ziddina... nice point! The contrast between WT and the World is so obvious... true, unprejudiced love for neighbor is among those NOT associated with the organization. Reminds me of Jesus' parable about the good Samaritan... Watch Tower would be just like the self-righteous priest and Levite who passed by on the opposite side of the road, unlike the Samaritan who stopped and helped the poor, beaten soul out. What should we expect from a religion that will even shun their own!
Darth Rutherford
JoinedPosts by Darth Rutherford
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JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...
by cedars infrom the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
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JW.org reports on the Sandy Hook shooting...
by cedars infrom the official jw website.... .
school shooting in connecticutdecember 17, 2012 | united states.
on friday, december 14, 2012, a shooting took place at an elementary school in newtown, connecticut.
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Darth Rutherford
I have this observation: I still have a number of JWs on my facebook, although the majority on my friends list are now "worldly" ones. After the tragedy on Friday, immediately I saw an outpouring of sympathy, prayers, and condolences posted from all the non-JWs. Friday and through the weekend, the Witnesses seemed oblivous. They spoke about what restaurants they were visiting and all the other uninteresting stuff they were involved in at the moment - but no heartfelt feelings about the events. It was a striking observation between one group vs. the other. The love that was outpouring from non-Witnesses was overwhelming. It really pissed me off that the "true Christians" were so unmoved - utterly self absorbed. (I say true Christians with utmost sarcasm.)
Finally yesterday one Witness quoted James 1:13 and explained how we should not blame God for the events on Friday. (I'm sure they counted that as FS time.) Another mentioned the JW.org news headline regarding the two Witness kids at Sandy Hook and how those two will need our prayers in the coming days. WTH!
I found the JW news item nauseating. I'm glad the two kids weren't hurt, but it appeared to me as if the organization is just exploiting this tragedy to show how "relevant" they are to regular society. No condolences on behalf of the organization to any of the victims' families. Reminds me of Jesus' words: "Every tree not producing fine fruit gets cut down and thrown into the fire. Really, then, by their fruits you will recognize those men." (Mt. 7:19, 20)
I hope I wasn't so aloof back on Sept 11, 2001, but I probably was... at that time I was on the track of becoming a MS with my sights to eventually become an elder. So ashamed now to have been part of this terrible cult. Such hypocrisy!
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WT QUOTE: The Authoritarian Governing Body
by Darth Rutherford inhere is another priceless quote from the watchtower:.
review some of the ways paul appealed to the consciences of those he served.
he sought neither prominence, praise nor power over them.
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Darth Rutherford
Here is another priceless quote from the Watchtower:
Review some of the ways Paul appealed to the consciences of those he served. He sought neither prominence, praise nor power over them. None of the apostles worked harder than he, yet he was far from assigning himself special privileges or seeking the best in material comforts as being ‘what was due him.’ He even refrained from making use of his due rights in many ways.—1 Cor. 9:3-18; 15:10.
His attitude was not, ‘I am the apostle to the Gentiles appointed by God’s own Son so I am not concerned about what anyone thinks. What I do is between me and God. I know I’m right; so let others accept it and not question it.’ Having authority, he was not authoritarian.
-w72 9/15 pp. 565-566 pars. 19-20
Contrast that quote with today's GB: "I am the governing body anointed by God so I am not concerned about what anyone thinks. What we do is between us and God. We know we're right; so let others accept it and not question it."
Yes, having authority, they ARE authoritarian.
Thanks Watchtower for another priceless quote!
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Reasoning with Jehovah's Witnesses: Disfellowshipping
by Darth Rutherford inhow can we reason with jehovah's witnesses regarding the practice of disfellowshipping fellow believers?.
well, when you look up disfellowship in the nwt index, you are referenced to expel, expelled.. when you look up these two words, you get the following scriptures:.
john 16:2 men will expel you from the synagogue.
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Darth Rutherford
Hey 00DAD, not sure I follow your point. The Jews in the context of John 9:22 were Pharisees. I'm pretty sure that the Pharisees did not follow Christ. That's why they would expel anyone who confessed Jesus as the Christ.
Also... my initials are DR.
