Posts by Vanderhoven7

13

Anyone else heard this?

by BoogerMan in

the other day, i chatted to an elderly woman and her daughter who was about 45-50. total strangers.. we were discussing covid when the daughter said, "my neighbor studies with jw's, and the jw's told her 3 months before the virus started, that they had to stop going from door to door because something was coming.".

i've never heard anything like this before - have you?.

Vanderhoven7

One thing JWs definitely don't have....is the gift of prophecy.;

49

Military Service Confusion

by Sea Breeze in

can someone please call these three guys and tell them that the first gentile christian was an active duty roman military officer named cornelius.

these guys have been locked up for 25 years!.

Vanderhoven7

For those interested Historical Military Chaplaincy check out

https://thechaplainkit.com/

41

Fascinating Quotations of The Faithful Slave

by Vanderhoven7 in

do you have any amazing quotations that have been produced by the faithful slave over the years?.

remember it's important that we should learn to love and value truth for it’s own sake; to respect and honor it by owning and acknowledging it wherever we find it and by whomever presented.

a truth presented by the faithful slave himself is just as true as a truth stated by god.. share some of those amazing quotations that have fascinated you.

Vanderhoven7

We acknowledge as the visible organization of Jehovah on earth the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, and recognize the Society as the Channel or instrument through which Jehovah and Christ Jesus give instruction and meat in due season to the household of faith. (Watchtower, April 15, 1939 p. 125)

41

Fascinating Quotations of The Faithful Slave

by Vanderhoven7 in

do you have any amazing quotations that have been produced by the faithful slave over the years?.

remember it's important that we should learn to love and value truth for it’s own sake; to respect and honor it by owning and acknowledging it wherever we find it and by whomever presented.

a truth presented by the faithful slave himself is just as true as a truth stated by god.. share some of those amazing quotations that have fascinated you.

Vanderhoven7

RE: When heaven's door was shut

Joseph Rutherford initially stated that the 144,000 group was complete i.e., sealed back in 1931:

"God having a fixed time for every purpose (Ecclesiastes 3:1), his time to give creatures on earth the opportunity to get in line for a heavenly reward has been from A .D. 29 until, chiefly, 1931, called the "day of salvation". "Let God be True" 1946 ed. p.298
"Although Jehovah had come to his temple in 1918 and had begun judgment of this anointed class, still others must be brought in, because some were found unworthy and they must be replaced. The evidences show that this continued until especially 1931, when there began a work of gathering those recognized as "other sheep" of the Lord Jesus Christ." Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose 1959 p.139

Then it was changed with no basis to 1935:

"Hence, especially after 1966 it was believed that the heavenly call ceased in 1935." Watchtower 2007 May 1 p.30
"Their being identified in 1935 as the great crowd of other sheep was an indication that the choosing of the 144,000 was then about complete." Revelation, Its Grand Climax Now at Hand p.125

Then, in 2007 it was changed again,

"As time has gone by, some Christians baptized after 1935 have had witness borne to them that they have the heavenly hope. Thus we cannot set a specific date for when the heavenly hope ends." Watchtower 2007 May 1 p.31″

However, they also cast doubt on anyone who now says they are “anointed”:

"Over the years some, even ones newly baptized, have suddenly begun to partake. In a number of cases, after a while they acknowledged that this was an error. Some have recognized that they partook as an emotional response to perhaps physical or mental strain. But they came to see that they really were not called to heavenly life. They asked for God's merciful understanding." Watchtower 1996 Aug 15 p.31

5

Dating with a guy

by Renee86 in

hi,.

if you date a jw guy do you say to each other you are actually dating or courting?.

Vanderhoven7

Yes, terminate and run for your sanity!

49

Military Service Confusion

by Sea Breeze in

can someone please call these three guys and tell them that the first gentile christian was an active duty roman military officer named cornelius.

these guys have been locked up for 25 years!.

Vanderhoven7

I must say, Christians in the Russian army should not be in the Ukraine. In fact they should never have joined the army of a despotic country in the first place. Canadian soldiers tend to go on peace missions to prevent war. They were involved in Afghanistan and did take an active role in the second world war which I believe most would classify as a just war engaged in by the allied nations to liberate Europe.

I could be wrong, but I don't think most JWs would have or use a firearm, even in in self-defense, but would be the first to call in men with firearms (police) if their homes were being broken into by armed intruders.

68

GIVE AN EXAMPLE of the best writing you've ever read

by Terry in

is there one line of prose or poetry that stopped you dead in your tracks and haunted your mind for days on end?

is there a line, a paragraph or a book that feeds your soul and there is no end to its craving?

share it with all of us.

