hi, i am new to studying with the jw's and would like to know they best way to start.
any suggestions?.
He's only heard the opposing viewpoint as told by The Watchtower Society.
Somehow, I seriously doubt that DylanBeam didn't already know that this site was chock-full of apostates before he joined. I detect a serious lack of testicular fortitude, or intelligence. Probably both.
hi, i am new to studying with the jw's and would like to know they best way to start.
any suggestions?.
DylanBeam
Your personal integrity and intellectual honesty (if you have them), should demand you look at both sides of the coin before deciding to become a Jehovah's Witness. Once you become one, there is no going back.
This site is pretty nasty for someone who seems as sensitive as yourself. However, if you approach it with the mindset that you don't have to agree with (or even read) everything that people post here, you'll do just fine. Just keep an open mind.
If you would like some help, with no pressure from radical forum posters like us...go to www.jwfacts.com and read as much as you can there. The information is well researched, and offers some non-agressive counter-points to what you'll be learning from your Bible Study Conductor. By the way, they will likely be using the book, "What Does The Bible Really Teach?" It is available for download in PDF format here: http://download.jw.org/files/media_books/bh_E.pdf
I've also found Crisis of Conscience and In Search of Christian Freedom to be excellent aids in learning some opposing viewpoints about the organization. They were both written by Raymond Franz, former member of The Governing Body. He is in no way inflamatory or vicious about his views, and I think you'll be surprised how much you enjoy his books.
I really hope that you put some thought into this, and realize that we are not a bunch of "apostate maniacs" who are trying to trick you out of salvation. No one from The Kingdom Hall is going to tell you the entire story about The Organization. They are only going to tell you what they want you to hear. In fact, they will warn you that your family/friends/Satan will try to prevent you from learning "The Truth". Most importantly, they will warn you not to talk to ex-members. This is a common control mechanism used by many religious cults. They will try to make you afraid to listen to anyone else before those people even have a chance to share their viewpoints.
I wish I had been fortunate enough, and old enough to learn some of the things this site has taught me before I got baptized. I'm currently stuck in the organization, along with my family and friends. If I leave, it will cost me everything. You have an opportunity to make an informed decision. PLEASE DO NO WASTE IT. Even if you decide that Jehovah's Witnesses are "great" and you want to be one, at least you will have made that choice with all the facts at your disposal.
I wish you the best, and welcome to the forum.
dontplaceliterature
(Born In Jehovah's Witness - Active & Currently Serving as a Ministerial Servant)
i find it funny that the wts ignores colossians 2:16 with regards to "pagan" holidays, yet will allow such pagan rituals as a wedding ring, "white" wedding, neck ties, etc; all the while making half ass attempts at justifying wind chimes and how they are a conscience decision.
does not colossians 2:16 basically allow anything, and not to judge?
if you research the book of job it becomes appearent that job was celebrating his kids birthday, and yet he "walked with god"... what gives??
Can anyone verify if the Watchtower discusses that verse at all in light of holiday celebrations? Questions from readers? I don't currently have access to my WTLB cd-rom.
they dropped epubs from the march study towers.
and 2012 yearbook..
Perhaps the EPUB files aren't finished or had some bugs? I would think if they were going to take down EPUBs to disuade members of the congregation from using iPads at The Kingdom Hall, they would have removed them all. However, there are still issues up to February in EPUB format, as well as some other publications.
any of you that know who tim tebow is will either find this skit hilarious or disturbing depending on your religious views or lack there of.
(since they did lose this sunday) remember this was aired saturday night before the sunday game between denver broncos and new england patriots.. leave it to saturday night live to present it in a way that only they can.. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ul2dhnaqgxm&feature=g-logo&context=g23c7a1efoaaaaaaaxaa.
I just read that article before coming here and was thinking the same thing. Funny stuff.
