Posts by GLTirebiter

posted

2
Arianism and Jehovah's Witnesses
by Band on the Run in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
i was reading about franks in the middle ages and was surprised that huge chunks of europe believed in arianism.

perhaps it was 1,000-1200. so i looked up arianism to try to understand it as more than the opposite of trinitarianism.

the wikipedia article began to discuss it and within the first few paragraphs said that jehovah's witnesses have a unique take, quite different from arianism in the past.. it was too much for me to understand.
GLTirebiter
A significant difference is the "Archangel Michael transformed into human Jesus, then after dying transformed back to Archangel Michael again" teaching. That detail is not in the historic Arian doctrine (AFAIK). Otherwise they follow Arius closely:
- Belief that the Godhead is unshared--that the Father alone is the one (capital-G) God
- Belief that the Father alone has always existed and is unchanging (immutable)
- Belief that Jesus has only a lesser degree of divinity, inferior to the Father (little-g "god", per NWT/Johannes Greber rendering of John 1:1)
- Belief that Jesus is not of the same substance as the Father
- Belief that Jesus is a created being, rather than self-existent
From this summary of a Brittanica article:
Christ was viewed as the most perfect creature in the material world, whose moral integrity led him to be "adopted" by God as a son but who nevertheless remained a secondary deity, or Logos substantially unlike the eternal, uncreated Father and subordinate to his will. Because the Godhead is unique, it cannot be shared or communicated so that the Son cannot be God. Because the Godhead is immutable, the Son, who is mutable (being represented in the Gospels as subject to growth and change) cannot be God. The Son must, therefore, be deemed a creature who has been called into existence out of nothing and has had a beginning. Moreover, the Son can have no direct knowledge of the Father since the Son is finite and of a different order of existence.
33
How can girls guard against temptation in this sex-crazy world?
by nicolaou in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
just about the funniest thing i've read in ages!

*** w61 12/15 pp.

767-768 questions from readers ***.
GLTirebiter

journeying to the new world of righteousness, where there will be no sex problems amid a sex-crazy population.
In other words... "Get thee to a nunnery!"
11
Atheism Sucks!
by whereami in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
ok...who's kid is this?

i know somebody here put this poor kid up to it.

lol.
GLTirebiter

This video displays a dsiregard of flag etiquette (section 7-i). If you're going to make a video of yourself delivering a lecture while standing in front of the flag, be sure to hang it properly!
25
Any Snappy comebacks to this email
by loosie in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
why you should seek further higher education.

the kingdom hall is your university, jehovah is your professor, jesus is your instructor , .

the holy spirit is your protector, the angels are your support system, .
GLTirebiter

THE BIBLE is your TEXT BOOK
"But you are only allowed to use the Cliff'sWatchtower Notes."
There is room for all.
"There is room for only 144,000 -- reserved seating only -- and you're not on the list."
Tuition is free.
"Tuition is beyond price. However much you 'donate', you still haven't given enough!"
28
Preparing the Kool-aid - April 15 WT
by LostGeneration in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
check this paragraph from the article about how jah spared noah, the israelites at the red sea, etc.... scary!.

pg 26 para 16. as events unfold during the great.

tribulation, christians will need to heed.
GLTirebiter

"begin fleeing to the mountains"
Time to pack up the 4WD with MREs, guns, and ammo!
20
Court: Judges cannot get involved in Church Disputes
by Iamallcool in
1. jw
2. friends
http://news.yahoo.com/court-judges-cannot-involved-church-dispute-152559467.html.
GLTirebiter

Here's a link to the decision. Does the Alito-Kagan concurring opinion reasonably include as "ministers" all the "baptized publishers" taking Watchtower teachings door-to-door? This language suggests it would:
The “ministerial” exception gives concrete protection to the free “expression and dissemination of any religious doctrine.” The Constitution leaves it to the collective conscience of each religious group to determine for itself who is qualified to serve as a teacher or messenger of its faith.
Edit to add: This was a rare unanimous decision from the Supreme Court!
19
Why the house to house preaching work never works
by RULES & REGULATIONS in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
i dislike when people come knocking on my door ''cold calling'' with their sales pitch.

do you need a new roof?

do you want to donate to a local school so they can pay for a trip?
GLTirebiter

It's not true that it never works though.
It serves to screen for the prospects they prefer, too. People who yield to the door-to-door cold calls are likely to be compliant in other ways. It is more appealling to followers ("How interesting! I'd LOVE a free Bible study!") than to boat-rockers ("You have five seconds to get off my property...four...three..."). It helps them "keep the flock clean".
7
The ILL is back in town
by illoowy in
1. jw
2. experiences
i'm back.. ie doesn't seem to work for posting messages?

.

.
GLTirebiter

Recent versions of IE produce blank posts. Either engage its "compatibility mode", or use a different browser--Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
22
Alone with someone of opposite sex.
by IMHO in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
it's always been said that it's ok with a close family member.. what about amnon and tamar?.
GLTirebiter

When you find yourself alone while sleeping with somebody of the opposite sex, it's high time to be calling a marriage counselor!
20
After 100+ years, the Watchtower Society can be summed up in one word...
by Glander in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
hubris['hju?br?s], hybris.

pride or arrogance2.

(literary & literary critical terms) (in greek tragedy) an excess of ambition, pride, etc., ultimately causing the transgressor's ruin [from greek]hubristic , hybristicadjthey have been able to attract a core of followers, and, like the bullies they are, hold them through a combination of a fear shunning and the childish vision of eternal life in a new world.
GLTirebiter

delusional