High school algebra was ok, once you realized that whatever you do to one side of the equation, you must do to the other. Hated the word problems though. But loved geometry. Got 97% on my high school final. We had an excellent teacher, Dr. Saul, who would painstakingly make sure everyone understood the proofs for the propositions before he went on. Great teacher model.
Vanderhoven7
JoinedPosts by Vanderhoven7
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My first book: "APOSTATE – WHY I LEFT THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES"
by Antonio_Madaleno inmy first book: "apostate – why i left the jehovah's witnesses".
it will be release on march in portugal by penguin random house.. .
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Vanderhoven7
Congratulations Antonio! May you book sales top the charts in Portugal and help many to learn TTATT.
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IMPERFECTION (Lesson learned)
by Terry inimperfection______________my favorite teacher (grade 9);mr. mcgilvray.he had a way.
charm, humor, intelligence, and irreverence.i loved the man.he'd teach a quick lesson that would linger in the mind for a long, long time.
even as long as...well....now.. allow me to tell you about it...______.
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Vanderhoven7
Cool stories.
Mine is the opposite of cool.
My math teacher in grade 8 was a young Jewish guy with a swagger (bravado). He demanded silence.Sadly for him, I was a bit of a troublemaker. After repeated efforts to shut me up, he shouted, "Van, Stand up!". He swaggered over to me and announced, "Van, I don't have to send you to the office!" and with his fist 5 inches from my face, he warned, "Instead, I'll take you in the hall and give you a knuckle sandwich!" Now I'm sure he was no more than 5'2'' in his stocking feet...and I just couldn't help myself from bursting out laughing. At that point he shouted, "Van, get to the office!!!" Unfortunately, laughter is contagious. I left the room in stitches, not only because he just contradicted himself, but also because the whole class was laughing as well.
Fast forward about 7 years. I quit high-school at 15, worked for a few years; became a Christian at 17 and took courses at night. At 20, I went back to high-school as a full time student to complete my last year. When I entered the science lab for the first time...there was my older (not wiser) nemesis, Mr. Shadowitz sitting at his desk looking down at the class list. He began to read the names on the list...and as he read mine, he looked up and shouted, "Van...Oh No!" It's OK Sir, I responded, "I've changed." "Oh thank God, he sighed. He then began teaching us from his notes. Actually every class was the same; he read to us from his notes...occasionally looking up from them to see if we were all listening. We were; we were all bored speechless.
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Name Thelogy explained by real bible scholar
by Steel inhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fuf_6bp-cke&t=205s.
its only 5 mins and kind of a eureka moment for me.
its actually pretty funny once you think about it.
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Vanderhoven7
This "real" scholar has obviously reduced Jesus' declaration of the divine name. Here is what he really preached on just about every occasion.
You people do not know my Father's name...so I am going to reveal it to you now and every chance I get because I know how forgetful people can be. Here it is. My Father's name is Jehovah. Now you know. Don't ever say that I didn't tell you so. You can call him Yahweh too. You can even say his name is Yohavo if you wish. It really doesn't matter as long as you call him something. One day my Father will find a group to retore the pronounciation and use of this name so that people can repeat it over and over in every sermon and magazine they produce to prove that they are the only ones who know God. I mean how can you know God if you don't even know his first name.
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"MUST" Release such Guilty Members to Punishment!
by Atlantis in"must" release such guilty members to punishment .
watchtower 1962, november 15th, pg.-693, par.-9-10.
“9 worldly authorities render a judgment and punish persons, whether they are inside the congregation or outside, if they violate the laws of decency and good order.
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Vanderhoven7
This thread is a keeper
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Engaged and having a baby, I’m not JW fiancé is
by Viarayne ini’m not interested in becoming a jehovah’s witness but have nothing against people who are, or whatever religion someone chooses to follow for that matter.
i am here because i have some questions regarding my family and i. .
my fiancé stopped going to church prior to us meeting.
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Vanderhoven7
Now that you are pregnant you are in a double bind. If you marry, he will have just as much right to influence his child as you do...and you will become the worldly one scheduled for destruction at Armageddon. If you don't marry him and he has partial custody he will have the same influence and the result will be the same.
In other words it's a lose lose situation. Your only hope is if he comes to the realization that his religion is a dangerous cult. If you both are willing to commit to researching the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses together via the net and other sources...you may break out of your double bind.
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Just one foot in...
by Jofi_Wofo in...with one foot out.. *deep breath*.
from day one, i've felt like i was one foot out of this religion, but it took me until over a decade to reach the point where i am ready to move on.
i'm a newly registered user to this site.
