NikL

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Posts by NikL

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  14

  Vow of Obedience and Poverty? WTF??

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  listener on here started a cool thread about the april 2017 wt which can be found here.... https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4881380162928640/watchtower-april-2017-overview.

  it got me to look at it closer and in the opening study they use terminology i've never heard used before namely, "vow of obedience and poverty".... 19 currently, there are some 67,000 members of the worldwide order of special full-time servants of jehovah’s witnesses.

  some perform bethel service, others engage in construction or in circuit work, serve as field instructors or special pioneers or missionaries or as assembly hall or bible school facility servants.

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  NikL

  Thanks Richard. I had no idea.

  Is that a new arrangement or has it always been like that?
  
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  14

  Vow of Obedience and Poverty? WTF??

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  listener on here started a cool thread about the april 2017 wt which can be found here.... https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4881380162928640/watchtower-april-2017-overview.

  it got me to look at it closer and in the opening study they use terminology i've never heard used before namely, "vow of obedience and poverty".... 19 currently, there are some 67,000 members of the worldwide order of special full-time servants of jehovah’s witnesses.

  some perform bethel service, others engage in construction or in circuit work, serve as field instructors or special pioneers or missionaries or as assembly hall or bible school facility servants.

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  NikL

  Listener on here started a cool thread about the April 2017 WT which can be found here...

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4881380162928640/watchtower-april-2017-overview

  It got me to look at it closer and In the opening study they use terminology I've never heard used before namely, "Vow of obedience and poverty"...

  19 Currently, there are some 67,000 members of the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Some perform Bethel service, others engage in construction or in circuit work, serve as field instructors or special pioneers or missionaries or as Assembly Hall or Bible school facility servants. They are all bound by a “Vow of Obedience and Poverty,” with which they agree to do whatever is assigned to them in the advancement of Kingdom interests, to live a simple lifestyle, and to abstain from secular employment without permission. It is not the people but their assignments that are viewed as special. They realize the seriousness of humbly living up to their solemn vow for as long as they remain in special full-time service

  Is this vow a real thing? Is it new? I always thought we were encouraged to volunteer for extra service if the spirit moved us but that it was just that, a volunteer situation and we were free to go a different direction whenever we felt we needed too.

  Are missionaries signing a vow now?
  
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  29

  Watchtower April, 2017 Overview

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'll start with the first study article.. this study article deals with vows made to jehovah.

  three main vows are discussed.. 1) your dedication to jehovah.

  we are told that it is not possible to claim that our baptism was not valid .

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  NikL

  Good point undercover.

  The wording is interesting. They don't say what to do specifically but instead make the vague statement ...

  The Bible does not set out grounds for marital separation. However, some married Christians have viewed certain situations as a reason for separation, such as the extreme endangerment of one’s life or spirituality by an abusive or apostate spouse

  I could use that format to make the following statement...

  The Bible does set grounds for certain observances and activities. However, some Christians have viewed birthdays as a perfectly acceptable event to celebrate with their loved ones.
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  29

  Watchtower April, 2017 Overview

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'll start with the first study article.. this study article deals with vows made to jehovah.

  three main vows are discussed.. 1) your dedication to jehovah.

  we are told that it is not possible to claim that our baptism was not valid .

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  NikL

  So in Feb they tell us the GB is NOT inspired...March we are told not to judge others consciences...and April we get the tightening of the screws yet again.

  What a wild ride I am looking forward to in the coming year.
  
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  25

  Anyone else watching the Leah Remini series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" on A&E?

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife and i started to watch this last night and have covered only 2 episodes so far but it is really interesting.. there are so many similarities between scientology and wt.

  not in beliefs of course but in their shunning, of their version of apostates etc.. it was amusing for me to see my active jw wife watch and get all indignant.

  at one point a statement was made that a religion "shouldn't separate families" and she muttered to herself "absolutely not".. i am kind of hoping that jws will watch and see what is being carried on by a high control cult and eventually recognize it in their own lives.

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  NikL

  As to last nights episode, I was able to make the comment without any flac from the wife that "Disconnecting" is Scientology's version of dis-fellowshiping.
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  25

  Anyone else watching the Leah Remini series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" on A&E?

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife and i started to watch this last night and have covered only 2 episodes so far but it is really interesting.. there are so many similarities between scientology and wt.

  not in beliefs of course but in their shunning, of their version of apostates etc.. it was amusing for me to see my active jw wife watch and get all indignant.

  at one point a statement was made that a religion "shouldn't separate families" and she muttered to herself "absolutely not".. i am kind of hoping that jws will watch and see what is being carried on by a high control cult and eventually recognize it in their own lives.

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  NikL

  For a quick rundown on some of their interesting (to say the least) beliefs, Southpark (Yes the cartoon) had a great episode a few years back. Matter of fact Isaac Hayes who is a Scientologist was a part of the show and quit after it ran.
  
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  14

  The WTBTS exposes itself about shunning!

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "does religious conversion dishonor family traditions or customs?

  this need not be the case.

  the bible encourages respect for all, regardless of their religion.

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  NikL

  they are morally disgusting, but they are doing nothing illegal at all.

  So true scratchme1010
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  25

  Anyone else watching the Leah Remini series "Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath" on A&E?

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife and i started to watch this last night and have covered only 2 episodes so far but it is really interesting.. there are so many similarities between scientology and wt.

  not in beliefs of course but in their shunning, of their version of apostates etc.. it was amusing for me to see my active jw wife watch and get all indignant.

  at one point a statement was made that a religion "shouldn't separate families" and she muttered to herself "absolutely not".. i am kind of hoping that jws will watch and see what is being carried on by a high control cult and eventually recognize it in their own lives.

  1. 
  2. 
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• 

  NikL

  My wife and I started to watch this last night and have covered only 2 episodes so far but it is really interesting.

  There are so many similarities between Scientology and WT. Not in beliefs of course but in their shunning, of their version of apostates etc.

  It was amusing for me to see my active JW wife watch and get all indignant. At one point a statement was made that a religion "shouldn't separate families" and she muttered to herself "absolutely not".

  I am kind of hoping that JWs will watch and see what is being carried on by a high control cult and eventually recognize it in their own lives. I know it probably wont. They will probably just criticize and say things like, "I am so glad I have the truth".

  But I can always hope.
  
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  14

  New IBSA Britain Branch Construction Letters

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  december 12, 2016 re: branch relocation project - regional event registration.

  december 5, 2016 to all congregations re: branch construction project.

  december 5, 2016. to all congregations.

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  NikL

  I had a heart to heart with a MS friend of mine and he confessed that he hasn't donated a dime since 2001
  
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  35

  Question for those that have been Disfellowshiped for apostasy VS succesfully fading

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are quite a few here who have been disfellowshipped for apostasy.. then there are those that have successfully faded.. why the different outcome?

  are the ones that got df more out spoken?

  or does the discrepancy lie with the elders?.

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  NikL

  I asked him if you can be appointed an elder while being an active pedophile and he responded yes.

  Could you elaborate on that a bit?