Posts by Rainbow

30

Jehovah's Wonderous Creation - The Guinea Worm

by pale.emperor in

you're not likely to see this in an awake!

magazine, but here goes.

for those that believe in intelligent design please explain this one to me:.

Here's a morbid thought...

by Rainbow_Troll in

it probably will never happen but... imagine the gb recieved some new light that told them the great tribulation was imminent.

the world is going to hell and all jws can expect until armageddon is terrible persecution the likes of which no christian has ever experienced in two thousand years.

but jehovah has a solution: put yourself and your family 'to sleep' and after armageddon's over, jehovah will 'wake his people up' at the resurrection.

I think I understand what you are saying Cold Steel. In the Roman Catholic church the pope is technically fallible in regard to his opinions. He only become infallible when he pronounces something 'ex cathedra', which would be binding on all practicing catholics to accept. As a man he's fallible, as pope he is infallible.

But the GB doesn't have a system like the Catholics. There's no distinction between fundamental beliefs (such that you might find in a catechism or confession of faith) and just any old opinion the GB might happen to spout in the magazines. Theoretically, believing in vegetarian lions, 1914, and the ransom death of Jesus are all on the same doctrinal level even though, in terms of actual biblical support and relative importance, they obviously are not the same.

27

Article - Wales - Daily Post: 'Sly' Anglesey Jehovah's Witness preacher jailed for sex with a child

by AndersonsInfo in

http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/sly-anglesey-jehovahs-witness-preacher-12361109.

dec. 22, 2016 by derek bellis.

elder, daniel anglesey pleaded guilty at caernarfon crown court and was sent to prison for two years and eight months.

Rainbow_Troll

If he had just been able to keep it in for two more years he could have gotten away scot free. Oh well...

While I think the current child molestation scandal at the WT is appalling I just can't find it within myself to be outraged here. Teenagers are not children, except in some spurious legal sense which varies from country to country and state to state. When I was 14 I knew as much about sex as I do now and if someone had suggested otherwise to me I would have seen it as patronizing and insulting to my intelligence.

They both should have been more discreet.

38

Poor people are sub-human?

by Alostpuppydog in

has anyone noticed how many jw's really seem to be rollin in it?

escpecially the elders, and they treat their subordinates like filthy gum on the bottom of their shoe?

just wondering because i too am poorer than poor and have spent a fourth of my life homeless already and i am 22.. another thing to consider is why domost of the population on this planet seem to hate the poor, even though we outnumber the middle class and the rich greatly?

Rainbow_Troll

Most of the JWs I knew were very poor, though maybe that says more about the place I grew up in than JWs as a whole. Still, I wouldn't expect people who believe college is a waste of time and the world could end any day to be rolling in doe. Maybe the Org should start paying its pioneers.

47

Have you ever known a holocaust denier? How did you feel about them?

by Esse quam videri in

i sometimes did work for a lovely old couple who at times needed repairs done around their home.

my wife and myself spent time with them, having tea and crackers from time to time.

one day the husband and myself got into a conversation and he clearly showed himself to be a holocaust denier.

Rainbow_Troll

It boggles my mind that anyone could deny a crime with literally tens of thousands of eyewitnesses. It would make about as much sense to be a 9/11 denier.

10

Not Inspired?

by kairos in

jw
friends

the head, jesus christ, supplies the body members with what is needed for good cooperation, coordination, and spiritual nourishment.

in such respects, the governing body is organized to take the lead as jehovah directs them by holy spirit.. 2008 wt 5/15 pg 29. the party's over....

Rainbow_Troll

The various reasons the February 2017 WT article submits for accepting the GB' s guidance are specious.

Their first assertion, that the uniqueness of the WT doctrines prove that they are being guided by the holy spirit since no mere man could have discovered them, makes no sense. Firstly, the principle doctrines they mention were enunciated by pastor Russell years before the GB even existed. Secondly, most of Russell's doctrines were not originated by him, but were gleaned from other sources. Arius of Alexandria rejected the trinity way back in the second century. Annihilationism (no hell) was taught by several early church fathers and conditional immortality (no immortal soul) was preached by Martin Luther and others long before Russell. I've met born againers who believe in the resurrection and the millennium. These two beliefs are very explicitly put forth in the scriptures. Any literate person could open up a bible and find them; no divine guidance is necessary. As for Russell's prophecies? Christians have been fortelling the imminent end of the world for two thousand years. Have I left anything out?

Their second assertion, that the society's worldwide preaching work would be impossible without angelic assistance is demonstrably false unless the GB is willing to admit that the Mormons, Anglicans, Baptists, and Catholics are also recieving the same assistance. Many Christian denominations do missionary work, sometimes in countries where their religion is outlawed. All it takes is faith, courage and discretion; no angels are necessary

Their third assertion, that the GB insistance on strictly upholding biblical standards of morality in spite of our world's changing mores proves their divine mandate, is simply false. All it demonstrates is that people hold differing ideas of what is right and are willing to stand their ground no matter what others might do. Fundamentalists of every faith are doing this all over the world, not just JWs!

