i seem to have the posting bug now that i've broken the ice:).
sigh, another sleepness night, racked (wracked??
) with guilt and anxiety.
MB,
I know how difficult it can be to get your mate yo read information about the Org....if they know it to be from Ex-JW's...hence apostate.
I had the same deal with my wife...but I found something that worked...books about JW's...by people who were never JW's
A couple of good authors that have more than one book on the subject are....Ron Rhodes and David Reed...check 'em out at an on-line bookstore...and see what ya think.
All the best to ya!
Pax,
joel
i recalled something said a while back by an elder during a service meeting a while back.
i beleive it was a local needs part on getting out in service.
basically what he said was this:.
larc,
The point you made about persecution of JW's being almost none existant...is well taken.
With now permitted alternative military service,jury duty,being able to vote,new medical policies...and so on...there is little opportunity for persecution.
I have a friend in France...where until recently all males served 2 years of their young lives in prison...for not being part of the military...but just in time for him...policy changed...and he was spared!
Such a deal!
Pax,
joel
i recalled something said a while back by an elder during a service meeting a while back.
i beleive it was a local needs part on getting out in service.
basically what he said was this:.
Persecution and the Growth thing...
were two things that were always brought up...to prove that the Org. was God's Org.
Well I could post alot of info about how other Christians are persecuted much more that Jdubs...
and if the stats be known...groups like Mormons...Muslims and others are growin' at a much faster rate than the JW's are.
So knowin' that when I was active...I would cringe when I heard these as proofs for JW's bein' God's one n only Org.
Pax,
joel
whassup guys.
i've spent most of my web time over the last 2 years at another site full of ex-jdubs...i'd say about 50 people post there on occasion...many of that number regularly.. what struck me from the beginning, as i got to know the people posting there was...how many were now atheists...non-believers in god...the bible...pretty much anything they once held sacred as jw's!.
i dare say...90 some % do not consider themselves christian now!.
Larc n others,
Larc wanted me to further expose what I personally believe in this area. Happy to do so...and I'm sure in future responses, I will the opportunity to elaborate on some point.
The Existance of God................I have always had a strong consciousness of my spiritual side...through my conscience and creation speaking to me that it so and manifested in the desire to pray to a Supreme Being.
That being the case...I have studied the subject of the existance of God and how people manifest that in their lives...as a matter of need and interest to me.
This Spiritual side of me...is as real to me...as any part of my physical body.
So who/what was to be the object of my willingness to worship something bigger than myself??
I was lead to the God of the Bible!
So why the God of the Bible??
1. Prophecy--Hundreds of prophecies fulfilled...the skeptic says..."but they were written after the fact." With the Dead Sea Scrolls and other evidence...I believe not. I see a much heaver weight for...rather than against Bibical Prophecy.
2. Science--The Bible makes alot of statements as fact about things that were either not known or were in question at the time written. The skeptic has been doing some serious fault finding on this subject since the Bible was written..and the result!...well I again see the evidence as weighter in favor of the Bible.
3. Miracles--The Bible is full of them...the only way they can be discounted is to deny eyewitness accounts that they happened...sometimes by hundreds of people...did contemporary secular writters of the time presents evidence to discredit those eyewitnesses??...The record is very much lacking that they felt a need to do so.
4. Harmony--you got a Book...written over thousands of years...by many different writters...that has been picked apart by skeptics for hundreds of years...and what do we have...points made...some good points!...but again I see...after all that has been said...the Bible remarkably harmonious!
Hope that helps!
Pax,
joel
if this topic has been addressed already...sorry...just ignore it.... if not...i would like to hear from those who would defend this policy....or who see the inconsistencies in the views on blood but the wtbts.. .
the following is something i read on at another site.
there is no question that the watchtower's blood policy needlessly kills jw children.
Thanx Simon...
for bein' one more who reminds us of texual context...and then bein' a voice of reason after that is takin' into account...
I'm confident that this view will win out...even among the members of the GB!
