"i believe in one god, and no more; and i hope for happiness beyond this life.
i believe the equality of man, and i believe that religious duties consist in doing justice, loving mercy, and endeavoring to make our fellow-creatures happy.
but, lest it should be supposed that i believe many other things in addition to these, i shall, in the progress of this work, declare the things i do not believe, and my reasons for not believing them.
I carry a KIT.
The Kingdom Interlinear Translation.
It is published by the WT and has the NWT Christian Scriptures on the margin so it's an all right, approved version.
I started using it when the KM came out in 2007 about not meeting to learn Greek in order to check the accuracy of the NWT text.
It figures that if they have to warn about it there must be something there, it's going slow, but I'm enjoying my study research into Koine Greek.
ok, the new songbook has gotten rid of some pretty awful lyrics about molested bees and nazarites, etc.
but after listening to several of the songs played at the kingdumb hall, all the songs started ------ to-------sound--------like-------this.
one careful paused note per syllable as if the whole songbook was published to help teach children learn how to play piano.. we can't expect "amazing grace" from these hacks, i guess.
Is there a link where we can hear the new "tunes"?
You can download the songs, both all piano and some voice versions, at JW.org under downloads then music.
If you use Windows Media player you can see the lyrics in the window of the application and scroll them manually as the song is played.
Today there was another older song which they changed melody in the middle. It is very disheartening and people are all lost when this happens.
Nobody wants to admit in public that they don't really like the new music, but you should hear private comments when you trust it won't get out.
Imagine a Church changing the words and melody to Amazing Grace, or When the Saints Come Marching In, and then expecting the people to adapt.
for you strict bible believers: i would point out that you now have the framework of a spiritual weapon that could bring down the watchtower.
specifically, if you could focus broadbased attention on the issue of jesus as mediator for all men, this could be devastating.. it would serve to separate out the few remaining witnesses whose faith is actually based on a personal knowledge of the bible.
while this knowledge is distorted, nevertheless, this core of believers may be critical to watchtower survival.
Amen. I wish it were that easy Metatron.
The stumbling block is that the WT teaches that Jesus is the Mediator of the New Covenant. And by using such words they distance Jesus from the "ALL" men he's supposed to be Mediating for, to the one they want access to, the Father, God.
But try as they may to obscure this fact, the fact remains, because most people who read their Bible and put faith in the Gospels, end up believing that Jesus Christ is their Savior and Mediator. The fact that Jesus is the Mediator for all men is plain and clear in God's Word.
I spoke with an evangelist minister today. I told him I too looked forward to the hope found in the Good News. I spoke in words he would understand and that my Witness publisher partner at the door would understand in a different way.
It was thrilling to have someone who would slam a door in a JWs face actually stand there befuddled, listening and disbelieving. My Witness partner mentioned he's never given the time of day to any other Witness.
I believe more than ever that there are good and bad in every religion. That the wheat and the weeds are all over the field. And that I need to ask forgiveness from God for having represented him incorrectly to people out in service, because of my faith in what a group of men in a NYC / Patterson office decide on Wednesday mornings.
God is greater than all this and knows our hearts, I really found a bit of redemption in seeking a common ground in Scripture. He listened, he wished me a good day and blessed me with an understanding nod after he gave a listening ear to someone he may have thought a lost soul, me. I am not lost, more so than ever, today I'm found.
Praise be to God and Christ, today I found my real self as I've never had in all the years of sitting at a Kingdom Hall. Today I'm found through Jesus my Mediator, today I'm found in God, that's how I felt.
first i must apologise for not posting an intro before and for the length of my intro, once you start it just keeps pouring out.
i grew up in what the jw org likes to call a divided home.
my mother had become a jw a few years before and was raising her 4 children of which i was the youngest in the truth.
Little Sister I'm glad for you for having the strength to go through all that and be still standing.
I wish you peace and hope your family members have a successful fade from the tentacles of the Borganization.
I think you'll find a lot of sympathetic hearts in this forum. They're not all so kind and sensitive, but those who do give support mean it from their hearts, I've seen that in my case. Welcome to JWN and thanks for having the courage to share your story.
