Posts by Listener

28

"Apostasy took root and flourished" (WT, July 15, 2013, page 18)

by Doug Mason in

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Listener

If we are to be enlightened only during the 'time of the end', wouldn't this be more reason to carefully consider the dead sea scrolls?

11

Jeremiah book study material for this week makes a horrible point!

by stillin in

while discussing how jeremiah was an encouragement to some of those around him, and how christians today can likewise be encouraging to depressed ones, the book plainly says, "when it is appropriate, offer encouraging words.

you will not have a divine revelation to offer to the one needing encouragement, yet you can include positive thoughts from the word of god, thoughts that focus on what the future holds.".

i'm sorry but this to me seems to be what is at the core of the problem with witness friendships.

Listener

You will not have a divine revelation to offer to the one needing encouragement, yet you can include positive thoughts from the Word of God, thoughts that focus on what the future holds."

Isn't the bible our most valuable divine revelation? The bible is much more than positive thoughts. How on earth can they say that we cannot share divine revelations from the bible, just positive thoughts? Talk about losing the plot.

So many times the WTBTS advises people to remind others of the promise of living in a beatiful garden in the future. This sounds lovely but it is not very practical in dealing with the here and now and the bible gives us so much more comfort than that.

Deuteronomy 31:8It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”

Psalm 9:9The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you.

Psalm 23:4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

Psalm 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Matthew 11:28-29 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

Stillin, I agree with you, if we demonstrate the fruits of the spirit in dealing with others then we can be a real comfort to them and it is the fruits of the spirit that will lead us in knowing how to deal with a situation.

7

July 15th, 2013 Watchtower is available NOW on jw.org

by sd-7 in

jw
friends

rather surprised--this is quite early.

usually it's not out until the 15th of the month.

one thing i noticed, which all the hubbub about all the other articles seems to have overshadowed, was on page 26, a brief article about mark sanderson, the newest member of the governing body.. sounds like he was on the career path of a company man.

Listener

Your commentary was really good SD 7 and I hope that we get more of your comments.

17

Questions Regarding the New Light on the FDS

by Ding in

it's my understanding that the old light regarding the faithful and discreet slave was that in 1918-1919 jesus appointed the faithful and discreet slave over all his house.. but under the new light, it's a two-stage process.. now the "truth" is that in 1919 jesus appointed the governing body to provide spiritual food in due season and the gb will only be placed in authority over his domestics during the great tribulation.. all of this is wt nonsense, but in order to get jws who believe this stuff to think about the implications, my questions are:.

1. what will the future appointment authorize the governing body to do that is not yet authorized?.

2. since under the old light the governing body has wrongly believed they have had this authority since 1919, doesn't this mean they have been wrongly exercising authority that jesus hasn't yet given them?.

Listener

How could Jesus start cleansing the temple in 1914 if it had not first been selected by him? Why and how is it that he chose Russel's organization to cleanse above all other religions? This would mean that only Russell and his mates were in the temple at that time,

With the parable of the wheat and the weeds, there is a storehouse in which the wheat started to be stored in and according the the GB that began in 1914. Surely that storehouse had always been there, you wouldn''t start planting wheat if you had not already built your storehouse and that was supposed to have happened back in the 1st Century.

It has been mentioned before that it would seem to have been God's will for Russell to have died during this cleansing process in order for a new leadership to evolve.

It amazes me that they did not take this opportunity to change their understanding of the wheat and the weeds. If anointed christians are wheat (who are saved) and the weeds are imitation christians (who are destroyed) then what is the other sheep?

34

Immoral sleeping arrangement?

by hoser in

jw
friends

i'm reading through the watchtower rule book right now and i came to the chapter clarification and guidelines on handling certain matters.

there is a part about scriptural divorce and even if adultery is not proved if your ex stayed all night or is involved in an immoral sleeping arrangement you can get scriptural grounds to remarry.. .

they make a rule, then they have to make a rule for the rule, make another rule for the rule for the rule.

Listener

It is interesting that the sexual acts between two men (or two women) can be considered grounds for divorce and remariiage. Does this mean that if only oral sex was involved this is also grounds for divorce?

