Posts by Bobcat

96

New Shunning Video - RC 2016

by wifibandit in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g20rww_-7ua.

Bobcat

They were probably trying to portray the DFing as having taken place many years ago, back when they used the old-style announcement.

It is possible that they say "disfellowshipped" simply to make the point clear to the audience which might include many non-JWs. It is my understanding that the current announcement ('no longer one of JWs') is for legal reasons.

This was one of my beefs with the WT. They want everyone to accept the pain involved with DFing, but they themselves use language that protects themselves. They are so two-faced in every last thing they do. (Mt 23:4)

Bobcat

52

Did The Witnesses Predict the United Nations in Advance?

by TD in

jw
friends

it's been reported on this forum that bethel speakers at this summer's conventions are asserting that the establishment of the united nations in 1945 was predicted in advance by the witnesses.

this is being presented as validation of the claim that the witnesses are god's one true organization directed by holy spirit.. .

the basis for this claim originates with a public address entitled, peace - can it last given by n.h. knorr at the new world theocratic assembly, on september 20 of 1942. .

Bobcat

Thanks for bumping this. I was thinking of this recently also.

Bobcat

11

Comment from Examining the WT Daily May 22

by Dreamerdude in

somehow i missed this silly comment in the wt study las year.

i just have been daydreaming.

but wt wants tomane sure i get the point.. "after the death of the apostles, satan fomented apostasy, which flourished for many centuries.

Bobcat

But that would all change during “the harvest,” that is, the last days."

I posted some analysis of the phrase "conclusion of the system of things" (and in part how it relates to the parable of the wheat & weeds) here. The WT's interpretation is decidedly pro-WT and contra the Bible accounts' context (surprise!)

Bobcat

14

let it be resolved: The remnant can not be the generation of Mat. 24.

by prologos in

debating challenge: since the wt doctrine of the anointed generation must conform to bible teachings, and math 24 stipulates that the "generation " outlives "all these things" , and the anointed do not, how could they possibly be the generation, overlapping or not?

Bobcat

On the subject of the "anointed remnant," the WT's idea is drawn from Rev 12:17. Here is a post with some word study research on this WT idea.

Bobcat

17

False reasoning behind some of the WT rules?

by nevaagain in

jw
friends

what are some false reasoning's behind some of the wt rules?.

birthdays:.

why is it forbidden as a jw to celebrate birthdays?

Bobcat

Their reasoning on why John 6:53, 54 has nothing to do with the Lord's Evening Meal:

*** rs p. 268 pars. 2-3 Memorial (Lord’s Evening Meal) ***
John 6:53, 54: “Jesus said to them: ‘Most truly I say to you, Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in yourselves. He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day.’”
This eating and drinking would obviously have to be done figuratively; otherwise the one doing it would be violating God’s law. (Gen. 9:4; Acts 15:28, 29) However, it should be noted that Jesus’ statement at John 6:53, 54 was not made in connection with the inauguration of the Lord’s Evening Meal. None who heard him had any idea of a celebration with bread and wine used to represent Christ’s flesh and blood. That arrangement was not introduced until about a year later, and the apostle John’s report about the Lord’s Evening Meal does not begin until more than seven chapters later on (in John 14) in the Gospel bearing his name. (Bolding and underlining is Bobcat's)

So why don't they apply that same reasoning in regard to Acts 15:29?

(Acts 15:29 nwt) . . .to keep abstaining from things sacrificed to idols, from blood, from what is strangled, and from sexual immorality. If you carefully keep yourselves from these things, you will prosper. Good health to you!”

Who back then would have thought this applied to transfusing?Bobcat

21

I`m on Windows 10 and my mouse keeps dying , any suggestions ? what to do ?

by smiddy in

hi friends.. as the op states lately my mouse keeps dying on me while i`m in the middle of typing a post or whatever and so i lose all that i have laboured to type.. i keep resurrecting the mouse but now it`s dying more frequently .. any suggestions on how to get around this problem , or am i flogging a dead mouse ?.

i await your suggestions.. smiddy.

Bobcat

Check and/or replace the battery in the mouse. Then rub some cheddar on it as desired.

Bobcat

18

Quotes JWs Don't Like...

by JW_Rogue in

"you miss 100% of the shots you don't take".

