I always thought the official company line was - "God does not test us. He allows us to be tested."
Satan challenged God's authority. In order to save face with creation, God accepted the challenge and now mankind suffers to appease God's ego.
i'll be starting a series "answer this:" with thought-provoking questions for debate.
your arguments for and against are most welcome.. i'll start with this: .
why would an omnibenevolent and omniscient god put us through tests of faith?.
I always thought the official company line was - "God does not test us. He allows us to be tested."
Satan challenged God's authority. In order to save face with creation, God accepted the challenge and now mankind suffers to appease God's ego.
i bought a house literally in walking distance from the local kingdom hall.
we used to get saturday morning doorknockers on a regular basis.
then it stopped.
Prior to the internet being a common thing for everyone, I was heavily into the dial-up, 1200 baud rate Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). I used to county time typing posts and responses. Then we were told that's not kosher. I guess that's changed.
i bought a house literally in walking distance from the local kingdom hall.
we used to get saturday morning doorknockers on a regular basis.
then it stopped.
I bought a house literally in walking distance from the local Kingdom Hall. We used to get Saturday morning doorknockers on a regular basis. Then it stopped. For years.
Yesterday morning 2 Witnesses knocked on my door. The one handed me a tract which was the Memorial invitation. I was asked if I was familiar with the biblical account of the Lord's Evening Meal. I responded in the affirmative.
The one who handed me the tract asked, "Would you mind if I share with you...?"
He started to go for his bible and I thought he was going to say "scripture." Instead, to my surprise, he pulled out an iPad and said "video."
I kindly declined and wished them well. I started having visions of Witnesses knocking on people's doors with hand cranked phonographs a hundred years ago.
In addition, there was no attempt to further the conversation after I declined.
The pathetic decline is real.
an old jw friend of my wife stopped by here in fla. i knew there would be some subliminal bs.
i had to keep quiet through all the this old system can not go on much longer and are you going to the memorial?
gag.
103 years past 1914.
42 years past 1975.
Nearly 2000 years since the birth and death of Christ.
Any days now...
I think this delves into the area of instinct, which is something hardwired into us at birth. At least to a certain extent.
i left school at 16, because i was studying and getting the best " university education" in the world.
.
how did the theocratic ministry school benefit you?.
TMS may or may not have helped other than giving me opportunities to prove to myself I had the skill set for public speaking.
I was already baptized and 15 years old when I first joined the TMS. I remember giving my first talk, the old #2. No one realized it was my first talk.
the watchtower library is a great tool to learn more about the watchtower itself.
for example, answering the question "does the word "organization" ever appear in the bible"?
is easy to answer using it.
Two words: Iron Chariots.
hi all.. this is a reasonable question and would love to know what you think is having the biggest impact on watchtower.
there is a plethora of websites talking negatively of watchtower.
there are the never ending court cases regarding child abuse allegations.
I recently attended a class for work in which the topic of dealing with generational differences was discussed. Bullet points for Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Generation Y (Millennials) covered the differences of these generation in brief.
Of note was Generation Y's change in work ethic from previous generations. The "Protestant Work Ethic" is a thing of the past. Generation Y seeks a balance between work and recreation. The Protestant Work Ethic is "Work hard now and play later." It is a philosophy of putting off your desires and sacrificing your personal interests to complete tasks. That is not to say Generation Y does not want to work or work hard. Rather, Generation Y wants to enjoy the fruits of their labor as they work.
This is completely contrary to the belief system of Jehovah's Witnesses. Growing up as a Witness in the 80's it was beat into our skulls that we sacrifice everything now for a reward in a New World. No education. No career. No hobbies that would take time away from meetings and field service. Marriage and having children discouraged. Recreation is important, but it must be simple and brief.
Putting that together with information at your fingertips thanks to the internet, it surprises me that total decline has not occurred in the organization in first world nations.
Of course, the overlapping generations was a total blow to Baby Boomers and Gen Xers who believe "70 to 80 years" from 1914 was it.
for information leading to the arrest and imprisonment of.
I'm chasing a local kid who robbed a bank and tried to kill a police officer. He jumped bond and fled to Mexico. He's attending the local meetings, so his parents are proud of him.
I can't tell you how many child rapists I've arrested who are active Witnesses.
alone, without my safety net of "god" being there to remember me when i die.
after much consideration, examining science, history and using logic, i have come to the conclusion that there is no "god" at least certainly no loving, personal "god.
" shortly before my final conclusion was reached, i read an excerpt from an expression attributed to marcus aurelius, .
"Crom, I have never prayed to you before. I have no tongue for it. No one, not even you, will remember if we were good men or bad. Why we fought, or why we died. All that matters is that two stood against many. That's what's important! Valor pleases you, Crom... so grant me one request. Grant me revenge! And if you do not listen, then to HELL with you!" - Conan, Conan the Barbarian (1982)
I believe the Norse belief system is superior to that of Christianity. The gods made us. There is no fall from perfection or need for redemption.
Honor the gods by being honorable in your own deeds. If you live an honorable life, Odin will send his Valkyries to carry you to the Halls of Valhalla upon your death. That is where the brave live forever.