erbie

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Posts by erbie

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  245

  Still pointing your Finger when having a Rafter in your eye?

  by DocHouse in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  yes- everyone has faults and makes mistakes; an organization even more so.. yet, you ignore all the fingers pointing at you.. many here have no faith.

  many here go to churches who lie about everything biblical; look at x-mas!.

  but at least we know god and christ and try to live up to their name!.

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  erbie

  So, what you are saying Doc, is that it if I dig deep enough, I may find evidence to suggest that at some point the Romans may have been short of timber and that it may have been on one of these occasions that Jesus was put to death. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that at some point, they may even have run out of nails! Perhaps. Who knows? And all of this so that at some point in the future the Watchtower organisation would have a little tit-bit that they could point to in order to justify their views. 

  I put it to you that the Watchtower abandoned recognition of the cross as the means of execution of their saviour because they wanted to distinguish themselves from mainstream Christianity. I would also suggest that the same is true of birthdays, blood transfusions and toasting, along with a multitude of other teachings. There is no logic behind these teachings. They serve only as an attempt to distinguish the Witnesses from other denominations, which of course in fact they don't because most of the Adventist breakaway religions believe in much the same thing because they all stem from a common source.

  That is not meant as an affront because I'm guessing that you already know all this stuff anyway. After all, it's no great mystery!

  
  
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  245

  Still pointing your Finger when having a Rafter in your eye?

  by DocHouse in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  yes- everyone has faults and makes mistakes; an organization even more so.. yet, you ignore all the fingers pointing at you.. many here have no faith.

  many here go to churches who lie about everything biblical; look at x-mas!.

  but at least we know god and christ and try to live up to their name!.

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  erbie

  Doc,

  I do feel sorry for you, having to defend the Watchtower cult. You are trying awfully hard and I give you credit for that.

  Nevertheless, you will indeed arrive at the end of your life feeling dissalusioned and wondering what on earth could have gone wrong. The simple truth is, the Watchtower cult formulated one lie, then another to cover over the first and so on it goes. That is precisely why you are on here now defending their lies for them because you know deep down that they have such a weak and fragile argument that it must be protected from scrutiny at any cost, even it would seem, at the expense of reason.

  I do not doubt your motives, I too was once like you. I was the brother that would always volunteer in field service to call on the local church or priest and yes, I enjoyed every minute of it because I believed that I was defending 'The Truth'.

  When I finally left the cult due to the corruption in my own congregation I decided to apply to study at the University of Oxford as I needed something to stimulate my ever enquiring mind. One of my lecturers was a leading expert in religious history and iconography, having written several books on the subject. One day, I put it to her what I had been taught regarding the cross and the 'torture stake' by the Jehovah's Witness cult. I rather think that she was embarrassed at my naivety because she simply said that she couldn't imagine why anyone would teach such a thing and that it was common knowledge that the Romans nailed people to crosses. Why they would make an exception in the case of Jesus one can't imagine.

  Anyway, this is just the tip of the iceberg Doc and I could go on for days but I also have the insight to know that people such as you believe what they want to believe irrespective of the facts.

  And on that note, I'm afraid I'll have to leave you to it. My best advice to you is, do your homework.

  I mean that in the nicest possible way. 

  
  

  
  
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  245

  Still pointing your Finger when having a Rafter in your eye?

  by DocHouse in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  yes- everyone has faults and makes mistakes; an organization even more so.. yet, you ignore all the fingers pointing at you.. many here have no faith.

  many here go to churches who lie about everything biblical; look at x-mas!.

  but at least we know god and christ and try to live up to their name!.

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  erbie

  The simple fact is DocHouse, it is your job to convince people that the Watchtower cult is truth, if indeed you really believe that. We are not obligated to prove you wrong! Incidentally, I am not convinced that anyone really does believe the nonsense but that is for another debate.

  In short, you reason from the scriptures in the way the WT has trained you to. You deliberately mistranslate the scriptures and obfuscate simple truths like the nature of God and Christ, the ressurection, salvation and a multitude of other things.

  I appreciate that many here are atheists and that is fine by me. I have been through the WT cult and come out the other side still believing in a creator and I also consider myself a Christian. I also appreciate that the WT spends most of its time discrediting and undermining Christianity. Have you never wondered why that is so? Why are they quite happy to allow Islam to carry on misleading millions without so much as a word of criticism? 

  Insecurity! That is the source of their hatred of the truth because they know that their own religion does not stand up to scrutiny so must deflect attention away from themselves by pointing the finger in another direction.

  The simple truth is, whether you believe the Bible or not, it is quite clear in that there is but one true God. Only one! And the Jehovah's Witnesses believe that Jesus is 'a' god which of course causes a huge conflict. Of course, the scriptures do speak of false gods but that is not what we are talking about here.

  So many times I have heard people like you misrepresent the Trinity with simple minded reasoning. The word trinity does not appear in the Bible as you would be quick to point out but I assure you that it is an essential ingredient in understanding how both God Almighty and Jesus can be God and yet there is only one true God according to scripture. 

