Fernando

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Posts by Fernando

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  32

  Wasn't Armageddon Supposed to Happen in the First Century?

  by losthobbit in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  to me it's pretty obvious from these verses.... matthew 23:36, matthew 24:34, mark 13:30 and luke 21:32.

  ...that jesus, talking to his disciples, told them that armageddon would happen in their generation (the first century).

  just wondering if everyone else sees it this way, or have i missed something?.

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  Fernando

  Hey losthobbit!

  I wonder if the link created by Watchtower and other religionists between the scriptures you cited and "Armaggedon" is tenuous at best?

  Although Revelation seems largely figurative/spiritual I am wondering what to make of "Armaggedon" being described as a "place" rather than an event?

  Could one link v15 to v16 so that those who have remained awake are gathered to this place? That would make it a good place and event?

  NWT suggests "river" as an alternative rendering for "place" which might make it life giving?

  Reading the Bible commentaries on Rev 16:16 at www.bible.cc hasn't helped me at this point.
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  24

  Was Your Experience As A Jehovah's Witness Good In Any Way?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was raised as a witness.

  i could've been raised as a catholic but my mother's side of the family came into "the truth" when i was an infant.

  i do believe that because of my upbringing, i was a more honest person.

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  Fernando

  Deep down most folk "ignore the loonier aspects of their" particular religion, and take on board the good. I guess this is the struggle between the dual identities Steven Hassan speaks of in his book "Releasing the Bonds" (cult self/identity versus authentic self/identity).

  On the surface though most folk go along with "group think" due to peer pressure and fear of the consequences like loss of community and credibility within the group.

  ---

  http://www.opposingviews.com/i/we-should-respect-muslims-not-islam

  Submitted by KentMcManigal on May 21, 2009.
  
  "Individuals of every persuasion deserve respect when they earn it; religions do not. I am sure than many Muslims are fine people precisely because they ignore the loonier aspects of their faith, just like the Christians must do in order to be decent people."
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  23

  Why Facebook is The Watchtowers Biggest Enemy

  by LostGeneration in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just read through the zuckerberg letter to potential investors about the upcoming ipo.

  whether you love or hate fb, its interesting to consider how much of a problem it is for the wt.

  here are a couple of paragraphs from the letter that i really liked: full letter is here.

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  Fernando

  Thankfully it seems ignorance is becoming harder to sell with all the competition out there!
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  7

  How to start & run a cult?

  by Fernando in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i must not forget to teach my followers not to scrutinise anything i teach that cannot withstand scrutiny..

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  Fernando

  I must not forget to teach MY followers NOT to scrutinise anything I teach that cannot withstand scrutiny.
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  26

  Can someone please help me?

  by ruderedhead in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello, i'm new to posting here, although i have been reading and gaining insight for quite a while.

  thank you to all of you.. i wrote a letter of disassociation this week, and sent it to the local kh.

  i have been faded for a number of years, and after much research, know that the witnesses do not have the truth.

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  Fernando

  Welcome ruderedhead!

  Many exiting JWs go through the process of agonising over the perfect way to explain the error of their ways to blind (Watchtower) religionists. I did the same until it dawned on me that as a group they are irreformable and illegitimate. It became clear to me that their ignorance was militant and their self-righteousness was malignant. They are spiritually blind, confused, inebriated and insane by choice.

  Jesus was the perfect explanation and the religionists killed him to silence his message.

  A possibly much easier way to witness to Watchtower religionists is asking them simple thought provoking questions. If their inability to answer does not disturb them enough to research in the Watchtower library they simply are not ready to hear at this point in their lives.

  A powerful question is asking them to explain "legalism" and its opposite from the heart. If they have a sincere, humble and open-minded attitude and heart they may find g79 6/8 pp. 27-28 and see that it actually condemns this prolific self-righteous and supremacist Watchtower practice, and promotes IMPUTED righteousness instead (a key ingredient missing from the "good news" preached by these "publishers of the good news").
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  34

  My critical thoughts about Paul

  by I Want to Believe in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so this is an area of thought i had before even before i fully took the apostate plunge.

  i started noticing that almost everything about the congregation pointed back to paul.. "do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together.