(((HUGS)))
Cattails
from jw.org, here is the new definition of the generation from the april 15, 2010 watchtower.. .
article: holy spirits role in the outworking of jehovahs purpose.
13 third, holy spirit is at work in bringing bible.
Newbie witnesses can partake of the emblems all they want now and they won't get hassled by the elders
I don't think that they wont get hassled. There have been three new anointed I've met in the last three years, and every single one has left the congregation they were in to go someplace else. One of them told me that it's hard for people to see you differently if they knew you all your life. She's come to know Christ is there for her and she and her children moved away to where she felt they'd be less 'hounded' although that's not the word she used.
There's going to be a lot of newly anointeds who will begin to question the changes and the explanations. The phrase in a recent WT saying that "anointed ones don't have more Holy Spirit than the other sheep" didin't set right with the one I talked to about it. I tried to press for more but that's all I got, 'it didn't set right'.
If the anointed don't have any more Spirit than the other sheep then why is the Governing Body so special?
why do they appear so similar?.
many times i've been accused of using watchtower material in my presentations, when all i really own is a few bible translations and my concordance, which i rely on quite heavily, at times.
as for owning any watchtower material that i copy from, i have none of that, in my room at all that i use!
But if Jesus said wherever two or three would be gathered in his name there he would be among them.
Doesn't that show that he's been with his followers in spirit a lot longer than 1914 or any other man made date for his presence?
And since the word arrival when Jesus said he'd arrive "elth-" is the same for events in his parousia and second coming to judge the world why if he's been present already that he hasn't been judging putting sheep on the right and goats on the left.
The whole WT explanation of this is just too convoluted and roundabout to make any sense scripturally.
Any derivative and parallel explanation given by Second Adventist or Bible Student groups is likewise too filled with man made predictions and assumptions to be of any real value. They are just that, the thoughts of men.
Love the way Christ loved, and live the way he taught in the gospels, with caring for the downtrodden and the needy. This to me reflects his spirit, his presence in your life.
this overlap stuff is such heavy crap.
i wondered why they had so many changes in the last few years.
it might be because the old guard is in charge and there is a small governing body.
Very well put OTWO and Flipper, there is definitely an agenda.
Sometimes info filters out from HQ like the fact they're going to add members.
But the details aren't many and there's much speculation about it on exJW boards like this one.
Then all the pieces seem to fall into place, all the while any active and brainwashed JW is saying "No, that's just apostate talk."
But the truth sooner or later comes out, and I don't mean by "new light" from WT Bethels.
I do think that any new GB members will make overtures and new changes.
Otherwise it will turn into a time frozen denomination, like the
Amish, Menonites, etc.
from jw.org, here is the new definition of the generation from the april 15, 2010 watchtower.. .
article: holy spirits role in the outworking of jehovahs purpose.
13 third, holy spirit is at work in bringing bible.
Hey sapphy how about "no doubt" even when there first thought in your mind is to doubt what they're saying.
it seems that people on this site enjoying ganging up on people, most recently myself, and yet are slow to apologize.
that certainly reminds me of another group of people.
any guesses what group i'm referring to???
Heybaby, I too felt that way, as you can see there are some people who have issues (ehem Farkel and Outlaw) judging from their posts above.
Some people are just not the sort that treat others in a nice way, maybe their mom beat them when they were little too many times.
Who knows? But they have no reason to be mean to others. Mean people suck as the saying goes. You bet they'll take note, I don't care.
You hang in there and do what's best for you. I appreciated your post and I agree whole heartedly.
.
you should have heard when people were singing one of the updated songs.. they've changed the third line's tune and words .. it was almost complete silence as people tried to figure out what on earth they were supposed to sing.. .
do other religions change lyrics of songs like that or is it only jws whose beliefs change and even the songs they sing need updating?.
If you don't mind me asking cattails, why are you still going? Are you attempting a slow fade?
No, I don't mind. Family is the reason, economics is the problem, or vice-versa.
