Half banana

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Posts by Half banana

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  9

  (Italian) Bethel in a Bind -- The Move to Bologna Stalled

  by Room 215 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the latest item of the italian language blog proclamatore consapevole details a problem facing jws their bid to move the bethel from rome (which they apparently sold) , into an existent structure in bologna.

  a recently enacted law requires existing buildings in that city to be retrofitted to withstand earthquakes.

  the problem is that the remedial work is (1) extremely expensive (in many, if not most cases, tearing down the building is cheaper); and (2) the work cannot be done by the usual volunteer labor jws employ on construction projects; it must be contracted to a third-party specialist firm.

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  Half banana

  I wonder if they will use it as an excuse to fold the Italian HQ completely and save money?

  They usually say to justify any development, "We can see Jehovah's hand in this." Delusional fools.
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  32

  Is there such a thing as true religion?

  by Half banana in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  “it is the only religion which doesn’t go to war.

  we have friends in every country on earth and we all think alike---we have the true understanding of the bible.

  we are the true religion which god approves………..” says the jw.. to put jws in the context of the question of true religion, we first have to get an insight into how a jw thinks and these points above are the selected criteria chosen by jws to judge themselves.

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  Half banana

  @ Redvip, I guess they would but how far would they go?

  In the early annals of Christianity in the fourth century, it was seen as both a wonder and a madness that Christians appeared to harbour a death wish by happily allowing themselves to be killed by animals in the amphitheatres rather than compromise their beliefs. This would have included refusing the demand to take up arms. The commentators noting that they did such acts with pride and certainty of reward. This implacable belief in miraculous salvation was a very potent display which garnered admiration from the populace and helped establish Roman Christianity.

  However from reading the old prophets, especially at the end of the OT, you would think that the god of the Bible absolutely reveled in the mass murder of aliens and unbelievers.

  In both cases death is used a powerful motivator for action and conforming to rules. Wouldn't love for fellow man instead of love of God, be an enormous improvement?
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  32

  Is there such a thing as true religion?

  by Half banana in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  “it is the only religion which doesn’t go to war.

  we have friends in every country on earth and we all think alike---we have the true understanding of the bible.

  we are the true religion which god approves………..” says the jw.. to put jws in the context of the question of true religion, we first have to get an insight into how a jw thinks and these points above are the selected criteria chosen by jws to judge themselves.

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  Half banana

  “It is the only religion which doesn’t go to war. We have friends in every country on Earth and we all think alike---We have the true understanding of the Bible. We are the true religion which God approves………..” Says the JW.

  To put JWs in the context of the question of true religion, we first have to get an insight into how a JW thinks and these points above are the selected criteria chosen by JWs to judge themselves. This very fact of cherry picking anything which puts JW belief into a good light is a characteristic of JW thinking i.e. the desire to highlight their separateness from others and to create an aura of being special. This is done to promote the ‘JW brand’.

  But how about the concept of a “true religion”? What would that mean?

  In common language, do most people think of religion in categories of true and false? Not really if ever—except by Jehovah’s Witnesses and perhaps a few other minor groups.

  So why do JWs want to use the expression “True religion”? Is it not because they want to attract new members with the lure that they are the exclusive holders of this title?

  So let’s look at the JW defence for their belief that they don’t take up arms for war. This of course is not exclusive to them. Many conscientious objectors have been executed during war time for their pacifism and around 4 million members of the Jain religion will not kill humans or animals for that matter. It might be said that a vast number of people today are no longer prepared to go to war to resolve problems.

  “JWs think alike”—yes this is quite true but wait a moment! It is a vital element of being a JW to have uniform belief and therefore like-minded thinking is actually enforced. Should any witness wish to contradict the governing body or deviate from orthodox teaching, they will feel constrained from doing so by being shamed, excluded and shunned. So this claim is true but only remains true by virtue of threats and punishment.

  “JWs have the true understanding of the Bible”. Ever since someone claimed something to be “God’s word” there has been disagreement as to what was meant. Since the Bible is the result of a deliberate fusion of religious belief drawn from Judaism, God-men savior cults and Mithraism amongst others, it is hardly surprising that it contains a myriad contradictions, false assumptions, scientific impossibilities and fake claims as to spiritual demands. It is categorically impossible to form a coherent narrative and account of the works and wishes of an invisible spirit being. The Bible is undeniably human in origin and focus. If religion or Christianity were true it could be expected that there would be an orthodoxy of teaching. But all the forty thousand sects of Christianity claiming that their way is the only true faith demonstrates the evolution of unprovable belief proliferating in the absence of concrete evidence and divine supervision. No-- the way it works is you pays your money and you takes your choice! There is no such animal as true religion. No one religion stands out, they are all institutions of hope, companionship and trust in the unknowable, they are a consolation for the anxious.

  “Jehovah’s Witnesses have the only true religion” Well if that was the case, then surely they would stand out head and shoulders above the others like a beacon of hope for mankind showing the world that their way has shown divine influence which has enabled them to surmount the trials of being human by their exemplary behavior. However the fact of the matter is that like other utopian dreamers, JWs imagine their behavior is outstanding but in reality the religion often attracts the desperate, sometimes the mentally challenged and those without hope for material comfort in life. They bring with them the trappings of the underprivileged namely the gullibility of the uneducated which includes a dependence on the irrational triumph of belief over evidence. The Governing body foster this ignorant culture which favours their leadership enabling them to keep their followers in lock-step and in strict adherence to their demands. For the time being, this is the source of their power to exist and continue.

