Posts by scotoma

One of my jobs from when I started pioneering in the early 1960's was at McDonalds for $1.50 per hour starting wage. That would be almost $12.00 an hour now.

Large companies that only pay the current minimum wage are forcing the middle class to supplement their workers income with numerous welfare programs.

The government should supplement anyone who is working up to a living wage and do that by taxing the large corporations.

As far as affording education - companies should be paying for the education of their workers out of a super fund. The companies are the beneficiaries of an educated work force.

The truth about education is that some people simply cannot learn complicated stuff because they have low IQs. We evolved in a hunter-gatherer environment (at best subsistence agriculture) and you can do that with an IQ of 70-80. The poor you shall have always.

If a person is willing to work they deserve a living wage. That's what nature provided when we developed as a species.

2

Churchill identifies the "disgusting thing that causes desolation"

by scotoma in

jw
friends

in a recent newsweek article there is a lengthy treatment of the question "how would churchill manage putin?.

it pointed out that churchill would not have challenged hitler if hitler had the ability to destroy all the major cities in north america and europe in a single hour.. churchill is quoted as describing nuclear weapons as .

that awful agency of destruction.. " when you catch site of "that awful agency of destruction" standing where it shouldn't begin to take flight".

scotoma

In a recent Newsweek article there is a lengthy treatment of the question "How would Churchill Manage Putin?

It pointed out that Churchill would not have challenged Hitler if Hitler had the ability to destroy all the major cities in North America and Europe in a single hour.

Churchill is quoted as describing nuclear weapons as

“that awful agency of destruction.”

" When you catch site of "that awful agency of destruction" standing where it shouldn't begin to take flight"

The Watchtower insists that the Disgusting Thing is the United Nations and the Holy Place is the world empire of false religion.

17

Would the discovery of EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE completely debunk the bible and religion?

by Black Man in

jw
friends

i think it would.

instantly.

in fact, i hope one day soon that we somehow encounter extraterrestrial life because i think there would be a wholesale rejection of the bible and any/all religious institutions.

scotoma

Which reminds me... anyone know the whereabouts of Metatron?

86

Updated Chronological Timeline of the Great Tribulation -- after the New Light from July Watchtower

by FusionTheism in

the july 15, 2015 study watchtower article entitled "your deliverance is getting near", along with the jw broadcasting video entitled "gerrit losch: fortified by "the prophetic word," and chapter 21 of the god's kingdom rules!

book presented a large amount of new light or clarified understanding of the events of the great tribulation.. here i am presenting it in chronological order -- this is the governing body's updated chronological order of events for the time right before the great tribulation through armageddon:.

the final sealing of the anointed occurs just prior to the outbreak of the tribulation.

scotoma

a more likely timeline.

8

What kingdom do the sheep inherit?

by scotoma in

jw
friends

once again jehovah has decided to light a candle so jw's can see where they are going.. they went to great lengths to explain that feeding the hungry anointed, thirsty anointed, giving them clothing, housing and visiting them in jail means the preaching work (distributing literature).. this is indeed noble when you consider that the right-hand sheep do this not even knowing who they are helping.. if the sheep are oblivious of who they are helping they must not recognize these "least" ones as christs brothers.. and what is their reward for unknowingly, blindly helping christs brothers?

they inherit the kingdom that was prepared for them from the founding of the world.

the new-lighters conspicuously avoid explaining what kingdom they inherit and how they inherit it.. do they inherit the kingdom that flesh and blood can't inherit.

scotoma

Once again Jehovah has decided to light a candle so JW's can see where they are going.

They went to great lengths to explain that feeding the hungry anointed, thirsty anointed, giving them clothing, housing and visiting them in jail means the preaching work (distributing literature).

This is indeed noble when you consider that the right-hand sheep do this not even knowing who they are helping.. If the sheep are oblivious of who they are helping they must not recognize these "least" ones as Christs brothers.

And what is their reward for unknowingly, blindly helping Christs brothers? They inherit the kingdom that was prepared for them from the founding of the world.

The new-lighters conspicuously avoid explaining what kingdom they inherit and how they inherit it.

Do they inherit the kingdom that flesh and blood can't inherit. (Romans 8:17)?

Or does that scripture simply mean they enter paradise on earth?

