Posts by Steel

12

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures argues for more than one GOD

by smiddy in

gen.1:26 "and god went on to say "let us make man in our image according to our likeness.....etc,etc,.. the key words here are "us" and " our" ,he is including other life forms just like him in using plurals.. he did not say " i" will make man in "my" image ,using the singular vernacular.

the same is also noted in gen 3:22 "and jehovah god went on to say " here the man has become like one of " us".

again he is using the plural and not the singlar language clearly showing their were other life forms on an equal footing to him.. also satan via the serpent also knew the difference between good and bad before he tempted eve , showing he was on a par with jehovah god in knowing that fact along with the other gods in heaven.. another scripture that comes to mind is 1 cor.8:5 "........just as their are many gods and many lords,,,".

Steel

The majority of us are here because we have family still trapped in the cult. The best we can do is have a proper knowledge of the scriptures or at least know what was the intent of the authors was. More of a B.A or Masters of theological studies type of knowledge from a secular University, than an actual bible school.

The idea of pretending you are Neil Degrasse Tyson and just mocking the bible or their beliefs doesn’t really accomplish much. The Trojan horse approach is what I prefer.

Plus heck, I just enjoy learning about theology.

13

My strongest reason not to take anything especially in the new testament serious is found in JW grey bible

by Consciousguy in

guys i need a rebuttal in this.

cos this is what i plan to tell the elders when they come to me which i find inevitable.

due to general concession and confirmation from jw bible on page 1736. all the available christian greek scriptures manuscript today doesn't contain yhwh.

Steel

I have always the best way to show JWs how crappy the NWT is the shear dishonestly in some of the cross references . You don’t need to be a Greek or Hebrew expert to see how utterly bad some of it is.

Unfortunately I am at work right now or I would list some. Also unfortunately 95% of JW don’t even read the bible or even care.

I have also found out in my research about Jehovah in the New Testament the real controversy is some of the placements of “ Lord “ and “ Jesus “. Of the 5000 full or almost full copies of the New Testament , there are actually copies where one says lord and one says Jesus . It’s not even a matter if it was removed them the bible.

26

Can an atheist date jw?

by concernCitizen in

hey everyone!.

first of all, i'm not a jw, in fact i'm an atheist, or if you really want to be technical about it i'm probably something like an agnostic atheist or something.. but, my girlfriend is a jw, she seems very rational about it though, it seems to me that she believes in a lot of it but not exactly all, for instance she does understands and believes in the scientific age of the earth and evolution.. when we started dating almost a year ago she made it clear she as religious person.

i never saw that as a problem, it's not like i'm trying to convert her or she's trying to convert me.

Steel

The elders are much more concerned about you being a self-professing Christians more than a self-professing atheist, as long you are not an annoying crossfitter/vegan/Bernie Sanders supporting/ all preachy about it type of Atheist. The entire premise of the WTS is about hating Christians so if you don’t believe or don’t care, no need to really worry.
Her spirituality is a complete fraud. The entire religion is centered around the idea that don’t have a relationship with god but though your works and obedience to seven men in New York , you will be saved ( sound like a cult yet ).

12

The New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures argues for more than one GOD

by smiddy in

gen.1:26 "and god went on to say "let us make man in our image according to our likeness.....etc,etc,.. the key words here are "us" and " our" ,he is including other life forms just like him in using plurals.. he did not say " i" will make man in "my" image ,using the singular vernacular.

the same is also noted in gen 3:22 "and jehovah god went on to say " here the man has become like one of " us".

again he is using the plural and not the singlar language clearly showing their were other life forms on an equal footing to him.. also satan via the serpent also knew the difference between good and bad before he tempted eve , showing he was on a par with jehovah god in knowing that fact along with the other gods in heaven.. another scripture that comes to mind is 1 cor.8:5 "........just as their are many gods and many lords,,,".

Steel

In the Old Testament there is a figure sometimes called “the angel of the lord “that is identified with god and sometimes as god. There is also a figure called “the word of the lord “and it would usually say “the word of the Jehovah appeared and Jehovah said. There really seems to be a blurring of identify of LORD Yahweh Jesus whatever. There are also times where god would refer to himself in the third person “the LORD said unto the LORD.”

Now a good JW is going to say that Jehovah God must have manifest himself in the form of an angel but the bible doesn’t actually say that. There are also times where Yahweh and the Angel of Lord appear together. It’s really strange stuff.

When you get to the New Testament and read the book of John and he says “the word was with god and the work was god “and then he quotes a passage in the book of Isiah “ make way for the path of the lord our god “ and then he says “ He person has ever seen god or heard god, just the son “.

Well don’t have to be Sherlock Homes to realize he is referring to the two Yahweh or Jehovah of the old testament. It’s also the reason Paul would apply old testament quotes to Jesus like “ Call upon the name of the lord “ or calling jesus the visible image of the invisible god.

This subject is the very thing that awoke me to how incredibly clueless the WTS is. Once you understand basic bible theology is sure makes it hard to attend anymore.

14

Could Joel Osteen Bring the JWs Out of Their Doldrums?

by TMS in

jw
friends

russell had some charisma, as did the alcoholic womanizer, j.f.

rutherford.

n.h. knorr, not so much.

