Posts by sd-7

67

There are really TWO Watchtower Societies

by Terry in

with cedars release of leaked watchtower new light "adjusting" understanding of "who" the faithful and discreet slave is.....i am struck by something which similarly struck me back in 1967.in 1967 i had just been imprisoned.

being a male jehovah's witness during the viet nam war meant certain "issues" arose affecting a decision to respond to the military draft.i have told the story before.

but, i'd like go at it from another angle in view of the above mentioned new light about the fds fora different reason.it was first in 1967 i began to discover that there are two watchtower societies.let me explain why i say this and for what reasons.first of all, anybody standing in a kingdom hall or sitting in a seat at a vast international assembly saw people they would identify as all on the same page.

sd-7

When a "critical mass" of doubts has a head on collision with a PERSONAL problem inside the congregation the cat is out of the bag!

The time comes for a clash between the rational and the submissive.

You hit it right on the head there, Terry. I totally identify. I was always disappointed that few people were even able to discuss anything deep relating to the doctrine. To be honest, I don't think I ever really discussed any of the deeper stuff with anyone. I read the literature with interest, but definitely the doubts built up and I consciously swept them under the rug, and then a personal problem brought it all flying back to memory, along with a particular realization: there were people the Society was afraid of, so afraid that they didn't want JWs to even talk to those people. Why? And there it was. So true, man. What a great thread. --sd-7

23

Innapropriate for young children? Scare tactics?

by The Quiet One in

gods word for us through jeremiah page 128 '..his mother bought a ram and a ewe.

he looked after them, and the ewe produced two lambs a year, so the flock began to grow..."early one morning while i was still in bed," he recalls, "i heard them bleating.

when i finally did, i saw a pack of wild dogs running away from my lambs, which had their bellies ripped open.

sd-7

Dude. That's a very graphic story. Definitely R-rated. What?

Either way, I think there's a key difference here: if the elders were involved, they'd be trying to get a confession of some kind of sin out of the dying sheep as it was bleeding to death.

Elder: "So, what were you wearing when they attacked you? Where were you, exactly? Did you say anything to provoke them?"

Sheep: "Baaaaa..."

Elder: "Okay, uh, can you step outside for a moment? We need to...oh...we'll just step away from you, brother."

--sd-7

26

Faithful and Discreet Slave parable through the three gospels

by pixel in

this is the parable of the faithful and discreet slave, put up from the three gospels, so you can see their differences (3 gospels out of 4 relate this):.

matthew 24:42-51: (prefered by the gb/fds/gb).

42 keep on the watch, therefore, because ?you?

sd-7

It's a question, not a statement. Therein lies the problem with the Society's interpretation of those verses. It doesn't say "there will be a faithful and discreet slave", it says "Who really is?" Proving oneself to be faithful and discreet does not of itself grant one authority, especially not at the 'beginning of the end', as you haven't really proven anything at that point. The context clearly shows the suddenness of the actual end, and the need to be ready for that, not for the 'start of the last days' or something.

But if these verses were never written, anyone wanting to gain power would just find a different set to justify it. There you have it.

--sd-7

7

Obnoxious book study!

by stillin in

i often prepare quickly for the study in the jeremiah book.

there's no real substance, nothing challenging, so it doesn't take long.

the annoying thing is the direction as to what material is to be covered.

sd-7

Like it's chapter and verse or something!

Well, the daily text is already using that sort of notation, last I checked. Might as well be doing that, I mean, right??

--sd-7

25

Jury duty as a JW, were you summons for Jury service.

by jam in

for over 12 years i have been summons for jury service.. each year i receive a summons and each year my physician.

send in my medical excuse.

don,t get me wrong, i would love.

sd-7

As a JW, I was called to jury duty but I kept careful documentation so they couldn't call me again until the two years were up. My understanding, at least for my experiences here in the U.S., is that they get you shortly after you visit the Department of Motor Vehicles; whether you're registered to vote or not has little or nothing to do with it. So...probably I'll be summoned to jury duty again next year after I renew my registration on my car.

I never had to even see the inside of a courtroom while I was a JW, but last year I was put on a 4-day trial, but after it was over, I was told that I was an alternate juror and would not partake in the final decision. To be honest, it would be nice to have the JW status so I could refuse it, but not so nice if they decided to put me in jail for it or something. Besides, I guess people have to be involved in the process if it is to work even to the extent that it does, so...I get it.

