Bobcat

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Posts by Bobcat

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  8

  Long article, but it explains a lot of things

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i found this the other day, and read it last night.

  i think it explains a lot of what is going on in both american politics and many religions around the world.

  https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/03/this-article-wont-change-your-mind/519093/?utm_source=feed.

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  Bobcat

  I agree with jp, very thought-provoking.
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  20

  $25,000 for one-day assembly in our area

  by Bonnie_Clyde in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  they started out with a $3,500 carry-over but by the end of the day they were short $25,000.

  the speaker eloquently beseeched the audience to go the atm machines and give their generous contribution or at least their widow's mite.

  after the sessions were over, our friend who attended walked from one end of the assembly hall and then to the other end and noticed long lines up to both machines with people who couldn't wait to run up their credit cards.

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  Bobcat

  Do you know what was the attendance? This would give you some idea of what the 'head tax' was.

  It would be interesting if a large proportion of attendees could be persuaded to refuse to give anything. The circuit fund would most likely be emptied and there would still be a deficit. I wonder how the WT would respond to that?

  In our neck of the woods, the local circuit has their CA at a middle school auditorium. A nice, well kept place that seats about 850-900. The cost to the circuit is a little under $2000. That's 'Satan's system' trying to rip God's people off I suppose.
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  5

  Jehovah allowing this Russia to happen?

  by pontoon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the brother that works in my office was talking about this russia thing, how jeh is "allowing" it to happen, how every witness is writing a letter to all six officials and not just to two or three, so my question was if that is true "aren't all you witnesses working against jehovah---he must have his reasons for allowing it to happen.

  back to work but i'm sure monday he'll have an answer like what a great witness it is or how it gives every other witness a chance to demonstrate their faith (by writing letters).

  i'll have an answer ready for him just for fun.. i'm sure watchtower just loves stuff like this russia business.

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  Bobcat

  I had expressed a similar thought to someone. When other branch offices were closed the Society said it was all part of God's forward moving chariot and we simply needed to keep pace with it.

  So how do you know this isn't the same thing? Or maybe God knows that Petersburg (where the branch is) is about to get nuked or fall to some other calamity and God is getting them out of there. And here you are trying to prevent it. Shouldn't you just do what 1Tim 2:1-2 says (pray about it) and then leave it in God's hands, like Jesus did ("let not my will take place, but yours")?

  Anyways, I think some JWs would be surprised by how many JWs are not writing.
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  10

  This is the BEST Video i have ever seen on the name YAHWEH.

  by Greybeard in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmuhyxsghqk.

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  Bobcat

  "They use Jehovah because it is more popular . . ."

  This is the very reason I give when someone asks me why I still use the term "New Testament" (instead of "Christian Greek Scriptures").
  
  
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  15

  tidbits from recent C.O. visit

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "all people in the world are currently considered enemies of god" gee i wonder where some poeple get the idea that we are an extremist organization.. " jehovahs chariot is moving forward at blazing speed!

  " in what reality is contraction and downsizing moving forward?.

  "it used to be that if a congregation reached 150 publishers we would split into 2 congregations now if we have 2 congs.

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  Bobcat

  [The CO] made a blanket statement: " don't believe negative media reports!"

  We had ours just a few weeks ago and he said the same thing, pretty much word for word. He presented it as a matter of faith. That is, 'if you have faith, this is how you will respond.'

  I suspect they are told this, as a sort of policy statement, from further up the chain of command.
  
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  14

  Euphrates or Parath, Jeremiah 13:1-11

  by Bobcat in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  for those attending the jeremiah bookstudy this week, there is an interesting footnote of page 52. below it is reproduced:.

  *** jr chap.

  4 p. 52 guard against a treacherous heart ***.

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  Bobcat

  Bumping this thread because Jeremiah 13 is being considered in the CLAM this week.
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  9

  Heb 10:34 & the Russian Situation

  by doubtfull1799 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as would be expected we've seen a lot of the "persecution" scriptures bandied about recently in connection with the likely imminent ban on the org in russia.

  they like to claim that being targets of persecution they are seeing the fulfilment of those verses.

  but they conveniently ignore what the bible teaches about how christians should respond to said prophesied persecution.... for example, no one is referencing the above verse which talks of the apostles "joyfully accepting the plundering of their belongings.

