the internet is what helped bring me and so many others out of this evil organization or at least confirmed our doubts.
i have to say, i have seen quite a few youtube videos recently of ex jw's secretly recording their interactions inside of different congregations, halls, etc and see how empty the halls are!
so many people comment on how the attendance is so low, far more emptier than when i was in 6 years ago, even on a weekday meeting.
I had an elderly but hearty couple call at my door a year or so back. The woman had been a JW since the 1930s, a real trooper.
I explained to them what I had learned about their religion including the UN fiasco. The woman asked where the information came from and I told her the internet.
"The internet!" she scoffed and shook her head and nearly spat her dentures out, she was as cross as a cross thing could possibly be!
Long live internet freedom of information!
a fair bit of time was spent discussing the (one) scripture in the bible that "proves" that when the bible touches on scientific subjects, it is absolutely correct.
this was at the most recent clam meeting this past week.
from isaiah, the reference to the "circle" of the earth.
The old Hebrew for "ball" sounds like "dur". The only Biblical example supported by the context of the ball being thrown, is at Isaiah 22;18. This word like most words in most languages has extended meanings including "encirclement."
Isaiah was written in the middle Iron Age after 700 BCE.The true perception of astronomical bodies was unknown at that time.
Pythagoras was credited with speculating on the matter of spherical heavenly bodies about a century and a half later but the reality was understood and proved by the Greeks in the third century BCE. I think-- but can't prove it yet that the Babylonians and probably others, possibly the Persians had cracked the problem before 400 BCE.
I have to say I always thought that if there was a God he would have been able to know a thing before humans got the hang of it! But no, the Bible is a human text.
a newspaper reports that in bornem, belgium, a jw volunteer was critically injured after being electrocuted:.
bornem - a man was electrocuted while performing maintenance on a high voltage installation in the assembly hall of jw in bornem friday afternoon.
the man was critically injured.. possibly the man, who is a volunteer with the jw, tried to clean the installation with a vacuum cleaner.
Tragic for the man involved but I do know of a rich religion that will not be rushing to give him financial assistance.
after 33 years as a jw and leaving 25 years ago i think prayer can be summed up with the jews praying at the wailing wall.. all they are doing is talking to a brick wall ,and getting no feed back.
and they expect an answer to their prayers ?!.
christians /other beliefs might find that funny but they are no better off.. prayer is always a one way street you talk either vocally or mentally to god however you never get the same back .. if god " so loved the world that he doesnt want any to be destroyed but have everlasting life " then whats the problem with him audibly answering his servants prayers ?
Talking to a wall, who are you kidding Smiddy?
Jehovah always answers each and every prayer, but he consults Santa Claus and the tooth fairy first.
september 6th, 2017: a just released research survey shows once again that jehovah's witnesses are among the least educated people in the united states: .
america’s changing religious identity.
it is also interesting to note how jws rank in the categories of: income, insurance coverage and homeownership.
The GB says "Keep 'em dim, they don't ask so many awkward questions that way".
one of the many books that helped me to question about the bible narrative is the one from israel finkelstein, the bible unearthed.
archaeology is one of the fascinating sciences and complicated, since you have to interpret/reinterpret the history based on the artifacts, remains, ruins, relics, paintings, sculptures, etc.
that is found in certain area where a civilization existed.
I agree with you both, Finklestein and Silberman's work is a breath of fresh air. This is especially so as they are Israeli archaeologists working in Jewish territory.
Fundamental to Jewish nationalist identity is the myth of divine deliverance from Egypt at the Biblical exodus. The authors show exactly how this story came about, not from reality but from geographical proximity larded with wishful thinking and not a small dose of the art of telling a good yarn. They also note how the Egyptians never knew they had enslaved the whole of Israel and never noticed their miraculous departure either!
The authors have managed to take the "holy" out of Holy Land by modern scientific thoroughness. JW org please take note.
i wanted to relay an example that i heard about translating difficulties.
take the 5 word phrase.
"i didn't eat your sandwich".
And while translating something as accurately as possible at the nuts and bolts level, it would be very easy to overlook such things as allegory, irony, spoof etc, let alone determining whether the matter is truthful or mere propaganda.
The world has moved on since the Bible was put together. Nevertheless it remains an iconic collection of literary texts but we now have an infinitely better understanding of the world than they did in the fourth century.
The Bible has long been superceded by scientifically tested reality. It's time it went into retirement.
i googled the question "do jehovah's witnesses do charity work?
" and up popped the above website designed to counter virtually all wts criticism.
anyone know about this website?.
I loved the bit (on Pete Zahut's blog reference) that "90% of donations are spent on disaster relief, printing Bibles and Bible aids".
What a distortion of the true spirit of the organization! You would think from this that the JW org is a charitable humanitarian movement which also promote Bibles. Like most information generated by JWs this is misleading and very far from the truth. Note the priority here; ostensibly it spends most of its donations on charitable causes! In reality "disaster relief" translates "JW org property protection" in disaster areas.
The poor lobotomised zombies who write this stuff should get the chance to have a balanced external view of their organization and the world in general. Alas! JW zombies are not permitted that luxury.
september 6th, 2017: a just released research survey shows once again that jehovah's witnesses are among the least educated people in the united states: .
america’s changing religious identity.
it is also interesting to note how jws rank in the categories of: income, insurance coverage and homeownership.
Doesn't this reflect the nature of the messianic and triumphalist beliefs held by JWs?
If you can't make it in the real world then resort to the all embracing substitute life espoused by the Watchtower.
If you buy into their claims then sit back and everything you ever wanted will be yours. . . except at the end of the JW rainbow there is what there is at the end of any other rainbow.............nothing.
if they controlled a nation they would stone their kids to death , which seems harsh but its nothing compared to the solitary confinement they emotionally and physically bestow on their own children.
i think they have ticked every box as to the rejection of their children except killing them, they leave that for god ..
Chook, I know it's not about shunning but they have ticked every box to reject their children including the one which says their child's life is of less importance than strict obedience to the Watchtower's demands.
JWs have permitted the Watchtower organization to dictate that under certain avoidable circumstances their children must be allowed to die. Namely that their children must refuse a blood transfusion.
This dangerous belief goes against all natural humanity. It demonstrates the wickedness of the JW cult in the first place and the tragedy of believing its reckless interpretations of the Bible.
Ordinary, decent people never harm their children in any way. Jws are ordinary decent people who have allowed themselves to do bad things in the name of a stupid religion.
