I agree with IDRNOMO. I think they are asset rich but cash poor
outsmartthesystem
JoinedPosts by outsmartthesystem
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8
For those who think THEY are in financial problems
by therevealer inuse google earth to view patterson and wallkill (watchtower farms).
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34
on the fence - an introduction
by so confused ini was brought up around the truth.
my dad was disfellowshiped when i was young, around 6-7. he was a elder and very devoted even going to jail when he was younger for the truth.
he had a stroke and started preaching things that the society was not teaching and he was disfellowshiped.
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outsmartthesystem
"My head believes that things have not been done correctly by the of society but my heart still does not want to believe everything I read. But the bible does say the heart is treacherous."
You've been indoctrinated to trust no one but the society. Liberating yourself from their shackles can be a scary experience. Your heart should most certainly NOT believe everything you read. Believing everything you read is what got you trapped in the Watchtower Society Cult to begin with. Follow the advice of the bible. PROVE that what you read is true. Think CRITICALLY. If you don't.....you'll eventually end up where you started.
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37
What's the strangest thing you've heard someone seek counsel with the elders about?
by keyser soze inpersonally, i never went to the elders with anything(not voluntarily, anyway).
but a friend of mine once asked a couple of elders whether it would be acceptable for him and his wife to make a sex tape, for their own personal viewing.
needless to say, the idea was frowned upon..
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outsmartthesystem
I know a woman who got married to a friend/acquaintance of mine (we hung out every now and then but were not close). He admitted to me that after they got married, he told her that prior to their marriage he used to masterbate. She was disgusted and made him confess to the elders. Of course, it was only masterbation and it occurred in the past, so the elders did nothing about it.
but just the fact that his wife would turn him in for past masterbation tells me they must have a real exciting sex life now
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11
need help looking for a quote "does not harbor/hold private beliefs/ideas"
by Aussie Oz ini am darned if i can find it in all my files!
i saw it, saved it, lost it.. not in an elders manual, not in letters to elders as far as i can see.. but i am pretty sure the wording was close to my title wording.. any takers???.
oz.
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outsmartthesystem
"In order to avoid misunderstandings, Jehovah's Witnesses try to be careful about how they express themselves. Instead of saying "the society teaches" many witnesses prefer to use such expressions as "the bible says" or "I understand the Bible to teach". In this way they emphasize the personal decision that each witness has made in accepting Bible teachings and also avoid giving the false impression that witnesses are somehow bound to the dictates of some religious sect. - March 15, 1998 WT p 4.
"First, since “oneness” is to be observed, a mature Christian must be in unity and full harmony with fellow believers as far as faith and knowledge are concerned. He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rather, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and “the faithful and discreet slave.” By regularly taking in the spiritual food provided “at the proper time”—through Christian publications, meetings, assemblies, and conventions—we can be sure that we maintain “oneness” with fellow Christians in faith and knowledge - Aug 1, 2001 WT p14
OK. Does anyone else see the alarming contradiction found within these two Watchtowers?
Aug 1 - Do not try to be independent. Do not try to understand the bible on your own. In order to be accepted by God, you must united in all beliefs and knowledge with all other witnesses. Those beliefs and knowledge come from us.
Mar 15 - When commenting in front of others, please do not say "the society teaches" because it makes us sound like some sort of powerful, ruling cult. Instead, say "I understand the Bible to teach". This gives the impression that you are not controlled.
Yup - That's the answer. Enforce a system of ever changing beliefs......but make each witness accept personal responsibility when commenting. Yay!
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245
Is the Watchtower shy about repeating their new "generation" teaching?
by slimboyfat inas i recall in the 1980s talks and watchtower literature, magazines and books were always talking about the "generation" teaching and how it proved armageddon was going to come any day now.. but am i correct in thinking they have only actually mentioned the new "overlapping generations" teaching once or twice in the literature?
why are they so shy about talking about their great new interpretation?
it's almost enough to make you suspect they are a embarrassed about it.. mention it once or twice, don't dwell on it, hope everyone just accepts it, and don't bring it up again.
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outsmartthesystem
Egg - "But this would be your opinion, wouldn't it? I don't think such speculations to be information coming from God, and most of those who are Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe this either, so my question to you is this: Why did you? What was it about the information you heard when you were regularly associating with God's organization that intimated to you that there were men behind the organization?"
