scotoma

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Posts by scotoma

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  7

  The True Heir of the Roman Empire was not the Anglosphere, or Western Europe - It was the Russian Imperial Empire.

  by fulltimestudent in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  may i recommend this podcast discussing the russian revolution.

  its made by a the conversation, an academic web-site, and features interviews with a number of historians.

  i recommend it because an in-depth knowledge of history will protect your thinking from the shallow historical interpretation evident in the jws concept of a progression of world powers and the view of ww1 being a world war.

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  scotoma

  The real shame is that Franz wasn't ignorant of the third Rome Idea.
  
  The 1963 book (no doubt authored by Freddy). Babylon The Great Has Fallen-God's Kingdom Rules" devoted about 8 pages to the history of the Russian Orthodox Church.
  
  Chapter 21 was titled Babylon the Great and Heavenly Zion in Revelation.
  
  On page 486 or 487 there is the bold heading A THIRD ROME?
  
  It goes on to discuss this premise over the next few pages.
  
  Here are some exerpts:

  
  When, in 1453, Constantinople, the seat of the Patriarch, fell to the Mohammedans, it
  affected Russia religiously. Says The Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 24, page 38b: "The idea of the establishment of a Russian patriarchate was a natural consequence of the downfall the Byzantine Empire and of the growth of Muscovite Russia. Moscow was hailed as the Third Rome."
  
  
  In 1945 the Russian Orthodox Church Council was held in a suburb of communist
  Moscow, in a magnificent ecclesiastical manner. Naturally the Church leaders were filled with pride and hope for a better future of their religious organization, and Russian messianic ideas that had been entertained for centuries were expressed. For instance, Metropolitan Benjamin, at that time the Exarch of the Moscow Patriarchate for North America, said that the Russian capital Moscow might yet become the "Third Rome" and that in the future Moscow would be plainly the meeting place for "the entire church." He went on to say that Moscow would perhaps become the location of an advisory central organ for linking all Orthodox Churches all over the world. Official Soviet circles sympathized with such ideas, for they favored a Russian Orthodox Church imperialism in connection with which their political capital Moscow would become the most important ecclesiastical center of the world.
  
  In a footnote they quote Walter Kolarz, In his book Religion in the Soviet Union, page 56, of its initial 1961 edition.
  
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  9

  If the light is getting brighter why are they getting dumber?

  by scotoma in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  don't they have editors?.

  why can’t they get it through their heads that they aren’t under the mosaic law.. look at the “imperfect food” that was served up at the nov 14 watchtower study.. "3. what can we learn about clothing from god’s law to the israelites?.

  3 for example, in god’s law to the israelites there were rules that protected them against the.

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  scotoma

  Don't they have editors?

  Why can’t they get it through their heads that they aren’t under the Mosaic Law.

  Look at the “imperfect food” that was served up at the Nov 14 Watchtower study.
  

  "3. What can we learn about clothing from God’s Law to the Israelites?
  

  3 For example, in God’s Law to the Israelites there were rules that protected them against the
  

  openly immoral way of life of the nations around them. The Law showed Jehovah’s strong

  feelings against clothing that does not make clear the distinction between male and

  female—what has been described in our day as unisex fashion. (Read Deuteronomy 22:5.)

  From God’s stated direction about clothing, we clearly see that God is not pleased with styles

  of dress that feminize men, that make women look like men, or that make it hard to see the

  difference between men and women." (End of Quote)

  Did the same people write paragraph 17 of that study?

  "17. What are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?
  

  17 What about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard? The Mosaic Law required men to wear
  

  a beard. However, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, nor are they obliged to observe it.

  (Lev. 19:27; 21:5; Gal. 3:24, 25) In some cultures, a neatly trimmed beard may be acceptable and

  respectable, and it may not detract at all from the Kingdom message. In fact, some appointed

  brothers have beards. Even so, some brothers might decide not to wear a beard. (1 Cor. 8:9, 13;

  10:32) In other cultures or localities, beards are not the custom and are not considered acceptable

  for Christian ministers. In fact, having one may hinder a brother from bringing glory to God by

  his dress and grooming and his being irreprehensible.—Rom. 15:1-3; 1 Tim. 3:2, 7" (End of Quote Paragraph 17)

  Shouldn’t the question for paragraph 17 be a template of the question for paragraph 3?

  Shouldn’t the question be "What can we learn about beards from God’s Law to the Israelites?"
  

  Notice the defense for some brothers wearing a beard is “The Mosaic Law required men to wear

  a beard. However, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, nor are they obliged to observe it.”

  So which is it? Are we under the law or not?

  Obviously the homophobic tight pants Tony must have written paragraph 3.
  

  Why doesn’t paragraph 17 make the same assertion about beards as it does about clothing.
  

  To be consistent it ought to say that “God is not pleased with men shaving off their beards.”

  Isn’t shaving of your beard a feminizing act? Unless there is some hormone imbalance Women have smooth faces.

  By the way the, illustrations of paradise in the publications indicate that they will still have razors in the New

  World. Try to find a picture with bearded men in depictions of paradise.

  And wouldn’t tight pants be preferable to baggy pants to distinguish males from females?

  Shame on you so-called "scholars".
• 
  29

  When you stop & think about it ,why would Gods chosen people in the Old testament need an army ?

  by smiddy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as the op states why would israel /jewish nation need to have an army at all ?

  if they were the chosen people as the bible states under a theocracy , why would the men of israel need an army .?

  to protect them ?.

