Posts by Spade

48

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Media

by Spade in

http://www.watchtower21.org/2011/01/jehovahs-witnesses-and-media.html.

at times, jehovah's witnesses are mentioned in the media in connection with a violent crime.

people shouldn't always believe everything they read--especially, it seems, on the internet.

Spade

"OK, I did. It seems that Spade is a rather odd duck - he is a JW apologist who claims to not be a JW.

Please see the other thread I put back to the top -" Who this guy that finds the forum dishonest and unbearable? I have more backbone than this, so stick to the initial post. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/201762/1/Thanks-and-Goodbye

I really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me in this process. But it's time for me to leave. It was time for me to leave the WT (at least in my mind) when it became damaging to me. This site has also become damaging.

I like being around happy people that love life. IMO, the site has degenerated into a place where everyone can go to complain, hate, and tear down faith of any type. I respect the beliefs of all of you. However, when the conversations degrade into attacks against the God that I love and know, I cannot partake in the conversation anymore.

I know that many of you feel that this is a place where you can help JWs come to Christ. But maybe I am not strong enough for that. The last couple of months I've come away from the site feeling drained and sad. I don't want that in my life. I don't want to hear about God being a disgusting killer that approves of rape, child killing, and every other horrible thing that man has dreamt up.

48

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Media

by Spade in

http://www.watchtower21.org/2011/01/jehovahs-witnesses-and-media.html.

at times, jehovah's witnesses are mentioned in the media in connection with a violent crime.

people shouldn't always believe everything they read--especially, it seems, on the internet.

Spade

"After scanning through a bunch of blogs on this guy's site, I wanted to reach through the computer screen and strangle the $#!t out of this idiot. Then I calmed down and realized that this poor fool is just another lemming being mind-controlled by the WTS cult.

R.I.P. lemming."

That weight you felt was the burden of proof. Do you have any?

48

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Media

by Spade in

http://www.watchtower21.org/2011/01/jehovahs-witnesses-and-media.html.

at times, jehovah's witnesses are mentioned in the media in connection with a violent crime.

people shouldn't always believe everything they read--especially, it seems, on the internet.

Spade

" The WBT$/JW`s put the Spotlight on themselves at every opportunity..

Because.. They Think and Advertise.. They are so much Better than Everyone else.. When it`s pointed out they are not..The WBT$/JW`s get upset.. And.. Wonder why everyone is is looking at the Advertised Mess they Created..

If the WBT$ and JW`s would simply,"Shut-the-F*ck-Up".. No one would know they were there.." ------------------------- Good grief man, you weren't born into a flemin pit of scum and forgotten by God. You'll need some credibility if you are to refute JWs. Do you have another account that doesn't specialize in ad-hominem attacks? Use that one and provide a logical, intelligent response. No one likes listening to a drunk when they're sober.

48

Jehovah's Witnesses and the Media

by Spade in

http://www.watchtower21.org/2011/01/jehovahs-witnesses-and-media.html.

at times, jehovah's witnesses are mentioned in the media in connection with a violent crime.

people shouldn't always believe everything they read--especially, it seems, on the internet.

Spade

http://www.watchtower21.org/2011/01/jehovahs-witnesses-and-media.html

At times, Jehovah's Witnesses are mentioned in the media in connection with a violent crime. People shouldn't always believe everything they read--especially, it seems, on the Internet. For one, there are more media outlets than ever online while the actual number of radio and TV stations has remained fairly consistent. The fact that a message can circulate from its point of origin or a circle of people to all corners of the worldwide network is the Net's greatest and most garish feature.

An item of interest in some of these stories, is a person's religious affiliation in connection with a crime is only mentioned if they are or were one of Jehovah's Witnesses. If a Mormon, Scientologist or member of Christendom's churches for example commits a crime, their religion is not mentioned in the media with the exception of religious leaders of some importance. Jehovah's Organization forms a globally networked community of over 7 million members worldwide. That's the size of a large metropolitan area. The most recent crime statistics average 16,204 murders in the United States annually. That's 299 homicides per 7 million. NationMaster: Murders (most recent) by country United States: 16,204 Nation Master: Murders (per capita) statistics