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  Bobcat

  Thanks doubtful, I was trying to remember where that verse was.

  Another one that comes to mind, that directly impacts this case, is 1Tim 2:1, 2 -

  First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgiving be made concerning all sorts of men, concerning kings and all those who are in high positions, so that we may go on leading a calm and quiet life with complete godly devotion and seriousness (rNWT)

  The counsel is to appeal to God. I think they also forgot that Hitler reacted badly when he was appealed to via letter writing.
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  20

  I'm Dating . . .

  by compound complex in

  1. social
  2. humour

  because i am still very much held a prisoner to past beliefs and practice, i dress in suit and tie and bring a briefcase on my frequent dates.. i talk business during the entire happy meal (macdonalds), displaying ad brochures and spreadsheets relative to whatever business plan i happen to be hawking that day.

  i count the venture as a business expense and jws who frequent this fine diner know i am not on a date.

  there are no smirks, no snickering, no knowing glances.

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  Bobcat

  Sounds like a fanciful description of some wonderful time spent with 'the gran.'
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  24

  My new answer to an annoying question we have all been asked.

  by doubtfull1799 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well new to me anyway, i'm sure someone smarter than me has thought of this before.

  the next time i get asked the perennial (and tired old) question: “but you do believe that the gb are god’s channel of communication, the organisation he is using, don’t you?” or some variation thereof, i am going to reply with two verses and reason as follows:.

  the matter to be established: have the gb of jehovah’s witnesses received divine appointment to act as god’s representatives and channel of communication on earth?.

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  Bobcat

  Another tactic that can be used with them is to never agree to the obvious. You don't deny the obvious. But you never personally agree to it.

  The JW mindset uses a stepping stone type of logic. They state some 'fact,' get you to agree to it, and then move on to their next step in their logic. Once you've agreed to the 'fact,' whatever it is, they proceed in their logic. What you have agreed to is, in their minds, now established.

  You can disrupt their 'logic' by not personally agreeing at some obvious point. You don't deny the obvious. You simply never agree to it.

  For example, Bobcat is not on the mid-week TMS/CLAM. So Brother Elder approaches him about it

  "Brother Bobcat, when you gonna get back on the school?"

  "What are you talking about?

  " You're not on the school."

  "I'm not?"

  " Yea, your not!"

  "Well, believe what you want."

  "But you're not!"

  "If you say so."

  He might accuse you of "saying" the reverse:

  "So you're saying you are on the school?"

  "When did I say that?

  And on and on. After a while Brother elder tires and moves on.
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  24

  My new answer to an annoying question we have all been asked.

  by doubtfull1799 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well new to me anyway, i'm sure someone smarter than me has thought of this before.

  the next time i get asked the perennial (and tired old) question: “but you do believe that the gb are god’s channel of communication, the organisation he is using, don’t you?” or some variation thereof, i am going to reply with two verses and reason as follows:.

  the matter to be established: have the gb of jehovah’s witnesses received divine appointment to act as god’s representatives and channel of communication on earth?.

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  Bobcat

  doubtful:

  You have some good reasoning. And even all the reasoning the WT gives in your quote is simply their own perspective. Like they say, 'What about all the improved understanding we have gotten over the years?' Yet, the supposed 'improvement' is nothing but their own opinion. But we are the only ones who see that.

  More and more I see Matthew 7:6 ('not to throw your pearls before swine') as being the best response to them. I come to prefer to simply to throw the question back at them, or use some non-engagement type of response like, "I'm not the judge of those things" or "You'll have to show/tell me" or "That's something to think about" repeated over and over.

  Most of them prefer the mind prison the WT has imposed upon them (yes, this past week's WT study on free will was so ironic!). And they are not likely to budge from it until it becomes uncomfortable to them personally.