Posts by Diogenesister

15

Spiritual paradise or proverbial straitjacket?

by UnshackleTheChains in

noas a current or past jehovah's witness, do you / or did you feel part of a spiritual paradise with full liberty in christ as the watchtower society/organisation describes?.

or do you / did you feel you were wearing a proverbial straitjacket in the sense you feel / felt restricted and controlled by the watchtower society / organisation?.

Diogenesister

Rainbow_Troll That's truly horrific, thank goodness you were mature enough and educated enough not to take his vile insults seriously....imagine him saying that rubbish to a teenager with no knowledge except WT indoctrination and low self esteem ( which is endemic in jw's). Then imagine that believing him or herself possessed. I won't draw a picture of the likely consequences.

I'm sorry this happened to You.

Unshacklethechains To answer I believed in the spiritual paradise as a child and young person but as an adult I found it oppressive.I don't know whether I had childish blinders on at first but I think the control has tightened. Things like family shunning was not expected and strictures on appearance have tightened, in my opinion.

As I matured I was much too individualistic to cope with the rules and regs, which I often pushed to the limit.

I think I was in love with the "idea" of this spiritual ideal....no war, brotherly love etc but found the reality of it wasn't for me. Or rarther the WT reality of it.

15

Spiritual paradise or proverbial straitjacket?

by UnshackleTheChains in

noas a current or past jehovah's witness, do you / or did you feel part of a spiritual paradise with full liberty in christ as the watchtower society/organisation describes?.

or do you / did you feel you were wearing a proverbial straitjacket in the sense you feel / felt restricted and controlled by the watchtower society / organisation?.

Diogenesister

Smiddy Russia today is not to be confused with the USSR (United Socialist Soviet Republic ) as it was back then.

For young people who dont understand that I recommend watching the satirical movie Dr Strangelove its a classic yet identifies us oldies who lived through that era.

Couldn't agree more Smiddy, although not around in the sixties it carried over to the seventies and early 80s and that era had a profound effect on those of us joining the WT. Even ordinary folk felt a real sense of fear and Armaggeddon in the form of a nuclear winter seemed a very real prospect.

As young people even without the Watchtower many didn't envisage reaching old age within our present society.

19

Evolution knowledge prevailing over a Jehovah’s Witness!

by anointed1 in

yesterday i had an interesting visitor—my long-time school friend.

we both studied with jws together, and he progressed to dedication and baptism whereas i stopped before the final step and got transferred to another place.

after the routine conversations, he said: “you know how much your family members long to see you take up the truth ….. before it is too late, i would suggest you start tasting jehovah.”.

Diogenesister

I think I understand your words with a little poetic licence...I think it would register well with a JW , it made me think of Corinthians ...

" When I was a child I thought like a child, spake like a child.....( fairytales),when I became a man, I put away childish things?"

5

Divine Punishment???

by Saethydd in

i was recently at a sunday watchtower, reading one of the novels i have on my ipad to help me get through the dreadfully boring event.

every once in awhile though i'll glance at the article just in case anyone is peeking at my screen, and in the article, i noticed these paragraphs.. 3. how did exile in babylon differ from the slavery the israelites had experienced in egypt?.

3 what the prophets had foretold came to pass.

Diogenesister

I was just reading the hilarious story in 1 Samuel 16 Where the Philistines, for stealing the ARC OF THE COVENANT get struck with a bad case of piles! ( Well, their 5 leaders). Then there is the ridiculous story of the cows, and deciding whether it was God who cursed them with piles based on which way the bloody cows went.

Well, cows go toward the Isrealite village so they decide to send the ARC back to the jews on the cows. Just to make sure old Jehobo wouldn't get mad they decide to send 5 GOLDEN statues OF HEAMORRHOIDS! !Don't know whether still attached to the arse, or which king posed as the model!

Any road, off they send the Arc and the GOLDEN PILES on the back of the cows, it turns up at the village and ever fair God decides to KILL 70 men of the village for peeping at the Arc, presumably to see what the damn thing was!

So, thieving the Arc gets you piles.

Looking at it gets you death.

11

Their lamps are going out.

by biblexaminer in

everyone here has read mt.