How can they go to all that trouble explaining that parable and not give some clarification of the manner in which they inherit the kingdom. Maybe Jehovah told them and they forgot to mention it. Or maybe that is something that will be explained the next time the "light" shines forth on the progressive revelation.

You've got to wonder why Jehovah didn't inspire the writer of Matthew to explicitly use the words "paradise" or "inherit the earth".?

The virgins have run out of oil in their lamps.

4

Pope Francis - "does just so..." washes feet of women, Muslims, criminals

by scotoma in

jw
friends

the watchtower is always concerned about things being done "just so" when it comes to divine commands.. a command is usually set forth with words such as shall, should, ought.. when jesus washed the feet of his disciples he said:.

"therefore, if i, although lord and teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another".

the pope obeys christ's foot washing command but jw's don't.. what's the jw's excuse?

scotoma

Blondie,

A little residue of hatred for the catholic hierarchy?

There is nothing wrong with a public leader to do things as an example.

Why question anyone's sincerity? You're not the judge. You don't know a person's deepest thoughts.

The thing about Pope Francis is that he didn't just wash the feet of some convenient priests in the official "foot wash room". Francis went to the poor to show he wants to serve them.

I think the ritual of washing feet is an effective experience for all concerned, the washer, the washee and the on lookers.

The point I wanted to make is that the scripture at John 13: 1-15 is clearly something Jesus expected his followers to copy. Jehovah's Witnesses have no effective argument against this practice. There is no justification for their ignoring this command except they want to be "different". I wasn't singling out the GB. They simply inherited this attitude from the crazy JR (Judge Rutheford)

4

Pope Francis - "does just so..." washes feet of women, Muslims, criminals

by scotoma in

jw
friends

the watchtower is always concerned about things being done "just so" when it comes to divine commands.. a command is usually set forth with words such as shall, should, ought.. when jesus washed the feet of his disciples he said:.

"therefore, if i, although lord and teacher, washed your feet, you also ought to wash the feet of one another".

the pope obeys christ's foot washing command but jw's don't.. what's the jw's excuse?

scotoma

The Watchtower is always concerned about things being done "JUST SO" when it comes to divine commands.

A command is usually set forth with words such as shall, should, ought.

When Jesus washed the feet of his disciples he said:

"Therefore, if I, although Lord and Teacher, washed your feet, you also OUGHT to wash the feet of one another"

The pope obeys Christ's foot washing command but JW's don't.

What's the JW's excuse? They say that was just a "one-off" example and not an empty ritual to be repeated. They finish by saying feet washing was a traditional courtesy because people wore sandals and their feet got dry and dirty.

They apparently didn't read the rest of that account.

Jesus says in John 13:15 "For I set the PATTERN for you, that just as I did to you, you SHOULD do also"

Siince JW's weren't there, the default understanding of what Jesus did has to be his own statment.

Isn't a pattern something that is repeated. Those who have actually engaged in the Maundy Thursday practice, talk about the humbling effect it has on one's ego.

The reasoning behind ignoring the ordinance of foot washing could be applied equally to baptism by immersion in water.

And to say that it was a cultural courtesy could be applied more appropriately to something like women wearing head coverings.

Just a little something to bring into the conversation as you get together with your witness relatives after the memorial.

4

Stern faced King-Master of Deception-Powerful but not by his own power (Yeltsin appointed him)

by scotoma in

jw
friends

daniel 8:23 in the latter part of their reign, when rebels have become completely wicked, a fierce-looking king, a master of intrigue, will arise.

24 he will become very strong, but not by his own power.

he will cause astounding devastation and will succeed in whatever he does.

scotoma

smiddy,

Unique? A quick goggle search on ANY subject will turn up enough information to make it clear that while a person may have an original idea (did their own thinking) there are many others that have had almost identical thoughts.

The mistake people make is concluding that trying to fit prophecy to world events is futile. It's kind of like a formula for investing in the stock market - it works until it doesn't. Prophecy fails until perhaps it doesn't.

The reason most people discount prophecy is that they feel you have to believe in God to believe in prophecy. If you are a little more creative - and a little less conventional you will be able to conceive of other explanations about the source and possible intent of prophecy that make better sense than believing it is from some all-powerful- all knowing entity.

If you believe in God you are positing an entity that you have to defend for letting things get so bad for the creatures he loves.

Belief in entities that evolved elsewhere a million years ahead of us presents fewer problems.