Yawn... I log back in late at night to check this thread hoping to read something intriguing only to see more sewage mixed in with anything remotely sane. It's worse than the most repugnant tabloid garbage. It's no wonder so few, if anyone who's never been one of Jehovah's Witnesses poke their nose in here. Ex-Jehovah's Witnesses are worse than their original condition. You people are trash. I guess it's beyond you to fix this broken condition.
For it would have been better for them not to have accurately known the path of righteousness than after knowing it accurately to turn away from the holy commandment delivered to them. The saying of the true proverb has happened to them: “The dog has returned to its own vomit, and the sow that was bathed to rolling in the mire. 2 Peter 2:21-22
But shun empty speeches that violate what is holy; for they will advance to more and more ungodliness, and their word will spread like gangrene. Hy·me·nae′us and Phi·le′tus are of that number. These very [men] have deviated from the truth. 2 Timothy 2:16-18
Posts by Spade
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382The Gentile Times Reconsidered
by Spade indisproving the date 1914 as a significant year in bible prophecy is of great importance to some (e.g.
carl o. jonsson).
along with the meticulous details of bible and secular chronology, broadening one's horizons when assessing exactly what this date represents when compared against the 6000 years of human history likewise has merit.
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Spade
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382
The Gentile Times Reconsidered
by Spade indisproving the date 1914 as a significant year in bible prophecy is of great importance to some (e.g.
carl o. jonsson).
along with the meticulous details of bible and secular chronology, broadening one's horizons when assessing exactly what this date represents when compared against the 6000 years of human history likewise has merit.
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Spade
Babylon itself was not usually recognized as a major empire, as the Medes were the major empire that was the heir to Assyria. The main reason why Babylon has the importance it has from the perspective of the Jews is that it was Babylon, not the Medes, who conquered them.
Thanks for taking the time to post that. Babylon was a world power by God's decree who exercised relative control. If Babylon wasn't the dominant world power in Jeremiah's day or any other, than Jeremiah 25:8-11 has no application to any other nation except Israel.
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382
The Gentile Times Reconsidered
by Spade indisproving the date 1914 as a significant year in bible prophecy is of great importance to some (e.g.
carl o. jonsson).
along with the meticulous details of bible and secular chronology, broadening one's horizons when assessing exactly what this date represents when compared against the 6000 years of human history likewise has merit.
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Spade
I'm still curious why you accept 539 if you reject the data and methods by which that date is established. Or have I misunderstood your position?
I don't reject the data and methods by which a date is established, I simply analyze ancient history objectively when coming to conclusions. An examination of the Bible canon shows that its contents measure up to standards of excellence in every respect. I have more confidence in the accuracy of secular chronology if the secular evidence agrees with it. -
382
The Gentile Times Reconsidered
by Spade indisproving the date 1914 as a significant year in bible prophecy is of great importance to some (e.g.
carl o. jonsson).
along with the meticulous details of bible and secular chronology, broadening one's horizons when assessing exactly what this date represents when compared against the 6000 years of human history likewise has merit.
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Spade
This makes no sense. Babylon was already the dominant 'world power' 20 or so years BEFORE Jerusalem was destroyed.
This is what the Insight book says about it.
it-1 p. 134 Appointed Times of the Nations
The fact is evident that the key point of the vision is Jehovah God’s exercise of irresistible sovereignty in “the kingdom of mankind,” and this provides the guide to the full meaning of the vision. The tree is shown to have an application to Nebuchadnezzar, who at that point in history was the head of the dominant World Power, Babylon. Yet, prior to Nebuchadnezzar’s conquest of Jerusalem, the typical kingdom of God ruling out of that city was the agency by which Jehovah expressed his rightful sovereignty toward the earth. It thus constituted a divine block or impediment for Nebuchadnezzar in attaining his goal of world domination. By allowing that typical kingdom at Jerusalem to be overthrown, Jehovah permitted his own visible expression of sovereignty through the Davidic dynasty of kings to be cut down. The expression and exercise of world domination in “the kingdom of mankind,” unhindered by any representative kingdom of God, now passed into the hands of the Gentile nations. (La 1:5; 2:2, 16, 17) In the light of these facts “the tree” is seen to represent, beyond and above its application to Nebuchadnezzar, world sovereignty or domination by God’s arrangement. -
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Condemn the Adulterers Too
by Spade incondemn the adulterers too.
