It's a handy reference to have, including copies of the relevant documentation and newspaper articles. You have the proof in one book. Not that a bona fide Witness will ever look at such heinous apostate material.
Posts by Vidqun
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8Has Anyone Read This Book?
by berrygerry instumbled upon this book on ebay.
anyone read it?.
http://www.ebay.ca/itm/jehovahs-witnesses-and-the-united-nations-how-the-watchtower-society-fooled-mi-/381046838260?pt=lh_defaultdomain_71&hash=item58b82953f4.
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18
Why don't some members of the congregations never slow down or get tired out?
by RULES & REGULATIONS inmy uncle passed away two years ago at the age of 83. he served as an elder from 1965 to the last day of his life.
even till the end of his life he was still reading the bible.. he was an elder for 48 years.
never missed a meeting,pioneered during the summer months ( took vacation weeks),pioneered after retiring at 65 years old, never went on real vacation, went to all summer conventions and assemblies ( traveling to new york,wisconsin, canada and california ).. he also conducted book studies, watchtower meetings, gave sunday public talks, assembly parts, elder meetings, had a weekly book study with his family,cleaned the kingdom hall, and donated money when the congregation was short money for the month.. everyone is zealous in the beginning but tire out sooner or later.
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Vidqun
The counter argument here is that he died at 83. Who knows, he might have gone over a 100, if he looked after himself better. Concerning my grandmother, smokers in the family always pointed to her and said she smoked till she was in her eighties. I countered by saying, when she did die at 84 she died of double pneumonia. She would have reached a hundred if she did not smoke. -
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Does forever mean forever?
by I_love_Jeff in1 chronicles 28:9 "and you, my son solomon, acknowledge the god of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the lord searches every heart and understands every desire and every thought.
if you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever.
is the word "forever" literal or figurative?
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Vidqun
Here’s some research I did a while back on the word, specifically relating to the book of Daniel (I removed the Hebrew fonts. They don’t transfer well):
Hidden or remote time. Aram. (sing.) or (plur.); 2:44b; Heb. sometimes m., pl.—what is hidden; specially hidden time, long; the beginning or end of which is either uncertain or else not defined. 2:44a never. According to context, it could point to: 1) Of time long past, antiquity, e.g., Deut. 32:7; Am. 9:11; Mic. 7:14; Is. 63:9. 2) Mostly it refers to future time, in such a manner, that what is called the terminus ad quem, is always defined from the nature of the thing itself.
Its etymology has been and remains disputed or at best uncertain, and the various studies suggest that no real progress has been made. Following E. Jenni, most scholars translate `oulām as “long time” or “farthest, remotest time.” Various nuances of this translation must then also be distinguished contextually. See TDOT, vol. X, p. 531.
The book of Daniel contains 5 occurrences in Hebrew (9:24; 12:2[bis]; 3, 7), 18 in Aramaic (2:4, 20[bis], 44[bis]; 3:9; 4:3; 4:34[bis]; 5:10; 6:6, 21, 26; 7:14, 18[ter], 27) of which 9:24 (Hebrew) and 2:4, 44; 3:9; 5:10; 6:6, 21, 26 (Aramaic) as well as one of the occurrences in 7:18 are plural. Dnl. 2:4; 3:9; 5:10; 6:21 belong to the royal greeting (cf. also 6:6). Dnl. 2:44; 4:3; 4:34, and 6:26 also make clear that the concern (as in the book of Daniel in a larger sense) is not only with the coming divine rule “forever,” but also with extolling the present and the future rule as being perpetual.
The assertion that “everlasting righteousness” (9:24) will be brought to the people and the city (cf. 11QPs a 16) then focuses more unequivocally on the new future, and Dnl. 2:44; 7:14, 18; 12:2f. make clear that, and how, the present “age of the world” will end and the new age (this age too, as the final one!) will commence. At that time “many” will be raised to “everlasting life” (12:2), others to everlasting shame and contempt.
Resurrection thus functions here as a solution to the problem of theodicy and as instrument for balancing things out between the good and the wicked, neither of whom will or may be permitted to end with death only. Here `oulām/`ālam acquires the meaning of “world/age of the world” (cf. already Ps. 104:5; 148:6; Is. 40:28), something that then developed further in early Jewish literature. See TDOT, vol. X, pp. 542, 543, and TDNT, vol. I, pp. 202-206 under aioun, aiouvios.
According to TDOT, vol. XI, p. 149, an etymological relationship between `lm and `oulām seems unlikely. However, I personally believe that the word is indeed semantically related to the verb `ālam and the noun ta`älumâ belonging to the semantic field “to hide.” That’s the only way to make sense of it.
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PESHER: an Historic scheme of INTERPRETING SCRIPTURE. . . Watchtower style!
by TerryWalstrom ingeorge bernard shaw said: no man ever believes that the bible means what it says.
he is always convinced that it says what he means.. shaw must have had pesher in mind!
but, what is pesher?.
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Vidqun
I studied the Aramaic word for "interpretation" not too long ago. Here's what a famous dictionary and wordbook had to say concerning the subject, for those interested in the finer detail.
