Anders Andersen

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Posts by Anders Andersen

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  2

  More So Than Ever

  by berrygerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

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

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  Anders Andersen

  Awesome!

  Only the default low pitch trailer voice over is missing :-p
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  9

  Love is Greater than Hate

  by Coded Logic in

  1. social
  2. current

  this week has been a really difficult past couple of days.

  waking up to the news on sunday that some jihadist jackass had slaughtered so many of my lgbt brothers and sisters left me reeling and in tears.

  we're a community with common cause and a common struggle and it's immensely painful to see the loss of so many young and beautiful lives.

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  Anders Andersen

  Wow. It's hard to imagine how you would feel right now, but you put it down in writing very eloquently.

  At some level some of us might know part of the feeling of having to hide your true identity and feelings as awake/former JW, but for us is only when we're around dubs. You have to do that at some level always and everywhere you go...except there were you would feel safe. And know your safe haven has been attacked and compromised as well.

  I hope the protest rally is a success: love trumps hate.

  Hug from across the big pond.
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  8

  Who was more selfless? Jesus or Brenda Lee Marquez McCool?

  by Wasanelder Once in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jesus was a perfect sinless human (they say) who came to die for mankind.

  he gave up his perfect life for all.

  selfless?

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  Anders Andersen

  Ooh Norah Jones

  Where can I sign up?

  
  

  
  

  Can I have O'g3ne to wake me up?

  https://youtu.be/flhbl9w_ul0
  

  
  

  But good analogy Simon!
  
  
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  11

  Absolute blind obedience. No accountability.

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it's interesting to observe that in all aspects of life, leaders are accountable to those they lead.. politicians must fulfil their promises, or they are replaced from government.. business corporate leaders like ceos must perform, or they are replaced.. sports coaches and trainers must win, or they are replaced.. yet there are leaders who have often been wrong, have made serious ,mistakes and failed predictions that have impacted the lives of millions.. they have dictated decisions for the lives of millions, yet they can't even be questioned...even in a sincere or polite manner..

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  Anders Andersen

  @Lost Gen,

  That's not blind obedience!

  Many of the dubs have 'thoroughly researched' the topic in WT literature, and concluded for themselves that God wants this. And there's also a lot of 'evidence' in there that shows it's beneficial for your health!

  
  

  This is 'following their Bible trained conscience'.

  
  

  Of course, if next week the GB says taking blood is ok, most of those Bible trained consciences will quickly be retrained to do the opposite of what it had always done.

  
  

  Isn't it great that blind obedience has been thinly veiled as following your own conscience? Keeps the dubs subdued, and it's a perfect defense in the courts of law and public opinion. "We never make anyone do anything. They are all following their own Bible trained conscience."
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  17

  What is the official stance on shunning family that "faded"?

  by Wild_Thing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anybody have any quotes from watchtower literature or video that shows what their stance is on associating with family who have left the witnesses?

  or even what the unofficial stance is?.

  not disfellowshipped or officially disassociated, just "inactive" for say 15-20 years, but also openly living a "worldly" life birthdays, holidays, including attending another church?

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  Anders Andersen

  Another quote from the elders manual, more to the point:

  41. Depending upon length of inactivity and other factors suggested above, elders may determine to hold the matter in abeyance. In such a case, they would make a record of the person’s questionable conduct for the congregation file. When the individual again shows interest in returning to the congregation, they can clarify these matters.
  42. If the sinful conduct is known only to believing family members and no congregation action has been taken, believing relatives will likely determine to curtail family association severely, viewing the relative as bad association.—1 Cor. 15:33; w85 7/15 p. 19
• 
  17

  What is the official stance on shunning family that "faded"?

  by Wild_Thing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anybody have any quotes from watchtower literature or video that shows what their stance is on associating with family who have left the witnesses?

  or even what the unofficial stance is?.

  not disfellowshipped or officially disassociated, just "inactive" for say 15-20 years, but also openly living a "worldly" life birthdays, holidays, including attending another church?

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  Anders Andersen

  Not a direct answer to your question, might still be interesting:
  Do you regularly visit a church?
  According to the elders' manual:
  

  If it is learned that a person has taken up association with another religious organization and thus is identified with it, a committee (not judicial) should be selected to investigate matters and endeavor to provide spiritual assistance. If the individual has joined another religious organization and intends to remain with it, he has disassociated himself.
  [...]
  6. If members of the congregation are known to

  have undue association with disfellowshipped

  or disassociated relatives who are not in the

  household, elders should counsel and reason with

  those members of the congregation from the Scrip

  tures. Review with them information from the

  “God’s Love” book, pages 207-208; The Watchtower

  of April 15, 1988, pages 26-30; or the article “Dis

  play Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellow

  shipped” in the August 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry.
  

