Posts by Listener

27

EXCLUSIVE NEW LIGHT! How to calculate the length of the overlapping generations - SCRIPTURALLY!

by agonus in

ok, so the one scripture that supports the "overlapping generations" doctrine is the one about joseph having brothers, right?.

well, then, logically, if that scripture buttresses the glorious new light - and we know how long that "generation" was - we should be able to calculate the date for armageddon, no?.

allowing for a maximum period starting with the year of the birth of the eldest brother (reuben if i'm not mistaken), and ending with the year of the death of the youngest (benjamin, correct?

Listener

St George was the same greek word for generation used in both texts?

11

Power of attorney of transfusion issues in the UK

by trailerfitter in

hi you wonderful people, i have a serious question.

when my wife finally gets baptised will she have to sign the power of attorney over to the jws automatically or this a voluntary thing?

i am concerned being a none bleiever that she will undermine my authority on this issue.

Listener

Here in Australia it is volunatary for JWs to do this and not everyone does sign a POA to an appointed JW.

As head of the household you would still retain authority in this matter as there is no biblical requirement to do a POA.

10

Classics from the Watchtower archives Part 1

by dozy in

part 1 of an occasional series - contributions welcome.. .

is it desirable to make provisions in kingdom halls for a soundproof room to which disturbing children can be taken and in which the parent can hear and perhaps see the sessions and yet the child cannot disturb congregational meetings?g.e.,children should be in the congregation with their parents, and the children should behave themselves.

the parents should so train their children that they will behave.

Listener

Amazing how they change their views over time but what really annoys me is that they view young children as an 'it'.

All attention must be given to the speaker who is the centre of attention, even by children who wouldn't understand a word 'it' was saying (not to mention one or two adults).

26

I am trying to figure out my future if I should go to college or just keep working a regular job...............................

by andys in

jw
friends

i am faced with a dilema right now and need some advice on what i should do with my future, i realize that eventually i'll grow old and will need to somehow work my way up so i have something to fall back on, like someone told me once i don't really have a support structure to fall back on, if something happened where i could not work i would probably wind up homeless, moving back in with my parents house would be out of the question because i would never go back to the borg.. this is my situation right now, everything is going good, i love my job, i am single no kids, i work at a hosptal making $10/hour doing janitorial work, also my rent is very cheap about $350 a month for rent on a duplex, i live less then a mile from work, right now i have the most ideal situation to save alot of money even on $10/hr job, but also i realize that everything can go all at once, if i ever lost my job since i don't have no support structure and could not find work i would be sol.. now to some of the things i like doing, i like to drive, one of the things i have always wanted to do is learn truck driving, since i don't have no extra responsibilites, i am still having a hard time though making a decision, on one hand i like my current job, but on the other hand i realize that i do have to plan for the future, if anyone can give me some advice i am at a loss of what to do, also because of the way the econommy is here in the us right now sometimes i think its best to stick with the job that i have but still don't know whats best..

Listener

Andys, it is a little hard giving advise as I live in Australia and are familiar with the opportunities available here but not in the U.S.

Have you considered night school or making arrangements with your employer to enable you to study part time? Some study options may be available on line also.

You should consider work in a high demand area, particularly when the economy is in a slump.

It is always risky to leave your current job for a new position and you should only do that if you are confident in the viability of your new employer.

119

The Makeweight Scenario

by cedars in

i just thought i'd share something if you don't mind.. my conviction in the legitimacy of the society was slowy eroded over a number of years simply by reading the publications and becoming increasingly frustrated at how little the interpretations of prophecy and scripture made sense, added to the complete ineptitude of senior figures in the organisation.. for me, the "glue" that kept everything roughly held together into something that can be called a "faith" was the concept of "increasing light", which as you all know is the principle employed by the society to excuse any mistakes or backtracks that are made.

they routinely flog proverbs 4:18, which as we all know has nothing to do with gradual refinements in understanding when read in context.

regardless of this, the concept managed to keep me loyal to the organisation for quite some time, as i was too fearful to bring it under direct scrutiny.

Listener

They claim that as they are not inspired by God this means that they will, at times, get things wrong. This makes it impossible to know at what times the actual truth is spoken. But if they do later have the truth then how did this come about? That is, how did God reveal it to them and how did they know that it was God who was doing the revealing on that occassion?

Cedars, I thought your Makeweight Scenario was excellant and I'll repeat it here from your first post-

...

"Can you show me one scripture that supports the idea that the Holy Spirit would deliberately feed God's servants untrue information or a flawed understanding of scripture as a "makeweight" until actual truth would be revealed at a later date? Is there a biblical principle that justifies Jehovah dealing with his servants in such a way?"

13

Bible reading

by mankkeli in

jw
friends

does anyone still take time to read the bible regularly or occassionally, or you have completely pushed it aside?.

pls give reasons.

Listener

I have found it very hard to understand in the past but in the last few months I've been reading it a lot more. Reading people's comments here and researching has helped me to understand it without old JW blinker thinking which just proved to be a hinderance. When I was trying to read it with the understanding that the JWs had I would often be stumbled by verses which read differently to what their understanding is. Now, without the bias, I really enjoy it and feel I am being communicated to on a much more personal level.

