Posts by scotoma

112

JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...

by cedars in

jw
friends

from the official jw website.... .

school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.

on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.

scotoma

Being an atheist I really feel the weight of death. I believe you only have one life. My parents are gone. Really gone. Some day soon (sooner than some supposed eschaton) I will also be gone. Any memory of me will not make it past my grand children.

Why do people mourn an early liberation of the soul to eternal bliss.

If I had such a belief I would go out of the way to be a martyr.

If you buy into the beliefs of those who are getting together to pray for the dead children don't you feel some conflict with the cosmic reward system.

Jehovah's Witnesses are not exempt from this incongruent thinking. They believe that both killer and killed will be resurrected. And then face the possibility of a second death.

All the religions are out of touch with reality. But I think it would be more comforting to believe that when you die you go to a better place. Unfortunately that's not the reality.

Let JW's celebrate the life of their children that were unharmed. Let JW's believe what they want. They are just on a different drug. Most on here didn't like the drugs they were getting from the Watchtower. So what's your new drug? Quit picking at the scab.

112

JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...

by cedars in

jw
friends

from the official jw website.... .

school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.

on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.

scotoma

Cedars,

In response to your defense it is true you weren't criticizing individual JW's.

"You fail to justify why a religious organization with only 7.5 million members should respond to these events in the same way as the media of a country would regarding its citizens.
I'm sorry if you think I am unreasonable for being appauled that the Society apparently feels that two JWs surviving the shooting is AS newsworthy as the 20 non-JW kids who died."

It's called connection. There may be JW's in distant parts of the world who may know of certain JW's in various disasters. It frees people who may have an acquaintance from worry. Your other mistake is that JW's really consider themselves a "nation" and their brothers and sisters as fellow citizens of that nation. 7.5 milion is the average size of member nations at the UN.

112

JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...

by cedars in

jw
friends

from the official jw website.... .

school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.

on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.

scotoma

Cedars,

In response to your defense it is true you weren't criticizing individual JW's.

"You fail to justify why a religious organization with only 7.5 million members should respond to these events in the same way as the media of a country would regarding its citizens.
I'm sorry if you think I am unreasonable for being appauled that the Society apparently feels that two JWs surviving the shooting is AS newsworthy as the 20 non-JW kids who died."

It's called connection. There may be JW's in distant parts of the world who may know of certain JW's in various disasters. It frees people who may have an acquaintance from worry. Your other mistake is that JW's really consider themselves a "nation" and their brothers and sisters as fellow citizens of that nation. 7.5 milion is the average size of member nations at the UN.

112

JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...

by cedars in

jw
friends

from the official jw website.... .

school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.

on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.

scotoma

Cedars,

I don't think this type of comment from you is typical. It is very insensitive to say that JW's care ONLY about their kids. When there are disasters, Sunamis, Earthquakes, Terrorist attacks every geographical region headlines their local news with the residents of their area that were affected.

I know you don't usually take such a petty position let alone lead the chorus.

How can we claim we are different from JW's when we use a tragedy like this to start kicking other people.

25

Who cares about 2014

by konceptual99 in

jw
friends

i keep seeing posts expressing a view that 2014 is going to trigger a significant increase in unrest amongst witnesses as it's 100 years since 1914. there has also been some suggestions that the society will have to publish something to head this off at the pass.

i can understand why this might seem a reasonable view but i am not hearing any discontent about the date amongst anyone i know.. my impression is that the significance of a 100 year anniversary of 1914 is of more import to those that have left the organisation and those already questioning things than it is to the average dub.. i also suspect that the society will not do anything that may raise the profile of 100 years passing.

much more likely is more subtle messages such as the one in the jan magazine about "false alarms".

scotoma

DOC,

It seems as if the JW's incoherent views about the "end" are kept simple so that there is plenty of room to wiggle out if they have to.

You can disprove their favorite interpretations in an elevator trip.

Just get them talking and keep asking What do you mean and how do you know that.

25

Who cares about 2014

by konceptual99 in

jw
friends

i keep seeing posts expressing a view that 2014 is going to trigger a significant increase in unrest amongst witnesses as it's 100 years since 1914. there has also been some suggestions that the society will have to publish something to head this off at the pass.

i can understand why this might seem a reasonable view but i am not hearing any discontent about the date amongst anyone i know.. my impression is that the significance of a 100 year anniversary of 1914 is of more import to those that have left the organisation and those already questioning things than it is to the average dub.. i also suspect that the society will not do anything that may raise the profile of 100 years passing.

much more likely is more subtle messages such as the one in the jan magazine about "false alarms".

scotoma

Blood moon on Memorial 2014

Blood moon on Memorial 2015

2015 marks the end of 40 years of wandering in the wilderness after they were ready to enter the New World in 1975

There is always a new story that can be cooked up.

Some stories are eerily seductive.

