respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  39

  What does your avatar/screen name mean?

  by Christ Alone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some avatars and screen names are pretty self explanatory, but some...i can't figure out.

  i just wanted to know why you chose your particular screen name and/or avatar.

  mine is easy enough.

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  respectful_observer

  I chose mine to represent what I try to do in this forum. I always try to be respectful and report on what I observe. I try to write all my posts in a way that are intellectually honest, but never contain anything that could be pointed to as proof that I don't agree with the WTS.

  Before I hit "submit", I always think...."if someone ever got suspicious of my real identity, printed out every single one of my posts and handed them to the elders, is there anything in that pile that would constitute 'proof positive' apostacy?" So far, I'm fairly confident the answer to that would be "no".

  R_O
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  9

  Any restrictions, reproof, marking, etc means you can't do anything, except get more recruits

  by MC RubberMallet in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i hated that, no matter what restrictions, you still have to preach, the very thing witnesses hate..

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  respectful_observer

  I always found it illogical that ANY person can walk into a meeting off the street, raise their hand and comment -- it doesn't matter if it's a woman in pants, a heavy smoker, etc....their lifestyle does not need to be in keeping with the rules, but in order to preach door-to-door you need to qualify by proving that you're living your life according to Bible standards.

  Fast forward to after you're baptized....if you violate Bible standards, you're suddenly no longer "qualified" to share spiritual comments with others at the meetings, yet 20 minutes after the meeting ends you're suddenly qualified enough to go out and share spiritual comments with your neighbors....
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  9

  Andre had the full service meeting this week

  by BroMac in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we all wonder who he is, but he had the full 30min service meeting this week... there were some predictably shocking comments from the congregation, all based around how you cannot possibly give your best to jehovah while coach is screaming for your best, cue scripture: "cannot serve two masters".. of course nobody says that it's just a made up story, nope, guilt the kids out of their dreams why dont ya.

  meet andre!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=waioj24dvbm.

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  respectful_observer

  I'd actually never seen these videos before (thankfully). Two things made me laugh, only because they just reinforce the stereotypes:

  1. The window washer in the opening scene.

  2. The unspiritual dad (of course because he has facial hair) is especially a bad influence because....*gasp*....he has a white collar desk job!!! Every single time the WTS illustrates someone putting work before spiritual things, it's almost always a picture of someone in a white collar job (yeah, the kind of job you probably had to go to college for).
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  42

  email from father in law

  by outsmartthesystem in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been a little busy recently.

  but in accordance with some of you (and against the advice of many of you)....i did send my 607 research to my fil.

  his response is below.

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  respectful_observer

  It's long out of print, but you should be able to find printed copies for sale online. Here are two I found afte a quick check:

  http://www.ebay.com/itm/1979-1st-Ed-COMMENTARY-on-the-Letter-of-JAMES-near-mint-Watchtower-Jehovah-/120986400804?pt=Antiquarian_Collectible&hash=item1c2b59f824

  http://www.amazon.com/Commentary-Letter-James-watchtower-bible/dp/B000I16AW8/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1348149075&sr=8-3&keywords=commentary+on+the+letter+of+james

  I'm guessing it's still part of the WT Library CD-ROM as well, but I'm really not sure.
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  42

  email from father in law

  by outsmartthesystem in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been a little busy recently.

  but in accordance with some of you (and against the advice of many of you)....i did send my 607 research to my fil.

  his response is below.

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  respectful_observer

  If he's encouraging you to read the James, you could always tell him that you did and that you also read it alongside the WTS-published "Commentary on the Letter of James" (written by Ray Franz edit: Ed Dunlap if the rumors are true I think), and that you found both the bible verses and the Commentary very refreshing and reassuring of your beliefs.

