Posts by Bobcat

16

Privileges

by neat blue dog in

for me, outside the jw context, that word seems to relate to something like a prison setting, where you're allowed to do certain things based on good behavior.

It's typical of high-control groups that everything they want you to do is a "privilege." If one is PIMO, then, start to always refer to them as "so-called privileges." (Or "your so-called privileges." An unspoken way of saying they are not "privileges" to you.)

Most likely they will never offer them to you after that. Part of the group/cult persona is that you are supposed to be seeking and desiring after their privileges before they will grant those 'privileges' to you. They won't offer them to you unless you first show that you desire for them to give them to you. This desire for their "privileges" puts you at a disadvantage. It makes you useful to them. (Or if they do offer some "privilege," tell them you'll have to think about it for awhile to see if you can conscientiously accept it. After all, you might have more important things to do. In this way you show unspoken disdain for what they view as important.)

In this way you use their cult-think to your own advantage. Of course, you must mentally accept that they will view you as spiritually weak. But learn to disdain their appraisal of your value.

18

Do Other Sheep have Eternal Life Now?

by Vanderhoven7 in

one of the benefits of justification is eternal life for believers.

i found an interesting passage from the wt, june 15, 1974 which reads:.

"it is to the spirit anointed christians who will rule in that kingdom that most of the christian-greek scriptures is directed, including the promise of everlasting life.

Bobcat

Hi Vanderhoven,

We had a thread over at DtT (here) that includes links in the OP to a couple of related threads. The thread is on the subject of "immortality."

I've come to believe that WT's take on the term amounts to an "etymological fallacy." If one compares its use in 1Co 15 you will see that it is set in opposition to corruption and mortality. Those terms are only used in connection with sinful humans, not sinless creatures.

A related passage is 1Tim 6:14-16 which speaks of either God or Christ as "the one alone having immortality." If it applies to God, then, it would imply that He alone was indestructible in the ultimate sense.

When the WT treats the word according to its literal etymology, they end up creating all kinds of questions that have no easy answer.

6

WT on being convinced you have the truth

by road to nowhere in

par.

" what may happen if our faith is based only on the christian love shown by our brothers and sisters?

" different than my experiences.

Bobcat

On Lubke's statement to Himmler (or whoever it was) that the Bible Students already knew that the German Reich would fall, see my post on this page (5th post down) for some WT interpretation that they failed to mention in connection with this incident.

30

Alright Mr. Bond!--There Are Documents to Deliver!--(as of 2020-09-03)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

well mr. bond!.

i see your staying..... .

on top of things!.

Bobcat

Could you also PM them to me? Thank you Petra and Atlantis.

27

November WT study article

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

in one of the study articles from the november 2020 edition, is mentioned (free quotation):.

"don"t get disturbed if your kingdom hall will be sold".

food on the right time, i asume?.

Bobcat

I saw that they worked the selling of KHs into the 2-part Nehemiah video in the convention. It was indirect, but it was there.

In the video there was a fictional thread where Jews were being 'selected' to move into Jerusalem (within the walls). The process of being selected was apparently random, and without asking the subject whether they wanted to or not. And the issue portrayed in the video was that if you were faithful you would make the move if you were 'selected.' Only unfaithful ones were shown to object to moving when they were told to.

It was a blatant take on the selling of KHs and being reassigned to another congregation, whether it was convenient or not.

22

Worldwide Campaign Nov 2020

by Listener in

thanks petra and atlantis for sending the latest letter regarding the watchtowers plan for a worldwide campaign in november this year.

i am wondering what they are planning to achieve from this campaign, particularly their focus on sending the watchtower 2020 no.

2, titled "what is god's kingdom" to politicians, governments (and tribal leaders) around the world.. it would appear that this is their answer to governments who have put them in the spot light for their bad policies, particularly their handling of child abuse.

Bobcat

I was thinking there might be some unintended consequences of this campaign, in the USA at least.

At the moment there are problems with the post office because of who the current president put in charge of it. The mail is being slowed down as the country approaches a national election, one in which the current president needs the mail to slow down in order to invalidate a lot of votes that he figures will go against him.

Now add into this mix a WT campaign that floods the mail system with a lot of mail (similar as with Russia), and just at the wrong time for the election (November 2020). I could see how the WT/JWs afterwards could become an easy scapegoat for a messed up election (maybe similar to how Christians became a scapegoat for Nero in 64 AD when Rome burned).

I could see where WT might be inadvertently setting up a problem for themselves and the WT org.

At any rate, not to prophecy, but just trying to put 2 and 2 together. JWs have been pent up (preaching-wise). I could see where many of them would go after this campaign with a great amount of zeal, to the detriment of the postal system, just when the country is needing the post office to work efficiently. Leaving DJT the winner (of the election), and giving him an easy target to pin the blame on for any cries of a foul election.

30

2020-08-14 Announcement! (as of 2020-08-15)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2 documents.

2020-08-14 announcement.

one in english and one in german.. .

Bobcat

Could you send them to me also please. Thank you!

23

Elders Remove Excellent Speaker

by Vanderhoven7 in

great talk interrupted.... https://youtu.be/hlgwyfhtihm.

Bobcat

My guess would be that the problem comes up at about the 12:30 or so mark where the speaker begins pointing out that, Biblically speaking, problems within God's organization have gone all the way up to the top echelon of its human rulers.

To be sure, the speaker is being very accurate, and not at all being direct against the WT leadership. The elders who cut him off would have had to think that thru before deciding to end his talk. Maybe that is why it took a couple of minutes before they acted to stop the talk.

This is typical (from my experience) of how thought processes are interrupted in the KH to prevent or cut off any thoughts that might lead in a direction WT does not want you to go.

When you recognize it for what it is, it is more than a little despicable. Not at all different from how North Korea controls ones thinking processes. And any thoughts that might lean in a wrong direction are typically censored before they can actually get the main point.

12

Slave class

by asp59 in

do you think there is a group or individuals that have taken the role as slave class and fulfilled the requirement?

think they all failed miserable.

Bobcat

@ asp59,

See this post (off site) for links to discussions of various aspects of the F&DS parable that might interest you.

55

Watchtower Sudy 12 July.the Kings of North & South (from 05/20 issue)

by BluesBrother in

it is a challenge next sunday for them .

due to starting the convention programme the wt study will be a 30 minute run through ,and deals with this prophecy ... i doubt the younger ones are familiar with it at all bur oldies could debate it at length .we on the look out for the king of the north to enter "the land of decoration" (more to follow,maybe next week).

this article makes a grand claim in par 2.

Bobcat

@ TheOldHippee,

Regarding your question on page 5 of this thread, see my two comments here (just a little down from there).

The gist is that "and" (rather than "but") makes the verse a little more ambiguous. It is also out of character for the NWT (in most cases). Dan 11:20 ("but in a few days ...") and Dan 11:29 ("but not in anger ...") both use the same conjunction as in Dan 11:25 (wə·lō, see here) and the NWT dutifully renders it as "but." But not in Dan 11:25. And the original NWT came out when they were teaching an understanding that corresponds with "but." And it was only 37 years later (and after F Franz had passed) before they changed their understanding of the verse.

But see the comments I linked to just above regarding the 'mystery' of it (if you will). It is all rather curious.