So then Eggster, let me ask you a question. With this latest disaster of an interpretation regarding what truly constitutes a "generation" coming from the Powers that Be in New York..........is this latest explanation cosidered by you to be "information coming from God" or is it merely "speculation".
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245
Is the Watchtower shy about repeating their new "generation" teaching?
by slimboyfat inas i recall in the 1980s talks and watchtower literature, magazines and books were always talking about the "generation" teaching and how it proved armageddon was going to come any day now.. but am i correct in thinking they have only actually mentioned the new "overlapping generations" teaching once or twice in the literature?
why are they so shy about talking about their great new interpretation?
it's almost enough to make you suspect they are a embarrassed about it.. mention it once or twice, don't dwell on it, hope everyone just accepts it, and don't bring it up again.
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outsmartthesystem
outsmart - I found this gem of an article.. "Modesty on the part of the faithful and discreet slave class, commissioned to provide the Christian household with food at the proper time, prevents it from presumptuously running ahead and wildly speculating about things that are still unclear. WT - 6-1-1997 p 14"Egg - "This is called speculation."
Interestingly, earlier in this thread, Gladiator posted a snippet from the now infamous 1969 Awake magazine to which Egg responded with the following:
Outsmart - So again.....I thought the FDS didn't speculate?
Notice how Egg manages to respond with his nonsense to selective questions.
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245
Is the Watchtower shy about repeating their new "generation" teaching?
by slimboyfat inas i recall in the 1980s talks and watchtower literature, magazines and books were always talking about the "generation" teaching and how it proved armageddon was going to come any day now.. but am i correct in thinking they have only actually mentioned the new "overlapping generations" teaching once or twice in the literature?
why are they so shy about talking about their great new interpretation?
it's almost enough to make you suspect they are a embarrassed about it.. mention it once or twice, don't dwell on it, hope everyone just accepts it, and don't bring it up again.
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outsmartthesystem
Egg - You should know that I do not rely upon the subjective judgments of others for the decisions I make and the conclusions I draw. If anyone's conscience should accuse the person, it is a sin for that person and they should not be here, but if one's conscience should excuse the person, then they commit no sin. (Romans 2:15; James 4:17) No one can decide for me who is an apostate and who isn't an apostate. Many of you have Bibles, but put more faith in the hype than the things that Bible teaches so that you parrot as doctrines what others believe to be sins, or rules or commands, when what is being spread is opinion, falsehood, lies like 'the Society instructs you not to post on sites like this one.'
outsmart - Oh....what a tangled web we weave when first we practice to deceive. Here is a quote from Egg on a different topic that we discussed last summer. "If anyone desires to buy a raffle ticket, he is free to do so; if anyone desires to wear a beard, he is free to wear one. If anyone feels he must continue his association with a disfellowshipped person, that's ok; he is free to do this as well, but in his engaging in any such conduct when admonished not to do so, he is not submitting to God's arrangement, and this is the point." So DJ....why do you feel that it is no longer necessary to "submit to God's arrangement" by associating on an unapproved website with unapproved associates? Have you "taken a stand against the arrangement of God?"
Egg - You're off-topic.
outsmart - Perhaps. But please.....for the benefit of those that may be lurking here.....go ahead and answer. How, exactly are you "submitting to God's arrangement" by ignoring admonitions that come from his "faithful slave"?
Egg...you cowardly sack of monkey excrement......quit hiding. Answer the question. I don't care if it is off topic. The only reason you don't want to answer it is because you know you can't do so successfully.
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7
Guns and Scary Movies Gal
by Iamallcool inthere is a very pretty lady friend of mine that likes guns and to watch scary movies very often.
she emailed me yesterday to ask me how i am doing.
i know she likes me and she is probably waiting for me to ask her out.
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outsmartthesystem
There is nothing wrong with a gun so long as you don't drink while using it and so long as you practice proper gun safety. Yeah....I'd say that is definitely a JW thing
In regard to the scary movie thing....I think that is a Christian thing. Those that feel like they have a relationship with God typically stay away from scary movies because 1) god certainly would not approve and 2) they could be "inviting demons into their home". So I guess it all comes down to how you feel.
