Paul Johnson had a degree in Theology and read Greek and Hebrew. He split from the Bible Students shortly after J.Rutherford took over and formed the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement which are still around.
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JoinedPosts by designs
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64
Is there anyone on the GB who has more than a high school certificate?
by Lady Lee insome time this week i will be interviewed by a couple of university students doing a project on jehovahs' witnesses.
the one i spoke to knows very little about them.. it will be an interview on my personal experience as a jw but from her initial phone call we saw that my answers easily led to more questions.
she doesn't realize she is talking about a cult but began to get the idea that the wts has a lot of control over the lives of jws.. so the education thing came up and i explained how education beyond high school was not encouraged and even though they give lip service to it post-secondary education is still not highly recommended.. which got me to thinking.
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59
Is it disrespectful to call GOD by his name JEHOVAH?
by foolsparadise ini have been thinking about this alot recently.
calling our god the creator by his first name jehovah takes alot of nerve.
my 10 year oll son doesnt walk around calling me by my first name.
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designs
Greg Stafford has some interesting comments in his new book on the use of 'Jah' and 'Hallelujah' from Revelation and Jesus, the good Jew, reciting the Torah verbatum with YHWH in the text.
Its nice to hear a room full of people recite something meaningful to them like the Blessings at Synagogue or elsewhere the Our Father.
Humans have a tendency to get easily superstitious over many things and use names and objects like talismans.
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96
How much apostate is in each JW ?
by inbetween inrecently i talked to some jw, even so called strong ones in the truth:.
i noticed, they do not believe everything from the wts, for example:.
one older sister, a close relative of mine, she has been pioneering for years, babtizes over 40 years ago, mentioned, that sometimes she wonders about certain teaching, but she can not say anything, because somebody would say, she speaks against jehovah himself..further she said, she remmebers 1975, and that the society tried to blame the brothers, but was clearly responsible itself... i was quit shocked to hear that from her, and i added some careful comments in the same direction.... other brothers do not agree with certain teachings, like resurrected ones will not marry, or animals will not eat each other etc.... maybe those are "minor" issues, but if you doubt one teaching of gods channel, doesnt that mean, you doubt the whole thing ?.
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designs
In many denominations there is a degree of distinction between core doctrine and peripheral teachings. The Catholic Church has doctrine and dogma and then something that would be an opinion expressed in a homily.
The Society has some distinctions in teachings such as things they ask in the Baptism questions but since a member can censured for openly disagreeing over a minor issue it makes all of the teachings appear to be on a doctrinal level rather than a dogma or opinion level.
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7
Jesus-Peace loving hippie or warrior king?
by keyser soze inthe guy who preached a message of peace and love, and turning the other cheek?
or is he the badass, take-no-prisoners general at the forefront of the bloodiest battle in human history?.
maybe his experience on earth, dealing with humanity, pissed him off to that extent.
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designs
'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised'
Gil Scott Heron
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7
Jesus-Peace loving hippie or warrior king?
by keyser soze inthe guy who preached a message of peace and love, and turning the other cheek?
or is he the badass, take-no-prisoners general at the forefront of the bloodiest battle in human history?.
maybe his experience on earth, dealing with humanity, pissed him off to that extent.
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designs
Or
C. none of the above
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7
Jesus-Peace loving hippie or warrior king?
by keyser soze inthe guy who preached a message of peace and love, and turning the other cheek?
or is he the badass, take-no-prisoners general at the forefront of the bloodiest battle in human history?.
maybe his experience on earth, dealing with humanity, pissed him off to that extent.
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designs
The aesthetic beauty of the philosophy behind the Sermon on the Mount is hard to surpass. A to literal interpretation of certain passages leads to ethical quandries and falls outside of the progress Judaism was making. Reading the Gospels in light of the Talmud, Midrash, and Dead Sea Scrolls puts his words into a better historical setting.
Take the best and highest goals of helping others and you can do pretty well in this life.
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3
Planned Giving Department
by xelder inits amazing how i was too blind to see through things for so long.
a friend of mine worked high up in accounting at bethel and said that the donation arrangement had really hurt cash flow.
in 1996, just a few years after the donation arrangement for literature started, and the generation change, the co discreetly asked a few of us to a meeting with the planned giving department brothers who were visiting in our area.
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designs
Most denominations and non profits are in the same boat these days with dropping donations, recessions are tough.
The Society fixed a double wammy for itself by focusing on the end of the world....who saves money in that scenario. And there is so little reciprocation from the Society back to the people in terms of old age homes, support groups for various things like addictions, little in the way of social gatherings, people just hold on to their assests and emotions in that type of setting.
Just deserts
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8
2nd Coming of Christ
by bobld inrev ch.1: 7 see,he comes amid the clouds!every eye shall see him,even those who pierced him.does that mean j.c.'s 2nd coming is after the resurrection?otherwise how could those who pierced him,see him.do not give me the b.s.
that those who pierced him refers to persecution of the anointed ones,that were identified in 1879,1914,1918,1919,1935 2000,2007,2008,2009.or "see" in the sense of"discern"as told by the wbts.. bob.
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designs
Believers have always had difficulty understanding these types of esoteric sayings. Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, Post-Trib and all of the hybrid Tribs in between. Pick your denomination to suit your own interpretation. It matters little- what would you do any differently with your life if you knew these sayings had some uber literal meaning and point in time, would you be nicer to everyone..
Jeff, the supprise to most people claiming to be Christian and attending some Protestant or Catholic Church is that they both officially teach that the earth is the permanent home for believers and Jesus. They are hoodwinked by their preachers and ministers in being told they will liver forever in heaven.
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20
Camping for conventions
by EmptyInside inoutlaw's post about convention food reminded me of my family's experiences camping for the conventions.
fortunately, they did this before i came along.
but, it seems the whole congregation stayed at one campground.
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Stayed in a few lofts and attics during conventions and an old abandoned Sanitorium above Dodger Stadium, that was interesting.
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28
Do Jehovahs Witnesses shoot their own wounded?
by paul from cleveland ini was disfellowshipped when i was going through my first bipolar episode.
several months before being disfellowshipped, i started to develop the symptoms of bipolar disorder: rapid thoughts, sleepless nights, etc., until i finally started having delusions.
i began to think i was jesus (literally) so i was disfellowshipped for apostasy.
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designs
The lack of education and professional training in counseling and pastoring has really hurt the religion. Because of this Elders in particular don't recognize the signs of medical and mental conditions in someone they are suppose to be helping. A lot of damage is done under this type of ignorance. Knorr's mandate to 'keep the congregations clean' back in the 60's set in motion witch hunts and expulsions when what people really needed was compassion, help, and a sense that their religion stood behind them during rough times.