Posts by NeonMadman

That's only true if death means non-existence as the JW's teach. If they are wrong about Jesus raising Himself, might they not be wrong about their understanding of what death is as well?

22

Have any religions in history ever died out?

by mamalove in

i looked this up just now and came up with this list:.

following are the religions that no longer exist.. .

1. sumerian religion.

NeonMadman

Spain's General Franco, however, is still dead.

22

Have any religions in history ever died out?

by mamalove in

i looked this up just now and came up with this list:.

following are the religions that no longer exist.. .

1. sumerian religion.

NeonMadman

The Branch Davidians are still kicking (though they disclaim David Koresh): http://www.the-branch.org/index.php

I had thought Heaven's Gate was wiped out, but their website is still running, so someone must be managing and hosting it: http://www.heavensgate.com/

And the worship of Zeus is experiencing a revival: http://www.smh.com.au/news/travel/modern-pagans-worship-illegally-in-athens/2007/01/22/1169330798194.html

48

Why did "Back Calls" change to "Return Visits"?

by donuthole in

jw
friends

does anyone remember the rationale that was used in rebranding "back calls" as "return visits"?.

while on the subject does anyone else remember any theocratic name changes like,.

district assembly to district convention.

NeonMadman

My husband came into the org in the 90's and he said the service meeting was just a sales meeting with a different name.

Very true. Well, not completely. I've been to a lot of boring sales meetings, but very few that were anywhere near as boring as a typical service meeting.

48

Why did "Back Calls" change to "Return Visits"?

by donuthole in

jw
friends

does anyone remember the rationale that was used in rebranding "back calls" as "return visits"?.

while on the subject does anyone else remember any theocratic name changes like,.

district assembly to district convention.

I believe the reason for the change (apart from change for the sake of change to keep the publishers on their toes) was that "back-call" was a term commonly used by commercial salesman, and the WTS at the time was trying to emphasize that their work was a non-commercial ministry. IIRC, the change came among a flurry of other terminology changes in the early 1970's when the elder arrangement was being introduced (indeed, the term "elder" itself had been viewed in the 1950's and 1960's as a religious title, inappropriate for use by Jehovah's people). "Congregation Servants" became "Presiding Overseers," the "Congregation Committee" had its functions split between the "Service Committee" and as-needed "judicial committees," etc. Most of the new terminology came into effect with the introduction of the book, Organization for Kingdom-Preaching and Disciple-Making, in 1972.

15

is the soul mortal biblically speaking

by therevealer in

jw
friends

not being a wise guy or rude here but rather than mess up the thread on is the soul immortal i think the opposite question is interesting as well..

NeonMadman

Ezekiel 18:4, in context, is not talking about the condition of the human soul. It is using the word "soul," even as we do in English sometimes, in an idiomatic sense to denote a person. To say, "the person who is sinning will die" would be a reasonable interpretation of the verse. The issue at hand in that specific text in this context was not whether anything survives the death of the body, but whether God would hold the sins of the fathers against their sons. Read the whole chapter and you'll see that I am correct.

There are numerous texts that demonstrate that the soul/spirit is a distinct part of man that leaves the body at death:

Gen 35:18 And as her soul was departing (for she was dying), she called his name Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.
Gen 35:19 So Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem),

1Ki 17:21 Then he stretched himself upon the child three times and cried to the LORD, "O LORD my God, let this child's life [Hebrew, nephesh = soul] come into him again."

Ecc 12:7 and the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Act 7:59 And as they were stoning Stephen, he called out, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."

Mat 10:28 And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell. (Notice that soul here is distinct from body, so the soul cannot be the whole person - it wouldn't make sense to speak of those who "kill the body but cannot kill the person")

Luk 23:46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this he breathed his last.