Joliette, I'm glad you are able to see through the mind-numbing JW propaganda. You deserve a pat on the back!
Now, you might wanna make some new friends...
satinka
sure the world hasnt ended yet.
that doesnt mean that it isnt going to happen.. sure, the brothers got a little excited about 1975. they made a mistake.
its still the truth.
Joliette, I'm glad you are able to see through the mind-numbing JW propaganda. You deserve a pat on the back!
Now, you might wanna make some new friends...
satinka
our neighbourhood has seen a debate erupt in the local schools in our area.
of all things, the fundys want to stop an anti-bullying program that the schools are attempting to initiate.
in response to an article in the paper, i wrote a rebuttal.
Oh my gawd...another newbie! Congratulations on taking the plunge, boc!
I'm impressed!
You might want to start a new thread and announce yourself. Not too many people find their way to my threads, I'm afraid...
satinka
our neighbourhood has seen a debate erupt in the local schools in our area.
of all things, the fundys want to stop an anti-bullying program that the schools are attempting to initiate.
in response to an article in the paper, i wrote a rebuttal.
Our neighbourhood has seen a debate erupt in the local schools in our area. Of all things, the fundys want to stop an anti-bullying program that the schools are attempting to initiate. In response to an article in the paper, I wrote a rebuttal. Surprise! It got published!
http://www.bclocalnews.com/greater_vancouver/burnabynewsleader/opinion/letters/122237959.html#
Burnaby NewsLeader
Greater Vancouver
Published: May 19, 2011 9:00 AM
I read with great interest the article in the Burnaby NewsLeader called “Anti-homophobia debate packs school board meeting” (April 29). My first thoughts were, “Can anyone believe there could be a debate on this issue?” and “What is there to debate?”
I could not quite fathom that someone would protest protection against bullying of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual and Queer (LGBTQ) folk.
Having belonged (in the past) to a fanatical religion I knew at once there is only one segment of society that would protest protection of LGBTQ folk from being bullied: the religious fundamentalists. I recognized the spin, having exited such a group—in my case, the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They claim to be a “moderate” religion concerned about preserving their narrow definition of “family”—family, of course being defined as husband (man), wife (woman) plus any children resulting from said union. These so-called “special interest groups” spew hate directly from the church/kingdom hall platforms and even quote scriptures such as found in Genesis Chapter 19 to support their twisted reasoning. For example, they use the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah by God as a precedent that “proves” the God of the bible destroyed these cities because the men desired sexual relations with other men, rather than the women.
After leaving the religion, I am now feeling concern about the constant cry for more “religious freedom” emanating from these fundamentalist groups who will not openly acknowledge that they are religious in nature. They turn around and persecute and marginalize human beings who desire the same freedoms to choose their private life course. Yet our modern western society seems to put religions on a pedestal that no one is allowed to touch, lest these individuals be called bigoted. Yet, it is these very religions that are spewing the hate and propaganda that marginalize folks they judge. These religious groups feel that they speak on behalf of God, and therefore are above the law.
Fundamentalist religions probably don’t like to be put in the same box as the Jehovah’s Witnesses, but I say why not?—their spin on family values is the same. How fundamentalist religions treat other human beings will come back to haunt them. What goes around comes around. These so-called moderate religious people do not appear to be heeding their own scripture: “… For whatever a man is sowing, this he will also reap.”—Galatians 6:7 (New World Translation).
I suggest we treat all humans with respect, allowing each individual their exercise of “free will” to choose what is appropriate for themselves without interference, judgment, persecution or marginalization, lest it come back to haunt such self-appointed judges.
satinka
well sort of... i think that if there really was a debate between jws and harold camping followers this is what it would look like.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om2rfoynk_m.
my first video in 8 months or so, hope it came out ok and is as biting of a satire as i thought it would be..
People who are ready to leave will "get it," Tuesday...I feel sure.
I appreciate your effort and artistic talent to get the message out!
satinka
well sort of... i think that if there really was a debate between jws and harold camping followers this is what it would look like.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om2rfoynk_m.
my first video in 8 months or so, hope it came out ok and is as biting of a satire as i thought it would be..
The book I mentioned above is called "Faith on the March" by A. H. MacMillan, © Copyright 1957, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, N.J.
I am surprised to see that the book was introduced by N.H. Knorr. I suppose the elders who counselled me didn't know...!!!
