I hear quite a bit of criticism about Jehovah's Witnesses enforcing 1 Corinthians 5:9-13. While Jehovah's Witnesses have a formal system of maintaining the organization's core values; egocentric, self-worshiping secularists have an informal system of rejecting those of whom they have nothing in common with.
http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-32-390-Religion.aspx
Most major religions have believed in the existence of a supernatural realm, a realm beyond the natural world of physical objects and bodies governed by causal laws, the world we perceive with our senses and can study by rational methods. Some religions posit a personal god (or gods); others believe in impersonal supernatural forces. (See George Walsh, The Role of Religion in History, chapter 1.) Objectivism rejects any notion of the supernatural as incompatible with the objectivity and regularity of nature as identified by reason. There is no credible evidence of miracles, magic, or other supernatural phenomena in nature.
The dominant forms of religion in our culture posit a personal god, a Supreme Being, who created the world, is omnipotent and omniscient, imposes moral duties on man, and expects worship. Those who accept this idea have the burden of showing why such a hypothesis is necessary. In this regard, Objectivists are atheists because the arguments for the existence of such a being are not sound. Objectivists reject the existence of God for the same reason they reject the existence of elves, leprechauns, and unicorns: because there is no credible evidence of such beings.
http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-32-541-FAQ_Objectivism_Family.aspx
Objectivism holds that the fundamental standard for all relationships is the trader principle. This principle holds that we should interact with people on the basis of the values we can trade with them - values of all sorts, including common interests in art, sports or music, similar philosophical outlooks, political beliefs, sense of life, and more. Trade, in this broad sense, is the only proper basis of any relationship—including relationships with members of our families.
Many people are indoctrinated with the belief that we must automatically love family members simply because they are family. This is the view expressed in bromides like "They're still family" or "Blood is thicker than water." This view is not compatible with the trader principle, since we may not gain any values from certain family members, and hence may not love—or even like—them.
There is a distinction between the family that we are born into and have no choice about—parents, siblings, relatives—and the family we can choose for ourselves—a spouse. Since the former relationships are unchosen, it would be a rare coincidence if we could truly love each member of our family for who they are. The likelihood of being born surrounded entirely by people with whom we share core values is not very high. Affection for our family members would be a genuine reflection of shared values only if we could imagine feeling this affection even if they weren't family.
------------------------------
I've known many who are rejected by certain family members after becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Religion and politics are very divisive. Considering the fact that you can get reinstated, the formal system seems better than informally cutting someone off. This “informality” doesn't allow for any dependable way to be reunited with friends or family.
alice.in.wonderland
JoinedPosts by alice.in.wonderland
-
156
Worldly Shunning
by alice.in.wonderland ini hear quite a bit of criticism about jehovah's witnesses enforcing 1 corinthians 5:9-13. while jehovah's witnesses have a formal system of maintaining the organization's core values; egocentric, self-worshiping secularists have an informal system of rejecting those of whom they have nothing in common with.
http://www.objectivistcenter.org/cth-32-390-religion.aspx.
most major religions have believed in the existence of a supernatural realm, a realm beyond the natural world of physical objects and bodies governed by causal laws, the world we perceive with our senses and can study by rational methods.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
-
4
Rutherford and Russel were SPIN DOCTORS?!
by confliction inin public relations, spin is a form of propaganda, achieved through providing an interpretation of an event or campaign to persuade public opinion in favor or against a certain organization or public figure.
while traditional public relations may also rely on creative presentation of the facts, "spin" often, though not always, implies disingenuous, deceptive and/or highly manipulative tactics.[1].
politicians are often accused by their opponents of claiming to be honest and seek the truth while using spin tactics to manipulate public opinion.. because of the frequent association between "spin" and press conferences (especially government press conferences), the room in which these take place is sometimes described as a spin room.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
Bill, you didn't give a reason why they were spin doctors, you just said they were.