"you always regret the things you didn't do more than the things you did".

"think for yourself, question authority".

Bobcat

Wow! Many of these slogans would be great printed on a shirt and worn while among the company of other JWs.
When asked if there is some ulterior meaning, you could just reply that they are words that you have found to be especially meaningful in a personal way. The slogans themselves are thought provoking.

Bobcat

13

Contradictions of the "no blood" policy....

by stuckinarut2 in

so according to witnesses, the bible states that all blood is sacred, and once it leaves the body's circulatory system it must be "poured out on the ground" to show respect to jehovah.. it mustn't be eaten or transfused.. so how do they justify it being ok to take in fractions of blood components when these have been produced from donated whole blood?.

the whole blood was not "poured out".

it was taken to a laboratory, stored, manipulated, put through processes to separate parts of it, broken down etc.... it certainly was not "dealt with in a sacred way".. and yet these blood fractions are deemed "ok" by the society?.

Bobcat

The fraction thing also violates some of the basic Christian precepts that Jesus outlined in the Sermon on the Mount:

(Matthew 5:21, 22) 21 “You heard that it was said to those of ancient times: ‘You must not murder, but whoever commits a murder will be accountable to the court of justice.’ 22 However, I say to you that everyone who continues wrathful with his brother will be accountable to the court of justice; and whoever addresses his brother with an unspeakable word of contempt will be accountable to the Supreme Court; whereas whoever says, ‘You despicable fool!’ will be liable to the fiery Ge·henʹna.

(Matthew 5:27, 28) 27 “You heard that it was said: ‘You must not commit adultery.’ 28 But I say to you that everyone who keeps on looking at a woman so as to have a passion for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

These are just two examples of Jesus counseling to avoid the small things that would lead to the major sins. The WT blood fraction teaching takes the very opposite position, namely, the big things (whole blood and 'major fractions') are wrong. But "minor" fractions are up to you.
By that thinking some minor pornography, or some 'minor' petting (is that word still used?) on a date, should be up to your conscience. Or how about holding a 'minor' grudge, as long as it is kept under control?
I agree that it is a cynical WT legal decision masked as a requirement of God. The WT exists to keep itself in existence, even at the expense of the JW lives it is supposed to be saving. (A state that all human organizations seem to evolve into.)
Bobcat

19

The Watchtower Society’s 607 BCE Foundation Exposed

by Doug Mason in

the governing body and its watchtower society claims that in 1919 it was appointed by jehovah god and jesus christ to represent all of their earthly kingdom interests, to be their unique voice and sole representative towards all people on earth.

the watchtower’s authority lives or dies with that claim..

the society’s critical date of 1919 is calculated from the dates of events in the 6th century bce.

Bobcat

Hey Doug!

Very nice piece of work.

On a side note, towards the end there is some discussion on Cyrus and Darius. I was wondering if there has been any new research on the question of whether Cyrus was Darius? The NAC-Daniel commentary had three pages or so devoted to that subject and they rated the evidence as being slightly in favor of that possibility, but definitely not anything they could be dogmatic about. (I posted about that here a couple of years ago.)

(It could be that you were just saying on point with your subject.)

Bobcat

16

Preaching the "good news"

by truth doubter in

just wondering.

what do those who left wt, and still believe the bible, feel about matt.24:14?

Bobcat

Contextually, Mt 24:14 was referring to events that were to take place leading up to the end of Jerusalem and the temple (that actually occurred in the 66-70 AD time). (Compare what was to happen afterwards: Mt 24:15-20.)

"Inhabited earth" (oikoumenē) in the NT generally refers to the area occupied by the Roman Empire or the then known world. (Compare e.g. Luke 2:1; Acts 11:28) And Paul indicated that he understood this to have already happened before the Roman-Jewish War of 66-70. (Rom 16:25, 26; Col 1:23)

That's not to say that Jesus' disciples weren't commanded to preach to the literal ends of the earth (Mt 28:19-20; Acts 1:8). But Mt 24:14 itself is not saying that, if you go strictly by the context. Although, I think a JW and others also, would argue for a dual fulfillment.

(Expanding out in the context, Mt 24:14 would also be limited in time to "this generation" in Mt 24:34.)

Bobcat