Steel

We have a C.O who speaks at our assemblies. Young little prick, I forget his name and he actually tries to mimic Joel Osteen in his delivery style. I knew there is a whole team of people at Bethel just studying all the popular evangelical preachers, trying to see what works and what they can rip off.

I have always thought if Joel Osteen was a food, he would be cotton candy. I generally think his message is harmless provided you don’t take the idea of prosperity theology too serious. He is a good starting point to get involved in a good church. I know the majority here are atheist/agnostic but I do believe church has a role in at the very least protecting people against harmful cults like the Jehovah Witnesses.

If more people knew there bibles better , they would wake up to how ridiculous Jehovah Witnesses teachings are, being only though your works and obedience to seven men in Brooklynn yada yada yada.

The one I kind of enjoy is Joseph Prince. He has the charisma of Joel Osteen while actually teaching teaching the bible at a university level theology class.

2

The Ubers and Israel

by Steel in

over the last year in the two congregations i am somewhat involved with, several of the most uber elders have taken trips to israel.

did some wizard have a vision and all the jws are on a mission to turn all the jews into jehovah witnesses or are they just on vacation ?

of course i could just ask someone but that would require me attend and talk to them.

Steel

Over the last year in the two congregations I am somewhat involved with, several of the most uber elders have taken trips to Israel. Did some wizard have a vision and all the JWs are on a mission to turn all the Jews into Jehovah Witnesses or are they just on vacation ?

Of course I could just ask someone but that would require me attend and talk to them. Has there been any directive from the society to do this? The whole thing seems a little one Hundred Huntley street to me.

Good god, the last thing the Israeli people need are these losers telling them to lay down their weapons.

21

Openly converting to another religion but not disfellowshipped

by R Franz Ferdinand III in

jw
friends

odd.... friends of mine recently became members of an evangelical church.. up until they got baptised in this church, they still were visiting the jw meetings on a regular basis.they weren't really fading in the true sense of the word.. they came out of the closet about their new conviction quite publicly and even didn't shy away from getting in debate with the elders on biblical topics.. the elders are obviously very aware about their position and as they still were attending the meetings not so long ago, they clearly can be considered as people associated with the jw organisation.. as far as i know it seems they won't get disfellowshipped.

as long my friends don't harrass fellow witnesses with their 'renegade ideas' and 'false religion', elders seem to comply and leave things as they are.. this puzzles me as defecting to babylon the great always has been one the most worst offenses a jw could possibly commit.. could this be a case of local elders interpreting/applying things their own way or is there a (new) general policy trending ?.

anyone who knows about similar cases ?.

Steel

I have a friend raised as a Lutheran, who went back to being a Lutheran without any sanction after a five year fade. I think it is kind of silly to announced that so and so is no longer one of Jehovah Witnesses after they haven’t stepped into a hall in five years.

Of course he keeps it on the down low. Kind of like being gay in the military, don’t ask don’t tell. He is also the type who really wouldn’t care either and the Pharisees don’t like being shown how unimportant they really are so they just leave him alone.

13

Dutch convention: disassociation in broader perspective

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

today at the utrecht international convention in holland there was no "word in spanish" about dissassociation.. "we avoid any contact with dissassociated witnesses.

not only sinners, but in a broader perspective, also inactive witnesses".. there was a lot of noise in the hall direct after that moment.. so, no fading escape in the near future, i expect.. g..

Steel

I thought the shunning for inactive ones was just for people living amoral lifestyles.

I really hope this makes people think twice about pushing their children into getting baptized in the first place. I actually do know a few dubs who didn't allow their children even under pressure from the elders to get dipped until they were 18.

24

Perfect Example of JW Dumbing Down

by thedepressedsoul in

just take a look at this video.

i think arguing or debating scriptures is the most pointless thing ever.

everything at their meetings are so basic with no explanation.

Steel

Those guys are some form of messianic Judaism or Jews for Jesus or something. I wouldn’t consider them a cult but their theology is somewhat out there but they are generally harmless.

The ironic part is that JW lady was so stupid she was actually defending more than an evangelical position about how the god’s people became the body of Christ instead of the Jewish people at the day of Pentecost. My god , she could have been a Baptist for all they knew.

Of course no good JW tells you about the Harry Porter part of how god picked them in 1919 and in 2012 the Holy Spirit was given to only magnificent seven and only though your works and obedience to the golden calf you will survive the impending Armageddon. Or most of them are too stupid to really know what they believe anyway.

34

Any Reviews or Feedback from the District Convention??

by daringhart13 in

i stopped in to see if that are any overwhelming statistics, stories or feedback from people regarding the 2016 district convention.....haven't seen much...... any stories or threads?.

Steel

I found ( Saskatoon, Saskatchewan ) mine , the applause were quite muted, no one was crying after the disfellowshiping video and no one hung around afterwards to visit. Honestly I think quite a few people were actually quite embarrassed by it. Every since the new understand of the faithful slave , they aren't even hiding the fact they are a cult. Spending an entire weekend villainizing ex members, Come on man.

The funny part is field service and attendance really seems to be down after the convention ( at least at my hall).