NeonMadman

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Posts by NeonMadman

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  16

  Would YOU volunteer for a mission to Mars if you knew you would not return?

  by Nathan Natas in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  one possible scenario for future manned exploration of mars is that the astronauts would be given what amounts to a "one-way ticket" with enough fuel and supplies to get them there and keep them alive but with no plans to return them to earth.. this may strike our modern sinsibilities as an absurd requirement for a mission, and yet it is not much different from what prospect was faced by ocean voyagers during the "age of exploration" right here on earth.

  comments?

  if you were able to qualify, would you be willing to do this?.

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  NeonMadman

  So the idea is that they would have enough supplies to live out their normal life spans on Mars? Or is it assumed they would run out of oxygen or food after a very specific time and would simply die? Is the plan to start some sort of colony there? I'm not sure I understand the intent of such a program.
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  2

  NEED HELP! Need quotes stating WTS doesn't allow other religious literature

  by JWOP in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  watchtower literature is sometimes like finding needles in haystacks.

  where can i find quotes stating that a jehovah's witness is not to accept any literature from any other religions?

  (i'm obviously not using the right search terms!).

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  NeonMadman

  *** w84 5/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers ***

  Questions From Readers

  ? Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses decline to exchange their Bible study aids for the religious literature of people they meet?

  Jehovah’s Witnesses carry on their public ministry in obedience to divine instructions. Jesus said that during this “conclusion of the system of things,” the “good news of the kingdom [must] be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:3, 14) So Witnesses do not go to people’s doors searching for truth or enlightenment. Rather, they already have devoted countless hours learning the truth from God’s Word and, having taken in the “good news,” they are obediently going forth to share it.

  Many people who believe that ‘there is good in all religions’ might consider it narrow-minded to think otherwise. (Contrast Jesus’ view expressed at Matthew 7:13, 14, 21-23.) The Greek philosophers in ancient Athens encouraged such an “open-minded” attitude and enjoyed “telling something or listening to something new.” (Acts 17:18-21) But when the apostle Paul appeared before them, it was not to swap philosophies or ideas. He used the occasion to present what he knew to be the truth, whether he was considered narrow-minded or not. While some of those Athenians mocked him, a number responded and became believers.—Acts 17:32-34; 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

  Paul obviously was aware of some Greek teachings, and he used such knowledge to give a most effective witness. (Acts 17:28) Similarly, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not ignorant of others’ beliefs. They have gained considerable basic knowledge of the doctrinal beliefs of religions common in their area. Consideration to such teachings has been given in the book What Has Religion Done for Mankind? as well as numerous articles in The Watchtower and Awake! Such information on various religions is presented in the context of its contrast with accurate Biblical teachings.

  God’s Word warns Christians that “Satan himself keeps transforming himself into an angel of light. It is therefore nothing great if his ministers also keep transforming themselves into ministers of righteousness. But their end shall be according to their works.” (2 Corinthians 11:14, 15) Satan so successfully appeared as “an angel of light” that he was able to deceive even a perfect human, Eve. (1 Timothy 2:14) So it would be foolhardy, as well as a waste of valuable time, for Jehovah’s Witnesses to accept and expose themselves to false religious literature that is designed to deceive. They have no intention of falling into the sad course of the Jews, whom Paul said “exchanged the truth of God for the lie.”—Romans 1:25, NW; Revised Standard Version.

  Furthermore, some of the religious literature that people may urge Jehovah’s Witnesses to read is written by, or contains the thoughts of, individuals who have apostatized. True Christians are commanded to shun such apostates. (2 John 9-11; Titus 3:10, 11) Appropriately, then, The Watchtower of June 15, 1983, counseled:

  “In the first century, Hymenaeus and Philetus turned apostate and tried to subvert the faith of others. God’s standard was: ‘Shun such empty speeches that violate what is holy.’ (2 Timothy 2:16-19) Christians holding to that standard would not have been interested in listening to apostates, nor in obtaining any poisonous writings that these might distribute ‘for the sake of dishonest gain.’ Why finance their wickedness by buying their literature? (Titus 1:11) As loyal Christians let us hold to God’s standards, feeding our minds on what is true and righteous, and holding appreciatively and loyally to the channel from which we first learned Bible truth.—Compare 1 Timothy 4:16.”—Page 15.

  Hence, it is out of wisdom and respect for God’s counsel that Jehovah’s Witnesses do not make a practice of exchanging valuable Bible study aids containing Scriptural truth for religious literature that disseminates error or apostate views.
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  58

  Rumor Elders Will Receive Name Badges For Every Meeting.

  by HelpMeBelieve in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i keep hearing rumors elders are going to be getting permanent badge cards to wear to every meeting.

  one excited brother told me, "it would be nice if new ones to the kingdom hall could see who their shepherds are.

  there is a great surge in activity, new bible students will be able to locate the proper elder in charge of bible studies!

