Posts by GLTirebiter

the jw i chatted with recently directed me to matthew 24 with regards to the witnesses and highlighted matthew 24:14. i asked him what "this gospel" is.

the only answer i got was "i'm not sure what you mean".. .

Terrible Weather ... :-(

by snowbird in

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42783438/ns/local_news-mobile_al/.

please keep us in your thoughts.. syl.

GLTirebiter

The news is on now, and the scenes from Tuscaloosa are heartbreaking. I'm relieved that Dinah, LWT and Syl are all OK, but saddened that so many others died and are injured.

If you wish to donate to support the relief efforts, see the links below this ABC news video.

25

Compare and contrast JW "forgiveness" with Judaism and Christianity

by Terry in

undeserved kindness: (a rich word-choice from the beloved green nwt bible.).

ask yourself why you don't deserve kindness.

if god says you don't deserve something and he gives it to you anyway...who is conflicted here??

GLTirebiter

Catholics had to a. Attend Mass b. Confess sins and do penance or pay c.Be absolved by the priest

You can steal, fornicate, lie, cheat and commit mayhem and then turn to God and be forgiven by displaying a penitent heart. Even so late as on your deathbed in many cases. Yet, the people who you took from, injured, belittled, wronged and destroyed have no say in this transaction! The victims suffer the wrongs and God makes it even-steven on the scale of justice!

Forgiveness is not a free pass, as far as the Catholic church is concerned. While there is nothing you can do that is enough to deserve grace and forgiveness, sins are forgiven if there is a sincere effort to stop the sinful behavior and to make ammends for the harm done. If this is lacking, then confession was insincere and ineffective; you aren't forgiven if you intend to keep doing the same thing or continue to enjoy the ill-gotten gains (either physically or emotionally). The grace of forgiveness is there, but you are free to reject it by not making the effort to act properly. Here is how this doctrine is stated in the Catechism:

1451 Among the penitent's acts contrition occupies first place. Contrition is "sorrow of the soul and detestation for the sin committed, together with the resolution not to sin again.

1459 Many sins wrong our neighbor. One must do what is possible in order to repair the harm (e.g., return stolen goods, restore the reputation of someone slandered, pay compensation for injuries). Simple justice requires as much. But sin also injures and weakens the sinner himself, as well as his relationships with God and neighbor. Absolution takes away sin, but it does not remedy all the disorders sin has caused. Raised up from sin, the sinner must still recover his full spiritual health by doing something more to make amends for the sin: he must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."

23

A Major Break Through!

by headisspinning in

jw
friends

i just wanted to let you all know that i have had a major break through with my mom.. we have hashed everything out and she not only apologized for hurting us, but she also said she understands why we've made the decisions that we've made.. and best of all?

she is going to try to help us both get our kids back.. she had no idea of all the stuff going on with our ex spouses and she's very upset about it.. she said that she accepts where we are at in regard to the religion and although she does hope we might change our minds down the road, she just wants us to be happy.. at this point she still feels she needs to respect the disfellowshipping arrangement and i'm not pressuring her about that.

after all, rome wasn't built in a day and i would say major progress has been made here.. just wanted to let you guys know where things are at right now and a big thank you for all of your support, advice and care through this ordeal..

GLTirebiter

That's good progress, HIS. I hope things continue to get settled for you.

26

Boy Denied Communion Because of Cerebral Palsy

by whereami in

jw
friends

can't you just feel the love!!!

!kevin castro's grandmother calls priest's offer of annointing of sick 'offensive' .

a catholic church turned away 8-year-old kevin castro of floresville, texas, from his first communion because he had cerebral palsy, according to the boy's family.. when the rev.

GLTirebiter

Why didn't the [grand] mother talk to the priest before the last moment - she says she was preparing for this for months.

I agree, James!

Why did they let him go through prep if he wasn't eligible?

That is a good question, Rebel. If he was in a religous education class for First Communion, the instructor should have said something much, much sooner. What we don't know is whether the preparation class was taught by the priest (usually not, there are not enough priests to do so), a lay instructor (often the case case), or if he was not in a class and the grandmother taught him on her own (unusual, but the news report hints that may be what happened):

Irma Castro said that she had been helping to prepare Kevin for months for his communion

Unfortunately, in a local TV news report details take a back seat to time constraints. It does not state whether the boy was in the parish's preparation class, or if he was being "home schooled".

Father Henning said he offered Castro an alternative to the first communion. He offered them the sacrament of the anointing of the sick. 'That is the anointing they give you before death. That was very offensive,' Castro said.

Hers is a common misinterpretation; though often referred to as "last rites", this is the sacrament of healing:

"The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick:

This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord."

A communion is not really a big deal it is not a commitment other than saying you wish to join a faith community.

In the Roman Catholic church, Communion is a big deal and taken very seriously. It is not merely stating you wish to join. The Eucharist is not considered to be merely symbolic; it is not just emblematic bread and wine.

"The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: 'The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different." "And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.' "

12

Jesus is the 'fine' shepherd or is he the 'Good' Shepherd

by Anony Mous in

read john 10:11, 14 in the wtbts bible.

then read it in just about any other bible you can find.. .

i am the fine shepherd; the fine shepherd surrenders his soul in behalf of the sheep.. vs.. i am the good shepherd.

GLTirebiter

Similar to the Greek word for good (agathos′) is another word, kalos′. The latter denotes that which is intrinsically good, beautiful, well adapted to its circumstances or ends (as fine ground, or soil; Mt 13:8, 23), and that which is of fine quality, including that which is ethically good, right, or honorable

I think that if you wish to use a different adjective to differentiate kalos from agathos, the more appropriate choice would be righteous: good in the moral and ethical sense. That is consistent with the logic of the statement in the quote, and also fits the context of John 10 much better than the weaker word "fine", which dilutes the moral connotations of either "good" or "righteous".

49

Slandered At the Circuit Assembly & My Letter To My Mother

by headisspinning in

jw
friends

on saturday, my ex husband went on the platform at the one day circuit assembly and slandered me in front of 800+ people.. my jw family is even up in arms because he basically lied and ruined any last bits of my reputation that i had left, the worst part is this was elder sanctioned.. i am really exhausted from all the upheaval so i will get right to the point.

the following is what i sent to my mother:.

hi mom.

GLTirebiter

Julia, I'm sorry to hear the story. There is no excuse for slandering you in public, especially at an event where your children would be present.

To keep this as short and sweet as possible, when I left my husband with the children it was because he threatened my life and repeated the threat to my sister.

My parents forced me to call the police and a women's shelter. Once the police heard the story they were going to go and pick him up from work but I asked them to caution him only. I didn't want to make the situation worse.

I hope you follow the advice to consult an attorney, for your children's sake. If he threatened you, he is capable of doing the same (or worse) to them. See if you can get the custody arrangement changed, child support, etc. Don't let him hurt them, physically, emotionally or in any other way.

41

I'm on the front page of AOL o.O

by brizzzy in

jw
friends

hey guys, so the book came out today.

my story and the book are on the front page of aol news right now (and i was just on npr and heading into another npr interview right now): http://www.parentdish.com/2011/04/26/brianna-karp-girls-guide-to-homelessness/?icid=maing-grid7|main5|dl5|sec1_lnk2|58386.

some of the jw stuff is mentioned and of course there are a few jws and jw apologists flooding the comments section proclaiming my apostate-ness ;).

GLTirebiter

Keep up the good work, Brizzy!