The Searcher

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Posts by The Searcher

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  28

  WT ain't going out of business.

  by joe134cd in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i've heard this said in other posts, so now i'm going to combine it in one post.. the $28 million awarded to conti is only drop in the bucket for what they are worth.. there would have to be 100 s of successful sex abuse law suites before they would feel it.

  quite frankly i don't reckon there would be enough with the right circumstances to have a successful case against wt.

  having a dozen or so cases isn't going to break the bank.

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  The Searcher

  A reasonable conclusion, based on what you stated. However, I feel that you missed out THE single most important element necessary for the Org's survival - ongoing income!

  No one knows how much the the WTBTS must have lost in the credit crunch via their investments in Wall Street, but they would have caused serious concern amongst the financial suits in Brooklyn.

  However, the mounting pedophile lawsuits will greatly exacerbate those losses, and when you factor in the likely dramatic drop in contributions from the sheep when the media informs them that the Worldwide Work contributions are being used to pay off victims of the GB's directives, the money making machine will really begin to creak and falter!
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  8

  Legitimate Children

  by new hope and happiness in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have my own personal viewpoint on why its often so futile to reason with a jehovers witness.. i think many witnesses, feel like legitimate children to the organisation.

  ( i have often heard the org being referrd to as mother).

  and this parental sence of belonging is so strong that new membets become " stepchildren".

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  The Searcher

  Whatever nasty humans characteristics are denounced by Witnesses as "worldly" and "part of Satan's system", are greatly magnified within Kingdom Halls in particular and in the Org generally! By claiming to be uniquely "God's chosen people" and to zelously strive to show people "how wrong THEY are" in THEIR beliefs, immediately brings to mind Jesus' 'rafter & straw' illustration!
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  12

  Do you have something to prove?

  by freeflyingfaerie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sometimes i have to recheck my motives for doing things.. sometimes i do things for the pure joy of it...dance, yoga, nature walk, listen to music, read something interesting, etc.

  but, sometimes when i am engaged in something, like college studies(which i do for the end result and also enrichment), i get flashes of my past that creep in that remind me of a negative message, and it makes me wonder if one of my motives is to also prove something about my self.

  at times i recall my ex-husband calling me 'stupid' or 'dumb'.

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  The Searcher

  FAERIE - You're not alone!! Many, many, active Witnesses - including "glorious, spirit appointed ones" - are going through turmoils the same as you and me! And just think what many elders are having to endure because they can see how "dark" and controlling the Org has become in recent years!

  Would rather be in their shoes, with all that they stand to lose? Each of us has our own load to bear and have to deal with it in a way that suits us, not other people!

  Fill your life with love - by loving yourself and ALL whom you meet - because love is a life-changing emotion!

  Look for the good in yourself, and share it.
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  43

  Is there anything you could do forever that wouln't get boring?

  by mynameislame in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  not sure when i came to this conclusion but i can't imagine living forever.

  after a while i think i would be completly bored with everything.. not saying i wouln't like to live for a few hundred years or maybe even a few thousand if i could travel through space and discover other universes star trek style.

  but the thought of living forever sounds like it would eventually become a complete drag.. maybe i'm wrong, maybe after a thousand years or so you would foregt all the stuff that happend at the beginning and just start over in an infinite loop..

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  The Searcher

  Re-phrase the question and you may get entirely different viewpoints:

  "At the happiest and healthiest time in your life, did you want to die at that point?".

  Many people get to a stage in their lives where it is "boring" because they do not have the neccessities to really enjoy life - youthfulness, good health, vitality, & money!

  Find someone with all of these and ask him if he's bored with life!
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  53

  2014 DC: Fewer, but larger venues in the U.S.

  by doinmypart in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in the u.s. there are fewer venues this year, but they will be held in larger facilities.

  as long as i can remember my family travelled no more than 2 hours to attend and in the last few years the dc was local (within a few minutes travel).

  this year my family is driving 6 hours to a major u.s. city.

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  The Searcher

  Maybe my memory is playing tricks, but wasn't one of the principle reasons that the weekly group Bible study was cancelled after 60 years, to save the brothers fuel costs and travelling?

  My own reasoning why they did it, was to isolate the brothers from small discussion groups as the Internet rapidly provided death-dealing information on the Org. (see Sept. 2007 Kingdom Ministry, Question Box)
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  39

  The Christian Hope--Is it in Heaven or on Earth?

  by DS211 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so is the christian hope in heaven or on earth?.

  in acts chapter 1the question was raised: 6 so when they had assembled, they asked him: lord, are you restoring the kingdom to israel at this time?