  The Watchtower religion deliberately misrepresents the Bible and the Christian message and as such, has produced no small amount of athieists by constantly discrediting the Christian faith. 

  Be careful that you do not share in their work because God will hold you to account for misrepresenting his word.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  
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  18

  I Let Go Of Faith Ten years Ago Today

  by cofty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after more than 30 years as a jw and 9 as a born-again christian i finally let go of faith 10 years ago today.... it was on boxing day 2004 that news of the asian tsunami put the final nail in the coffin of my relationship with god.

  since that time i have listened attentively to every possible argument in defense of faith; there has never been a single moment that i have felt any discomfort with my decision.. life without god has been liberating.

  no longer do i have to defend the indefensible.

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  erbie

  Though I am not a religious man myself I find it extraordinary that you should lose your faith over a natural disaster. It appears to me to show a lack of maturity to throw ones teddy in the corner because God has been unkind by sending a tsunami to cause havoc on Boxing Day. After all, natural disasters are part of Earth's history and it will continue to be so.

  I watched my mother die very slowly of cancer and it has had a permanent effect on me but although I do believe in a creator I wouldn't say I blame God for the many afflictions the human race is forced to endure.

  I rather suspect that your loss of faith was due to a collective body of things that had accumulated over some time. Certainly the Watchtower has had its effect on all of us which doesn't help at all because it fills people's heads with idealistic ideas among other things.

  Nowadays, I have a much more pragmatic approach to life.

  I wish you well Cofty.

  
  
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  44

  Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

  by Hidden-Window in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

  i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

  i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

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  erbie

  Many enjoy the title of elder or servant as they feel it gains them some acceptance within the fold in the form of prestige or prominence.

  But really, I think many are now looking to the real world in order to fulfil their ambitions and aspirations with real, tangible benefits rather than the petty tokens offered by the Watchtower which, let's face it, are valueless outside of the fold and of no consequence whatsoever to educated, sophisticated people.

  Better to be an average sized fish in a large ocean than an over-grown, over-inflated fish in a small puddle.
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  19

  Christmas markets - apparently fine for JW's to attend

  by FeelingFree in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this has got me really wound up and i feel the need to post.

  our friend an ex jw has just returned from a famous christmas market in germany, now my husband mentioned this to his mum as they have connections there.

  she got all excited about how amazing the german christmas markets are there and how she would of def gone to one this year if she had the time!

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  erbie

  I know loads of Jdubstandards that do the whole Christmas thing. My inlaws come for Christmas dinner every year and he is an elder and she a pioneer.

  Just brilliant...
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  57

  Couple questions....like if JW's not the right way then what is?

  by world in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  new member here so don't attack :d here is a couple questions i have been contemplating lately.. .

  if jw isn't the right religion, then which one is?

  or is it basically believe in god, the bible and you'll be fine?.

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  erbie

  You are still thinking like a JW which is to be expected because that is what they have trained your mind to do.

  It can take a long time to free your mind of their control.

  If you want to look at it from a Christian/Biblical perspective I would suggest you try this:

  Even his disciples asked Jesus how they were to know the way, to which He replied, "I Am the way, the truth and the light".

  It took me many years before I saw the truth in those few words and for the penny to drop. It is actually painfully simple and that is the marvel of it all. All those Watchtower lies, one stacked upon another just for the purpose of defending the central, pivotal lie are completely unnecessary and are an obstacle to any kind of spirituality.

  It is much less complicated than you think, just don't look at things through the eyes with which you once approached the Watchtower riddles.

  In short, the 'Truth' is not a religious cult run by a troupe of corporate suits in a tall office building but is Jesus Christ himself (according to the Bible).

  ...if indeed it is the Bible's viewpoint you are searching for. However, if you are searching for a preconceived, eroronious viewpoint that you have inherited from the Watchtower cult then I wish you well for it will be a long, arduous task and ultimately a fruitless one.
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  11

  The Watchtower explains the sheep and the goats

  by runForever in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the march 2015 study watchtower finally solves the mystery of the sheep and the goats:.

  " first, note that jesus is teaching bymeans of an illustration.

  obviously, he isnot talking about separating literal sheepfrom literal goats.".

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  erbie

  Thanks for that clarification. I always wondered why a sheep was more worthy of life than a goat as I had always found them to be quite peaceful creatures.

  I don't need to worry about that anymore 😏
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  40

  What Was Your Body of Elders Like?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  were they pretty much a good group of men?

  we're they jerks?.

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  erbie

  You'll get there Millie.

  Their whole belief system is structured around lies and deception and it can never sustain itself. The Internet is rapidly uncovering their once hidden past and that is good news for all of us.

  One brick at a time and don't get disheartened.
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  18

  Jehovah's Witnesses have the lowest retention rate of any U.S. religion

  by new light in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well i'll be darned.

  serves 'em right.

  man does that put a smile on my face.'.

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  erbie

  Yep, grinning from ear to ear 😆