25 and knows the illustration of the virgins with the lamps.

i have mentioned this illustration in conversation with several dubbies, to draw attention to their foolishness in following watchtower's false reasoning.. in the illustration, there are two kinds of virgins, or people.

Diogenesister

Excellent analogy. Really enjoyed that though sadly it applies to msny folks. I like the appeal to two aspects it would have for dubs too.

22

If you had the power ....

by Landy in

...would you choose to ban the jw religion?.

if you wouldn't ban them what, if any, changes would you force upon them?.

Diogenesister

All religions must pay all 'volunteers' or member's of 'religious orders' a working wage

That's a great idea and will prevent many ills.

22

If you had the power ....

by Landy in

...would you choose to ban the jw religion?.

if you wouldn't ban them what, if any, changes would you force upon them?.

Diogenesister

wouldn't force any changes either. Since this is a fantasy, totally unreal, not-ever-existing-and-never-will-scenario,

You're wrong. They will be *forced* to change their child protection policy on pain of various penalties, probably removal of charitable tax status. And they *will* comply, believe me, money is their no.1 priority.
It may take longer in the US but it will happen. Europe and UK Will be first to do this.

I would ensure Elders are forced to undergo child/ vulnerable adult protection training that is * if they wish* to be considered a *religion* at all.

Personally I would love to remove their charitable status completely as they DO NOT PROVIDE ANY CHARITABLE services. Whether they consider themselves a religion or not is irrelevant. The *organization itself* does not provide anything. The individual members provide the studies and pay for the tracts they give to the public. They are not free.

I would also ensure, somewhat as Bulgaria has pulled off, that refusal of blood is a matter of conscience. Pregnant and delivering mothers will undergo extensive counselling or refusal of blood will be considered the result of illegal undue pressure and removal of true autonomy.I would also ensure medical staff are informed of the truth behind HLC and effects of shunning.

But no, I would not ban them. I would not want a fascist state, nor to play into their hands.

19

Cyprus JW's Military Service

by snare&racket in

jw
friends

i work with a nurse who served for 2 years in the army of cyprus as is compulsory in that country.

i happened to ask about jw's and their consequential punishment for not doing it.

he laughed and stated that since 2009 they have to do it and that he personally knew several that 'served.

Diogenesister

I think what your colleague has come across is probably cases of JW " born in's " who were never baptised but hold some residual belief's from childhood. I tend to call these folks " cultural" jw's.

These are not under any obligation not to serve in the military and indeed we have posters on this site who are ex-military from jw backgrounds.

102

Finished Mystery (1917)... The book that Jesus approved...

by Alfred in

so a few months ago, a friend sent me an actual copy of finished mystery which was published in 1917 (not a pdf download... the actual book).

i must say, this was the most disturbing book i have ever had the displeasure of reading.

but i only read it because this was the main publication that was being distributed worldwide when jesus supposedly chose the watchtower in 1918 and i basically wanted to see for myself what jesus saw in the wt that would compel him to choose this religious corporation over all other religious denominations.. anyway, if anyone is interested in knowing the actual contents of this book, here are some bullet points i put together from some of the notes i took as i read the book:.

Diogenesister

Finky So announcing that God had chosen him (1919) after Jesus reviewed his preaching and teaching made for himself and the organization a platform of validity and its this particular announcement is what today's GB is trying to weaken and white wash.

Do you think this is because like Russell Rutherford has become an embarrassment to the org, particularly as the the internet has made information about this fraudster widely available?

45

Why the need for 144000 imperfect humans to Rule with Christ Jesus for 1000 years ? Is he incapable of ruling by himself ?

by smiddy in

does this make any sense whatsoever ?

isnt jesus christ the king ?why the need for 144000 king priests to help him ?.

is he not up for the job?

Diogenesister

You are right it does say ON the earth crazyguy

Rev. 5.9 and 10 "You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

New Living Translation
And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth."

English Standard Version
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.”

Berean Study Bible
You have made them into a kingdom, priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth."

Berean Literal Bible
and You have made them a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

New American Standard Bible
"You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth."

King James Bible
And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.