Posts by Vidqun

62

Your explanation for a total contradiction in the New World Translation.

by Johnny Brown in

"for if you publicly declare with your mouth that jesus is lord,+ and exercise faith in your heart that god raised him up from the dead, you will be saved.

10 for with the heart one exercises faith for righteousness, but with the mouth one makes public declaration+ for salvation.

11 for the scripture says: no one who rests his faith on him will be disappointed.+

Vidqun

I concur with what Leaving_quietly said. I thought a few additional thoughts might be in order. As to their translation “Jehovah,” many comments have been made and many books and articles written. Here the Committee became stuck in the time warp of the early twenties when the name “Jehovah” was popular. In the mean time this name has gone out of vogue to be replaced by “Yahweh.”

What might assist you in your studies, is taking note of the style of NT writers. In this case, Paul quotes from a variety of verses in the OT. Verse 11 is a quote from Isaiah 28:16 (LXX → Greek Septuagint), which points to the Messiah. As has been pointed out, verse 13 is a quote from Joel (2:32 LXX), indicating YHWH. However, in our current copies of the LXX “lord” is used and not the Tetragrammaton.

If only the Committee stuck to their guns to only replace “lord” with the Tetragrammaton (= YHWH) at those places which are indicated as OT quotations. Unfortunately they decided to replace it in some instances where it is clearly not referring to the Tetragrammaton, e.g., the Lord’s day. Here the NT differentiates between the Lord’s (Jesus’) day, and the Lord’s (YHWH’s) day.

114

What is truth?

by Heisenberg in

jw
friends

well, i have been lurking on this site for several months and i recently decided to join as a member.

i have made several observations and would like to make a few comments.. first, i am perplexed by the attitude of many on this site that are either former or active (but apostate) jws.

they seem to have a strong hatred for the wts and also for rank and file jws.

Vidqun

Heisenberg, glad to see you're still around. What do you know about Christian neutrality (cf. James 4:4)? Are you aware that as a Witness, you're not even allowed to be a member of Y.M.C.A. You should not take sides in politics and you're not allowed to vote. As the saying goes, the Christian finds himself in the world, but is no part of the world (cf. John 18:36). Some spent years in jail because of their Christian neutrality. In Malawi the brothers and sisters had to endure torture and death for refusing to buy a political card.

Yes, the common excuse of the Witnesses is "they are part of the UN and OSCE in order to do good to the brothers." But what about one’s Christian neutrality? Is it only applicable to some (the R&F) and not to others (the leaders)? Is that not a clear case of double standards? You say you’ve read CoC, then you should know about the Mexico-Malawi scandal.

A good example is the nation of Israel. What happened to them when they made alliances with the nations? The prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah had a lot to say about it.

Do yourself a favor and study what the publications have to say about Christian neutrality. See who they identify as “the disgusting thing causing desolation” (cf. Dan. 11:31; Matt. 24:15) and “the beast that ascends out of the abyss” (cf. Rev. 17:8). The Revelation-Climax book (pp. 196 - 198) has a few very interesting paragraphs and illustrations on “the mark of the beast.” If you have access to the book, look it up.

So what do you think will happen when you confront the brothers with these enlightening facts (from their own publications). Yes, you’ve guessed it. You are disfellowshipped. Don’t you think there’s something wrong with an organization that is afraid of the truth?

114

What is truth?

by Heisenberg in

jw
friends

well, i have been lurking on this site for several months and i recently decided to join as a member.

i have made several observations and would like to make a few comments.. first, i am perplexed by the attitude of many on this site that are either former or active (but apostate) jws.

they seem to have a strong hatred for the wts and also for rank and file jws.

Vidqun

One must practice what one preaches. This is especially true of religion. If you find out a religious group says one thing and practices another, that would be hypocritical. E.g. if you call the UN "the disgusting thing causing desolation" and "the beast that ascends from the abyss" and you join them for the sake of a library card, there is something seriously wrong with your reasoning.

When they say they care about children and also protect the pedophiles that prey on them, then the time has come for you to examine yourself and your religion. Perhaps your religion is straying from the truth. What are you going to do about it? Are you going to go with the flow, or are you going to make your reservations known? By the way, if you choose to go with the flow, you will remain in good standing with the organization. However, if you choose to make your reservations known, you will be disfellowshipped.

27

How can I ever leave this cult?

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

i've been out nearly two years but it's not out of me.

i am on school holidays now til february so i thought without work to worry about i can come off my medication.

i phased it slowly, starting in early november to avoid the physical side effects of coming down.