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Vanderhoven7
Sorry to hear about your dilemma Jofi. If I were you I would wait till the move before sharing your skepticism with your wife. I would make the most of fieldservice as well...sharing your faith, I.e. what you still do believe, not what you don't. I would also use your time prior to the move to figure out how you will break the news to your wife in as gentle a way as possible. And if you still believe in God, I would ask Him to lead you and your wife in your new situation.
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Proof for 1914
by Vanderhoven7 ini'm not sure who wrote the following article, but it bears repeating: (please take the credit if it was you.).
solid proof for 1914.
"as evidence of their falsehoods, look at the timing for armageddon.
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Vanderhoven7
I'm not sure who wrote the following article, but it bears repeating: (Please take the credit if it was you.)
Solid proof For 1914
"As evidence of their falsehoods, look at the timing for Armageddon. Originally, Jesus came invisibly in 1874 and Armageddon was supposed to happen in 1914.
This was because Cyrus invaded Babylon in 536 BCE so Jerusalem must have been captured 70 years prior in 606 BCE. -606 + 2520 years = 1914. EXCEPT, they discovered Cyrus really invaded Babylon in 539 BCE, so if you back up 70 years, would mean Jerusalem was conquered in 609 BCE, 3 years earlier. So 1914 should be 1911. But wait. Oops, there was no 0 year between 1 BCE and 1 AD. So 1911 should be 1912. Oops, there was no big event in 1912. So... even though the Bible says 70 years will be complete AND THEN THE KING OF BABYLON WILL BE PUNISHED, let's end the 70 years 2 years later in 537 BCE after the Jews might have returned to Jerusalem and AFTER the king of Babylon has been dead for 2 years. Even though he's supposed to be punished AFTER the 70 years ended. How can he be punished 2 years after he's dead? I thought JWs didn't believe in the afterlife.
So anyway, now the 70 years ends 2 years after the king of Babylon is punished in 537 BCE. So back up 70 years, we get 607 BCE. And add 2520 years with no year 0 and we come up with 1914. Amazing. All of that was wrong, but somehow we came up with the same year as something significant happened. How prophetic!!! One would almost think they picked the year and worked backwards to prove it instead of the prophecy telling us a damned thing.
So that's one of many things. You can also read in the bible about how they've been fasting yearly when they're rebuilding the temple. Figure out the timeline and what they might be fasting over. And does that line up with history's timeline for the destruction of Babylon or the Witnesses? It's in the bible. The JWs are WRONG!!!
You've also got the dating. My father became a witness in the 50's. There's pictures of my older sisters at conventions in NYC below signs that said the world governments were about to come to an end. Over 60 years ago. If you had expressed back then that we'd go into 2019 with no Armageddon, you'd have been disfellowshipped as an apostate and you know it.
In Ray Franz's book in the early 80's, he said there was talk of changing the meaning of generations. That it could mean a period of time longer than a lifetime. He published this book in the early 80's. There's evidence. About 1993 or 1994, the Witnesses changed the meaning of generation that allowed for more time. Why? Probably because the biblical lifespan of 70 or 80 years of special mightiness was running out. 1994 was 80 years after 1914. In fact, the Watchtower at the time said on the inside front cover that the preaching work would be completed before the end of the century. Yet here we are. And if you'd have said you didn't agree, you'd be an apostate.
If you didn't believe the society on the longer meaning of generation you'd be disfellowshipped. Yet a few years ago, they abandoned it for a meaning of overlapping generations.
Archaeology has always said they're wrong with their ancient dating. Their prophecies have been dubious at best. And they keep changing the dates while archaeology has remained the same. Who's the one trying to pound a square peg into a round hole?
According to the JWs, Jesus has been here 105 years. While people die and suffer. Yet the JWs will put a spin that he is waiting so that more can be saved while at the same time, JWs cut back on their preaching work and cut back on their meetings and cut back on the size and frequency of their publications. Who's Jesus trying to save if he's cutting back the work? -
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broke up with jw girl
by aleale ini met this girl last year in april .
she ended up falling in love with me first , and i was surprised when she said i love you .
i taught myself to love her back .
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Vanderhoven7
Sorry that it hurts so much. It is not fair but predictable that this happened. Now you know to avoid anyone else that is involved in a cult like Jehovah's Witnesses. It certainly is devastating but take comfort in the fact that it could have been far worse.
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Watchtower said " Worship Jesus"
by UnDisfellowshipped in"make sure of all things" book, page 85, column 1:
" (matt.
in the revelation, which god gave jesus, the pure worship is shown as due to be given to the most high god, jehovah.
