RolRod

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Posts by RolRod

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  28

  Rolf Furuli New Book

  by dozy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those who haven't come across furuli before , he is a 77 year old norwegian professor and is ( or was ) one of the few "scholarly" jws used by the society and used as a source on various matters ( especially 607 bce ).. however recently he has fallen out with the gb and has published an interesting book - like many recent scholarly apologists , he seems to be going down the road of disagreeing with the authority of the gb but still holding that the jws is the one true religion.

  kind of "lions led by donkeys".

  whether this view will continue is anyones guess.

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  RolRod

  Yep, he was DF'd. But what do you expect, they always alienate those most staunch supporters.
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  70

  How do you feel about identifying roughly where you are from ? Country, Region,State ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi friends ,.

  is it just me or do others on this forum like to know where posters are from ?

  what country state or region you are from ?

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  RolRod

  Greater Indianapolis area, formerly New York/ New Jersey
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  4

  Trevor Pope and Jesse Hemery

  by BereanThinker7 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anybody know anything about trevor pope?

  he compiled some ideas from jesse hemery and wrote a book on end times called "a bible study investigation into our relationship to god and into the time of the end" .

  its interesting so far and its already hard enough to even find any writings about hemery or info on his goshen fellowship.

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  RolRod

  Jesse Hemery was of course in charge of the UK branch during Russell's presidency. He was vice president of the IBSA a position he held till 1946, and Branch manager from 1901 to 1951. While working on an article for the Watchtower he came to the conclusion that most of Revelation was still future and published his ideas in 1951 outside of the Society's presses. He was disfellowshipped by Knorr later that year and died a few years later in 1955.

  In 1951 he founded The Goshen Fellowship, and published the Journal Zion's Herald Journal of the Goshen Fellowship. The Goshen Fellowship would fall into the leadership of Frank Lewis Brown, whom I had a long distance relation with until his death some years ago.

  I have all of the books and most of the journals and newsletters.

  Trevor Pope was a student of Frank Lewis Brown. The Goshen Fellowship as far as I'm aware no longer exist. He's just a lone wolf, although he may have a small following.

  RR
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  20

  Did they use to applaud after reinstatement after being Disfellowshipped, but then it stopped?

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't remember disfellowshippings happening very often and announcements about being re instated but i think i remember that we used to clap hands if someone came back after being disfellowshipped.

  but then i think clapping wasn't allowed.

  am i correct in my recollections?.

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  RolRod

  Yep, it was still being done in the 1980s. They use to also announce a disfellowshipping in ALL congregations in the district, not just in the home congregation, as well as announce what the reason for.
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  4

  How are you spending your lockdown time?

  by pale.emperor in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  how is everybody spending their lockdown time?.

  i've been furloughed from work (forced "annual leave" with pay which doesn't affect my regular annual leave) for the past 2 months so i've had lots of time free to do whatever.. i've spent the time productively by doing all those things i've said i'd get round to doing "one day":.

  learning french.

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  RolRod

  I'm ESSENTIAL, a Letter Carrier, as a result I've been working 12 hour days
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  16

  What did Russell and the Bible students say about racism?

  by Fadeaway1962 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  featured on jworg , what does the bible say about racism?

  .

  and a video , johny and gideon: once enemies, now brothers , two men from south africa.. what did russell and rutherford have to say about racism in the congregations ?.

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  RolRod

  Russell wasn't a racist, however he was a product of his time. It was a common belief that blacks came from the curse of Ham, son of Noah. There were plenty of blacks in the Society during Russell's leadership.

  Russell defended black people against racism. Russell said, [R2264] ”Without partiality (which would signify injustice): the purity and peace, gentleness, mercy and good fruits of the spirit of wisdom, lead us to be no respecters of persons, except as character shall demonstrate real value: the outward features, the natural man, the color of his skin, etc., are ignored by the spirit of the Lord, the spirit of wisdom that cometh from above. It is impartial and loves that which is pure, good, peaceable, gentle, true, wherever found and under whatever circumstances it exhibits itself.” and in R3042-3 “It is NOT true that divine favor has gone with the whites exclusively, and against the blacks and other colored races; civilizing the whites and barbarizing the others. If civilization and barbarity are to be the tests entirely, we have only to take in a wide scope of history to see the fallacy of the view presented. Eighteen centuries ago the white peoples of Europe, with their straight silky hair, were savages, idolaters, barbarians… Moreover, it was when Moses’ brother Aaron and his sister Miriam, especially the latter, upbraided him for his marriage to a negress, that the Lord defended him in the matter, and smote Miriam with the plague of leprosy as a punishment for her improper conduct and language respecting this subject. (See the account, Num. 12.) Zipporah was an Ethiopian, described in the Hebrew text as a Cushite. Ebed melech, also an Ethiopian, was one of King Zedekiah’s household, and be it noted that he was both thoughtful and zealous for the Lord’s prophet, Jeremiah, and was the commander of the thirty men who delivered him from prison (Jer. 38:7-12.) Hence the argument of those who claim that the negro is devoid of organizing intelligence or ability, except as he may have an admixture of white blood, is shown to be fallacious.”

