Posts by Scorpion

7

HMMMMM...do I detect a PATTERN here?

by LDH in

jw
friends

let me see if i got this right.. jduds sell literature for 85 years, and collect the profits tax-free.. billy graham (?

) and his cronies get their nuts in a vise over the same issue, and end up being the defendents in a tax evasion case.

(am i remembering the details?

June 22, 1989
WTBTS files "friend of the court" briefs with U.S. Supreme Court in Jimmy Swaggart case.
OThers filing "friend of the court" briefs including National Council of Churches and Society for Krishna Consciousness.

January 17,1990
U.S. Supreme Court rules against Jimmy Swaggart Ministries, declaring that the sales tax must be paid.

February 9,1990
WTBTS writes letter to congregations announcing that literature will no longer be sold to JW's at the KH, and that no price will be set when JW's distribute materials door-to-door.

February 25,1990
February 9th letter from WT Society is read at Sunday meetings of Jehovah's Witnesses across the U.S.

March 1,1990
New policy of distributing literature without naming a price goes into effect.

March 11,1990
Announcement is made at KH's in the U.S. that food will be available at no cost, on a freewill donation basis, at JW conventions.

[The March 15,1990, WT magazine and March 22nd AWAKE!-printed earlier-still say "25 cents (U.S) copy" and "$5.00 (U.S) per year." The April 1,1990, WT no longer carries a price.]

I condensed a lot of information LDH. There is actually much more to this but I hope this little bit helps.

Scorpion

6

HMMMMM...do I detect a PATTERN here?

by LDH in

jw
friends

let me see if i got this right.. jduds sell literature for 85 years, and collect the profits tax-free.. billy graham (?

) and his cronies get their nuts in a vise over the same issue, and end up being the defendents in a tax evasion case.

(am i remembering the details?

Scorpion

Summer, 1959
"We never solicit donations," WT Society says, on page 27 of the book Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose, quoting from Watch Tower magazine, Jan/Feb 1882, p.2

Early 1980
State of California informs Jimmy Swaggart Ministries that tax is due for religious books and tapes sold in the State since 1974. Swaggart eventually pays the tax-$183,000.00- but sues for a refund.

May, 1988 Jimmy Swaggart confesses he had commited a moral sin," reportedly consorting with a prostitute.

January, 1989
WT Society distributes Feb., 1989 issue of OUR KINGDOM MINISTRY, declaring that J.W.'s are not "agents or representatives of the WTBTS. (p.3) The article mentions the possibility of "an accident" on private property while distributing literature.

February, 1989
U.S. Supreme Court rules that it is illegal for the state of Texas to exempt religious books from sales tax. This strikes down such exemptions in 15 states. Other states with sales taxes had been taxing religious books all along.

Summer, 1989
WT Society gives away "free" new books released at U.S. conventions, abandoning the long-standing practice of selling the books. Witnesses are instructed to place donations in contrabution boxes to cover the cost.

(More to come)

Scorpion

Finding the Lord

by Scorpion in

finding the lord.

a drunk stumbles along a baptismal service on a sunday afternoon down by the river.

he proceeds to stumble down into the water and stands next to the minister.

Scorpion

FINDING THE LORD
A drunk stumbles along a Baptismal service on a Sunday afternoon down by the river. He proceeds to stumble down into the water and stands next to the Minister. The Minister turns, notices the old drunk and says, "Mister, are you ready to find

Jesus?"
The drunk looks back and says, "Yes sir, I am." The Minister then dunks the fellow under the water and pulls him right back up. "Have you found Jesus?" the Minister asked. "No I didn't!" said the drunk. The Minister then dunks him under for quite a bit longer, brings him up and says, "Now brother, have you found Jesus?"
"No, I did not!" said the man again. Disgusted, the Minister holds the man under for at >least 30 seconds this time, brings him up and demands, "For the grace of God, have you found Jesus yet?!!!??"

The old drunk wipes his eyes and pleads, "Are you sure this is where he fell in???"

2

710 Cap

by Scorpion in

seven ten cap .

the other day i was in the local auto part store.

a lady comes in and asks .

Scorpion

Seven Ten Cap

The other day I was in the local auto part store. A lady comes in and asks
for a seven ten cap. We all looked at each other and said, "What's a seven
ten cap?"

She said "You know, it's right on the engine. Mine got lost some how and I
need a new one."

"What kind of a car is it on," they asked? Now I'm thinking maybe an old
Datsun Seven Ten, but no, she said its a Buick.

"OK lady, how big is it?"

She makes a circle with her hands about 3 1/2 inches in diameter.

"What does it do?," we asked.

She said, "I don't know, but its always been there."

