Posts by Hoffnung

16

introduction

by pontoon in

lozasleft said i should introduce myself.

i wasn't happy my dad got baptized because i thought it would change him and i liked him the way he was.

anyway i got baptized in 1969 at 16 yrs old mainly because i wanted to be able to date jw girls.

Hoffnung

Welcome Pontoon,

Hang in there, you are not alone. I am pretty sure you have lots to share. Many are upset about the garbage and the untruths that are put in print by the GB at the moment.

Greetings from the European continent.

11

Having faith in something is reasonable, requiring faith in something is not

by sabastious in

i am starting a business right now.

i have big aspirations and really feel that i will have success in my endeavor, and i have my reasons for that.. that is faith.. i have faith that i have what it takes to make this business succeed.

faith really can move mountains, it is true.. on the other hand, what if i was searching out a business partner or potential investors.

Hoffnung

Damn right. I fully agree with you. I am selling my Shares in the borg. Anyone interested?...

...Not all together please!...

By the way, an overdose of corruption does no always cause collapse. Silvio Berlusconi just bought the votes of the members of the italian parliament and won the confidence vote easily. Rutherford did the same with added blackmail many many moons ago. The current GB is running on Microsoft Corruption 4.0 Service Pack 2 (the overlap to 5.0). They are professionals in this domain.

29

Contradictions, should we really care?

by garyneal in

i'm not sure if the title is appropriate but i figured i'd point out some contradictions i see in jehovah's witnesses like my wife and i often ask myself why should i care when obviously she does not?

the motivation to 'fit in' with the people who you believe 'have the truth' is a strong one and facts are rendered powerless since in the end i get asked, "so what do you have that is better?

" but like morpheous on the movie, the matrix, all i have to offer is the truth.. .

Hoffnung

Keep emailing newspaper articles to your wife about child abuse in the organization or casualties of the no blood policy. The sheer amount of them is overwhelming. They pop up on this board every now and then as you know.

29

Contradictions, should we really care?

by garyneal in

i'm not sure if the title is appropriate but i figured i'd point out some contradictions i see in jehovah's witnesses like my wife and i often ask myself why should i care when obviously she does not?

the motivation to 'fit in' with the people who you believe 'have the truth' is a strong one and facts are rendered powerless since in the end i get asked, "so what do you have that is better?

" but like morpheous on the movie, the matrix, all i have to offer is the truth.. .

Hoffnung

Hello Garyneal,

Actually I believe you are well on track. The believe system of the Witnesses is a house of cards. To get the 1st card to drop is always the most difficult. If you keep on gently rocking the boat, sooner or later it will happen. In the mean time, you can learn a lot of the techniques of the GB. they never confront you: this is new light, swallow. They gently guide your thinking into their conclusion, the convincing part, the individual Witness does him or herself. You can use that very same technique, use some question, like: can you show from the greek scriptures alone the hope of an earthly paradise, leave the proving of their doctrines to them. and maybe she will see for herself how farfetched some doctrines are. Once the 1st card dropped the rest will come as well as long as you gently keep on rocking the boat. Please note that at the moment in the theocratic ministry school there is assignment after assignment how to give a reply to questions about changing doctrines etc. If you ask the standard question, you will also get the standard preprepped answer.

310

Are they really that bad???

by anonymous4 in

had a good look into the doctrine, beliefs and practices of jws and to be honest, i don't really see anything wrong with it at all.. it's biblical and i've had such an eye opener the past year or so reading some of their books and magazines .

is there really any real reasons why i shouldn't want to get involved further?

:-).

Hoffnung

Hi Debator,

Thank you for confirming your belief in the bible. Of course it is allowed to use other references, as long as they are not given MORE or SUPREME importance over the bible. Unfortunately the bible is not studied in the weekly meetings of JW, but rather the Watchtower, the kingdom ministry, or another book. Even if a multitude of references (usually it is less than a mere 10 bible verses) is read during one meeting, it does not take away that the subject of study is NOT the bible. It should be the other way around, the bible should be read A LOT MORE during the meetings, and the other publications like the watchtower A LOT LESS.

