Posts by munchausen

15

US Treasury to tap pensions to help fund the government

by diamondiiz in

http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/treasury-to-tap-pensions-to-help-fund-government/2011/05/15/af2fqk4g_story.html?hpid=z1.

i guess they will begin with taking public's savings before they touch the big crooked banker's retirement fund - what a surprise that is..

Circuit Overseer talking Ray Franz in talk this morning (Phone number included)

by LightsOut in

jw
friends

i'm still a semi member of the kh but not at all active and have major doubts when i started reading all kinds of opposing literature.

talked to elders about this and also my father but my father but he still believes it's the "truth".

anyways jist of this story is i gave my father a copy of "crisis of conscience".

How the Watchtower MELTDOWN fits in the stream of time

by Terry in

jw
friends

from puritan times there was an urge to expand the kingdom of god on earth by creating as many communities of christians as possible.. this was to be done by setting a "pure" example of utopian harmony.

a "shining city on a hill" with a beacon of light for all nations to see.. perfectionism and personality development was key.. .

it was to be christianity by example!.

munchausen

3

Golden Age question--Leolia or anyone??

by rebel8 in

this quote is attributed to matilda joslyn gage, a women's rights activist, and of all things, a staunch critic of religion and advocate for separation of church and state.. was this quoted in wts' magazine or is this a different publication?

seems about right for wts, who misquoted sagan to support their creation theory.. sympathetic contagion, generally connected with some religious feeling, never has force where the intellect is scientifically and philosophically cultivated, and active.

it belongs to an age, or a phase of ignorance and religious superstition.

munchausen

Nearly certain this is not the WT's publication called Golden Age, which was not in publication until about 1920.

The 'Golden Age/ Golden Dawn' name and imagery was quite common in both England and the US during those years with various groups. The WT wasn't the only wacky organization in those days.

26

The futility keeps getting brighter and brighter

by munchausen in

here is an interesting measure of the increasing futility of bible studies.

this may have been commented on before, but i don't recall seeing it.. .

1999 yearbook total bible studies 4,302,852. total baptisms 316,092.

munchausen

Here is an interesting measure of the increasing futility of bible studies. This may have been commented on before, but I don't recall seeing it.

1999 yearbook total bible studies 4,302,852

total baptisms 316,092

1 baptism per 13.6 studies

2009 yearbook total bible studies 7,133,760

total baptisms 298,304

1 baptism per 24.6 studies

I don't have any of the other yearbooks, but I would be interested in the figures from the 70's, 80's, and 90's

9

Simplified Watchtower in English?

by munchausen in

last wed night they read an announcement that there would be an english edition of the watchtower in simplified english.

has there been a discussion on this, or has this letter been read elsewhere than the us?

i would never have guessed that the wt could be 'dumbed down' any more than it is already.

munchausen

Last Wed night they read an announcement that there would be an English edition of the Watchtower in simplified English. Has there been a discussion on this, or has this letter been read elsewhere than the US? I would never have guessed that the WT could be 'dumbed down' any more than it is already. This one caught me by surprise. Any comments?

115

Why didn't we ever study "Mankind's Search For God"?

by gubberningbody in

jw
friends

was there an official or unofficial reason that anyone knows of?.

it seems to me that pretty much every publication was studied at the book study, but we never did that one..

munchausen

I seldom post, but here goes.

I do not recall studying the Mankind Search book, but then my appetite for the book study was permanently killed by the insanity of the Revelation Climax book.

It is my theory that the Search book was printed for one reason only - a legal reason. Background: For a 'school' to qualify as a seminary, and for its graduates to be accepted as missionaries, at least in some countries, the school curriculum must include study of all world religions. I think it likely that the Search book was written so that they could document that their schools (ie Gilead and the MS schools) include that material and they could point to the book in their library in support.

5

The Bible in Living English 1989 edition is it a credible translation?

by nugget in

years ago i purchased this translation through the org is it considered a robust translation or is this amongst the fataly flawed books i am currently disposing of..

munchausen

Nugget, please do not throw away your copy of the Byington translation, as it is out of print and is becoming increasingly rare. They typically go for over $100 nowadays. The translation was made by Steven Byington, who was not a JW and was not associated with them during his lifetime. It is neither the best nor the worst translation, yet has a unique history that makes it more interesting than most.

4