One of us gave her a note pad and asked her if she could draw a picture of
it. So she makes a circle about 3 1/2 inches in diameter and in the center
she writes 710. The guys behind the counter are looking at it upside down
as she writes it...and they fall down behind the counter they are laughing
so hard. One guy said " I think you want an oil cap."

She said, "Seven Ten cap, oil cap, I don't care what you call it, I just
need one, and I don't see what is so damn funny about it."

Yes, she was a blonde.

Note: If you read "710" upside down.... it spells OIL!!!!

56

A big "thank you" to everyone here

by Simon in

jw
friends

in the past i have sometimes felt like i have to be the 'bad guy', so to speak, because i need to lock or delete topics, deactivate people, try and stop fights and such like - basically, telling people off and not being 'nice'.. well, apart from the odd heated debate and harsh word (and disruptive 'visit') i have not really had a great deal to do for the past month or two and it has been very nice - a pleasure to serve.. so ... i thought i should say a 'thank you' instead of a "stop it!

" for once

Scorpion

22

My wife is going to church!

by tdogg in

jw
friends

not only did i have the fortune of being raised a dub, but i also live in the heart of mormonism, good old slc.

my wife went to lds church today and says she is going to start going every week.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghh.

Scorpion

rekless is right about the 10% tithe. There are friends of mine that left the Mormon church years ago. They were asked by the church to produce their tax returns on two occasions to see if they were indeed giving the 10% the church asked for. A freind of my wifes that was a Mormon that worked in the hospital in Auburn California sold their home because of getting behind in their tithe and used some of the proceeds to get current with the church.

The lengths people will go to in order to support a religion!

22

My wife is going to church!

by tdogg in

jw
friends

not only did i have the fortune of being raised a dub, but i also live in the heart of mormonism, good old slc.

my wife went to lds church today and says she is going to start going every week.

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrggggghh.

Scorpion

http://www.utlm.org/

http://members.tripod.com/~lmj640/higley.html

http://www.beyondmormonism.com/

This should give you a start.

The Mormon religion in some ways is worse than the WT. The mindcontrol is the same, just a different set of doctrines.

Lost Diamond is right about the excommunication of the LDS. I know several ex-mormons that are shunned for questioning the church.

Scorpion

30

Did U find Jesus rude?

by Matty in

jesus was a nice guy most of the time, but don't you think hes a bit rude and thoughtless sometimes?.

the watchtower today discussed the supposedly marvelous example that jesus showed to youths today, citing his escapade at 12 at the temple.

what hit home to me was that he was missing for three days - three days!

Scorpion

Saint Satan said:
Deut17:10 Then you shall do according to what they declare to you from that place which the LORD will choose; and you shall be careful to do according to all that they direct you;

11 according to the instructions which they give you, and according to the decision which they pronounce to you, you shall do; you shall not turn aside from the verdict which they declare to you, either to the right hand or to the left.

12 The man who acts presumptuously, by not obeying the priest who stands to minister there before the LORD your God, or the judge, that man shall die; so you shall purge the evil from Israel.
////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

SS, in what way was Jesus acting presumptuously? Were those in supposed authority beyond reproach?

I say, always question authority, that is what got most of us out of the WT.

Scorpion

Talking Frog

by Scorpion in

my husband is 65 years old and loves to fish.

he was sitting in his.

boat the other day when he heard a voice say, "pick me up.

Scorpion

MY HUSBAND IS 65 YEARS OLD AND LOVES TO FISH. HE WAS SITTING IN HIS
BOAT THE OTHER DAY WHEN HE HEARD A VOICE SAY, "PICK ME UP."

HE LOOKED AROUND AND COULD NOT SEE ANY ONE. HE THOUGHT HE WAS
DREAMING WHEN HE HEARD THE VOICE AGAIN, "PICK ME UP!" HE LOOKED
IN THE WATER AND THERE, FLOATING ON THE TOP, WAS A FROG. MY
HUSBAND SAID "ARE YOU TALKING TO ME"?

THE FROG SAID, "YES, I'M TALKING TO YOU. PICK ME UP AND KISS ME AND
I'll TURN INTO THE MOST BEAUTIFUL WOMAN YOU HAVE EVER SEEN AND
WILL GIVE YOU THE MOST WONDERFUl SEXUAL PLEASURES THAT YOU
HAVE EVER DREAMED OF."

MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT THE FROG FOR A SHORT TIME AND THEN
REACHED OVER AND PICKED IT UP CAREFULLY, PLACING IT IN HIS FRONT
BREAST POCKET.

THEN THE FROG SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU, NUTS? DIDN'T YOU HEAR WHAT I
SAID? I SAID KISS ME AND I'LL GIVE YOU THE BEST YOU'VE EVER HAD.

HE OPENED HIS POCKET, LOOKED AT THE FROG AND SAID, "AT MY AGE I'D
RATHER HAVE A TALKING FROG.