This causes a problem with Bethelites. If a brother or sister is homosexual (and not practicing) are they allowed to share a room with a person of the same sex or should they be rooming with a person of the opposite sex?

13

SO WHY DID THE WATCHTOWER RETAIN WICKED WORLDLY ATTORNEYS?

by nowwhat? in

in appealing the conti case why why did the wt retain non-witness lawyers?

they are from the world!!

who knows what kind of detestable things they engage in?

Listener

If they were as 'innocent as a dove' there would be no need for the lawyers -

Matthew 10:

16 “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.

4

"Literary Heritage"? Is this new Watchtower newspeak??

by never a jw in

i decided to send a rather flippant e-mail to an elder who gave me a bible study in the late 90's.

he's a zealot among zealots.

he inhales and exhales wt 24/7.

Listener

And the love shines forth.

There is no logic in his comment - "Jehova's witnesses understand their heritage and take pride in it, and this is why they dedicate time in the field preaching." Taking pride in their heritage means taking pride in all the false teachings that they taught and that is no logical reason to want to spend time teaching others untruths. They do not understand that they have built a religion based on false teachings which they continually change, their fuondation was faulty and this does not allow for a stable house to stand.

79

Summary of WT Appeal Brief in Conti Case

by Chaserious in

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if they were able to win on this ground, they could get out completely (although it could still be appealed to the ca supreme court).

Listener

Thankyou for all the work you put into the summary. The WTBTS is not making itself look good through this appeal.

Regarding -

A. Duty applied to the Watchtower

They are admitting that they may have had a moral responsibility to action and failed but because their was no legal obligation they should be let off the hook. If it is by their 'works' that they vindicate themselves as being above every other religion then they are failing because their actions show that they don't take their moral responsibilities seriously. It also demonstrates how their actions are not being guided by Holy Spirit otherwise they would have known how to deal with abuse issues in a wisely manner.

I understand that in at least one state there is a 'good samaritan' principle. The law is supposed to be about justice. If by someone's inaction another person is injured then there should be a recourse. It seems their only recourse regarding their inaction is because they felt they had no legal responsibility.

Even if they win this case they have shown clearly how they neglected to act as true Christians.

B. Exclusion of Parties from Jury Verdict Form

Such a fine representation they make of themselves, let's point the fingure elsewhere and put the blame on others.

C. Government entanglement with religion

Sounds like they feel they should be above the law. The case is about a religion having some responsibility in protecting an individual and yet the WTBTS would like to establish the idea that it does not.

3

The silent treatment AKA shunning

by Listener in

an interesting article has been produced by the wtbts regarding 'how to end the silent treatment'.

the awake june, 2013 discusses certain issues about partners using this behaviour.

the fact is that the silent treatment is used on disfellowshiped jws and their statements can equally apply to them.. here are some quotes from the article -.

Listener

An interesting article has been produced by the WTBTS regarding 'how to end the silent treatment'. The Awake June, 2013 discusses certain issues about partners using this behaviour. The fact is that the silent treatment is used on disfellowshiped JWs and their statements can equally apply to them.

Here are some quotes from the article -

"Retaliation. Some spouses use silence as a form of revenge.

Manipulation. Some use the silent treatment as a means to get what they want.

The first step to ending the silent treatment is to recognize it for what it is—a tactic that, at best, works only short-term.

But is that really how you want to treat someone whom you have vowed to love?"

34

This weeks study article: God gave us these truths, yet we admit he hasn't actually given us the truth yet-- think about it

by The Quiet One in

wt 2/13 page 3 paragraph 3--> "though religious error abounds worldwide, how thankful we are that god has given us spiritual light and truth!

(read psalm 43:3,4.

) whereas the masses of mankind walk in darkness, we joyfully keep on walking in god-given spiritual light.

Listener

They seem to be saying that the truth becomes known when you stop inventing or imagining and start baseing it on facts. This may be true with some of their teachings such as each creative day being eons long and not limited to 7,000 years but they invented the idea of the 7,000 years initially. The problem is that they do invent and imagine ideas and doctrines and that is not truth and should never be taught as such.

It does not explain how truth can be found when they flip flop on their ideas.