Posts by Mat

8

Nice Reminder

by Lunatic Faith in

so, i received a wake up call in the last 48 hours that reminded me of the need to keep my head down if i don't want to get my ass df'd for apostasy.

someone on here posted an interesting blog about this baptist minister who doesn't believe in god any more.

found here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/207757/1/reasons-for-disbelief-the-top-ten-reasons-i-am-an-atheist .

Hi LF, the periods of doubt and fear you describe are called "floating". I don't know if you have read it but it's described in Combatting Cult Mind Control a book I'm sure most here will reccomend, if you haven't already heard of it. Thread about it here:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/177735/1/I-had-the-floating-sensation

I totaly understand the not wanting to make a clean break. It was easier for me as I had no family in it, but even I couldn't bring myslef to just leave like that.

22

DF Question

by TheLoveDoctor in

if 1 elder definetly knows how i feel of governing body and some of thier doctrine, he knows as i admitted viewing and researching apostate liturate can they still disfellowship me if i refuse to meet?

right now the 1 brother would talk to the body they would need 2 witneses or one more brother to determine if thier should be a jc yet i know and they know it would be obviouse for the need for one, could the just form one and if i refuse to meet could they df me anyway?.

Mat

It depends on this elder. By the book they need 2 witnesses, but Elders don't need to follow the rules! They can just calim you admitted it and no one will ask your side of the story.

It really depends how vindictive this guy is, or the rest of the elders for that matter.

16

Once Upon A Time in "Dub" Land Hell...

by Was New Boy in

a few years ago i was the host for the x jw "meet-up" group here in portland.

i got a phone call from a women who was very upset.. her husband who she loved very much, was a xjw when they got married.

(she never was) he was dfed as a teenager.

Mat

Please tell them to get professional and trained help. I've never heard a more needed example!

16

Once Upon A Time in "Dub" Land Hell...

by Was New Boy in

a few years ago i was the host for the x jw "meet-up" group here in portland.

i got a phone call from a women who was very upset.. her husband who she loved very much, was a xjw when they got married.

(she never was) he was dfed as a teenager.

Mat

They need a marriage councillor. Being of two belieaf systems is bad enough, coping with a child's death is enough in itself! Add to that the complications of thinking God is somehow punishing the couple and a divisive family- it's either a marriage councillor or a divorce.

23

'When we have such a large and loving organization, why should we have fellowship with the world?'

by Joliette in

jah gave us such a loving organization, full of brothers and sisters, full of unity no matter the race, culture, gender or background, the loving faithful and discreet slave with jesus christ as its mediator, the channel, between jesus and us, why should we seek assoication with the world???.

can anyone answer this question....why should we??

is there any reason for assoication with the world?.

Mat

27

Does this mean what I think it means?

by MrFreeze in

it's been about a month and a half since i last talked to the elders.

today i got a call from one of them.

he left me a voicemail saying he would like to have me meet with them on sunday after the meeting to discuss some things and to see if there is any way they can be of help.. i haven't been to a meeting since the end of october/beginning of november.

Mat

You know, they say you should attend these meetings alone but legally they have no right to demand such. I would like to find out what would happen if you did turn up but had with you a witness to the proceedings?

31

Bible's Buried Secrets

by Mat in

anyone in the uk watching this seris?

last one on next tuesday.

the first two can be watched online here:.

Mat

Hi Lovelylil

I'm sure that is how believers in the bible read it, but why that view is questioned is because Israel are descendents of the Canaanites, or at least their settlements swept in from the west, not the east as the bible tells us. They would therefore be aware of the Canaanite beliefs, so any expression similar to expressions found in the Ugaritic texts would call to mind their teachings. The 'sons of god' are in fact other gods according to the Ugaritic Text, while in the bible it is assumed they refer to angels. There are other comparative expressions, perhaps worth starting a new discussion about.

To be honest it is not very strong evidence to suggest a polytheistic origin for the bible, but it is indicative. But as you say, there are other ways to interpret the scripture that correspond with the monotheistic norm.

31

Bible's Buried Secrets

by Mat in

anyone in the uk watching this seris?

last one on next tuesday.

the first two can be watched online here:.

Mat

Hi Lovelylil, as it happens this subject and the scripture has been discussed before. Here:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/165791/1/YHWH-a-minor-pagan-god-Ugaritic-Texts-and-the-Sons-of-El

you left out verse 9 in your quote, which is the main point:

When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance,
when he divided all mankind,
he set up boundaries for the peoples
according to the number of the sons of Israel

For the LORD’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted inheritance.

Why would Jehovah need to inherit the people of Jacob? Translations try to obscure this. The TEV translates it thus:

8When the Most High (Q) gave to the nations their inheritance,
when he (R) divided mankind,
he fixed the borders [a] of the peoples
according to the number of the sons of God. [b]
9 But the LORD’s portion is his people,
Jacob his allotted heritage.

Notice how the sons of Israel in the NIV become the sons of God in the TEV. This is a topic in itself. But suffice to say some scholars belieave that despite the fact that the bible has been edited to fit a monotheistic aganda, some verses managed to escape their censorship, and this is one of them.

10

Why did Jesus get Astronomy wrong if he was God

by designs in

?

Mat

Where?

31

Bible's Buried Secrets

by Mat in

anyone in the uk watching this seris?

last one on next tuesday.

the first two can be watched online here:.

Mat

Archeology shows that the people that came to be called Israel actually migrated from the older established city states that we have come to call Cannaan -West of aincient Israel (in contrast to the bible's claim that the Israelites swept in from the east after wandering the deasert for 40 years with Moses).

The Canaanite religion taught that El was the cheif god of their pantheon, he was married to Asherah and he had many sons that included Baal Hadad (and some recon Yahweh/Jehovha). We know this because clay tablets were found in Ugarit that depict their mythology.

The fact that the bible chooses to condemn Baal, Asherah and other gods, but calls it's god El suggests that they developed the Canaanite belieafs as their society developed. Yahweh/Jehovah is not mentioned in these texts, so it is reconed this name for God came later, however there are hints in some scriptures that Yahweh/Jehovah was considered the son of El. Deuteronomy 32:8-9 for example which says the Most High divided up the nations he gave unto Yahweh/Jehovah the people of Jacob as an inheritence.