everything i read on this website and elsewhere indicates that the witness are extremely united in doctrine and practices worldwide.
when i'm reading comments here, i have no idea whether the person is posting from the us or some other part of the world (unless they say so).
everyone's experience seems to be the same wherever they live.
Personally I didn't see much difference. I'm from the U.S. and wen to the Poland international convention in '06. From what I could tell, everything was the same. The only difference I have ever wondered about, especially with the To Verdener movie, is apparently in some countries beards are allowed.
Aeiouy
in his 1898 novel, war of the worlds, h.g.
wells depicted the earth under attack by a race that had evolved past the need of eating to obtain nourishment.
these beings, in fact, had no digestive organs of any sort:.
@ Paul from Cleveland
This is how I understand the issue. And I'm pulling quotes from jwfacts.com as I feel their research is very comprehensive:
The consumption of blood cells is not an issue in the Bible, as meat could be eaten despite containing blood. The issue was respect for the sanctity of life. Though Biblical laws on blood changed over time, showing respect for life never has. Is refusing blood in a life or death situation showing such respect? It is interesting to examine the scriptural development.
Genesis 9:4 "Only flesh with its soul - its blood - YOU must not eat."
This command is about respect for animal life during the ritual of slaughter. This does not state that blood could not be eaten. In its strict Hebrew wording, it means that an animal should not have flesh torn off it for food, whilst the animal is still alive. In general, it is understood to mean that out of respect for the life of an animal, it was to be bled when being killed for food; a command against eating things strangled.
The Watchtower uses this as a key scripture to show that blood transfusions must not be used, attempting to apply it to the consumption of blood - human blood. Neither point is made in this scripture. Even the Watchtower originally recognised that Genesis 9:4 did not apply to eating blood, as shown in the following article that attempted to prove that vaccinations were wrong.
There is one occasion that on the surface may appear to complicate the issue on blood, and is the key scripture used by the Watchtower Society to justify its stance. At Acts 15:21 it is recorded that the Apostles and Older Men gave a decree to "abstain from blood". At first glance this may be taken to imply that the Mosaic Law was to continue applying to Christians in regard to consumption of blood. This is how Jehovah's Witnesses currently understand this scripture and is their predominate support for refusing blood transfusions.
Acts 15:21 does not apply to blood transfusions when understood in its historical and religious setting. It is not understood by the majority of Christian religions to be a binding command, nor was it understood as such by Pastor Russell. As already shown, the Noahide law on blood did not forbid eating blood, but was about showing respect when killing an animal. Blood transfusions do not involve taking life.
@Paul
So the way I understand it, is when this law was made it had a direct correlation to the taking of a life, and showing respect for that life taken. It wasn't the eating that was wrong, it was the disrespect shown for a DEAD animal. As the JWFacts website stated, blood transfusions do not involve the taking of a life. Therefore, the scripture does not apply to transfusions. You have to look at why the law was made, not just what it said. It had absolutely nothing to do with the physical digesting of the blood. Simply the respect shown for a dead animal.
Of course, this is only if you believe the bible is god's word. And again, just the way I understand it. Wouldn't be an issue if everyone thought the same way.
Aeiouy
Quotes taken from www.jwfacts.com
i find myself feeling angry.
i'm starting to realize that the anger i feel at this religion seems to feed on itself.
soon, i will be tried for my 'crimes' by men who honestly don't believe themselves to be policemen.
I hope your doing ok too.
From personal experience, something you mentioned struck me. The JW's can be very superstitial, even though they say they aren't. While I was still in with my mother, my father decided he wanted to be out. So, to counteract the bad influence and bad 'spirits' that were in the house because of him, we *BLASTED* kingdom melodies all day long. We figured it would help get rid of the evil spirits. Not that this is really helpful information, but maybe it might help you understand why she's doing what she's doing. My best wishes to you.
Aeiouy
i wittnessed in my time several woe filled jw's apon hearing that one of their former members had died while out or the "turth".
the typical reaction was " we can only pray to jehovah that their heart condition was right at the end".
wtf!
@ Bubba Flavel
w87 6/1 p.30-32
Questions From Readers
? Is it wise for a Christian whose mate has died to remain single in the hope of being reunited in the future?
...Does the Bible, though, indicate whether resurrected ones will be able to marry or to resume a previous marriage that was ended by a death? One account seems to bear on this question. It involved Sadducees who, while not even believing in the resurrection, came to Jesus trying to entrap him. They presented this problem involving brother-in-law marriage: “There were seven brothers; and the first took a wife and died childless. So the second, and the third took her. Likewise even the seven: they did not leave children behind, but died off. Lastly, the woman also died. Consequently, in the resurrection, of which one of them does she become the wife?”—Luke 20:27-33; Matthew 22:23-28.
