Posts by garyneal

16

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-29-09 WT Study (GOD DELIVER)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 11-29-09 wt study (september 15, 2009, pages 25-29)(jehovah deliver).

review comments will be in red or headed by comments.

wt material from today's wt will be in black.

garyneal

Excellent job Blondie,

I do have a question concerning that Christmas card list. Was I suppose to receive a list of individuals? If so, have you sent that to me yet?

om:

"He and his Son had enjoyed associating together for countless millions, perhaps even billions, of years."

Why even open up this cosmological can of worms Watchtower? Why not just say "since the beginning of Creation" and leave it at that? "Perhaps" makes it sound like the Watchtower might buy into the possibility that the universe is 13.5 to 14 billion years old. If you're not going to take a stand, just leave it vague, IMO.

Good catch, I missed that one myself. Since I believe that Jesus and Jehovah both claim to be the alpha and the omega, and therefore infinite beings, I don't understand how time would have any meaning for either of them. So why even specify years at all? You're suggestion would be a much better choice. Even for the people who believe Jesus is a created being time would still have different meaning for Him and His Father. But I guess they don't view things this way. Ever since I began studying with the witness more than six years ago, the one thing I notice is how they try to think of Godly things on human terms.

19

My brief "Bible Study" with the Jehovah's Witnesses

by garyneal in

my wife called and told me she was going to a book study but my daughter did not want to go.

could i come pick her up my wife asked me.

sure, i went over as soon as i could.. when i got there, they were discussing encouragement and building others up.

garyneal

Thanks dgp,

It is scary that my wife will not use her mind and will follow the blood policy even on me but it is especially scary for my daughter. I understand some of their reasoning with the threat of disease and other inherit risks but I think she refuses to see the other side of it. I'm not sure what I can do to protect my daughter and myself but Lord willing I will figure out something.

I don't think my wife and the other witnesses are bad. They are just following instructions from the GB. I asked my wife one time how she would react if the GB all of a sudden declared celebrating Christmas to be a consious matter. Her response, I would probably be more inclined to celebrate. I rest my case.

5

Post Thanksgiving Dinner

by garyneal in

i go to my home town to visit my family for the holidays.

originally, i did not want to go and instead wanted to see my sister for thanksgiving.

my wife wanted to go home so we did.

garyneal

Saoirse

I think I did hear her say that it was 14 cents a pound but I could be mistaken (now that I think about it, that does sound really cheap). Since I did not buy any myself (ate at my mom's) I did not see the prices for myself this year. One thing I know about this aunt of my wife's, she is a real trip (she and her husband) but they sometimes speak rather presumptiously so I have to take a lot of what they say with a grain of salt.

Personally, I cannot think of a single biblical reason why a JW can't celebrate Thanksgiving. When asked, they just respond that it is patriotic.

I called that night the black Friday thanksgiving dinner (that gave my sister-in-law a good chuckle).

5

Post Thanksgiving Dinner

by garyneal in

i go to my home town to visit my family for the holidays.

originally, i did not want to go and instead wanted to see my sister for thanksgiving.

my wife wanted to go home so we did.

garyneal

I go to my home town to visit my family for the holidays. Originally, I did not want to go and instead wanted to see my sister for Thanksgiving. My wife wanted to go home so we did. I ended up eating turkey dinner alone (without my daughter and wife) with my 'worldly' family. Well, it is official, my wife is a j-dub.

We go to my wife's uncle's house the following Friday. He's 'worldly' and celebrated thanksgiving but my in-laws cannot see him on Thursday. Fair compromise I guess. Now, my wife's aunt arrives, she is a witness on disability married to a witness on disability so neither work and can go out in field service all to their hearts are content.

I talk to the aunt, she is kind of a trip in a way, we discuss turkey dinners.

Aunt: "Did you buy a turkey Gary?"
Me: "No, I ate with my family."
Aunt: "You should've gotten a turkey. They are 14 cents a pound."
Me: "Did you get one?"
Aunt: "I got two!"
Me: "Did you eat some yesterday (thanksgiving)?"
Aunt: "Nah, Nah, we are not suppose to do that."
Me: "Why buy the turkey then?"
Aunt: "Gary, can you only eat turkey on one day of the year?"
Me: "No, so when are you planning to eat it?"
Aunt: "I dunno, maybe in a year."
Me: "A year?! Do you have a freezer?"
Aunt: "YEAH, YEAH, as big as that fridge right there!"
Me: "Okay, okay..." At this point, no point in going back and forth with a diehard dub. The husband comes by.

Uncle: "Gary, Gary, when you gonna let me get that truck of yours."
Me: "Tell you what, invite me over for turkey dinner and we'll talk."

