If I was a Bible-thumping preacher I'd use one verse this week and preach hellfire and brimstone...
And then next week - I'd use the other verse and preach hellfire and brimstone...
But remember - God is Love!
JV
Juan Viejo2
JoinedPosts by Juan Viejo2
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27
A serious Bible contradiction for me
by sabastious inmark 9:.
38 teacher, said john, we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.. 39 do not stop him, jesus said.
for no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me,40for whoever is not against us is for us.41 truly i tell you, anyone who gives you a cup of water in my name because you belong to the messiah will certainly not lose their reward.. .
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20
Lease cars for circuit overseers (worldwide arrangement)
by Gorbatchov inyesterday evening a letter of the dutch (netherlands) branch of the watchtower society was read to the congregation.
it stated that the governing body has made a new arrangement for circuit overseers worldwide: the society provides a lease car.
it was backed with some bible texts (...) and the conclusion was that it was financial cheaper for the congregations.
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Juan Viejo2
OK. So for the most part in the USA they been leasing Buick sedans. Cars aren't bad, but they certainly aren't the best choice among cars. They rate toward the bottom in Consumer Reports used car guides. Is this a "buy American" (or should we say "buy Canadian") policy on the part of the WTS?
Yes the website is still up - and just like the Watchtower's official sites, it offers very little beyond the most basic of information. "Here's our 15 cars, all Buicks with 80K + miles on them. Out of date styling, old-GM technology, 18 mpg, listed for Kelly Blue Book average pricing." What more would you want?
JV
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20
Lease cars for circuit overseers (worldwide arrangement)
by Gorbatchov inyesterday evening a letter of the dutch (netherlands) branch of the watchtower society was read to the congregation.
it stated that the governing body has made a new arrangement for circuit overseers worldwide: the society provides a lease car.
it was backed with some bible texts (...) and the conclusion was that it was financial cheaper for the congregations.
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Juan Viejo2
My brother has leased a new Lexus SUV and a new Mercedes sedan (2-year lease) for less than $900 (USD) per month for both. Insurance about $150 a month for both. This is through a commercial leasing company. If the Watchtower is leasing that many cars and is handling the payments, then they would most likely get fleet rates on the cars and most service would be done under warranty. The Watchtower can buy a group/corporate/blanket liability insurance policy and then be self-insured for collision and comprehensive (far cheaper for corporations than buying commercial insurance). My guess is that it would cost them in the USA less than $50 per car per month for insurance.
If they are charging congregations $7.50 (USD) per publisher per year X 85 publishers ($637.50) X 20 KHs = $12,750 (USD)--- then....
Car lease for upscale sedan with all bells and whistles (commercial rate): $600 per month = $7200. Commercial liability insurance: $50 per month = $600.
Gasoline, basic non-warranty maintenance, parking fees and tolls @ $150 per month = $1800. "Top of the line lease" plus all expenses per annum = $9600.
Net profit to WTS per Circuit = $3350 per year. Allow $350 per circuit for losses due to theft, collision damages, etc. $3000 net profit per annum.
That would be very much on the high side. With my crappy credit I can lease a new Toyota Camry for less than $350 a month. Have you seen the new Camry's or Honda Accords or Hyundai Sonata's? They are very, very nice and very roomy. A fleet rate would be probably half of the individual retail rate.
So - does anyone know what kinds of cars the COs are actually driving? Are they driving Mercedes or Lexi? Or are they driving Chevy Malibu/Impala or Chrysler 300s or Ford sedans? Please advise.
I think the WT Society is using car leasing as just another money-making proposition.
"Badges? We don't have badges. I don' have to show you no stinkin' badges!" Just pay up, brothers!!!
JV
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24
JW FOOL COMMENTS ON WHY I'TS NOT A CULT !
by Hairyhegoat inthis guy must be mad.
please read and take his comments apart.!.
how jehovah's witnesses differ from cultsby john w. scottjohn w. scott.
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Juan Viejo2
You get what you pay for, and since Ezine articles are free, that's about what they are worth. Most of them have horrific spelling, grammar, and support. This article is so typical. Looks like he's pulled most of the text from past Watchtower press releases. And this little piece of crap is very timely: "Also, Kingdom Halls (where Witnesses meet for worship) are not owned by the headquarters or by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, but by the individual congregations, who have a great deal of autonomy in decisions of the congregation, including buying and selling of the Kingdom Hall itself, any improvements that will be made on the Kingdom Hall, times of meetings, etc. A democratic vote is taken in some decisions involving the Kingdom Hall and congregation expenses, along the lines of the aforementioned points and others, in many or most cases. Questions and comments involving such decisions are permitted by all members." Oh Yeah? Want to ask the folks at Menlo Park (CA) Kingdom Hall if this is the case. The Watchtower is not asking, but telling them what they are going to do. The Watchtower is working to get its name on their deed and supposedly is planning on selling the property - even though the local Witnesses like their Kingdom Hall just fine and don't want to move. And the locals get no say at all about what will happen to them or their Kingdom Hall. They tossed out the Hall's body of elders for taking a stand on this issue. New article tomorrow on this very subject at ex-jw.com. JV
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Can you say plagiarism?
by Mebaqqer2 inso i ran across this statement today in doing some research:.
take, for instance, the stories and legends regarding the origin of man.
although details vary, the belief that man was made from the dust of the earth is widespread.
