "Feliz Navidad".

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  17

  What're the new spins going to be?

  by ashitaka in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was talking with my wife and surmised that in ten years, there would be 'revision' in thought about blood, and that they would allow transfusions, (a conscience matter), but still forbid the eating of blood.. as to disfellowshipping, when it all hits the fan in the media, there may be a change, some time in the future regarding it.

  perhaps they will say to only 'spiritually' disfellowship the person, but not encourage the total shunning of them.. do those two hold any merit?

  what other things may change at the wtbts?

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  Gopher

  I could see gradual allowing of transfusions, as this could save the Society considerable legal trouble.

  However, as to shunning, the courts have seemed to constantly uphold the right of the religion to make up such rules as to the conduct of its membership. I don't know that "hitting the fan" will have much impact in this area, not enough outsiders care, and not enough actual financial or physical damage is done simply by shunning. Most of the damage is emotional. (Financial harm could be argued, I suppose.)

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
• 
  5

  Favourite Christmas Song

  by Latte in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  just wondering what your favourite xmas song is??.

  i just love paul mccartneys 'wonderful christmas song' .

  (sorry if this is a similar thread to any others).

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  Gopher

  "Have a Holly Jolly Christmas"

  "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas"

  "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer" (sorry!)

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  12

  How did jesus know he was Gods son?

  by sleepy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how did jesus know he was gods son?.

  that came to my mind one day when i was on the min.. if jesus was just born like a human how would he know he was the son of god?.

  if he remmembered it then from what point?

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  Gopher

  Sleepy,

  The best way I can understand this "conundrum" is like you said, Jesus KNEW he was someone special, he just didn't know all the details until the heavens opened up after his baptism.

  As to John's belief about his cousin Jesus the carpenter (prior to his baptizing Jesus), the most amount of detail is in John 1. Before the baptism he said "I am not worthy to untie his sandal", and then he called him the "Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world", which is fairly close (but not exactly) calling him God's Son. He also said "behind me there comes a man who has advanced in front of me, because he existed before me" even though he was born 6 months ahead of Jesus. So John was alluding to his heavenly pre-existence.

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)
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  12

  How did jesus know he was Gods son?

  by sleepy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how did jesus know he was gods son?.

  that came to my mind one day when i was on the min.. if jesus was just born like a human how would he know he was the son of god?.

  if he remmembered it then from what point?

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  Gopher

  I remember it about the same as Cygnus does.

  When the "heavens opened up" to Jesus, and the holy spirit came down, then the voice said "This is my son", at that point he official became Christ, the anointed one.

  Then he had to go 40 days into the wilderness to meditate on the awesome amount of information just fed into his brain from up above. Then he finally understood his commission, which included that he would have to die.

  GopherWhy shouldn't truth be stranger than fiction? Fiction, after all, has to make sense.
  Mark Twain (1835-1910)