may 21, 2010. from jill carroll, houston religion expert and author.
this weeks' news brought us the story of a catholic elementary school rescinding the acceptance of a child because his parents are lesbians.
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Spade
May 21, 2010
From Jill Carroll, Houston religion expert and author
This weeks' news brought us the story of a Catholic elementary school rescinding the acceptance of a child because his parents are lesbians. The bishop in the area defended the decision, saying it reflected a pastoral concern for the child. He also added, however, that Catholic schools accept students from all walks of life and vowed to help the lesbian parents find another Catholic school for their son.
I find the bishop's statements on this a bit contradictory, but perhaps that's to be expected. Overall, with rare exception, the bulk of Christianity's myriad denominations are completely inconsistent on issues of marriage and who's "in" and who's "out" of the community of faith because of it.
Traditional Christianity - both Catholic and Protestant alike - rejects homosexuality outright as inconsistent with biblical teachings. Thus, most Christian denominations are on record rejecting gay marriage, civil unions and, in many cases, even basic civil rights for gay people. Why? Because the Bible says it's wrong.
Fine. But, what about Jesus' teaching on divorce and remarriage? Jesus instructs in the gospels of Matthew and Mark that whoever divorces and remarries commits adultery. That seems fairly straightforward. And, these are the "words of Jesus in red" - unlike all those passages in Leviticus, the bulk of which most Christians ignore anyway because, well, they're Christians, not Orthodox Jews.
Why pick on the homosexuals alone? Why do the adulterers get a pass on this? Most mainline Christian denominations welcome practicing adulterers into full membership in the church, allow them to serve on committees, teach Sunday School, and more. In some cases, practicing adulterers are even allowed to be ordained to serve as deacons, pastors and priests. Indeed, practicing adulterers fill our nation's churches every week without a word of condemnation from the pulpit. Far from it, the churches are happy to accept their tithes every month to keep the lights on.
At the end of the day, Christian churches - like all other religious groups in this country - are private clubs that can accept or reject anyone they want on any basis they want. That's the way we do it in this country, and I personally think it's the best way.
A little consistency would be nice, though.
Does it escape anyone's notice that Jehovah's Witnesses maintain this consistency regarding divorce and remarriage? They do.
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Question
by is there help out there indo you think that jw are more stressed out than worldly people.
like feeling that they are not doing enought to please jehovah, not doing enought field service and not attending enought meeting etc.
if this is the case on top of most jw suffer from depression.
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Spade
After viewing OUTLAW's posts and anyone who takes pleasure in them, trusting them is no different than snuggling up with a propaganda artist like Adolf Hitler. I'm not the sligtest bit swayed by their opinions about “God's spirit” or anything else.
http://www.watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_02.htm
"By clever and persevering use of propaganda even heaven can be represented as hell to the people, and conversely the most wretched life as paradise." —ADOLF HITLER, MEIN KAMPF.
His propaganda is trashy but not particularly clever. -
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Question
by is there help out there indo you think that jw are more stressed out than worldly people.
like feeling that they are not doing enought to please jehovah, not doing enought field service and not attending enought meeting etc.
if this is the case on top of most jw suffer from depression.
