Amazing,
Thanks for this series of posts! I like your insights and no-nonsense approach. "Just the facts", which is enough to indict this organization with its high per-capita ratio of creepy characters.
Gopher
Posts by Gopher
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9DECEPTIVE JW ELDERS - CASE#4d
by Amazing indeceptive jw elders case#4d .
there is no fear in love: but perfect love cast out fear, because fear has punishment; and he that fears is not made perfect in love.
1 john 4:18
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why is it?
by esther inwhy is it that when a catholic is excommunicated, god will send him/her to hell when they die, but if a jw is disfellowshipped, the congregation sends them to hell immediately.
esther
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Gopher
Esther, Jan & think41,
Great posts all! "You do not sound repentant enough", and "while you're walking away, they shoot you in the back!". So sad, so true.
Esther, at first it felt like hell for me. But now I am actually thankful they "dismissed" me from their organization. I was inside my whole life up until 39, but only after I left and "got my bearings", adjusting to the outside, that I was able to see that it was really more hellacious on the inside than out.
I feel more real, more free, happier out here. (I don't know whether excommunicated Catholics feel that same sense of freeness.)
Gopher
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28
What about the scriptural obligation to preach?
by lookingnow22 ini've always been taught that each disciple of christ has a scriptural obligation to preach, and to do so in imitation of jesus and his disciples.
they did this by house to house, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces.
this is one thing that has always kept me close to jehovah's witnesses.
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Gopher
Lookingnow,
Since you asked me about Acts 20:20....
Aaron's reply above covers the alternate rendering, "in private homes" or something similar to that.
Acts 20:20 only shows that the apostle Paul, one given as an evangelizer, had a teaching work that encompassed private homes. You surely know that 1st century Christians did not hold their meetings in halls, but rather mostly in private homes. Nothing in this verse indicates that the rank-and-file Christians were sharing in such teaching in the homes, but that they were LEARNING there.
Hope that clarifies my statement.
Gopher
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28
What about the scriptural obligation to preach?
by lookingnow22 ini've always been taught that each disciple of christ has a scriptural obligation to preach, and to do so in imitation of jesus and his disciples.
they did this by house to house, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces.
this is one thing that has always kept me close to jehovah's witnesses.
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Gopher
Lookingnow,
Thanks for posting, looking forward to hearing more of your story!
You said
Each disciple of Christ has a scriptural obligation to preach.
That is true. Each one is to let his light shine. The main question is HOW?You said
They did this by house to house, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces.
I'm not sure it's scripturally provable that all 1st century Christians went house to house. (BTW, the wording and context of Acts 20:20 is debatable, and does not necessarily prove that all Christians went house to house.)
Yes, they bore witness as they went about their day-to-day lives, both by conduct, by works of love, and by their word. No doubt that would include the synagogues and marketplaces.
However, consider that there are non-JW Christian evangelical groups that have grown from a small beginning to EVEN LARGER numbers than JW's did by the end of the 20th century. How did they increase their numbers? How did they witness? Not door to door, but more by personal contact, word of mouth, and conduct (as did the first Century Christians).
Also consider Ephesians 4:11, which says, "And he gave some as apostles, some as prophets, SOME as evangelizers, some as shepherds and teachers." Did you note that only SOME would be given as evangelizers? These were no doubt outstanding in the gift given. Apparently, not all would be able to accomplish by word of mouth those who were 'given' as evangelizers.
So yes a Christian witness can be given, and it doesn't need to resemble the sometimes inefficient, difficult house-to-house method that the JW organization insists on.
Gopher
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Gopher
TR,
Looks like "S.E." flew out the door, forgetting to bring his Bible along! Oh well, he can probably borrow one at the KH library "just in case" it's possibly needed.
Gopher
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A FAIRY TALE....
by peaceloveharmony ina fairy tale for the assertive woman of the 21st .
century .
once upon a time, .
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Gopher
Harmony,
Don't you just love happy endings to fairy tales?
Gopher
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7
Is it ethical to pay a ransom?
by hippikon inis it ethical to pay a ransom?.
in recent times tourists, foreign consultants, etc have been kidnapped for ransom by rebels and self interest groups.
some areas the major income is from kidnapping for ransom.
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Gopher
Hippikon,
Difficult questions to answer! Unfortunately as you indicate, violent crime is a fact of life, more so in certain areas of the world.
These criminals are determined not to earn an honest living. So another way to look at the question is, is it humane to NOT eventually pay a ransom once it is determined there is no way out of the situation, and that a loved one's life is at risk?
Perhaps at some later time, they'll trip up and be caught. You may only have one chance to get a loved one back.
As to the WTS, I suppose some criminal would be shrewd enough to recognize that the Society may be able to afford to pay a ransom. I suppose they might pay. I think the Society tries to steer its missionaries and MTS graduates away from violent trouble spots.
The ransom of Jesus, much like the blood on the ancient Israelite altar of worship, was offered to God in heaven, according to the scriptures that say he offered the value of his sacrifice to God after returning to heaven.
I don't know if that implies that until the ransom was paid, that God was holding mankind hostage (??)
Gopher
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Baptism for Remission of Sins
by chacha inmy sister said that she was baptized for remission of sins are we baptized for remission of sins or dedication the the watchtower bible society?
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Gopher
Chacha,
Hello. Acts chapter 11 only has 30 verses. Perhaps you mean Acts chapter 2, which has 47 verses.
Acts 2:38 says, "Peter said to them: 'Repent, and let each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the free gift of the holy spirit'".
Nowhere does the Bible say that Christian dedication is to a human organization. Rather, it is to God, and the baptism is supposed to be in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, not to make you a member of a human organization.
So baptism really is between the Christian and God, and helps the believer gain forgiveness of sins and other help from God.
Gopher
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just for fun
by peaceloveharmony inhey everyone, here is a fun little test..... : http://www.mystcweb.net/misc/smart.htm.
enjoy .
love.
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Gopher
10. #$%^% ark.
Gopher
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New Here Also- Thoughts on the current state of JW
by secretjw ini am a baptized witness... i've been around it most of my life.
i've been baptized for a while now.. just as a topic of thought, what do you think is the current state of the society/jehovah's witnesses today?
it seems like we're in the last days.... but then again, the last days have been going on for 60+ years!
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Gopher
Serafin,
Welcome to the board. I am glad you posted here. I think you will find a good outlet for your thoughts, as well as support and understanding if needed.
I too am DF'd and have parents in the organization. We haven't had a confrontation regarding the merits of JW's, partly because they live halfway across the country from me.
I am so sorry that you lost your girl! I would go nuts if I lost my daughter. No way to replace anyone, they're each one special. And of course Jehovah didn't take your daughter. It's just like when Jesus healed the blind man, and was asked "who sinned, the man or his parents?", and Jesus replied that NEITHER had sinned. Physical problems just naturally happen!
But of course it's easier for them (the believing parents / relatives) to take the anger and disillusionment and cold-heartedly use it against you, adding insult to tragedy! I'm so sorry.
It's no use arguing with hard-core believers. It may just be best to drive them nuts by (1) living a happy, well-adjusted life (like the Society says you can't do after you leave spiritual paradise, haha), and (2) showing unconditional love, in response to any hate and anger that the believers show you.
Best wishes, hope to hear from you again!!
Gopher