leaving_quietly

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Posts by leaving_quietly

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  23

  Feeling low

  by campaign of hate in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  christ, my mind feels f***ed.

  there is so many layers of indoctrination and rules and regulations in this, whatever this is (religion?

  cult?

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  leaving_quietly

  I hear you. I'm at the same place you are. The number of "what ifs" is less that it used to be, but there are a couple of really big ones.

  Just yesterday, I was trying to re-prove to myself that the anointed are not just the 144,000. But, as I was going through the verses, this gnawing thought kept coming to me: what if they're actually right? I even drew a chart about how they prove this concept. And, as much as I hate to say it, while I have seen a ton of argumentation against the number 144,000 being literal, I have seen almost no argumentation against the fact that the 144,000 are sealed (Rev 7:3) and the anointed are sealed (2 Cor 1:21,22) or the 144,000 are firstfruits (Rev 14:4) and the anointed are firstfruits (James 1:18). Even jwfacts.com doesn't address these particular parts of the reasoning. In my opinion, nearly ever other JW doctrine depends on "anointed = 144,000", so this is an important one to me.

  So, what if they're right about this, based on these reasonings? And if they're right about this, then paradise earth isn't so much of a stretch, even though it's not explicitly stated anywhere.

  Anyway, hang in there. It's going to take a while to get past all this. Even if you stop suddenly, there's no way to stop the "what ifs" from hanging around.
  

  
  
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  19

  Explaining away the increase in anointed

  by lurkernomore in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so i was just informed by my wife that her grandmother (who's also out) has been told by a 'sister' from her old hall that during their most recent circuit visit the co said something along the lines of:.

  isn't it faith strengthening that the number of anointed is falling in relation to the increase in publishers?

  !.

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  leaving_quietly

  In the public talk yesterday, the brother said that the reason we don't want to go to heaven is because we don't perceive heaven. He used Hebrews 5:14 with the phrase "powers of discernment", then referred to the old NWT where it says, "their perceptive powers". I couldn't help but to shake my head. He was right, and even Paul knew that, since there were apparently some back then who didn't want to either. So, he wrote:

  I am pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God by means of Christ Jesus. Therefore, let those of us who are mature be of this mental attitude, and if you are mentally inclined otherwise in any respect, God will reveal the above attitude to you. - Phil 3:14,15

  
  

  Regarding the OP, there's no such thing as number of anointed in relation to anyone else. In relation to? Seriously, where do they get this stuff? Oh, yeah... high control group.... got to explain away the unexplainable.
  
  
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  24

  Jehovah's Witnesses recover best from surgery, despite refusing blood.

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  that's' the headline of an article in the sydney morning herald.

  my jw family are sharing it with glee on facebook right now.

  here's the link; .

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  leaving_quietly

  I usually don't comment on blood transfusion topics, mainly because my opinion on it has nothing to do with the merits of a transfusion versus not having a transfusion. My opinion more has to do with how WTBTS regulates this area of life as law instead of applying mercy. Christ showed what mercy meant when healing someone on the Sabbath. He said, "How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do a fine thing on the Sabbath." (Matt 12:12) Just prior to that, he said, "However, if you had understood what this means, ‘I want mercy and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless ones." (Matt 12:7).

  
  
  
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  32

  Series of articles about the March 15, 2015 Watchtower on AD1914.com

  by Gilgamesh in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  over the next 5 weeks, we should have 5 or 6 articles/posts that will provide more commentary on the march 15, 2015 watchtower.

  important doctrinal changes in march 15th, 2015 watchtower (study edition) explained wp.me/p4cpzs-xo .

  http://ad1914.com/2014/04/20/new-important-doctrinal-changes-in-march-15th-watchtower-study-edition-explained-clarified/.

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  leaving_quietly

  I'm reading your latest Elijah/Elisha article. Very interesting. Not through it all, yet. Time doesn't permit me at the moment.

  
  One suggestion: when quoting from past WT articles or publications, it might be best to either (a) give the full reference as to where one can find the quote (e.g. stating Watch Tower April 15, 1918 isn't quite enough... a page number would be most helpful... took me awhile to find the original quote.) and/or (b) don't put ellipsis in the quote, as this gives the impression that something important was left out, causing people like me who have a distrust already of this practice by WTBTS to have to go look up the full quote ourselves.

  Fortunately, the April 15, 1918 quote is okay, even with the ellipsis, though I would say that the final sentence in the paragraph in the article hits the point home, which you did not include in the quote.
  

  These seeming disappointments were divinely foreknown, "his appointments."
  
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  25

  Need list of notable bible people who Jah let slide

  by RedPillPopper in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  need a list of people like cain, lot, david, etc who did things they should have been put to death for but jah forgave, excused or turned a blind eye to.

  thanks for any info.. .