...and a big smile on his face... as if to say "i can finally shut you up".... rewinding a bit.... about 18 months ago, i read "gentile times reconsidered" and discovered this doctrine had more holes than swiss cheese.
but it didn't end there, i read several studies in the scriptures, the even tide by john aquila brown (not all of it) and then proceeded to write multiple letters to brooklyn, all of which were responded to by dodging simple questions such as: "if the 70 years ended in 537 and jeremiah says there would be 70 years of servitude, which babyonian king were the jews serving between 539 and 537?".
i showed all three of the society's responses to an elder in my congo (even though he received copies of these himself) and he could see that they were "canned" responses that in no way anwered my queries.
My dad also told me I think about things too much. Ignorance is bliss.
have you ever considered the fact that by implication, when we thank god for food (if you do), we are also saying that he is responsible for the lack of food in the case of others who are not as fortunate as we are?
if you are acknowledging that it is god who is responsible for your physical well-being, and that you don't have plenty because of your own sensibility and hard work, then what about those who are not physically well?
what about those who do not have enough to eat?
No offense, myelaine, but you could have argued your point without copying an pasting someone else's work. Yet, further proof to me that there is no solid argument against the reasoning set out in the original post.
have you ever considered the fact that by implication, when we thank god for food (if you do), we are also saying that he is responsible for the lack of food in the case of others who are not as fortunate as we are?
if you are acknowledging that it is god who is responsible for your physical well-being, and that you don't have plenty because of your own sensibility and hard work, then what about those who are not physically well?
what about those who do not have enough to eat?
Well then, since god does not exist, theoretically and by your own admission, whose responsibility should it be to end hunger?
It would be man's. I'm not sure man is up to the task. The question isn't whether or not God WILL do anything about the situation, it's whether or not he HAS anything to do with it. Or in other words:
IF God is DIRECTLY responsible for our material success (or in this case, our full bellies) and deserves to be thanked in prayer, is he not ALSO DIRECTLY responsible for the lack that others have?
You would say "No", Vanderhoven7, "Those people are a victim of circumstance." On this point, I would agree with you.
However, it then follows that anyone who has material prosperity (measure that how you wish) benefits from their circumstance, rather than being victimized by it. So, why thank God? Does he only intervene on behalf of those who are wealthy? If so, he's a real prick - just sayin'.
have you ever considered the fact that by implication, when we thank god for food (if you do), we are also saying that he is responsible for the lack of food in the case of others who are not as fortunate as we are?
if you are acknowledging that it is god who is responsible for your physical well-being, and that you don't have plenty because of your own sensibility and hard work, then what about those who are not physically well?
what about those who do not have enough to eat?
Man, not God, is responsible for starvation anywhere in our world.
Likewise, Man, not God, is responsible for his own success with regard to material things.
I might also add that if you think that there is no scriptural precedent for God being the culprit with regard to famine, spend some more time reading the Hebrew Scriptures. My argument though, is that God is not responsible.
Even per Jehovah's Witness doctrine, this system of things is under Satan's control. So why, then, should I thank him for anything that I get while living under Satan's system? Shouldn't I be thanking Satan? Isn't this a fair question?
have you ever considered the fact that by implication, when we thank god for food (if you do), we are also saying that he is responsible for the lack of food in the case of others who are not as fortunate as we are?
if you are acknowledging that it is god who is responsible for your physical well-being, and that you don't have plenty because of your own sensibility and hard work, then what about those who are not physically well?
what about those who do not have enough to eat?
Have you ever considered the fact that by implication, when we thank God for food (if you do), we are also saying that he is responsible for the lack of food in the case of others who are not as fortunate as we are? If you are acknowledging that it is God who is responsible for your physical well-being, and that you don't have plenty because of your own sensibility and hard work, then what about those who are not physically well? What about those who do not have enough to eat? Isn't he responsible for their lack? Can he only take credit for the good, and not the bad if he is in control of these types of things?
If he isn't in control of them, why then give him thanks for food?