Personally I don't buy much into the whole "scary demon" thing anymore so to me it is just a movie.
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hoodies
by outsmartthesystem inlook....honestly, i dislike geraldo rivera just as much as the next guy.
but i don't see a big problem with what he said about the "hoodie" being what killed trayvon martin.
is it a completely accurate statement?
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outsmartthesystem
Look....honestly, I dislike Geraldo Rivera just as much as the next guy. But I don't see a big problem with what he said about the "hoodie" being what killed Trayvon Martin. Is it a completely accurate statement? No....of course not. I think it is quite apparent that the Zimmerman was a racist with an itchy trigger finger and therefore he is to blame..........but I think the hoodie played a roll.
Hoodies are viewed rightly or wrongly as being a "thugish" style of clothing. It is simply a matter of stereotyping. I don't agree with sterotyping but all of us do it. Some to higher degrees than others and some to more ignorant or dangerous levels than others.
You may be the most timid and sweetest black kid in the world....but if you don a hoodie....the general populace is likely going to view you as a thug or gangsta without even knowing you. Similarly, you could be the most timid and sweet white kid in the world, but if you drive a pick up truck with a confederate flag on the license plate.....the general populace is going to view you as a redneck racist. All in all, it is quite sad that as a population....we judge people based on how they look or what they wear. But it is reality. And right or wrong (I believe wrong) it needs to be accepted as reality. If you want to wear a hoodie....certain people are going to judge you as being a punk without giving you a chance. Likewise if you insist on wearing a confederate flag t shirt....certain people are going to judge you as being a racist without giving you a chance. Being pre-judged like that could result in as little as getting an unfavorable look from someone. It could result in your being denied a job opportunity. Or in extreme situations.....it may very well contribute to a much worse situation as we have seen. I think the message Geraldo tried to convey is this "if you want to wear a hoodie....go ahead....but please be aware that there are a lot of intollerant people out there that may pre-judge you to be a thug because hoodies are, in their minds, synonomous with gangster life. You have freedom to wear what you want....but along with freedom comes consequences whether those consequences are justifiable or not."
Flame away!
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Discussion with my dad about 607 in a week,,,,help?
by stillstuckcruz inso to make a long story short, my family found out about my "apostacy"(i couldn't take it anymore) and now everything is all in shambles.
they still feel there is "hope" for me.
(ha!).
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outsmartthesystem
First off, I agree with LeavingWT. Facts mean nothing to a JW. The power of belief will outweigh the power of fact.
But if you insist on discussing it with him......ask him to show YOU....using material not published by the Watchtower....that Jerusalem fell in 607. If he insists on using WT material that is still ok because you can start by agreeing on one major thing. That Babylon fell in 539BC. Once you two agree on that:
1) Insight Book - Vol 2 - p458 "Nabonidus is believed to have ruled some 17 years.....Nabonidus' ascension to the throne followed the assassination of Labashi Marduk."
2) WT 1/1/65 p29 - "Neriglissar, who reigned 4 years"......"his underage son, Labashi Marduk, a vicious boy, succeeded him and was assassinated within 9 months"
3) WT 1/1/65 p29 - "Evil Merocach reigned 2 years and was murdered by his brother in law, Neriglissar, who reigned 4 years".
4) Insight Book - Vol 1 - p773 "The Babylonian King who succeeded Nebuchadnezzar to the throne" (this is under the heading of "Evil Merodach")
5) Daniel Book p 50 "Nebuchadnezzar, who reigned for 43 years...."
*So....
Nabonidus - 556BC-539BC (17 years)
Labashi Marduk - 556 BC (nine months)
Neriglissar - 560-556 BC (4 years)
Evil Merdach - 562-560 BC (2 years)
Nebuchadnezzar - 605-562 BC (43 years)
**According to the Insight Book - Vol 2 - p481 "in the 11th year of Zedekiah (which was Nebuchadnezzar's 19th year of reign including his accession year/18th actual REGNAL year), a breach was made in Jerusalem's wall.
***If Nebuchadnezzar began ruling in 605 and you subtract 18 years....you come to 587BC
All of this....using ONLY WT material