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Spade
Alice/ spade,
let me tell you about holy spirit, It is so powerful that it
1) filled a room and cause people to speak in different langauges
2) parted the red sea
3) and Impregnated a virgin
But yet this same Holy Spirit can't seem to convey not one reliable message to the WTS
All Scripture is inspired of God ... 2 Timothy 3:16
After the original Bible cannon was sealed, God's Spirit was principally instituted to be a helper in interpreting the scriptures and displaying the nine fruits of the spirit.“While remaining with you I have spoken these things to you. But the helper, the holy spirit, which the Father will send in my name, that one will teach you all things and bring back to your minds all the things I told you. John 14:25-26
On the other hand, the fruitage of the spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control. Against such things there is no law. Moreover, those who belong to Christ Jesus impaled the flesh together with its passions and desires.
If we are living by spirit, let us go on walking orderly also by spirit. Let us not become egotistical, stirring up competition with one another, envying one another. Galatians 5:22-26
Such help enabled them to recall Jesus’ instructions and teachings, to clarify points of doctrine, and to be progressively guided into all the truth revealed to them. If the faithful and discreet slave bestowed some special ability in interpreting the scriptures, wouldn't that foster jealousy? The faithful and discreet slave has simply invested more time toward this end. I've always been justifiably impressed with Watchtower Society's Bible-based literature in spite of the sentiment from those that lack respect for others.
re chap. 2 p. 9 The Grand Theme of the Bible
Interpreting the Scriptures: The mysteries locked up in the book of Revelation have for long baffled sincere students of the Bible. In God’s due time, those secrets had to be unlocked, but how, when, and to whom? Only God’s spirit could make known the meaning as the appointed time drew near. (Revelation 1:3) Those sacred secrets would be revealed to God’s zealous slaves on earth so that they would be strengthened to make known his judgments. (Matthew 13:10, 11) It is not claimed that the explanations in this publication are infallible. Like Joseph of old, we say: “Do not interpretations belong to God?” (Genesis 40:8) At the same time, however, we firmly believe that the explanations set forth herein harmonize with the Bible in its entirety, showing how remarkably divine prophecy has been fulfilled in the world events of our catastrophic times. -
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Question
by is there help out there indo you think that jw are more stressed out than worldly people.
like feeling that they are not doing enought to please jehovah, not doing enought field service and not attending enought meeting etc.
if this is the case on top of most jw suffer from depression.
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Spade
ROFL mrsjones...
*Wonders if Spade actually can form a coherent thought and opinion without the help of CTRL + C and CTRL + V*
Where's OUTLAW's Muttley when you need it???
It's my blog.
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Question
by is there help out there indo you think that jw are more stressed out than worldly people.
like feeling that they are not doing enought to please jehovah, not doing enought field service and not attending enought meeting etc.
if this is the case on top of most jw suffer from depression.
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Spade
http://www.watchtower21.org/2010/12/mental-health-and-jehovahs-witnesses.html
Mental Health and Jehovah's Witnesses
Some critics reference bias or scientifically flawed studies as evidence of higher levels of mental illness amongst Jehovah's Witnesses in comparison with contemporary society and attempt to identify reasons why this could be the case.
The Mental Health of Jehovah's Witnesses by John Spencer is widely quoted though the findings are dubious. This found that in the 3 year period from 1971 to and including 1973, 7,546 inpatients were admitted to the West Australian Mental Health Service Psychiatric Hospitals, of which 50 were active Witnesses. This represents a rate of 2.54/1000 for the general population and 4.17/1000 for Jehovah's Witnesses.
Psychiatric and psychological evaluations don't ask about or include religion in their assessments. A legitimate psychiatric hospital doesn't maintain religious beliefs in their patient records. Some studies were conducted while Jehovah's Witnesses were being persecuted by the secular authorities in the 1940's. This can hardly be deemed scientifically accurate or non-bias.Rylander's Study
In 1946, Gosta Rylander investigated a sample of conscientious objectors imprisoned in Sweden. About four percent of the eligible Swedish population was judged psychologically "unfit" for military service, and the corresponding figure for Witnesses was 21 percent, or five times greater. This is close to the same ratio later found by John Spencer, whose diagnosis of "psychotic" or "neurotic" was made on the basis of mental hospital admission screening.
