Posts by peacedog

just stumbled on this looking up medition because of another post.. you just gotta laugh and cry at the same time.. http://www.watchtower.org/e/20020401/article_01.htm.

should faith be based on reason?

"there are too many 'religious' people who become religious precisely to avoid having to think," writes the dean of a theological seminary in the united states.

peacedog

I view it as a misdirection strategy. By "exposing" and accusing others, the implication is that they couldn't be guilty of the same thing.

Remember the Awake! article on propaganda a few years ago?

28

Demon possessed furniture?? Any scriptural support?

by digderidoo in

jw
friends

i remember instances where we told that the demons could get into the house through furniture or ornaments.

if anyone had a problem in the house with demons, they should remove anything that they may have bought second hand.

i remember one family getting rid of their carpet!.

peacedog

my question is, is there any scriptural support for demon possessed Christians?

JWs view their widespread 'demon problem' as evidence of their right standing before God, ie, they are the true Christians therefore Satan attacks them....

But where is the scriptural support for this notion? Wasn't it *unbelievers* who in the NT were attacked, possessed, or otherwise hampered by demons, while *believers* were protected? In fact didn't Jesus' disciples go around ass-kicking demons the hell out of people??

Show me the scriptural support for true Christians being possessed, attacked, or "bothered" by demons.

36

An Apology to Snowbird

by Dark Side in

jw
friends

i apologized to snowbird in private for a insensitive and disrespectful comment i made on her "swan song" thread.

i told her i would post a public apology on the board if she wanted me to.

so here is my apology to snowbird exactly as i wrote it.. it's been brought to my attention a number of times that my comment to you on your "swan song" thread was offensive and uncalled for.

peacedog

20

Are You Keeping Up with the NEW LIGHT?

by UnDisfellowshipped in

jw
friends

the watchtower, april 15th, 2010, page 28:.

are you keeping up with increased light?.

jehovah continues to shed light upon his people.

peacedog

Jehovah continues to shed light upon his people. What are some refinements that have been published in The Watchtower?

* When does the separating of the sheep and the goats take place? (Matt. 25:31-33)—October 15, 1995, pages 18-28.

I'm surprised they mention their 1995 "refined" view on the separating of the sheep and goats...

Prior to 1995 the WT$ taught that the separating of the sheep and the goats was currently taking place. This changed in 1995 when new light flashed forth brilliantly, enlightening the GB to the fact that "Christendom" had it right all along: the separating of the sheep and the goats was a future event that would take place after the tribulation.

Quote from the 1995 WT:

Does this parable apply when Jesus sat down in kingly power in 1914, as we have long understood?...nothing indicates that at that time, or for that matter since, Jesus sat to judge people of all the nations finally as sheep or goats...the rendering of judgement on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after "the tribulation" mentioned at Matthew 24:29,30... -–WT, 10/15/1995, p22-23.

However.....

The WT$ fails to mention that the 1995 "refinement", as they call it, was essentially a reversion to OLD LIGHT. The view that the separating of the sheep and the goats was a future event taking place after the tribulation was labelled DOCTRINAL ERROR and DISCARDED by the WT$ in 1923:

As light kept increasing, they appreciated more and more the importance of publishing Jehovah's name, and his kingdom as mankind's only hope. ... More accurate understanding of Jesus' parables also resulted. An outstanding example involved the parable of the sheep and the goats, as recorded at Matthew 25:31-46. It had long been thought that this parable would be fulfilled during Christ's 1,000-year reign. But then Jehovah's Witnesses saw that it simply could not apply at that time. ... So it must be fulfilled now, as the enthroned Jesus in heaven gathers the nations for judgment, and this is borne out by the observable facts in fulfillment. –The Watchtower, December 1, 1981, page 23-25.

In the year 1905 it was thought that that parable would apply during the Millennial Reign of Christ after "the war of the great day of God the Almighty" at the battlefield of Har-Magedon. (Revelation 16:14-16) However, we must bear in mind that the parable of the sheep and the goats was the final part of Jesus' answer to his disciples' question as to what would be the sign of his "presence and of the conclusion of the system of things." (Matthew 24:3) So the fulfillment of this parable must be realized during this conclusion of the system of things that started in the year 1914. –The Watchtower, February 15, 1984, page 17.

As if reverting to a previously discarded doctrine wasn't bad enough for the WT$, there is also the matter of their attributing the doctrinal change of 1923 (now considered FALSE DOCTRINE) to God:

Since they have produced the fruits of God's Kingdom, Jehovah has blessed them richly by bringing them up to date in "the greatly diversified wisdom of God."-Ephesians 3:10. Thus, in 1923 Jesus' great prophecy about the sheep and the goats was properly understood, and it was discerned that the whole world was under judgment. (Matthew 25:31-46) -–WT, 5/15/1986, p14.

The Lord revealed to his people the meaning of the parable of the sheep and the goats, showing how the "sheep" only would be spared by Jehovah when his wrath is expressed at Armageddon. All this information came not from or by man, but by the Lord God... --WT, 2/1/1938, p35.

According to the WT$, that ever-so-faithful-and-discreet servant of God, "The Lord revealed to his people [false doctrine]". Yes, indeed, "All this [false doctrine] came not from or by man, but by the Lord God."

54

How to deal with "Whoe other than JW are preching today?"

by Simon Morley in

my bil (active dub) has begun to ask me why we are not "active" anymore.

after a few careful (non-dfing) comments and observations he asks "well who other than jw's are preaching the good news in fullfillment of matt 24:14?

i responded with the comment that billions of christ's followers worldwide, down through history for over 19 centuries have been selfless in preaching globally.

peacedog

The funny thing is, evangelical efforts by mainstream Christianity dwarf what is done by jws...

98

Do you believe the "Conscious Class" will be saved? (CHRISTIANS ONLY)

by brotherdan in

there are thousands of people sill trapped in the organization that realize that it cannot be what it claims to be: god's only true organization.

but do you think that these ones that still believe in christ and his crucifixtion will still be saved?

after all, salvation does not come from an organization.

peacedog

The problem is when we go beyond what is written to try to explain what was written and why WE think it was written that way.

Well I certainly have no problem with someone telling me why they "think it was written that way". If only JWs did that....

But JWs don't tell us why they *think* it was written that way; they tell us why it *was* written that way.

Let's be blunt. A good JW knows not to think, for what would be the point? Their cult masters have already done that for them and reached the "correct" conclusion. That being the case, of what benefit is thinking to a jw....? Since they already have the "correct" conclusion (thanks, cult masters!), thinking could only lead them to the "wrong" conclusion...