  " not jesus' words.

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  Fernando

  It is worth remembering that the Watchtower surreptitiously rejects the "good news according to Paul".

  More than half the Bible's references to the "good news" are by Paul!

  Paul is decidedly and repeatedly against religion - specifically in the areas of law vs grace, and faith vs works.

  Compare the self-righteousness and externalism of religion described by Jesus in Matt 23 with IMPUTED righteousness (justification) described by Paul in Rom 3 (and 4 and 5).
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  34

  My critical thoughts about Paul

  by I Want to Believe in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so this is an area of thought i had before even before i fully took the apostate plunge.

  i started noticing that almost everything about the congregation pointed back to paul.. "do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together.

  " not jesus' words.

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  Fernando

  When Paul is interpreted from a spiritual perspective some of these issues take on an entirely different meaning and intent than religion/ists would have us believe.

  For example, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, is not a call to meet formalistically in a purpose made religious building to partake in religious ritual, religious ceremony and religious teaching with fellow religionists at rigid days and times!

  Getting the context whilst important can be a challenge, especially nearly 2,000 years later and with religionists prescribing a religious context.

  That having been said I struggle with, and reject the notion that women should not be allowed to talk when a group of believers gather together for fellowship! Given how much the Watchtower has changed scripture during translation to suit their theology and interpretation, it wouldn't surprise me if RCC religionists have themselves had a good go at applying their hand to the same thing - only for much longer than the Watchtower.

  Religionists being led by the "god of religion" will have their god's take on these matters. Spiritual persons being led by the "god of Abraham" will have their God's take on matters. The views will be in conflict since the "god of religion" and the "god of Abraham" are enemies.
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  30

  New one

  by freshcrepes in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been lurking on this forum for over a year, and i thought i'd say a quick hello.. .

  i was raised as a jehovah's witness and managed to endure past the encouragement that one receives from age 16 onwards about what is holding me back, and never got baptised.

  i figured that making one of the most important decisions of my life requires a lot more thought than people seemed to be giving it, and shouldn't be based on emotion as is quite common.. .

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  Fernando

  Welcome freshcrepes!

  We are such a mixed bag here - hope you fit right in and enjoy.

  Looking forward to learning and understanding your views on what an Agnostic is and believes.

  Personally I am against Watchtower Gnosticism (supremacist self-righteousness attained by means of following the supposedly "right" knowledge).
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  9

  Just a Thougth - Since all say they are the only truth, why not choose the best salvation plan?

  by DilemmaGF in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was thinking, since all the christian denominations (mainstream; unitarians; modalism; jws etc) claim themselves/their teaching to be the only truth, it would easier to make a decision to choose the best salvation plan and if it turn out to be wrong, minimize the severity of the consequences :).

  since i only know about the trinitarians (i'm in) and the jw, i think the trinitarian plan of salvation would much better than the jw.

  salvation by grace, not works (true, i don't i can ever live up to god's standard), and i got to go and stay in heaven.

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  Fernando

  One can find the Watchtower agreeing in their publications that salvation is by grace (undeserved kindness). Being spiritually confused they do of course contradict themselves. Their followers also do not testify, practice and embrace grace since it is not in their heart.

  On faith vs works the Watchtower practices the latter.

  On law vs grace the Watchtower practices the former.

  Question to a Watchtower follower - please name and explain the ingredient of the "good news" referred to in Acts 20:24 (your 2009 year text was based on this scripture). Their pitiable spiritual condition is revealed when they can't see what is right in front of them - how sad.
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  21

  Worried about my friend

  by pharmer in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  i have a friend who has been a jw for a couple years (baptized).

  she might have to undergo gallbladder surgery.

  i'm worried for her (about the blood issues)and have made that known.

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  Fernando

  Welcome Pharmer!

  Definitely with Black Sheep on this one.