BTW, is it because I'm a 'newbie' that I only get one type of emoticon? Do you get more added as you move up the hierachy? What happens if I feel angry (righteously, of course!)? Or sad? Will I have to be content with making something up from text :0(
NewWay
JoinedPosts by NewWay
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22
"50 Ways To Leave The 'Hovas"
by Mister Biggs inremember the song, '50 ways to leave your lover' by paul simon?.
well, i tweaked the lyrics a tad bit.
(i even incoporated our very own simon's name into it...simon and paul simon...oh, the irony!).
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22
"50 Ways To Leave The 'Hovas"
by Mister Biggs inremember the song, '50 ways to leave your lover' by paul simon?.
well, i tweaked the lyrics a tad bit.
(i even incoporated our very own simon's name into it...simon and paul simon...oh, the irony!).
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NewWay
What SYN, didn't you like the above post? Are you sticking your tongue out at me? Was it that awful? Obviously I'll have to stick with the 'serious' stuff! Or am I not reading you properly? As the comic-book man in The Simpsons said as he looked at his computer: "Oh no, I can't find an emoticon to adequately convey my feelings!" (Or something like that)
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37
Judgement Starts At The House Of God
by NewWay ini'm an english man in my early 40s, was brought up as a jw, got baptized when i was in my teens, and married in my early 20s.
i have two sons and two daughters ranging from 6 years of age to 18.. .
although my wife associates with one of the local congregations of jws, i no longer attend or participate in jw activities.
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NewWay
Thank you again, HS for your support.
Now then, YouKnow, I gave opportunity for you to reassess your approach to my post, and deal in a considerate manner, based on the scripture given in James. However, based on what HS has said and what my instincts tell me you are not the sort of person to have a polite constructive conversation with. I will not waste my time in playing games with someone who twist my words and who is obviously not a gentleman. From what I know of JWs and the organisation, I doubt that you are of the 'anointed', but rather one who, had you been born at the time, would have been very much at home as an Inquisitor for the Catholic Church, hunting down 'heretics'. I certainly will not be explaining myself any further to you or speaking to you, as it is evident that you are here to cause trouble and ill-feeling. If you are truly a member of 'the anointed' then shame on you for the tactics and bad manners you obviously are well-known to exhibit. Certainly, you are no 'hiding place from the wind'! My face is now turned away from you and will stay that way. -
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JW's in hell?
by Preston inwhat do you think, if there is a hell, do you think jw's are going.
i know (because of my lifestyle) if there is a hell i have a good chance of going, although the idea of spending an eternity with god's supposed people doesn't sound too thrilling, in which case i better practice a life of celibacy.
i don't know what brought this post up, my friend just played me a clip from a south park episode where all the devout chrisitians go to hell, including jehovah's witnesses, and all the good mormons get spared (kinda funny in a strange sort of way).
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NewWay
DESCRIPTION OF HELL, FROM THE QUR'AN
'This is the Hell which the Sinners deny: In its midst and in the midst of boiling hot water will they wander round!' - Surah 55.43-44.
Know anyone wandering around in 'hot water'? -
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Judgement Starts At The House Of God
by NewWay ini'm an english man in my early 40s, was brought up as a jw, got baptized when i was in my teens, and married in my early 20s.
i have two sons and two daughters ranging from 6 years of age to 18.. .
although my wife associates with one of the local congregations of jws, i no longer attend or participate in jw activities.
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NewWay
HS: Thank you for the welcome! I must say that I am used to JWs, at least on the net displaying less than a Christ-like spirit. I think it important though that folks recognise that this form of communication is not the best. People are sometimes in a hurry to write posts and may word things in such a way as it appears contradictory (maybe their choice of words are not the best) or may appear dismissive of others comments, etc. That's why its necessary to have patience and not jump to conclusions, but rather politely ask questions that will make it clear what the person really means. Although I believe it may be necessary at times to speak forthrightly, I think it best to speak in such a way that does not point the finger directly at an individual present. For instance, I feel no qualms about 'telling it like it is' concerning the society (it then becomes an object rather than a group of people), but I would not want to point the finger directly at an individual, unless of course that one had obviously been rude and needed to be told so - this is especially important where a person claims to be a disciple of Christ, whom one would expect to stand out as a good example. Thanks anyway for your support.
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22
"50 Ways To Leave The 'Hovas"
by Mister Biggs inremember the song, '50 ways to leave your lover' by paul simon?.
well, i tweaked the lyrics a tad bit.
(i even incoporated our very own simon's name into it...simon and paul simon...oh, the irony!).
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NewWay
As I'm not a poet, or song-writer, I'll have to provide another format in which to give tips on how to leave (voluntarily, or otherwise):
* Wait until the congregation has their attention focused at the front door welcoming new ones, then quickly sneak out the back door - they may never even notice! - Some have found this does not require much effort, unless the CO is visiting and has instructions to encourage the elders (for the umpteenth time) to start making 'shepherding calls'.
