I would like to get some insight into the Bible's view of what it means to "disown oneself". When I got baptized I took it in the literal sense, the own that the WBTS is so often criticized for, that you are no longer putting yourself first. Rather, you are to do God's will, under the direction of the elders, for the rest of your life. Tell me what you think...
Preston
JoinedPosts by Preston
-
"disown yourself?" (Mark 8:34)
by Preston ini would like to get some insight into the bible's view of what it means to "disown oneself".
when i got baptized i took it in the literal sense, the own that the wbts is so often criticized for, that you are no longer putting yourself first.
rather, you are to do god's will, under the direction of the elders, for the rest of your life.
-
-
30
Who was the strangest JW you ever met?
by Preston ini knew a presiding overseer in the congregation i attened who was possibly the strangest person i ever met.
he took a rigorous position toward the society's view on everything!!!
he was against many things ....including....science fiction, fantasy, the x-files, disneyland, cartoons and football.
-
-
Preston
Yeah, Chipster...LOL. I agree.
-
30
Who was the strangest JW you ever met?
by Preston ini knew a presiding overseer in the congregation i attened who was possibly the strangest person i ever met.
he took a rigorous position toward the society's view on everything!!!
he was against many things ....including....science fiction, fantasy, the x-files, disneyland, cartoons and football.
-
-
Preston
I knew a Presiding Overseer in the congregation I attened who was possibly the strangest person I ever met. He took a rigorous position toward the society's view on EVERYTHING!!! He was against many things ....including....Science Fiction, Fantasy, The X-Files, Disneyland, Cartoons and Football. He'd like to lecture people about Football...A LOT!!!! Particularly about its paganistic roots (he called the cheerleaders "temple prostitutes"). He also got offended every time someone brought up the fact that he use to be a Mason even though he routinely praised the Masons. One of the elders in my congregation told me that when his kids were little he refused to take them to Disneyland, not becuase it was far away, but because he disregarded anything associated with Fantasy .... and ... possibly a talking animal. He also use to tell a lot of dirty jokes, some were incredibly vile. The fact that he knew I had Jewish heritage gave him a lot of material. One of the things that annoyed me the most though, was the fact that he always use to refer to the Society as "Mother" (i.e. "Mother always tells us to read the magazines", "We wouldn't want to upset Mother")... IT MADE ME WANT TO PUKE!!!! On more than one occasion he would also minimize the evil deeds of the Nazis (his wife was a Hitler youth) and when I told him that I had no problem watching R-rated films he asked me if I was watching porn (?) I've never seen him more upset then when he found out that I sucked on my thumb after I got a paper cut. Of all the people I've ever met, nobody made me feel worse about myself than him. So.....thank you for letting me rant. Now, who was the strangest JW you ever knew? mAybe you can suprise me by finding a more demneted human being than the on mentioned above...
"I'm gonna send you to a deep dark place and I'm gonna have fun doing it!" -- Miller's Crossing
-
6
Did 60 Minutes do a show on Jehovahs' Witnesses?
by Preston ini read a statement in the watchtower that 60 minutes did a report on jehovah's witnesses.
does anyone know about this?
-
-
Preston
I read a statement in the Watchtower that 60 minutes did a report on Jehovah's Witnesses. Does anyone know about this?
-
7
Newspaper article about Jehovahs's Witnesses
by Preston inhere is an article i found in the scottsdale tribune of arizona about jehovahs witnesses.
it was located in the editorials section.
i think you will find it fascinating.
-
-
Preston
Hi SF, I don't think there is a URL for the article. I'll be happy to send you a copy of the article if you want. The article was found in the editorials section of the Scottsdale Tribune on July 3, 2001, in their "A" section in the very back.
-
7
Newspaper article about Jehovahs's Witnesses
by Preston inhere is an article i found in the scottsdale tribune of arizona about jehovahs witnesses.
it was located in the editorials section.
i think you will find it fascinating.
-
-
Preston
I know I didn't really state my opinion regarding the article. Please forgive the ambiguity of my post in that regard. The reasons why I posted it were 1.) A lot of Witnesses and even non-Witnesses are interested about hearing anything in the news about the WTBTS and 2.) as you mentioned, even though this is a religion that has been credited for doing so much for religious freedom it is debatable whether it has done much for its own members. Pushing for human rights usually identifies a person or organization as being progrssive. In my opinion, if the WBTS wants to be progressive they should have an outreach program for young people, a system that helps widows, orphans, and the needy, and a welcoming stance toward gays. I'm thinking about writing a reply where I state some thing along these lines:
"I find it fascinating that the writer observers that July 4th should be a time for reflection on the policies that have greatly assisted religious freedom. I think it should also be utilized as a day of reflection for all of the people that have died for obeying their unscriptual command for not obtaing blood transfusions."
