independent_tre

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Posts by independent_tre

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  17

  Aug WT read it

  by mouthy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  all jehovah's witnesses should read it.

  .

  some one just called & read it to me,it is all about showing love & kindness to every one not only among themselves .. what a load of cods wallop after all the families they have devided .i am so ticked .

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  independent_tre

  Anyone have the August edition?
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  5

  What is bigger than JWD?

  by wings in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  easy answer....just about everything.

  everything in my life is bigger than this place.

  yet, it has offered me so much during a time when i needed it.

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  independent_tre

  I don't think that I have ever wanted any website to survive more than this one. I know it's an incredible burden to run a site 24/7 like this one, however losing the incredible support, knowledge and insight is terrible to think about. I understand Simon's reasons, however the reality still hasn't sunk in - I hoping that this forum will be around much longer.....
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  128

  Do You Clearly Understand That "The Truth" Is Nothing But Bullcrap?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what a waste of living being "in the truth" was!

  sometimes i see persons suggesting that the witness religion isn't all so wrong.

  actually they suggest that they themselves are the issue.

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  independent_tre

  Well said Mary.

  It's just a shame that in the land of the net and boards, this kind of mob action will always result. Probably the reason why this site will soon be gone as well.
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  38

  New Light - July 15, 2008 SE of the WT - Sower and Seed - another angle

  by independent_tre in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've seen the topic where they try to explain invisible growth, but something else about this wt magazine stands out.

  if this isn't adulterating the word of god, i don't know what is.

  the wts has done it again and managed to usurp jesus' position and interject themselves into his place.

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  independent_tre

  Exactly. If you can convince the average jw that he indeed is the sower in this parable, it lays the groundwork for further WT whip cracking - preach more, do more, increase your hours, pioneer, auxillary pioneer! As the same WT 7/15/08 article states:

  Lesson for Us Today

  15 What have we learned from our review of these two illustrations recorded in Mark chapter 4? We can clearly see that we have a work to do - sowing. We should never allow excuses and potential problems and difficulties to stop us from doing this work.
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  42

  As Much as I hate to say this,I am glad for have being a J Dub

  by SuperApostateGirl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know this sounds crazy however being raised a jehovah's witness gave me the tools of respect for my fellow man.

  also my parents had a huge role as well,of course.. i just find today there are soo many twisted people who are amused by the sickest of circumstances and pride themselves on belittling people.i mean i am the first to say.

  i love funny sarcasm and making fun of the jehovah's witness religion because i believe in my heart its a crazy cult and way out in left field.

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  independent_tre

  I wouldn't say I was glad, but I have no regrets. It got me where I am today, and I'm doing quite well. But that being said, I want no more part of it.

  Ditto - I never spiritually matured enough in the org to enjoy my 'stay' and I definitely don't want me or my kids having any part of it.
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  38

  New Light - July 15, 2008 SE of the WT - Sower and Seed - another angle

  by independent_tre in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've seen the topic where they try to explain invisible growth, but something else about this wt magazine stands out.

  if this isn't adulterating the word of god, i don't know what is.

  the wts has done it again and managed to usurp jesus' position and interject themselves into his place.

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  independent_tre

  Thanks all for more insight into this parable, and the WT's account of it. It seems very straightforward by the account in Matthew the identity of the sower. I'm going to reread that account in Mark to make sure I have the full understanding. However, I thought that these scriptures were parallel, and were about the same parable right down to the mustard grain parable in both accounts. Matthew had clearly identified the sower, while it seems the account in Mark does not.

  I guess my initial ire came about when there was no mention of Jesus being the Initial or Grand sower of seed, although I had remembered learning this a while ago. And the pointing the finger (again) at Christendom as the source of this false belief when in fact I believe interpreting the sower as Jesus himself is far more accurate than interpreting in as each individual JW publisher.

  But again, thanks all for your insight and info....
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  38

  New Light - July 15, 2008 SE of the WT - Sower and Seed - another angle

  by independent_tre in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've seen the topic where they try to explain invisible growth, but something else about this wt magazine stands out.

  if this isn't adulterating the word of god, i don't know what is.

  the wts has done it again and managed to usurp jesus' position and interject themselves into his place.