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  NeonMadman

  Maybe instead of badges, they could just have them wear their collars backwards.
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  10

  John beheaded--5000 fed, amusing headers in Old Green Bible

  by nuthouse escapee in

  1. social
  2. humour

  passing time at the snorefests was a bit easier when you could find something to distract yourself.

  the following are some of the headers that i found amusing while killing time as a kid

  john beheaded----5000 fed

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  NeonMadman

  My favorite was page 311 in the old green NWT, Judges 19-20:

  "Mass sex crime in Gibeah. All Israel aroused."
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  10

  From the Billionaire

  by The Billionaire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  my question to this forum, is this: why have the owners of this website made it so difficult to sign in with little joined up letters, so hard to read and interprete, or is it just me?

  the billionaire .

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  NeonMadman

  Nope, it's not just you. I have a lot of trouble reading the captchas. Sometimes I'm certain I have it and still can't get in. I'm not sure if it's some defect in the system or that I really am getting them wrong over and over again. Checking "save info" doesn't help; I still get confronted with the dreaded login page at times.
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  10

  Wtbts was an NGO w/ UN, what about the other Harlots?

  by notjustyet in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  wtbts was an ngo w/ un, what about the other harlots?

  i was driving down the road today and was running the scenarios of jw folklore and how it is wrong, wrong, wrong!.

  for some reason i drift over to the un wtbts ngo ( i know right?

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  NeonMadman

  There is nothing intrinsically or biblically wrong with a religious organization being an NGO affiliate with the UN. The problem is that the WTS teaches that the UN is the "image of the wild beast" and is of Satan, then nonetheless decided to become affiliated with it for its own selfish reasons. None of the other religious organizations you listed proclaim such a teaching about the UN, therefore they are not acting hypocritically in aligning themselves with it. Only the JWs brand themselves as hypocrites by their actions.

  It's as if you went around every day telling people that hamburgers are of the devil and Christians should have nothing to do with hamburgers, then one day, we found you at McDonald's scarfing down Quarter Pounders. The rest of us don't believe that there is anything wrong with eating hamburgers, so we are not acting hypocritically by eating at McDonald's - only you are, since it is your own proclaimed standard that you are violating.
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  29

  Rumors-that circulated about you ( when you left.)

  by Pitchess Co-Gen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it seems they can't even let you get disfellowshipped in peace !

  i've been out for three years now, and i heard that i'm a whack job, i'm gay ( i'm married with a son ), that i lied on a judicial committee, and these rumors were started by my ex-fiance and her meddling congregation.

  when i heard about these things i called my p.o or c.o.t.b.e ( mind you i'm disfellowshipped when i called ) .

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  NeonMadman

  You deserved to be slandered by people who are supposed to be Christians?
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  41

  Jehovah's Witnesses never claimed to be Prophets

  by anonread in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrtvycqmsey&feature=colike.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrtvycqmsey&feature=colike.

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  NeonMadman

  In Biblical terms, a prophet is one who speaks for God, one into whose mouth God has put His messages. They certainly can't say that they never claimed that.
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  16

  "Scriptural divorce"

  by ilikecheese in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i was talking to my boyfriend about the whole jw scriptural divorce idea.

  i made the point initally that i think when jesus was talking about reasons to get divorced, he was more or less just trying to discourage divorce for frivilous reasons.

  you have to admit that there are a lot of people out there who just don't put much effort into it and just give up.

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  NeonMadman

  I knew after I posted it that someone would pick me up on that wording...
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  16

  "Scriptural divorce"

  by ilikecheese in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i was talking to my boyfriend about the whole jw scriptural divorce idea.

  i made the point initally that i think when jesus was talking about reasons to get divorced, he was more or less just trying to discourage divorce for frivilous reasons.

  you have to admit that there are a lot of people out there who just don't put much effort into it and just give up.

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  NeonMadman

  I think that the WTS would distinguish between actual, physical adultery and adultery "in the heart." While both would be condemned as wrong, and while some types of pornography can even be grounds for disfellowshipping, I think they would contend that if no "actual" (i.e., physical) adultery had occurred, there would be no grounds for divorce.

  As far as needing two witnesses for adultery, that would only apply if the person being accused denied that he/she had committed adultery. However, remember that judicial committees will accept as proof of immorality two witnesses to the fact that the accused "stayed all night in the same house with a person of the opposite sex (or a known homosexual) under improper circumstances." (Shepherd the Flock of God, p. 129, emphasis theirs). So if two elders hide in the bushes outside a woman's house and see a man to whom she is not married enter in the evening and leave in the morning, that may be all they need, even if he was just there to repair her plumbing.