Juan, thank you for the thought-provoking response. I am not sure that this is a hot JWN topic at the moment. I must tell you that the outside world thinks it is. I cannot tell you how much feedback I get from this topic.
ClubSandwich
JoinedPosts by ClubSandwich
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Talking Cults--JWs--on Talk Radio
by ClubSandwich ini have been doing radio-talk shows for the last three months.
here is the pitch my promotion agency used for my january talk shows.
my interview with barry morgan, cjad-am 800, montreal,quebec, canada was taped an hour ago for his program that will be aired later today.
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Talking Cults--JWs--on Talk Radio
by ClubSandwich ini have been doing radio-talk shows for the last three months.
here is the pitch my promotion agency used for my january talk shows.
my interview with barry morgan, cjad-am 800, montreal,quebec, canada was taped an hour ago for his program that will be aired later today.
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ClubSandwich
I have been doing radio-talk shows for the last three months. Here is the pitch my promotion agency used for my January talk shows. My interview with Barry Morgan, CJAD-AM 800, Montreal,Quebec, CANADA was taped an hour ago for his program that will be aired later today. Would love to hear your comments on the key talking points noted below:
Is Someone You Know in a Cult? Survivor Shares 5 Warning Signs
The difference between “religion” and “cult” can often seem slight.
These days, many are apt to describe believers as one big community of faith, but the fact remains that there are very important differences among various belief systems, says Richard E. Kelly, a self-described “survivor” of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
“On the spectrum of faiths, I put the Watchtower Society – Jehovah’s Witnesses – closer to the (Charles) Manson Family cult than I do, say, the Lutheran Church,” says Kelly, www.richardekelly.com , author of “Growing Up in Mama’s Club – A Childhood Perspective of Jehovah’s Witnesses” and “The Ghosts from Mama’s Club.” The books detail his experiences growing up in a Jehovah’s Witnesses household, the ensuing family disharmony and how the cultish legacy contributed to his sister’s murder.
The following beliefs should be considered cult constructs, he says.
· Certainty that the world will end in one’s lifetime: This is a crucial pill to swallow for a subsequent list of cult beliefs, which keep followers in a perpetual state of fear. If only one holds true enough to a strict set of rules – like avoiding pledges of allegiance at school, for example – then they may be spared at Armageddon.
· Social manipulation: For Jehovah’s Witnesses who are not observant of all rules, ostracism and shunning is used. How to handle someone who questions policy? Make sure their family ignores them!
· Cripple half of the members (women): For Jehovah’s Witnesses, women are seen as creatures trapped somewhere between men and animals in God’s hierarchy. No woman can have a position of authority, which means its men only for preaching, teaching and praying. If there’s an official meeting and a woman prays she must cover her head out of respect for the angels who might be there.
· Scorning education: Who needs advanced learning when the world is sure to end in a few short years? Kelly’s sister, Marilyn, had very little education, so when she was finally able to leave home, she had few coping skills. She ultimately met an abusive third husband, who later murdered her.
· Sexually repressive: Jehovah’s Witnesses are thoroughly indoctrinated in how to harness the power of the sex drive to please God. It’s obsessive compulsive when it comes to creating rules about sexual dos and don’ts, from masturbation to the role of women; from conception to sexual pleasure. Sex before marriage is an onerous crime, punishable by shunning and death at Armageddon.
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New video: Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower's secret child abuse letter
by cedars inwe have decided to let the world know what happened when our websites were shut down earlier this month by means of this new video..... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g_9efi84qnc.
huge thanks to nugget for lending us her gorgeous voice, and also to cantleave for his cameo role as the voice of the big bad watchtower!
cedars.
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ClubSandwich
Cedars, you and Juan make a great team. I hope that I never cross the two of you. Your acts of defiance, righteous indignation if you will, are works of art. Keep up the good work.