  If it is clear that a Christian is violating the spirit of

  the disfellowshipping decree in this regard and does

  not respond to counsel, it may be that he would

  not qualify for congregation privileges, which require

  one to be exemplary. He would not be dealt with judi

  cially unless there is persistent spiritual association or

  he openly criticizes the disfellowshipping decision.
• 
  14

  Noah's Ark crashes at sea!

  by Cornbread in

  1. social
  2. current

  please be advised that none of this is made up.

  a giant replica of noah's ark just crashed into a norwegian coast guard patrol.

  the ark was being towed to rio for the special olympics.

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  Anders Andersen

  Yeah...most of us know how it feels to spend years of our life building something in vain.

  At least this guy knew he was building a fake replica. We all thought we were building the realest bestest thing in all history of the universe....
• 
  67

  EdenOne, Mrs. Eden & Son: DISASSOCIATED!

  by EdenOne in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  great news!.

  we are free!.

  as of the 9th of june, me and my dear wife mrs. eden handed over our letters of disassociation at bethel in portugal, thus making official our departure from the jehovah's witnesses.

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  Anders Andersen

  Congratulations! Happy rebirthday ;-)
• 
  95

  Supreme Court Of Russia bans Jehovah's Witnesses as an 'extremist organization'

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  read the news here.

  the jehovah's witnesses lost their appeal to the supreme court of russia.

  bethel to be liquidated.. i bet the gb saw this coming ... here comes the persecution complex paranoia.

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  Anders Andersen

  However, to say that ALL JWs refuse blood because of fear of discipline is simply not true. You can't paint all with a such a broad brush.

  I never claimed all JW refuse blood because they fear the fallout l, and that is not the point either. My point is: (1) the Org is pressuring people into refusing blood, and that should be stopped.

  (2) The JW's who would have refused blood even if the Org would say you can accept it, are still free to do so if the Organization's no longer exists (as long as they don't pressure others to do the same).

  I assume you can agree with both of these points.
  

  Since when have government bans been effective in stopping JWs from promoting their message?

  Taking out one crime boss will only make the next one take his place. Yet we fight crime anyway. So why is this relevant?

  In my opinion bans in this information age might very well have a different effect than they had decades ago.

  Anyway, if a ban is not the answer, what is? Educating the people about JW? I think education should complement the ban, but it will also be perceived as persecution and Satanic influence.

  Would you propose governments ignore all extremist groups instead?

  They will possibly face real pain. Persecution, possible jail time, public humiliation and ridicule, beatings, constant searches and scrutiny from the authorities

  I don't think anyone here advocates beatings, humiliation and ridicule from the government. We're discussing a ban on specific literature and a legal entity here. For the sake of discussion, assume this ban would be in place in a bit more civilized country like France or Germany.

  If you break the law, for religious reasons or not, the consequences are there.

  Everyone is free to believe whatever they want, even in Russia. Is it so hard to worship your God without a specific forbidden magazine issue or book? Do you really have to preach that everyone but JW will be killed or that you should not answer the phone when your ex-JW daughter calls?

  
  

  Now I do see there is an issue in Russia. They are not very good with human rights. Apparently they are trying to get rid of any non-orthodox religions.

  There is a thin line between trying to fight extremism and stepping on the rights of non-orthodox or non-traditional groups or individuals.

  We can agree this is not an easy case either way.
• 
  95

  Supreme Court Of Russia bans Jehovah's Witnesses as an 'extremist organization'

  by EdenOne in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  read the news here.

  the jehovah's witnesses lost their appeal to the supreme court of russia.

  bethel to be liquidated.. i bet the gb saw this coming ... here comes the persecution complex paranoia.

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  Anders Andersen

  think back to when you were a JW (if u were ever one in the past). Would a gov ban have made u accept a blood transfusion had u needed one?

  Not after I had been indoctrinated from birth.

  But without the Watchtower indoctrination and false information, I most likely would have accepted blood like any other person (including almost all Christians)

  How many JW would refuse blood without being told to do so by Watchtower Inc.? Without being pressured by elders and Hospital Contact Gestapo Committees? Without fear of being shunned by all friends and family?

  My guess: almost none.

  Just like nowadays almost no JW would refuse an organ transplant on religious reasons, but some decades ago almost all of them would have...because Watchtower told them so.

  
  

  There is a big difference between an individual's conscience and rules and policies put in place by an organization.

  Already some JW are secretly accepting blood when needed. Guess what would happen if tomorrow the GB tells all JW that 'God prefers you to stay alive to preach, so please accept blood when needed'. Most would quickly follow that instruction. Apparently their refusing blood has less to do with their conscience, and more with mindless obedience to Watchtower.

  
  

  Through Watchtower Inc., the GB tells JW what to do, to their disadvantage. If a government wants to stop an organization/legal entity to issue instructions, it's fully within their rights.

  And if individual people want to refuse blood transfusions, they're still free to do so.