Posts by Ucantnome

71

What is the main "idea" of the bible?

by KateWild in

as jws we were often told what the theme of the bible is, we were taught that it was the promised seed.. i was recently asked the question.... what is the main "idea" of the bible?.

for me the whole purpose of the bible is about control.

it features a god that punishes and rewards.

Ucantnome

i thought it was to tell us God's plan of the ages.

46

Oh go on---ASK ME ANYTHING!

by Terry in

jw
friends

any question .

.. any topic .

.what's the risk?.

Don't Expect This Site To Change Anybody's Religious Opinion

by minimus in

jw
friends

just sayin.

Ucantnome

I think it depends on different things, how long since you left the witnesses, the reasons why you left, why you believe, maybe.

I've found a certain amount of clarity of thought by reading and posting while reading other material and talking. I understand my reasons for leaving the witnesses more clearly and in some ways my views have changed. An example of this. This moring when i woke and thinking more clearly and something i read that Augustine wrote popped into my head along with something i'd read on here and researched later clarified more the reason i left, slightly different from what i originally thought.

a witness recently told me they will be coming round, with the memorial coming, and it always helps to be more clear in ones thoughts.

43

Is there anything you could do forever that wouln't get boring?

by mynameislame in

not sure when i came to this conclusion but i can't imagine living forever.

after a while i think i would be completly bored with everything.. not saying i wouln't like to live for a few hundred years or maybe even a few thousand if i could travel through space and discover other universes star trek style.

but the thought of living forever sounds like it would eventually become a complete drag.. maybe i'm wrong, maybe after a thousand years or so you would foregt all the stuff that happend at the beginning and just start over in an infinite loop..

Ucantnome

forever is such a long time. All the time since the big bang to now is nothing compared to forever zillions and zillions and zillions of years in an eternal future in this time i might evolve into something quite different from what i am now and so i couldn't possibly say how i would feel or if i would feel anything.

30

Do You Try To Avoid The Witnesses When You See Them?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i think i typically don't want to be either love bombed or questioned.

i happen to see jws a lot while visiting my mom.

they don't go there with me, which works well for all concerned..

Ucantnome

No. The ones i know i always say hello and am willing to talk even ones i don't know.

387

Active JW's, can you defend "THE TRUTH?"

by DATA-DOG in

as of yet, no member of the jehovah's witness faith can defend their unique beliefs.

when the dust settles, it all comes down to blind faith in men's ever-changing ideas.

this "unique belief" was not a "true teaching of the bible.

Ucantnome

my previous post may give the impression that hebrews 11:1 is quoted on page 6 of the book. It isn't but the words 'assured expectation' made me think of it.

At the end of the paragraph that the two quotes come from it asks a question.

Unitedly, they all have this common outlook for the coming years. What has brought about this marvelous transformation in their minds and hearts and lives?

It is this: They have all come to an accurate knowledge of God's "eternal purpose" and are shaping their lives in harmony with that divine purpose, rejoicing at heart because it is now triumphing for the everlasting good of all mankind. They are humble grateful that they, too, are embraced within the loving purpose of God their Creator. Living within the range of His purpose makes life worth while for them. Eternal happiness is before them.

(God's Eternal Purpose Now triumphing for Man's Good, Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society 1974)

I think that the following quote mentioned in my previous post is referring to the generation of 1914 teaching maybe i'm wrong.

'All these transformed ones, religious and nonreligious,confidently look for life on earth to become better within their own generation

387

Active JW's, can you defend "THE TRUTH?"

by DATA-DOG in

as of yet, no member of the jehovah's witness faith can defend their unique beliefs.

when the dust settles, it all comes down to blind faith in men's ever-changing ideas.

this "unique belief" was not a "true teaching of the bible.

Ucantnome

'according to the eternal purpose that he formed in connection with the Christ, Jesus our Lord,' Ephesians 3:13 (NWT)

From the book God's Eternal Purpose Now Triumphing for Man's Good on page 6 it says.