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  independent_tre

  I've seen the topic where they try to explain invisible growth, but something else about this WT magazine stands out. If this isn't adulterating the word of God, I don't know what is. The WTS has done it again and managed to usurp Jesus' position and interject themselves into his place. Even though JW's have taught for years that the sower is Jesus Christ and the seed is the message about the Kingdom, they have changed that interpretation and have decided that the sower is no longer Jesus, but each individual witness proclaimer. The scripture clearly identifies who the sower is at Matt 13:37 ( NWT) where it reads:

  36 Then after dismissing the crowds he went into the house. And his disciples came to him and said: “Explain to us the illustration of the weeds in the field.” 37 In response he said: “The sower of the fine seed is the Son of man; 38 the field is the world; as for the fine seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one, 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels.

  Now this little bolded part really kills me, the WT article " It is God Who Makes it Grow" paragraph 14 reads: (sorry no scan)

  "Who is this sower? Some in Christendom believe that this refers to Jesus himself. But how could it be said that Jesus sleeps and does not know how the seed grows? Surely Jesus is aware of the growth process! Rather this sower, like the one mentioned earlier, represents individual Kingdom proclaimers, those who sow the Kingdom seed by their zealous preaching activity. The seed that is cast to the ground is the word that they preach*

  *Footnote: it was previously explained in this magazine that the seed represents personality qualities that need to grow to maturity, being influenced along the way by environmental factors. However, it should be noted that in Jesus' illustration the seed does not change into a bad seed or rotten fruit. It simply grows to maturity. - See The Watchtower, June 15, 1980. pgs 17 -19."

  They don't bother to mention that historically JW'S have taught that the sower is Jesus! That "Some in Christendom" includes Jehovah's Witnesses. If you're gonna change your doctrine, at least own up to it. In their own publications, they have made the identity of the Sower known:

  3

  The fulfillment of the parable had its beginning with Jesus Christ, who earned the title "the Son of man". As stated in his explanation of another parable, "the sower of the right kind of seed is the Son of man." (Matt. 13:37, NW) He is the one to whom the great Cultivator, Jehovah God, entrusts the seed to be sown (WT 1950)

  This "minister of the Christ" was merely acting as an agent of the Great Sower of the seed, Jesus Christ. (WT 11/15 1973)

  Jesus Christ likened the sowing of seed to preaching the word, the good news of the Kingdom. He was the Sower of the Kingdom truths...(it-2, 1012 - 1015, 1988)

  In effect, then, the seed is the message of the good news in God’s Word, the Bible. Jehovah’s Witnesses highlight this Kingdom message as they sow seed in imitation of the original Sower, Jesus Christ (WT 1999 11/1 p14-19)

  It just amazes me that in an attempt to reshape scripture to fit their purpose, they basically deny something plainly written in the Bible. The whole basis of the article is increasing field service time and not becoming disheartened even after decades of little productivity. I guess giving the rank and file jw's a "promotion" to this new position of sower should help them keep at it a bit longer.

  Now when I look at the WT rags with a critical eye, the doctrinal flip flops can be identified and helps to prove that their teachings are no more 'inspired' than any other human or group claiming to be divine or God's direct channel. What's worse is that they are clearly twisting something that is plainly stated in the Bible. What even far worse is that many of the drones will never pick up on this inconsistency and take this as "truth" and gleefully comment that jw's are indeed the sowers of truth in the world. Sad.

  Maybe I haven't been paying close enough attention in the last few years, and they slipped this new little teaching in a while ago. If anyone remembers different, I'd like to hear it.
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  7

  cut and paste from a Yahoo witness group

  by booby in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  notice the admonition to follow the fds.

  you might think they would have said to follow the biblical counsel, but oh no, it's follow the counsel of the fds.

  the cut and paste follows.

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  independent_tre

  What is so sad is that many, including myself up until a few months ago, would never discern that its wrong for an organization to assert itself as divine counsel to follow, not even mentioning the Bible. Whats great is that so many are finally waking up to this sort of nonsense.
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  42

  What is YOUR bible of choice?

  by gloobster in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  although i'm pretty much an atheist, i still like reading the bible.

  it's an amazing literary masterwork to say the least.. my question is, after discovering that the new world translation of the wts was poorly translated and altered in ways designed to support their various peculiar doctrines (see john 1:1, etc.

  ), what bible translation are you all the most fond of?.

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  independent_tre

  New Living Translation, Reads very easily...
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  28

  31 Years A Watchtower Slave

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my other half has accepted this.. after many years of fading i have stopped going altogether.

  i still have friends and family in so i'm happy to remain inactive.. .

  i was never a very good watchtower slave to begin with.. i was raised in the truth but i never really put my heart and soul into the religion.

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  independent_tre

  congrats on your new found freedom!