NewWay

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Posts by NewWay

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  28

  The sad truth is, however, that not even the best

  by Bleep in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just add some more scriptual evidence to help out with this great topic here.

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  NewWay

  Very good points SYN and GOPHER.
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  45

  LOST YOUR FAITH?

  by QUANTUM in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i feel like i'm watching a movie.

  reading these posts seems to transform reality into a time and a land which exists partly in a haze of real and where am i now.

  once you had a grip and understanding of who you were.

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  NewWay

  WholeWheat, please give consideration to the fact that while some may have disappeared in a puff of smoke (maybe they weren't in the 'truth' for very long anyway), there are many others such as myself who have taken years to make a decision to leave the organisation. You really should not make sweeping statements to the effect that everyone has lost his/her relationship with Jehovah, that is a value-judgement. There is a principle contained at Romans 14:4 concerning making judgements about 'the house servant of another'. It shows that despite our views 'Jehovah can make him [the servant] stand.' Leave the judging to the Almighty, and do not equate righteous indignation against the society and removal of support based on a conscientious decision with leaving Jehovah or weakening of a relationship. Nor adopt a 'told you so' approach using the hurt and anger as 'proof' that we did the wrong thing - these are emotions that are not bad in themselves and quite understandable given the circumstances.
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  45

  LOST YOUR FAITH?

  by QUANTUM in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i feel like i'm watching a movie.

  reading these posts seems to transform reality into a time and a land which exists partly in a haze of real and where am i now.

  once you had a grip and understanding of who you were.

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  2. 
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  NewWay

  Quantum

  , thanks for the efforts in sympathising with XJWs. However, I have to agree with a number here who say that they don't want to be preached at (even if that was not your intention). 'Representative(s) of God' is like a dirty word to many XJWs. It brings back bad memories. You will, of course, be aware that in the New Testament Jesus spoke of the *'Holy Spirit' being sent as a 'Comforter' which would guide his disciples in all things, not any human agency or representative. Others, as individuals, can add to our knowledge and understanding of the scriptures, but at the end of the day it is God's Spirit that has the final say, so to speak. Of course, all of this reasoning from the Bible is pointless if one is an atheist! *BTW, I don't like the word 'Ghost' as not only is it archaic and has a different meaning now, but I've seen one and it wasn't a pleasant experience!
  
  I'm persuaded that there are a number of XJWs who still believe in God - even if He is something different from He who is depicted in the Bible, but like me they have no intention of joining the 'happy clappy' brigade (I don't know how else to describe it, but I'm sure you understand what I mean). To many, their spiritual life is a sober-minded affair that doesn't make them stick out like a sore thumb, they practise Christianity in a way that does not attract strange looks from other people. What I'm saying is that its not the 'Jesus saves, hallelujah' type approach. That's what puts many people off taking any notice of the Christian message. Please don't take offense. When we preach of course we have to take into consideration our audience, so that like Paul we can 'accomodate ourselves to people in all kinds of different situations' (1 Cor. 9:19-23 - NJB) - something no doubt that was your intention in starting this thread. XJWs are a mixture of all sorts of people, and what they believed before and after being JWs is from what I've seen extremely diverse.
  
  lucidentity, with respect, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that the Canaanites were destroyed as the Israelites passed through the land. Even if a large number did survive in one way or another it was still tantamount to genocide. Now the Bible says that this was justified because for 400 years (see Genesis 15:12-16 - Canaanites descended from Amorites) the land had gone from bad to worse and that the people there were obviously extremely wicked. The problem is this. If the race as a whole was wicked and had to be destroyed, then how come everyone, including the children were destroyed but not the young virgins. Presumably the children were also wicked, otherwise the justice of God would require their preservation. I'm sorry to have to say this, but one can't help but entertain the idea that this sounds suspiciously like a man's idea, destroy everybody else but steal the sexually innocent young women. Funny isn't it how there was no decree to save any male virgins for use by the Israelite women!
  
