Draconian laws, such as chewing gum is banned in their country. I visited Singapore many times but only at the airport. I was in transit to another country.
Acluetofindtheuser
JoinedPosts by Acluetofindtheuser
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Jehovah Banned in Singapore
by EverApostate insingapore is a tiny, beautiful and economically powerful country in se asia.
all religions are allowed there except the jehaovah's witnesses and another christian denomination.
jws are banned because they don’t serve the military and all singapore citizens are required to serve in the military for a while.. the jws are banned in singapore since 1972. .
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Watchtower teaches that Jesus dying on the stake is no longer certain
by Listener inthe watchtower has held for many years that jesus died on a stake and held strongly to this teaching.
w 1951 3/15 the above agrees with the new world translation of the christian greek scriptures in its appendix, page 769, in saying that the instrument upon which jesus was nailed was a stake without a crossbeam, and not the religiously represented “cross”; and that the greek word used for that instrument in ancient time meant a “stake” and not the conventional religious cross.
they are no longer certain on this point.
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Acluetofindtheuser
I saw a documentary on the Science channel that researched the physics of the Roman torture device. They performed all these experiments with different patterns that would hold the victim used a dummy with pressure sensing devices. A computer would monitor all the sensors and they would figure out sudden death or prolonged pain on each device. They tried a steak (I), and two types of crosses (+) and (X). The one that seemed to fit the biblical account was the (X) wood cross-beam pattern.
It appears that Game of Thrones creators figured out the real the torture device used by the Romans That X symbol represents House Bolton in the HBO TV series.
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what is the rarest JW book?
by dogon inwhat is the rarest jb book ever printed?
i just bought a copy of the finished mystery and it can be a bit rare.
but i bet there are others much more rare.
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Acluetofindtheuser
The book, Angels and Women must be pretty rare. The book was published in 1924 by the A.B. ABAC Company and authorized by Rutherford. That company was set up solely to turn out those books. The work was recommended reading in the 1924 Golden Age magazine. I don't know any witnesses that own that book, except for me. I had to search far and wide to obtain a first edition.
Angels and Women is actually a revision of the 1878 novel Seola written by Ann Eliza Smith. The story is a fantasy about the events that led up to the Deluge. The whole book reads as a diary of the character named Seola, who actually becomes a passenger on the Ark.
The problem most witnesses have with this book is that it mentions the activities of the fallen angels with respect to the main character. The main character, Seola, hated the fallen angels and even one of them became attracted to her but she refused to reciprocate his love.
I think this is the most interesting literature to come out of the organization. The story was entertaining and enjoyable to read. All the other publications are dogmatic and have questions for each paragraph that you need to know. Angels and Women did not have questions for each paragraph.
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Did the serpent have legs before the curse?
by Acluetofindtheuser ingenesis 3:14 – “then jehovah god said to the serpent: “because you have done this, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild animals of the field.
on your belly you will go, and you will eat dust all the days of your life.”.
the old gb and gb 2.0 differ on this matter.
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Acluetofindtheuser
Genesis 3:14 – “Then Jehovah God said to the serpent: “Because you have done this, you are the cursed one out of all the domestic animals and out of all the wild animals of the field. On your belly you will go, and you will eat dust all the days of your life.”
The old GB and GB 2.0 differ on this matter.
Questions from Readers – Watchtower June 1, 1964
“This is the only place in the Bible where any indication is given that the serpent did not at one time travel on its belly. What is said here is, of course, directed principally to the invisible spirit creature who used the literal serpent as his mouthpiece. It foretells his debasement. But for the symbolic application of this judgment upon the wicked spirit creature who became Satan to have any force there must be a fulfillment of it in the literal serpent, which has come to symbolize Satan. It, therefore, is reasonable to conclude that before God cursed it the serpent possessed legs that elevated it above the ground. As he had the power to create the serpent in the first place, God had the power to transform its body so that it ceased to have legs and was able to move about on its belly.”