...Human emotions today might make this a difficult conclusion to accept. But it is to be noted that nowhere does the Bible say that God’s resurrecting the faithful means restoring their marital status. Hence, no one believes that if Aquila and Priscilla have gained life in heaven, they have resumed their marriage. (Acts 18:2) And Joseph and Mary will evidently live in different realms—he on earth and she in heaven. (John 19:26; Acts 1:13, 14) Since none of us have lived in heaven, we cannot say what feelings Aquila, Priscilla, and Mary might have there, yet we can be sure of their finding full contentment in their heavenly service.
lol I was a witness for 23 years and I had no idea they believe Mary is going to heaven but Joseph isn't. You can't make this s**t up.
Aeiouy
Edit: Hence, no one believes that if Aquila and Priscilla have gained life in heaven, they have resumed their marriage.
I love their dogmatic language there. So apparently, if you believe that, you're either a nobody or an idiot....
how did you like it?
maybe one day in the future, i will get washer and dryer combo, so i do not need to transfer my clothes from washer to dryer anymore.
.
Seems like it would take longer. I usually have my dryer and washer going at the same time. So I can do 2 loads of clothes at once. This would save space, but take longer.
just curious if the crazy was limited to my town or not.. i remember and elder, during a talk about everyone being resurrected that it included all the babies that had miscarried or were aborted, because the big j knew what their hearts were.
after the meeting, he was telling a couple of us how it also disturbed him that his wife would have to carry someone elses babies and he would be raising someone elses children.. another elder said that we would colonize other planets, and that since the bible never said the big j didn't make other inhabited worlds that there was a whole universe of planets to colonize after armageddon.. anyone else hear crazy crap like this?.
Ooh ooh! I have a good one. This is so absurd you won't believe it. I swear this really happened though:
Me: "I think I'm too smart for my own good."
Elder: "You know, brother so-and-so, being smart in Jehovah's organization is not always a good thing."
Me: "............ "
Word for word. I remember what he said like it was yesterday.
Aeiouy
yesterday morning around 10:00 a.m.,my dog was barking non- stop.
i was upstairs and thought maybe a rabbit or bird was in my back yard.
i looked out the back window and found nothing.
Where I live, I believe the law is this:
You have to shovel snow and ice from the PUBLIC sidewalk in front of your house. That is a duty the city has given. There are no laws requiring shoveling your driveway, walkway, etc. I'm not expert, but I would take that to mean you are not responsible if it was on you PRIVATE property. 2 cents.
Aeiouy
she told me yesterday that she holds out hope for me to be like the prodigal son and come back.
(between us, i don't think that's gonna happen)..
Here's what my mom prays for:
And now for the way your decision has affected me-your mother. I cry every single day. I am back to praying every day to die because it hurts too bad to live and breathe. You are the only family I had left and now you've decided to throw me away too. We have done a lot together, gone a lot of places together and been through a lot together. I have loved you since before you were born. I have tried to do the best I could to raise you and guide you. I tried the best I knew how to protect you from the madman we lived with. You were the one I depended on. While it is true I have the brothers at the hall, it is not the same as flesh and blood. I feel abandoned. It makes me very sad that you are willing to throw your relationship with me away for some girl who will only like you if you change and become what she wants you to be. Most of all it makes me sad that you are willing to throw your relationship with Jehovah away. It just doesn't make any sense. You may be happy for a while but I believe that eventually you will see everything that you have lost. You can't just throw your whole life up to this point away. I will always be your mom and I will always love you.
Nice dosage of emotional blackmail. Mom's can definitely be powerful.
Aeiouy
thinking back, there were a few things i was told then, that now seem rather odd and petty.
i was wondering if these thing are common in the wts or was it just that my girlfriend at the time was a pioneer, and her father was an elder.
(so perhap a bit more "enthusiastic" than others).
Toasting= Bad
God Bless= Bad
Good Luck= Bad
Horseshoes= Bad
Everything else I've never heard of as bad.
I actually used to say what Jerry Seinfeld would say instead of God Bless You when someone sneezed. I always said "You're so good lookin!". As in, *Achoo!* "You're so good looking!" "........Thanks. o_O"
Aeiouy
i'm new here and probably missed the latest discussion of the beard topic.
what's the latest on beards in jw society?
i'm 2 weeks into a beard and just got to wondering about it.
I started a beard as an act of defiance. It's still frowned upon in this part of the U.S. A newly baptized had to shave his before they dunked him. So yeah.
Aeiouy
