Posts by not a captive

55

Does "God" Exist?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you believe in "god" at all?.

not a captive

Excuse me. My husband was born 77 years ago--that's modern times.

199

Are you an active Jw or an ex-jw?

by XPeterX in

active unbaptised publisher here.you?

(though i already know the answer for some people).

not a captive

I was officially X-ed by the elders sometime during these last 3 months. But in away I was gone over a year ago. I was baptized 21+ years ago. I am almost 58 years old.

55

Does "God" Exist?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you believe in "god" at all?.

not a captive

Can I quote you on that, upnorth? That's good.

40

Adherence to FALSE TEACHINGS required of Jehovah's people: Scottish Court Case transcripts confirm

by Terry in

in 1954 a controversial court case, douglas walsh vs. the right honorable james latham clyde, m.p.c.

was held in scotland to determine.

if jehovah's witnesses should be exempt from military service and granted status as "ordained ministers".. what is of outstanding interest is that testimony in this trial is extraordinarily revealing.

not a captive

And in line with the topic--

It is clear fthat neither Jesus and Paul would have cast out any person who had the good sense and Spirit not to follow a religion's variable opinions. If Paul treated the conscience and faith of his fellow believers so delicately then, why would it be different now?

40

Adherence to FALSE TEACHINGS required of Jehovah's people: Scottish Court Case transcripts confirm

by Terry in

in 1954 a controversial court case, douglas walsh vs. the right honorable james latham clyde, m.p.c.

was held in scotland to determine.

if jehovah's witnesses should be exempt from military service and granted status as "ordained ministers".. what is of outstanding interest is that testimony in this trial is extraordinarily revealing.

not a captive

Thank you debator for your civil discourse:

Yes actually I do think we are locked into gathering together as a religion or congregation. Otherwise you make the whole of the greek scriptures pointless and Jesus choosing oppostles who created the congregations and appointed elders, overseers, deacons etc for them. Paul's 25 books of instructions on how to guide and protect the flocks in all these congregations, is a waste of inspired words? If all you have to do is a give a nod to God and go on your way.

I deal with the scriptures even knowing that there is every reason to believe that they are not always God's word--they are sometimes a man's. Paul's books of instruction often note when he gives his opinion on a subject and God's word or spirit on it. This of course is the only way to accord with his remark at 2 Cor. 2:24: "Not that we are masters over your faith, but we are fellow workers for your joy, for it is by [your] faith that you are standing."

Throughout 1 Cor. 7 Paul gives counsel on matters between men and women. He is very careful to let the reader know that he often gives his opinion on a matter.

Verse 6 "However, I say this by way of concession, not by way of command."

Then at verse 10: "To the married people I give instructions, yet not I but the Lord, that a wife should not depart...."

And shortly after that at v. 12:"But to the others I say, yes, I, not the Lord..."

Verse 25 says"Now, concerning virgins I have no command from the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who had mercy shown to him by the Lord to be faithful."

At last verse 40 But she is happier if she remains as she is, according to my opinion. I certainly think I also have God's spirit."

Paul says at verses 17 and 25"as Jehovah has given each one a portion, let each one so walk as God has called him. And thus I ordain in all the congregations." "In whatever condition each one was called, brothers, let him remain in it associated with God."

The tenor of all Pauls work is never coersive. He fight s the battle for relief from circumcision and then by way of concession lowers the doubter's threshold amon the Jews by circumcising Timothy.

But Paul at 1 Cor. 1 makes a moving plea for unity among individual Christians and among congregations --not at all becoming doctrinaire--vv. 22,23 "For both the Jews ask for signs and the Greeks look for wisdom; but we preach Christ impaled, to the Jews a cause for stumbling but to the nations foolishness."

Every word of Jesus and the apostles describes the great and only evidence of the Holy Spirit's operation among the followers of Christ: their unity and love that is not born of Man. God is their father, Jesus is their brother. They will be a family. That is quite a bit more than a nod to God.

17

A Question.......

by palmtree67 in

.

evidently, according to the wts, the major way to reach people is by the printed page.. why didn't jesus write any books?.

.

not a captive

Yes, a book written by Jesus would have fared no better than the gospels do now. And then there would always be a scholar who could laugh at me just as they do now.

When Jesus said "I know my sheep and my sheep know me" I believe he knew exactly what would happen to us.

I also do not see any evidence that Holy Spirit was intended for groups and then that group told every one else what God wants. It is simply reasonable that this would not happen.

Just think: If there were a group of men and the spirit spoke to each of them, they would find themselves inagreement one way or another. So, if that is the case take it outside a board meeting and say the spirit acts on believers outside in the same way. Jesus really made it clear at Mark 9 that he didn't want believers to be "preventing" one another. He implies that we will be at peace with one another.

He also said, as wannabe mentions in his last thread, that "if anyone wants to do the will of God they will know if these teachings are true".

It seems to me that God is entirely adequate to unify us without the deadly effects of Orthodox Religion. The very fact that believers such as you and tec would willingly come together in Jesus' name says alot.

Just my thoughts.

159

Getting into Arguments with JW's...

by ForbiddenFruit in

i'm trying to fade away, but i sometimes find myself in discussions or arguments with jw family/friends/white haired virgin elders.

now, i usually have them beat on things but i'm not very experienced, so i was thinking if you guys could help me put together a list of completely unanswerable questions to pose to my jw friends/family/elders so they can stop bugging me.

if i keep asking them questions they simply cannot answer, then they might leave them alone.

not a captive

MadJ. Is the doctrine so important?

I mean this--Jesus said it is not the teaching in his name that gets the approval so much as hearing his sayings and doing them. Matthew 7

Is it a riddle? If it is, its answer must be in the love we have for one another.

Do you think Jesus inaugurated a new, true religion? Or was he born to bear witness to the Truth.

All these dates and numbers, all this messing in areas that have nothing to do with Jesus. Living exactly as Jesus taught is never out of date regardless of when the end comes.

4

Where is God's Organization now? Why?

by wannabe in

where is god's organization now?

" {john 7:15,16 nwt}.

but i have called you friends, because all the things i have heard from my father i have made known to you" {john 15:14,15 nwt}.

not a captive

Yes, Wannabe. No more Management

The WTBTS taught us that the only unity came through the Holy Spirit that only certain men will channel. They said It would become a "free-for-all" if they didn't manage God's Organization.

But Free for All was just what God wanted.

Thanks for putting this post together.

12

JW's and divorce

by man in black in

back in the early 80's i was dating a sister from the southern part of illinois, and i remember how many ladies were divorced.. fast forward to the current day,,,,,,,,.

i was trolling on facebook last night, and i hit the mother lode, one old friend (divorced) of mine has a son who still keeps in contact with most of these ladies that he grew up with.. and guess what ?.

most of them got married, had kids, and are now single.

not a captive

It is embittering to anyone who carefully follows a recipe, buys the ingredients and then can't eat the nasty results.

18

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES- HAVE The Truth, But They Can't TELL The Truth

by PublishingCult in

jw elder tells blatant lies on video cam in an impromptu interview at qualcom stadium yesterday during the lunch break at the dc.. .

not a captive

What a liar.