Hopefully I didn't overdo it here, forgot there's the legal issue of quoting too much... Sorry. I guess I have to stop quoting now...
Posts by sd-7
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12Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
*** w60 8/1 pp. 479-480 Questions From Readers ***
How can Deuteronomy 24:16, which says, “Children should not be put to death on account of fathers,” be harmonized with the fact that the offspring of the adulterous relation between David and Bath-sheba died due to their sin, as shown in 2 Samuel 12:14?—J. B., U.S.A.
The law, as stated at Deuteronomy 24:16, shows that fathers were not to be put to death for their sons nor were sons to be put to death for their fathers. In man’s administration of justice each was to die for his own sin, and not drag innocent relatives down with him. In this particular case of David and Bath-sheba neither of them had a right to the child and so there was no injustice in their being deprived of it. Besides, as an uncircumcised, unnamed infant it had not as yet developed any personality pattern or consciousness so as to appreciate life. Then again, Bath-sheba could have been stoned to death for her adultery, in which case the unborn child would also have perished.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
*** w60 10/1 p. 579 Numbers Are Not Enough ***
NUMBERS are not a sound basis on which to build faith. If Christianity had been founded on numbers, it would have failed. At Christianity’s darkest hour, namely, when Jesus was on the torture stake, there was not one of his apostles that stood by him. Yet Christianity triumphed, not because of its numbers, rather because it is of God.
Large numbers tend to create a false sense of security.
*** w60 10/1 p. 580 Numbers Are Not Enough ***
Today, religious organizations have a habit of pointing to their great numbers and wealth as proof of their being favored by God.
*** w09 2/15 pp. 26-27 par. 10 They “Keep Following the Lamb” ***
Shortly before he ascended to heaven, the resurrected Jesus appeared to his faithful disciples and made a promise to them, saying: “Look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” (Matt. 28:20) Has this promise proved reliable? In the last 15 years, the number of congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide has grown from some 70,000 to over 100,000—an increase of over 40 percent. And what about the new disciples added? Nearly 4.5 million disciples were baptized in the last 15 years—an average of more than 800 a day. These spectacular increases are clear evidence that Christ is directing his anointed followers at their congregation meetings and is supporting them in their disciple-making work.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
*** w07 5/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***
However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special “insights,” beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have. They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the other sheep have; nor do they expect special treatment or claim that their partaking of the emblems places them above the appointed elders in the congregation.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
9/15/10 WT, p.23
In this time of the
end, Christ has committed “all his belongings”—
all the earthly interests of the Kingdom—
to his “faithful and discreet slave” and
its representative Governing Body, a group
of anointed Christian men.
(Matt. 24:45-47) The anointed
and their other sheep companions
recognize that by following
the lead of the modern-day Governing
Body, they are in fact following
their Leader, Christ.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
Sept. 15, 2010 Watchtower, page 8:
We cannot hope to acquire a
good relationship with Jehovah if we ignore
those whom Jesus has appointed to care for
his belongings. Without the assistance of
“the faithful and discreet slave,” we would
neither understand the full import of what
we read in God’s Word nor know how to apply
it.
Sept. 15, 2010 Watchtower Page 13:
The Governing Body publishes
spiritually encouraging literature in many
languages. This spiritual food is based on
God’s Word. Thus, what is taught is not
from men but from Jehovah.
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12
Some memorable quotes I dug up
by sd-7 incult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general.
is that the case with jehovahs witnesses?
are the witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?.
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sd-7
*** w94 2/15 p. 4 Cults—What Are They? ***
Cult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general. Is that the case with Jehovah’s Witnesses? Are the Witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?
*** g 7/09 p. 29 Is It Wrong to Change Your Religion? ***
Although the Bible makes a clear distinction between true and false teachings, God allows each person the freedom to choose how he or she will respond. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family.
July 15 th , 2011 Watchtower, page 26, par. 16, 17:
We can enter into Jehovah’s rest—or join him in his rest—by obediently working in harmony with his advancing purpose as it is revealed to us through his organization.