--sd-7

54

warped logic from the memorial talk

by why144000 in

jw
friends

speaker said we should not partake because when jesus arrives he will take the remnat to heaven and the memorial will be no more.

just as we will not partake then (because the memorial will not exist) it is only logical that we will not partake now.

warped logic at its finest!.

sd-7

[Head explodes] WHAROOOOOOOOOOOOM!!-----

So we're not partaking now in preparation for the day when we will not partake forever! Sounds like WT logic to me! Obey us now for the prospect of obeying us forever!

--sd-7

19

Memorial and Time Zones

by pixel in

looking at this thread by winstonsmith, http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/249671/1/notes-from-2013-memorial-talk-appreciate-what-christ-has-done-for-you.

made me think, how is the memorial celebrated in different parts of the world?

do they all fall on this year's march 26?

sd-7

I bet the GB/WT/FDS will send a letter next year explaining how to read a clock.

Ha ha! That's worthy of a Beast-Tower article, for sure. 'Questions From Readers: How Should Christians Properly Read A Clock?'

--sd-7

43

Memorial Hell

by thecrushed in

jw
friends

today has been one of the most aganizing days since i woke up.

my family has been pressuring me to show up at the memorial for the past week.

it became very intense today with my dad texting me constantly to get me to confirm and when i didn't answer he would call my wife and then she would constantly nag me to answer my dad and so on and so forth.

sd-7

Wow, dude! I got kind of a rough couple of weeks leading up to the Memorial myself, just of a different sort. Sorry to hear that. Nobody should be pressuring you to attend the Memorial. I mean, how absurd is that? They're insisting you attend a meal where you're not even allowed to eat! Who wants to go to that kind of meal?

They claim you're rejecting Christ, but you're just rejecting their version of Christ, which is a very limited one, one incapable of fully forgiving your sins here and now, one who apparently has to be offered gradually over the course of a thousand years so that everyone can be forgiven. As opposed to the real one who was offered once for all time for everyone's sins. So...no need to feel guilty.

Don't let them use any kind of incentives to manipulate you. The last thing you want is to give them any kind of leverage beyond their usual spiritual/emotional blackmail.

As for this one:

I watch her get into this sisters car that she arranged to pick her up and drive away with my one true love.

Music please:

I see you driving to the Memorial

With the girl that I love,

And I'm like, forget you!

I say the change in your doctrines

Wasn't enough,

So forget you,

And forget her, too!

If it's your spiritual wishes

To pass along dishes

Well, ain't that somethin'?

Ain't that something?

And though they're J's Witnesses,

I wish them all the best,

With a forget you! Hoo hoo hoo hoooo!

--sd-7

11

If anyone needs the unleavened bread recipe....

by Newly Enlightened in

jw
friends

sorry it's so late in the day with this.. if anyone would like the passover bread recipe:.

1 cup whole wheat flour, 2 tbls olive oil [extra virgin] 1/2 cup water.

mix.

sd-7

But don't they sell these in the grocery store this time of year? I was thinking of just picking some up that way.

--sd-7

20

JW Apologists on YouTube and the Net becoming bolder

by RayPublisher in

is it just me or are we seeing more and more of these guys?.

i have been having some extraordinary conversations with these folks lately and they are actually holding lengthy dialogues with me, one who has become "dangerous", is "poisonous", a "slanderer", etc.

according to wt.. here is one exchange from yesterday and today with a jw apologist who calls himself "warriorprince101010" who decided to call me the dreaded "a" word on one of my videos, stating that i was a "bitter apostate":.

sd-7

The UN membership does not condone the UN or claim it can bring world peace, also it is old news.

The UN association, not membership, as an NGO with DPI, does require informing the public about UN activities and accomplishments. This would probably, to say the least, be seen as a disassociating offense for any JW engaging in such activity on their own. The Society not only agreed to do this by their actions, they used ordinary JWs to disseminate information about UN activities, thus involving them directly in what should logically have been considered a serious sin. 1925 is old news, too, but that doesn't mean it has no relevance or bearing on whether JWs are teaching the truth. It's part of their history, "the history of God's organization", which JWs are even now being encouraged to study even as part of Family Worship.

I have pointed out you are an apostate, Jesus also did this.

Name a scripture where Jesus uses the word "apostate". Is there one? Jesus spoke out against those who were hypocrites, who burdened the people with excessive rules but did not obey the rules themselves, people who thought they were better than everyone else and more righteous than everyone else. So you would have to be more specific in defining this label.

One day maybe you will understand our relationship should be with Jehovah, not people in the kingdom hall, but one to one with Jehovah through his son Jesus.

Hmm. You keep saying this sentence. I do not think it means what you think it means...

--sd-7