25

Who cares about 2014

by konceptual99 in

jw
friends

i keep seeing posts expressing a view that 2014 is going to trigger a significant increase in unrest amongst witnesses as it's 100 years since 1914. there has also been some suggestions that the society will have to publish something to head this off at the pass.

i can understand why this might seem a reasonable view but i am not hearing any discontent about the date amongst anyone i know.. my impression is that the significance of a 100 year anniversary of 1914 is of more import to those that have left the organisation and those already questioning things than it is to the average dub.. i also suspect that the society will not do anything that may raise the profile of 100 years passing.

much more likely is more subtle messages such as the one in the jan magazine about "false alarms".

scotoma

Humans are obsessed with anniversaries. Centennials are BIG anniversaries.

This is an event that is unavoidable by JW's. After all it will be 100 years since Jesus returned. President's take note of their accomplishments in their first 100 days in office. If they fail to observe this event it will create more questions.

There is also going to be rampant speculation about the possible meaning to the back to back "blood moons" (total lunar eclipse) on Nisan 14 2014 followed the next year - Nisan 14 - 2015.

This will be the eighth time this has happened in 2000 years. The last time was 1492/1493

The symbolism of this will not be ignored on the centennial of 1914

Joel 2:30 "And I will give portents in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke. The sun itself will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood before the coming of the great and fear inspiring day of Jehovah."

Rev 6:12 "And I saw when he opened the sixth seal and a great earthquake occurred; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair and the entire moon became as blood...

To a demoralized group of people saying soon,soon, sooooooon, this will be one more opportunity to try to hold on.

Let the speculation begin...... AGAIN!

85

The January 1st Watchtower Admits That JWs Have Been Wrong As To Their Expectations Of The End!...but

by minimus in

jw
friends

they excuse it by saying, it's ok since at least they were on the watch.. i believe they should think about god's view of watchmen who constantly gave false pronouncements.

they would be judged accordingly by god!.

scotoma

?AWAKE ?OCT 8 1968

IS IT LATER THAN YOU THINK

Still some persons may say: "How can you be sure? Maybe it is later than many people think. But
maybe it is not as late as some persons claim. People have been mistaken about these prophecies
before." The Difference? True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the
world,"

Still some persons may say: “How can you be sure? Maybe it is later than many people think. But
maybe it is not as late as some person’s claim. People have been mistaken about these prophecies
before.” The Difference? True, there have been those in times past who predicted an “end to the
world” even announcing a specific date. Some have gathered groups of people with them and fled
to the hills or withdrawn into their houses waiting for the end. Yet, nothing happened. The “end”
did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing?

Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from
such people were God’s truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them. But what about
today? Today we have the evidence required, ALL OF IT. And it is overwhelming. All the many,
many parts The build-up to the above claims is over the top arrogant. We need truth squads like they had in South Africa. We need a site devoted to the stories of how screwed up their lives have become. And the Watchtower needs to grant amnesty to anyone who has been disfellowshipped for disagreeing with their teachings.

28

Anxiety Attacks At Meetings

by EmptyInside in

jw
friends

i believe i posted on this before.

but,i was recently thinking back when i was still regularly going to meetings.

and how sometimes,just the thought of having to start to get ready to go,sent me in a panic.

scotoma

It is much deeper than your mind.

It was your body telling your mind something.

85

The January 1st Watchtower Admits That JWs Have Been Wrong As To Their Expectations Of The End!...but

by minimus in

jw
friends

they excuse it by saying, it's ok since at least they were on the watch.. i believe they should think about god's view of watchmen who constantly gave false pronouncements.

they would be judged accordingly by god!.

scotoma

There would be NO JW organization if it weren't for the false alarms.

I don't believe these dates were set with malicious intent but rather a natural result of mounting frustration as each generation wore themselves out and frantically tried to get some orientation. This is really like a drug. You center your life around a "fix". The date arrives and there is a big disappointment which drives you to create a new target.

The early Christians did the same thing. They thought Jesus was going to return "quickly". That belief was the force behind their intense preaching.

It seems you can only go through that process for about four cycles before there is no more enthusiasm for a date. The 1975 hoopla was the last BIG date. There have been a few death twitches with the passing of the 1914 generation and the transition to the new millenium. 2014 will be a big wake up for those who keep repeating the mantra "soon,soon,soon".

The early Christians lost their focus on dates at a comparable point in their history. By 200 CE Jesus and his promise to their great grand parents that he was coming soon changed their focus to organization building and establishing a power hierarchy. Jehovah's Witnesses have become focused on special honor for various levels of leadership. All the special "schools" are designed as incentives to keep up enthusiasm since there are no longer dates to act as a driving force. Expect these various schools to evolve into "certifications" for positions of authority and the firming up of a clear hierarchy.

They can criticize those who "served for a date" but they needed those dates.