Posts by Vidqun

110

Greetings from a new member

by EdenOne in

jw
friends

greetings everyone.. just wanted to say hello to everyone, being a new member from western europe.. some may know me from another forum (eden, from e-jehovas-witnesses.com), but most don't, so this is my little intro.. male, in my early 40's.

still an active member in good standing of a jehovah's witnesses congregation in my country, and honestly not planning to change that status, despite my unorthodox beliefs.

sometime i will elaborate the reason why i don't feel i must leave.

Vidqun

Eden, thanks for the explanation. I, again, would be looking for an exact historical fit. Interesting theory of the recapitulation, but you will have a problem proving that from the text. Most view it as a continuous thread.

E.g., in Dan. 11:40 the eschatological marker “[the] end time” is mentioned. Another crops up at Dan. 12:1 “and during that time.” Some view this end as the end of the Jewish system of worship, i.e., 70 CE, but then we still have Michael and the resurrection to contend with.

How would you justify a chronological jump from the war between the Ptolemies and Seleucids and “time of [the] end”?

110

Greetings from a new member

by EdenOne in

jw
friends

greetings everyone.. just wanted to say hello to everyone, being a new member from western europe.. some may know me from another forum (eden, from e-jehovas-witnesses.com), but most don't, so this is my little intro.. male, in my early 40's.

still an active member in good standing of a jehovah's witnesses congregation in my country, and honestly not planning to change that status, despite my unorthodox beliefs.

sometime i will elaborate the reason why i don't feel i must leave.

Vidqun

Eden, welcome! I read some of your article on the two kings, especially Dan. 11:40-45, which interests me personally.

First point, Dan. 10-12 covers a period from Cyrus to the resurrection (Dan. 10:1; Dan. 12:2, 13). How is it that you get bogged down with the Seleucids and Ptolemies? Or do you, like most modern scholars, view Daniel as ex eventu, i.e., written after the fact?

Second point, concerning the final versus of chapter 11, these cannot refer to Antiochus IV Epiphanes. E.g., a footnote in the The New Berkeley Bible says: In Antiochus' day Moab longer existed. Antiochus made no African invasions beyond Egypt and he died at Tabae, Persia. Either the writer of the book of Daniel lied, or there is another explanation. You believe in the inerrancy of the Bible, so then the latter must apply.

Some internal evidence from the book itself, indicates that the outcome of most of the visions would lie in the future (cf. Dan. 2:28; 10:14, etc.).

51

This generation will by now means pass away..."

by Jewel in

jw
friends

i haven't been to a meeting (other than some cousins' weddings) for well over twenty years.

i've always wondered what the fds was going to do with the "generations" thing once pretty much everybody who had been alive in 1914 is gone.

i get that they've come up with some "new light" about this topic, but when i ask my mom (who's still in) i only get "well, the new understanding is complicated...".

Vidqun

In my opinion, this is the best explanation of the generation, mentioned at Matt. 24:34. But God forbid, that means Christendom has been right all along! The term generation is understood to mean just what it normally means, namely, 30 to 100 years, or a generation, a life span. But the generation referred to in the expression “this generation” is not the generation to whom Christ is speaking, but the generation to whom the signs will become evident. In effect He is saying that the generation which sees the specific signs, that is, the great tribulation, will also see the fulfillment of the second coming of Christ. Vol. 129: Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 129. 1972 (513) (24). Dallas, TX: Dallas Theological Seminary.

50

New Here! So many questions! :)

by TeenageInsider in

jw
friends

hey everyone!

i'm so happy that i finnally joined i just turned 17 and i have so many questions about the org.. i've been lurking around the site for months, and love reading experiences about bethel, and all the hypocricy that the wtbts spews out.. so i finally joined in and hope to make some great friends.. a little about me:.

im male, 17, and i am a born-in, so this is all i know... i was baptised at age 13 i beleive.... my gramma, and grampa and mom , and sisters and brothers, are all jw's.

Vidqun

Welcome! Good advice all round. My motto is: Study, study, and study some more. Prepare yourself now for secular studies. Not sure what your interests are. Develop your brain. Only then will you survive in the highly competitive world out there. And yes, watch your back. Bright young men are not appreciated by the Watchtower. Their motto is: Listen, obey and be blessed (don't think).

23

Of Bethel a Place of Homosexualiy,Drunkness,Psychotic Episodes,Brawls,Sucide,Immorality,Deceit, Control and Cynism

by Scott77 in

"...the intimacy with farm animals is true.

[beastiality], theft, homosexuality, drunkeness, psychotic episodes, brawls, suicide, immorality, deceit and control is all true.

the sad thing is seeing young women wanting to marry a bethelite thinking that she is getting the 'cream of the crop' and they are probably worse than a so-called worldly person...the cynicism was palpable...the most emotionally unhealthy environments to be a part of...socially disfunctional people..."wheres caleb?http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/218165/3/your-most-disturbing-watchtower-bethel-branch-experience-no-full-names-please.

