Posts by maninthemiddle

11

AUDIO: "Dubnesia" demonstrated. JWs can not recall what they heard in a talk

by kurtbethel in

jw
friends

i have explained "dubnesia" before, which is that amnesia that jws seem to get about the actual content of their so called spiritual nourishment.

not to criticize, as i always get that after hearing h. ross perot talk.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/188046/1/dubnesia-have-you-had-it.

now i have audio of dubnesia as we hear two jws explain to a householder about how wonderful the talk they heard was.

maninthemiddle

This is just too funny.

Sounds like so many conversations I have heard.

"the way he presented it"

72

Head Count request, are you male or female? Lets count!

by asilentone in

at her recent thread, changeling was asking us if there are more men than women leaving the org.

lets find out.. .

i am a male.

Most Ridiculous Thing You've Ever Been Counseled On

by MrFreeze in

i'm sure topics like this have already come up but they tend to get hilarious with the absolute absurdity that goes on in the kh.

i was once counseled for not shaving after two days.

i was also counseled by a sister for eating lucky charms cereal.

maninthemiddle

I was counseled against attending meetings at congregations other than where I was assigned to.

Two elders used this scripture to back that up.

(James 4:17) . . .Therefore, if one knows how to do what is right and yet does not do it, it is a sin for him. . .

14

I wonder if JW's ever study what the heretics said.

by dgp in

i was just wondering if jehovah's witnesses have heard about the dead sea scrolls, or whether they could ever get to read, say, the gnostic gospels.

some catholics would read those, to be sure, while some others wouldn't.

i wonder if jehovah's witnesses ever get to study what the heretics held as true, like, for example, marcion's belief that the god of the old testament couldn't possibly be the god of the new testament..

maninthemiddle

dgp, are you currently reading"lost Christianities" ?

I currently am, and find it the most telling of the three of Ehrman's so far. It goes to show how far in left field the WT is regarding history.

Even if they don't want to acknowledge the other forms af christianity, they should at least acknowledge the fight that there was for christanitiy as we know it today.

Compare this book to the Watchtower 4/1/2010, and how it tells us that it was all sunshine and roses and the books of the NT always existed just as we know them today.

Compare this to the drama this year.

History seems only useful to the WT when it serves their purpose.

-MM

66

Did the WT totally "luck out" with World War I starting in 1914?

by lepermessiah in

jw
friends

my family is still fixated on the 1914 date, simply because world war i started that year.. i told them i will agree it is a significant year in world history, but that the 1914 date as presented by jw's is based on lies and charlatanry.. i said "i think the wt really lucked out with 1914 with wwi starting that year - it keeps most jw's stuck on that date" .

the standard answer is "well, that was the year everything went haywire"...... let the circular reasoning continue .

.

maninthemiddle

What really got me was when I found out that WW1 was not by far the worst war in History.

I think it is usually ranked number 6 in the amount of deaths.

But that doesn't stop COs from giving talks about how WW1 was the "deadliest"

20

What question would you ask a visiting Governing Body Member?

by pirata in

jw
friends

so if a governing body member was visiting your local district convention, and you had the opportunity to ask them a single question, what would it be?.

assume that you are still an active jw and are not looking to get df'd..

maninthemiddle

xpeter wrote :8.Where is the word "Organization" "Governing Body" etc mentioned in the Bible?

check out the April 1st Watchtower for this explanation.

28

"It seems to me you folks are worshiping the teapot instead of drinking the tea."

by BabaYaga in

a friend just shared this quote with me.

he read it in "pass the jelly; tales of ordinary enlightenment" by gary crowley, in which the narrator makes witty zen observations as he wanders through his day.

while having a discussion with some jehovah's witnesses who came to his door, he tells them, "it seems to me you folks are worshiping the teapot instead of drinking the tea.

maninthemiddle

Well said Rocketman.

Daniel, I see your point.

