Posts by sd-7

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

9 While it is important that you daily

read a portion of the Bible, you also

want to gain understanding and insight [which would be impossible without

the...see below--->].

Therefore, make good use of the [--->]

publications of Jehovah’s organization [<<---Yeah, that's it!

Watchtower books!]

to research the background of people,

places, and events you read about [rather than going

to your local library, using the Internet, or going through

any other mental effort, since we've already gathered all

possible information about everything Bible-related and put it

in our books]. Or if

you wonder how a certain Bible teaching

might affect your life [ie. whether or not it might kill you or

perhaps cause you immeasurable pain], you could ask

a congregation elder or another mature

Christian for help [to make the decision for you,

then convince you it was your idea, like you're participating in your own

Inception [cue 'Inception' soundtrack]]. To illustrate the importance

of increasing our understanding [of Watchtower teachings],

let us consider the example of one

first-century Christian [who was quite obviously one of

Jehovah's Witnesses and taught the exact same

thing you are being taught in the Watchtower right now] who strove to do

just that. His name was Apollos [I know you're thinking of

that violent boxer Carl Weathers played in that boxing movie, but just put an 's'

at the end of his name and put some 1st century clothes on

him, and that's Apollos, okay? Focus].

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

8 The beneficial points just mentioned

are from Bible books that some [namely, you] may consider

difficult to understand [and indeed, impossible without the Watchtower]. As you examine

the books of Hosea, Joel, and Nahum

with a desire to learn [and accept only what the Watchtower says about it], you will want

to read other verses from them in an

undertone [though preferably not all of it in context, that might be risky, just read

a verse and then look it up on the WT Library]. Imagine how much wisdom

and comfort await you in the writings of

those prophets! [Bane: "You'll just have to imagine the comfort!"]

And what about the rest

of the Bible [proof texts]? God’s Word is like a productive

diamond mine. Work that mine

well [you filthy dogs, or no gruel for you]! Yes, read the whole Bible with the

goal of finding gems of divine guidance

and reassurance [which can only really be unearthed by reading the Watchtower

alongside it].

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

7 Third, imagine a Christian [Jehovah's Witness] father

who has lost his job and worries about

the well-being of his wife [who doesn't work] and children

[who pretty much could care less about him anyway and cling to their

mother].

At Nahum 1:7, he reads in an undertone

that Jehovah “is cognizant of those seeking

refuge in him” [though not so much that he's running an employment agency]

and protects them [though not at all as individuals]

like “a stronghold in the day of distress.”

That thought consoles him [though unless he eats the page

that verse was written on, it fails to fill his belly with food]. He senses

Jehovah’s loving care [through the Force, apparently] and stops worrying

overmuch [gets a spiritual high that makes him forget the rent is due

and he has no idea how to pay it 'cause he didn't want to 'store up treasures'

on earth since this system is on its last leg, which seems like a pretty strong leg

to have held up for nearly a hundred years]. Then he reads verse 15 in

an undertone. (Read Nahum 1:15.) Our

brother sees that by preaching the good

news [recruiting people into the Watchtower] in difficult times, he demonstrates

that he, indeed, views Jehovah as his

stronghold [and hopes for someone to leave a food basket outside his house

while he's out recruiting, like in the Yearbook]. While the brother keeps on

looking for secular work [because only the 'faithful slave' can live off

the hard-earned money of others, not you], he is now also

moved to support midweek field service

activity.

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

In a second scenario, a Christian [Jehovah's Witness] sister [woman]

is reading Joel’s prophecy and comes

to chapter 2, verse 13. (Read Joel 2:13.)

As she reads that verse in an undertone,

she reflects on how she should imitate

Jehovah, who [will "rip apart your hearts" at Armageddon

if you don't obey him? Sorry, out of context] is “gracious and merciful,

slow to anger and abundant in loving-kindness.”

She decides to try [for a week, she fails on Day 3] to eliminate

the sarcasm and angry words that

she sometimes [if by 'sometimes' we mean 'whenever she's awake',

which seems to be almost 24 f***ing hours]

uses when she speaks to

her husband and others [though if he's an apostate, she pretty much

has carte blanche on how she can speak to him, and if he doesn't like it,

she can leave and claim he was the problem].

