Posts by dssynergy

21

The "Conscious of their Spiritual Need" Class

by cattails in

jw
friends

15 years ago

i've started considering myself one of the members of the conscious class.

and this post is aimed at those still in and feeling trapped.. at matthew 5:3 jesus said: happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.".

that being the case i'm going to be partaking of the emblems this march 30th, god willing.. if you're still in and your eyes have been opened, if you are conscious of a spiritual need within you that the wt isn't recognizing.... then praise god and christ and keep remembering the ransom sacrifice that purchased your salvation and that for all people.. if you're of the "conscious class" partake this year.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

startingover, I think they are one in the same. People become conscious, then follow their conscience.

I have been working in a university that teaches theology from a catholic perspective. From sitting in on numerous theology classes, I observe that basically, they are very freeform and encourage the students to form their own theology.These catholic scholars tend to be very liberal, and encourage interfaith ~ which not all of them do. At any rate, catholics do tend to be more flexible in the tolerance of differences in theology. So, it might be the "official" doctrine of a particular seminary that heaven is just a rest stop, but if the priest or theologian sees it differently, there is nothing stopping them from preaching that instead.

I'm very intrigued as to why the WTBS changed their idea of two heavenly classes to just one heavenly and one earthly. Even if that is true, I don't feel a heavenly calling. Where does that leave me? I really still don't get why humans need to go to heaven in the first place. Does not make any sense to me whatsoever. Does anyone have any suggested reading??

DS

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21

The "Conscious of their Spiritual Need" Class

by cattails in

jw
friends

15 years ago

i've started considering myself one of the members of the conscious class.

and this post is aimed at those still in and feeling trapped.. at matthew 5:3 jesus said: happy are those conscious of their spiritual need, since the kingdom of the heavens belongs to them.".

that being the case i'm going to be partaking of the emblems this march 30th, god willing.. if you're still in and your eyes have been opened, if you are conscious of a spiritual need within you that the wt isn't recognizing.... then praise god and christ and keep remembering the ransom sacrifice that purchased your salvation and that for all people.. if you're of the "conscious class" partake this year.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

I am in and feeling trapped. Consider myself part of the Consciousness Class in that I believe we must follow God's word and our conscious, rather than any man, including the elders, or GB. I'm very intrigued by this discussion about the NC. I can see that it could apply to all men, that Jesus is said to be the mediator between God and men, and that there was no distinction between which men those were, anointed or not.

However, if the NC applies to me, does that mean that I would change my "calling" and suddenly become aware that I have a heavenly hope? I don't believe I do. Although I still need to do more research, the whole idea of Jehovah needing 144,000 in heaven never made sense to me in the first place. If Jesus is the perfect judge ~ why would he need 144,000 helpers?

Am I missing something?

Just on a side note, if the Conscious Class really does believe that they are part of the anointed, and that the memorial emblems do pertain to them ~ then I wholeheartedly agree that partaking is the way to get the GB's attention. If there are enough who feel the same way, perhaps it will cause the GB to reexamine their theology and entertain some "new light"

DS

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23

child molester reinstated

by EmptyInside in

15 years ago

i'm rather sick inside right now.

i just found out the sicko that molested my friend, his daughters, grand-daughter, and others just got reinstated.

he's been disfellowshipped for awhile now.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

I agree with Cameo-d ~ listing the city isn't particularly helpful, but maybe getting more specific about congregations would be. Although people do move congregations, but at least it would be more information than just the city.

DS

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41

Is there a true religion????????

by heybaby in

15 years ago

what do you guys think?.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

Saw a great bumper sticker today: Jesus wants spiritual fruits, not religious nuts!

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24

Has anyone seen the 4/15/2010 Watchtower with their own eyes?

by HappyGuy in

jw
friends

15 years ago

i haven't followed the generation change in the doctrine that closely, just read a few snippets of the overlapping generations doctrine.

i find this hard to believe even for the pathological liars the governing body.. has anyone seen the 4/15/2010 watchtower with their own eyes?.

can anyone validate that the wtbts really is saying this overlapping generation idea the way it is being quoted on the internet in a few places?

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

This magazine has long been used by “the faithful and discreet slave” as the primary channel for dispensing increased light. (Matt. 24:45)

It seems to me, that the use of the word "primary" channel would indicate secondary or tertiary channels as well. If that seems to ring true for anyone else, what would these channels be, and has the WTS ever recognized them as such??

DS

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55

Letter from WT's Haiti Branch Committee re: Society's relief response

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

15 years ago

just got this in, don't know if it was mentioned here yet, but this illustrates how the watchtower views/responds to emergencies.

note the dig on university and "higher education" (especially sad for a poor country like haiti with poorly educated masses).. randy.

it was a terrifying moment for all!

