Posts by matt2414

10

After hearing ESPN's Chris Broussard rant against gays, I'm wondering if he's Jehovah's Witness

by matt2414 in

after the nba's jason collins announced yesterday that he is gay, notice broussard's comments:.

im a christian.

i dont agree with homosexuality.

matt2414

After the NBA's Jason Collins announced yesterday that he is gay, notice Broussard's comments:

“I’m a Christian. I don’t agree with homosexuality. I think it’s a sin, as I think all sex outside of marriage between a man and a woman is. ... Personally, I don’t believe that you can live an openly homosexual lifestyle or an openly premarital sex between heterosexuals, if you’re openly living that type of lifestyle, then the Bible says you know them by their fruits, it says that’s a sin. If you’re openly living in unrepentant sin, whatever it may be, not just homosexuality, adultery, fornication, premarital sex between heterosexuals, whatever it may be, I believe that’s walking in open rebellion to God and to Jesus Christ. I would not characterize that person as a Christian because I do not think the Bible would characterize them as a Christian."

Is it me, o r does his vitriol sound eerily similar to the Witnesses? Those words could have been read directly from the Watchtower. And like the Watchtower, it is void of any scriptural support for any of it.

He looks down his nose at others who are different from him, fooling himself into thinking that he is superior to others because he's a "Christian," just like the Witnesses do. Unfortunately for them, the first true Christian - Christ - always raised up those around him, such as tax collectors, prostitutes, lepers, women, the poor and downtrodden, even the criminals who were hanging next to him at his death. Why don't the Witnesses and other so-called Christians act more like Christ?

5

The Governing Body fits perfectly the Evil Slave of Matthew 24:48

by matt2414 in

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48but suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, my master is staying away a long time,.

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matt2414

48 “But suppose that servant is wicked and says to himself, ‘My master is staying away a long time,’”

How has the wicked Governing Body said “my master is staying away a long time”? By repeatedly declaring that the end will come soon, even though years, decades and now over a century have passed with no end in sight. When 1914 failed to come true, then it moved the date to 1925, then 1932, 1935, 1975, 1986, among other dates. In 1918, “Judge” Rutherford gave the talk, “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” But by 1997, the Watchtower said that view was merely “over optimism.” Its “generation that will not pass away until all these things have occurred” doctrine has repeatedly been changed as the generation who saw the events of 1914 has completely vanished from the face of the earth.

“ 49 … and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards”

How does the Governing Body beat its fellow slaves? By disfellowshipping anyone who cannot stomach the poisoned “food” it dispenses. It verbally abuses and ostracizes anyone who refuses to go along with its twisted, self-serving teachings. Instead of serving food to others, it gluttonously eats, getting fat on the valuable material things of those who look to it for spiritual sustenance. And instead of clear thinking, it displays signs of drunkenness with it delusional teachings and freedom-robbing mandates.

50 The master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he is not aware of.

The Governing Body or as it refers to itself, “the faithful and discreet slave,” has made it abundantly clear for the past one hundred years that it does not know the day or hour of the Lord’s return. In fact, the Governing Body is the last place anyone should turn to learn about God and his word the Bible.

5

Doesn't Matt. 24:45-47 prove that the Governing Body is NOT the "faithful and discreet slave"?

by matt2414 in

"the timely spiritual food we receive is proof that jesus, the head of the congregation, is keeping his promise to feed us.

when giving the sign of his presence, jesus said that he would use the faithful and discreet slave to give food at the proper time to his domestics.

[1] (read matthew 24:45-47.

matt2414

"The timely spiritual food we receive is proof that Jesus, the Head of the congregation, is keeping his promise to feed us. Through whom is he doing so? When giving the sign of his presence, Jesus said that he would use “the faithful and discreet slave” to give “food at the proper time” to his domestics.[1] (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) That faithful slave is the channel through which Jesus is feeding his true followers in this time of the end. -- WT July 15, 2013, page 20, par. 2

The July 15 Watchtower says the "faithful and discreet slave" provides "timely spiritual food." But the same Watchtower admits that the Governing Body has been dispensing much misinformation about the various aspects of the Matthew 24 prophesy since the early 1900s. So doesn't this really prove that the Governing Body is NOT the faithful and discreet slave because it has provided so much spiritual garbage throughout much of the 20th century until now, including this Watchtower? Didn't they even encourage disfellowshipping anyone who disagreed with such lies? Since they have been declaring we are living in the "time of the end" for over a hundred years, wouldn't that have been the "proper time" to have been providing God's people nourishing spiritual food?

