Posts by MC RubberMallet

55

What's your favorite stereotype that is used by the WT?

by Chemical Emotions in

i like the "sudductive woman with long dark hair", for one.

very funny pictures..

MC RubberMallet

nugget ditto

45

If you were a Witness, when did you realize the Governing Body was apostate?

by matt2414 in

for more than 30 years i believed everything that came from the watchtower society, especially since i lived at bethel for a while and i knew a lot of the gb members, who to me seemed intelligent and personable.

at the beginning, the emphasis was on the bible, the kingdom, jehovah and jesus.

but gradually over time, there would appear an elephant in the room that no one seemed to talk about, such as the change in the understanding of "generation.

MC RubberMallet

73

GB: "We don't know if Jehovah wants us to build new headquarters, but we're doing it anyway..."

by cedars in

the latest august 15th watchtower study edition features an interesting review of the society's annual meeting.. one comment struck me as evidence that the governing body isn't quite as "discreet" as it claims.. here is what the article said:.

"there are plans to develop a 248-acre (100 ha) property at warwick.

'although we are not yet certain of jehovahs will regarding warwick,' said brother pierce, 'we are proceeding to develop the site with the intention of relocating the world headquarters of jehovahs witnesses there.

MC RubberMallet

There's usually some positive in any situation. Even funerals are sad, but it brings families together that haven't seen each other in a while.

They seem to be attempting to play this hand with the building project. In the future, if it turns out to be a bad decision, they can say:

"Jehovah still blessed us! Look at how many people all over the country got to work on this project and strengthen their faith, and work on God's House! Even when it started, we did not know why Jehovah had us build it, but now we see he blessed us with a stronger organization and many young ones got a taste of what paradise will be like!"

Everyone claps!

105

2012 Convention Releases

by garlic81 in

jw
friends

post 51 of 52. since 3/27/2009.

google_ad_section_start i can't verify the authenticity of this information as i have not personally attended.

however this is what is posted on another site.. friday:.

MC RubberMallet

Billy, I'm not sure why they don't have it available, but there is still paperbacks. They have been experimenting a LOT lately. Different colors/textures/materials/etc. But the hardcover costs almost $4 a book, so still relatively inexpensive to undertake a project.

105

2012 Convention Releases

by garlic81 in

jw
friends

post 51 of 52. since 3/27/2009.

google_ad_section_start i can't verify the authenticity of this information as i have not personally attended.

however this is what is posted on another site.. friday:.

MC RubberMallet

Reason 1, the cost. Every Jw would want/need a copy of the new edition, and the Bible is one of the more expensive to produce. The WT society is too short of cash to produce a translation (and then to re-translate to other languages) in 7 million copies

It actually costs less than $3 to produce the NWT with the new paperback cover. (FACT). Money isn't the issue. And they have many branches that can produce just as fast as US. Printing a new NWT will be the same cost, because they still print the current one as part of the regular rotation. All they need to do is change the plates in the press. They certainly have the material means to get it done. And they start convention releases at the end of January. So they could at least get the bulk of Witnesses one copy by now.

I don't know if it's true or not, but I know this would not be an issue.

45

If you were a Witness, when did you realize the Governing Body was apostate?

by matt2414 in

for more than 30 years i believed everything that came from the watchtower society, especially since i lived at bethel for a while and i knew a lot of the gb members, who to me seemed intelligent and personable.

at the beginning, the emphasis was on the bible, the kingdom, jehovah and jesus.

but gradually over time, there would appear an elephant in the room that no one seemed to talk about, such as the change in the understanding of "generation.

MC RubberMallet

In the Bethel dining room during lunch, I asked my table "What if Armageddon comes before a certain person learns the truth. Will they be killed, then resurrected as unrighteous, or will they survive like righteous ones, but have no idea why? Like if they lived in some remote land witnesses will never get to?"

They all replied in one way or another "They will be killed". So I asked "How does that make sense? What scripture can you show me that justifies that?"

The best answer was "When that time comes, ALL will know who Jehovah is, and will make their decision."