Pax,
joel
whassup guys.
i've spent most of my web time over the last 2 years at another site full of ex-jdubs...i'd say about 50 people post there on occasion...many of that number regularly.. what struck me from the beginning, as i got to know the people posting there was...how many were now atheists...non-believers in god...the bible...pretty much anything they once held sacred as jw's!.
i dare say...90 some % do not consider themselves christian now!.
Hey Scorpion,
I meant to leave this topic open..for you guys to tell me where ya are now...if your not a Christian but believe in God in some other fashion...OK...if you would care to elaborate...better
The question is open guys...you say what ya please as to where ya are now! Not tryin' to put words in your mouth!
As far as where the term Christain came from...well...that's what people started callin' the believers in Jesus...according to Acts:11:26.
It's cool? ...eh Scorpion!
Pax,
joel
whassup guys.
i've spent most of my web time over the last 2 years at another site full of ex-jdubs...i'd say about 50 people post there on occasion...many of that number regularly.. what struck me from the beginning, as i got to know the people posting there was...how many were now atheists...non-believers in god...the bible...pretty much anything they once held sacred as jw's!.
i dare say...90 some % do not consider themselves christian now!.
Whassup guys
I've spent most of my web time over the last 2 years at another site full of Ex-jdubs...I'd say about 50 people post there on occasion...many of that number regularly.
What struck me from the beginning, as I got to know the people posting there was...how many were now atheists...non-believers in God...the Bible...pretty much anything they once held sacred as JW's!
I dare say...90 some % do not consider themselves Christian now!
I'm curious about the make up of the board...
How many here still consider themselves believers/Christians?
May I start by sayin'.....I do!
Thanx
Pax,
joel
if this topic has been addressed already...sorry...just ignore it.... if not...i would like to hear from those who would defend this policy....or who see the inconsistencies in the views on blood but the wtbts.. .
the following is something i read on at another site.
there is no question that the watchtower's blood policy needlessly kills jw children.
After reading the posts....here are further thoughts on the ABSTAINING from blood and why.
The use of blood was common among the gentiles...these idolaters drank it often at their sacrifices,in making covenants or compacts.
Also there is perhaps no food more unwholesome than blood...clean people naturally should revolt from it as an aricle of food.
And yes...biblically...life is represented in the blood...proper use is to be expected...respect should be shown...but not at the cost of life itself.
Good points on both sides guys...but if there is the slightest doubt...lets side for life...the life God gave all..only to be taken by Him.
Pax,
joel
the subject of 'new light' holds some fascination for me.
and i have sought a wide spectrum of views to really understand the concept.
proverbs (4:18, i think) says the path of the righteous on gets lighter and lighter; pastor russel (or some very old literature)reaffirmed this inspired thought by stating that 'new light' never contradicts 'old light', only that it makes things clearer.
Just wanted to put in my 2 cents to reafirm some thoughts that were made.
If you view the text the way the WBTS wants you to, then what should be the case is...
---That new light should never replace old light...but should only be adding to it.
But if you view the text in context... ---it is speaking about an INDIVIDUALS enlightening walk with God...as they mature in knowledge and act upon that.....or not...as the following text states.
Good responses guys!
Pax,
joel
i recalled something said a while back by an elder during a service meeting a while back.
i beleive it was a local needs part on getting out in service.
basically what he said was this:.
Hi MoodyBlue...good post!
Brought back memories...readin' some of those platform quotes.
Heres' one that always would bug me...you know the "five-fingers" needed to get into the kingdom.
"There are 5 meetings...like our 5 fingers holding on to God's Kingdom...if you don't go to one of the meetings(like bookstudy)...it's like tryin' to hold on to the Kingdom with just 4 fingers"...and so on it went depending on how many meetings you missed.
Funny thing is...the Christians in Acts...only met together once a week...on the first day of the week(Sunday).
Oh well!!
Thanx again
Pax(Peace),
joel
