Phizzy

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Posts by Phizzy

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  8

  The "Time of the End"

  by Rivergang in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for those who still hold to the belief that the last 109 years have been part of "the time of the end", consider this: .

  https://www.science.org/content/article/why-536-was-worst-year-be-alive.

  it would have been quite understandable if those alive during the middle of the 6th century ad believed the "end was nigh.".

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  Phizzy

  I remember giving a Public Talk where in my intro I read a lot of quotes from over those Centuries about being in the Time of the End, the audience nodded along, thinking they were talking about our day, I then revealed when they were from, the latest one had been from the 1700's !

  I guess I then had to talk about how we knew we really were in the last days now, I cannot remember the content, but I was not awake then, so probably I gave out a load of shite.

  I wonder how long they can keep flogging this dead horse of "any day now" ? It reminds me of the centuries when the Jews used to say the mantra "Next year, in Jerusalem", mind you, that came true for some in 1948 , the J.W thing never will come true !
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  14

  Two Powers in Heaven

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  while this topic might at first seem to come from left field, it has arisen in my mind when reading a number of recent threads.

  this topic in full requires many hours of research to fully assimilate but i'm now only introducing the topic and encouraging further reading.

  in short, by the end of the common era judaism included various heavenly figures that took on roles that, for all practical purposes, were those of god.

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  Phizzy

  Interesting ! I have a feeling this will change a lot of what I have thought up until now, I have some reading to do !
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  20

  mentally ill/delusional or con artist?

  by enoughisenough in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  maybe this has been discussed in the past and i wasn't here... what do you think?

  are the gb members knowingly pulling a con, or do they have delusions of grandeur?

  i will go out on a limb here to say that i think they are con artist.

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  Phizzy

  I think they have been carefully selected over the years as fully indoctrinated believers. The difficulty is when they get to the top, they see how it all really works.

  But, as full believers, they justify and rationalise this. I have seen this operate in people who have climbed the Political ladder, they may still be "believers" in the ideology they espouse, but realise it is pragmatic to lie to the "faithful" by not telling the whole truth, or downright telling porkies. But, the said politician STILL believes !

  So, with the position, must come increased cognitive dissonance, but they have had a lifetime of dealing with that.

  Deluded Charlatans are still Charlatans.
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  282

  How Will They End 1914 Teaching?

  by EmptyInside in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm sure this has been discussed, but 1914 has to go away.

  instead of, the overlapping generation teaching, they should have just ditched 1914. .

  they should have done that a long time ago with 1975. it's the last of the teachings in the charles taze russell era.. i'm thinking they just will stop talking about it, and it will be out of the mind of the rank and file loyal witnesses .

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  Phizzy

  "Scholar" said : " all of the population had left Judah leaving the Land desolate for a fixed period of 70 years until they returned home 70 years later"

  Archaeology clearly shows the land of Judah was NOT left without population during this period. Occupation and farming continued.

  But, this has taken the Thread away from the question in it's Title, I will be intrigued as to how they will get rid of the 1914 nonsense, if they ever do, if they get rid of 1914, then the 1919 "choosing" goes, so they are in a tight corner.

  They tried the method of just mentioning 1914 as a "given" that did not work, so they painted themselves into that corner again by trying another specious explanation of 1914.

  They are stuck with it, like a rotting, stinking, dead animal tied around their necks.
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  16

  Are Both The JW And The Ex-JW Community a Cult?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  charlie ryde writes:.

  let us use the same bite model for determining if something is a cult to both being a jw and being ex-jw.

  mind you this is a short summary.. b- behavioral control.

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  Phizzy

  I agree almost 100% with Eden One's comment above, except remembering my own experience upon leaving, as a very naive person, having been born in, I really appreciated the guidance of Posters on here, and elsewhere on line, who helped me begin to learn how to think Critically, how to really examine my beliefs etc. and they gave me the impetus to educate myself.

  So, though not campaigning to save people, but a kindly nudge to them may be helpful, but, as Eden says, if they are a pig (ignorant) you won't teach them to dance.
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  5

  Nethinim...Con-men or Prostitutes....

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i thought a short commentary on the "nethinim" (nathinim, nethunim) would be fun.

  the word (given (ones) is used in verbal form in reference to the levites until the post exilic stories whereupon it takes on a new usage as a name of a specific non-israelite people serving in the temple.

  it is much complicated by the various descriptions from p,d,j but it is clear we have some conflict of opinions about the history and role of this group.. in josh 9 we have an apparent late attempt to identify nethinim with the gibeonites.