  Really, accepting the Bible as truly the infallible word of God requires our making excuses for things like this. We would have to say: 'Well there must have been some good reason for it'. This reasoning has been used even by myself in the past when I gave consideration to such instances as David numbering the people of Israel (1 Chronicles chapter 21), something that was obviously - from God's response - an extremely bad thing to do. Instead of David (the one responsible) being put to death, 70,000 Isrealites lost their lives as recompense. It is no wonder that many here now question the claim that the Bible is the infallible word of the only true God, perfect in justice, wisdom, and love! I don't say this to try to damage your faith, but in order for you to be realistic when dealing with members here. Your faith may be strong, but don't forget that the word 'faith' is synonymous with the word 'trust'. Since it is impossible for us to go back in time and actually check for ourselves if any given event recorded in the Bible is true, then we have to decide whether we are willing to trust it or not. Some decide to trust, others don't. But adverse judgement from God based upon what we decide to do as a matter of trust, does not accord with true justice. It is one thing to go down the wrong path deliberately when you have been shown real physical evidence of danger, but quite another thing to go down it because you reject what amounts to 'hearsay'. Kind regards to you both.
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  70

  PSYCH PROFILE - ANSWERS POSTED

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dr. phil gave this test on oprah.

  some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out.

  don't be overly sensitive!

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  NewWay

  LyinEyes, never mind, they say there are more sane people in the insane asylums than outside!
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  70

  PSYCH PROFILE - ANSWERS POSTED

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dr. phil gave this test on oprah.

  some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out.

  don't be overly sensitive!

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  NewWay

  Trot, at least we know were not the only ones. I often try to make excuses for people (forgiving?) close to me. Treachery is something I cannot stand. If a family member or close friend betrayed my trust I would be pretty hurt about it. So, I reckon the quiz is quite accurate.
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  70

  PSYCH PROFILE - ANSWERS POSTED

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dr. phil gave this test on oprah.

  some folks pay a lot of money to find this stuff out.

  don't be overly sensitive!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  NewWay

  38
  
  I promise you I didn't look at the answers!!!
• 
  28

  The sad truth is, however, that not even the best

  by Bleep in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just add some more scriptual evidence to help out with this great topic here.

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  2. 
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  NewWay

  Here is some practical scriptural advice:
  
  "Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, for there is no authority except by God; the existing authorities stand placed in their relative positions by God. Therefore he who opposes the authority has taken a stand against the arrangement of God; those who have taken a stand against it will receive judgment to themselves. For those ruling are an object of fear, not to the good deed, but to the bad. Do you, then, want to have no fear of the authority? Keep doing good, and you will have praise from it; for it is God's minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear; for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword; for it is God's minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad." - Romans 13:1-4 (NWT).
  
  Child abuse is a crime, and therefore is not something that comes under the jurisdiction of any religion. Even the scriptures point to the fact that the superior authorities (law-enforcing government agencies) are appointed by God himself to deal with wrongdoers - obviously those that are criminals. So, if you know of child abuse, report it to the 'superior' authorities.
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  28

  The sad truth is, however, that not even the best

  by Bleep in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  just add some more scriptual evidence to help out with this great topic here.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NewWay

  Parents cannot prevent all bad things happening to their children. However, they can educate themselves regarding potential threats to their well-being. Here is the title of a book that really was a help to me and prevented a serious problem from happening with one of my children:
  
  "Protecting The Gift - Keeping Children And Teenagers Safe (And Parents Sane)"
  by Gavin De Becker
  ISBN 0-385-33309-09
  
  It focuses on the subject of sexual predators and other violent people, and instructs on recognizing clues to help detect them. Most of all it tells you to rely on your instincts and pay serious attention to 'gut' feelings of fear or uneasiness. A wonderful book that I would recommend to all parents.
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  29

  From Intercourse to Paradise...

  by NeonMadman in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  ...with stops along the way in bird-in-hand and lancaster.. that's right.

  today, i, my wife and my mother-in-law loaded ourselves into the car and drove down to pennsylvania dutch country, where we visited the towns of intercourse, paradise, and the others i mentioned.

  we went to the mennonite information center, where we heard a lecture about the israelite tabernacle in the wilderness, enhanced by viewing an actual size model of the tabernacle.

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  NewWay

  It just goes to show what lengths some people will go to get people to read their posts!
  
  I thought it was the Garden of Eden story in reverse. Funny, it reminded me of that joke about why Adam and Eve got kicked out of Paradise:
  
  * It wasn't the apple on the tree, it was the pear on the ground.
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  16

  About Those Heavenly and Earthly Classes...

  by NeonMadman in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  maybe this is just something that i never thought of before, and everybody else here will find it old hat.

  but i was thinking today about the jw teaching about the heavenly class (the 144,000, according to them), and the earthly class (the great crowd).

  specifically, i think that it is ironic how the watchtower actually reverses what the bible says about the location of these two classes.

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  NewWay

  NeonMadman, yes I agree with the points you made. One would think that based on the society's past record they would let sleeping dogs lie, and stay as far away from prophetic interpretation as they could.