pirata

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Posts by pirata

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  21

  How would you answer?

  by Is this it? in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  this is my first post, though have been lurking here for some time.

  maybe will share my story at some point...... i have been discussing the blood doctrine with a family member.

  we discussed the principle behind the law to abstain from blood was to recognise the sanctity of life and god as the life giver when a life was taken and should not apply to transfusions when no life is taken but aim is to preserve life.

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  pirata

  Welcome "Is This It'!

  Check out the post here. It has a good discussion of what the Bible Really Teaches in regards to the use of Blood.

  That post has well-reasoned, scripturally supported lines of reasoning. Here's my executive summary of the life vs. blood connection: Israelites could not eat blood from an animal whose life they took. They had to pour out the blood on the ground as atonment (to pay back for) the life they took. If an Israelite found an unbled animal already dead, he could eat it and be unclean for a day, or sell it to a foreigner to eat. The command to 'abstain from blood, and from things sacrificed to idols' given in the 1st C. was to promote peace between the Jews and Gentiles who had an issue over circumcision. The command to 'abstain from blood' must be understood in the context that the Jews understood the law. On this point alone we can see why there is no problem with accepting a blood transfusion: No life was lost to provide the blood for the transfusion, therefore it is not necessary to pour out the blood in atonement.

  There's also a really good post on freeminds that is very detailed and addresses the context under which 1st C. Christians refused to drink blood.
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  26

  Do you hide that you come here?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  pirata

  I don't come here. Only Pirata does.
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  17

  can a unmarried man be made an elder ?

  by looloo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my brother inlaw has been made a min servant age 21 and as yet has shown no interest in women !.

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  pirata

  I did hear rumours that these brothers had to promise not to marry for several years following their graduation I appreciate this may have been a rumour so will fully understand if anyone corrects me on this point.

  In the past it was expected that you'd remain single for a certain period of time. These days they are more lenient, you are allowed to have a girlfriend (but if I recall correctly not yet engaged) and you can attend the MTS.
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  12

  THE HORROR!

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been having fun this week with my yamaha motif es6 electronic keyboard.. i was just thinking what it must be like going back to a kingdom hall and this composition was inspired!.

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  http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1595587/barryesques/the%20horror%21.mp3.

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  pirata

  Composing and playing is for me what crossword puzzles or masturbation is for others!

  Must make it rather awkward to play in front of others!
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  68

  Would you be shattered if your mate had sex with someone else? Why?

  by goldensky in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  please don't say, "yes, for obvious reasons".. it's not obvious to me..

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  pirata

  Promises made. Promises broken. When you marry you vow to be loyal to one another. Most reasonably assume that by default, loyalty to a marriage mate includes sex. If that vow is broken, of course it will cause hurt feelings. If you feel otherwise, you better discuss it BEFORE making that vow to see if your partner would agree with that.
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  17

  can a unmarried man be made an elder ?

  by looloo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my brother inlaw has been made a min servant age 21 and as yet has shown no interest in women !.

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  pirata

  Yes. And they can give talks and advice about marriage and child-rearing too
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  69

  Why do you come here?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  pirata

  After the Society sent out the Kingdom Ministry reminder about not doing independent reasearch, I thought "what are they trying to hide?". If we really have the truth it can stand up to scrutiny and debate. I then decided I wanted to know both sides of each issue that I "believed" to either affirm or disprove those beliefs. Googling a few different subjects that I felt unsure about in my convictions led me to this site.

  After I while I discovered that the people that the WTS labels as "apostates" did not match the description at all. I have seen many kind, sincere, logical, intelligent, truth-seeking, conscientious people, who display these qualitied for no purpose other than we are all fellow human beings doing our best to make our way in this world.

  It is a breath of fresh air to be able to openly discuss issues without fear of being labelled a doubter or proud for using our reasoning abilities and examining the scriptures to see if what we are taught is really bible-based.
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  24

  Post an open statement to your old or current congregation

  by Billzfan23 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear congo,.

  i was df'ed for apostasy (brother-in-law caught me on this web site in march of 2007) and since my judicial committee in april of 2007 and subsequent divorce in october of 2007 i never looked back.

  3 years later, my son (12 years old) is completely out (has only attended the memorial since leaving), and my daughter (10) is fading as best she can.

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  pirata

  Dear Congregation,

  ...

  (I am sad that I cannot let you know my true thoughts and feelings for fear of having all that I care for ripped away from me )
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  69

  What advice would you give to your 20 year old self?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  pirata

  Don't get baptized to an organization

  Go to College/University and pursue your interests

  Learn critical thinking skills

  Volunteer and give back to your community in meaningful ways

  Form friendships with people of all types of backgrounds and beliefs

  Enjoy your life know while leaving a positive legacy for future generations
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  28

  Disfellowshipped People Are A Bad Lot

  by garyneal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a week prior to my wife being baptized she and i discussed the reasons why people are disfellowshipped.

  she says that people are disfellowshipped because they simply want to live their lives the way they want to and no longer submit to god's will.

  in other words, they want to do something that is immoral and goes against bible principles.

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  pirata

  people are disfellowshipped because they simply want to live their lives the way they want to and no longer submit to God's WTS' will.