It boggles my mind how the GB can twist the scriptures to make it look like they are God's representatives after all the Satan-inspired drivel they've been spewing for so long.

8

Following their own rules, Should the Governing Body be disfellowshipped for decades of misleading the flock and thus tainting Gods name without any evidence of repentance?

by matt2414 in

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matt2414

I was wondering about that too. Following the Governing Body's own doctrine, haven't the Governing Body members, in effect, disassociated themselves from God and the Christian congregation by their actions, much like one who goes to war or takes blood? Of course, since their lies started so long ago, it makes me wonder if they were truly ever part God's Christian congregation.

I couldn't help but think of Daniel 12:9-10:

9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are rolled up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand."

If we are in the time of the end, as the Witnesses claim, and the GB isn't able to understand the Scriptures, isn't it logical to conclude that they are the "wicked" these verses refer to? No wonder God has left them to flail in the wind without spiritual guidance!

8

Following their own rules, Should the Governing Body be disfellowshipped for decades of misleading the flock and thus tainting Gods name without any evidence of repentance?

by matt2414 in

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matt2414

Thanks for fixing it. :)

8

Following their own rules, Should the Governing Body be disfellowshipped for decades of misleading the flock and thus tainting Gods name without any evidence of repentance?

by matt2414 in

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matt2414

I was wondering about this because I don’t ever recall reading an apology from the Governing Body when it feels the need to change its understanding of scripture. I mean, has the Governing Body ever issued an apology to God and their fellow Jehovah’s Witnesses – begging for forgiveness – for the many errors in Bible doctrine that they want others to believe and insist came from God? We’ve all read their glaring mistakes on doctrine:

Millions now living will never die
Supposed dates when the end would come
The timing of the end of the gentile times
Timing of Christ’s inspection
When and how Christ would return
Identifying the superior authorities
Declaring who will come back in the resurrection
The use of the word “minister”
The use of blood, and later, blood fractions
This generation
Condemning the United Nations while being members of that organization
Teachings regarding the anointed, little flock and great crowd
Identifying faithful and discreet slave
Inventing a “Governing Body”
And the list goes on and on

But have they ever said they are sorry for their hundreds of public talks, Watchtower studies, assembly and convention parts, and books that promoted these teachings, only to have them change later? Has the Watchtower ever printed an apology? Have they ever admitted that the information they preached – and threatened with disfellowshipping those who refused to believe – was merely made up, and that God isn’t to blame? Or have they instead insidiously suggested that GOD IS to blame because he gave them light, “light that gets brighter and brighter” (Prov. 4:18)? Since it is “impossible for God to lie” (Heb. 6:18), are they not calling God a liar by twisting that verse in Proverbs, thus tainting God’s “holy” name? Aren’t they just like the Pharisees and other religious leaders in Jesus’ day whom he condemned for lording it over the flock (Matt. 9:36) with their myriad laws and teachings?

Many Jehovah’s Witnesses seem intelligent. Don’t they ever wonder about these things?

76

Are homosexuals born that way? The March 15 Watchtower seems to say so.

by matt2414 in

15 one brother who was raised in a christian household wrote that for as long as he could remember, he struggled with homosexual tendencies.

he said: i always felt awkward.

it seemed that i didnt fit in anywhere.

matt2414

Romans 1: 20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

It's quite obvious to those who approach the Bible without being tainted by prejudice that God created homosexuality, and therefore it is not a sin. As Romans 1:20 says, God's invisible qualities are evident in his human and animal creations. Homosexuality exists in both. In animals it is considered quite natural, and not a sin. No doubt God intended the same for humans. Those who take it upon themselves to judge and declare it a sin are in effect calling God a sinner and the creator of sin.

This reminds me of when Peter presumpteously assumed certain animals were unclean, in an effort to please God. God scolded him at Act 10:15: “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.” Unlike that situation, the issue of homosexuality is more serious. The Witnesses, like most homophobes, have destroyed families, lives, leading even some young people to suicide. Their hands drip with innocent blood.

76

Are homosexuals born that way? The March 15 Watchtower seems to say so.

by matt2414 in

15 one brother who was raised in a christian household wrote that for as long as he could remember, he struggled with homosexual tendencies.

he said: i always felt awkward.

it seemed that i didnt fit in anywhere.

matt2414

mP:

You make some good points about the prevalence of same-sex behavior in Bible times, which is well documented. However, many uninformed people tend to equate that behavior with homosexuality. That couldn't be further from the truth. Many of the men in ancient times who practiced such same-sex behavior were married to women. Recent research has shown that less than 4% of the U.S. population is gay. But reports have shown that between 10%-13% of men who identify as straight admit to having occasional same-sex enounters. Yes, there are actually more straight people engaging in same-sex activity than gays! This may come as a surprise to many, but just peruse Craigslist and see how many straight or married individuals are seeking a same-sex encounter. This doesn't make them gay, anymore than if a gay person having heterosexual relations would be straight. Most men in prisons are straight and yet their same-sex activities are pretty well known. It's likely the percentages were similar in ancient times.