-
22
Neither the Bible or Dictionary support the new light on the Generation
by wasblind inaccording to the governing body, the anointed who were on hand in 1914 will overlap the lives of todays anointed.
these two groups make up one generation.. "bull".
the bible supports the dictionaries definition of generation, matthew 1:1-17 shows abraham, isaac and jacob as three separate generations, verse 17 says: "all the generations, then, from abraham until david were fourteen generations.. the dictionaries definition say: all people born around the same time; a single stage in the descent of a family or group.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
Google “overlapping generations.” There are various usages of this. All I see is they made reference to overlapping generations and contemporaries bearing witness to different events. Unless the last days lasted no longer than 70 or 80 years, there could not be one generation. People mock new teachings even though only the test of time can define some of these concepts. Did the April 15th, 2010 issue of The Watchtower say it replaced generation as a concept that refers to attributes of someone's personality as explained in the of November 1, 1995 issue of the Watchtower or Philippians 2:14-16?
Keep doing all things free from murmurings and arguments, that you may come to be blameless and innocent, children of God without a blemish in among a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world, keeping a tight grip on the word of life, that I may have cause for exultation in Christ’s day, that I did not run in vain or work hard in vain. Philippians 2:14-16"Crooked and twisted generation" doesn't apply to you if you are not crooked and twisted, even if you were born at the same time.
-
22
Neither the Bible or Dictionary support the new light on the Generation
by wasblind inaccording to the governing body, the anointed who were on hand in 1914 will overlap the lives of todays anointed.
these two groups make up one generation.. "bull".
the bible supports the dictionaries definition of generation, matthew 1:1-17 shows abraham, isaac and jacob as three separate generations, verse 17 says: "all the generations, then, from abraham until david were fourteen generations.. the dictionaries definition say: all people born around the same time; a single stage in the descent of a family or group.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
Considering the reasoning here, the term generation would have to be rounded off to the nearest second to constitute the same generation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_X
Generation X, commonly abbreviated to Gen X, is the generation born after the baby boom ended, ranging from 1961 to 1981.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Y
Generation Y, also known as the Millennial Generation, describes the demographic cohort following Generation X. Its members are often referred to as Millennials or Echo Boomers. As there are no precise dates for when the Millennial generation starts and ends, commentators have used birth dates ranging somewhere from the mid 1970s to the early 2000s.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Z
Generation Z is one of the names used for the First World or Western generation of people born between the mid-1990s and the late 2000s. Relatively little is firmly established about its composition, character, and even name.
It should be obvious that Matthew 24:34 was for the purpose of bearing witness to events as history can be altered if there are no living witnesses.
http://www.ushmm.org/wlc/en/article.php?ModuleId=10007273
Combating Holocaust Denial: Origins of Holocaust Denial -
49
Atheists - how do you feel about magic / demonism?
by EndofMysteries incurious, as ones not believing in any spirit creatures, would you feel completely at ease performing a summon demon ritual, or using ancient magic words, that absolutely nothing would happen?
or deep down would you have a 'what if' restraint preventing you?
.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
This is interesting. I asked the exact same question sometime back.
Atheists and the Occult
Occultism is the study of occult or hidden wisdom. To the occultist it is the study of "Truth", a deeper truth that exists beneath the surface: 'The truth is always hidden in plain sight'. It can involve such subjects as magic (alternatively spelled and defined as magick), alchemy, extra-sensory perception, astrology, spiritualism and numerology. There is often a strong religious element to these studies and beliefs, and many occultists profess adherence to religions such as Gnosticism, Hermeticism, Luciferianism, Thelema, and Neopaganism.
I rarely hear atheists talk about the occult. I have a family member that’s agnostic. He told me he didn’t like occult paraphernalia.
