It truly upset me to hear Witnesses say,"This isn't the real life?" Well, what the hell is it?
Living a highly restricted lifestyle in hopes of receiving eternal life after death is no different than gambling.
i was reading a book and read the following quote:.
"one of the most tragic things i know about human nature is.
that all of us tend to put off living.
It truly upset me to hear Witnesses say,"This isn't the real life?" Well, what the hell is it?
Living a highly restricted lifestyle in hopes of receiving eternal life after death is no different than gambling.
awake 73 march 22 p.12 "the spirit of competition between players can lead to unplesant circumstances...in some homes tensions linger long past checkmate...chess has been a game of war since it originated...the games conection to war is obvious....a play substitue for the art of war...there is a danger of stirring uo competition with one another even developing hostility with one another something the bible warns against....what effect does playing chess have on one?
is it a wholesome effect?
....there are questions regarding it that each one who plays chess should consider.".
This topic is often used as an example of the WTB&TS flip-flopping. I think they have been several articles over the years on chess. The evil empire would go back and forth. It's good. It's bad. It's good. It's bad. I think the last article gave the WTB&TS seal of approval.
The article I have been looking for over the years was in an old Watchtower or Awake. The title was something like "Learn Judo". I took Judo in college and even joined the team in spite of the prohibition on martial arts. Then I learned that was back in the day there was an magazine article promoting it.
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7 Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Doesn't this scripture invalidate just about every child baptism in the evil empire? I was 15 when I got baptised. Mine was definately under compulsion.
This whole incident is a numbers scam. Then again, remember, they're "publishers" and publishers is defined as "a company or person engaged in publishing periodicals, books, music, etc." So, the "company" (i.e. WTB&TS) sends it's "regional manager" (i.e. Circuit Overseer) to make sure each "store" (i.e. congregation) is selling more books. So the "store managers" (i.e. body of elders) have to come up with ways to increase productivity to hit those numbers set by the company.
this took place in the 1970s (i'm 38).. .
all members of the story are or were jehovahs witnesses.
i've known this all my life but i've never told anyone.
"I don't know how the congregation elders became suspicious of this, but I was told they followed and spied on them and confronted my father with what they observed."
Isn't great how elders are willing to play private investigator when it comes to adultry, but won't bother to call the police when it comes to domestic violence or child abuse?
the world is getting better in many ways despite the doom and gloom jws might claim.
the 24/7 news cycle seems to be all doom and gloom.
but is it all doom and gloom?
"What's the world coming to, sir?"
"The world ain't coming to nothing, son. Same as it ever was."
opportunities seemed to be advertised everywhere when i was a young man, it was hard to decide on one.
.
.
Almost...
I would have 10 more years of experience as a police officer and I would probably be a police chief by now if I had started my career when I was younger.
a few weeks back i came home from work and found the latest copies of the watchtower (armageddon fearmongering) and awake!
(social media site nonsense) lying on the counter.
it was obvious witnesses had stopped by the house.
"You are only encouraging them to come back." - LongHairGal
You're 100% correct. However, they always comes back.
a few weeks back i came home from work and found the latest copies of the watchtower (armageddon fearmongering) and awake!
(social media site nonsense) lying on the counter.
it was obvious witnesses had stopped by the house.
A few weeks back I came home from work and found the latest copies of the Watchtower (Armageddon fearmongering) and Awake!(social media site nonsense) lying on the counter. It was obvious Witnesses had stopped by the house. My wife said nothing of the visit.
This past Saturday morning my kids tell me there is someone at the door. Low and behold it is the Witness couple that left the magazines with my wife. We exchanged some pleasantries and then the husband shared a Bible verse. He is up in years and mentions that he may not live to see Armageddon, but truly believes it's coming (and soon).
Let me get to the point of the topic I have started and I realize it is not exactly new. I think we need to assemble a brief manual on what to say to Witnesses when they come to our door. For Ex-Witnesses, we are familiar with the concept of being prepared to give a "fine witness".
I'm looking for serious minded responses to this concept. I do not believe the circus-like demonstrations against Witnesses does anyone any good. Protests and picketting outside Kingdom Halls only strengthens the convicitons of Witnesses.
Quite honestly, I am at a lost to where to even begin. I know the advice to never debate doctrine has been given. What other rules would you apply?
Here are some of my rules:
Rule #1: Always be polite and respectful.
Rule #2: Do not tell them you used to be a Witness. This means avoid using Witness terminology.
Rule #3: If you share a scripture, use any Bible other than the NWT.
i am writing another letter to a jw friend who still feels that she can convince me to come back to the organisation.
in the letter i realised that i was quoting a lot from matthew 7, and i decided it may be beneficial to just make some notes about some of the verses in the chapter with regards to the organisation and how it compares.
enjoy reading them:.
Many Witnesses justify the judging of their fellow man by pointing out what the Bible says. If they can point to a scripture and say, "See. It says right here that it wrong," then they feel they you have been judged by Jehovah, not them. This is not justification. It is only an excuse and semantics.
Do not judge or you will be judged. There's no two way about that. Jesus condemned people judging other people. Do judge a fellow man is to encroach on the authority of Jesus.
seriously.... there's a meeting where wt dogma is taught... nothing unusual there.... they pass around bread and wine and in the vast majority of khs no one at all partakes.. if anything, it is a pantomime of wt teaching that the "great crowd" of "other sheep" have no part in the blood and body of christ.. hardly something to celebrate....
"...the body of servers approach and are individually served with the bread, they then go among the audience who are all afraid of dropping it and have to maintain a respectful silence....each plate is handed carefully back to the speaker .....The last server ceremonially "serves" the speaker who gives in back before getting it in return to place on the table....Then the whole thing is done again with the wine.." - BluesBrother
I had often had a similar thought. Why the hell is it so important for the "Other Sheep" present to each hold the emblem and pass it. It's very cermemonial, which the hold Lord's Evening Meal is, but just asenine. It's as if you have offended Jehovah or Jesus by not holding and refusing to partake.
It would save a whole lot of time if the speaker just said,"Is anyone going to partake? No? Ok. Please stand as we sing song number..."