Posts by Half banana

14

July 2020 Watchtower - A little observation

by Listener in

this is a comment made in the latest study watchtower under the main discussion of humility.

11 jehovah values humility more than ability and unity more than eﬃciency.

therefore, do your best to serve jehovah with humility.

Half banana

Whatever it is that the GB need to further their paradise fraud, they find a scripture or two and say that their thoughts are what Jehovah wants. . . and the lowly-worm JWs buy it! And what does the GB want: to have an uncomplaining and compliant workforce who don't need to be paid.

The governing body are cunning little scripture twisters bending the Bible round to their own vision.

Indeed Listener, efficiency and ability are not related directly to humility. However it is not the inclination of uneducated slaves to seek out efficient working methods.

I assume the reason for the Watchtower mentioning this is because 1 it has been pointed out how grossly inefficient preaching has become (what up to 15,000 preaching hours spent to gain one new recruit -- and most of them are the children of JWs to start with!) and 2 that the religion is attracting a diminishing number of people with "ability"? The latter being inevitable when the official JW line is "don't get an education".

4

Great. Like the Concentration Camps, it seems Corona Virus is boosting not reducing the Jehovahs' msg?

by Isambard Crater in

their official web site says that national television stations and radio stations in africa were happy to broadcast the memorial and even other talks!!

!.

Half banana

We are talking here about places like Zimbabwe, one of the basket cases of an African nation. One person in 309 (I think it is) claims to be a JW... it used to be a lot higher when I was too.

The connection is clear: rotten and corrupt government makes for a depressed population, depressed population lacking leadership and hope means that the false JW offer of everlasting life in paradise, in the minds of the desperate, resembles a genuine ticket to escape.

The TV stations will take anyone's money.

17

Coping/Living/Understanding

by justangel in

i’m relatively new to this forum but am far from new when it comes to living life as a jw.

i wanted to throw out there my own personal experience and feelings and welcome any conversations (i’m mighty chatty and don’t have much for friends when it comes to jw’s) .

i hit the turning of an era nearly a month ago of legally becoming an adult, raised as a j dub my whole life.

Half banana

Hello Justangel and welcome to the site!

Just about everything the Watchtower says is exactly wrong, DO the opposite!

Yes the one big thing the JW org doesn't want is that you should think for yourself. So therefore: think for yourself.

The result of being a JW is to become a docile unquestioning sheep, such individuals are easier to control. Therefore : question everything and follow knowledge not beliefs.

The GB want you to rely on them for guidance, if things go wrong it can be blamed on a fictional Satan. Trust instead on your own cultivated judgements and be responsible for your own mistakes.

The JW org does not want you to get a good education, the leaders are not well educated themselves and hate being asked questions they cannot answer. Therefore whatever you do, aim to get a very good education.

These measures will give you self confidence, a critical thinking ability, a realistic view of life and a career which will support you and a family if you want one.

Remaining a JW will probably keep you one remove from poverty and held committed to an ignorant religious cult... what a terrible prospect! So while you are planning your escape you can bear these things in mind and look forward to developing your own identity as an ex-JW and responsible adult.

Perhaps start studying now a subject you really enjoy which could be studied at college level?

39

My sister just sent me this text.

by Brainfloss in

my sister sent me this text a few minutes ago.

what does she know about my relationship with jehovah?

it was followed up by a bunch of links to jw org problem is dialog is not possible her side is the only one to be heard.

Half banana

Jehovah's Witnesses live in a childish fantasy.

Since when did Jehovah do anything at all? How can anything be attributed solely to Jehovah's doing? There is no evidence for any deity let alone Jehovah, therefore he and his exploits live only in the realm of fairy tales.

The only evidence for YHVH is in the evolution of an ox-headed idol the Hebrews inherited from their Phoenician neighbours way back in the Bronze Age. Who would want to "draw close" to this monster as your sister is recommending? Jehovah hates everything the Hebrews hated back then. This god's 'love' for his devotees involved killing all those who disagreed with him including smashing the heads in of all the children who were not his followers. It's far worse than childish -- worshipping Jehovah was routinely evil exactly like the exploits of other pagan gods at the time. In Isaiah 45 v7 (and elsewhere) God says he does good and evil. He is a jealous god with a short temper, completely fabricated from the worst qualities of fanatical nationalist zealots. Have nothing to do with it.

Help your poor deluded sister with the milk of human kindness and fellow feeling, help her to escape the madness which comes from slavish obedience to this crackpot religion.

10

Ever wonder how to be "saved" as a JW?

by sir82 in

i was searching for something on the wt online library, and was struck by all the requirements a jw has in order to be "saved".. want to see a partial list?

all these found by searching for "salvation depends" on wol.

just do all 26 things, and you too can be saved!.

Half banana

Hey good people, do you all feel lost or are you in need of being saved in the first place?

