The words that are really damning are those that are blasphemous. Swear words would be considered unchristian and not showing the fruits of the spirit, as well as being worldly.
Blasphemous words would include things like 'oh my God'.
Listener
JoinedPosts by Listener
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3
What is considered a curse word?
by bottleofwater ini've heard a few jws act crazy when i'd say "damn", even "crap" or "ass".. any stories similar to that?.
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What proportion of Jehovah's Witnesses will make a convert in their lifetime?
by stapler99 inin another thread it was being discussed how inefficient the door-to-door preaching is, and i thought this raised an interesting question - what proportion of jehovah's witnesses will make a convert in their lifetime?.
in my experience, i can think of two or three people that my parents have studied with and who were later baptized.
but i know of so few baptisms that it is hard for me to think about it.
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Soldier
That = 5,639 hours spent per new baptized for the year.
It's quite staggering when calculated. If you were to go out once a week for 3 hours, it would take over 35 years.
What cannot be worked out is how many of those baptized is directly attributed to door to door work as some of those baptized would be family members, relatives, workmates and casual acquantances.
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Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
I am not mistaken eggnog, there was a convention that was held in the USA, Australia and other places. It was called and organised at such short notice that many JWs were not able to make arrangements to attend. It may have been held in 1976 but I'm pretty sure it was in 1975. There were several congregations invited to attend the one talk at the same time and held at public venues. It ran for just over an hour. The topic was specifically to clarify the misunderstandings of the 6,000 years since the creation of Adam being identified as occuring in 1975.
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443
Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
W 98 3/15 para 5
In modern times such eagerness, commendable in itself, has led to attempts at setting dates for the desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of persons throughout the earth. With the appearance of the book LifeEverlasting—inFreedomoftheSonsofGod, and its comments as to how appropriate it would be for the millennial reign of Christ to parallel the seventh millennium of man’s existence, considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated.
So there is an written apology (of sorts) and that came in 1980, again for damage control and to encourage JWs to remain steadfast. It is very well written, positive and very much what you would expect from a group of people who are trying to follow and understand Gods word. It points to the need to read the bible and to rely in Jehovah. Unfortunately, they continue to do the same thing and nothing much changed. They demand complete support and devotion of their organization and punish those that my have some differing opinions. They also maintain that it is only through them (that will lead them on the correct path to serving God) that they have a hope of eternal life.
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443
Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
Unity they may have and it is forced because there is no other choice, either believe what they are currently saying or get out.
What they don't have is deep concern and cherishment of individuals = their flock. Not only do they not allow them to think for themselves but when they are wrong in their teachings they take a bold stand with pride and arrogance, having no empathy fof the damage they have done.
If it is their works that set them apart then they wouldn't be demanding blind submission.
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443
Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
Outlaw said "If this was such a World Wide problem,the WBT$ would have Written Articles about it..
Can you show us those articles in WBT$ literature,Warning against "Preaching Armageddon by 1975"?..
If there really was a Problem with JW`s Preaching "Armageddon by 1975".. The WBT$ would have taken action..
Show everyone on JWN..What the WBT$ did..To stop that Large Group of Renegade JW`s..
I was so young at the time and do not recall all this hype of 1975 and certainly not the articles or meetings in 1968 that put a great significance to the year 1975 and the indications that Armageddon would occur anytime up until 1975. Looking through old literature of that time has made it a little clearer as to what was said and why so many were misled. As far as the fallout goes, there is little said about it in publications and so it looks like they tried to push it under the carpet.
Ex-JWs and observerors will swear that by 1975 Armageddon was supposed to have happened. JWs still in the faith after that date will swear that the org never said such a thing.
Without a doubt there was much confusion and that would have started occurring from 1968 right up until 1975 and yet there was not proper clarification during this time to clearly point out what the situation was and so the problem and expectations slowly started to fester. This would have delighted the org at the time as it promoted an idea of great urgency and that suited them very well. They didn't consider the future, past 1975, when they had to reign in their stray sheeep who they personally had let wander off with wrong understandings.
In 1975 the org decided to then take some action - purely as damage control. They could have done this much sooner but in their Discretion chose not to, they were happy with the idea that it would help weed out those who had lost their confidence in the org. They could have also published clear clarity of the situation in their mags, which are published every two weeks and are supposed to hold important information at the right time. Why did they not? Instead they held a short emergency convention globally on this very issue and again they chose not to publish a proper clarification, acknowledging that the misunderstanding stemmed from there very publications. They did not want to point to themselves as being the cause of the confusion.
What I do recall from this convention was a declaration of apostates within the organisation and some who had been within positions at the very head of it. They advised that there would prove to be a cleansing and of course with this was a very strong warning that we as individuals would not want to be caught out as apostates. I cannot remember why they were declaring them as apostates and it would be appreciated if someone could advise about this.