Vanderhoven7

This is from a man approaching 80

1. After loving my parents, my siblings, my spouse, my children and my friends, I have now started loving myself.

2. I have realized that I am not “Atlas”. The world does not rest on my shoulders.

3. I have stopped bargaining with vegetable & fruit vendors. A few pennies more is not going to break me, but it might help the poor fellow save for his daughter’s school fees.

4. I leave my waitress a big tip. The extra money might bring a smile to her face. She is toiling much harder for a living than I am.

5. I stopped telling the elderly that they've already told that story many times. The story makes them walk down memory lane & relive their past.

6. I have learned not to correct people even when I know they are wrong. The onus of making everyone perfect is not on me. Peace is more precious than perfection.

7. I give compliments freely & generously. Compliments are a mood enhancer not only for the recipient, but also for me. And a small tip for the recipient of a compliment, never, NEVER turn it down, just say "Thank You.”

8. I have learned not to bother about a crease or a spot on my shirt. Personality speaks louder than appearances.

9. I walk away from people who don't value me. They might not know my worth, but I do.

10. I remain cool when someone plays dirty to outrun me in the rat race. I am not a rat & neither am I in any race.

11. I am learning not to be embarrassed by my emotions. It’s my emotions that make me human.

12. I have learned that it's better to drop the ego than to break a relationship. My ego will keep me aloof, whereas with relationships, I will never be alone.

13. I have learned to live each day as if it's the last. After all, it might be the last.

14. I am doing what makes me happy. I am responsible for my happiness, and I owe it to myself. Happiness is a choice. You can be happy at any time, just choose to be!

I decided to share this for all my friends. Why do we have to wait to be 60 or 70 or 80, why can't we practice this at any stage and age?

42

Should a Christian celebrate Christmas?

by Samsie in

hello, i'm new here and have woken up to the real truth concerning the org.

i'm sort of fading away at the moment.... i need help with something, i used to as a child celebrate christmas and have always had amazing memories of it (my husband hasn't as he was born into the org) but i gave it up when i learnt the "truth".

my interest was only in pleasing god and still is.

Vanderhoven7

@Tenyearsafter

"I suspect that everyone posting a reason NOT to celebrate Christmas celebrates wedding anniversaries. What is the difference? The Bible doesn't instruct us to celebrate anniversaries, exchange wedding rings or other "pagan" origin practices...but guess what, JW's are fine with that. The Bible doesn't tell us to not celebrate birthdays...WT instructs that because of two deaths occurring during a birthday celebration. The Bible makes no mention of Thanksgiving, nor Mother's or Father's Day (though it does tell us to honor our parents!). The hypocrisy of this is one of the things that got me started on the path to leaving the JW's. Use critical thinking and common sense...not leftover brainwashing from the very organization you are fleeing to make your decisions!"

Well said and worth repeating!

42

Should a Christian celebrate Christmas?

by Samsie in

hello, i'm new here and have woken up to the real truth concerning the org.

i'm sort of fading away at the moment.... i need help with something, i used to as a child celebrate christmas and have always had amazing memories of it (my husband hasn't as he was born into the org) but i gave it up when i learnt the "truth".

my interest was only in pleasing god and still is.

Vanderhoven7

Imagine being disfellowshipped and losing touch with your family and being marked for destruction at Armageddon because you unrepentantly celebrate Christ's birth on a particular day even if it's the wrong day. There is no excuse for creating and enforcing the commands of men. Watchtower religion is absolutely vain going beyond what is written and claiming moral superiority to others who love and serve Jesus Christ.

They do this because they have no fellowship with, nor do they know God's Son. Yes they know some things about Jesus, but they do not know Him. They never communicate with Him. There is something wrong when someone says they know someone but never have spoken to them. They "know" and have a "relationship" with Jesus Christ in the same way as they know and have a relationship with the apostle James or Peter.

Imagine, they cannot even say:

"Thank you Jesus for giving up your glory in heaven and taking on human flesh for our salvation!"

"Thank you Jesus for dying on Calvary for my sins; for taking my punishment!"

"I love you Jesus!"

68

GIVE AN EXAMPLE of the best writing you've ever read

by Terry in

is there one line of prose or poetry that stopped you dead in your tracks and haunted your mind for days on end?

is there a line, a paragraph or a book that feeds your soul and there is no end to its craving?

share it with all of us.

Vanderhoven7

The Lord is my Shepherd....

You know the rest.