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

At my mom's meeting last night, they read a letter about what brothers could do to help those in Haiti. They said, "Put money in contributions for Worldwide Work. If you wish to send larger donations, you may mail to Brooklyn Headquarters. Please do not ear mark it for use in Haiti, so that we may distribute funds where they are needed most."

I can see this as a big push for donations, using this tragedy, to gather more money. If they are really going to use it for Haiti, why would they tell people not to ear mark it? As a non-profit, if money is ear marked to be set aside for a specific purpose, it has to be used for that, and nothing else. Feels sort of swarmy to me.

DS

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8

Email in circulation

by watson in

jw
friends

15 years ago

if so, my apologies for re hashing.

curious what you think.

very sad moments--robin buried a 14 year old sister last night--she .

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

oh, brother....University Kills....PLAHEEESE

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13

Woman Raised Jehovah's Witness awarded Rhodes Scholarship

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

15 years ago

sorry if this has been posted already, i don't recall seeing it before.. .

http://www.wave3.com/global/story.asp?s=11554602.

first u of l woman awarded rhodes scholarshipposted:

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

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7

A Little sick to my stomach

by dssynergy in

jw
friends

15 years ago

i just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school.

i felt a little sick when i heard.

so starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to imho, superficial christianity.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

Thanks for the input. If I tell him, at this age, that the Bible doesn't say anything about doing much of what is required by JWs, all Hell would break loose and I would be shunned from my family for sure. The SIL is a real piece of work. Her father is a "partaker", and the whole family has this self-righteous holier than thou additude.

For example, last year at the kids play, the music teacher was complimenting one of the SIL's girls about her singing and dancing skills. My SIL's sister, jumps in with," well we just hope that she grow up to be a minister of God," or some such nonesense. I thought, "OMG, no wonder people think we are brainwashed."

@Mary ~ I am so sorry to hear that. I really hope that isn't the way it goes down for my nephews. He is an innocent, sweet young boy. And I hate to see that used against him.

@Stephen ~ It always did bother me that JWs don't have any sort of outreach to the community other than preaching. I mean, I have done street work, and see those kids on the street. It breaks my heart. But there is no organized outreach to the homeless or less fortunate. Going house to house is fine, IF someone HAS a house. But what if they don't??

Didn't Jesus feed 5,000 before he preached to them? People cannot concentrate on spiritual matters if their basic needs like food, shelter and clothing are not met.

UGH>

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7

A Little sick to my stomach

by dssynergy in

jw
friends

15 years ago

i just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school.

i felt a little sick when i heard.

so starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to imho, superficial christianity.

15 years ago

dssynergy 15 years ago

I just heard from my family that my little nephew, going to turn 8 soon, just joined the ministry school. I felt a little sick when I heard. So starts the panting on the treadmill and the "faith by works" routine that leads to IMHO, superficial christianity.

Anyway, I guess they have to "interview" people now when they join the ministry school. Here's how it went:

Elder: "Why do you want to joint the TMS?"

Nephew: Because I want to live in Paradise.

Elder: Ok, so do we celebrate birthdays or Christmas?

Nephew: No, I don't celebrate birthdays. Besides, I don't really like chocolate.

Elder: What about vanilla?

[cue cheesey laughter]

So it went. On the one hand, I think, well, it will be good training in public speaking. On the other hand I just cringe. His dad is sort of out to lunch and leaves everything to the step mother who is a self-righteous crazy extreamist who (my nephew has said) tells him that his mother isn't really a JW because she doesn't go to meeting; and neither is his dad because he struggles with meetings too.

Then he looks at me with big crocodile tears and says "I don't want my dad to diiiiee." All I can say to him is that it is not her place to say who is a witness and who is not, and that God reads our hearts.

I guess at this point I am just sensitive because I know that my whole life I silently questioned what I was taught and then got baptised under peer pressure from my family. Now, I am old enough to start dismantling things, and really taking a look. I just hate to see him go down the same road I did. And I hope, that I can, in some small way, encourage him to really think his decisions through and encourage him to wait until he is older to make a dedication ~ if that is what he chooses to do.

I guess this is part of the pain of the conscious class of JW. We are "in" and "out" at the same time. He is the reason I stick around. I wish I didn't love the kid so damn much, it would make walking away so much easier. But it is too late, and I can't help myself. He is just one of the best little people I know, and I can't imagine walking away knowing what I am leaving him to sort out alone.

Any words of Wisdom from the Peanut Gallery are very much appreciated.

DS

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