leaving_quietly

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Posts by leaving_quietly

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  10

  So THAT'S why JWs don't wear beards!

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  comment by elder:.

  "some people say the hebrews didn't shave, so why should we?

  " then he proceeded to quote genesis 41:14:.

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  leaving_quietly

  So you're acknowledging that people show respect for others by presenting themselves with a clean-shaven appearance?

  Ah, I see what you did there... took my words about Joseph and applied them to everyone else. Nice!
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  10

  So THAT'S why JWs don't wear beards!

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  comment by elder:.

  "some people say the hebrews didn't shave, so why should we?

  " then he proceeded to quote genesis 41:14:.

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  leaving_quietly

  Comment by elder:

  "Some people say the Hebrews didn't shave, so why should we?" Then he proceeded to quote Genesis 41:14:

  So Phar′aoh sent for Joseph, and they brought him quickly from the prison. He shaved and changed his clothes and went in to Phar′aoh.

  For real? First of all, this was LONG before the command to not shave. Secondly, after two years in prison, Joseph must have looked pretty ragged. This was out of respect for appearing before Pharaoh. It was all I could do to not show my complete and utter disgust at this twisting of the scriptures. I'm sure my wife picked up on it, though, as this is a hot-button topic for me, showing how JWs DO make rules.
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  6

  Jehovah's Witnesses accused of seperatism in Georgia.

  by quellycatface in

  1. social
  2. current

  just been reading an article on the web about a new kh being built, which is causing a divide in a town in georgia.. the locals are protesting.. i suppose the jdub's think they're fighting the theocratic fight.no thought of them being diplomatic and building it somewhere else..

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  leaving_quietly

  To be fair, those Georgians have been a bit over the top against the Witnesses in years past. I think they'd use any excuse to go after them. No one deserves to be physically assaulted because of their beliefs like some of the JWs in Georgia have been.
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  14

  Anyone see the "Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe in Jesus?" article?

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  anyone see the "do jehovah's witnesses believe in jesus?

  " article in the may 2014 wt (public edition)?

  it's one of those imaginary conversations with a householder articles.

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  leaving_quietly

  Anyone see the "Do Jehovah's Witnesses Believe in Jesus?" article in the May 2014 WT (Public Edition)? It's one of those imaginary conversations with a householder articles. I thought it interesting that they acknoweldge we're not called "Jesus' Witnesses", but then conveniently ignore Acts 1:7.

  http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/wp20140501/jehovahs-witnesses-believe-in-jesus/
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  2

  Ingredients

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  wtbts loves to compare themselves to chefs in a kitchen, preparing "spiritual food".

  and we are to eat that food, without question.

  i was thinking about this last night.

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  leaving_quietly

  However, other people would take a more intelligent approach.

  I meant "intellectual approach". This makes it sound like people who don't do this are not intelligent. That's not what I was trying to say. Sorry if this caused any offense.
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  2

  Ingredients

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  wtbts loves to compare themselves to chefs in a kitchen, preparing "spiritual food".

  and we are to eat that food, without question.

  i was thinking about this last night.

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  leaving_quietly

  WTBTS loves to compare themselves to chefs in a kitchen, preparing "spiritual food". And we are to eat that food, without question. I was thinking about this last night. When purchasing physical food, we go to the store, look at the box/bag/can and determine whether the food looks like something we'd eat. We base that mostly on the visual appeal of the packaging. And most of us stop there. However, some of us look at the list of ingredients. And there we see things we don't recognize, like "Thiamin Chloride Hydrochloride", "Sodium Selenate", "Cyanocobalamin", and others like that. Most of us just shrug our shoulders and buy the product, take it home and eat it. No questions asked, thinking perhaps, "it wouldn't be in there if it was bad for us." This is just like WTBTS. Some of the "ingredients" are like this... we see it. We try to "pronounce" it/understand it, but when we can't, we just shrug our shoulders and "eat it" anyway, figuring that those who prepare it wouldn't put anything bad in there.

  What happens, though, when a news story comes out that says that "Sodium Selenate" is bad for you, that it can cause this health condition or that health condition. (Disclaimer: I'm using Sodium Selenate as an example only... I have no idea what it is or if it is bad.) Would you take the news story at it's face value? Some people would. So, they go through their house, find all the products with "Sodium Selenate" and toss them in the trash. However, other people would take a more intelligent approach. They'd research what "Sodium Selenate" is. They'd find out its properties, and they'd look into the news stories claims about why it's supposedly bad.