The question is what do atheists think about the occult? For example, would you buy your children a Harry Potter gift set complete with an Ouija board, tarot cards, runes, a crystal ball, a miniature alchemist laboratory and books on witchcraft and divination? -
88
The next dub that says "the light's getting brighter" to me...
by undercover in...is going to get his punched out.
yes, friends, this is another thread about the latest generation teaching.
so, if you're sick to death of it, leave now, save yourselves.... anyhoo... as the wts has now unleashed on the world the true explanation of generation and what it means for those of us in this time of the end, dubs who accept without question this teaching are 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the new explanation 'makes so much sense now'.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
g93 3/22 pp. 3-4 Why So Many False Alarms?
There are some who make spectacular predictions of the world’s end to grab attention and a following, but others are sincerely convinced that their proclamations are true. They are voicing expectations based on their own interpretation of some scripture text or physical event. They do not claim that their predictions are direct revelations from Jehovah and that in this sense they are prophesying in Jehovah’s name. Hence, in such cases, when their words do not come true, they should not be viewed as false prophets such as those warned against at Deuteronomy 18:20-22. In their human fallibility, they misinterpreted matters.
False prophets have made spectacular predictions of the world’s end to grab attention. There is a difference:http://www.cuttingedge.org/ce1011.html
After the Thule Society selected Adolf Hitler to be their leader of the New World Order, they faced the problem of practical implementation of this goal. They realized that their plans for world domination required control of military power of Germany; however, the military is controlled by those holding political power, and Germany was a democracy. Therefore, the Thule Society created the Nazi Party. The Guiding Spirits of the Thule Society became the Guiding Spirits of the Nazi Party. In only 10 tumultuous years, Hitler gained high political office, from which he catapulted himself into the position of absolute dictator in 1933. In 1938, Hitler began the Final Solution of the Jewish problem by initiating the Holocaust. In 1939, Hitler initiated World War II, which lasted until Mid-1945. As I read the results, remember James' words, "Then the evil desire, when it has conceived, gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is fully matured, brings forth death." By 1945, the occultic sin conceived by the Thule Society had come to full completion. These are the results: (Source is The Webster Family Encyclopedia, Volume 19, 1984, p. 492-3)
One of the most basic plans after the New World Order is established is to reduce the world's population from its present 6 billion to 2 billion by the year 2,000 (Constance Cumbey, Hidden Dangers of the Rainbow). Thus, birth control and abortion were early identified as necessary to begin reducing population. Our current emphasis on man's devastating effects upon the earth and upon Global Warming and pollution are designed to convince people that only united, drastic action from the United Nations can save this planet from collapse.
However, the year 2,000 is only a few short years away. How can this drastic reduction be achieved within this short time frame? The basic answer is war.
Bailey, in her book, The Externalisation of the Hierarchy, p. 548, states that the atomic bomb will be turned over to the One-World Government and will be used against any nation who refuses to go along with the New World Order.
Bill Cooper, in his book, Behold A Pale Horse, quotes a document from the Bilderberg Secret Society, which is an offshoot of Skull and Bones. "Since most of the general public will not exercise [economic] restraint...[we must] take control of the world by the use of economic silent weapons in a form of quiet warfare and reduce [the dangerous levels of consumption] of the world to a safe level by a process of benevolent slavery and genocide." (p. 49). How could anyone ever think of slavery and genocide as being benevolent? This was the precise thinking of Hitler as he was planning his New World Order. He was going to rid the world of all the undesirables by benevolent warfare. We reviewed the horrible results in the beginning of the program; however, these figures pale in comparison with the deaths of 4 billion people.
At this point, you may protest that the drive to the New World Order is being achieved peacefully. This is true, and when it is fully achieved will fulfill Biblical prophecy which states "When people are saying 'All is well and secure' and 'There is peace and safety', then in a moment, unforeseen destruction, ruin and death shall come upon them and no one shall escape." (1 Thess 5:3).-------------------------------------------
This is the year 2010 and we are all here in spite of the eccentric predictions of false prophets. -
88
The next dub that says "the light's getting brighter" to me...
by undercover in...is going to get his punched out.
yes, friends, this is another thread about the latest generation teaching.
so, if you're sick to death of it, leave now, save yourselves.... anyhoo... as the wts has now unleashed on the world the true explanation of generation and what it means for those of us in this time of the end, dubs who accept without question this teaching are 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the new explanation 'makes so much sense now'.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
"Alice dear...