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Reasoning with Jehovah's Witnesses: Disfellowshipping
by Darth Rutherford inhow can we reason with jehovah's witnesses regarding the practice of disfellowshipping fellow believers?.
well, when you look up disfellowship in the nwt index, you are referenced to expel, expelled.. when you look up these two words, you get the following scriptures:.
john 16:2 men will expel you from the synagogue.
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Darth Rutherford
How can we reason with Jehovah's Witnesses regarding the practice of disfellowshipping fellow believers?
Well, when you look up Disfellowship in the NWT index, you are referenced to EXPEL, EXPELLED.
When you look up these two words, you get the following scriptures:
John 16:2 Men will expel YOU from the synagogue. In fact, the hour is coming when everyone that kills YOU will imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God.
John 9:22 His parents said these things because they were in fear of the Jews, for the Jews had already come to an agreement that, if anyone confessed him as Christ, he should get expelled from the synagogue.
John 12:42 All the same, many even of the rulers actually put faith in him, but because of the Pharisees they would not confess [him], in order not to be expelled from the synagogue;
Did you note that those who are doing the disfellowshipping in each case are those who DO NOT follow Christ.
If we use the Watchtower's "Birthday" logic as found in the Reasoning Book...
Everything that is in the Bible is there for a reason. (2 Tim. 3:16, 17) Jehovah’s Witnesses take note that God’s Word reports unfavorably about birthday celebrations and so shun these. -rs, p.68, par.4
...then, should we not also reason that God's Word also reports unfavorably about disfellowshipping/expelling fellow believers, and so shun the practice? If we practice expelling people out of the congregation, how are we any different than the Pharisees who did the same? Were the Pharisees favored by God for expelling people out of the synagogue? Did the Pharisees show Christian love when they disfellowshipped others?
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How do I disprove "New Light"?
by DarkFireWolf ini currently am a jw and my parents are too.they seem either confused or dislike it when i raise questions and recently, when i questioned them about 1925 and 1975, i've been told it's changed due to "new light.
" i don't remember nor do i have very much knowledge of "new light.".
this "new light" just dosen't sit with me and neither do the false prophecies.new light first of all, breaks a scripture in deut.
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Darth Rutherford
Sounds like the Matrix just lost another coppertop...
Welcome to the forum! Keep asking those questions!
Isn't faith, by definition, based on evidence -something that is concrete and everlasting? If truth is everchanging... how can you put faith in it? Show me where Jehovah and/or Jesus had to keep updating their teachs/truths. How many times did the Mosaic Law have to be refreshed with 'new light'... I don't recall Moses ever saying, "Friends, we have received new light on the 7th commandment." Nope... never did. If they constantly were updating truths, then how could they expect anyone ever to put faith in them?
Malachi 3:6, "For I am Jehovah; I have not changed."
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January 2013 Watchtower - HAVE JEHOVAHS WITNESSES GIVEN INCORRECT DATES FOR THE END?
by TheStumbler ini was just on the new jw.org site and i have to say, they've done a good job.
it looks pretty sleek and is easy to navigate.
the production values of their magazines (in particular the photos) seems to have improved since i last spent much time on the site.
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Darth Rutherford
Jehovah’s Witnesses have had wrong expectations about when the end would come. Like Jesus’ first-century disciples, we have sometimes looked forward to the fulfilment of prophecy ahead of God’s timetable. (Luke 19:11; Acts 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2)
Well, folks, in the very least, they ARE admitting that the end times have approached. Jesus warned his followers to NOT follow those saying so: "Look out that you are not misled; for many will come on the basis of my name, saying, ‘I am he,’ and, ‘The due time has approached.’ Do not go after them." (Luke 21:8)
So much for their apologies... anyone who follows them will be misled.
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Whitney Heichel - first hand account from congregation member on Facebook
by sir82 inwhy, he even has gone to some meetings at their kingdom hall!
someone calls with a large wedding tent that they would like to donate and set up in the kingdom hall parking lot for the public memorial on friday.
i was amazed how people who came that didnt even know whitney, but simply felt a need to be here and comfort the family.