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  leaving_quietly

  Manasseh

  We all remember David, but it takes two to tango, so...Bathsheba. And not only did God let it slide, he rewarded it by making Bathsheba part of the lineage to the Messiah.

  
  
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  53

  Need to vent: Wife just went in full cult mode, huge fight. she is so brainwashed

  by goingthruthemotions in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  out of the blue my wife started to ask me about my feeling about the borg.

  i told her i didn't want to talk about it...she persisted.

  she already knows how i feel, i told her that my biggest beef is that they use mind control, and yep she went in to how i was an apostate and how she doesn't want to be married to an apostate.

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  leaving_quietly

  I have delayed adding to this as I am about to go through this myself. My wife went into full cult mode a few months back. We got past the initial discussions and it hasn't come up since. However, I'm about to tell her I'm done with being a witness. I've been working on getting up the nerve to tell her. I've even written her a letter, put it in an envelope and put it away for now. I'm not trying to be mean to her. It's not about her.

  Ever since our discussion a few months back, she has been gobbling up everything JW. Studying more, watching JW TV a lot, etc.

  I think my situation will turn out a lot like yours. The thing is, I don't want to be with someone who I can't be open with. The irony of that is that while I know this will probably end the marriage, I don't want to hurt her in the process. Sadly, though, there really isn't a way around it unless I just keep everything bottled up for the rest of my life. Of course, if that's what I have to do, I'd rather be dead. (No, I'm not suicidal... I just think the peace of being dead would be preferable to enduring this for the next who knows how many years.)

  
  So, I feel for you, man. This cult is responsible for this for way too many families.
  
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  15

  Resolutions to send money to society

  by wannaexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  during the course of the year congregations pass a number of resolutions to send money to the branch.

  this year i've resolved to count all money grab endeavors.

  so far for the month of january there were two locally:.

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  leaving_quietly

  Not a year later, in December, another resolution was passed to up the amount to $500 a month.

  Doc is probably correct, but the letter said to review it ANNUALLY each MAY.
  
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  35

  New BOE letter: Re: Survey on Use of Printed Publications

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  to all bodies of elders in the united states branch territory re: survey on use of printed publications .

  dear brothers: .

  the branch office is working on arrangements for the 2015 regional conventions.

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  leaving_quietly

  Anyone here who still attends should absolutely choose a physical copy. All too often, WTBTS makes revisions to the digital versions without any sort of notification of what those revisions are. The physical copies are they only reliable proofs of what was originally printed in any publication. Just my opinion, for whatever it's worth.
  
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  11

  Help with an entrenched family memeber

  by budbayview in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wanted to send this to my "active" sister in hopes of awakening her, comments welcome.

  she thinks i am a heathen apostate.... losing my religion.

  preface.

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  leaving_quietly

  Marking for later reading LQMARKED
  
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  25

  Blondie's Comments on the 1-18-2015 WT Study (HOLY)

  by blondie in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  november 15, 2014 wt study issue.

  january 18, 2015 to be studied.

  opening comments.

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  leaving_quietly

  This was mentioned in another thread (don't have time to find it now), but is worth repeating. A prime example of making a passage say whatever they want it to say.
  

  Paragraph 18:

  18 To be holy, we must weigh the Scriptures carefully and do what God asks of us. Consider Aaron’s sons Nadab and Abihu, who were executed for offering “unauthorized fire,” perhaps while inebriated. (Leviticus 10:1, 2) Note what God then told Aaron. (Read Leviticus 10:8-11.) Does that passage mean that we must not drink anything alcoholic before going to a Christian meeting? Think about these points: We are not under the Law. (Romans 10:4) In some lands, our fellow believers use alcoholic beverages in moderation at meals before attending meetings. Four cups of wine were used at the Passover. When instituting the Memorial, Jesus had his apostles drink wine that represented his blood. (Matthew 26:27) The Bible condemns heavy drinking and drunkenness. (1 Corinthians 6:10; 1 Timothy 3:8) And many Christians would feel impelled by their conscience to abstain completely from alcoholic beverages before engaging in any form of sacred service. However, circumstances vary from one country to another, and the important thing is for Christians to “distinguish between the holy thing and the profane” so as to conduct themselves with holiness that pleases God.

  
  

  Yet, note what WTS said just ten years ago regarding the VERY SAME VERSES:

  Jehovah commanded those performing priestly duties at the tabernacle: “Do not drink wine or intoxicating liquor . . . when you come into the tent of meeting, that you may not die.” (Leviticus 10:8, 9) Therefore, avoid drinking alcoholic beverages just before attending Christian meetings, when sharing in the ministry, and when caring for other spiritual responsibilities. -- w04 12/1 p. 21 par. 15