Bobcat

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Posts by Bobcat

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  7

  Big Boldfaced Lie in Meeting Workbook for August 1-7, 2016

  by SAHS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there is a fundamental lie which i couldn’t help noticing today in the our christian life and ministry—meeting workbook for august 1-7, 2016. it is in the little supplemental page considered this week under the title “improving our skills in the ministry—helping bible students to progress to dedication and baptism,” in the first paragraph (labelled “why important”), third sentence.

  here is that sentence:.

  “a christian’s dedication is to jehovah—not to a human, a work, or an organization.”.

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  Bobcat

  It is interesting also the emphasis on "dedication" as a singular act or goal. But look in the article and see if you can find a single verse that describes this. Verses for baptism can be found, but not for an act of dedication.

  I think Mt 16:24 is sometimes used which roughly describes the need for disciples of Jesus to be 'dedicated' (as an adjective). But there is no explicit instruction to perform a 'dedication' ceremony, nor any example in the NT of anyone doing this. Yet WT is insistent that this is a necessary prerequisite to baptism.

  The Pharisees were also good at turning general instructions into specific ritual acts.

  Bobcat
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  9

  What the Org Teaches #7 Birthdays

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  #7 birthdays.

  what the org teaches: .

  "the bible never refers to a servant of god celebrating a birthday.

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  Bobcat

  For those interested, and to bolster Searcher's point about birthdays, In the Hebrew construction of Job 1:4 his children hold a feast each one on "his day." (See Heb. here.) In Job 3:1, according to the NWT, Job curses "the day of his birth." But the Hebrew has literally (and so does the NWT footnote) "his day" (See Heb. here.) The writer of Job saw no need to explain what "his day" meant for his children. But Job 3:3 clearly explains that "his day" in Job 3:1 meant "the day . . . on which I was born." (See Heb. here.)

  Bobcat

  
  
  
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  9

  What the Org Teaches #7 Birthdays

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  #7 birthdays.

  what the org teaches: .

  "the bible never refers to a servant of god celebrating a birthday.

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  Bobcat

  Searcher:

  Thanks for the references to "his own day." Good 'searching'!

  Bobcat
  
  
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  3

  And they say WE are the negative and bitter ones?!?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  was just thinking how the society has fervently promoted the idea and direct teaching that all who leave are "bitter, negative, twisted, and mentally diseased" etc... yes, they say that those who leave are at fault.

  all who leave are wrong and destined to die.. yet, they are the ones who dwell on such negative thinking!

  most who fade or leave do so for matters of concience, yet just want to get on with life.

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  Bobcat

  Hey Stuck!

  The WT is "framing the debate" about those who leave. In effect, WT says there are only two options: You are 'upright' if you stay with the Org. OR, you are "bitter, negative, et al . . . if you leave. They don't want their readers to think that there might be another possibility.

  They do the same with partaking at the memorial: You either accept the truth (as they teach it) and don't partake, OR, you are emotionally/religiously disturbed if you do. There is no possibility that someone might simply accept Jesus' instructions as being for all. They don't want anyone to even consider that possibility.

  Bobcat
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  23

  I have a favor to ask. I need to find a statement that was in one of the magazines, but I can't find it now. Can you help?

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a favor to ask.

  i need some information found in a watchtower that i can't seem to find in my library.

  today, the watchtower teaches that the governing body is the faithful slave.

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  Bobcat

  I think this is the one you are looking for. Notice how those who think that the 'slave' "pictures only the leading ones" are described as "objectors" and it is implied that they are deceiving themselves ("self-deception").

  How ironic that the WT now teaches the very thing about the "faithful slave" that was an evidence of "self-deception" back in 1981!