United States: 0.042802 per 1,000 people
Using the media as means to collect data, this is far less than the number of Witnesses involved in violent crime annually. When it comes to stories that carry some truth about one of Jehovah's Witnesses, keep in mind that Kingdom Halls are public. While the vast majority of Jehovah's Witnesses are genuinely interested in advancing spiritually and living up to their name, some become members and bring problems into the congregation or later on develop problems. While there's nothing in Jehovah's Organization that incites violence, Jehovah's Witnesses have never stated the Christian congregation would be completely free from a potential criminal in their midst.

g99 7/8 pp. 9-10 How to Maintain a Healthy Mental Outlook

Nevertheless, TV programs that tout sexual themes are only part of the problem. Graphic depictions of violence are also common. Of particular concern are the damaging effects that violent TV programs and movies can have on young, impressionable minds. “When young children see somebody shot, stabbed, raped, brutalized, degraded, or murdered on TV,” says David Grossman, a retired army officer and expert on the psychology of killing, “to them it is as though it were actually happening.” Commenting on this same problem, The Journal of the American Medical Association said: “Up through ages 3 and 4 years, many children are unable to distinguish fact from fantasy in television programs and remain unable to do so despite adult coaching.” In other words, even though a parent may tell a child, ‘Those people didn’t really die; they were just pretending,’ a child’s mind still can’t tell the difference. To a young child, TV violence is very real.

Summing up the impact of “media violence,” Time magazine said: “Few researchers bother any longer to dispute that bloodshed on TV and in the movies has an effect on the kids who witness it.” What kind of effect does it have? “Decades of violent entertainment have succeeded in altering the public’s perceptions and values,” says movie critic Michael Medved. He adds: “It is hardly a positive development for a society when it loses its ability to feel shock.” Little wonder that one writer said that taking a four-year-old to violent movies “is poison to [his] brain.”

This, of course, does not mean that all television programs are bad. The same holds true for books, magazines, videos, computer games, and other forms of entertainment. Clearly, though, much that is called entertainment is inappropriate for those who desire to maintain a healthy mental outlook.
Choose Entertainment Wisely

Images transmitted to our mind through the eyes exert a powerful influence on our thoughts and actions. For example, if we were regularly to feed our mind on immoral entertainment, our resolve to obey the Bible’s command to “flee from fornication” could be weakened. (1 Corinthians 6:18) In like manner, if we enjoy entertainment that features “men who are practicing what is hurtful,” we could find it difficult to be “peaceable with all men.” (Psalm 141:4; Romans 12:18) To avoid this, we must avert our eyes from that which is “good-for-nothing.”—Psalm 101:3; Proverbs 4:25, 27.
http://www.newsweek.com/2001/05/20/the-roots-of-evil.html

In their search for the nature and roots of evil, scholars from fields as diverse as sociology, psychology, philosophy and theology have reached the conclusion that most people do have the capacity for horrific evil. They say: the traits of temperament and character from which evil springs are as common as flies on carrion. "The capacity for evil is a human universal," says psychiatrist Robert I. Simon, director of the program in Psychiatry and Law at Georgetown University School of Medicine. "There is a continuum of evil, of course, ranging from 'trivial evils' like cutting someone off in traffic, to greater evils like acts of prejudice, to massive evils like those perpetrated by serial sexual killers. But within us all are the roots of evil."

Jehovah's Witnesses are not immune to this human universal. Murder has been touched on as obvious grounds for expulsion from the Christian congregation. King David, one of Jehovah's loyal servants had a man killed and later on repented. it-1 p. 590 David In desperation, David sent him back to the army with secret instructions to the commander Joab to have Uriah put in the front lines, where he would surely be killed. The scheme worked. Uriah died in battle, his widow observed the customary period of mourning, and then David married the widow before the townspeople were aware of her pregnancy.—2Sa 11:1-27. it-1 p. 788 Expelling

Christian Congregation. Based on the principles of the Hebrew Scriptures, the Christian Greek Scriptures by command and precedent authorize expulsion, or disfellowshipping, from the Christian congregation. By exercising this God-given authority, the congregation keeps itself clean and in good standing before God. The apostle Paul, with the authority vested in him, ordered the expulsion of an incestuous fornicator who had taken his father’s wife. (1Co 5:5, 11, 13) He also exercised disfellowshipping authority against Hymenaeus and Alexander. (1Ti 1:19, 20) Diotrephes, however, was apparently trying to exercise disfellowshipping action wrongly.—3Jo 9, 10.