  As individuals purchasing physical food, we have the right and responsibility to make sure what we are eating is good for us. We can choose to ignore the ingredients. We can choose to remain uneducated about them to see if they are good for us or harmful in any way. If we do that with physical food, isn't it more important that we do that with "spiritual food"? Should we not have the right and responsibility to investigate what it is we are "eating"? And if we find some ingredient that's not good for us, should we not have the right to not eat it any more?
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  25

  Went to SAD

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  b.o.r.i.n.g.. same ol' stuff.

  highlights:.

  - reading the bible "must be more than an intellectual experience".

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  leaving_quietly

  Thought you'd all "enjoy" this, especially the "LAZY" part. The second I said this, I said to myself: "Lazy? Are you kidding me? JWs in general are too lazy to learn what the Bible really says. They'd rather be spoon fed than to take the time to do research, let alone READ the Bible." Of course, they used James 2:26 for this, proving once again that they equate works with meetings and service (yes, the speaker said "Jehovah's works of meetings and the ministry".)

  As far as drawing away from God = losing affection for the brothers and sisters . . . Who says "apostates" lose affection? Personally, I had a great time catching up with old friends. No affection loss for me.
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  25

  Went to SAD

  by leaving_quietly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  b.o.r.i.n.g.. same ol' stuff.

  highlights:.

  - reading the bible "must be more than an intellectual experience".

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  leaving_quietly

  B.O.R.I.N.G.

  Same ol' stuff. Highlights:

  - Reading the Bible "must be more than an intellectual experience"

  - Allow scriptures to affect us in a deeply personal way

  - Do research in WT sanctioned places: WT Library CD, Online Library, Appendices in back ot RNWT

  - Apply what we learn from God's Word. Ironic demo followed: Couple with marriage problems had shepherding visit. Man thanked elder later and said he and his wife studied and applied the counsel found IN THE WATCHTOWER.

  - Quote: "Studying God's word draws us closer to him" Really?

  Luke 10:22: All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son is willing to reveal him.

  ---

  - Reason from the scriptures (Acts 17:2). "Better to use one text than to use 2 or 3 and overwhelm the householder."

  - DEMO: How to properly read Rev. 21:3, 4 to stir hearts. (Emphasis on right words, etc.)

  - DEMO: Wrong way to introduce the Bible Teach book: start with a scripture first. Right way: Ask a question, THEN read a scripture

  - DEMO: Informal witnessing in a doctor's office (this setting is used a lot) Used Rev 21:3, 4. (So why is it that no more pain, mourning, tears and death are literal, but New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven is not?)

  Prov 3:27: "Do not hold back good" applies to not holding back preaching/teaching

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  "Satan presents himself as the final voice of authority: 'do things my way'"

  Deceptions:

  1 John 5:19, 20: (vs 19) Satan has misled the whole world, but (vs 20) we have insight

  Heb 3:12, 13: "Beware, brothers, for fear there should ever develop in any one of you a wicked heart lacking faith by drawing away from the living God."

  Speaker said losing affection for the brothers and sisters in the congregation is drawing away from God.

  - don't miss meetings

  - don't associate with worldly people

  - don't watch bad movies

  False religious teachings (aka Apostates):

  - How do you know if someone has apostate leanings? He/she says something like "Have you ever thought that maybe the end isn't going to be here any time soon?" Sows seeds of doubt. Rom 16:17 - "avoid them"

  - Question asked: "Why would individuals start down that path?" Answer: James 2:26: "Faith without works is dead". Speaker said: 'They are LAZY! They don't want to do Jehovah's work, going to meetings or in the ministry.' They experience a "shipwreck of their faith"
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  57

  ATMs in assembly halls

  by Xanthippe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i only heard about these atms last year on this forum.

  the poster seemed to be saying they are for donating only, is that correct?

  absolutely gobsmacked over this, don't the brothers see any correlation between this and the likes of jimmy swaggart?

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  leaving_quietly

  @ emeth: the stories that blondie came up with are not relevant. Some of them are 30 - 40 years old.

  The Bible is much older than that. Just sayin'
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  26

  Seeds of Doubt.

  by donny in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  seeds of doubt.

  what was it about the jw religion that first gave you serious doubts as to its truthiness?.

  for me it occurred in late 1984 when we were studying the brochure the divine name that will endure forever which had been released at the summer convention that year.

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  leaving_quietly

  There were two talks around the same time period, one title "Millions Now Living Will Never Die". The other, "Millions Now Living May Never Die".

  Proclaimers p. 719:

  1918 The discourse “The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living May Never Die” is first delivered, on February 24, in Los Angeles, California. On March 31, in Boston, Massachusetts, the talk is entitled “The World Has Ended—Millions Now Living Will Never Die”

  Of course, the world did not end in 1918, either.