  There cannot be such a thing as true religion anymore than there is an objective real life category called false religion --except in the minds of cult members. These are terms only used by cult leaders.

  “JWs were chosen by God!” There is not one singular piece of evidence to show that there is divine insight or approval exclusively on Jehovah’s Witnessess which cannot be addressed to other sects. If they were truly under divine influence and representatives of an almighty and therefore an inerrant God, then why in one hundred and forty years have JWs never got anything right?

  The concept of “True religion” is just the propaganda slogan of a mind-bending high-control religious cult which is living past its sell by date --which happens to have been “The Generation which saw the year 1914”.
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  9

  Why the UK Charities Commission will not take on the WTBTS....

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  ....or any other religion for that matter!

  financial cost.. if they were afraid to tackle the plymouth brethren christian church minnows, they will not tackle the jw cult.. here are 4 main reasons why the charity commission challenged the pbcc's charitable status:.

  the nature of the doctrine and practices of the pbcc generally.

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  Half banana

  That's interesting Blondie, in the UK religion is not a sacred cow as in the States but nevertheless there is at present an entrenched privilege for the Church of England by their bishops having seats in the House of Lords (the second house of British government).

  Limiting the financial powers of cults by removing their tax concessions is not beyond possibility here. I have it in mind to speak to my Member of Parliament on the matter.

  @The Fall Guy, how interesting that the charitable act seeks to encourage education and the alleviation of poverty, two things which the JW org actually discourage. With education comes knowledge and the unmasking of religious frauds and with the removal of poverty comes independence from paternalistic organisations such as the JW cult.
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  18

  Serving where the need is nicer

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so there isn't a congregation in my town, they come from the congregation about five miles away about twice a year to do fs.. this morning i was driving out of the town on the country roads and there were four jws (obvious by men with briefcases and women in very long dresses).

  they seemed to be walking to the next place, a village about 15 minutes walk away.. why not drive?

  they must have left the cars in my town!

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  Half banana

  They know it's a waste of time preaching so why not enjoy the countryside in the sunshine? After all it's the closest they will ever get to a real paradise!
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  44

  It’s Your Last Meal...What Would It Be??

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i’m watching a restaurant tv show and i’m getting hungry 🐷...i think i would enjoy a prime rib end cut with buttered baked potato and definitely a greek salad with plenty of feta as the first course..

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  Half banana

  I would have have Tony Morris's shrivelled brain lightly boiled-- but I would feed it to the cat.
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  9

  Why the UK Charities Commission will not take on the WTBTS....

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  ....or any other religion for that matter!

  financial cost.. if they were afraid to tackle the plymouth brethren christian church minnows, they will not tackle the jw cult.. here are 4 main reasons why the charity commission challenged the pbcc's charitable status:.

  the nature of the doctrine and practices of the pbcc generally.

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  Half banana

  By the way does anyone want to join my tax-exempt new religion? You get a guaranteed ticket to the Elysian Fields (on earth or in heaven just as you like, there is even hell for committed masochists) and you can believe whatever you want as long as you agree with the governing body. The new religion is called the GCS: God's Chosen People. No preaching involved, no meetings--cut out the difficult time consuming bits and just believe.

  Nah! it wouldn't work! you have to sacrifice something good (like having a normal life) in common with your chosen brotherhood to make it work and feel like you are a grovelling worshipper....... perhaps ritual self flagellation would do the trick?
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  13

  Finland: significant (nearly 1/10) reduction in number of Kingdom Halls

  by Corney in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  according to a recent helsingin sanomat article, there are over 200 kingdom halls in finland.

  and over the last three years, 22 khs have been sold and five new halls have been built.

  currently, seven khs are listed for sale and two new ones are under construction.

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  Half banana

  All steps in the right direction.
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  9

  Why the UK Charities Commission will not take on the WTBTS....

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  ....or any other religion for that matter!

  financial cost.. if they were afraid to tackle the plymouth brethren christian church minnows, they will not tackle the jw cult.. here are 4 main reasons why the charity commission challenged the pbcc's charitable status:.

  the nature of the doctrine and practices of the pbcc generally.

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  Half banana

  It is interesting to see that the Commission would not go to court because of the costs and that the Plymouth Brothers can happily fund themselves to litigate. JW org prides itself in doing this as well.

  It is up to the government to determine what constitutes a charity and not the Commission. I happen to know someone who vets the workings of the commission and I have spoken to her on the subject. All the Charities Commission can do is work within their existing guide lines. As it stands, nutty fraudsters claiming to be God's chosen people can be classed a charity in the UK and be tax exempt to boot.

  If the government does change the rules of entitlement and excludes socially damaging religions like JWs, then the JW org will know their time is up since other countries will also start doing it as well. The GB will complain bitterly but in fact might survive financially paying taxes although it would greatly reduce profits. The main effect would be for them to play the persecution card and say, " See! we are being persecuted, the end must be right around the corner" (yawn).
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  41

  Why Aren`t The G.B Members Representive Of All Nations ? and not just America ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  are all of the governing .body .members american citizens ?

  shouldn`t they at least represent a greater proportion of nations in light of jesus being a saviour of all the world ?.

  god loved the world of mankind right ?

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  Half banana

  God is always the embodiment of one's own nationality............