We laugh but I can see where that will go. NO WHERE!

31

When did Jehovah's Witnesses begin to consider their religion the one true religion?

by garyneal in

yesterday, my wife and i was going for a walk in the neighborhood.

she was carrying my niece and commenting on how heavy she is.

i told her that apparently her sister has to carry her child, diaper bag, and her things to the bus stop every morning.

garyneal

MadJW

Post 11

I wonder if you even see the irony of your picture in this post. Especially the part that says, "...you have ME to interpret the Bible for you!"

How is the WTS any different in this regard? You might want to consider some of my own quotes of WT literature where it seems to place more importances in Bible publications over the Bible.

After doing extensive research in the Bible and the WTS, I have found how surprising little my wife knows about their teachings. She did not even know that the WT was teaching that Jesus was Michael the Archangel, yet I knew that one for the past few years (long before I really began looking for the answers myself).

Just yesterday, I pointed out how Jesus forgave a woman for committing adultery as the Jews were about to stone her. Can you believe that she did not know perhaps one of the more popular phrases in the Bible where Jesus said, "He who is without sin, let him now cast the first stone." My step-dad was a primitive baptist who was kicked out of church for marrying my divorcee mom because she did not get a 'scriptural divorce.' My mom is technically and 'adulterer' and by marrying her so was my step-dad. Yet, a woman who was caught in the very act of adultery was forgiven by Christ. My wife, never made this connection and little wonder since obviously the WTS never teaches it.

Again, what irony on the part of your picture that says, "...you have ME to interpret the Bible for you!"

19

My brief "Bible Study" with the Jehovah's Witnesses

by garyneal in

my wife called and told me she was going to a book study but my daughter did not want to go.

could i come pick her up my wife asked me.

sure, i went over as soon as i could.. when i got there, they were discussing encouragement and building others up.

garyneal

Thanks for the responses everybody and I especially want to send my condolences out to Balsham. I am so sorry that had to happen to you. I recall you telling me about this in the past when I posted my comments concerning the blood doctrine debate I had with my wife sometime back. She is becoming more and more dub like every day and during our black Friday shopping, I told her precisely why I would never become a JW. The murderous blood doctrine, even if everything else was write, their inconsistency on this doctrine is the sole reason why I would never become a witness.

As I was telling about all of the inconsistencies, I can see in her face how she was tuning me out and erecting her wall. Then she said that I better put in writing my request for the doctor in case I find myself in that situation where I might need blood. Now that I think about it, I realize that I may not be able to trust her to make sound medical decisions for me and my daughter should something like this happen.

I've already told my parents that if my daughter is in that situation and if my wife or some elders try to stop the doctor from administering life saving blood, it will be war. It is clear to me that I need to find some way to protect myself and my daughter from this dangerous cult.

Moeshe,

The only reason I did not respond to the elder that day was because it was Wednesday, the day before 'the thing' (as the elder put it) that happened this past Thursday (Thanksgiving) and I was trying to leave town to see my family that day. The next time I see them, I will bring it up and express all relative points. The elder once commented that blood transfusions are akin to eating blood, saying that it is no different than being fed intraveneously. My research has totally debunked this and I recall a WT article that admits that blood transfusion is the same as an organ transplant.

Frankly, I hate this religion and everything it represents. I cannot believe that with these people being only 1/10 of 1 percent of the world's population that I would have a number of friends who are affiliated with them in some way, a wife, all her family except her uncle and late grandmother, and even some of my mom's cousins. Boy did the witnesses have an impact on my little home town.

40

An Apology ..... (of sorts)

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

opinions are like certain orifices, everyone has one.. it's only if you insist that yours is the only one in the room that counts that you become like certain orifices....... with that in mind, i wish to offer a small but sincere apology to all members of our unique little community on jwn.

(that even includes perry).

now mind you, i don't apologize for the views i have, esp my political ones.

garyneal

Have to admit, you and Perry did get down in the mud. There was a couple of times that I wanted to tell you two to behave.

But you both made some good points, I just see you two as being on opposite sides of the political spectrum so I guess when you two start a debate, it is fireworks.

Since you did not say a lot to my comments, I guess I was one of the guys you 'ignore.' That's fine. To each his own.

19

My brief "Bible Study" with the Jehovah's Witnesses

by garyneal in

my wife called and told me she was going to a book study but my daughter did not want to go.

could i come pick her up my wife asked me.

sure, i went over as soon as i could.. when i got there, they were discussing encouragement and building others up.

garyneal

My wife called and told me she was going to a book study but my daughter did not want to go. Could I come pick her up my wife asked me. Sure, I went over as soon as I could.