INTRODUCTION
To the reader:
N. H. KNORR,President, Watch Tower Bibleand Tract Society of Pennsylvania
Brooklyn, New Yorkhttp://www.e-cepher.com/books/fotm/
Page 26 - 29
MAINTAINING THE MIND OF THE LORD
Expecting the Lord Jesus to come in 1878 to catch them up miraculously to be with him in heaven, some who had been Second Adventists (including Barbour) were disappointed when that miracle did not occur. Russell, though, "did not for a moment feel cast down," but "realized that what God had so plainly declared must some time have a fulfillment"; and he "wanted to have it just in God's time and way." [19] On one occasion while talking with Russell about the events of 1878, I told him that Pittsburgh papers had reported he was on the Sixth Street bridge dressed in a white robe on the night of the Memorial of Christ's death, expecting to be taken to heaven together with many others. I asked him, "Is that correct?"
Russell laughed heartily and said: "I was in bed that night between 10:30 and 11:00 P.M. However, some of the more radical ones might have been there, but I was not. Neither did I expect to be taken to heaven at that time, for I felt there was much work to be done preaching the Kingdom message to the peoples of the earth before the church would be taken away."
It was right at the time of this disappointment, as Russell shows, [20] that a permanent breach began between Barbour and Russell. Paul's words at I Corinthians 15:51, 52, were being wrongly construed, Russell had pointed out. There, in Paul's statement, "We shall not all sleep," the word sleep is not synonymous with die, though some had so understood. Rather, here sleep means state of unconsciousness of those who in death must wait for Christ's second coming to awaken them out of such sleep.[21] Russell showed how Paul clearly meant by his words that those alive on earth when Christ returned would not need to go into such sleep of death to wait for a future awakening, but at the instant of their death they then would be "changed" or resurrected immediately, to be with Christ in heaven as spirit persons. This harmonizes with Paul's words in this same chapter, verse 36: "That which thou sowest is not quickened, except it die."
But Barbour rejected this simple explanation of Paul's words, feeling that he had to "get up something new to divert attention from the failure of the living saints to be caught away en masse." Soon afterward Barbour wrote and published in the Herald "that Christ's death was no more a settlement of the penalty of man's sins than would the sticking of a pin through the body of a fly and causing it suffering and death be considered by an earthly parent as a just settlement for misdemeanor in his child." That denial by Barbour of the basic Bible doctrine of the ransom value of Jesus' sacrifice came as a real shock to Russell. Russell, who now had been regularly contributing to the Herald, immediately wrote and published a powerful defense of the ransom. Then, in the same journal, Barbour and a few supporters continued attacking the ransom doctrine while Russell and others kept on upholding it. Herald readers were confused; it also greatly disturbed Russell. To him the ransom was the keystone, the great foundation of human hope. To attack it was to shake the basis of God's provision for reconciling sinful man to himself. However, Russell soon realized that continued wrangling would not settle the problem. He determined, therefore, to withdraw his support from the Herald, to which he himself had given new life in order to preach the good tidings of the harvest work. But just to withdraw, he saw, would not be sufficient. The ransom must be defended and the work of proclaiming our Lord's return must be continued. In July, 1879 the first issue of Zion's Watch Tower and Herald of Christ's Presence was published by C. T. Russell. In 1884 the nonprofit, charitable corporation was chartered that now is known as Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. It has served as the legal and business agent of Jehovah's witnesses ever since. From these small beginnings a tremendous growth has resulted. The message contained in The Watchtower has never halted. From a first distribution of six thousand copies its circulation had grown by 1957 to more than three million copies in forty-six languages. Its message of comfort and hope has assisted an ever-growing host of supporters to change over their thinking and to make straight paths for their feet.[22] By 1957 the number of persons actively engaged in preaching this good news of Jehovah's kingdom had expanded to well over six hundred and fifty thousand.
WHAT BIBLE STUDY REVEALED
Now the issue begun in Eden is to be settled for all time. The good news being preached holds out a prospect of endless life in a world of God's making. You can be sure the way of life begun by God in Eden is not to be lost to mankind. The disobedient act of Adam and Eve has not altered God's purpose. What the first pair did in wrongfully eating of the tree was a little thing, a small happening; but it changed the history of the world. Their yielding to their own personal preference lost for themselves and for their offspring the widest range of individual freedom. It was a corrupting of their minds.[23] Do you think if we persist in their way that it will bring us closer to God? Truth is more important than individuals. It is not a matter of adopting "the religion of your own choice." That is what Adam and Eve did. It is a matter of finding and holding to the one true religion that is God's choice for us.