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

Reading in an undertone is helpful

when you consider Bible books that are

unfamiliar to you [which is like, all of them,

I mean, when was the last time you read several

verses in succession that wasn't at a meeting?].

To illustrate, imagine

three scenarios [try really hard, I know imagination is

far beyond you, but try anyway]. First, think of a young

Christian brother whose personal reading

program has taken him to the prophecy

of Hosea [making him just a little curious about

what making out with a 'wife of fornication' must be like,

oh, and it's a lot of fun, until she quits her job and starts

cleaning the oven at 1 in the morning, then, not so much].

In chapter 4, he pauses

after reading verses 11 to 13 in an undertone.

(Read Hosea 4:11-13.) ["Of their wooden idol my people

keep inquiring"? "Their own hand staff keeps telling them?"

So is this about, you know, cleaning the pipes?] Why?

Those verses catch his attention because [of the sexual metaphor]

he has been struggling to resist immoral

pressures in school [because yellow plaid shirts tucked into khakis

are unbelievably sexy to the girls at school, I had to beat them off of me].

He reflects on the

verses and thinks: ‘Jehovah sees the bad

things people do even in private. I do

not want to offend him.’ The brother resolves

to remain morally clean before

God [and stop touching his "own hand staff"].

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

Jehovah [we, the authors of this article] does not want his servants [you, the readers] to rush

through a reading of his Word [especially the Watchtower]. He told Joshua of

ancient times: “This book of the law should not depart

from your mouth, and you must in an undertone

read in it day and night.” (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2)

Does this instruction require that

you literally utter in a low voice all the

words you read from Genesis to Revelation?

No. It means that you should read [the Watchtower] at a

pace that allows for meditation.

When you read the Bible [and the Watchtower] “in an undertone,”

it will help you to fix attention

on portions [of the Watchtower] that are especially useful

and encouraging to you at that moment.

On finding such phrases, verses, or accounts [or paragraphs in study articles],

read them slowly, perhaps forming

the words with the tongue and lips [you know what those are, right?

They're right on the front part of your head, just above your chin

and below your nose].

The full weight of a Scriptural point [as explained by the Watchtower] may

strike you [like a spiritual sledgehammer] in a deeply personal way

[going right into your teeth, which are, as you no doubt have learned once

you discovered where your tongue and lips were, also in the same area of your head]. Why

is this important? Because [what good is abuse if I can't beat

the hell out of you? Where's the fun in that?] getting the

sense of God’s counsel gives you strong

motivation [like a swift kick to the pants, front or back, our choice]

to put it into practice [do as we tell you, "Caleb, I'm so proud of you for OBEYING!"].

33

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 06-09-2013 WT Study (READ BIBLE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 06-09-2013 wt study (april 15, 2013, pages 7-11)(read bible).

4. what does it mean to read the bible in an undertone?.

1:6) how, then, are we to understand jesus words about this generation?

sd-7

Perhaps a translation might help. Paragraphs 1-3:

“I THANK Jehovah every morning for helping me

to understand the Bible [by means of the Watchtower,

provided by the faithful slave].” The elderly Christian

[aka Jehovah's Witness] sister who made that statement has read the entire Bible

over 40 times, and she is not stopping. Younger sister

wrote that Bible reading [along with reading the Watchtower] has helped her to see

that Jehovah is real. As a result, she has drawn closer

to her heavenly Father. She stated, “I have never

been happier in my life [because I have never had any experience,

happy or otherwise, outside of the Watchtower that I could compare to]!”

The apostle Peter encouraged all to “form a longing

for the unadulterated milk belonging to the

word.” (1 Pet. 2:2) Those who satisfy that longing

through Bible [and Watchtower] study and who apply

Bible [Watchtower] teachings

have a clean conscience [in the eyes of the Watchtower,

which decides what your conscience should believe,

then excuses itself from any responsibility for any harm,

emotional, spiritual or otherwise] and a purpose in living

[which you cannot have without the Watchtower]. They

develop enduring [at least up until the moment they suspect you of wrongdoing,

doubts, or you a miss a few meetings] friendships with others who also

love and serve the true God [namely, other Jehovah's Witnesses,

since no one else on earth actually loves, knows or could ever

hope to serve the true God]. All of these are valid

reasons to “delight in the law of God [as explained in the Watchtower].” (Rom. 7:22)

But there are even more benefits [especially financial, have you seen

our real estate holdings lately? We are seriously paid]. What are some of

them? [More money, more problems for us, less money, more problems for you.