The First American Study
In 1949, in the first study on American Witness mental health, M. J. Pescor diagnosed as psychotic over seven percent of his total sample of 177 young males imprisoned due to obeying the Watchtower's prohibition against complying with military regulations. The level of Witness psychosis in his sample was about 17 times higher than that for the population as a whole.
It is impossible to assess the mental health amongst Jehovah's Witnesses as a worldwide organization from these or like sources.
The basic concept is that chemical and neurotransmitter imbalances within the brain are the main causes of psychiatric conditions. For over three decades, scientists have attributed a chemical imbalance in the brain as the source of major depression for example. Most biological theories focus on the monoamine chemicals serotonin, norepinephrine and dopamine, which are naturally present in the brain and assist communication between nerve cells. Newer studies provide an explanation of how this “chemical imbalance” occurs. Stress is one of the root causes in the development of a mental illness.Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999) - Chapter 1
Mental health is a state of successful performance of mental function, resulting in productive activities, fulfilling relationships with other people, and the ability to adapt to change and to cope with adversity. Mental health is indispensable to personal well-being, family and interpersonal relationships, and contribution to community or society. It is easy to overlook the value of mental health until problems surface. Yet from early childhood until death, mental health is the springboard of thinking and communication skills, learning, emotional growth, resilience, and self-esteem. These are the ingredients of each individual’s successful contribution to community and society. Americans are inundated with messages about success—in school, in a profession, in parenting, in relationships—without appreciating that successful performance rests on a foundation of mental health.
Mental Health: A Report of the Surgeon General (1999) - Chapter 4
Interventions for Stressful Life Events
Stressful life events, even for those at the peak of mental health, erode quality of life and place people at risk for symptoms and signs of mental disorders. There is an ever-expanding list of formal and informal interventions to aid individuals coping with adversity. Sources of informal interventions include family and friends, education, community services, self-help groups, social support networks, religious and spiritual endeavors, complementary healers, and physical activities. As valuable as these activities may be for promoting mental health, they have received less research attention than have interventions for mental disorders. Nevertheless, there are selected interventions to help people cope with stressors, such as bereavement programs and programs for caregivers (see Chapter 5) as well as couples therapy and physical activity.
Watchtower 02/01/1992 p. 13 Jehovah’s Gift of Holy Spirit
Benefit From God’s Holy Spirit
What a powerful force this spirit is! But how can Christians today avail themselves of it? First, Jesus said we should ask for it, so why not do just that? Pray to Jehovah to give you this wonderful gift not only in times of stress but on every occasion. In addition, read the Bible so that holy spirit can speak to you. (Compare Hebrews 3:7.) Meditate on what you read and apply it so that holy spirit can be an influence in your life. (Psalm 1:1-3) Further, associate—individually, in congregations, and at assemblies—with others who rely on God’s spirit. How richly holy spirit fortifies those who bless their God “in the congregated throngs”!—Psalm 68:26.
Is not Jehovah a generous God? He says we have only to ask for holy spirit and he will give it to us. How foolish to rely on our own wisdom and strength when such a powerful help is at our disposal! -
382
The Gentile Times Reconsidered
by Spade indisproving the date 1914 as a significant year in bible prophecy is of great importance to some (e.g.
carl o. jonsson).
along with the meticulous details of bible and secular chronology, broadening one's horizons when assessing exactly what this date represents when compared against the 6000 years of human history likewise has merit.
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Spade
AnnOMaly, what was stated in reference to Daniel, about Neb·u·chad·rez′zar, the king of Babylon representing supreme rulership, simply means Babylon was the dominant world power after the destruction of Jerusalem and before domination from Medo-Persia (the silver breasts and arms of the image in the dream vision to Daniel). Jeremiah 25:3-11 had a parallel fulfillment to other nations while Babylon was the dominant world power. The specific dates when the words of Daniel were written have no bearing on 539 B.C.E as the year Cyrus overthrew Babylon and 537/538 B.C.E. as the year the Jews were released from captivity.