Interpretation. Arm. pishra’ Da 2:24f.30 4:15 5:17. peshar*: Heb. pashêr < Arm. (Wagner 239); in JArm. pishrâ’ it may mean “meaning” (DSS, see Dalman Wb. 355b; Beyer Arm. Texte 672); Akk. piṡru(m) interpretation, solution, meaning; cf. piṡertu(m) which may mean magical solution (AHw. 868b); Syr. p’sub`esûaµraµ may mean solution, explanation (Brockelmann Lexicon 614b); CPArm., pl. *pṡwryn explanation (Schulthess Lex. 165a); Mnd. pisëra exorcism (Drower-M. Dictionary 372b); Sam. (Cowley Samaritan Liturgy 2: lxvii; see also Wagner 239); Bauer-Leander BArm. 183j; the same in the cstr.: det. See HALOT.
At Dan. 2:45 the angel would furnish “the very interpretation of matters.” Aram. pisherîn. Hebr. peshar: interpretation (of a dream). The noun is used once, in Hebrew, Eccl 8:1, of interpretation in general. The word became a standard introduction to the exegetical sentences in the commentaries written in Qumran. See TWOT.
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The Bible's approval of slavery (including Jesus)
by rebel8 inhow can there possibly be a reason for this?
smh.
i can't imagine how this is excusable..
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Vidqun
As a religious reformer, Jesus did introduce change. The principles he stood for were clear: You must love God with everything you've got, and you must love your neighbor as yourself. I think that's quite clear. -
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The Bible's approval of slavery (including Jesus)
by rebel8 inhow can there possibly be a reason for this?
smh.
i can't imagine how this is excusable..
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Vidqun
Village Idiot, I disagree. If you attempted to liberate a Roman slave, and you would have been prosecuted according to Roman Law. Slaves, resisting their masters, were punished by death.
By using a metaphor, doesn't mean you like or approve of something. Jesus' teaching methods include parables and metaphors of everyday things. E.g., by using current agricultural methods in his metaphors and parables do not mean he approved of such techniques. He often included the habits of the Pharisees in his teaching. We know what he thought of them and their man-made rules.
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My mother says I should just DA already.
by Julia Orwell incut the cord.
sever all ties.
start new.. and she's right.
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Vidqun
Sorry to hear of your cat. That's enough to make anyone depressed. I, personally, am better off not associating with Witnesses at all because they are so close-minded, and compartementalized (meetings, field service, conventions). Do not forget the constant judging, the conditions, worldly individuals, as well as their brothers and sisters. This alone is enough to drive anyone round the bend. But here you'll have to decide what's best for you. You are fortunate in not having family in, which simplifies matters. And the question is: Did you have real JW friends? I for one, had none. I am all for continuing the counselling, even if the person is not an expert in cults. Speaking about your problems to a neutral individual is always beneficial. And remember, you and your husband are a team. Going together can only strengthen the bond between you. -
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The Bible's approval of slavery (including Jesus)
by rebel8 inhow can there possibly be a reason for this?
smh.
i can't imagine how this is excusable..
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Vidqun
Don't get me wrong. I don't condone slavery at all. But at the same time, I do enjoy studying history. As I have said before, you cannot compare the situation in the first century with conditions today. We live in a different epoch. Firstly, Jesus was not a social reformer, but a religious reformer (Jewry > inclusive; Christianity > universal). Yes, even a slave could become a Christian, which was unusual at the time. Secondly, if Christianity opposed the slave trade during the Roman period, they would have been wiped out. Thirdly, history tells us that the slave trade was only abolished fairly recently, about three or four hundred years ago, with Abraham Lincoln and Co. Would one now condemn all those before the American Constitution was written because they allowed the slave trade to continue? The slave trade might have been abolished then, but as we all know, discrimination would continue to be rife until the time of Martin Luther King. In fact, in the US the policing and legal systems still discriminate against blacks, as the recent social upheavals indicate. And surprise, surprise, the slave trade is still going strong, even though outlawed by most countries. -
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What is truth?
by Heisenberg inwell, 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.
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Vidqun
By the way, I found this little gem, while looking up those scriptures JWs use to disfellowship people. Have you heard of Hymenaeus and Philetus? Paul ordered these men to be shunned. Why? They have deviated from the truth by saying "the resurrection has already occurred." Now where have we heard that before? I'll give you a clue. It has been asserted that this has been happening since 1919. Here's the quote:
15 Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright.
16 But shun empty speeches that violate what is holy; for they will advance to more and more ungodliness,
17 and their word will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of that number.
18 These very [men] have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred; and they are subverting the faith of some. (2Ti 2:15-18 NWT)
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114
What is truth?
by Heisenberg inwell, 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.
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Vidqun
Heisenberg, thanks for explaining to us your opinion of JW-UN membership. I wish I can dismiss their little mistakes so easily. I am not as forgiving. I live by the motto: You either practice what you preach, or you shut up. Interestingly, Awake-articles from that era glorified the UN, so they must have made some sort of a deal with the UN. Or is it a case of: You cannot belong to the UN as a NGO if you write bad things about them in your literature.
So much for that little mistake. Perhaps you can explain to us the involvement of the JWs with the OSCE? Go to the OSCE's website and see what type of organization it is. The different JW associations are NGOs of the OSCE. JW representatives give talks at OSCE meetings. All for the good of the brothers, of course. And the theocratic warfare-principle allows them to lie about it without blinking or blushing. What a happifying people!
Just a pity if one of the R&F becomes a member of a political party or an organization (like the Y.M.C.A.) that person is disfellowshipped if unrepentant. I see some double standards here, don't you?