Posts by Phizzy

20

Why did Paul call Jesus, “the firstborn from the dead”?

by Doug Mason in

"jesus christ was resurrected on nisan 16, 33 c.e., the day when the jewish high priest offered up the firstfruits of the barley harvest.

this fits in accurately with jesus' being the "firstfruits" in the resurrection of the human dead.

(1 cor.

Phizzy

I think we have to ask what Paul's idea of Resurrection would have been. He was a Pharisee, so believed there would be a Resurrection, but he probably believed as most did at his time this was to occur for most at " The End of Days" .

Generally Rabbis of his day envisaged a resurrection back to life on Earth if I remember correctly, they quoted the examples from Scripture where ones were formerly brought back to life, but bearing that in mind , how could Christ be the Firstborn from the dead ? I guess the conclusion above is right, he was the first to gain immortality, those previous guys all died in the end.

Paul has to develop these ideas, somewhat hurriedly, and way different to what orthodox Jews believed then, because he is convinced that Jesus , after his death, spoke to Paul from Heaven. And Mortals don't get in to Heaven, presumably.

28

Why do some people who were trapped in the WT and wake up, still believe in the Bible God who allowed them to be deceived for years.

by pistolpete in

why do some people who were trapped in the wt and wake up after much frustration and anger that they were lied to, still believe in the bible god who allowed them and their families to be deceived and trapped for years.

i have an acquaintance who is a lot older than me and for the past 30 years he has been out of the watchtower religion and is sola scriptura.

sola scriptura is a theological doctrine that posits the christian scriptures as the sole infallible source of authority for christian faith and practice.

Phizzy

When I first left I believed in the god of the Bible, and believed it was his Word.

I was painfully aware that the J.W Org had lied to me since my birth, so determined to Fact Check and Question EVERYTHING in future, I didn't want to be fooled again.

So, I put the effort in, did lots of proper Research and ended up where I am today, a Happy, Informed, Humanist Atheist.

If I had not expended the effort, I too might still be trusting as true things that have no Foundation whatsoever.

140

Why So Many Young People Are Leaving The Watchtower

by Jeremy C in

i have been giving a lot of thought to the young people who are leaving the watchtower organization in recent years.

last night, i was reading the thread posted by jwfacts a while back in which he provided some statistics and graphs showing the rapidly declining growth in the watchtower.

one factor that was discussed at length was the high number of young people who do not stay in the organization.

Phizzy

I am surprised how many young ones do stay, but having said that, all the ones I have met recently, or heard of, who are either out or working towards it are pretty young, the oldest was 42, and he told me the names of lots of his younger mates who were Awake at least.

Sadly the older ones are now stuck in until they die I guess. As an Elder said to me just after I left " All the intelligent ones have left" ( I hope he included me in that group !".)

I miss Jeremy C and Posters of his Stature too.

24

Can a person resign from being one of Jehovah's Witness?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

can a person resign from being one of jehovah’s witnesses?.

frequently asked questions.

a person can resign from our organization in two ways:.

Phizzy

Well done Sail Away, I have heard of others doing this, successfully.

The legal threat puts them on guard, it doesn't stop the rumour mill, and then some will shun you to some degree no doubt, but who cares ? you have spiked their guns as much as is possible.

56

Do You Get Easily Offended By What People Do or Don’t Do?

by minimus in

jw
friends

does using uncle ben’s food products offend you?.

are you offended if you see a flag?

what about a confederate flag?.

Phizzy

You're "Offended" ? Nobody dies themselves from being offended. Go, home, grow up, and get over it.

I find some views offensive in the sense that they should never be expressed, like Racist or Misogynistic and Homophobic views, but I don't have a hissy fit and get my underpants in a bunch about it.

I just loudly expose where such views are wrong. If it is practical and sensible to do so, some people you cannot have a discussion with, so sod them, they can go stew in their Hate.

7

RIP Murray Walker. The world is a sadder quieter place now,

by Slidin Fast in

jw
friends

any f1 fan of a certain vintage will shed a tear for murray.

the embodiment of enthusiasm..

Phizzy

When you compare Murray with the JW "Speakers" you realise how lacking in animation and enthusiasm they are for their subject, and their religion.

Murray LOVED F1 and it showed, in spades. Aren't JW's supposed to love their " truth" ? well, why don't they sound at least a bit animated and involved ?

7

RIP Murray Walker. The world is a sadder quieter place now,

by Slidin Fast in

jw
friends

any f1 fan of a certain vintage will shed a tear for murray.

the embodiment of enthusiasm..

Phizzy

I loved the quote that " Even in his quieter moments, he sounded as though his trousers were alight" !

I think that was originally in the Guardian.

50

Prove That Jehovah’s Witnesses Do Not Have The “Truth”

by minimus in

jw
friends

someone is researching jehovah’s witnesses.

they happen to come on to this site.

do the witnesses have the truth??.

Phizzy

As Russell himself said ,and I paraphrase " If new light should shine upon the Scriptures for us, it will only add to what we understood before, if it replaces what we understood, the latter was not "Light" or "Truth" at all".

It is of course a Prime Example of their taking Scriptures out of context to use the Proverbs one to explain their constant changes of Doctrine ,the context is plain, it is talking about " The Path of the Righteous One" , and obviously, such a man, as he goes through life, will see the right Path more clearly. The light on the Path gets brighter.

To make more of it than that is not just error, it is deliberate wickedness, a Twisting of Scripture.

24

Can a person resign from being one of Jehovah's Witness?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

can a person resign from being one of jehovah’s witnesses?.

frequently asked questions.

a person can resign from our organization in two ways:.

Phizzy

" Those who were baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses but no longer preach to others, perhaps even drifting away from association with fellow believers, are not shunned. In fact, we reach out to them and try to rekindle their spiritual interest. "

This is an excellent example of the way the Org lies by telling a half truth, what is called " speaking out of both sides of your mouth".

Any Baptized JW who "fades" which is what is being described above, WILL BE SHUNNED ! make no mistake about it. Yes its true that two Elders will be sent to visit you and "reach out " to you, they say "to rekindle your spiritual interest", but the reality is those two Elders want to tidy up the books, and will use the visit to try to trap you in your speech, if that doesn't work, to persuade you to write a Letter of Disassociation, then they can say to the Circuit Overseer when he comes along and questions them that they tried, but you were determined to DA.

The statement above by them is for Public consumption, every JW who has been one for a few years knows the reality, and that the statement is a LIE.

If they cannot get you to DA you are STILL SHUNNED, I am living testimony of that !

You can leave, but whatever you do, they have power over you.

19

Research help needed: knowledge of Knights Templar and Masonic history vital

by Fay Dehr in

i am in conversation with a uk historian regarding some knights templar locations, where jws have built buildings.

*** this is serious research - not a joke *** .

i am not - and do not wish to be - a conspiracy theorist, but something has come to light in the uk and i lack the knowledge of knights templar + masons.

Phizzy

" It was the same sort of conspiracy theorist thinking that is happening nowadays."

To a degree yes, but of course the influence of the Masons in the areas you discuss was insidious and corrupt, and though the movement is waning, it still goes on today too.

The more outrageous Conspiracy theories of today are laughable of course, but the linking of say Russell or Rutherford to the Masons is not too unbelievable, and would be quite damning, but there is simply no solid, or even near satisfactory, evidence for it, or for any links by JW's today.