17 On the other hand, if we minimized the Bible-based counsel that we receive through the faithful and discreet slave class, choosing to follow an independent course, we would be placing ourselves at odds with God’s unfolding purpose. This could endanger our peaceful relationship with Jehovah.
July 15, 2011 Watchtower, page 31, par. 12-15:
No doubt we all agree with the principle that we must be physically, morally, and spiritually clean in order to please God. (Read Titus 2:14.) There may be occasions, though, when our loyalty to this aspect of God’s purpose is sorely tested. Suppose, for example, that the only son of an exemplary Christian couple leaves the truth. Preferring “the temporary enjoyment of sin” to a personal relationship with Jehovah and with his godly parents, the young man is disfellowshipped.—Heb.11:25.
13 The parents are devastated! On the subject of disfellowshipping, they know, of course, that the Bible says “to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.” (1 Cor. 5:11,13) They also realize that the word “anyone” in this verse includes family members not living under their roof. But they love their son so much! Strong emotions might cause them to reason: ‘How can we help our boy return to Jehovah if we severely limit our association with him? Would we not accomplish more by maintaining regular contact with him?’ Our hearts go out to those parents. After all, their son had a choice, and he chose to pursue his unchristian lifestyle rather than to continue to enjoy close association with his parents and other fellow believers. The parents, on the other hand, had no say in the matter. No wonder they feel helpless!
15 But what will those dear parents do? Will they obey Jehovah’s clear direction? Or will they rationalize that they can have regular association with their disfellowshipped son and call it “necessary family business”? In making their decision, they must not fail to consider how Jehovah feels about what they are doing. His purpose is to keep the organization clean and, if possible, to incite wrongdoers to come to their senses.
Paragraph 17:
Today, Jehovah does not immediately
execute those who violate his laws. He lovingly
gives them an opportunity to repent
from their unrighteous works. How would
Jehovah feel, though, if the parents of an
unrepentant wrongdoer kept putting Him
to the test by having unnecessary association
with their disfellowshipped son or
daughter?
Are the Witnesses using deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?
To the public: "No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family."
To its members: "How would Jehovah feel, though, if the parents of an unrepentant wrongdoer kept putting Him to the test by having unnecessary association with their disfellowshipped son or daughter?
--sd-7
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111
Borg court: 1st session
by sd-7 inrecord of committee meeting #1. after prayer, proverbs 28:13 was read: "he who is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he who is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy.
" the need to confess to jehovah was emphasized.
as jehovah's representatives, the elders said we therefore needed to confess to them.
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111
Borg court: 1st session
by sd-7 inrecord of committee meeting #1. after prayer, proverbs 28:13 was read: "he who is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he who is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy.
" the need to confess to jehovah was emphasized.
as jehovah's representatives, the elders said we therefore needed to confess to them.
-
-
-
111
Borg court: 1st session
by sd-7 inrecord of committee meeting #1. after prayer, proverbs 28:13 was read: "he who is covering over his transgressions will not succeed, but he who is confessing and leaving them will be shown mercy.
" the need to confess to jehovah was emphasized.
as jehovah's representatives, the elders said we therefore needed to confess to them.
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sd-7
It's been about 4 years since this entry was made. As much as much of this thread is laced with confusing, back-and-forth dialogue about what the heck was really going on with me back then, the record of the JC itself is always something worth recalling for me at this time of year.
I've read so much, evolved so much, and I wonder how differently I might have handled all this if I had it to do over. Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. I didn't know half of what I know now, so...it's amazing I was able to handle this even half as well as I did, without really being 100% sure about anything yet.
I invite anyone who's never read my records of my JC to go ahead and read them, if you can ignore the melodrama of my personal life and glean something useful. Maybe folks who are about to face a JC, if they read about what it's like, maybe reconsider and decide on an alternative approach if possible--or if they're going to go into a JC, particularly if they plan to fade, maybe they can see where I went wrong and not make the same mistakes.
Well, take care, folks.
--sd-7