Posts by MikeMusto

18

September 8 Awake

by DakotaRed in

jw
friends

.

where else but in the awake could we see a condemantion of predictions while also justifyng their failure?.

MikeMusto

now..now.we dont predict.

we..."interpret"

7

Is The "Light Gets Brighter" Doctrine...

by adonoyechod in

i have often read, been told, and heard by jw's that the light gets brighter and brighter.

i realize that this particular phrase comes from the bible, but i fail to see it's application anywhere in the nt or ot.

at least in the manner in which they explain it.

Did early Christians believe that they would have a progressive knowledge of God's will? This question could be answered with an emphatic no! Much to the contrary, second and third century Christians proved their beliefs by pointing back to what the apostles had unambiguously handed down to them. They believed the apostles to be in possession of "perfect knowledge" and that such knowledge was more than adequately articulated to their successors.

In the second century Iranaeus (a prominent presbyter of Lyons) says the following in this regard:

It is unlawful to assert that the apostles preached before they possessed perfect Knowledge,as some do even venture to say, boasting themselves as being improvers of the apostles. For, after our Lord rose from the dead, the apostles were energized with power from on High when the Holy Spirit came down upon them. They were completely filled and had perfect knowledge. They departed to the ends of the earth, preaching the glad tidings of the good things sent to us from God. (s. 180 E/W), 1.414

In the third century Tertullian (a prominent presbyter of Carthage) said the following:

The heretics usually tell us that the apostles did not know all things. Exposing Christ to blame for having sent forth apostles who had either too much ignorance, or too little simplicity. What man of sound mind can possibly suppose that they were ignorant of anything, whom the Lord ordained to be teachers? (c. 197, W), 3.253.

And:

When He, the Spirit of truth, will come, He will lead you into all truth. He thus shows that there was nothing of which the apostle were ignorant, to whom He had promised the future attainment of all truth by the help of the Spirit of truth. (c. 197, W), 3.253.

While these statements were admittedly made to the Gnostics who were claiming a further revelation regarding Christ, the principle still stands - Christians of subsequent generations unanimously believed themselves to be in possession of apostolic doctrine which needed no accretions or crystallization. They viewed the deposit of faith given to the apostles as a perfect amalgamation of the Hebrew scriptures and the Greek Christian scriptures. They never assumed, therefore, that the apostles excluded important aspects or failed to explain salient features of the good news of God's Kingdom that would only be understood in latter days by uninspired men. To the contrary, they contended for the faith that was delivered once and for all times to the holy ones.

In line with that, the apostle Paul says the following in his epistle to the Galatians:

"However, even if we or an angel out of heaven should declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed. As we have said above, I also now say again, whoever it is that is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted let him be accursed." ( What is the good news? )

Upon reflection, it becomes clear that there is nothing similar between God's historic method of communication as found in scripture and history and the Watchtower's faithful and discrete slave teaching. Furthermore, the New Testament does not remotely justify a compulsory promulgation of error or a 'follow-the-leader' doctrinal approach regardless of one's individual Christian's conscience. To the contrary, the book of Romans says that it is sin to do or believe something without faith. (Romans 14:23)

11

144,000 pagans or annointed

by JCISGOD98 in

charles russell the first president of the watchtower believed and taught that the anointed ones, which are the 144,000 who go heaven, began to be chosen just as soon as the church began, and by the end of the first century most of them were chosen.

the watchtower of february 1, 1975, page 84 reiterated that jehovah god started selecting the 144,000 nineteen hundred years ago.

history tells us that this persecuted church continued for several centuries, so there were many years during which the true church existed and expanded.

MikeMusto

I am a current JW. I realise that the doctrine of 144,000 is flawed. I cant wait for the changes to come.</P>

10

Local jw youths 'dropping like flies'

by jack2 in

jw
friends

the local count of disfellowshipings and reproofs, just from what i personally have heard, in recent months - 7 df'd , 2 public reproofs.

and this is just from what i have heard.

all involve persons around age 21 and younger.. .

MikeMusto

I believe it is from the fact that "this generation" is no longer pushed as nearing the 90 year mark......

so the kids are seeing that many parents may live into the their 90's with no financial protection. Who

want to live like this? Not I !!

114

15 Answers to Creationist Nonsense

by JanH in

jw
friends

scientific american runs an article rebutting some of the most common creationist arguments.

short and to the point.. this is the first page.

click for the following ones.. see http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleid=000d4fec-7d5b-1d07-8e49809ec588eedf&catid=2.

MikeMusto

JanH needs to to read the publication "Life.Howe did it get here..be evolution or Creation.?" Published

by the WTS. This highly Scientific book approaches the argument from a blank sheet of paper.

Providing fact both for and against each argument. This book has been applauded the world over

for its factual statements and quotes. I am sure it has won a literature prize from a third world country.

And it is better than a college education.

1

NY Bethel Gargyols (gargouilles)=devil decorations

by Aaac in

jw
friends

does somebody know anything about the bossert hotel in brooklyn that was bought by the wtbs?

i mean, the most interesting part of it, for me, is the gargoyls (devils) that were there.

they were historically protected.

MikeMusto

Lions not gargoyles

19

Rejection

by dsgal in

jw
friends

i faithfully attended all the meetings at the local kingdom hall...someone was studying with me...i went out in field service.but i never got invited to any of their social events.this hurt me so bad i stopped going to meetings.just curious,anyone else ever experience shunning?

MikeMusto

dsgal,

do you stink? cuz the WT people are the cleanest people on earth, just ask them

17

WT next to go bankrupt??

by RubyTuesday in

jw
friends

bankruptcy filing called option for archdiocese

advisers cite worst-case plan .

by stephen kurkjian and michael rezendes, globe staff, 8/2/2002

MikeMusto

Hi ruby,

some guy here wants to have sex with you..are you interested? he's very hetero

42

Joe Anderson Disfellowshipped

by silentlambs in

jw
friends

8-1-02, addition to 7-31-02 press release .

joe anderson-disfellowshipped!

jehovahs witness child advocate.

MikeMusto

actually simple sally,

manual beliz was df'd but later re instated

25

Do dubs deal with death better than others?

by SpiceItUp in

jw
friends

going to that funeral this week made me think about a few things.. first the family members that attended, who btw were not dubs, were shedding tears.

i did not see anyone else there crying even though the woman who died was a great friend and will really be missed.. now since the dubs have the hope of the "resurrection" does that allieviate their grief that they should normally posess?

does that mean they are "happy" when someone dies because their wait is over?

MikeMusto

they cry like everyone else.

family and friends.

two speakers i know broke down