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: . . . he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death."[24]
-----------------------------
I don't know if this helps or not, but for what it's worth...there you have ...ummmm ... something... different date. Somehow, I remember things differently. Do you suppose the book has been revised since MacMillan's death...? Maybe someone has an original printing from a 1957 edition...?
satinka
well sort of... i think that if there really was a debate between jws and harold camping followers this is what it would look like.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=om2rfoynk_m.
my first video in 8 months or so, hope it came out ok and is as biting of a satire as i thought it would be..
Tuesday wrote:
I remember the story going that they were dressed in white robes waiting for Jesus to take them to heaven and when it didn't happen Russell went back to bethel and said "Is anyone disappointed? Well I'm not!"
I read a book back in the '80s about the failed rapture on the bridge. But I can't remember the name of it. It wasn't a jw publication and I was counselled for reading it. Apparently I wasn't supposed to. Anybody else read this "illegal" book ...?
I was a jw then ... what a hollow feeling it left me with!
Tuesday, the pot calling the kettle black. Priceless!
Thanks for sharing!
May I post your link on my blogsite? I'm planning to blog about the Harold Campings of the world.
satinka
danny wilson, or am i the only one round here?.
sorry, the name means nothing to me, slidin
or am I the only one round here?
Hmmm...maybe we need to know...Round where?
satinka
sara is a teenager who lives with her family, who are jehova's witnesses.
the family's devout image is questioned when the parents divorce as a consequence of the father's infidelity.
one night at a party sara meets teis, an older boy who takes an interest in her.
Wonderful movie! Oh, the guilt tripping that the JWs do.
satinka
hello, i'm a 'active' 17 yr. old jw, saw this site before when i was still searching for answers, i gotta say, it's not a good site to convert jws, because most of the people on here seem to hate the "borg" (as you call it on here?
i rather had to go on a scientific forum to get answers to my questions about jw (or rather the bible in general) with a very open mind, and actually thinking to convert some of them if i was lucky.
rather, i saw that everything the society gave us was easily refutable, or on shaky grounds.
Welcome to the forum, Garbonzo!
Is this site only have ex-JWs, or are JWs welcome to join, also, like that Topix section for JWs?
JWs come on here sometimes. Sometimes its accidental and sometimes it is on purpose. There are many active JWs who are members. Some of them are trying to leave --- without losing their entire families. Some are struggling with beliefs.
Have you ever had debates with JWs and ex-JWs?
Some JWs that come on here are very opinionated and want to get us back to the kingdom hall. So, yes, absolutely, there are sometimes debates. Debates about scripture and doctrine. Lively discussions are welcomed here. This is not a forum where no one is allowed to express a contrary opinion or idea.
Stick around...You will see.
I also have an idea for a website, if there isn't already one: Make a kind of JW archive website, where people post recordings of their meetings, underlined watchtowers, comments, etc. to help those of us who are just going through the motions because of family, I think there is a lot of those on here? Unless of course there already is a site like this. Is there? I think it'd be fairly popular, especially with all the ones from JW.net, and we could keep it "apostate" free, so even real JWs come. Make a small amount of cash on ads? What do you think? I don't want to waste my time having to come up with a comment, and underline my publications just so that I'd look good to my family, when there is a perfectly good comment made by an Elder, and a studied Watchtower in a congregation half way across the world.
I think yours is a great idea. I figure this is a good site for birthing such an idea because of the amount of traffic that frequents this forum. For example, our beloved Blondie posts a regular thread called "What you will NOT hear at this week's Watchtower Study" --- so in all seriousness, your idea could be added, too. Provided some JW is willing to do the work and share it.
Not to say a separate website would not work as well. Double negative. Meaning it would work fine! Just the issue of traffic.
Personally, I have not been to a meeting in eleven years. ..ancient history for me.
satinka
september 21, 1897 edition of the new york sun carried a famous letter to the editor written by a little 8 year old girl, virginia o'hanlon.. .
the little girl had been told by her friends that santa claus was a myth and she wanted to know the truth of the matter.. at first virginia went directly to her father who she trusted to give her honest answers.
after all, he was a respected doctor!.
Thanks for sharing that news clipping, Terry. That is a b-e-a-u-t-i-f-u-l answer to a child filled with wonder.
satinka