'They are now patterning their lives with this assured expectation of grander things to come for earth's inhabitants'

Hebrews 11:1 'Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, ...' (NWT)

'All these transformed ones, religious and nonreligious,confidently look for life on earth to become better within their own generation.

This is from the book mentioned same page just prior to the first quote.

Commenting on Hebrews 11:1 The Insight on the Scriptures 1988 published by the Watchtower says this under the heading faith

"Assured expectation translates the Greek word Hy po sta sis. This term is common in ancient papyrus business documents. It conveys the idea of something that underlies visible conditions and guarantees a future possession . In view of this, Moulton and Milligan suggest the rendering: "Faith is the title deed of things hoped for."

387

Active JW's, can you defend "THE TRUTH?"

by DATA-DOG in

as of yet, no member of the jehovah's witness faith can defend their unique beliefs.

when the dust settles, it all comes down to blind faith in men's ever-changing ideas.

this "unique belief" was not a "true teaching of the bible.

Ucantnome

on my post 1147, about the tribulation, this thread has the Watchtower article from 1970 quoted regarding the change which came after the May 1969 Awake article

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/83118/1/The-Great-Tribulation-When#.UxRcruN_vNk (i hope this works)

in the 1960's we were raised with the final part of the tribulation Armageddon being very close. The Witness who studied with my father (bible study overseer i think they were called, later an elder) said to him one day he could put the radio on and the he would know Armageddon had started.

In this Watchtower article the statement on page 53 in paragraph 13 that interested me.

"Then the time interval between the opening part of the 'great tribulation' and the closing Armageddon part thereof will prove to be around five times as long as the length of the 'great tribulation' itself." (underllining mine)

From the article, particularly paragraph 9, I understand the belief was that the tribulation started in 1914 and ran to 1918 and God stopped the First World War. This I think was the opening part. About 4 year. (paragraph 8, page 52)

In paragraph 10 it mentions that chronology had been reexamined and the end of six thousand years of man's life on earth was to end during the 1970's.

Between the January 1970 and the fall of 1975 was about 6 years. Add these 6 to the 4 years of the First World War and you have 10. Five times that gives you 50. In paragraph 11 it mentions it has already been 51 years from the 1918.

The quote "Then the time interval... will prove to be around five times as long as the length of the 'great tribulation' itself"Seems to me to be an example of expecting Armageddon in 1975 or very soon.

387

Active JW's, can you defend "THE TRUTH?"

by DATA-DOG in

as of yet, no member of the jehovah's witness faith can defend their unique beliefs.

when the dust settles, it all comes down to blind faith in men's ever-changing ideas.

this "unique belief" was not a "true teaching of the bible.

Ucantnome

heavensgate11 i don't think its hateful.

They claimed to be a prophet i believe they showed that Ezekiel was a 'portent' or 'sign' of the anointed Jehovah's witnesses and as a prophet the somethings haven't occured. I think it was false when they said." shortly within our twentieth century the battle in the day of Jehovah will begin against the modern antitype of Jerusalem, Christendom." and this is in the same book that they tell you that Christendom will know that a prophet was among them.

if I'm remembering clearly Ezekiel had to lay on his side for a set number of days facing a pot and i think the book shows how it came true to the number of years proving him a true prophet. Maybe you remember it. I will look it up tomorrow.

the quote is from. The nations shall know that i am Jehovah-how?

387

Active JW's, can you defend "THE TRUTH?"

by DATA-DOG in

as of yet, no member of the jehovah's witness faith can defend their unique beliefs.

when the dust settles, it all comes down to blind faith in men's ever-changing ideas.

this "unique belief" was not a "true teaching of the bible.

Ucantnome

i think at the time of the awake may 1969 the belief was that the tribulation had started in 1914 and been cut short to allow for the preaching and would resume at some point. I think this was a belief from 1925.