Posts by witnessofjesus

93

Undercover apostates...

by Maze in

i've observed some forum users here that claim to be active witnesses (even claims to be ministerial servants or elders) while duplicitously supporting apostates online.

my contention is this; why attend meetings and/or participate in the preaching activity when the second you divulge your apostate thinking into the congregation, you'll be disfellowshipped?

while this action taken may seem to be harsh, the outworking of events wouldn't be much different in one of christendom's churches.

I'm thankful for your 'apostates', youv'e kept me from making the mistake of becoming one of Jehovah's Witnesses, for I am not one of them, but am a Mormon, and I couldn't be happier. My church isn't perfect either, but at least we don't practice the art of shunning, and so families are not broken up should one choose to leave the LDS church for what they deem to be greener pastures. Let them go, we'll be hear waiting for them when they come back. To find out more about my faith, please visit http://www.mormon.org, or to visit local Church services to learn more, find the location nearest your home at http://www.lds.org

46

Pray for our Brothers in Japan

by doubtful in

this is my first post.

the first portion is my story, and toward the end, you will find the section pertinent to the title of this thread.

(starting with the portion in bold print).

witnessofjesus

Zero and others here who have left the baby and the bath water,

God is not just a myth, now you may reason Him so due to the abuse you've experienced at the hands of the WTS, and for that, it is sad. However, I wish to assure you that God does not hold your reactions against you, but He does exists, and you know that He does, but for now, you need a 'break' from the 'authority' and 'control' in your life, and for that I cannot blame you.

Whatever you do, do the best you can and do good to others, and make the best of your life AFTER the WTS. I know it can be painful, but always be assured of God's love for you, that He is not the monster that was painted out to you, nor does he force you to read magazines upon magazines to discover Who He is, and that in the coming days you will eventually meet with Him and He will teach you of His real ways, and that we shall all walk in His ways and be joyful and content therein, not as members of a religious sect, but as free agents under a loving God and Father of us all.

Don't give up hope, life is truly like a shining light that does indeed get brigther and brighter, just live it to the full and don't regret what you have lived, learn from it, and move on.

10

When Sects are Cults

by Lunatic Faith in

i know this is a long post and i'm sorry.

but this is a paper i wrote for my sociology final this term.

i was supposed to look at some aspect of my life sociologically.

witnessofjesus

I don't find that science or philosophy conflict with the Bible's treachings at all. I will say that the Witnesses have the 'basics' right, at least some of the basics right. I enjoy the study of science and philosophy and I'm hoping to complete my Master's degree in the next few years via an online University, found on the web at http://www.tuiu.edu

Yes, I've heard that elders and MS could be removed if they permitted their children to attend colleges and didn't have them 'under control', thus misusing the Scriptural qualification's in Timothy against these who didn't have in subjection their children. How sad, I hope this is not the case.

It is when the WTS attempts to control the lives of it's adherents is where I disagree with its methods and concepts, especially since they're so vague and always changing. In my opinion, a truth is a truth is a truth, newer 'light' doesn't replace older light or older truths, but only shines more brightly upon them making those older truths that much more understood and appreciated, not replacing them and doing the 'flip flop' technique that lots of policitians of today do.

Rest assured that God will hold accountable those at the WTS who are 'in charge' and that He will judge them righteously and mercifully, as they're just probably dupes of the same old system just like most of you were, or are, I'm sure most in today's GB were raised as JWs, and that most of them are 4th, 5th or even 6th generation JWs and so if they're doing evil, unknowingly, I do not believe God will hold that to their charge, but he will judge those and they will be dealt with both mercifully and to their everlasting benefit. Why the emphasis on the 'anointed' so much? Most of the other Bible student groups that broke off from the WTS in 1917 still exist, and most of them still use the books as published by C.T. Russell and most of them believe that the last of the 144,000 died back in the 1950s, and that since then, the Youthful Worthy class, another class they came up with from the Scriptures, is in charge now, and that these are almost dead as well, at which time, according to them the Consecrated Ephiphany Campers, another class they came up with from where I do not know, will take the lead amongst the Bible students association. They still have annual Conventions and International Conventions just like the JWs do, but they're not under any organizational authority to conform to such and such, and they celebrate Christmas, New years and all the so-called 'pagan' holidays and they salute the flag and serve in the military...they rest in the thougth that Jesus died for ALL MEN, including Adam and that this life is not the only chance one has at 'getting saved', but that that work is left for the Millenial Reign of Christ and His Church in the Kingdom that is coming. They set no dates, they don't go around door-to-door as much as the JWs do, but they do rejoice in the work that the JWs are doing, for at least the Kingdom good news is being preached they say, but that it's not their job to do it, that's why God is using the JWs to do it for them. You might be interested to read about them at http://www.biblestandard.com

Cheers,

Witness

46

Pray for our Brothers in Japan

by doubtful in

this is my first post.

the first portion is my story, and toward the end, you will find the section pertinent to the title of this thread.

(starting with the portion in bold print).

witnessofjesus

It's just sad to see someone bright as you throw out the baby, the Truth, with the bathwater, the BORG. Throw out the one and keep the other. You can love God apart from organized religion, millions are doing so now. The choice is yours, however.