When I got there, they were discussing encouragement and building others up. I decided to join in since they had only 3 paragraphs before completing the topic for the night. The following things came up:

The body of Christ was mentioned and the scripture in Romans 12 was referenced. I've seen this scripture before and my wife asked what it meant. The elder's response, "We are all part of the same congregation." WHAT?!?! I guess he could've meant the 'congregation' consisting of all Christians but knowing the witnesses it can only mean all Jehovah's Witnesses. At work we have a daily devotional group that consists of a Methodist who leads it, a Wesleyan who is very vocal in his praise of the Lord, along with others (including myself). We've seen this verse and never applied it to one religious group (how can we?).

After the study, the elder told me about the witnesses involvement within the hospitals and he extoled their virtues. He spoke of the hospital liason committee though he was not sure of the name of it. Imagine his surprise when I was actually able to name it. He told me of a sister who the doctors were 'forcing blood' on and how they intervened for her and comforted her. I just nodded my head. The elder's wife told me how some of the 'mean doctors' would tell their patients that they 'are going to die.' Presumably for not accepting blood. Again, I just nodded my head.

Wow... Not sure what to say. Do any of the (ex)elders here have a high regard for the liason committee? Do they offer comfort to patients in hospitals (kind of like a priest)? I understand that they tend to lurk outside of patients' rooms to ensure that no blood enters that room. What are your experiences with or on the liason committee?

7

I'm even finding the ones I like are getting annoying........

by cantleave in

jw
friends

just had a friend round for a couple hours, he is our congo secretary, and the wife was tweaking a spreadsheet for the congregation report.

whilst he was here one of the topics that came up was the old urban legend that nasa scientists found that there is a missing day by undertaking some computations regarding the solar system.

apparently one of the other elders heard about this and mentioned it after the fs group this morning.. if you don't know what i am talking about follow this link http://www.snopes.com/religion/lostday.asp.

garyneal

That elder should be very careful. An old Independent Fundamental Baptist church that I use to attend many years ago circulated a letter proclaiming the leaders of Proctor and Gamble to be Satanists. We were told to spread the message to everyone and boycott P&G products. I posted it on an old BBS and found out very quickly that it was an urban legend.

The pastor also preached from the pulpit the BEAST computer in Belgium, linking it to the beast in Revelations.

I heard that it was not long after I left the church that he had to step down as pastor and his church dissolved. I guess something relating to the fact that his 'flock' was very unhappy with his preaching and decided to leave in droves. Too bad, he is really a very nice man and I really had a lot of respect for him. But his Rush Limbaugh'esque preaching style wasn't going too well with the congregation in the long run.

Frankly, I think were it not for the fact that the witnesses go around saying that they are the only true religion and that they have this shunning policy, the witnesses as a religion would've dissolved just like that old church did. That church did not have the luxury of making the exclusive claim to God like the WTS (though it tried to).

35

How do I help my kids not buy into the JW thing?

by Judc in

jw
friends

first a little bit about myself.

i'm not a jw.

but i'm married to a jw lady who is very dedicated to it all.

garyneal

As an 'unbelieving' husband of a JW myself, I can certainly relate. My daughter is 3 and I wonder what life is going to be like for her. Her life is certainly has a type of 'motley crew' of people in it. When I take her to church, the people there are so laid back and easy-going that the pastor sometimes wears jeans on the stage when delivering his sermons. Some of the people attend in shorts and only a handful get dressed up the way the witnesses do. I myself wear khakis and a polo shirt to church but I also where these to the hall if I go with my wife. I only dress up in a suit on assemblies and the memorial (but I still have 'please pass the jelly moments') that is when I actually go.

My sister-in-law lives with us and she too is a born in but she lives a very 'worldly' lifestyle (even by most people's standards) as she is involved with people who have questionable pasts and practices (felons, people into drugs, etc). Yet, she still believes the WT beliefs so I suspect that once she straightens her life out, she will go running back to the society.

I guess I am kind of lucky as my wife is unbaptized and unsure of whether she really wants the witness life for herself. She seems to enjoys the holidays but swears that she does not want to celebrate them for fear of displeasing God (and being destroyed by Him). It took me a few months to reconcile some of these things myself as I got caught up in the teachings for years and was starting to accept them. My wife also likes signing up our daughter in sports and has 'worldly' friends. Plus she goes to college and works as a teacher where they instruct people to always 'think inclusively.' This is a far cry from the exclusive thinking of the witnesses.

The people on this message board have offered good advice so I will only add that no matter what, love your wife and children. I think by displaying this type of love, you will win them over without really saying a word. (Hey, isn't that a WT teaching?)