* Pretend that while you were out at an afternoon fancy dress party you had a burglary and all your belongings, including clothes, were taken. Not only that but the burglars were quick to get into your bank account and withdraw everything. Unfortunately, you did not feel it necessary to invest in insurance as you knew that 'Armageddon' was imminent and so should not attach too much importance to fleeting material possessions. However, you are now left without a dime and unable to buy replacements for the items stolen. Since the only clothes you have are the ones you are wearing (your underwear and a pink panther costume) there is no way you would feel comfortable attending meetings or going out on field service. Besides, your doctor has told you that you have been so traumatised by the experience that you need six months undisturbed solitude to recover.
* Start attending a mosque and when the elders find out, tell them that you are taking a method-acting approach to studying Islam in order to be better equipped at discussing the Bible with Muslims when in field service.
* Explain to the elders that you are embarking on a fulltime degree course in theology, learning all about Christendom. Assure them that when you graduate you will put all the knowledge and experience you have gained into convincing priests and pastors of all religions that JWs have the only true religion. If they show any doubts about the wisdom of this, remind them that the apostle Paul went to theological school and it didn't do him any harm.
* Invite others to attend your very own Bible study group, designed to 'compliment' our other meetings. Advertise it openly as an opportunity to 'express oneself more fully' than one is able to at the usual meetings, and that it will appeal specifically for those who are of the 'creative'/'independant thinking' type who are 'serious about Bible study' and who 'enjoy an atmosphere where they.won't be judged because of having a different interpretation'.
* Write to the GB expressing your profound thanks for your favourite JW book 'The Commentary On James' (TCOJ). Tell them that you've read Ray Franz' books and didn't realise that this 'spiritual food' was not penned by one of the 'anointed', but a member of the 'great crowd'. Ask them if you could please have a list of any more publications written by members of the 'great crowd' as, if TCOJ is anything to go by, they seem to be more in touch with early Christianity than the 'anointed' ones in the Writing Department. Also, be sure to state that you would appreciate any effort on their part to prevent any further embarrasment to JWs by resisting the temptation to discuss 'prophecy' in future publications, as every time you see the word it makes you cringe. Oh, and don't forget to let them know your full name and address, and which congregation you attend! -
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Judgement Starts At The House Of God
by NewWay ini'm an english man in my early 40s, was brought up as a jw, got baptized when i was in my teens, and married in my early 20s.
i have two sons and two daughters ranging from 6 years of age to 18.. .
although my wife associates with one of the local congregations of jws, i no longer attend or participate in jw activities.
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NewWay
Dungbeetle:
Thank you for your enthusiastic welcome!
Bang: The spiritual gems are Biblical observations/cross-references over the years that have been printed in different publications. Some might say that these same gems could have been (even have been) unearthed by others before the organisation did. I don't think it would be unfair to say though that some of the organisation's 'finds' were a result of reading non-JW literature. I don't make the mistake of casting aside what I feel confident is true based on logical argumentation just because I heard it first from the society. Being an avid reader (of non-fiction) I have learned that valuable information can come from very unexpected quarters - that's why I believe it to be important to be open-minded. I've also found that valuable information is often available only to those who treasure the freedom to think for oneself. Despite what the society says, independant thinking is a must for those seeking truth. History itself bears out that any great change for the better occurred when people decided to question the status quo.
You might think that I believe in a 'restoration' from within the society, but I think it more likely that a 'restoration' will be made outside of it, for a 'clean break' would be for many, the only way forward to starting a fresh spiritual life, being led (as it should be) individually by the "Good Shepherd" - now that is where real faith comes in. Spiritual maturity means not having to let others dictate for us a particular mode of worship, and accepting individual responsibility for our actions. This does not mean that we should become insular and not commune with like-minded people, for this gives much pleasure and encouragement.
It is interesting that Jesus Christ did not promote a new religion (with associated buildings and ritual), but rather a new way of thinking (English 'repentance' = Greek 'metanoia' = 'change of mind').
bjc: Thank you for enlightening me as to the two different viewpoints. I try to keep an open mind, but at the moment I think I tend to agree with the second group, with the exception that I do believe that God is in the picture in some way. Of course, there is an indirect way that God's judgement can be felt: 'Whatever a man is sowing this he shall also reap'. This judgement of course operates like this: All the laws of the Universe, including moral and physical laws, have been put in place by God, so as a natural consequence of breaking those laws, the law-breaker will suffer a 'judgement'. The same can happen within a group of people whether as part of an institution, nation, or even a world community. Eventually the natural inclination for wanting justice will emerge as a large number of people become enlightened as to gross injustice and abuse (for example the Holocaust), and finally 'judgement' is passed (for example, the Nuremburg Trials).