10

When Sects are Cults

by Lunatic Faith in

i know this is a long post and i'm sorry.

but this is a paper i wrote for my sociology final this term.

i was supposed to look at some aspect of my life sociologically.

witnessofjesus

Yes, Faith, I really enjoyed your well prepared paper. It was, shall I say, refreshing? Yes, refreshing indeed! What school are you going to these days?

Also, I do have one question for those who are JW or are still 'in' thought really 'out', what is the WTS position on their members attending 'on-line' colleges and universities? If one were to attend these, there would be very limited 'association' with unbelievers, and would this be permissible vice the traditional schooling earlier generations had no choice but to attend and live on campus?

I'd be interested to know, or have they not addresses this issue yet?

44

What Was Meant By 'Abstain From Blood'?

by headisspinning in

i have always been very hardcore about my aversion to blood and have never even considered the possibility that this was merely a dietary restriction.

i always bought into the analogy of a doctor telling a patient to abstain from alcohol... it wouldn't matter whether this individual drank the alcohol or took it intravenously... it would all be in direct contradiction to the doctor's orders to 'abstain' from alcohol.. or the other analogy is to an apple pie... if you weren't to eat the pie, it would not be okay to separate it out into the main parts (or 'components)... ie.

the flour, the apples, the sugar or the cinnamon... if they were taken from that pie, you were eating the pie.. so maybe you can see where the questions popped up for me.

witnessofjesus

Yes, Heaven, there you go again throwing the baby out with the bath water, the Bible is pure and it's message perfect, it is the dirty waters of human tradition that have muddied it up for us all, so do yourself a favor and study it for yourself and interprete it for yourself.

28

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 03-13-2011 WT Study (MARRIAGE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 03-13-11 wt study (january 15, 2011, pages 13-17)(marriage).

respect marriage as.

21 marriage, of course, is not the only gift.

witnessofjesus

I don't think the Bible shows a lack of respect for women at all, in fact, the first eye witness of the Savior's resurrection was his mother, Mary, who had come to the tomb to tend to his decaying body, when he appeared to her, and said, 'touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my Father and to you father, to my God and to your God', so a woman, and not a man was the first eye witness of the resurrection, that's a show of great respect for women from the very Son of God Himself.

13

Perusing the free Watchtower i got yesterday

by AuntBee in

i said i had no cash on me, i wasn't lying.. in the article (3-1-11) entitled what is god's kingdom, there is a paragraph about christendom's confusing explanation of what the kingdom of god is.

the last 'confusing' explanation listed says, "the kingdom of god is righteousness and peace and joy from the holy spirit" as quoted from the catholic catechism.

it sounded familiar, and i found it in romans 14:17, "for the kingdom of god is not meat and drink; but righteousness, peace and joy in the holy ghost.

witnessofjesus

Yes, but this is cross referenced to the following scripture providing more explaination:

Romans 15:13

13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all (A) joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope (B) by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, the Kingdom of God is the hope of all Christians, and this hope, when it fills you will give you peace, joy and will cause you to live righteously so that you might one day inherit this Kingdom and this hope is instilled in you by the Holy Spirit, so in this way, the Kingdom of God is such things.

At least, this is how I understand this verse. The WTS understands that the Kingdom of God is a 'literal government' that will rule on earth and that will rule over this earth for a period for 1,000 years by Jesus Christ.

25

Up-to-date numbers of JWs and DF ones?

by Pams girl in

just curious if anyone has up to date numbers of worldwide active jws?

are there more that have left than are currently in?

they bang on about growth in numbers, but after reading the wtbs numbers heading towards 8 million, other threads have suggested its more like just over 7 million.. also being a newbie, and isolated due to illness, can anyone tell me about china and the work thats not happening.

witnessofjesus

To their credit, at least the WTS doesn't count those who are 'inactive' as members as the Mormons, my wife's church, has been doing for decades now. At least they're only counting those who are 'reporting' their monthly hours and their time in FS or DTD ministry. One could join the Mormon church tomorrow, and never return the following week and they would continue to count that one as a member and number them among their almost 14 million members worldwide, even if that person left the Mormon church to be come a JW, they would still be counted on the rolls of the Mormon faith to their advantage in the eyes of what they term 'investigators', in Mormonism, you're either an 'investigator' or a 'member', or in other words, a "Mormon" or a 'gentile'.

33

A long and unexpected JW encounter

by AuntBee in

hi guys!

i pull up to my daugher's home in phoenix this morning, just got there from tucson for a visit.

and lo and behold, 2 jw are walking up the driveway.

witnessofjesus

Why do you people GIVE UP on God when you leave the BORG? God exists, make no mistake about it. The basic tenets of the BORG, such as the existence of God and the truthfulness of the Bible and the truth about the soul, the afterlife and the hope of the Resurrection are all things that are true, and the Good News of the Kingdom is also a truth that they teach. Yes, they do have the 'organization' that has a checked past, present and future, by why throw out the truths that they do teach with the BORG that taught them?

Why do you become atheist just because one religious control group got the best of you? Is it because you feel used? Or abused? or just plain stupid? Please enlighten me on this point.