Vidqun

The NET Bible (New English Translation), an excellent Bible with well-researched footnotes.

23

Of Bethel a Place of Homosexualiy,Drunkness,Psychotic Episodes,Brawls,Sucide,Immorality,Deceit, Control and Cynism

by Scott77 in

"...the intimacy with farm animals is true.

[beastiality], theft, homosexuality, drunkeness, psychotic episodes, brawls, suicide, immorality, deceit and control is all true.

the sad thing is seeing young women wanting to marry a bethelite thinking that she is getting the 'cream of the crop' and they are probably worse than a so-called worldly person...the cynicism was palpable...the most emotionally unhealthy environments to be a part of...socially disfunctional people..."wheres caleb?http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/218165/3/your-most-disturbing-watchtower-bethel-branch-experience-no-full-names-please.

Vidqun

Even though it refers to Northern Israel, the prophecy is an ideal fit. Interesting that they chose the name Bethel. NWT Amos 5:5 And do not search for Bethel, [[NET footnote: Ironically, Israel was to seek after the Lord, but not at Bethel (the name Bethel means "the house of God" in Hebrew).]] and to Gilgal YOU must not come, and to Beer-sheba YOU must not pass over; because Gilgal itself will without fail go into exile; and as regards Bethel, it will become something uncanny. [[NET footnote: Heb "disaster," or "nothing"; NIV "Bethel will be reduced to nothing." Again there is irony. The name Bethel means "house of God" in Hebrew. How surprising and tragic that Bethel, the "house of God" where Jacob received the inheritance given to Abraham, would be overrun by disaster.]]. NWT Amos 5:7 O YOU who are turning justice into mere wormwood, and the ones who have cast righteousness itself to the earth. NWT Amos 5:10 In the gate they have hated a reprover, and a speaker of perfect things they detest [[NET they despise anyone who speaks honestly]].

24

Evidence regarding Daniel 11 & Antiochus IV

by Bobcat in

i was doing research on daniel 8 and 11. what i was wondering was if there was any evidence that the jews saw daniel 8 and 11 fulfilled in antiochus iv.. the explained fulfillments (re: antiochus; non-wt explanations) make a lot of sense, but what specifically i was wondering was if the jews (after the time of antiochus iv) saw the daniel prophecies as being fulfilled in him?

or if there are any threads that discuss this, a link would be appreciated.. thank you in advance.. take care.

Vidqun

Bobcat, a few observations for what they are worth. Modern scholars study the book of Daniel in fragmentary form. I personally view the book as a unit and study it as such.

Daniel 11&12 covers a period from the time of Darius the Mede (Dan. 11:1) to the resurrection (Dan. 12:2). Few modern scholars would acknowledge the fact. In sharp contrast to the book of the Maccabees, Daniel makes no direct mention of Hellenistic Reform, and the angel delivering the final vision, actually dooms a Jewish uprising (cf. Dan. 11:14).

Those are some of the reasons why quite a few conservative scholars view Dan. 11:40-45 as referring to the time of the Antichrist. In addition, Jesus Christ would reject the Maccabean interpretation of "the disgusting thing causing desolation." As a first fulfillment, he applied it to the Romans, not the Seleucid kings (cf. Matt. 24:15; Mark 13:14; Luk. 21:20, 21).

39

Are We Living At The End Of An Age?

by metatron in

jw
friends

i hardly know what else to call it.

i have felt many emotions in my life and anxiety, many times but this is different.. it's a sense of the impending, a build up of pressure like a wall of water behind a cracking dam.

when does it break?.

Vidqun

For Sizemik, “Two Suns in the Sunset” on The Final Cut.

In my rear-view mirror the sun is going down

Sinking behind bridges in the bode

I think of all the good things that we’ve left undone

I suffer premonitions, confirmed suspicions

Of the holocaust to come

The rusty wire that holds the chord that keeps the anger in

Gives way and suddenly it’s day again

The sun is in the east even though the day is done

Two suns in the sunset:

Could be the human race is run?

Like the moment when the brakes lock

And you strain to watch the big strike

You try to stretch the moment with your fear

You will never again see their faces or hear their voices

You have no recourse to the law any more

As the windshield melts and my tears evaporate

Leaving only charcoal to defend

Finally I understand the feelings of the few

Ashes to diamonds/ foe and friend

We are all equal in the end.

50

Baptismal Questions CHANGE AGAIN!

by raymond frantz in

i attended recently a circuit assembly and notice a change in the wording of the 2nd baptismal question .it used to be :.

"do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of jehovah's witnesses in association with god's spirit-directed organization?

now they changed it to :.

Vidqun

If the Baptism Questions did change to "associate" with the "association of spirit anointed" that would be ironic to say the least. Reminds me of their "association" as NGO with the DPI of the UN and the OSCE.

47

The 1919 Date

by turtleturtle in

can someone please give me a neutral explanation of the date 1919?

can the wt prove 1919 from the bible?

what about this quote?

Vidqun

I with jwfacts here. On my wishlist: They must please explain how 3 1/2 days = 9 months.