Questions from Readers – Watchtower June 15, 2007
“The Bible does not specifically state that the animal used in tempting Eve had previously had legs but lost them. While the wording of Genesis 3:14 might lead some to think so, we need not necessarily conclude that prior to this curse, serpents had legs. Why not?
Principally because the real object of Jehovah’s judgment was Satan-the invisible spirit who had misused that lowly animal. The Bible describes Satan as “the father of the lie” and “the original serpent.” Both of these expressions apparently point back to Satan’s using a visible animal, a serpent, as his mouthpiece to induce Eve to disobey God’s command. God created serpents, and Adam had apparently given serpents their name before Satan’s deceptive act. The unreasoning serpent that spoke to Eve was not to blame. It would have been unaware that Satan was manipulating it, and it could not understand the judgement that God rendered against the disobedient parties.”
The next few paragraphs go on to explain that being put on its belly and eating dust was all symbolic and only applied to Satan’s final outcome.
Why did they change their view?
Because it is a wild concept and it invites speculation. In all my years of being a JW I found most Elders and some publishers disapprove of any speculation beyond the current words of the GB’s in power. If you read C.T. Russell’s earlier work you'll notice that speculation was encouraged during his day. That speculation was so deep it got to the point where it was out of control. The Great Pyramid of Egypt eventually became part God’s plan per Russell. That idea was thrown to the curb so long ago.
The current trend of leadership in the Society is to be passive about some of the most interesting subjects in the Bible. All they care about now is to have control over the members. You have to go to prison, be shunned or even die by what they write in the literature. It’s so sad it has come to this. They have put themselves in the Judgment seat of Moses. I believe the nations are going to act soon on this organization.
For those that still believe in the literal second coming, speculation is a requirement to piece it all together. The current GB thinking on this matter is too symbolic and has no literal application. This is just like their change of heart between the Watchtower June 1, 1964 and Watchtower June 15, 2007.
I am of the opinion that the serpent once had legs before the curse because the Boa and the Python both have the potential to grow vestigial organs. These are tiny hind leg bones buried in muscles toward their tail ends. A serpent with legs is known to be the mythological dragon. Most ancient cultures believed in the existence of dragons. Every animal on the Chinese calendar is a real animal, except for the dragon. Why the exception?
I found this topic about serpent limbs mentioned 16 years ago.
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/2837/did-snakes-have-legs-yes-no
Thanks for reading,
ACTFTU-Tron 2.0
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Todays WT theme scripture
by NikL inso today's study article uses 1cor 3:17 as it's theme text.. i looked it over and if you read from 14 an interesting thing happens.... 14 but their minds were dulled.+ for to this present day, the same veil remains unlifted when the old covenant is read,+ because it is taken away only by means of christ.+ 15 in fact, to this day whenever moses is read,+ a veil lies upon their hearts.+ 16 but when one turns to jehovah,* the veil is taken away.+ 17 now jehovah* is the spirit,+ and where the spirit of jehovah* is, there is freedom.+ .
so my question is, is it by "means of christ" or by "turning to jehovah" that the veil is taken away?.
in any other translation i've looked at, the use of the word lord is employed leading one to assume that it's turning to the christ that takes the veil away..
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Acluetofindtheuser
Did you mean 2 Cor 3:17?
I looked at the Interlinear version and the direct Greek word translated is Anointed where Christ is used.
The controversy I see here is that the holy spirit and Jehovah are the same thing. It can't be an impersonal force.
Paul quotes Isaiah 5:8-10 in Acts 28:25-27. Paul says in verse 25 of Acts 28 that, "The holy spirit aptly spoke through Isaiah the prophet to your forefathers". Isaiah actually said, "Then I heard the voice of Jehovah (Insert Tetragrammaton) saying". Which is more accurate? Per Paul at 2 Cor 3:17, the Holy Spirit is Jehovah.
I guess when Jesus said he will send the holy spirit as a helper he meant his Dad will be doing all the work.