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Vanderhoven7
For God ... hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
THAT ALL MEN SHOULD HONOR THE SON
EVEN AS THEY HONOR THE FATHER. He that
honoureth not the Son, honoureth not the Father which
hath sent Him. Jn.5:22,23
Witnesses argue that Jesus Christ is not worthy of the unqualified or unlimited worship due the Father. But by denying the Son reverent homage or service paid to God they can only ascribe to Him instead, recognition, honor, respect given to men.
Relative honor to God through an angel was
reproved in these words: "Be careful! Do not
do that!...Worship God."
Revelation 19:10; 22:8, 9, NWT)
'Let God Be True', 1952 edition p. 151
The distinctions Witnesses make in worship due the Father and Son are totally extra-biblical and not in keeping with Apostolic teaching and practice.
What is it that distinguishes that Christ is not to be genuinely worshiped as the Father is worshiped?
Language of Scripture?
"Proskyneo" is consistently translated as "worship" in the King James. It is he only Greek word translated as worship. "Proskyneo" is applied 21 times to the Father and 17 times to the Son. The only fair conclusion we can come to here is that the language of scripture does not distinguish that Christ is not to be genuinely worshiped as the Father is worshiped.
Scriptural Example?
There is not one example of the disciples or anyone else in scripture limiting their expression of worship of Christ. Jesus never rebuked the disciple for improper proskyneo of Himself. only the self proclaimed religious authorities objected to Jesus being honored as the Father was honored. They proclaimed vigorously, saying such things as, "You make yourself equal with God" and "Only God can forgive sins" etc. To them, no man should claim the attributes or prerogatives of God. So not only does scriptural language, but also scriptural example fails to distinguish that Christ is not to be genuinely worshiped.
Scriptural Instruction?
There are no proscriptive instructions defining relative proskyneo of Christ, nor are there restrictive commandments, limiting the proskyneo of the Son. So the alleged distinction in meaning of proskyneo of Father and Son is not clarified by a distinction in scriptural terminology or by scriptural example or by scriptural commandment either prescriptive or restrictive. All restrictions proposed by any religious authority are really extra-biblical (i.e. the commandments of men). The truth is that ALL MEN SHOULD HONOR THE SON EVEN AS THEY HONOR THE FATHER (Jn.5:22, 23). Christians can and the disciples could, never honor Jesus too highly.
Witnesses argue that Matthew 4:10 excludes unqualified worship of the Son. "You shall worship the Lord your God and him ONLY shall you serve". (Matt 4:10) That is simply not true. The exclusive element of this instruction rests on the last phrase and yet we are called to be servants of Christ. If we substitute the word "Honor" for worship in Matthew 4:10, so that it read "You shall honor the Lord your God and him only shall you serve", would the verse inform Christians that they should not give identical honor to the Son?
Form and Content?
"...to worship Christ in any form cannot be wrong."
(W.T. March 1880. p.83)
Can the alleged distinction in meaning of 'proskyneo' when applied to the Son be established by the form or content of worship displayed by the disciples/apostles? Do not the following constitute elements of proskyneo in terms of form and content that can legitimately be a part of the proskyneo rendered to the Son:
a. bowing the knee to Jesus while confessing Him as Lord?
Phil.2:9-11
b. prostrating oneself completely before Jesus? Rev.5:8
c. fellowship or commune with Jesus, sharing our personal
aspirations and hopes? I Jn.1:3
d. coming to Jesus for relief of personal burdens and
cares? Mat. 11:28
e. calling on the name of Jesus, addressing Him personally
as Lord? Acts 9:14, I Cor.1:2
f. praying personally to Jesus, petitioning Him for self
and others? Acts 7:59-60 Jn.14:14
g. glorifying Jesus by praise? Ps.50:23 Jn.16:14, Mat.21:14-16
h. honoring Jesus verbally by ascribing worth to Him?
eg."To Him who sits on the throne, and to the
Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power,
for ever and ever. Rev.5:13 NIV.
i. honoring Jesus by shouting or even singing His praises?
e.g. In a loud voice they (angels) sang:
Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain
to receive power and wealth and Wisdom
and strength and HONOR AND GLORY
AND PRAISE. Rev.5:12 NIV.
j. verbally ascribing to Jesus absolute worth?
e.g. JESUS: Lord of Lords and King of Kings;
Alpha and Omega, The First and the Last,
The beginning and the end. Rev.20:12
My Lord and my Ho Theos. Jn.20:28
Your name is to be praised O Emmanuel,
Ho Theos with us! Mat.1:23
All power in heaven and earth is Yours;
You created all things; and without you there
was nothing made. Jn.1:3
And Your throne Ho Theos is forever. Heb. 1:8
May all angels and men worship you continually.
Heb.1:6
Even so come Lord Jesus: Rev.22:20 Amen.
As a Jehovah's Witness, which elements of proskyneo above do you practice?