maninthemiddle

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Posts by maninthemiddle

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  2

  Just recommending a book

  by dgp in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "prisons we choose to live inside", by doris lessing.

  try to check out the chapter "you are damned, we are saved".. http://www.amazon.com/reader/0060390778?_encoding=utf8&token=pmlhksh6xdnpzxbp%2fjj7rc1xykgbctiwbg0vi174ecfvde5i%20xgdcq%3d%3d&query=17&page=30#reader_0060390778>7a>.

  "i was brought up in a country where a small white minority dominated the black majority.

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  maninthemiddle

  Marked for later, this sounds very intersting, thank you.
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  5

  What would this religion look like if.....Revelation was never included?

  by maninthemiddle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  since it is the largerst contributer to the "7 times" and to the 144k.

  this would of couse wipe out 1914 and 1919.. since the wts like to use bible imagery to apply to them selves and modern times, that would basically just leave jesus' words and paul's and others letters .

  (daniel too).

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  maninthemiddle

  Since it is the largerst contributer to the "7 times" and to the 144k. This would of couse wipe out 1914 and 1919.

  Since the WTS like to use bible imagery to apply to them selves and modern times, that would basically just leave Jesus' words and Paul's and others letters . (Daniel too)

  This would also seriously put a dent in the paradise (earth) and great crowd doctrins also. When it comes to trying to explain Revelation much prefer the "I don't Know" answer.

  I ask this mainly becuase I think that would put them closer to other mainstream religions, even though none that I know of throw out Revelation, most don't try to make up meanings for it's writings.

  What do you think?

  And can you think of any other "What ifs"?
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  16

  God's Love book - Prologue examined

  by Mad Sweeney in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  eventually i would like to do a deconstruction on the entire book but for now, lets start with the prologue, which claims to be written by the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  if anyone feels this is useful, please let me know.

  ] in your life and thus keep yourself in gods love .

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  maninthemiddle

  This is well written, I have one comment, and I don't mean to defend the content, but in a prolouge there shouldn't be a need to defend a statement, the entirety of the rest of the book should have done that.

  good catch on the loaded language, I am just beginning to pick up on that now. This really is a horrible book, I recently took the time to read several chapters before I had to put it down and get a Tums.

  This on really stand out to me

  That same evening, Jesus said:“If you know these things, happy you are if you do them.”—John 13:17

  Here he was also talking about love, and putting others before yourself, that was it, not some 192 page rule book.

  Thank you for your efforts in this.
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  6

  A few Random Memorial Observations:

  by zarco in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  john 3:16 was highlighted for several minutes by the speaker.

  the new world translation: for god loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.new jerusalem bible "yes, god loved the world so much, that he gave his only son, so that everyone who believes in him, may not die but have eternal life.

  "the obvious difference is that the speaker used john 3:16 as a guilt trip for those to do more.... exercise faith when the real meaning of the scripture seems much different.

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  maninthemiddle

  Remeber in WTS speak that exercising faith means attending all the meetings and counting you time going door to door. Believing is never enough.
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  136

  Memorial 2010 Your Experiences

  by scotinsw in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  just got back from memorial.

  only went so that i could say to my parents that i had gone and to remind myself why i left.. oh my word!!!

  it was sooooo painful.. got there a bit late - it was a couple of minutes into the talk.

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  maninthemiddle

  The congreation I visited this year met in a funeral home. Really surreal right?

  I have to start out with what others have already said, the songs are just horrendous. I couldn't belive the words I was hearing was very similer to the same song we have have been singing since 1984 yet sounded so foreign.

  Our speaker mentioned Jesus just a little more than some of the other experiences above, but not much. I was shocked on how much time was spent reminding everyone that it was unlkely that anyone in the room should partake. You could picture the outline as he was talking, but this speaker was better than average and showed a little more love than many others I have heard.

  I had to giggle about the scripture used in deuteronomy to support celebration on the passover on a yearly basis, as the second half of the scripture says to celebate it 6 days and on the 7th do no work.