  7 he said to them: it does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the father has placed in his own jurisdiction.. notice jesus never said thered be a change in venue, just that it wasnt up to them to know when..... so what is there from both sides?

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  The Searcher

  CRAZYGUY said - "You make a good point Perry, but why then does Paul talk so much about a heavenly calling?"

  I puzzled over Paul's wording, so I looked at the the original Greek to see if maybe something had been lost in translation and his actual context had been skewed. Here it it is:

  (Hebrews 3:1) Consequently, holy brothers, partakers of the heavenly calling (invitation - footnote in NWT)

  • heavenly - epouranios (adj) - of heavenly origin or nature. (The ORIGIN of the invitation)

  (Philippians 3:14) I am pursuing down toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus.

  upward - anō - up, upwards, above, on high

  call - klēsis - a calling, calling to, a call, invitation, to a feast, of the divine invitation to embrace salvation of God.

  Was Paul simply reminding Christians of the the sourceof the invitation to all men to gain salvation through Christ, (heaven) rather than claiming it was the destination?

  If heaven is the destination, then the promises at Psalm 37:9-11, 29 ("And they will reside forever upon it") Revelation 21:3,4 (Tent of God is with mankind, who will have no more pain, death etc.) and other descriptive verses, become very confusing and create problems as to what is actually being promised!
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  45

  Circuit Oversneer Says. . .

  by piztjw in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "do you realize how much of a privelge it is to enjoy the visit of the circuit overseer?

  they are appointed by the governing body who in turn are apointed by jesus and holy spirit.

  so you have a great privilege when we visit your congregation, because it is the same thing as having jesus visit you.

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  The Searcher

  You gotta get the KH recording of this and share it!! Purely for academic reference of course!! :)

  I'd spread something like that as much as I could!
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  39

  The Christian Hope--Is it in Heaven or on Earth?

  by DS211 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so is the christian hope in heaven or on earth?.

  in acts chapter 1the question was raised: 6 so when they had assembled, they asked him: lord, are you restoring the kingdom to israel at this time?

  7 he said to them: it does not belong to you to know the times or seasons that the father has placed in his own jurisdiction.. notice jesus never said thered be a change in venue, just that it wasnt up to them to know when..... so what is there from both sides?

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  The Searcher

  God's will in heaven that we definitely want done on the earth?

  Revelation 12:8-9 - neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled..

  Just my personal point of view! It would be a helluvva better place without him - pardon the pun!!

  p.s. Rev.21:3 - The tent of God is with mankind" (not spirit-dom!)
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  108

  "Jehovah ALWAYS had/used an organization". How would you reply?

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in a recent meeting with elders, an argument was used to the effect that jehovah has always [= throughout history] used, or operated through, an organization; therefore, the wts must be that organization today, since god must be using one.

  naturally, i know what arguments i've used to counter that argument.

  but i'm interested in hearing yours.

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  The Searcher

  Jesus said HE was our leader; Jesus said MY sheep know MY voice; Jesus said that THE SPIRIT would teach us all things - not an Org; Jesus said that we are ALL brothers.

  Psalm 146:3 warns us not to put our trust in men for our salvation, and yet millions around the world base their hope of salvation on their LOYALTY & OBEDIENCE to either eight men in Brooklyn or one man in Rome!

  If an "organization" was going to be used by God on earth, then Christ and the Bible writers really let everyone down by forgetting to mention the subject to us!
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  1

  Friend prays for me

  by noonehome in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a very good friend of mine has noticed my severe depression.

  she knows i go / going through difficult times and have allot i keep repressed.

  i kind of act bipolar i guess in that i can drop from high to low very quickly and dangerously.

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  The Searcher

  Sadly, the subject of prayer has been hijacked by many to be portrayed as a type of room-service.

  My simplified view of prayer (as a Christian) is that God hears our prayers and they show that we want Him to act on our behalf. However, He will not prevent death, disease, crime etc. from affecting anyone - not even His own son - because a time is promised when all these things will be eliminated at the same time. I don't believe for a micro-second that our Creator saves a group of people who are praying, on 'plane which looks certain to crash. Nor will He provide 100 chickens as is alleged in the 2013 Yearbook!

  God is not partial, and I sincerely believe He will answer our prayers - for help to endure grievous situations we may face, and most importantly, to protect our relationship with Him!

  Even Christ himself said that "he that endures to the end will be saved". Whether rich or poor - in health or financially - we have to remain spiritual minded as Jesus did.

  And please don't worry about your friend's opinion of you - she's only human like the rest of us. Just build up your good opinion of YOURSELF, based on the knowledge you are discovering.

  Best wishes for your continuing journey in life.