  *** w81 3/1 pp. 24-25 Do You Appreciate the “Faithful and Discreet Slave”? ***
  “WHO REALLY IS THE FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE?”
  Some state that the “slave” refers to Christian ministers, or their office of oversight, with responsibility to care for the spiritual needs of the congregation. The ‘master’s’ arrival is said to be either the second coming of Christ or the death of the individual minister. Thus it is held that the parable should motivate Christian ministers to care well for what is entrusted to them.
  Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that this parable pertains to the one true congregation of Jesus Christ’s anointed followers. Beginning with Pentecost, 33 C.E., and continuing through the 19 centuries since then, this slavelike congregation has been feeding its members spiritually, doing so faithfully and discreetly. Especially has the identity of this “slave” become clear at the time of Christ’s return or presence. The “slave” is identifiable by its watchfulness and by the fact that it is faithfully and discreetly providing spiritual food as needed by all in the Christian congregation. Indeed, this “slave,” or spirit-anointed congregation, is the one approved channel representing God’s kingdom on earth in the “time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4) Witnesses of Jehovah understand that the “slave” is comprised of all anointed Christians as a group on earth at any given time during the 19 centuries since Pentecost. Accordingly, the “domestics” are these followers of Christ as individuals.
  Some readers may feel that this is a rather sectarian view of matters. Or they may object to the idea that the “slave” and the “domestics” represent the same class, one as a composite body and the other as individuals. The objectors may argue that not all of Christ’s anointed disciples have a share in preparing the spiritual food, so that perhaps the “slave” pictures only the leading ones, and the “domestics” those they serve in the congregation.
  There is no point in trying to force an interpretation of the parable. Self-deception is of no benefit and is spiritually damaging. Therefore, we must look to the Scriptures for an understanding. In doing this, what do we find? This “slave” is a servant of the Master Christ Jesus and his Father, Jehovah. (Compare Matthew 10:24, 25.) And a servant can be a collective group. In the past, the entire nation of Israel was Jehovah’s servant, or slave. He said to them: “You, O Israel, are my servant.” (Isa. 41:8, 9; 44:21) This one servant was composed of individuals, as Isaiah 43:10 shows in stating: “‘You are my witnesses [plural],’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘even my servant [singular] whom I have chosen, in order that you may know and have faith in me.’” These Israelites of ancient times were Jehovah’s “special property,” a “holy nation.” (Ex. 19:5, 6) Even though not every individual shared in administrating the nation’s affairs, all individuals made up the one people, God’s “servant.” Only a few shared in writing or copying the Holy Scriptures, yet the apostle Paul could say of the people of Israel: “They were entrusted with the sacred pronouncements of God.” (Rom. 3:1, 2) To these belonged the covenants, the Law and the promises. (Rom. 9:3-5) So the entire nation was Jehovah’s collective, or composite, “servant,” while it, at the same time, was made up of individuals, his “witnesses.”

  Bobcat
  
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  21

  The identity of "The Faithful and Discreet Slave", solved - I think.

  by Island Man in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  “who really is the faithful and discreet* slave whom his master appointed over his domestics, to give them their food at the proper time?

  - matthew 24:45. let's be honest, the faithful and discreet slave logically cannot refer to any and every christian.

  this is not merely an encouragement for all christians to prove themselves faithful and discreet.

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  Bobcat

  Island Man:

  Here is a thread on the DTT site that this subject was discussed.

  Interestingly, Luke 12:48, where Jesus provides something like a proverb upon which the action in the parable is based, is linked linguistically to Peter's question in Luke 12:41 - See my post on the DTT site here.

  Bobcat
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  12

  Harassment of Individual JWs

  by Simon in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  just a reminder:.

  please do not use this site to pursue, conduct or incite harassment of any individual jws who are not officers or directors of the organization.. if someone is guilty of some specific crime then it should be reported to the authorities but someone simply following their religious beliefs and taking part in their chosen religion should be free to do so without personal attacks..

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  Bobcat

  (although in programming two false's make a true)

  Unless you Xor them :)
  
  
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  4

  CASSIUS CLAY / MUHAMMED ALI and Jehovah's mighty Lawyer

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hayden covington cut short a legal presentation (draft case) for a jw brother from oklahoma (sam salamy) in 1967-mid trial because he had received a phone call from muhammad ali’s legal team who offered a quarter of a million dollars if he could get muhammed ali off in his ‘draft dodging’ court case.. only jw's whose families had enough money could afford to hire covington on reputation alone.

  sam salamy ended up paying covington ten-thousand dollars and got convicted anyway.. hopping into the limelight, lawyer covington took the lazy way out suggesting muhammed ali should accept a guilty sentence and seek to make a deal with the prosecutor, morton susman, united states attorney.

  in fact, he talked ali into requesting that the judge sentence him immediately!.

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  Bobcat

  Terry,

  Greetings, and I appreciate your telling of this account. Very interesting.

  Bobcat
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  96

  New Shunning Video - RC 2016

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

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

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  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
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  52

  Did The Witnesses Predict the United Nations in Advance?

  by TD in

  1. jw
  2. 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. .

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  Bobcat

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

  Bobcat