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Three congregations dissolved and a kingdom hall sold within a 50 mile radius in my area...
by UNCONDITIONAL LOVE inhas anyone else heard of these situations with congregations and halls in your area?
i thought the ground breaking mandatory pledge a little while ago was to keep up with "immense" growth?
how soon they forget... looks really bleak for the future of the wbats, the jw gravy train seems to be coming to a slow and agonizing yet inevitable stop.
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Acluetofindtheuser
Recently in the pacific northwest I heard about two English congregations in the same Kingdom Hall being merged into one due to a lack of publishers. Both halls had enough Elders and MS but just not enough publishers. The preaching work is not attracting any new converts. -
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Bethel Library moving to Warwick, are older items 'vanishing'
by Lostandfound inin a post re dates etc from fatfreek reference was made to huge library at bethel with items dating back to pastor rs day.
like the year 1975 which has vanished from wt theology, are gb using move to let them put all old and inconvenient items into some sort of cold storage and off library shelves.
already the revelation book has gone from the orgs website, and that was quite recent relatively, we studied it 3 times at congregation book study, yet now, like type and antitype it mysteriously was never there.
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Acluetofindtheuser
I bet Sam Herd has already taken Angels and Women out of the bethel library and kept it for himself. I've heard a number of stories where JW refused to believe that book was at Bethel. There are those that want it destroyed and others who want a copy for themselves. An original Angels and Women is quite expensive these days.
The nice thing about the book is there are no questions at the bottom of the pages and the work was originally done by a woman in Christendom (late 1800's). Only men get to write literature in JWdom.
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I really hate the word "ones".
by schnell innecessary as it is at times, i hate this word.
for one thing, "ones" is a plural form of the number 1. that is dumb, and it's reason enough to avoid it where it isn't entirely necessary.. one could argue that it never is necessary, but it can still come up in colloquial dialogue when discussing objects.
jw leaders use it to discuss people.. interestingly, jws even did this to jesus christ in their own translation of the bible, referring to him in ephesians 1:7 with "through the blood of that one" where another translation would say something like "through his blood".
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Acluetofindtheuser
I also hate it when the literature reads as, "these ones". This is improper English. These implies ones. These word combinations are always being used in talks all over the states.
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Jehovah sure loves foreskins!
by rebel8 inan atheist (never jw) friend of mine is an rv for a jw who he is trying to deprogram.
he started this totally on his own and just telling me about it.
it's quite amusing what he comes up with.. point 1: why the s & m stuff with foreskins?
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Acluetofindtheuser
Apparently God hates yeast infections. Cutting off that extra skin must have helped in males. Sorry ladies, you’re stuck with it in the nomadic world.
I do believe in a form of flood event that happened in the past. The whole purpose of that event was change the atmosphere for the worst. The earth has one new side effect, yeast infections. A good side effect, beer and wine can now be made.
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The Great Crowd!
by A Believer innotice the 144000 can be counted and they all come from israel.. 9 after this i saw, and look!
a great crowd, which no man was able to number, out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,*+ standing before the throne and before the lamb, dressed in white robes;+ and there were palm branches in their hands.+ .
this great crowd, no man was able to number, and they come from every nation!
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Acluetofindtheuser
If the account in Revelation and what Jesus said to his apostles about the 144,000 and Great Crowd are blended together you get a better picture.
1. Jesus returns to earth after the great tribulation.
2. New Jerusalem comes down from heaven. Sits on a lofty mountain top.
3. Jesus is King and temporarily sits on God's throne here on earth. Jesus is Eternal Father(new Adam), Mighty God. He will take on physical form but he will be able to phase in and out just like after his resurrection.
4. A special group of people work with Jesus around the temple to be counselors and advisors to the nations. This is the 144,000, but the number is not literal because it's too conveniently rounded. It's just a symbolic big number that is associated with the original Israel arrangement. This group will most likely not have married, just like Jesus.
5. After a long period of time Jesus puts everything back together here on earth. Jesus then gives the throne back to his Father. The throne seat will probably be empty when that happens. That's the way God wanted it in the first place. People will know who really sits in that chair but he doesn't have to.