It's a bit like a quack doctor telling you that you are suffering from a deadly disease (Peccatus adamicus), something that you weren't aware you had -- and then being told by this dodgy medic that you must buy his medicine because only he can cure you.

8

The irony of 2 Tim 3:16-17

by pseudoxristos in

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.. most scholars don't think paul wrote 2 timothy.. every time i here a witness quote this verse, i will be reminded of the irony.. -undisputed-.

1 thessalonians.

galatians.

Half banana

Pseudoxristos, the very expression of the sentiment that "all scripture is inspired" i.e. all (christian) writings are inspired, whoever wrote them, would have been the forger's plea or justification to include his own work!

Fast Jehu, I would like to mention that when the text was written, perhaps in the second century CE, whoever wrote it, would likely be referring to writings other than the canonical Hebrew scriptures. Bear in mind that by then the Jews had been defeated and dispersed and thoroughly secularised, Jerusalem was renamed Aelia Capitolina by the Romans and out of bounds to Jews. The rabbinic schools were the custodians for textual tradition but religious Jewry was at a low ebb and suffering low status.

If we look at the Koine Greek "all scripture" pasa graphe, could in today's language also be translated as "all literature" with the inference of all writings of a christian or uplifting nature, as opposed to say legal writing, historical records or written documents as a function of the Empire.

The first thing to remember is that irrespective of meaning, 2 Tim 3;16 cannot possibly be a reference to the Bible, which is a fourth century compilation of texts by the Catholic Church. (Would the Watchtower please take note!) What was available to the educated christian was much literature which did not get into the Bible canon. Bear in mind too that most but not all christians were humble folk including slaves and therefore could not read.

The following are some of the works available which would therefore constitute "all literature" or "all scripture" to the followers of the Lord. (The name "Jesus" incidentally was not yet attached to the "saviour" in literature until later in the development of christianity). These writings reflect some the promiscuous beliefs of pre-Catholic enforcement of orthodoxy.

Titus
Apocalypse of Peter
Secret Book of James
Preaching of Peter
Gospel of the Ebionites
Gospel of the Nazoreans
The Shepherd of Hermas.-- and many more.

48

Does prophesy negate free will?

by Tim207 in

not sure if this is in the right subject but here it goes.

i’ve asked this question to a few elders and bethelites but they don’t seem to understand or like the question.

to start off we have to agree that jehovah is all powerful.

Half banana

Would the person who negated my post like to supply evidence to the contrary of what I said?

48

Does prophesy negate free will?

by Tim207 in

not sure if this is in the right subject but here it goes.

i’ve asked this question to a few elders and bethelites but they don’t seem to understand or like the question.

to start off we have to agree that jehovah is all powerful.

Half banana

Prophecy is part of the ancient desire for omens and magic abilities in soothsayers to enlighten us. Old Mother Shipton's prophecy from the sixteenth century predicting the end of the world for 1881 had people in despair of anticipation in England. Suspiciously close in time to the prophecy shenanigans of CT Russell I think.... (1874/1878 and first Watchtower 1879)

People always would like to know the future but there is no possible way since we cannot time travel. At best we can weigh the evidence and make a guess with the observations of prevailing courses of events -- but no one can make a useful prophecy of the future with a certainty of its happening.

As Waton points out^, educated star gazers could predict eclipses so astrologers would feel entitled to wield authority in the department of prophecy, after all apparent evidence for their mystical ability was at hand!

There are no unambiguous USEFUL prophecies to be found in the Bible.

With "holy" literature, the reader is conned into thinking that it is all honest text but alas most Bible prophecies are those done and dusted so to speak, cleverly written after the manifest fulfillment!

Prophecy cannot negate free will as it is merely a superstition.

12

144000 who’s idea first

by Tim207 in

hello this is my first post although i’ve lingered on this site before.

i’m curious about a comment i read saying that rutherfords idea of only 144000 going to heaven was taken from the founder of the church friends of man.

i tried looking up this church but could not find information on when they started this belief.

Half banana

Prior to 1935, all "true Christians" were said to be anointed and called to heaven. Therefore, everyone associating with the Watchtower Society prior to 1935 was automatically part of the heavenly class. Those who converted after 1935 generally are told they have an earthly hope.

JW Facts

12

144000 who’s idea first

by Tim207 in

hello this is my first post although i’ve lingered on this site before.

i’m curious about a comment i read saying that rutherfords idea of only 144000 going to heaven was taken from the founder of the church friends of man.

i tried looking up this church but could not find information on when they started this belief.

Half banana

I came across the information about six years ago in the British Museum Library in a book on the origins of modern religions. Freytag it seems started Friends of Man with the notion of two classes; the 144000 with heavenly destiny and the other sheep inheriting the earth. This would have been been in 1919 soon after his expulsion from the Watchtower.

Had he in fact taken the Watchtower with him as the president to follow Russell, as he thought he should, the organisation would have had a completely different flavour and tone, one of real charity and humanity.