One might argue that if God's "wrath" is only applicable to a religiously-covenanted people then few people need fear Armageddon. It seems that this would contradict other Bible passages which indicate a large-scale destruction of 'the nations'. My view is that the Apostle Paul (in Romans 4:15 & 5:13) is simply showing that whereas 'wrath' would be a consequence of breaking the Mosaic law (accepted as part of the conditions of the covenant) on account of sin - which could not be permantly atoned for - there would be an absence of 'wrath' in the case of Christian freedom due to the permanent atonement of sin. Rather than being a hard and fast 'formula' for determining who generally receives God's 'wrath' and who doesn't, I believe the context of the scriptures shows this is a Mosaic-law/Christian-freedom comparison. Nevertheless, I do accept that a directly-covenanted people (i.e. those that God has in reality made a covenant with) are of special interest to the Almighty and will of course be answerable to him for their behaviour. I don't feel obliged to accept that all prophecies in the Bible have a 'type' and an 'anti-type'. For instance, I think it quite reasonable to accept that, say, a particular prophecy directed towards ancient Israel had just one fulfilment. If we use the 'type' and 'anti-type' procedure with regard to prophecy, then the field is open for a whole range of interpretations, which poses the question: 'Which interpretation is right?' Sometimes it just might be better to accept that some things written to a certain people simply applied to them in their time, and leave it at that.
Having said that, I respect your views, and at the end of the day you and I obviously agree that in His own time and in His own way God will 'sort things out', even employing human beings and political entities in the process of doing so if he wishes. Again, thank you for the welcome! -
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Judgement Starts At The House Of God
by NewWay ini'm an english man in my early 40s, was brought up as a jw, got baptized when i was in my teens, and married in my early 20s.
i have two sons and two daughters ranging from 6 years of age to 18.. .
although my wife associates with one of the local congregations of jws, i no longer attend or participate in jw activities.
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NewWay
YouKnow: Actually, my view is that the organisation is not the house of God, but that if it were then it would surely be in line for His judgement first, if the principle contained in the scripture is accepted and would be rather apt considering the designation 'Bethel'. Re-interpreting prophecy (to apply to the organisation) is not something I have an inclination to do - it's been done too many times by others; but I do believe in scriptural principles. I certainly have faith that the Almighty sees all things and that He will do whatever He sees fit according to his purpose. In fact, my faith (as in being confident of his ultimate ability and wisdom) has grown more since not 'running in the race for strife'. Whether His judgement comes specifically first on the organisation for even assuming to speak directly for God, or later after other judgements is neither here nor there, but judgement is something that I believe will come the organisation's way eventually. BTW, a few years ago I would have taken offence at your caustic remarks about my personal views, but time and experience has taught me that this leads nowhere (see James 3:16-18).
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Deep Meditation the Easy Way
by D wiltshire inover the last few weeks i've been using different cds that use sound to induce certain brain wave frequencies, the experience is truly very relaxing, to say the least.. these cd's induce alpha, theta, and delta brain waves.
many years ago i tried to meditate deeply but never got too deeply into a trance state, the cds however are very easy to use and work surprisingly well.. if you want a to buy them click on this http://www.brainsync.com .
one tape i have that very good imo is "deep meditation".. any experiences?.
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NewWay
Iggy: Thats the one!
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75
Does Watchtower Society monitor this board?
by Quotes ini've seen it mentioned many times in many threads: "the society monitors jwd, don't post anything you don't want them to know etc.
i have even made that point myself in the past.. my question is this: does the wtbts monitor this discussion board?.
or have we all been propagating our own xjw urban myth?.
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NewWay
I've been reading through this thread with great interest. As I'm new here, please forgive me if I reference anything that was said some time ago. Anyway, here are my observations.
deddaisy said
: Semonian then goes on to say that "they wouldn't disfellowship, they want to keep their members," or something to that effect......since when are "posters" on an apostate website members that the WTS is concerned with keeping?An interesting point. However, I did have the thought that if any of the posters were well-known or in a position whereby they could influence members of a particular congregation, then to 'patch things up' would be a good course in order to keep the poster quiet. As I am sensitive to the feelings of other Witnesses, I would not seek them out in order to speak my mind about the society - we must appreciate that we could end up causing them emotional distress and at a time when they are not able to cope with what we have to say (Jesus' words to his disciples comes to mind: 'I have many things to say to you, but at present you are unable to bear them'). Would we really want to be 'people of this kind (who) upset whole families' (Titus 1:11) by stirring up feelings of discontent directly within congregations?
However, on discussion boards such as this it is a different matter. A Witness would have to make a conscious decision to expose him/herself to alternative views and information. 'Fairs, fair'. Based on their understanding of 'shepherding', and since they have made the rules, they may well argue that they have every right to monitor the spiritual activity of those who choose to keep association with their congregations - and yet compare Paul's words of humility (despite his 'status') at 2 Corinthians 1:24. However, monitoring outside of their spiritual jurisdiction order to force dissenters back into the fold (which some feel is what 'readjusting' in real terms actually amounts to) is out of harmony with God's will that everyone make a free, uncoerced choice as to what they will do with their lives - . The organisation has often pointed the finger at Catholicism for using the fear of hell-fire in order to keep the flock in line, yet seems to have a different take on its own use of Armageddon/eternal-death/God's-disapproval as a means to 'persuade' JWs into unquestioning submission.
Whether the society monitors this site or not should not prevent anyone from speaking what they truly believe and what they feel duty-bound to share with others. Of course it would be wise to be 'as cautious as serpents' and to stay 'as innocent as doves'.