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  Phizzy

  So, if the Nethinim are post-Exilic, and slaves given for service by rich worshippers, these would be people living in the land when the returnees got back from Babylon ? Rich worshippers and slaves in the land ? or did the two classes form over time as the 2nd temple was built ?
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  5

  Nethinim...Con-men or Prostitutes....

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i thought a short commentary on the "nethinim" (nathinim, nethunim) would be fun.

  the word (given (ones) is used in verbal form in reference to the levites until the post exilic stories whereupon it takes on a new usage as a name of a specific non-israelite people serving in the temple.

  it is much complicated by the various descriptions from p,d,j but it is clear we have some conflict of opinions about the history and role of this group.. in josh 9 we have an apparent late attempt to identify nethinim with the gibeonites.

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  Phizzy

  ḲEDESHAH (plural, Ḳedeshot):

  By: Emil G. Hirsch, Joseph Jacobs

  The ḳedeshot were sacred prostitutes attached to the Temple as priestesses of Ashtoreth or Astarte. The worship of Ashtoreth was introduced by Solomon (I Kings xi. 5); and it is possible that the obscene rites connected therewith were practised near the Temple, which was practically a chapel royal while the kingdom lasted. It is even stated that Tamar adopted the professional dress of a ḳedeshah to ensnare Judah (Gen. xxxviii. 21). The male counterparts of the ḳedeshot, the ḳedeshim, are mentioned in the reign of Rehoboam (I Kings xiv. 24); they were removedby Asa (ib. xv. 12) and by Jehoshaphat (ib. xxii. 47); and Josiah even found it necessary to break down their houses at the time of his reforms (II Kings xxiii. 7). Hosea (iv. 14) refers to ḳedeshot. The Deuteronomic legislation, which represents Josiah's reformation, declared against the practise of such rites. "There shall be no ḳedeshah of the daughters of Israel, nor a ḳadesh of the sons of Israel" (Deut. xxiii. 18, Hebr.). It is doubtful, however, whether the rites were altogether abolished; for Ezekiel gives a full account of them, obviously from scenes witnessed during his lifetime (Ezek. xxiii. 36-48). It is even probable that there was reversion to these rites by Jehoiakim (II Kings xxiii. 37), Jehoiachin (ib. xxiv. 9), and Zedekiah (ib. 19). It has been suggested by Jacobs that the Nethinim were the descendants of these ḳedeshot.

  Bibliography:

  • Jacobs, Studies in Biblical Archœology, pp. 114-116, London, 1894.

  
  

  
  
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  43

  Research paper on Effects of Shunning

  by peacefulpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  after being around this site for 21 years now, i've heard many recount their stories and feelings.

  many times i can immediately relate but other times they seem to have had a very different experience with the church.

  i'm sure that is because not only are all of us different in personality, but congregations and family dynamics vary as well.

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  Phizzy

  " It saddens me that most ex JWs seem to see all Christian denominations through the prism of the Watchtower. My experience in Christendom, probably like yours and Mrs Ozzie , bears no relation to the experience of JWs ."

  As soon as we left, my wife and I attended a number of different churches, different denominations, and one wonderful "independent" church that was self financing, lead by a very loving but vibrant preacher,with lots of families, a wonderful christian Rock band, etc etc.

  No organised worship is for us now, but if we wanted it, we would go there ! You could feel the love and concern that was there within the congregation, but was immediately extended to us. These people were real followers of Christ.
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  33

  Everyone else burns new UK sitcom

  by Mickey mouse in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm looking forward to this, having watched a trailer i think ex-jws will enjoy it https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/comedy/everyone-else-burns-simon-bird-first-look-exclusive-newsupdate/.

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  Phizzy

  " I hope we can find a way to watch it here in the USA."

  Channel 4 have an on-line catch-up service, maybe you could access that ?
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  10

  OPINIONS PLEASE: I propose a new strategy against the Watchtower policy of DISFELLOWSHIP

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i need your opinion and a discussion...tell me what you think, both pros and cons...the governments of norway and russia have both targeted watchtower's severely inhumane policy of disfellowship separating and isolating members by ostracizing them and labeling them as 'mentally diseased", etc.

  dis fellowship.is a mushy concept unfamiliar to non-jw's.that word doesn't convey brutal, cold, and uncaring shunning and the impact on vulnerable persons cut off from family and friends.i propose swapping the phrase "religious apartheid" for the term "disfellowship" because it is significantly more impactful, familiar, and gut-wrenching.jw's teach practice and promote discrimination, opprobrium, and animus in punishing by isolation those who disagree with their doctrines.

  moreover - it is a de facto death sentence both spiritually and (according to the expectation of armageddon) literally as well.

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  Phizzy

  "Religious Apartheid" is a good expression IMHO.