thank you everyone for helping to make this a success.. i'm sure the no.
of members will start creeping up to now as people start to join in instead of lurking (yes that means you!).
...just trying the 'hard sell'
Simon,
Are you framiliar with the LHMM, there is a group based out of the UK. I noticed you said in a post that you were from the UK. LHMM is Laymans Home Missionary Movement. They are very framiliar to the Dawn Bible Students Movement. They still use the books Studies in the Scriptures.
i've picked up a little about each of us on the db, but we're a reclusive little group, aren't we?.
well, my picture won't be going up any time soon, but i'll put out some personal information and hopefully others will too.
makes chatting more fun, don't you think?.
waiting,
MrT is I believe a land dessert turtle. We adopted him from some people that just did not want him anymore. You tell how old they are by the humps on their shell and count the rings. We have had two guesses about his age from people who had turtles like him. One said 85, the other said 90. I think Jake is a box turtle. All he eats is large night crawlers and bugs he catches. MrT eats fruit and vegetables. He loves watermellon and bannanas and strawberries. MrT is about 15 inches long seven inches high and weighs about 4 or 5 pounds. I never have weighed him. I am guessing.
I forgot to mention my oldest daughter has a hamster named Tiny and a siamese fighting fish.
The hamster is so tame it follows people around. Usually they run and hide somewhere.
since the wt organization claims "apostolic succession" who was it that passed the torch of gods spirit to c.t.russel when he founded the.
organization?
what denomination or faith?
I am not sure what your point is, but I have some information on where Pastor Russell got his start.
In 1876 Russell came into possession of a copy of the Second Adventist magazine THE HERALD OF THE MORNING, published by Nelson H. Barbour of Rochester, New York. They were spiritual descendants of the Millerites, who expected Christs return in 1844. William Miller was the leader of the group, I believe he was a Baptist Minister. Anyway, the Adventist expected Christ return or second coming in 1874 but were likewise disappointed. Barbour refused to accept such disappointment so he proclaimed that Crist did return in 1874, only invisibly. He based his argument on Benjamin Wilson's EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT, a Greek interlinear New Testament.
Russell gave Barbour funds to continue publishing Herald of the Morning in exchange that he be added to the staff of the Second Adventist Magazine as an editor. Russell helped Barbour complete and publish a book called THREE WORLDS or PLAN OF REDEMPTION.
About two years later Russell came into conflict with Barbour over the doctrine of Christ ransom. Russell resigned his post as an editor of HOTM and in July 1879 released the first issue of Zions Watch Tower and Herald of the Christ's Presence. Several Second Adventist followed Russell and believed that Pastor Russel took the place of Barbour who became unfaithful and whom was fulfilled the prophecies of Matthew 24:48-51 and Zachariah 11:15-17.
I have more info on this, I hope this helps.
okay, i'm interested in what everybody thinks on this.
i believe that for the most parts all religions start off with a good motive, i.e., to provide a forum that will help people to serve god.
(basically).
Jokemyster,
What real truth are you talking about? Is this something new revealed by the Governing Body?
i've picked up a little about each of us on the db, but we're a reclusive little group, aren't we?.
well, my picture won't be going up any time soon, but i'll put out some personal information and hopefully others will too.
makes chatting more fun, don't you think?.
I am 42, married to a fantastic woman. We have three kids, 10 boy,12,14 girls. The girls are A students in school. My boy is getting there. Two Turtles, Mr T is between 80-90 years old and loves people. You can feed this guy right out of your hand and he follows looking for more hand outs. Jake is the other turtle. He is only about 10 years old. I call him speedy. He is the fastest turtle I have ever seen. He never walks when he moves, he always runs. We also have a rabbit called Buttercup. We thought it was a female when it was young but soon found out otherwise. He to is very friendly. We live in California. Jehovah has been good to us and has blessed us greatly.
i have pioneered for over four years.
i have three children and a wife who at times has severe back problems.
i have worked two jobs just to stay ahead of the bills and provide for my family.
waiting,
Actually only one of the three elders is an auxilary pioneer. His goal should be met this month. I am not sure if he plans to pioneer in June which is around the corner. It will be interesting to see if he continues after goading me to continue. I wish the best for him either way.
i'm married, have a wonderful, but "unbelieving" wife.
i have three kids, all of whom are honor students and very responsible.. now my dilemma: none of my kids are the least bit interested in being jw's.
i took them all to meetings even as babies without the help of my wife or anyone else in the congregation.