Just as all christian religions, the interpretation of certain verses has become more important than the message of Jesus, therefore the focus of the studies are on these interpretations, and everybody who rejects these interpretations is libeled an 'apostate', even if the bible is not specific about this point, or even worse, if it clearly contradicts this interpretation. As you must know, the biblical apostate is the one who rejects Jesus as Christ, the Jehovah's Witnesses apostate is the one who rejects the doctrines of the Governing Body, just to mention one such interpretation. Every religion has gone this road, and Jehovah's Witnesses as religion is no exception. Please take your bible and read the many accounts of preaching by Paul and Peter in the book of Acts, and you will see they never ever mentioned the hope of surviving Armaggeddon to live forerver on Paradise Earth. The live-forever-on-Paradise-earth message is one of many interpretations, clearly not a christian message. If you reply to this, please use alone the Christian Greek Scriptures.

15

I was forwarded an email about Jack Barr's passing away

by jj123jj123 in

jw
friends

has anyone else seen this email?

i thought i would pass it along.... .

dear friends, .

Hoffnung

Thank you for the clarification

310

Are they really that bad???

by anonymous4 in

had a good look into the doctrine, beliefs and practices of jws and to be honest, i don't really see anything wrong with it at all.. it's biblical and i've had such an eye opener the past year or so reading some of their books and magazines .

is there really any real reasons why i shouldn't want to get involved further?

:-).

Hoffnung

Debator,

please read 2Tim 3:16,17: All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.

We both agree Paul speaks about the bible as we know it. Paul stated clearly that the one applying scripture is "FULLY competent, COMPLETELY equipped". You see, no need for supplementary publications like the Watchtower.

The greatest christian entity mentioned in the Greek Scriptures is a congregation. Jesus communicates directly with congregations as shown in revelation 2 & 3. No organisation needed. An organization that claims itself "inspired" is implying the Holy Spirit is not good enough, as if God needed some help. God does not need our help, we need his. Quotes of an organization who claims divine backing (and thereby rejects the Holy Spirit), you can find in the Watchtower of 15SEP2010. Enjoy your Sunday.

15

I was forwarded an email about Jack Barr's passing away

by jj123jj123 in

jw
friends

has anyone else seen this email?

i thought i would pass it along.... .

dear friends, .

Hoffnung

Hello jj123jj123,

Do I understand correctly the mail comes from a Bethel source? The news is already a few days on this board, but this seems to make it official. It seems that the current GB also understood that the generation of 1914 is officially dead now(the one that would never pass away). and they hope everybody swallows the overlapping doctrine. I know many who don't. On the sideline, Moses prophecied about a generation it was fulfilled during his lifetime, an 'entire generation' disappeared in the desert, whereas ALL the people who prophesied that the generation of 1914 would not have passed away before Armaggeddon comes, are all DEAD. I am very curious to know what will change in the next months and years.

44

Well, I just finished reading Crisis of Conscience thanks to IssacAustin!

by Botzwana in

jw
friends

i couldn't put it down!

very informative.

i agreed with it all.

Hoffnung

Crisis of Conscience was THE eye opener for me as well. As soon as I had finished it, I ordered "In search of Christian Freedom" as well. A few months before Ray passed away, I wrote a "Thank you" email to the commentary press email adress, and was very surprised I received a very compassionate and long email from Ray himself. I am still moved by it every time I read it again. Unfortunately I learned of his death before I replied. A great man has left humanity. I can recommend, "the sign of the last days", and "the gentile times rediscovered" from Carl Olof Jonsson as well. Can someone help me to get "apocalypse delayed" on pdf? that would be great.

29

my story.

by xbro in

this is a truthfull account of what i went through,it is a work in progress and there is much mor to come.. all i can say to anyone reading this and are contemplating joining or are still a jehovahs witness is dont join and those that have,leave asap!.

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Hoffnung

Dear xbro,

Your youth definitely was a nightmare, I am glad to read you finally are getting over all these guilt and fear feelings. It is very positive you did not throw away your faith in God, as many others would have done in your situation. It is very sad you were let down so much by your mother and the people in your congregation. Although I respectfully disagree with the Trinity doctrine, I am glad you found fellowship in a church that corresponds to your spiritual needs and wishes, something I wish to find as well when I return feeling empty from the meetings in the KH. Although my family circumstances do not allow me to leave the witnesses, I know there is no truth or the way to Jesus to find there, and maybe one day I will do the same as you. May God bless you and save you from future difficulties in life.

Hoffnung