Vanderhoven7

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Posts by Vanderhoven7

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  16

  Shunning and persecution

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws see shunning as a loving provision.

  but if a mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to jwism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution?

  how about parents beating a daughter who converted to jehovah's witnesses?.

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  Vanderhoven7

  Thank you Hopeless1

  "No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family." - Awake, July 2009, p. 29
  
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  16

  Shunning and persecution

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws see shunning as a loving provision.

  but if a mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to jwism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution?

  how about parents beating a daughter who converted to jehovah's witnesses?.

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  Vanderhoven7

  Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences Ding, Linda and LongHairGal.

  I am looking for the Watchtower that stated that people shouldn't have to choose between their family and religion...that might shedsome light on this issue.
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  16

  Shunning and persecution

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws see shunning as a loving provision.

  but if a mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to jwism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution?

  how about parents beating a daughter who converted to jehovah's witnesses?.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  Vanderhoven7

  A JW has challenged the idea that JWs would interpret as persecution someone being shunned because they have left their parents religion to become a JW.

  Seems axiomatic - no?
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  16

  Shunning and persecution

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws see shunning as a loving provision.

  but if a mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to jwism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution?

  how about parents beating a daughter who converted to jehovah's witnesses?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  Vanderhoven7

  JWs see shunning as a loving provision. But if a Mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to JWism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution? How about parents beating a daughter who converted to Jehovah's Witnesses?

  I wonder if their is anything in the literature about this?
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  18

  Answering JW Conversation Stoppers

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws often try to justify their religion as being the only true religion.

  questions like.

  which other organization is doing this or that?

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  Vanderhoven7

  Graeme Hammond responded as follows:

  1 Corinthians 1:10 does not exist in a vacuum; it has context. Paul gave his exhortation to be united in the same line of thought for the specific, explicit reason that Christians of his day were saying they “belonged” to the person who baptised them instead of belonging to Christ. Your use of that text is argumentum ad absurdum, creating a universal application to what is a simple instruction. By that same reasoning the Governing Body or bodies of elders would never dare vote on anything for fear of displaying a difference of opinion.
  
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  18

  Answering JW Conversation Stoppers

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jws often try to justify their religion as being the only true religion.

  questions like.

  which other organization is doing this or that?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  Vanderhoven7

  JWs often try to justify their religion as being the only true religion. Questions like

  Which other organization is doing this or that? Here is one from a JW. You may have others.

  "So consider the following verse, and then ask yourself, “In view of that verse, what would I do if I was in charge and wanted to meet the criteria required in that verse”?

  1 Corinthians 1:10 from the “NIV” version of the Bible:

  “I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.”

  Hmmm.

  1. All agree with one another in what you say
  2. No divisions among you
  3. Perfectly united in mind and thought

  So what do you do?

  We’re happy to be led by some wonderfully trustworthy, logical, reasonable, and studious men, who themselves follow closely in the steps of Jesus. Not perfect by any means, but diligent hard workers who do their level best to adhere to the Bible. And if we come to the conclusion that our understanding could use some “updating”, we are not hog-tied by creeds or traditions. Like scientists who are happy to adjust their views when new evidence comes to light, so do we. Meanwhile, we all adhere to the best understanding that is available now so that we can all agree with one another. Why? Because of the verse quote above.

  Now, doesn’t that make good sense?

  
  

  How would you answer?
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  13

  Giving hope for all truth-loving people

  by Person in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it it not easy for me but i would like to share with you my story and my take on what happend and is happening in jw.

  for some my view can be unacceptable for others can be useful.

  in fact it can be answer to the question: why am i still even bother what's is going on in this obviously corrupt organization?

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  Vanderhoven7

  Hi Person,

  Welcome to the forum.

  What is your hope?
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  21

  What Is happening to watchtower This days?

  by Hellothere in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm a believer.

  believe in blessed or cursed.

  what is happening to watchtower is my question.

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  Vanderhoven7

  Interesting! JWs are always saying how God is blessing them. Look at our numbers, look at our growth, look at how true our doctrine is compared to other religions, look at how we are fulfilling Jesus command to make disciples which no others are doing...so we must be the only blessed true religion.

  Sure there are a few crazies, perverts, murderers etc. that join our organization just to bring reproach on Jehovah's name and invite persecution. But they are not true JWs are they?

  What do you say to that?
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  8

  A Rare Response to being Disfellowshipped

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to most, being disfellowshiped is a terrible loss of friends family and god's perceived approval.

  but not to mark jones.

  in his words..... the best way i can describe it, is like when you leave highschool for the last time.

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  Vanderhoven7

  Thanks Blondie

  An example of the Watchtower twisting scripture to justify it's actions.
• 
  8

  A Rare Response to being Disfellowshipped

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to most, being disfellowshiped is a terrible loss of friends family and god's perceived approval.

  but not to mark jones.

  in his words..... the best way i can describe it, is like when you leave highschool for the last time.

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  Vanderhoven7

  To most, being disfellowshiped is a terrible loss of friends family and God's perceived approval.

  But not to Mark Jones. In his words....

  The best way I can describe it, is like when you leave highschool for the last time. The bell rings, you’re done with school, a whole future ahead of you to decide and shape as you wish. You run out of the school doors and throw your textbooks into air and you feel so free. It’s amazing. To this day no other feeling has matched it.

  Think about it, for 31 years I’d been:

  • Told what to think
  • Told who my friends could be
  • Told to distrust the internet
  • Told to be wary of “information” (seriously!)
  • Told that the world is going to end any moment now
  • Told to avoid pretty girls who arn’t Jehovah's Witnesses
  • Told if I have a wank I’ll turn into a homosexual
  • Told that I’m not to go to University
  • Told that I’m not to have a career
  • Told to turn up to two hour meetings twice a week
  • Told to knock on doors for 10 hours a month (minimum)
  • Constantly being watched by family and so-call friends in case I disagree with anything printed in the Watchtower magazine
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  As you can imagine, finally being free of such an environment was pure elation. I’ve never done drugs but I imagine the high one would feel when one snorts a line of coke. I felt finally free, finally in control of my life and 100% optimistic about the future.

  Actually being free to have my own opinions, the freedom to vote, the freedom to study both sides of an issue before forming an opinion (as opposed to asking the elders what im supposed to think) - the joy!

  I encourage every Jehovah’s Witness to be disfellowshipped. Seriously, birthdays are awesome. People actually bring you presents, you get a cake and have a big party. Christmas is tremendous fun and happiness flows for the whole week leading upto it finally culminating on 25th Dec when the entire day is pure joy and song. Actually having sex with someone you’re attracted to without asking the elders or signing a piece of paper first is wonderful.

  Seriously, it’s like being in prison and then one day the prison warden kicking you out of prison for upsetting him. Then you walk out into the big “bad” world and people are really nice and want to be your friend. Why would you want to go back to prison???