Some of the offenses that could merit disfellowshipping from the Christian congregation are fornication, adultery, homosexuality, greed, extortion, thievery, lying, drunkenness, reviling, spiritism, murder, idolatry, apostasy, and the causing of divisions in the congregation. (1Co 5:9-13; 6:9, 10; Tit 3:10, 11; Re 21:8) Mercifully, one promoting a sect is warned a first and a second time before such disfellowshipping action is taken against him. In the Christian congregation, the principle enunciated in the Law applies, namely, that two or three witnesses must establish evidence against the accused one. (1Ti 5:19) Those who have been convicted of a practice of sin are reproved Scripturally before the “onlookers,” for example, those who testified concerning the sinful conduct, so that they too may all have a healthy fear of such sin.—1Ti 5:20

Those who have been expelled may be received back into the congregation if they manifest sincere repentance. (2Co 2:5-8) This also is a protection to the congregation, preventing it from being overreached by Satan in swinging from condoning wron gdoing to the other extreme, becoming harsh and unforgiving.—2Co 2:10, 11.

17

Does Jehovah Answer Prayers?

by Spade in

people here have a fundamentally different opinion of what identifies a religion as true or false.

most people leave christendom's churches because their prayers go unanswered and there's no evidence that god intervenes in their personal lives.

something that's never discussed here.

Spade

"There are stories in Mormonism, the Seventh Day Adventists, etc etc ad nauseam, where a person is praying for "help" and "the truth" and that specific religions "missionaries" or representatives knock on the door and it is interpreted as follows:"

Why don't you link to a story instead of making up your own. None-the-less, a person can make a personal inquiry into this and find out for themselves. There's no reason for a person to close their mind based on anything you've said.

17

Does Jehovah Answer Prayers?

by Spade in

people here have a fundamentally different opinion of what identifies a religion as true or false.

most people leave christendom's churches because their prayers go unanswered and there's no evidence that god intervenes in their personal lives.

something that's never discussed here.

Spade

People here have a fundamentally different opinion of what identifies a religion as true or false. Most people leave Christendom's churches because their prayers go unanswered and there's no evidence that God intervenes in their personal lives. Something that's never discussed here. Just about all opposers exclude Jehovah from the picture when casting judgments. It appears that the truth about the religion revolves around the acceptance or rejection of Jehovah because of what a person desires.

http://www.watchtower.org/e/20091001/article_03.htm

Roberto continues: “But I was determined to change my life so that I could serve God acceptably. I tried to fill my mind with positive thoughts from the Bible. I prayed fervently every day, asking God to give me the strength to clean up my life. I knew I could not succeed on my own. And I saw how Jehovah answered my prayers, especially when I felt demoralized after a relapse. I believe that God’s holy spirit gave me renewed strength; without his spirit I would never have overcome my addiction.”—Philippians 4:6-8.

Like Isabel and Roberto, millions of Jehovah’s Witnesses have experienced the power of the holy spirit in their lives. Jehovah’s active force—the force behind the creation of the universe—can be made available to you if you wish. God is willing and eager to share his spirit with you if you earnestly request it. But to receive that spirit, you need to learn the truth about him and sincerely seek to do his will.—Isaiah 55:6; Hebrews 11:6.

17

Pyramidologists: the Great Pyramid of Gizeh

by Spade in

http://jehovahswitnesses21.blogspot.com/2010/12/pyramidologists-great-pyramid-of-gizeh.html.

the great pyramid of gizeh (one of the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world) had special meaning to charles taze russell and the bible students in 19th century.. .

they attempted to corroborate biblical time periods with the great pyramid for two reasons:.

Spade

The booklet was in response to the views of the Second Adventists.

"And we felt greatly grieved at the error of Second Adventists, who wore expecting Christ in the flesh. and teaching that the world and all in it except Second Adventists could be burned up in 1873 or 1874, whose time-settings and disappointments and crude ideas generally as to the object and manner of his coming brought more or less reproach upon us and upon all who longed for and proclaimed his coming kingdom.

These wrong views so generally held of both the object and manner of the Lord’s return led me to write a pamphlet - “The Object and Manner of The Lord’s Return, ”of which some 50,000 copies were published." Zion's Watch Tower, July 15, 1906, p. 230

It would have had to have been written prior to 1873, before the Second Adventists time-prophecies failed, to have prophetic meaning. At most, 1873 as the date for publication is a clerical error, not something to take issue with.

