MeanMrMustard

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Posts by MeanMrMustard

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  16

  Pornography harms

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  MeanMrMustard

  LOL!
• 
  42

  Onscreen Critique, NOVEMBER 1 Watchtower, "When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed?"

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have produced a critique of the november 1, 2011 watchtower article, when was ancient jerusalem destroyed?

  part 2: what the clay documents really show.. .

  this critique is designed to be read on a computer screen.. .

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  MeanMrMustard

  Doug,

  Wow! That's a lot of work. You have my thanks. I am downloading it for reading later!

  MeanMrMustard
• 
  21

  Is Job 1:4 regarding a birthday party

  by jwfacts in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have heard it stated before that job 1:4 is referring to job celebrating his children's birthdays.

  others have claimed this is not the case.

  does anyone have a good explanation of what this scripture is referring to?.

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  MeanMrMustard

  @jwfacts:

  Just another thought: The scripture in Job, even though it may not be a birthday celebration, may help with another attack I've seen thrown from the JW camp - mainly that a birthday is a celebration of the individual, a raising up of that individual to a level that shouldn't be done. Praise is for Jehovah... etc.

  If each of Job's children had "his day" then that line of reasoning doesn't work.

  MeanMrMustard
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  21

  Is Job 1:4 regarding a birthday party

  by jwfacts in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i have heard it stated before that job 1:4 is referring to job celebrating his children's birthdays.

  others have claimed this is not the case.

  does anyone have a good explanation of what this scripture is referring to?.

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  MeanMrMustard

  @ScenicViewer: That is a good quote.

  I found this one. The writer starts out logically, but then backs away. The rest of the Questions from Readers article (after the snippet below) goes on to enumerate the normal JW arguments against a birthday celebration (the Bible mentions it in a bad light, and has pagan history) even though in the beginning of the article, the writer admits the history of a celebration is not necessarily what matters:

  *** w92 9/1 p. 30 Questions From Readers ***

  Questions From Readers

  Do Jehovah’s Witnesses avoid celebrating birthdays because the practice had some religious meaning in ancient times?

  Celebrating birthdays is rooted in superstition and false religion, but that is not the sole or prime reason why Jehovah’s Witnesses avoid the practice.

  Some customs that were once religious in nature no longer are in many places. For example, the wedding ring once had religious significance, but in most places today, it no longer does. Hence, many true Christians accept the local custom of wearing a wedding ring to give evidence that a person is married. In such matters, what generally is influential is whether a practice is now linked to false religion.—See “Questions From Readers” in The Watchtower of January 15, 1972, and October 15, 1991.

  The writer mentions other pagan customs (like wedding rings) that do not hold the same significance as they once did. And it is because of this that they are now acceptable. To be consistent, this should apply to every holiday.

  MeanMrMustard
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  42

  Could The Watchtower and Awake Collapse?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is not a prophesy, folks, but rather a train of thought to pursue about the organization, especially in light of its recent legal problems.. could the magazines collapse?

  the watchtower is published in 188 languages?

  and the awake a rather huge number as well?.

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  MeanMrMustard

  I can see members of the GB now.... browsing through this thread, jotting down all the good suggestions for restructuring...
• 
  156

  Victoria, Australia: Report on Oct. 11th hearing involving Steven Unthank

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  victoria, australia: report on oct. 11th hearing involving steven unthank.

  (this report is from an anonymous xjw who attended the hearing.

  i had no plans to turn up to the court hearing as an observer, as in my experience, it can take several hearings and a number of months before any court case gets rolling.

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  MeanMrMustard

  Again, I think it would be very nice to get a copy of this letter sent to the Victoria congregations to comply with the Working with Children Act of 2005. There has to be a copy somewhere... the reason I say this is because a lot of those letters are signed as "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". It would be harder to deny that the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses" does not operate in Victoria if the message to comply with the WWC act came from the "Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses"

  I always thought that the FDS was the "theological arrangement" of sorts, used to give spritual food at the proper time. I don't think its a big surprise to say this. However, to simultaneusly say that the FDS "doesn't exist" seems to mean (at least to me), that the "theological arrangment" that all JWs are picturing in their minds is wrong. It's not a *real* arrangment, its not anything based in reality. Its just an "arrangment" on paper......... which is not a surprise to me, but to hear it just said in court is amazing.

  I like the subheading in the post: "Who really is the faithful and discreet slave?" ...LOL - it seems nobody knows, not even the WT. Very funny.

  Is anyone recording these hearings? Is anyone allowed to? That would be very awesome - to hear the gasps from JWs

  MeanMrMustard
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  122

  It's BACK - the 2011 Global Survey of JWs!!

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm pleased to announce that despite some considerable teething troubles (of which many of you will be aware!

  ), the 2011 survey of jws is back on the road!

  there is no need for any donations, so none will be asked for in any way, shape or form.

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  MeanMrMustard

  [snip]... It is remarkable that the Society would rather keep the unscriptural shunning practice in force just to make it difficult for former believers to influence family members, and in so doing, risk having people attached to the organization out of compulsion (rather than a sincere desire to worship). It's a sickening state of affairs but something that we all wrestle with in one way or the other.

  I genuinely hope that this survey, and similar initiatives, will contribute towards ending this once and for all, sooner than it otherwise would.

  Cedars

  @cedars:

  The day the shunning policy is dropped is the day the organization ends. What really holds a person to the WTB&TS?

  1) Ignorance

  2) Staying in to help others wake up

  3) Social pressures due to shunning policy.

  I can't think of any more reasons off the top of my head.

  I think #2 is almost non-existant or an excuse for #3. And there are less and less staying in because of #1. The vast majority of people (especially the younger generations) go to the meeting out of compulsion. If the WTB&TS were to do away with the shunning policy, how far do you think the numbers would drop? The exodus would be massive.

  MeanMrMustard
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  12

  You are W.A.W.

  by designs in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the latest moniker to describe us is making the rounds at a circuit assembly near you: w.a.w.

  wicked apostate worldlings.. sat through a saturday circuit assembly, haven't been to one in years, stunningly it was a mix of deja vu and cloistered brainwashing.

  deja vu in that the talks could have come from 1966, nothing has changed about the end being near, and harsher with respect to family who are not jws.

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  MeanMrMustard

  @Terry: why weren't you allowed in? They phyically didn't let you in?
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  2

  WOW, the Borg Redesigned the Kool-Aid Edition!

  by Yan Bibiyan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just saw it on jw.org.

  both jan 15, 2012 kool-aid and super-dumb-kool-aid now have a techy-kinda bloggish feel... imo.... no time to look into contents now, but at a first glance seems the artwork is scarce...whaddayathink?.

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  MeanMrMustard

  I noticed on pp. 22, jeans with a tear on the knee is now... placed in an unfavorable light...
• 
  122

  It's BACK - the 2011 Global Survey of JWs!!

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm pleased to announce that despite some considerable teething troubles (of which many of you will be aware!

  ), the 2011 survey of jws is back on the road!

  there is no need for any donations, so none will be asked for in any way, shape or form.

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  MeanMrMustard

  @cedars:

  That comment is very interesting. I wonder which doctrines that particular MS disagreed with? Were there any he didn't disagree with?

  I think the comments of those that check they are currently active Witnesses are very interesting. I guess its because those that are already out know what the WTB&TS is all about. To me, it is more interesting to see the comments of those still in. It feels like a better metric for how the rank and file are feeling.

  Thanks again!

  MeanMrMustard