  In [R934] “…Mr. Thomson says he had seen so much of this sort of thing that he began to believe that the negro was not capable of development. But when he reached the heart of Africa, his pessimism suffered a severe shock. These are his words: “I could hardly believe I was not dreaming when I looked around me and found large, well-built cities, many of them containing 10,000 to 30,000 inhabitants. The people themselves, picturesquely and voluminously dressed, moved about with that self-possessed, sober dignity which bespeaks the man who has a proper respect for himself. I saw on all sides the signs of an industrious community, differentiated into numerous crafts—evidence sufficient to show, how far advanced they were on the road to civilization. I heard the rattle, the tinkle, and the musical clang of the workers in iron, in brass, and in copper. I could see cloth being made in one place, and dyed, or sewn into gowns or other articles of dress in other places. I n the markets crowded with eager thousands, I could see how varied were the wants of these negro people, how manifold the productions of their industry, and how keen their business instincts.”
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  13

  Hierarchy of Organization

  by lostsheep82 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  hi, i'm looking for the article published in the 90s i think (i was a teenager) and it showed a diagram of the organizational hierarchy, at the top was jesus, then governing body all the way down to publishers it was in a pyramid style org chart.... can someone point me in the right direction?

  additionally, does anyone remember the article or any articles that stated how bad it was that other religions had hierarchy like that?

  i remember this being discussed at like a watchtower study or maybe it was a bookstudy.... i am on the hunt for another topic to discuss with my jw parents.

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  RolRod

  
  
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  21

  How Would You React if a Snake Started Talking to You?

  by RubaDub in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just an odd thought i guess.

  i saw a large snake in the back of my house the other day and it went on its merry way.

  i just asked myself, what if the snake turned around and wanted to have a philosophical discussion on life, the universe or the origin of creation and then began to ask me questions?

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  RolRod

  I was married to a snake for 25 years
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  27

  For those who are STILL believing Christians...

  by BoogerMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the latest watchtower of august 2020 discusses on page 15, "how will the resurrection likely take place?".

  since learning real truths as opposed to the org's version of truth, has your view of the resurrection changed significantly?

  just one example - regardless of psalm 37:9,11,29: matthew 5:5 & revelation 21:3,4, do you now believe that our destination is heaven rather than earth?.

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  RolRod

  I believe in two salvations, one heavenly for the church and the other earthly for the rest of mankind, however I don't limit heaven to 144,000, believing the Great Company is also a heavenly class. One serves on the throne and Kings and priest with Jesus, the others serves before the throne as underpriest.

  Every man, woman and child who ever lived will be resurrected on earth, in which during the millennial reign of Jesus will learn what God did for us through his son Jesus, they'll grow to perfection and have the opportunity to prove their loyalty during the "little season" when Satan is let loose to deceive. At that point, mankind will be perfect and stand on their own merit. Sinning cannot be blamed on adamic death as Jesus paid that price, they will die for their own sins.

  RR
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  30

  Has anyone ever turn down being appointed an Elder or MS?

  by Davros in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  has anyone turned it down or know of someone who did turn down being an elder or ms?.

  yes, it should be one of the biggest privileges a brother can get !!

  (how do i put the barfy icon in?

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  RolRod

  I did several times at different congregations, then I finally accepted hoping to make a difference. I have to admit I was probably the favorite in the congregation, wasn't quick to judge, and the friends found me easy to talk to, especially among the younger ones.

  My presiding overseer hated me because I wasn't a "Yes" man who kissed his butt at every opportunity. But at the same time he respected me because he knew I never held back. I spoke my mind without any reservation.

  We use to go at it tooth and nail at elder's meetings. One time he actually charged at me, took 3 elders to hold him back.

  In the end, I had enough, and I handed in my resignation, I had confided to quite a few friends, telling them I couldn't do it any more and they begged me to stay, but they understood. They announced it during the service meeting as if I had been removed, and not stepped down, but everyone there knew I stepped down.

  I kicked the bookstudy and field service group out of my home, and told the elders the only thing I would participate in was field service, which I enjoyed.

  The following Sunday just before the Watchtower study was to begin, an elder tapped me on the shoulder and motioned me to the back, when I got there He extended the microphone to me and I immediately put up my hands and told him "I don't do that anymore", he had a smirk on his face, I went back to my seat. I lasted a few months. Then walked out and never went back, that was some 25 years ago.

  RR