So I told them, "It is a FACT Witnesses are growing at a lot slower rate than the world population. So there's going to be many who will live and die whom never talk to witnesses. If Jehovah is going to miraculously show everyone who He is and allow them to make a clear decision, why do we preach then? Why are we at Bethel? Jehovah will do it infinite times better and thoroughly. Why do we do RV's, not-at-homes, etc. Jehovah will reach them better than we all can. Our human effort is pointless." No clear answer. "We will have to see".

I also asked another day (that same week) why can't we have beards. I got the spiel about dignity. So I asked if CT Russel had one, and got many to listen to his message, why should it be different in our day when people view beards more liberally. And is not Jehovah more powerful than my beard? Would he not read the hearts and draw those whom are His regardless of my appearance?

I was sincerely genuine, but I was a thinker.

The clincher was I was giving a public talk. It was about relying on Jehovah. I was telling the audience to hear what Jehovah is saying by reading His Word. To really listen to Him. After the talk, I thought, when I'm reading the Word, and Jehovah is talking to me (as the society teaches), what authority do I have to say "Hey Jah, I know this is what you're telling me, but it isn't in print yet, so imma leave that alone". Would that not be equivalent to telling God to shut up while the GB is talking? If I really wanted to know God, I had to use the means Jesus promised, the helper, the Holy Spirit. NOT a wachtower article from men with a high rate of error.

Game Over.

34

Those of you in relationships, when your partner gets clingy, is it flattering, irritating? How do you deal with it?

by La Falta Habitacion Por Sr Hor-Hey!! in

jw
friends

i'm just curious as i'm on the outside looking in when it comes to relationships, yet i recall undercover explaining to me a year or so ago on another thread how his wife was clingy one morning before he went to work.

it made me wonder as someone who's single, what do you feel when you need to be somewhere and your significant other is clingy at the moment?

or when your out and about and he/she is clingy, is it flattering, irritating?

MC RubberMallet

"Word? That's how we livin'? All up on me for no reason? MC RubberMallet ain't wit it!... You really gon' stay in my face still?"

Relationship over...

36

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-13-2012 WT Study (URGENCY)

by blondie in

jw
friends

maintain your sense of.

how can we maintain our sense.

urgent now than ever?.

MC RubberMallet

(1984), (1994)?

30

How Does One Get Into The GB?

by Cold Steel in

if one wanted to get onto the governing body, how would one go about it?

and who is currently the head of the gb?

how often do occupancies arise?.

MC RubberMallet

*** w08 1/15 pp. 22-23 Counted Worthy to Receive a Kingdom ***

Completing the Foretold Number

13 Not all 144,000 anointed Christians were selected in the first century. Their calling continued throughout the apostolic period and then apparently slowed down. However, it did continue throughout the succeeding centuries into modern times. (Matt. 28:20) Eventually, after Jesus began to reign in 1914, things moved ahead rapidly.

14 First, Jesus cleansed the heavens of all vestiges of opposition to godly rule. (ReadRevelation12:10, 12.) Then he turned his attention to the gathering of the remaining prospective members of his Kingdom government so as to complete the number of 144,000. By the mid-1930’s, that task was evidently well along and many of those responding to the preaching work did not have the desire to go to heaven. The spirit was not bearing witness with them that they were sons of God. (Compare Romans 8:16.) Rather, they identified themselves with the “other sheep,” who have the hope of living forever on a paradise earth. (John 10:16) Hence, after 1935 the thrust of the preaching work turned to the gathering of “a great crowd,” those whom the apostle John saw in vision and who would survive “the great tribulation.”—Rev. 7:9, 10, 14.

15 Even so, over the years since the 1930’s, a few individuals have been called to a heavenly hope. Why? In some cases, it could be that they replaced individuals previously called who had become unfaithful. (Compare Revelation 3:16.) Paul even spoke of personal acquaintances who had left the truth. (Phil. 3:17-19)Whom would Jehovah call to serve as such replacements? Of course, that is his decision to make. Still, it would seem reasonable that he would call, not newly converted ones, but individuals who—like the disciples to whom Jesus spoke when he initiated the Memorial observance—have already proved their loyalty to an extent.—Luke 22:28.