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Is the Old Testament a book about the Divine delivering Eternal Truths?
by ClubSandwich in.
most of what jehovahs witnesses know about the hebrew bible, more commonly referred to as the old testament or the hebrew scriptures, is simply not so.. they know much that aint so because they live in an insulated world where their references to it are prolific, giving them a false sense of familiarity.. they also know too little because theyve allowed others to read and interpret it for them through the filtering lens of an unchallenged theology.
their knowledge is based on misconceptions created by their own rigid theology.. but what about you, "do you think the old testament is a book about the divine delivering eternal truths?
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ClubSandwich
The Hebrew Bible is not a book about the divine delivering eternal truths, despite the fact that at a much later time, complex systems of theology would be spun from particular interpretations of biblical passages. Rather, its narrative materials give an account of the journey of the ancient Israelites as they struggled to make sense of their history and tried to maintain a relationship with their god. Yes, the Bible addresses moral questions, but those few instances are few and far between.
Reading the Bible along with parallel materials from the many cultures of the ancient Near East is a revelation, as the ancient Israelites borrowed shamelessly from the outside world. They adopted and adapted literary styles and stories from other cultures, but in the process produced richer, more coherent readings of the biblical text than would have been otherwise possible.
The narratives of the Hebrew Bible are not pious parables about saints, nor are they G-rated tales easily understood by children. Biblical narratives are stories about human beings whose behavior was often obscene, mean-spirited and violent. But, biblical characters could also change and act with justice and compassion.
The unfounded expectation that biblical characters are models for our own conduct causes many readers to try to vindicate those characters, just because they are biblical characters. But if we attribute to these characters the reputation for piety actually manufactured by later religious traditions, if we whitewash their flaws, then we miss the real moral complexities and the psychological insights that have made these often R-rated stories of timeless interest. Biblical narratives place serious demands on readers. They explore moral issues by inserting biblical characters into moral dilemmas, leaving readers to draw their own conclusions.
The god of the first five books of the Bible should not be confused with the god of western theological speculation. The attributes assigned to “God” by post-biblical theologians, such as his “knowing all things,” are not attributes possessed by Jehovah in the Pentateuch. On several occasions this Hebrew god changes his mind, because when it comes to human beings his learning curve is steep. Humans have free will; they act in ways that surprise him and many times he must change course and respond. One of the greatest challenges for modern, objective readers of the Hebrew Bible is to allow the text to mean what it says, even when what it says flies in the face of doctrines that actually emerged centuries later during philosophical debates about “God” really meant.
If current and former Jehovah’s Witnesses could open their minds and acknowledge these misconceptions about the Hebrew Bible, it would enable them to encounter and struggle with the Hebrew Bible with all of its rich complexity, its grandeur and sophistication, its self-contradiction and mediocrity, its sense of sorrow and pain, and yes – even its humor. Perhaps a closer second look that is not filtered by modern theological bias or a “my way or the highway” attitude, might help them arrive at a compassionate, non-confrontational, and deeper understanding of the real Hebrew Bible.
If you would like to know more about the Hebrew Bible, I suggest reading Christine Hayes’ Introduction to the Bible (The Open Yale Courses Series)
. Her book is well-researched and a fascinating read. I admit that I shamelessly borrowed from her book to make this post. -
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Is The Book of Revelation All About Me & My Generation?
by ClubSandwich injws believe the book of revelation offers an account of what is to come in their lifetime.
but the problem is that every generation for the last 1900 years has thought the same thing.
and, every generation has been wrong, even though each new one thinks it will be about me and my generation this time.. most reputable bible scholars believe that revelation, also called the apocalypse of john, was not written to describe the future for people living today.
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ClubSandwich
Tornapart, I would highly recommend Bart Ehrman's books on Revelation and other books of the New Testament. Lots of hard-core believers want to shoot the messenger, but his message is well-researched and he is one of the most articulate writers and speakers on this subject.
