Hi LouBelle,
"I was talking to a collegue who happens to be studying with the JWs and she kept saying that I was one person up against a whole organisation that has teams of researches....I simply told her Jesus was up against something similar in his day - "oh but he's the son of God Louise"......""and I am a daughter of God"" I responded - she didn't get it."
Great point! Yes they still aren't getting the point, is that Jesus is God and so a whole world or researches or Pharisees cannot get anywhere close to His knowledge or wisdom.
Regards,
Stephen
Posts by Chalam
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12The Interview With God
by Chalam inthis touches me every time i watch it.
http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com/ .
john 1:12 (new international version) .
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Chalam
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10
slave vs servant
by bite me inwe are servants of god, not slaves.
why does the nwt use slaves rather than the proper term servants.
how does the wts claim this (using slave) is the proper way?
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Chalam
Hi,
Good posts Joseph and HM.
The whole thing is that in the context of our first world culture, "slave" is a very negative word.
So the best modern solution is to translate the word as slave for sin etc and servant for Christ and the like.
That said, I do prefer the analogy of being a slave to Christ as I was 'bought with a price' and am 'not my own'.
Whatever, the very words of God are totally powerful in themselves (Jesus is described as The Word after all) and we need to make sure the words are best preserved AND the meaning in any translation.
I personally very much like The Message and other paraphrases but these days I am finding that even the NIV is a little loose in the translation department.
Regards,
Stephen -
29
Tom Cruise has PR video for Scientology.
by moshe inwell, using his terminology ex-jw's would be called supressive persons- sp's .
hurry before it gets blocked by the lawyers.. http://gawker.com/5002269/the-cruise-indoctrination-video-scientology-tried-to-suppress.
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Chalam
Hi,
There is a Scientology victims site too!
http://carolineletkeman.org/sp/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1
I was wondering about their symbol-have a read here
http://carolineletkeman.org/sp/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1370&Itemid=92
Regards,
Stephen -
14
how to pray
by megaflower ini no longer know how to pray.
who do i pray to?
i no longer worship the god of jw's, jehovah.
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Chalam
"I would think that one name for God would be just as acceptable as another. Is God going to care whether we pronounce his name right?"
Another great point. Fact is, if you pray "Jehovah" then there is a good chance you aren't pronouncing His name right! We know the Hebrew name for God was YHWH or maybe YHVH but we don't know the vowels as they never wrote them down!
So technicalities considered it is best to go for Father or Jesus.
Stephen -
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how to pray
by megaflower ini no longer know how to pray.
who do i pray to?
i no longer worship the god of jw's, jehovah.
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Chalam
"megaflower - Well if you want to be able to pray but don't know what name to use, perhaps you could use the prayer that Jesus gave and just say "Father". He seemed to think it was okay.
Maddie"
Great point, I agree!
Check this out.
John 14:12-15 (New International Version)
12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
So Jesus must be God if he can hear all our prayers at once? For sure, you can pray to him too. Stephen though so.
Acts 7:59
While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Happy praying :)
Stephen -
39
I'm scared everyday...
by 4mylove ini'm scared everyday that i will lose my husband to this cult.. i'm scared everyday that i will offend my dear friend because of my bitterness with this cult.. i'm scared everyday that my husband will choose to go back to studying and become active again.. i'm scared everyday that my life will crumble after working so hard to build the wonderful relationship that i have.. i'm scared everyday that his family will eventually say that they cannot associate with him anymore unless he goes back.. i'm scared everyday he'll choose.
i'm scared everyday that i'll never have a family of my own because of this stupid cult.
i won't bring innocent lives into this shit.. i'm scared everyday that i'll give up.. i'm scared evertday that he'll be gone.. i'm scared they will convince him.
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Chalam
Hi 4mylove,
Forgive me from posting from the Bible (not the NWT!) but I trust you gain comfort from these words.
1 Peter 5:7 (New International Version)
Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
Philippians 4:6-8 (New International Version)
6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 John 4:18 (New International Version)
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment.
The JW cult is so ugly and so unbiblical. I pray you and your family find freedom from it very soon.
All the best,
Stephen -
29
Tom Cruise has PR video for Scientology.
by moshe inwell, using his terminology ex-jw's would be called supressive persons- sp's .
hurry before it gets blocked by the lawyers.. http://gawker.com/5002269/the-cruise-indoctrination-video-scientology-tried-to-suppress.
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Chalam
Hi,
Nice post-thanks for the link.
A couple of great quotes from Cruise from the film.
"I'm carrying my load but I still feel I gotta do more"
Sounds a lot like the reports of how JW felt. No peace in any of these 'works' driven religions, you never feel as if you are doing enough.
"you can just see the look in their eye you know the ones that are doing"
Yes, I was noticing something about Cruise's eyes when I was watching and then he came out with that!
No wonder Jesus said this
Matthew 6 (New International Version)
22"The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. 23But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
All the best,
Stephen -
19
My thoughts on the Nature of God
by Doug Mason inwhen we speak of the nature of god, we talk of attributes such as his infinite immutable eternal love.
what joy that should fill us with!
how that should elevate our hearts and minds!.
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Chalam
Hi,
I had a very quick scan-looks very good to me.
I have come across most of these points before in my looking into the JWs flawed belief's and also having read Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology which covers much of the same material but in more depth.
Regards,
Stephen -
45
Beauty out of Neglect (Pictures)
by Bumble Bee inon my travels this morning, i drove past an abandonded farm.
i've driven past here before, and stop there every may/june and pick the sweetest smelling lilacs.
something compelled me today to turn around and go back and do some exploring and take pictures.
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Chalam
Hi,
Great pics.
Hopefully you are mistaken and this was not a farm but a Kingdom Hall? ;)
Stephen -
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Chalam
LOL! Looking forward to the next issue too.
Surely Bethel will head hunt you for your skills?!
Stephen