  I pretended to be an outsider, neatly groomed beard, red-letter bible held up so the people sitting around me could see it. Still didn't get much attention. I figure if an outsider did show up it would be their one and only time.

  We had to quickly clear out because another congregation was meeting immediately after, so I didn't get to talk with the speaker.
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  32

  Give Reasons Why The "Memorial" Is A Sham To You

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wouldn't go.

  i was given 3 invitations to be given to my daughter, my ex and myself.

  i thanked them for the invites and just chuckled to myself.. if you decided to tell a witness why you weren't going to attend, what would you say?

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  maninthemiddle

  He was still talking to far more than just the 12. People left because they did not like what He said, not because it did not apply to them. In fact, their complaining shows they understood His words to be directed to them. Show me where it says they left because it did not apply to them.

  52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

  Sounds like they took it too literal to me.

  I thought that the words in 1Cor are Jehovah’s.

  As someone who does not belive the bible to be totally inerrant, no, they are Paul's words.

  Are you saying that only the words in red can be trusted? Or, are you saying that the words in red are more the word’s of Jehovah than the words in black? Do you ignore everything after the Gospel of John?

  no, not ignore, but I do take it as less literal to modern life. I don't feel that just because Paul told the early congreations something, that it has to be applied that same to us. The scripture we are talking about for instance, Paul speaks in such a way that I belive the congreation was practicing a form of the memorial or communion, what ever you want to call it. but, does that mean we HAVE to do that now, or could it mean that the action really didn't matter but the motive?

  Are you saying that with the passing of the 12, nobody should have done it since?

  yes, that is exactly what I am saying.... but can you partake if you choose to? I see no harm in this, it is the commanding (by Clergy and/or the GB) of others to partake or not to partake that I see as the problem.
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  32

  Give Reasons Why The "Memorial" Is A Sham To You

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wouldn't go.

  i was given 3 invitations to be given to my daughter, my ex and myself.

  i thanked them for the invites and just chuckled to myself.. if you decided to tell a witness why you weren't going to attend, what would you say?

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  maninthemiddle

  Mad Dawg,

  I think that John 6: makes it clear that it was metaphorical.

  The words in 1 cor 11:26 were Pauls'. In fact the only references to anyone other than the 12 partaking in this fasion were always Paul's.

  Jesus did not tell his Apotles to go teach others to do the same as they did that night.
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  32

  Give Reasons Why The "Memorial" Is A Sham To You

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wouldn't go.

  i was given 3 invitations to be given to my daughter, my ex and myself.

  i thanked them for the invites and just chuckled to myself.. if you decided to tell a witness why you weren't going to attend, what would you say?

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  maninthemiddle

  Becuse Jesus didn't instruct us to "keep" doing this. He did this with his 12 chosen Apostles, no one else.

  And to qute only John 6:53 only is to take it out of context.

  John6:35 Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. 36 But as I told you, you have seen me and still you do not believe. 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. 38 For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. 40 For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

  41 At this the Jews began to grumble about him because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42 They said, "Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I came down from heaven'?"

  66 From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him

  He had "many" disciples, yet they were not included in this event.
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  100

  What's your plans on the JW Memorial night?

  by dissed in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for the last 13 years, we haven't attended and didn't even care about it.

  but since we became card carrying members of jwn in september, we have an interest in what are friends here on jwn are doing.. for us?

  we will be watching 'dancing with the stars'.

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  maninthemiddle

  yKnot,

  I have heard of several here in Georgia that are 9:15.

  I am going with my wife to an eariler one with some family.
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  45

  Ever have a part on a convention or assembly?

  by Frog in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i played a role in a convention drama when i was 14. it was a really poxy modern day drama.

  something about catching my bigger brother puffing on a cigarette lol.

  i had to practice the part for months in a dogey american accents.

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  maninthemiddle

  Talk 4 on a CA once. the thing I remember the most was trying to encourge the sister with talk 3 from my congration who was very nervous.Trying to keep her calm and from running back to her seat.

  Elsewhere, if you are still listening, That is the very first drama I can remember. They used to turn off the lights use spot slights and special colored lights.

  AnnOMaly, let me guess, you played the part of the apostate?