How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?
What color does the Invisible Pink Unicorn paint her royal hooves?
I don't know about you, but I can't digest the Flying Spaghetti Monster..."
agonus, These are questions that are likewise applicable to Mary, as she has yet to admit whether the Bible is the word of God or the word of man. Until further notice, some ex-Jehovah's Witnesses I've come across here, are the most duplicitous characters....hiding their religious beliefs is a given. An exposé would reveal the lowest form of hypocrisy.
-
88
The next dub that says "the light's getting brighter" to me...
by undercover in...is going to get his punched out.
yes, friends, this is another thread about the latest generation teaching.
so, if you're sick to death of it, leave now, save yourselves.... anyhoo... as the wts has now unleashed on the world the true explanation of generation and what it means for those of us in this time of the end, dubs who accept without question this teaching are 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the new explanation 'makes so much sense now'.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
"..... and that has something to do with the WTs light getting brighter???????"
NO .....and neither does the cartoon image I responded to have anything to do with the WTS light getting brighter.
-
88
The next dub that says "the light's getting brighter" to me...
by undercover in...is going to get his punched out.
yes, friends, this is another thread about the latest generation teaching.
so, if you're sick to death of it, leave now, save yourselves.... anyhoo... as the wts has now unleashed on the world the true explanation of generation and what it means for those of us in this time of the end, dubs who accept without question this teaching are 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the new explanation 'makes so much sense now'.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
Gerard, you believe I'm in wonderland? Google “Salem witch trials.”
The Puritans believed in the existence of an invisible world inhabited by God and the angels including the Devil (who was seen as a fallen angel) and his fellow demons. To Puritans, this invisible world was as real as the visible one around them. Real or unreal, they were fanatical and went to violent extremes. They were "sincere" but not wise or practical:
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20021015/article_02.htm
Belief that people could be possessed by the Devil or his demons soon gave rise to a collective paranoia—a hysterical fear of sorcery and witchcraft. From the 13th to the 17th century, fear of witches swept across Europe and reached North America with the European colonists. Even the Protestant reformers Martin Luther and John Calvin approved of witch-hunts. In Europe witch trials based on mere rumor or malicious denunciations were conducted by both the Inquisition and secular courts. Torture was commonly used to extort confessions of "guilt."
Those found guilty could be sentenced to death either by burning or, in England and Scotland, by hanging. As to the number of victims, The World Book Encyclopedia states: "From 1484 to 1782, according to some historians, the Christian church put to death about 300,000 women for witchcraft." If Satan was behind this medieval tragedy, who were his instruments—the victims or their fanatic religious persecutors?Would you elect these European colonists as your local representative?
-
88
The next dub that says "the light's getting brighter" to me...
by undercover in...is going to get his punched out.
yes, friends, this is another thread about the latest generation teaching.
so, if you're sick to death of it, leave now, save yourselves.... anyhoo... as the wts has now unleashed on the world the true explanation of generation and what it means for those of us in this time of the end, dubs who accept without question this teaching are 'oohing' and 'ahhing' as the new explanation 'makes so much sense now'.
-
-
alice.in.wonderland
"...sincerity alone does not purify someone of wrong teachings..."---- Awake! February 2006 p. 13
g 2/06 p. 13 Pilgrims and Puritans—Who Were They?
The Puritans were often hardworking, courageous, and devoted to their religion. People still speak of “Puritan character” and “Puritan honesty.” But sincerity alone does not purify someone of wrong teachings. The mixing of politics and religion is something that Jesus Christ avoided. (John 6:15; 18:36) And brutality is a contradiction of this vital truth: “He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love.”—1 John 4:8.
Nice quote mining. From the context of the Awake! article you cited the context should make it obvious that some believe they're sincere when they are really not and a heart of wisdom is instrumental to unlocking Bible truths.