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Darth Rutherford
When searching for Whitney, it was worldly bank officers who looked into her account for clues. The gas station attendant viewed the security tape. Children playing in a field find the cell phone. The police conducted TV updates and appealed to the public for help. The Sheriff, FBI, and local police searched the mountain where the body was eventually found.
Once Whitney was found, a memorial was set up at Starbucks by non-Witnesses. In fact, this memorial was the "largest display of emotion in Portland's entire history." Also, people hugged Witnesses who came knocking at their door in field service.
In preparing for the memorial service, someone donated a large wedding tent for the public memorial. The floral shop donated and filled the KH with flowers -special ordering them from Hawaii. Wal-Mart donates 4,000 sandwiches. Albertsons and Safeway also make donations of food.
During the memorial service, strangers line up from noon to 7pm for the memorial. Starbucks employees donate three large boxes filled with money for the family. Other strangers give gifts of flowers, cards, and money.
Weren't you personally impressed, not by the witness given by Jehovah's Witnesses, but by those in the community? Look at what an extraordinary show of love the "worldly" community had for those who knew and loved Whitney.
Yet, how could the show of love and support given by these worldly people even compare with the World Headquarters of Whitney's own faith, the "true Christian brotherhood"? Surely, you would expect the billion-dollar Watchtower and Bible Tract Society to easily surpass the love shown by the local community. What witness did Watchtower give? Our writer answers, "The Society got involved and had the circuit and district overseers come and serve Clint’s congregation this week – the district overseer also gave the private memorial talk on Saturday." Watchtower redirected the schedules of their local circuit and district overseers.
You just can't compare the love of Watchtower with the love of the "worldly" community, can you! The "worldly" community cares so much more!
The world is demonized by Jehovah's Witnesses. We were all taught and told that we wouldn't have any love or support if we ever left the organization. We know they're wrong; however, Whitney's community gave an awesome witness and proved by their actions that Watchtower is a liar! There is certainly evil everywhere in the world; however, that doesn't mean that everyone in the world is evil.
And here's the kicker: By now, I'm sure the congregation is getting back into the swing of things. Undoubtedly, they're zealously going from door-to-door proclaiming a message that eventually involves learning that Jehovah and Jesus will soon mercilessly kill everyone who does not share the Watchtower faith -including all those strangers who gave support and love to a young, beautiful woman and those of her family and faith.
This Facebook posting says much more than the writer intended. It shows that there is a world filled with loving people outside the Watchtower. Jesus says, "By this all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves.” If that is the case, then there are many of Christ's disciples living outside the Watchtower. I find that encouraging.
Maybe the writer of this post subconsciously recognizes this fact. Even he acknowleges, "It was indescribable, an incredible experience for all of us. I was amazed how people who came that didn’t even know Whitney, but simply felt a need to be here and comfort the family. So many were coming in, they simply couldn’t be counted. But we estimate that there were between 3,000 and 4,000 people that came."
Whitney's death was a senseless tragedy. I hope her murderer gets the severest penalty for his crimes. Nevertheless, if there's any good that can possibly come from such a horrible story, maybe it's from the loving example that this community showed. The true witness came, not from the Kingdom Hall, but from strangers in the community. Hopefully, due to the love they showed, many seeds of cognitive dissonance were planted into the minds of Witnesses worldwide. Hopefully, a few of those seeds will grow and some will awaken.
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Would doubting Thomas be an atheist today?
by yadda yadda 2 inhow could it be reasonable for jesus to condemn skeptics today when one of his own apostles, who had witnessed jesus pre-death miracles, refused to believe in the resurrection until he had physical proof?.
doesn't the fact that jesus willingly gave thomas the requested proof set a precedent for all other skeptics down through time?
isn't the burden of proof on jesus to provide indisputable evidence that he is now alive given that so much time has passed since his claimed resurrection, and until he does that, it would be immoral for jesus to judge anyone?.
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Darth Rutherford
Interesting question... I'm not sure if he'd be an atheist, but I guarantee he'd find himself in a judicial committee for doubting.
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Whitney Heichel's body found on Larch Mt., man charged in murder
by trujw invery sad as was said by a poster earlier our shared one time faith makes it seem as if you knew her.
rip.
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Darth Rutherford
This story just keeps breaking my heart. Holt has confessed and revealed some of the details...