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How many exBethelites?
by Christ Alone ini'd just like to see who here has served at bethel, including myself.
this may be useful for those that have specific questions about bethel, but don't know who of us actually served there.
could we hear from those that served at bethel and where you served?
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ClubSandwich
I did my time from 1962 to 1964 and I've never looked back. Worked in the Kitchen under the strict supervision of Karl Hoppe.
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Is The Book of Revelation All About Me & My Generation?
by ClubSandwich injws believe the book of revelation offers an account of what is to come in their lifetime.
but the problem is that every generation for the last 1900 years has thought the same thing.
and, every generation has been wrong, even though each new one thinks it will be about me and my generation this time.. most reputable bible scholars believe that revelation, also called the apocalypse of john, was not written to describe the future for people living today.
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ClubSandwich
mP, you have done your homework/research well. Kudos to you. It is interesting that Nero's name can be spelled numerically as either 666 or 616. And many modern Biblical scholars dispute the fact that the Apostle John wrote the Gospel bearing his name. Most of them have no doubt that it was a strange, reclusive prophet named John who wrote Revelation. Nothing in common with both authors other than their first name.
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Is the Old Testament a book about the Divine delivering Eternal Truths?
by ClubSandwich in.
most of what jehovahs witnesses know about the hebrew bible, more commonly referred to as the old testament or the hebrew scriptures, is simply not so.. they know much that aint so because they live in an insulated world where their references to it are prolific, giving them a false sense of familiarity.. they also know too little because theyve allowed others to read and interpret it for them through the filtering lens of an unchallenged theology.
their knowledge is based on misconceptions created by their own rigid theology.. but what about you, "do you think the old testament is a book about the divine delivering eternal truths?
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ClubSandwich
C A, I am new to JWN so it is a new experience for me. I have learned to go with the flow. If you are tainted with JW blood, you can be like so out of it. People need a vehicle to vent their frustration. And for what it is worth, I think you are referring my earlier piece on Revelation. mP has made no comments as yet. This crowd would not be too receptive to that piece. But's that's okay. Isn't it wonderful that we can post our thoughts and not be shamed for using our thinking skills. or whateve one uses on JWN.
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Is the Old Testament a book about the Divine delivering Eternal Truths?
by ClubSandwich in.
most of what jehovahs witnesses know about the hebrew bible, more commonly referred to as the old testament or the hebrew scriptures, is simply not so.. they know much that aint so because they live in an insulated world where their references to it are prolific, giving them a false sense of familiarity.. they also know too little because theyve allowed others to read and interpret it for them through the filtering lens of an unchallenged theology.
their knowledge is based on misconceptions created by their own rigid theology.. but what about you, "do you think the old testament is a book about the divine delivering eternal truths?
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ClubSandwich
Seriously, many reputalbe Bible scholars question that David ever existed, a make-believe guy. He definitely is not a hero in my mind. So why would someone think he is so cool? He is a role model for psycho-paths. Hurt everyone one you know and then cry in your beer telling God how bad you are, but you are so sorry. Please forgive me God because now I am an old man and have no one to turn to but You.
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Is the Old Testament a book about the Divine delivering Eternal Truths?
by ClubSandwich in.
most of what jehovahs witnesses know about the hebrew bible, more commonly referred to as the old testament or the hebrew scriptures, is simply not so.. they know much that aint so because they live in an insulated world where their references to it are prolific, giving them a false sense of familiarity.. they also know too little because theyve allowed others to read and interpret it for them through the filtering lens of an unchallenged theology.
their knowledge is based on misconceptions created by their own rigid theology.. but what about you, "do you think the old testament is a book about the divine delivering eternal truths?
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ClubSandwich
Why can't people just leave it in the hands of Jehovah. He will make it all better in his own due time. Oops! I've heard that before, done that and it just doesn't seem to work, at least not for me. Do you think if I read the Watchtower more that would help?
. Her book is well-researched and a fascinating read. I admit that I shamelessly borrowed from her book to make this post.