Jokemyster,
Sounds like you did not get your share of coffee and donuts after service on Saturday mornings. (Just teasing)
No one has the right except God to judge you or say whether you are good or bad. If the Elders in your congregation actually labeled you as a bad associate without any real Scriptural evidence, Jehovah I am sure will deal with them.
As far as JWs being Gods chosen people, there are many sincere people that are JWs and have a real desire to serve God. This is not to say that this is not so outside the WTBTS.
James 4:12 says: One there is that is lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you to be judging (your ) neighbor?
I find it hard to believe that Jehovah would destroy my mother and sister who are very moral people and have a belief in God. They are not JWs. They do what they can to help others in need and are always there for our family. I leave matters of judging in Gods hands. I feel at times that wrong decissions are made at times by the brothers (Elders) in matters similar to yours.
i find myself lacking in zeal in the door-to-door work.
i have this hidden feeling that these worldly people are better off to face jah's judgement at armageddon with their ignorance intact, rather than to bring them into our fold to struggle daily for worthiness and perhaps be set up for failure.
does anyone else ever think this way?
When I see someone I helped into the truth attend meetings regularly and start going door to door, I see it as a worthwhile adventure and duty of a true believer.
I at times when confronted with an obstinate person at the door, feel like throwing a rock through their window or poisoning their dog. (JUST KIDDING) :-)
the latest wt questions from readers on blood.
fractions of all "primary" components are now allowed?.
is this saying that everything is allowed except when they're combined together?
RHW,
THe Watchtower stand against blood transfusions is getting more complicated as the years go by. I believe that the Society is slowly changing their stand against blood and allowing more and more componants that are made of blood itself to be transfused into the JW. It is the ignorance of the Society and the JW alike that this policy remains.
The way I have seen it for a few years now, according to the WT Society, blood is sacred because THE LIFE IS IN THE BLOOD.
MARCH 1,1989 WT PAGE 30 SAYS: "GODS DETERMINATION IS THAT BLOOD REPRESENTS LIFE AND THUS IS SACRED.
According to the WT, BLOOD IS SACRED BECAUSE OF THE LIFE IN IT. It is not the blood which is sacred, it is the life.
I see it like this.
Without the life, the material substance blood, is nothing, it means nothing.It is only the "symbol" of life. If you think about it deeply, the WT Society blood policy destroys the life, which is SACRED, to spare the blood, which means nothing without the life. They destroy the real thing to protect the symbol. Life is sacred in its own right. Blood is not. Blood is meaningless without the life.
I would have a hard time adhearing to this policy if my kids needed blood.
(the david bowie song in case you're wondering).
there seems to be a lot of talk and speculation about the changes that are coming at the next district conventions.
there have certainly been quite a few articles and talks (esp.
The way many in my congregation avoid answering questions when going door to door about 1914, I would think that the date never was something to be looked at to begin with.
I own copies of the Millennial Dawn as well as Studies in the Scriptures by Pastor Russel. When I first started reading these over 11 years ago I can see why the Society abandoned the use of the books. Volume 2 and 3 said much about 1914 and what would culminate. The date 1914 was changed to 1915 in later editions 0f volume 2 page 101.
The seventh volume was not written by Russel, it was written by Clayton J. Woodworth and George H. Fisher in 1917. This volume is something that I think every Jehovah Witness should read.
I do not know if there is anything in the seveth volume that is looked at today by the Society as spiritual light of any kind.
It is Jehovah and his word that we should look to for guidance.
