GLTirebiter

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Posts by GLTirebiter

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  25

  What happens when you argue with JW's?

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i can't claim 100% recall, certainly.

  jw: "they are imperfect.

  jw: "i don't know of any other place to go that has something better.".

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  GLTirebiter

  Nice work, Terry! The doctor-pharmacist metaphor is very apt.
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  96

  My Humble Opinion of This Forum

  by turtleturtle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  first off, i love frequenting this forum.

  it has given me the opportunity to truly put jw stuff to the test and i thank everyone for their helpful responses.. however, i have noticed a couple things.. 1) the use of the word "troll" is completely childish.

  this is no different than the name calling used by jws (e.g.

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  GLTirebiter

  I agree with the whole troll thing being used around here WAY to often...

  And remember what a troll wants to do: stir up a ruckus and obstruct civil discourse. When in doubt, give them a straight answer: if the post was serious that will be appreciated; when it's a troll it defeats their purpose; in either case lurking readers and newcomers will see a useful comment instead of more name-calling.

  My $0.02 worth.
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  35

  I lost a good friend yesterday

  by zed is dead in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am really going to miss having her as a close friend.

  we both helped each other this past year, as we were both dealing with the passing of people we loved.

  she was a strong part of my support group.

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  GLTirebiter

  My sympathy to you, Zed.

  (edited to remove link, it has already been handled)
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  25

  Why I`m not against the death penalty....one reason...their are more

  by smiddy in

  1. social
  2. current

  you have all read in newspapers , heard it on tv, radio ,of the 23 year old indian woman student who was gang raped recently by no less than 10 men on a bus then severely beaten with an iron bar and then thrown off the bus in singapore and has since died of her injuries .. those perpretrators of that crime are deserving of the death sentence in my book .. if you willfully take a life or ,are a party to it ,you automatically forfeit your own life .that`s my philosophy .. what`s yours.

  smiddy.

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  GLTirebiter

  IMO, the best argument against capital punishment is that it is too much power to entrust to a government. For as long as rulers have had the power of life and death, some have abused it, at times frightfully so. A ruler who is trustworthy today could be tomorow's despot. Nowhere can one be complacent: it has happened in monarchies and republics, it has happened on the left and on the right, it has happened in countries great and small, it has happened before, it will happen again, and it is happening in our own day. "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."

  This doesn't mean that some criminals don't deserve to be executed; the argument is that we should not allow those who aspire to rule over others the power of life and death.
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  28

  Would I be the punching bag?

  by NeverKnew in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  poor cognac's challenge has me thinking.. as a non-jw, if i were to marry this jw, would the congregation attribute problems we would encounter to him being married to me?

  i don't want to be a punching bag.

  couples have challenges.

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  GLTirebiter

  I wouldn't say "punching bag" is exactly the right phrase, but it would be a difficult position for both of you.

  Even if your partner has the best of intentions, he can't help being influenced by continually hearing and reading Watchtower teachings about being "unevenly yoked" to "worldly people". He will hear that his duty is to win you over to "Jehovah's Organization." When privileges are assigned within the congregation, he may be passed by in favor of another "brother" who is married to a "sister", so if he ever aspires to be an MS or elder having a wife outside of the congregation can lead to resentment.

  Couples have challenges. Cars break down, jobs are lost, children act up... I would hate to think he'd have nowhere to turn. I already hate that we wouldn't be able to go to the same spiritual source for support.

  You bring up an important point. It is easier make a mixed marriage work in the times of "for better... in health... for richer", but when life leads to "for worse... in sickness... for poorer" people revert to their inner self. Your moral compass guides your response to difficulty and crisis, so dealing with difficult times is harder for marital partners with conflicting spiritual backgrounds.

  Consider this worst-case scenario (may it never happen to you!) Suppose one of the children was in an accident, and the hospital determines that a blood transfusion is needed. You say "yes", the Watchtower says "no," and your spouse faces a dilemna. If you marry a Witness, this is a real possibility, not just a hypothetical situation. Are you (plural) prepared to face it?
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  26

  On the Eve of 2013, Predictions

  by breakfast of champions in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  not predictions for 2013 per se, but a couple i could see happening in the not-too-distant future:.

  the society takes the hundred year anniversary of 1914 head-on with more spin and disinformation.

  already laid the groundwork with the "100 years ago" feature in the new yearbook.

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  GLTirebiter

  In late December 2013, people will be making predictions about 2014 (while ignoring all their 2013 predicitions that didn't happen).
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  23

  They want it both ways

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  several years ago the wts stopped announcing individuals who were df'd as, "so-and-so has been disfellowshipped" and instead began announcing, "so-and-so is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses".

  this seems to be rather important to me.

  undoubtedly this change was fueled by legal issues raised by someone who was df'd and impacted in some way perhaps financially.

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  GLTirebiter

  it's well-known that most religions DO ex-communicate members as a means of punishment (behavior modification),

  There are significant differences between WT disfellowshipping and excommunication as practiced by most Christian sects:

  (1) WT makes a public display of doing so, rather than doing so privately.

  (2) WT insists that all in the congregation ignore and shun the person in a mass display of humilitation, rather than limiting the punishment to exclusion from the community worship.

  (3) WT requires a long period of public repentance and humiliation for the person to be reunited with the congregation, rather than a quick (often immediate) reconciliation upon expressing repentance.

  (4) Because of the public action (1), encouragement for person-to-person punishment (2), and the continued sanctions even after repentance (3), the effects may linger indefinitely. This is not the closure promised by "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8:11)
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  23

  They want it both ways

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  several years ago the wts stopped announcing individuals who were df'd as, "so-and-so has been disfellowshipped" and instead began announcing, "so-and-so is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses".

  this seems to be rather important to me.

  undoubtedly this change was fueled by legal issues raised by someone who was df'd and impacted in some way perhaps financially.

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  GLTirebiter

  It's CYA double-talk, courtesy of the ultimate Governing Body: the WT legal department.
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  96

  What's The Main Reason You Do Not Believe That The Witnesses Are The Best Religion?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some people leave because they are fed up with the elders.

  others have personality issues.

  some have doctrinal and prophecy reasons.

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  GLTirebiter

  Because their insane, ever-changing blood policy kills people.
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  135

  I Think My Marriage Is Over...

  by cognac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know exactly what happened... he thinks i'm going to die at the big a and wants to be with someone he can live forever with.... we have two girls, ages 3 and 1... i really thought we'd make it despite the religion, now i really don't think so... not sure what to do... .

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  GLTirebiter

  I see one piece of advice here that I would be wary of: installing a keylogger or other "spyware" on the computer. Get sound legal advice about the laws in your state befiore doing that, and also about whether the court is likely to look on it unfavorably even if it is within the letter of the law. Please don't do anything that could hurt you in the long run!