As it was the year 1975 they could not have been calling them apostates for pushing forward the idea that Armageddon was going to occur by 1975 so I can only assume that it was due to murmurings and the false illusion that many JWs had been given. They now didn't want JWs in the religion who would recall events and statements that were obviously now proven false as this would result in a mass exodus and would continue to do so into the future. As there was a serious problem occuring high up in the organisation they turned the tables on those ones and decided they must go, they were causing a fuss. They also warned everyone else that they were no longer welcome within the religion if they were to do the same. So at this convention they clearly pointed out that 1975 represented 6000 years since Adam was created and nothing more and true worshippers would accept this without making a bigger deal out of it. There was to be no gossipying or speculating about the issue.
It worked well and really had the effect of shutting everyone up about the matter and if you didn't like it you could just leave. Had they printed the truth about this in their publications it would always be a reminder and result in permanent future damage.
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Awake Dec 2010 p10 the bibles's viewpoint
by bobld inthe wts uses a prominant court case to illustration.that both parties must be allowed sufficient time to present their side of the dispute.the trouble is they took so much time to prove their case that the murderer died before a verdict could be reached.now the community don't know if he was innocent or guilty.the family and community is in limbo.some blame the judge for the long delay.why.
b.
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What were they trying to establish by using that as an illustration?
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Today's Watchtower study shows how desperate they are
by Mickey mouse init seems as though at least one article in every issue of the study watchtower is devoted to reinforcing the governing body's authority.
this from pargraph 10:.
10 christ provides loving oversight of his congregations on earth by means of appointed elders.
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Listener
They recognize, however, that Christ is using a small group of anointed Christian men as a Governing Body to lead and direct his disciples on earth.—Read Acts 15:6, 28-30
I've just figured out something that is really obvious. The FDS (composed of annointed ones) is supposed to be guiding all JWs but their numbers are getting less and less and the org don't want many of the current 'supposedly' annointed ones to be directly leading anyway. But, hey presto, there is a huge problem that has occurred over the number of years.
As we are approaching the most turbulent of times in mans history there are fewer annointed ones left to help guide jws through armageddon and not to mention bring as many other people, from all lands and nations, the same salvation. But most of the annointed ones aren't here anymore to do that, they're supposed to be in heaven.
Surely in the grand plan, the JWs would need more annointed ones rather than less so to overcome this they are raising the profile of others within the hierachy, such as the elders.
So it would seem that the FDS' earthly appointment is becoming less important as we approach the GT, their numbers and appointments to the WTBS have reduced dramatically since they advised that the majority were chosen up until 1935.
It makes no sense that there are less and yet the need for them now is greater.
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443
Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
I gather eggnogs view would be something like - well you are free to search out another religion that you feel may have the truth and all the best with your endeavours. However, this does nothing in addressing the JWs claims that they are the only ones that can lead a person to salvation.
By saying they exclusively provide the means by which a person can serve and worship God and have the opportunity for deliverance are they really sancifying God's name?
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443
Generation Teaching - Everyone is speechless?
by Red Piller inmaybe the effect of this change is bigger than realized?
in 1995, it was discussed (positively) by everybody, during the week we studied the wt.
one elder stepped down and was looked down upon.
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Listener
Eggnog -However, Bible prophecies are from God, while the interpretations of Jehovah's Witnesses are our own based upon what the spirit says in God's word. Anyone that doesn't understands the difference between a Bible prophecy and an interpretation, anyone that doesn't appreciate how the spirit guides our understanding of Bible prophecy, that is, through what things the Bible says, would be in darkness on this issue. I can assure you that I am not in darkness.
W 81 2/15
True, the brothers preparing these publications are not infallible. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) And so, at times, it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, to correct views. (Prov. 4:18) However, this has resulted in a continual refining of the body of Bible-based truth to which Jehovah’s Witnesses subscribe. Over the years, as adjustments have been made to that body of truth, it has become ever more wonderful and applicable to our lives in these “last days.” Bible commentators of Christendom are not inspired either. Despite their claims to great knowledge, they have failed to highlight even basic Bible truths—such as the coming Paradise earth, the importance of God’s name, and the condition of the dead.
Rather, the record that the “faithful and discreet slave” organization has made for the past more than 100 years forces us to the conclusion that Peter expressed when Jesus asked if his apostles also wanted to leave him, namely, “Whom shall we go away to?” (John 6:66-69) No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the “faithful and discreet slave” organization.
We can conclude then that the org does not have the truth but instead are working towards the truth. God's word is truth and no refinements are necessary as truth cannot be changed. What was once truth in the org. has later been changed rendering the previous taught truth as being false and therefore as this continues to happen there can be no declaration that they have the truth, just something getting closer to the truth.
But unfortunately, as seen in the quote above, they jump to the wrong conclusion. If they had the truth (the whole truth and nothing but the truth) then they would be correct. They say that scriptural guidance cannot be fround outside the faithfull and discreet slave. As they claim they and only they are the fds. This doesn't seem right when there are other religions that also teach truth to some degree and it comes down to a matter of earthly mans interpretation. Just as the jws change their truth they really have no substance to be able to claim they are the only ones that can provide scriptural guidance.