An 'I win, you lose' situation.]

The more you learn about Jehovah and his Son [as the

Watchtower explains them],

the more your love for them and your fellow humans

[Jehovah's Witnesses and any potential recruits]

will grow. Having accurate Scriptural knowledge

[that is,believing what the Watchtower teaches]

helps you to see how God will soon save obedient

mankind [Jehovah's Witnesses] from this dying system. You have a

positive message of good news [positive message for recruits,

negative for those who don't agree, even if they pretend

they love God and Christ too] to share with people

in your ministry. Jehovah will bless you as you teach

others the things that you have learned from reading

God’s Word [the Watchtower].

--sd-7

12

'God's Word is Truth!' District Convention of Jehovah's Witnesses 2013 - SATURDAY AUDIO

by mindnumbed in

9:30 song no.106 and prayer.

11:00 song no.

12:10 song no.

What, so none of the talks are on YouTube yet? I mean, you know, unofficially? Well, no matter. I shall hear them all next month. They should make a book based on the 'Beware of Apostates' symposium, and distribute it publically. I wonder how it is that they can make such statements in a program open to the public and not raise any red flags. Whatevs. If I'm in the mood, maybe I'll give it a download and a listen...and then break something.

--sd-7

15

simple question: if the GB of 1919 vintage is the only and true F&DS, and ---

by prologos in

it is only the "duely appointed" presently 8=1 slave, or their overlapping successors that get the reward, according to scripture, after their rapture,.

how about the other 139 992 non-slaves, are they disqualified from the reward since they were never recognized as the f&ds?.

.

sd-7

How about the other 139 992 non-slaves, are they disqualified from the reward since they were never recognized as the F&DS?

Supposedly, they get the same reward, by virtue of being anointed; it's just that they don't have the responsibility to feed everybody inside the congregation like the GB does. Since the anointed and great crowd are now essentially equals, they just have to maintain faithful service--presumably extremely 'exemplary' service--to get the heavenly reward. I would guess that means adoption by holy spirit (that is, the heavenly hope) is no longer directly tied to feeding the congregation as a whole, and I suppose it never was, given that most of the anointed weren't involved in that process anyway.

--sd-7

33

GAME OF THRONES (Season 3)

by SophieG in

ok i cannot believe that no one has mentioned this series.

does anyone watch?

did you see sundays masterpiece and have you read the books?

sd-7

Well, I couldn't resist posting on this thread, though I've not posted anything in quite awhile...

I've watched maybe 4 episodes of the show, but I read all the books already, and while I think the show is good, the books are way better. The show is a very good rendering of the books, but does deviate from them (as I understand they did quite a bit of even before the wedding scene). The show also has scenes that probably aren't in the books at all.

Then again, maybe it's just that the gruesome murders seem a lot worse when you actually watch them. Reading about a fictional person gagging on his own blood is a LOT different than seeing a graphic depiction of it on TV...

I just chose to read the books first, and then gradually watch the TV show. I raced through the books almost back-to-back, so at least that way I can no longer be spoiled by Internet people or stuff that happens on the show. I might read the books again sometime. It's interesting how much foreshadowing you miss the first time through.

I'd heard about Ned before I even started reading the books, but I was still shocked when I read the first book because I mistakenly thought that wasn't supposed to happen yet. But the good thing is, there are still characters I can root for. I mean, come on. Tyrion Lannister is my favorite--no, wait, it's Jon Snow, no wait, it's Daenerys Targaryen, no wait... Definitely Dany--Emilia Clarke is just exquisitely beautiful. And I like the character.

I'm rather surprised people were so shocked about this latest episode, after seeing what happened to Ned. And seeing how stupid [edited! spoilers!] could be at times (look who's talkin'). But that scene was a heck of a shock in the book, that's for sure. 'A Storm of Swords' was definitely the best in the series, but I enjoyed meeting new characters in 'A Feast for Crows' and 'A Dance With Dragons', too. I wonder if they'll be able to keep high enough ratings on the show so that they'll get to all these other characters. Probably. Certainly this last episode has gotten major press.

--sd-7