So when the OT says that men should "not lie with a man as one lies with a woman," to whom were these words actually directed? To straight men or gay men? And why are the words "men who lie with men" almost always given in the context of worshipping false gods? Just read the surrounding verses and chapters and see. Until religious homophobes can answer these questions, they are being awfully presumptuous and really have no idea what they are talking about. The Governing Body is especially guilty of such ignorance and wrecklessness with the Bible because they claim to be God's anointed mouthpiece.

76

Are homosexuals born that way? The March 15 Watchtower seems to say so.

by matt2414 in

15 one brother who was raised in a christian household wrote that for as long as he could remember, he struggled with homosexual tendencies.

he said: i always felt awkward.

it seemed that i didnt fit in anywhere.

matt2414

mP, it does seem like many homophobes are homosexuals. But to qualify that statement, I believe most homosexuals who are homophobes are religious or have some perverse view of God. I think they are this way because A) they feel they have to prove themselves worthy to their god; B) they are afraid of being outed so they overemphasize their disdain toward gays; and C) they are self loathing because they know that they are secretly fantacizing or even practicing homosexual behavior, and are afraid of being exposed.

76

Are homosexuals born that way? The March 15 Watchtower seems to say so.

by matt2414 in

15 one brother who was raised in a christian household wrote that for as long as he could remember, he struggled with homosexual tendencies.

he said: i always felt awkward.

it seemed that i didnt fit in anywhere.

matt2414

Open Mind, that WT-apologist hat is more like a dunce cap. Many of those arguments don't hold water.

Gen. 3:17-18 does say that God "cursed the ground." But the context says: "Cursed is the ground because of you; In toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall grow for you; And you shall eat the plants of the field." Most bible scholars agree that this was referring to the land the first couple were living on. It would no longer easily produce a bounty for them; they would have to work very hard to get the ground to produce food. The Bible text has nothing to do with their physiology, much less sexuality.
Besides, if JW's even suggest that God's curse caused imperfection, they are admitting that God caused all the so-called sin that exists today -- murder, stealing, drunkenness, fornication, and in their minds, homosexuality. They would in effect be blaming God. Isn't that called blasphemy?
By the way, the many thousands of plants and animals around the world didn't participate in Adam's sin, yet, how come plants can be heterosexual and bisexual. Since the 1990's, we've also come to learn that there are hundreds -- and the list is getting longer -- of animals that exhibit both bisexual and homosexual behavior. Who's responsible for this? The Watchtower and Awake! frequently praises the amazing design of these creations. Everything they do, even if done instinctively, is because of "Jehovah's design." It would be the height of hyprocrisy for them to backtrack now and say that God is not responsible for their actions. If God did create animals with the ability to enjoy same-sex unions, that would mean he created homosexuality. Is it much of a leap that he would create the same ability in humans?
It's true, "God made booze and sex for humans to enjoy, per the Bible." However, there is a big difference between booze and sex. God put in humans -- all animals, really -- the strong need and desire for air, food, water and sex. As humans, we need all of them to survive or we will die off as a species. To varying degrees, our bodies will fight us to have these needs satisfied. Yes, some of us may enjoy alcohol, but nowhere does the Bible say alcohol is necessary for the human race to survive. Some people may crave it, much like others may crave chocolate, but those desires are just that, cravings. To compare the desire for sex with the craving for alcohol reveals a the gross ignorance and stupity on the part of the Witnesses' Governing Body.
And if gays are taking sexual "desires and twisting them so that they are no longer acceptable to God," then why didn't Jesus come right out and say it, "Homosexuality is not acceptable to God"? Nowhere does he say it or even hint that homosexuality is wrong. When he mentioned Sodom he instead said, "Remember the wife of Lot." Was she a lesbian? There's no indication that she was. Sure, there may not have been a word for homosexual in the Bible languages, but it was quite well known and practiced among both the Greeks and Romans. Even Emporor Nero is said to have married men, twice. So why didn't Jesus address the matter if it was so common? He instead said, at John 13:34: "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."