28

"It seems to me you folks are worshiping the teapot instead of drinking the tea."

by BabaYaga in

a friend just shared this quote with me.

he read it in "pass the jelly; tales of ordinary enlightenment" by gary crowley, in which the narrator makes witty zen observations as he wanders through his day.

while having a discussion with some jehovah's witnesses who came to his door, he tells them, "it seems to me you folks are worshiping the teapot instead of drinking the tea.

maninthemiddle

Daniel what if:

teapot= Jehovah

tea=Jesus?

77

If You Still "Had" To Go To Meetings What "Disrespectful" Things Might You Do?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know some who go to meetings because they feel they have to because of family or other considerations.. imagine going to a meeting and having your iphone with you!.

how would it look if you had a watchtower in your hands along with a tv guide?.

think about going to a meeting with strong booze breath.. any other suggestions?

maninthemiddle

Shake your head in disbelief or roll your eyes during certain comments

did this just recently.. in fact I mumbled " he didn't just say that, did he?" Loud enough to solicit stares.

16

Help with a question. Need W-4/1/2010

by maninthemiddle in

this question is in the now famous 4/15 watchtower in the do you rememebr section.. i want to know what the source article said, because i can hardly agree with this statement as written.

i am assuming this is in relation to the "translation" of the nwt, but it is misleading to the point of fiction.. can anyone look at the 4/1 watchtower and tell me what is says?.

.

maninthemiddle

I would like your opinion on this. While this (watchtower) article grossly understates the struggle the canon went through, and how as we know it today it came to be. It sounds like in a bare metal description this article is correct. There were a group of followers that held the grouping of scriptures as we know it. Maybe from a purely historical aspect with rose colored glasses this may not be accurate? now there were many, many councils that determined to keep this grouping intact, there were also as many that argued against it. I think part of the intention of the article was to dispel the notion that it was chosen at the council of Nicea.

This apologist article seems to say the same thing, while showing there was much struggle going on.

http://www.gotquestions.org/canon-bible.html

For the New Testament, the process of the recognition and collection began in the first centuries of the Christian church. Very early on, some of the New Testament books were being recognized. Paul considered Luke’s writings to be as authoritative as the Old Testament ( 1 Timothy 5:18 ; see also Deuteronomy 25:4 and Luke 10:7 ). Peter recognized Paul’s writings as Scripture ( 2 Peter 3:15-16 ). Some of the books of the New Testament were being circulated among the churches ( Colossians 4:16 ; 1 Thessalonians 5:27 ). Clement of Rome mentioned at least eight New Testament books (A.D. 95). Ignatius of Antioch acknowledged about seven books (A.D. 115). Polycarp, a disciple of John the apostle, acknowledged 15 books (A.D. 108). Later, Irenaeus mentioned 21 books (A.D. 185). Hippolytus recognized 22 books (A.D. 170-235). The New Testament books receiving the most controversy were Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, 2 John, and 3 John.

The first “canon” was the Muratorian Canon, which was compiled in A.D. 170. The Muratorian Canon included all of the New Testament books except Hebrews, James, and 3 John. In A.D. 363, the Council of Laodicea stated that only the Old Testament (along with the Apocrypha) and the 27 books of the New Testament were to be read in the churches. The Council of Hippo (A.D. 393) and the Council of Carthage (A.D. 397) also affirmed the same 27 books as authoritative.

The councils followed something similar to the following principles to determine whether a New Testament book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit: 1) Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? 2) Is the book being accepted by the body of Christ at large? 3) Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? 4) Did the book bear evidence of high moral and spiritual values that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit? Again, it is crucial to remember that the church did not determine the canon. No early church council decided on the canon. It was God, and God alone, who determined which books belonged in the Bible. It was simply a matter of God’s imparting to His followers what He had already decided. The human process of collecting the books of the Bible was flawed, but God, in His sovereignty, and despite our ignorance and stubbornness, brought the early church to the recognition of the books He had inspired