43

The imperfections of the elder

by outsmartthesystem in

outsmart - you keep mentioning the imperfections of the elders....and how people need to overlook them because we are all imperfect and we need to learn what true humility is.....etc etc.

dj - if this is what you believe to be true, then you are mistaken, because even though jehovah's witnesses are directed by holy spirit, we have at times 'gotten it wrong.

dj - i can agree that jehovah's witnesses are god's mouthpiece today, that we do speak for god.

Listener

There is really not much more to say when DJeggnong does not want to explain the difference between being inspired by God and being directed by God through his Holy Spirit.

To confirm, this is from post 447 -

Outsmartthesystem asked

"If you have not already done so, please list and explain the contrasts between the two:"

DJEggnong's reply

"I do not intend to do so. If I were to do so, I would be as goofy as you are to be asking me to explain the contrast between what it means to be directed by holy spirit and for the Bible to be inspired of God, or "inspired by God,"

243

Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovah's witnesses hierarchy charged.

immediate press release: 26 july 2011. link to this press release: http://wp.me/p1g1hc-4o.

worldwide church hierarchy charged with child abuse.

Listener

I had been assuming that a WWC certificate would be pretty straight forward and issued if a person had no convictions in relation to child abuse but the clearance is much more investigative than this and more so than the requirements to obtain a police clearance (which can be obtained and usually requested by some employers) Each State sets their own requirements as to what background checks are to be undertaken. In Victoria it requires -

"The Working With Children Check is comprised of:

a National Police Check - offences with most significance include serious sexual offences; serious violent offences; serious drug related offences, offences against the Working With Children Act 2005 (Vic.) itself;
a review of relevant findings from prescribed professional disciplinary bodies (at present only the Victorian Institute of Teaching);
information sought from other bodies such as courts, Corrections Victoria and employers, including, where a court: made a formal finding of guilt in relation to an offence; convicted the applicant of an offence; accepted a plea of guilt from the applicant; or acquitted the applicant of an offence because of mental impairment; and
information about any spent convictions, juvenile convictions and findings of guilt, pending charges; and the circumstances surrounding any charges or convictions."

source http://www.aifs.gov.au/nch/pubs/sheets/rs13/rs13.html

That would mean that if a JW was required to obtain a WWC certificate that there would be a thorough research and they may be denied the certificate due to a violent background (regardless of whether minors were involved) and also drug related offences, basically anything that would indicate that a person could potentially pose a danger.

That is a big responsibility for the organisation, that is, to know that a JW does not have a good moral background and this would require further investigations/probing and a renewed procedure by the organisation. They could no longer just accept the word of a JW to say they had a clean background. It would also mean that they had a responsibility for others in the congregation to know these things (whether that be the elders and/or the r&f).

8

This just in. The Charges are on the books in Australia here's the link.

by discreetslave in

jw
friends

i just got this link on facebook.

http://www.magistratescourtvic.ozehosting.com.au/cgi-bin/mc_crim_list.pl?court=097&date=13092011.

Listener

Case No.	Informant	Accused
Z00879168	S.CONS WINTERS, S	BODYCOMB, MADELEINE
B10302305	S.CONS WINTERS, S	BODYCOMB, MADELINE
B12083108	UNTHANK, S	CHRISTIAN CONGREGATION OF JEHOVAH'S
A12642146	CONST A'HERNE, J	DEMPSEY, MICHAEL GORDON
B12083367	UNTHANK, S	FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE
B11114525	CCOM OVERLAND, S	GALLAGHER, RION
A11140952	S.CONS HAW, D	GOODWIN, TIMOTHY
B12083527	UNTHANK, S	GOVERNING BODY OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
A10925523	MS COOK, S	HOGAN, TRAVIS
B10960987	CONST BARTRIP, R	KENNEDY, SCOTT
B11921481	LS.CON OLORENSHAW, P	KRUPICKA, BARRY
B10957056	SGT MCCAHON, D	KRUPICKA, BARRY
B10301695	S.CONS WINTERS, S	ROMAGNINO, PASQUALINO
B12083833	UNTHANK, S	WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
B12082206	UNTHANK, S	WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY

Five cases listed.

243

Victoria, Australia: Steven Unthank's Press Release: JW's Hierarchy Formally Charged Today With Child Abuse

by AndersonsInfo in

jehovah's witnesses hierarchy charged.

immediate press release: 26 july 2011. link to this press release: http://wp.me/p1g1hc-4o.

worldwide church hierarchy charged with child abuse.

Listener

Either way it could prove to be very damning.

They have already come out and said they don't 'typically' work with children. If they make an outright declaration that the leaders do not work with children are the truelly being a christian organization. There have been a few JWs on a forum that state that the parents are the only ones that are responsible for their children's spirituality. Jesus, the greatest leader of all, called the children to himself.

If they should have been complying and failed to do so they have broken the law. The question then is why? They know it exists and they know they have a responsibility to uphold the law of the land if it is not against god's laws.