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Juan Viejo2
Let's face it. Deep research and study of anything, history or religion, or politics, or anythng - is not something that the Watchtower Society has been known for since Russell. I've seen many examples of items that are clearly plagiarized because of word sequencing or the use of an uncommon phrase only seen by one other author.
By all means they can quote from other books, studies, and speeches. What would it hurt if they had simply stated that "Frank S. Dobbins, in his book, 'Story of the World's Worship' (1904) wrote..."
But you see, the Watchtower doesn't really believe in copyright, nor do they understand "fair use" of another published work. They're the first ones to issue a DMA complaint against somebody for copying their work - even when it clearly falls under "fair use," but they pull quotes all the time and pass it off as their original work.
Let's face it: The Watchtower - The Proud Home of the World's Greatest......Hypocrites!!!
JV
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38
Good Wife Guide in 1950's--Yah Right!
by blondie inthe good wife guide
have dinner ready.
plan ahead, even the night before, to have a delicious meal ready on time for his return from work.
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Juan Viejo2
Freeman,
Where is the nearest hospital where you live? We'll come visit you after your wife gets done working you over. You'll need more than luck - you'll need a team of doctors...
JV
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12
Scratching my head over "Watching the World", March 2011 Awake. Ideas?
by Open mind inanyone familiar with the awake!
magazine knows that "watching the world" often gives little news snippets with no further analysis or spin-doctoring from the writing dept.
this is because for the jws reading it, they can do their own spin-doctoring and for any potential converts, it makes them think the awake!
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Juan Viejo2
I think their "Watching the World" is a juvenile attempt to report the news, much like the "Weekly Reader" did for 3rd graders when I was in school.
This is so they can tell the R&F, "Hey, you don't need to read the New York Times, the Washington Post, or Scientific American. All the news you need to know can be found right in the latest issue of the Awake! magazine."
What's funny is that I remember these little newsbits from the Awake! from back when I was a kid. (Paraphrased):
"Report says that American automobiles are so low to the ground that they trap exhaust from cars stopped in from of them under the floor boards that seep into the passenger compartment." This was in like 1952-53 when most cars still had a very high profile, except for sports cars. Sports cars were mostly convertibles.
"Scientific studies indicate that more people may die from the side effects of the Salk vaccine then would die from polio."
There were many more like that, of course. There were some real doozies as I remember. But the JWs would accept what they read as gospel and would act accordingly. They still do...
JV
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38
The WT Headship Principle (tm): Did you ever REALLY buy it?
by Open mind ini believed that god was the big boss and his first-line supervisor was jesus.. .
everything beyond that got a bit shaky for me throughout my jw life.. .
but this bit, i never bought into for even an instant: the husband is the head of the wife.. .
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Juan Viejo2
It's easy to buy the headship thing when you're a man.
It's also easy to buy the headship thing if you are an abusive husband or father.
It's easy to buy the headship thing if you are kissing butt at the Kingdom Hall hoping for an elder or MS appointment.
It's not easy to buy it if you see your wife as your equal (OK, maybe she can't lift some of the heavy stuff) with a right to express her opinions and suggestions.
Yes, there are times when a husband and wife or parents and children don't agree - and someone has to make a decision. The question should be asked:
Who does the decision affect the most, what do they want to do and why, and will there be negative effects on the other members of the family? Then maybe Dad steps forward, puts his foot down, and tries to enforce a decision that is best for everyone in his family.
If that doesn't work, then I guess if you're a Republican, you can always fall back on 2nd Amendment resolutions...
JV
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Human Ancestry Made Easy.
by whereami inthis video traces our migration out of africa and explains, through dna evidence, how humans colonized the world.
it is part of the made easy series of videos that show the evidence of our origins, from the big bang onwards.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdknzz9b6rg .
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Juan Viejo2
Wait a minute! Just wait a minute! The Watchtower publications all show Adam and Eve as European White People. Ok, maybe not European, but at least they were clearly white.
Black people descended from Ham (he made fun of his father - a drunk) and his family was cursed. All of Ham's descendants were cursed with dark skin and they all migrated south from the Middle East down into Africa - not from Africa.
When Jesus came, that curse was lifted. He couldn't turn them White, like the blessed Middle Easterners and Europeans. So they remain black to this day, but they were blessed by being able to play basketball really, really well.
So I guess things evened out over time. Right?
I'm glad I was able to clear up this question for everyone...
JV
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22
Note to Self
by mrsjones5 inavoid abortion threads.
they're only for folks to piss on each other.
now i'm off to watch "modern family".
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Juan Viejo2
Mrs. Jones --- You have a PM --- Urgent --- well not that urgent (no one's dying or anything) --- but I need you!
JV