for those of you with experience being asked this question.....or those of you that are/were elders........ what would happen if you responded to that question by saying "i don't know"?.
what would happen if you responded with "i choose not to answer that question."?
and then when they ask why, you say "because i wish to invoke my 5th amendment rights".
Thanks justamom (Kim) I'll look for it. I really like the way Listener said it. I'm going to write that one down. I would also like to thank Leaving WT for making his DA letter available. I really appreciated the viewpont about blood. It can be found at broomeman.com/da_letter.pdf
BT2 (Steve)
for those of you with experience being asked this question.....or those of you that are/were elders........ what would happen if you responded to that question by saying "i don't know"?.
what would happen if you responded with "i choose not to answer that question."?
and then when they ask why, you say "because i wish to invoke my 5th amendment rights".
for those of you with experience being asked this question.....or those of you that are/were elders........ what would happen if you responded to that question by saying "i don't know"?.
what would happen if you responded with "i choose not to answer that question."?
and then when they ask why, you say "because i wish to invoke my 5th amendment rights".
Question....does anyone know when the theory (WTS is God's visible organization on earth) was first introduced?
a side note: I'm not active (almost 20 years) but I do go to some of the Sunday public meetings, mainly because there is a lot about the JWs that I do like and agree with. But, the theory that the WTS is God's organization (and sole channel of communication of truth to mankind) is one of the beliefs I do not agree with. I have thought a lot about it. I have thought about how I would answer that question myself if I was asked. Here is my answer to the question......."it might be God's organization;.... it could be God's organization; ....it might not be considered by God to be his organization..... I can't really know for sure..... But I do appreciate many fine things about the organization."
What is unfortunate is that because I would not answer the question as expected I know cannot be accepted. So I pretty much keep to myself. I don't comment or associate with anyone from the hall....only some brief greetings after the meeting. So the elders do not have any leverage with me. What are they going to do?...DF me?.... what difference would that make? ....none for me. I do wish it was different just as I'm sure many others also wish.
the wts ban on the transfusion of whole blood or primary components is established on a number of "principles" which when taken in their entirety give rise to the doctrine.. one important one is the refusal to distinguish between the consumption of blood by eating .
and the consumption of blood by surgically implanting it (transfusion).
we've all heard the "alcohol" analogy.
an open letter to the body of elders, .
sudbury (suffolk) congregation of jehovah's witnesses.. .
on wednesday, april 4, 2012, the decision will be carried out to announce to the congregation that, rory sullivan is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses.. .
regarding 2 tim.
3:16, "all scripture is inspired by god".....since the only scripture at the time this was written was the old testament (hebrew scriptures, if you prefer), would it make sense to reason that this scripture cannot be used by itself to support new testament writings?....that the scriptures referred to in this verse were the old testament?.
as an apostle paul had authority, but to me it seems that some of the things paul wrote were related as "commands" to the congregations, whereas other things were only his suggestions or his perspective and that it was up to the individuals to decide for themselves.. your thoughts on this?.
A lot a great comments but I think Terry hit the nail on the head... What is "written" and what is written "about" are two different things. (The Michaelangelo example was great!)
I somewhat agree with Irondork... Paul may have been referring to the old Hebrew writings when he said, "all scripture", but I don't think that necessarily demands the Greek sciptures are any less valid; inspired. ......except that my point was that many times the org. uses that verse to validate everything in the NT as inspired by God.......I think some may be inspired, some may not......it may very well be all inspired by God....but to use that verse as the foundation to make the point that all of the NT is inspired by God is a mis-application of the verse (in my humble opinion).
Isn't it nice to be able to share thoughts with each other without having to be told what to think?
regarding 2 tim.
3:16, "all scripture is inspired by god".....since the only scripture at the time this was written was the old testament (hebrew scriptures, if you prefer), would it make sense to reason that this scripture cannot be used by itself to support new testament writings?....that the scriptures referred to in this verse were the old testament?.
as an apostle paul had authority, but to me it seems that some of the things paul wrote were related as "commands" to the congregations, whereas other things were only his suggestions or his perspective and that it was up to the individuals to decide for themselves.. your thoughts on this?.
I'm going to try again to reply......I couldn't get my replies to actually appear....(thanks for the tip Black Sheep)
and "yes" N. Drew, that is what I meant. I appreciate the replies. It's given me a lot to consider. (Especially the ones from Leolaia)
Related to this is how 1 Corn. 1:10 ("you should all speak in agreement") is used by the org. to support the stance for unity (by conformity). To me, in this scripture Paul was exhorting the brothers to be in agreement about who they were following (the Christ). It was not a command that they be in agreement about everything. In fact he even starts the verse by using the expression "I exhort you...". So, I think, if one believes the writings of the NT are all inspired by God then even the "exhortations" seem like commands. If one does not necessairly believe all writings in the NT are inspired by God (with all due respect to Paul since he was an apostle) then the exhortations carry less weight and do not have to be viewed as commands. Am I making a valid point? Trying to explain this makes me feel like a dog chasing its tail. I do believe that the commands of Jesus as related in the NT are inspired.
One of the reasons I left the org. was that I felt like the org. did not have authority to dictate so much of my life for the sake of unity. What bothers me is that there is a lot about the org. I actually like, but that I cannot really associate with them because I am expected to comply 100% or I'm out.
regarding 2 tim.
3:16, "all scripture is inspired by god".....since the only scripture at the time this was written was the old testament (hebrew scriptures, if you prefer), would it make sense to reason that this scripture cannot be used by itself to support new testament writings?....that the scriptures referred to in this verse were the old testament?.
as an apostle paul had authority, but to me it seems that some of the things paul wrote were related as "commands" to the congregations, whereas other things were only his suggestions or his perspective and that it was up to the individuals to decide for themselves.. your thoughts on this?.
regarding 2 tim.
3:16, "all scripture is inspired by god".....since the only scripture at the time this was written was the old testament (hebrew scriptures, if you prefer), would it make sense to reason that this scripture cannot be used by itself to support new testament writings?....that the scriptures referred to in this verse were the old testament?.
as an apostle paul had authority, but to me it seems that some of the things paul wrote were related as "commands" to the congregations, whereas other things were only his suggestions or his perspective and that it was up to the individuals to decide for themselves.. your thoughts on this?.
regarding 2 tim.
3:16, "all scripture is inspired by god".....since the only scripture at the time this was written was the old testament (hebrew scriptures, if you prefer), would it make sense to reason that this scripture cannot be used by itself to support new testament writings?....that the scriptures referred to in this verse were the old testament?.
as an apostle paul had authority, but to me it seems that some of the things paul wrote were related as "commands" to the congregations, whereas other things were only his suggestions or his perspective and that it was up to the individuals to decide for themselves.. your thoughts on this?.
