joao

Joined

• started 9 topics
• posted 181 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by joao

• 
  33

  News from Silentlambs on Erica Garza (Washington State)

  by blondie in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  recent newsletter from silentlambs.com updates.

  i wanted to give a couple of updates for silentlambs and let everyone know we are busy behind the scenes.

  new reports come in everyday and many are being helped with their situations.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  @blondie

  Please, send a hug to Erica from a Portuguese friend who knows what being molested as a child is, even though it wasn't by any JW, and who left the WT as soon as he found out the truth about this evil corporation
  
• 
  6

  The problem of questioning or the lack of politeness

  by joao in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a forum is a place where people should be able to talk to each other, to question, to have meaningful interactions with others in a polite and educated way, to contribute for the growth of one another.

  it seems that, here, there are some people who think that the others know nothing.

  they have all the facts, all the truth and have the disrespectful attitude of ignoring concrete and respectful questions.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  LHG:

  Hi! Thank you for your reply.

  Here, the point is not that they don't agree with me. It's that they don't answer me. That's what I have in the KH!

  I like some theological subjects, others I don't. Some issues are really uninteresting because they are very focused on the American reality and I'm Portuguese.

  All in all, how would you feel if someone argued against something you said but wouldn't reply to your polite reply? It's shunning, again.

  And I don't need this to move on. It feels like I'm being pushed backwards and getting no support in a forum I supposed was a place to help bringing some light into one's life, not toxicity.

  As you see, I'm willing to move on.
  
• 
  6

  The problem of questioning or the lack of politeness

  by joao in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a forum is a place where people should be able to talk to each other, to question, to have meaningful interactions with others in a polite and educated way, to contribute for the growth of one another.

  it seems that, here, there are some people who think that the others know nothing.

  they have all the facts, all the truth and have the disrespectful attitude of ignoring concrete and respectful questions.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  A forum is a place where people should be able to talk to each other, to question, to have meaningful interactions with others in a polite and educated way, to contribute for the growth of one another.

  It seems that, here, there are some people who think that the others know nothing. They have all the facts, all the truth and have the disrespectful attitude of ignoring concrete and respectful questions. That's the case of Fisherman.

  @Fisherman I would only say that you should open your eyes and ears. The world is vast and any single person or limited group of men who claim that only they have the whole truth are not following the wonderful example of humility given by Christ.

  @Fisherman, your attitude shows arrogance and is toxic! It's not healthy nor does it contribute for the growth of other fellow human beings. Which is your contribution for the well-being of others? So far as I can tell, none!

  It's quite possible that I'll leave this forum. No, it's not because I can't argue with others who have opposing views. It's because I can't stand being sit in the same room where there are people who can't have a polite conversation with me, people who lead double lives and don't respect the others.

  These people behave, here, as if they were elders bossing over others, enforcing the WT lies upon others.

  This is not a KH, but it's becoming as toxic as if it were one!
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  @Earnest

  I think I'm not contradicting myself. Is it too much feeling sad and disillusioned because my mother-in-law doesn't care about the reasons I left? I know it's all about indoctrination. But when she and her daughter showed me "the truth" and it ruined my life and hurt my parents she liked that I heard her. I know that's what indoctrination makes to people: it blinds them! But I think it would be polite of her to show that she cares.
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  Still no answers... I should have guessed! We're just supposed to listen and obey no matter how silly and untrue what we say is! Just like my mother-in-law didn't care about reading my dissociation letter. She should think that she will soon need me to change her diapers! Or perhaps I'll tell her to ask the WT or the GB or their friends to do it. What do you think?
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  @Fisherman

  It seems that my questions are going to remain unanswered... That's a pity because you're losing the opportunity of putting some more time into your monthly report. And perhaps I would get the chance to see that I'm really wrong. Perhaps you could make me see the light and return to WT and stop trying to show my wife and daughter how mean and destructive it really is.

  Anyway, I still have two more questions for you:

  1. Why don't JWs turn the questions they ask other religions to their own faith?
  2. If you stand for WT as fiercely as you do, how come that you've been participating so actively and for so long in this forum in total disregard and opposition to the GB orders talking to all these apostates and heretics?
     
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  @Fisherman

  I keep my questions:

  1. How did WT correct the child abuse situations?
  2. Are you saying that God doesn't know what He wants to say when he tells His people what to say in His name?
  3. Did God and Jesus tell us to worry about dates? Where?
  4. Did they tell us to focus on preaching and not care for for elderly, the weak, the poor, the ill...? Where?
  5. Did they tell us that the most important thing is a piece of paper with a bunch of hours per month?! Where?
  6. Can God lie, like the WT does all the time?!
  7. Did Jesus tell us to be arrogant and presumptuous like the WT/GB are?

  As you can see, they are not rhetorical questions, they are direct questions.
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  Read the posts on this site by “scholar” on this topic and my commentary on those threads. But if you have facts other than the interpretation and conclusions please show. Your posts so far are assertions.

  I'm not going to search for any other posts to read anything you've already written because you've answered to one of my posts here telling me wrong. So, the discussion takes place here.

  You just need to open any encyclopedia to know that Jerusalem didn't fall in 607 AEC or read The Gentle Times Reconsidered. Therefore 1914 means nothing! What proof do you have to prove me wrong?
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  Excellent questions Punko!
  

  Indeed. But they are probably going to be labelled as "rhetoric" too...
  
• 
  72

  20 Things I Don't Understand about Jehovah's Witnesses

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don’t understand how jehovah’s witnesses can rightly claim:.

  that less than 150,000 faithful christians existed prior to the 20th century....when allegedly millions were martyred during the first 3 centuries of the common era alone.

  unique ability to interpret scripture...when interpretation of prophecy has been 100% wrong for over 130 years.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  joao

  The only fact is that the conclusion you allude to based on interpretation of the evidence.
  

  Again, I ask, based on what sources do you conclude that? What work(s) have you studied/read?

  Still, no answers to my questions...