16 It seems, however, that not all who have been called to a heavenly hope since the 1930’s are replacements for ones who have fallen away. Jehovah has evidently made sure that we will have anointed Christians among us all through the final days of this system of things until the destruction of “Babylon the Great.” (Rev. 17:5) And we can be confident that the full number of 144,000 members will be completed in Jehovah’s due time and that all will eventually take their place in the Kingdom government. We can also believe the prophetic Word that the ever-growing great crowd will as a group continue to prove itself faithful. Soon it will “come out of the great tribulation” brought upon Satan’s world and will joyfully move on into God’s new world.

30

How Does One Get Into The GB?

by Cold Steel in

if one wanted to get onto the governing body, how would one go about it?

and who is currently the head of the gb?

how often do occupancies arise?.

MC RubberMallet

Blue highlights my thoughts w075/1pp.30-31QuestionsFromReaders

When does the calling of Christians to a heavenly hope cease?

The Bible does not reveal a precise answer to that question. We do know that the anointing of Jesus’ disciples with a view to their heavenly inheritance began in 33 C.E. (Acts 2:1-4) We also know that after the death of the apostles, genuine anointed Christian “wheat” came to “grow together” with counterfeit Christians, “weeds.” (Matthew 13:24-30) Then, starting in the late 1800’s, anointed Christians were again prominently active. In 1919 “the harvest of the earth,” including the gathering of the final ones of the anointed, began to be reaped.—Revelation 14:15, 16.

From the late 1800’s until 1931, the main thrust of the preaching work was the gathering of the remaining members of the body of Christ. In 1931 the Bible Students took the Bible-based name Jehovah’s Witnesses, and in the November 15, 1933, issue of TheWatchtower, the thought was expressed that this unique name was the “denarius” referred to in Jesus’ parable recorded at Matthew 20:1-16. The 12 hours mentioned in the parable were thought to correspond to the 12 years from 1919 to 1931. For many years after that, it was believed that the call to the heavenly Kingdom had ended in 1931 and that those called to be joint heirs with Christ in 1930 and 1931 were “the last” called. (Matthew 20:6-8) However, in 1966 an adjusted understanding of that parable was presented, and it became clear that it had nothing to do with the end of the calling of the anointed.

In 1935 the “great crowd” of Revelation 7:9-15 was understood to be made up of “other sheep,” Christians with an earthly hope, who would appear on the world scene in “the last days” and who as a group would survive Armageddon. (John 10:16; 2 Timothy 3:1; Revelation 21:3, 4) After that year, the thrust of the disciple-making work turned to the gathering in of the great crowd. Hence, especially after 1966 it was believed that the heavenly call ceased in 1935. This seemed to be confirmed when almost all who were baptized after 1935 felt that they had the earthly hope. Thereafter, any called to the heavenly hope were believed to be replacements for anointed Christians who had proved unfaithful.

Without a doubt, if one of the anointed unrepentantly falls away, Jehovah does call another individual to take his place. (Romans 11:17-22) However, the number of genuine anointed ones who have become unfaithful is likely not large. On the other hand, as time has gone by, some Christians baptized after 1935 have had witness borne to them that they have the heavenly hope. (Romans 8:16, 17) Thus, it appears that we cannot set a specific date for when the calling of Christians to the heavenly hope ends.

How should a person be viewed who has determined in his heart that he is now anointed and begins to partake of the emblems at the Memorial? He should not be judged. The matter is between him and Jehovah. (Romans 14:12) However, genuine anointed Christians do not demand special attention. They do not believe that their being of the anointed gives them special “insights,” beyond what even some experienced members of the great crowd may have. They do not believe that they necessarily have more holy spirit than their companions of the other sheep have; nor do they expect special treatment or claim that their partaking of the emblems places them above the appointed elders in the congregation. (Unless your on the Governing Body) They humbly remember that some anointed men in the first century did not qualify to serve as elders or ministerial servants. (1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12, 13; Titus 1:5-9; James 3:1) Some anointed Christians were even spiritually weak. (1 Thessalonians 5:14) And sisters, although anointed, did not teach in the congregation.—1 Timothy 2:11, 12.

Hence, anointed Christians along with their other sheep companions strive to stay spiritually strong, cultivating the fruitage of the spirit and working for the peace of the congregation. All Christians, whether anointed or of the other sheep, work hard at preaching the good news and making disciples under the direction of the Governing Body. Anointed Christians are content to do this for as long as it is God’s will that they remain on earth as Jehovah’s servants.