  I'm not sure what he could say against that approach. If he points out the authorship of the book, you could ask why God would allow it to be written, reviewed, and published as "truth". If he doesn't, you could ask him that question afterward.
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  58

  Rumor Elders Will Receive Name Badges For Every Meeting.

  by HelpMeBelieve in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i keep hearing rumors elders are going to be getting permanent badge cards to wear to every meeting.

  one excited brother told me, "it would be nice if new ones to the kingdom hall could see who their shepherds are.

  there is a great surge in activity, new bible students will be able to locate the proper elder in charge of bible studies!

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  respectful_observer

  OODAD, that was me at a drama rehersal a few years ago.

  Just kidding! Good old Google image search. I had to laugh when I saw this because most of the pics were of men with beards, so I was thinking "oh, I'll have to make some comment like, '...except the beard of course.' So when I saw this one I couldn't resist!
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  58

  Rumor Elders Will Receive Name Badges For Every Meeting.

  by HelpMeBelieve in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i keep hearing rumors elders are going to be getting permanent badge cards to wear to every meeting.

  one excited brother told me, "it would be nice if new ones to the kingdom hall could see who their shepherds are.

  there is a great surge in activity, new bible students will be able to locate the proper elder in charge of bible studies!

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  respectful_observer

  I’m skeptical that this rumor is true, especially given the claims by the WTS that elder have no special “garb”—unlike Christendom. The speculation is fun though….

  I can imagine it now. First the elders will get them, accompanied by a QFR which will outline the original Greek or Hebrew meaning of the word “garb” and how it specifically excludes name plates and any other non-clothing accessory. The it will cite the example of our convention badges, and how they serve as a witness.

  Once they roll out badges for elders, then they can roll out separate badges for MS, auxiliary pioneer, regular pioneer, special pioneer, missionary, CO, DO, ZO, GB, etc., etc….the higher up you go, the more badges you get to wear!

  As slimboyfat alluded to, soon you’ll go to the convention or Bethel and see people walking around with their chests covered in tags:

  
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  23

  Latest news on the new JW.org

  by rip van winkle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  up and running for 1 week.

  started with 139 languages.

  currently 155 languages.

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  respectful_observer

  On Sunday the site received 500,00 unique visits.

  Most of those visits were probably people who showed up late for the meeting, realized they forgot their Watchtower, so had to download it to their phone or iPad! Of course, that would mean they hadn't studied in advance!!
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  30

  Watchtower actually right about something!

  by Nambo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  copied from an article today in "the republic" of indiana which confirms what the org had written in their blood booklet.. .

  posted purely for your interest.. .

  doctors find patients do better without blood transfusionsrob wennemer - pittsburgh post-gazette august 29, 2012 - 7:50 am edtaaaa recent study suggests that jehovah's witnesses are on to something.

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  respectful_observer

  J V2:

  "I think doctors see blood as necessary only in cases of severe blood loss like gunshots, car accidents and decapitations."

  .........................

  JV2, thanks for the chuckle...it's been a long day. I'm guessing you meant amputations because I'm guessing no matter how many pints of blood they transfused, it's not going to help if you've been decapitated!
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  64

  Heading soccer balls, wearing designer clothes, and driving hybrid vehicles - all condemned in the latest Awake

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for those who are interested, the november 2012 awake!

  is now available for download online.. among items of possible interest are some of the latest examples of fear-mongering "armageddon art" on pages 12 and 14.... .

  speaking of armageddon, you will be sad to hear that the criteria for surviving the great day of god's wrath just got a little more stringent.. there are a number of extra things in this month's awake!

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  respectful_observer

  The issue of hybrid cars and pedestrian safety has actually been in the news for a while now. Many major cities now mandate that all the licensed taxis be hybrids. With the increase in hybrids in cities (which by their nature have many more pedestrians), has come an increase in accidents-- especially incidences of blind pedestrians being struck. They tend to rely on listening for oncoming cars, so between the quietness of a hybrid and the background noise of the city, quite a few have been hit.

  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21112810/ns/business-autos/t/blind-people-say-hybrid-cars-pose-safety-risk/

  I've even seen close calls in parking lots where the pedestrian doesn't realize a car is even running (because the hybrid is sitting there silently), happens to walk behind it and suddenly the driver starts backing up.