17

Pyramidologists: the Great Pyramid of Gizeh

by Spade in

http://jehovahswitnesses21.blogspot.com/2010/12/pyramidologists-great-pyramid-of-gizeh.html.

the great pyramid of gizeh (one of the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world) had special meaning to charles taze russell and the bible students in 19th century.. .

they attempted to corroborate biblical time periods with the great pyramid for two reasons:.

Spade

"Bollocks

Prior to the publication of Jehovah's Witnesses -- Proclaimers of God's Kingdom in 1993, major internal works on church history were the 1955-1956 Watchtower, Jehovah's Witnesses In The Divine Purpose (1959) and the 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses.

These publications thoroughly whitewashed the doctrinal history of Jehovah's Witnesses. One of the more egregious claims is that Russell had discerned Christ's invisible presence ahead of time. The 1975 Yearbook of Jehovah's Witnesses actually reset the publication date of The Object and Manner of Our Lord's Return back four years to 1873 to lend credence to that claim. (The correct date is 1877) The 1930 - 1985 Watchtower Publications Index followed suit, listing the "New" publication date.

Proclaimers is more accurate on these doctrinal details, and that's a positive sign, but it is still a single publication among many others that make false and misleading statements."

The publication may have been written a few years before its publication was deemed official.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Taze_Russell

With Russell's encouragement and financial backing, Barbour wrote an outline of their views in Three Worlds; or Plan of Redemption, published in 1877. A text Russell had written in 1874, The Object and Manner of our Lord's Return, was published the same year. Russell's desire to lead a Christian revival was evidenced by his calling two separate meetings of every Christian leader in Pittsburgh. Russell's ideas, particularly stressing the Rapture's imminence, were rejected both times.

17

Pyramidologists: the Great Pyramid of Gizeh

by Spade in

http://jehovahswitnesses21.blogspot.com/2010/12/pyramidologists-great-pyramid-of-gizeh.html.

the great pyramid of gizeh (one of the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world) had special meaning to charles taze russell and the bible students in 19th century.. .

they attempted to corroborate biblical time periods with the great pyramid for two reasons:.

Spade

The forum garbled the url from the source I quoted from.

http://jehovahswitnesses21.blogspot.com/2010/12/pyramidologists-great-pyramid-of-gizeh.html

17

Pyramidologists: the Great Pyramid of Gizeh

by Spade in

http://jehovahswitnesses21.blogspot.com/2010/12/pyramidologists-great-pyramid-of-gizeh.html.

the great pyramid of gizeh (one of the oldest of the seven wonders of the ancient world) had special meaning to charles taze russell and the bible students in 19th century.. .

they attempted to corroborate biblical time periods with the great pyramid for two reasons:.

Spade

"WTS whitewashed everything they could as much as they could and they continue to do so. What they show their r&f is as whitewashed as one can expect from a cult. They use certain words to downplay the issues and how they potrayed their BS teaching to the public. Pyramid of Gyza is no exception."

The Bible students that broke off and went thier seperate way still use the Pyramid in accociation with the Bible.

http://www.biblestudents.com/endtimesarchives_sum99.cfm

The Great Pyramid and The Bible

“In that day shall there be an altar to the Lord in the midst of the land of Egypt, and a pillar at the border thereof... And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt.” —Isaiah 19:19-20

A Sign for the End Times Many Christians today are looking for signs to confirm their faith—religious icons that bleed or cry, images of Jesus photographed in clouds, angels who appear bearing messages from God, etc. But the Bible itself cautioned about false signs and wonders which distract from the true prophetic signs that are promised. The signs which the Bible warned against were only those which are not confirmed by Scripture. Matt. 12:39; 24:26; 2Thess. 2:9-10

One remarkable prophetic sign that is confirmed by Scripture is found in our Isaiah 19 theme text pointing to the Great Pyramid in Egypt. It is one of the most dramatic signs given in Scripture, yet it is overlooked by most students of the Bible because of preconceived ideas as to the Pyramid’s purpose, origin and meaning. It has been shrouded in mystery as a “cultish” object with claims of supernatural powers. In addition, Satan has done a masterful job of destroying this beautiful Bible prophecy and many other Bible truths by associating them with evil. The goal of this report is to re-establish the Great Pyramid of Gizeh as a beautiful “sign” and “witness” provided in the word of God for the upbuilding of faith “in that day”—the end times.