Tell me, what do you think?
-
7
Newspaper article about Jehovahs's Witnesses
by Preston inhere is an article i found in the scottsdale tribune of arizona about jehovahs witnesses.
it was located in the editorials section.
i think you will find it fascinating.
-
-
Preston
Here is an article I found in the Scottsdale Tribune of Arizona about Jehovah’s Witnesses. It was located in the Editorials section. I think you will find it fascinating. By the way, if you would like to send a reply to the Newspaper that printed the article please send it to [email protected]
The following article was written by Bill Underwood.
I just love those calendars that tell you what things have happened in earlier years, “On this day in history …” As July 4 approaches, of course, everyone’s thoughts turn to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. But other important events mark this date as well.
President Calvin Coolidge was born on July 4 (1872). The deaths of Presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson (both July 4, 1826). Isn’t that weird? I think they were on the same plane that crashed, but I could be mistaken. And President James Monroe (July 4, 1831).
While the presidents presumably didn’t plan the dates of their births or deaths, “This Date in History” pages list many events that fell on July 4 because they were planned to do so. Among these would be the retiring of Lou Gehrig’s uniform number (1939), the start of construction on the Erie Canal (1817), the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad (1828) and the Oakland Bay Bridge (1933).
If you don’t have a day off, hopefully it is some consolation to think about the construction workers on those earlier projects.
And item that is all but overlooked that, I think, falls into this later category was on July 4, 1918: the shipping off to federal prison of eight officers of a corporation known as the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, to begin 20-year sentences. I have no proof it was planned to occur on that most patriotic of days, but I can’t believe that the judge in the case was unaware of the details of how his sentence was going to be enacted.
The “crime” with which these men were charged was the publishing of books that said, in effect, that someday God would overthrow all governments of Earth and set up his own. The government labeled such writings sedition.
According to my dictionary, sedition is “actions or words intended to provoke or incite rebellion against government authority.” By that definition, the Declaration of Independence was seditious.
But the clarification of the freedoms of speech and press embodied in the Bill of Rights wasn’t to happen until the 1940’s. Ironically, that clarification came at the urging of the same group of Bible students who brought some 30 cases before the supreme court between 1938 and 1943.
An article in the May 30, 2000, issue of USA Today stated, ”So frequently did the Witnesses raise core First Amendment issues that Justice Harlan Fiske Stone wrote, ‘The Jehovah’s Witnesses ought to have an endowment in view of the aid which they give in solving the legal problems of civil liberties.’”
Back in 1919 there were no protections. However, cooler heads prevailed and it all worked out. The eight officers were released after nine months and completely exonerated.
Speaking of irony, one of the judges in the 1918 case, Martin T. Manton, who had been instrumental in denying bail to the eight, was later found guilty of accepting $186,000 in bribes and sentenced to two years in prison – on June 3, 1939.
Now, obviously, someone failed to look at a calendar. They should have waited a month, ‘til July 4.(end of article)
statements in bold are mine
-
8
The Heavy Toll on Children of DF'd Parents
by FreePeace innote: contains passionate language.
two years ago, i divorced my wife, (who was an alcoholic).
close to the same time, think41self and i decided to marry, and for that, we were both disfellowshipped (couldn't prove scriptural freedom, but who cares now?).
-
-
Preston
I laughed when I read your disclaimer after I finished reading your post. Personally, I wish all people were as passionate about the principles that you believe in! It's an injustice that every single dishonest person in the organization cannot feel the degree of sadness that you are dealing with. I cannot understand what its like for your children to deal with what they are going through right now, but I really understand what its like to be that sad... Not a day goes by that I don't channel my anger into some form of peaceful expression. It's been theraputic for me though, as I'm sure it has been for you. I hope things turn out better for you, your wife and children *hugs*
E-mail me anytime!
Preston.
-
9
How much do members of the governing body make?
by Preston injust a simple question although i would also like to know if they have any sort of salary, or if there truly is evidence that they do make personal use of the voluntary contributions from the flock.
please understand that i am skeptical and i would like anything that can be baked up.
thank you for any information!
-
-
Preston
Just a simple question although I would also like to know if they have any sort of salary, or if there truly is evidence that they do make personal use of the voluntary contributions from the flock. Please understand that I am skeptical and I would like anything that can be baked up. Thank you for any information!
-
90
POLL - Elders vs Molesters
by Amazing ini wish to conduct a legitimate poll, or at least as legitimate as it can get on this forum.
unless you are or were a jw, please do not respond or make comments.
please simply give an answer, without extended comments.
-
-
Preston
I was an active JW for 5 years, was a ministerial servant, and knew 0 child molesters.