I anticipate one more argument the GB might make to defend their authority: maintaining orthodoxy. If every JW were free to follow their own conscience, then the Org would soon schism into dozens of little sects each with their own version of the truth. It sounds plausible, but history does not bear this theory out. The Bible Students have nothing equivalent to a governing body and, though there are several independent BS organizations, they all seem to hold the same beliefs; beliefs that have gone largely unchanged from Russell's time. At this point a GB member might object that this is just the problem: without inspired leadership, their wayward brethren have stagnated. But what exactly does this mean? Bible Students still adhere to all the "truths" that the JWs do (sans a few silly restrictions on holidays and blood transfusions). They love and trust Jehovah. They live ethical lives. They have the hope of being resurrected in the millennium, and they share that hope with others. Is there anything of value that the GB can add to that? Do they really believe that God gives a fig that the Bible Students continue to celebrate his son's birthday on the wrong date and that he will hold this against them and deny them eternal life, in spite of all their devotion and love for him? Does the GB honestly believe this?

I doubt it.

But if they really do believe in such a callous pharisee of a God then they are cowards and hypocrites. Hypocrites for worshiping a deity that they, in the privacy of their hearts, can only abhor. Cowards for kneeling to such a monster because they are afraid of accepting their mortality, while so many other people have willingly given up their lives for what they believed was right, often with no hope of being resurrected in the future. This is the sort of god that even devout Christians and Muslims (excepting the fundies) will laugh at if you suggest it to them. He's a caricature, a piñata that every 'militant' atheist takes a whack at in his tirade against religion. Thus, the GB is actually injuring their own cause if this is what they preach. They may as well insist that the world is flat and that the sun circles the earth.

27

Here's a morbid thought...

by Rainbow_Troll in

it probably will never happen but... imagine the gb recieved some new light that told them the great tribulation was imminent.

the world is going to hell and all jws can expect until armageddon is terrible persecution the likes of which no christian has ever experienced in two thousand years.

but jehovah has a solution: put yourself and your family 'to sleep' and after armageddon's over, jehovah will 'wake his people up' at the resurrection.

Rainbow_Troll

I stand corrected. However, I still think the GB's dictatorial style of leadership is totally inconsistent with the humility that should naturally follow from a genuine admission of fallibility.

If the GB is fallible, then they are no more worthy of obedience than any other self-appointed body of men and JWs should have the freedom to either accept or reject their pronouncements as their concience directs them.

27

Here's a morbid thought...

by Rainbow_Troll in

it probably will never happen but... imagine the gb recieved some new light that told them the great tribulation was imminent.

the world is going to hell and all jws can expect until armageddon is terrible persecution the likes of which no christian has ever experienced in two thousand years.

but jehovah has a solution: put yourself and your family 'to sleep' and after armageddon's over, jehovah will 'wake his people up' at the resurrection.

Rainbow_Troll

It was a hypothetical 'what if?' question. To my best knowledge the governing body has never advocated suicide in any circumstance, not even in the case terminal illness.

As for the GB admitting that they are fallible? That would be nice, but you'll have to show me a publication if you want me to believe that. If the GB thinks they are fallible, then why do they require JWs to conform to every little fiat they issue from their headquarters? I mean, they might be wrong ,so who are they impose their speculations on others? If they are fallible then why does any JW who disagrees with them, even on minor doctrinal points, get put before the holy inquisition (otherwise known as a judicial committee) who asks him to recant his heretical views or else face disfellowshipment? The statement "We are fallible." just doesn't follow from their behavior.

27

Here's a morbid thought...

by Rainbow_Troll in

it probably will never happen but... imagine the gb recieved some new light that told them the great tribulation was imminent.

the world is going to hell and all jws can expect until armageddon is terrible persecution the likes of which no christian has ever experienced in two thousand years.

but jehovah has a solution: put yourself and your family 'to sleep' and after armageddon's over, jehovah will 'wake his people up' at the resurrection.

Rainbow_Troll

It probably will never happen but... Imagine the GB recieved some new light that told them the great tribulation was imminent. The world is going to hell and all JWs can expect until armageddon is terrible persecution the likes of which no Christian has ever experienced in two thousand years. But Jehovah has a solution: put yourself and your family 'to sleep' and after armageddon's over, Jehovah will 'wake his people up' at the resurrection. How many JWs would be willing to go through with it. None? A few? Most? All?

Considering how many JWs have allowed their own children and spouses to die when they needed a blood tranfusion, I'm betting most would happily chug the kool-aid and die with a big, bovine grin on their faces.

Frankly, this is one of my nightmares. I know it seems improbable now, but keep in mind that even Heaven's Gate explicitely taught that suicide was wrong.. until Applewhite got his new orders from the saucermen. It wouldn't be hard to pull off either. The Org has a very efficient private grapevine that allows them to swiftly and discretely communicate with any congregation in the world. No need to publish anything in the official publications. It could be done in a matter of hours.

17

Jehovah is unjust (outrageous article on slavery in last WT for public)

by Master_Bob in

according to the last paragraph of the article entitled "escape from slavery—then and now" (wt#2, 2017).

jehovah god felt grieved by the harsh treatment of israelite slaves in egypt; he must feel the same way about similar injustice today.. .

if you call modern slavery "injustice", wasn't the slavery during moses time also "injustice"?

Rainbow_Troll

The link is broken so I can't read the article. In any case, I'm surprised to hear the WT flatly condemning slavery. Biblical references to slavery, old and new testament, are unilaterally positive. Not even Jesus seems to have condemned the practice (at least not directly).

I wonder if this is just due to ignorance (unlikely) or the beginning of a less fundamentalist position. At this point it's only tacit, but if the GB could just concede that the Bible contains errors - both ethical and historical - it could begin a liberalizing trend for Jehovah's Witnesses. Who knows, 50 years hence there might be openly gay elders and teenaged couples holding hands in the Kingdom Hall.

Wouldn't it be grand?

Rainbow_Troll

Posts by Rainbow_Troll