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  scotoma

  It's all basically bound volumes with a shelf life.
• 
  29

  Who is attending the 2016 Annual Meeting this Saturday?

  by Londo111 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm curious if we will have eyewitness reporters at the stanley theater like we do every year....

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  scotoma

  They are finally going to say that the new king of the north is the old king of the north - Russia.

  This will be involved with Ezekiel and the Identity of the land of Magog.
• 
  20

  JUst wondering if the Funeral will be at Kingdom Hall

  by ShirleyW in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  probably not, since his mom already passed and no other family members are jws.

  was he officially dfd or he just walked away, don't remember.

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  scotoma

  No heirs? Is the Society going to get his millions? (250 million)

  That would be miracle money to cover molestation suits.
• 
  23

  JW Hypocrisy Rears It's Ugly Head...As Usual

  by babygirl30 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so about last night.... i am out at a local club (not restaurant, not event venue - a club) to see a rap concert.

  now, i am with some friends minding my own business, and i find that i am standing right behind 3 active jw's - one of whom used to be my best friend.

  this girl is as fake as they come: 1) she used to live with me and would bring non-jw guys home all the time, 2) was living with a man when she lived down south - until he dumped her, and then she decided to go back to jw's the 1st time and got reproved, and i supported her.

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  scotoma

  All humans are hypocrites.

  The "truth about the truth" is just the beginning.

  The "truth about our selves" is the real hurdle.

  Your x-friends were probably having more fun than you.

  There is something about guilt- soaked pleasures that make them more intense.
• 
  375

  This thread is for proof that God exists

  by juandefiero in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  however, i haven't found any evidence to support that belief.. have you?

  if so please, show me the evidence that god exists, and i will believe along with you.. criteria:.

  (1) you must specify which god you are talking about;.

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  scotoma

  God (referring to a personal God not a philosophical function) either exists or he doesn't exist.

  If such a God exists he apparently hasn't used all the tools available to him to prove his existence.

  That leaves an open question: Is God using subtle ways to influence people or is he using everything possible to communicate his existence.

  If God is all powerful he isn't using his power. This leaves it up to human apologists to explain what God is doing or not doing in the way of communicating with humans.

  There are very simple things an all powerful God could do to show his existence.

  Which would be more effective. Fill yankee stadium with ordinary people sleeping through 8 days of Bible lectures or filling yankee stadium with 20,000 down syndrome children along with their families and then instantly curing them of their genetic defect.

  I am pretty sure that the world would take notice and be impressed.

  Instead we get serpents and rocks.
• 
  20

  Disfelowshipping acknowledged by wt as a weapon

  by poopie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  insight volume 1 pg 787 para 5,6 very powerful weapon that jesus himself warned against.

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  scotoma

  Does it even matter what the Bible Standards are? The backward people who wrote the Bible are the same as the crazy Allah worshippers.
• 
  21

  WT should admit that 1914

  by bobld in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  was a man made date when jesus came and that a generation is not 102 plus years.. why not say something like this.when the disciples asked jesus for a sign and the end of the age.jesus gave them a composite sign and said all these things will take place.when-before the people now living(at the end of the age which no one knows)have all died..

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  scotoma

  One of the things the watchtower uses to show that the Bible is a unique book is that unlike other historical accounts the Bible speaks about the errors of the leaders whether, kings, priests or judges. The candor of the bible writers seals their authenticity.

  But JW's hide everything about their leaders. Rutheford was a drunk and a womanizer and loved to show off his big cars.

  Russell had his problems. It appears the biggest job given to the faithful and discreet slave is to take their brooms and try to tidy up their mess.

  If there is a new world the so called apostates will have much more credibility than the organization officials.
• 
  2

  Authoritarian vs Open To Experience

  by scotoma in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  follow the smell of the "service department".

  that's where the power rests in the watchtower.. do a little research on wikipedia about the psychological traits.

  opennes and conscientiousness (big five personality traits).

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  scotoma

  Follow the smell of the "service department"

  That's where the power rests in the Watchtower.

  Do a little research on Wikipedia about the psychological traits

  Opennes and Conscientiousness (Big Five Personality Traits)

  Conscientiousness although necessary for organization easily morphs into authoritarianism.

  • I am always prepared.
  • I pay attention to details.
  • I get chores done right away.
  • I like order.
  • I follow a schedule.
  • I am exacting in my work. (Wikipedia traits of the conscientious personality)

  Look at this list of GB members and the departments they work in.

  Sam Herd - Service Department

  Lett - Service/Teaching

  Splane - Service/Writing

  Jackson - Translation

  Losch - Service

  Morris - Service

  Sanderson - Hospital - Service

  In the local congregations it's the Elders that make up the service committee that keep the organization orderly (clean).

  Read the latest Organization book and you will see how little has changed. The Organization book is the product of the service department.

  So who is going to be the next Ray Franz? Remember Ray Franz was a writer and worked in the writing department. Real change can only come from a creative mind. So you have to look to the Writing department for change to emerge.

  Splane is in "writing" and is intelligent but unfortunately too pedantic and contaminated with "Service Department" thinking.

  Lett works in "teaching" and is a beast of burden not too likely to think at all let alone independently.

  This leaves Jackson. As a specialist in languages he would seem to be more open - almost anthropological in his orientation. We saw how he struggled to deal with the sexual predator issue when interrogated in Australia.

  All the others are Service men.

  So forget about it. Don't expect any relaxation in their authoritarian positions. The fact that they have been content with only 7 members of the governing body shows they aren't interested in "opening" up.

  They have circled their wagons. There is no conflict at the top. The changes are all propaganda intended to keep the rank and file occupied so they don't think too deeply about the 100 years of failed expectations.