Vidqun

Hi Julia, good to hear from you. Do yourself a favor and try to seperate your meds regimen from the cult and its activities. Do not go off your meds completely. That's always a bad idea, not only for you but also for your loved ones. See your doctor and with his consent experiment by taking less, even halving the dose, until you find a middle course: minimum side-effects, maximun functionality. Unfortunately we are not be able to help those on the inside, until they decide to help themselves. Keep in mind, they believe they are God's gift to humanity, and that their ways are superior. So, in a very warped and twisted way they think they are doing good. We can only sympathize with them.

75

Media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from ABC News New York

by Londo111 in

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=2025979&doc_no=a136641.

see last item:.

"media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from abc news new york".

Vidqun

I'm with you there Phizzy. A literal interpretation of the two-witness rule means all the wrongdoer/criminal has to do is get rid of the witness(es), then his home scot-free. Ah, now we know where the witness protection program comes from.

75

Media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from ABC News New York

by Londo111 in

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=2025979&doc_no=a136641.

see last item:.

"media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from abc news new york".

Vidqun

Johnamos, let's take the Conti case as an example. This wonderful brother offers to take the (9 year old) girl on fieldservice. Those taking the lead in the group, agrees, while knowing this person has molested his daughter. As Conti testified, her parents was undergoing marital difficulties at the time. True, they cannot be excused, but neither should the molester or elders or Branch Office be excused for their role in the matter. And this is what the courtcase is about, about culpability. Could the elders have prevented the situation? I think so.

75

Media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from ABC News New York

by Londo111 in

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=2025979&doc_no=a136641.

see last item:.

"media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from abc news new york".

Vidqun

Johnamos, that is because child molestation amongst the Witnesses has been swept under the rug by the Society for many years. These instructions, not to report it to the authorities, have come down from the top, and has been enforced by CO's and elders alike. If you follow the different courtcases and the threads of Barbara Anderson, you will be enlightened as to the facts. Now, at last, the pigeons have come to roost. Somewhat too late for those young lives that have been destroyed, by timeously nevertheless!

75

Media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from ABC News New York

by Londo111 in

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=2025979&doc_no=a136641.

see last item:.

"media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from abc news new york".

Vidqun

Johnamos, in Witness-speak, this is not a law but a (general) principle. Should this principle be upheld in every case, especially in the case of child molestation or murder? Certainly this might have worked to some extent in the first century and before, but do you really think it should be applied in the 21st century? Today we have Forensics: fingerprints, DNA, and physical evidence, etc., even better than human witnesses, and more conclusive. So, by not reporting child abuse to the authorities you bury the evidence. Who would you be protecting, the child or the pedophile?

By the way, Johnamos, do you have children? Would you leave them in the care of any of your brothers at the Kingdom Hall? If you do, you're an idiot, because you do not know who the pedophiles are. Only the elders are privy to that information, which they will not share with ordinary publishers. But don't worry, justice for the victims are imminent. If this appeal goes through, it will pave the way for may more cases to be opened against the Watchtower, and their ilk, which will hurt their pocket, and (hopefully) drive them to bankruptcy.

75

Media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from ABC News New York

by Londo111 in

http://appellatecases.courtinfo.ca.gov/search/case/dockets.cfm?dist=1&doc_id=2025979&doc_no=a136641.

see last item:.

"media request to record/broadcast oral argument; from abc news new york".

Vidqun

Thanks for the heads up Londo. The following scripture comes to mind: " For there is nothing hidden that will not become manifest, neither anything carefully concealed that will never become known and never come into the open" ( Luk 8:17 NWT). The irony is that the Witnesses believe the Mosaic law was cancelled out when Jesus came, but they stubbornly insist on enforcing the "two-witness rule." It will not go down well with the general populace.

7

Matthew 24:19-21

by Pete Zahut in

jw
friends

but woe unto them that are with child and to them that give suck in those days!

and pray that your flight be not in the winter, neither on a sabbath for then shall be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, no, nor ever shall be.. this scripture was always used to frighten us about the upcoming great tribulaton.

when i was in high school my late mother found out she was pregnant with my youngest sister.

Vidqun

Morpheus, it's not as complicated as you make it. Winter means ice and snow. Would it not be better for one to flee in summer? You can sleep outside if necessary and more food would be available. And it would be more beneficial fleeing alone or with your wife, than fleeing with a family, say five children. And it would be extremely difficult if your wife was pregnant, especially if she was in her last trimester. Jesus gave practical advice to those Jews that were in a war situation with Rome.