zophar

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Posts by zophar

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  73

  Everybody loves Raymond

  by Saintbertholdt in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a while ago the user vinman started a forum thread called: "ray franz was an idiot".

  the reaction to it was quite negative but i have to admit that the title of that thread was intriguing to me.

  by nature i am an iconoclast.

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  zophar

  Great post by the way!
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  73

  Everybody loves Raymond

  by Saintbertholdt in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  a while ago the user vinman started a forum thread called: "ray franz was an idiot".

  the reaction to it was quite negative but i have to admit that the title of that thread was intriguing to me.

  by nature i am an iconoclast.

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  zophar

  The immaculate documentation presented in CofC was one of the first things I noticed the first time I read the book. It spoke to me of someone who was prepared for an exposé. Which would add credibility to your way of thinking.

  I was an elder during that time and had a fleshly brother at Bethel. I remember hearing of Spanish Brothers imploring ALL present at the Memorial to partake as they were all Anointed. This leads me to believe there was a coup type mentality of some. It certainly would not have gone unnoticed by Ray. Remember, Ray was one of the principle ones to advocate for less power of the WTBTS presidency. Of course, no one can read Ray's motive. A friend who had a very responsible position at Bethel at that time and knew Knorr well, has told me that Knorr felt that Ray had designs on the presidency. Of course, that is just his opinion, but knowing him and his demeanor, I believe it to be true.

  When I resigned as an elder I had a number of letters that had been written regarding elder matters on my computer and I had made copies of some policy letters from the Society that I would refer to, but nothing like the documentation Ray presented in his book. AND it is this documentation that, perhaps more than anything else, convinced me that Ray's claims were true and verifiable. It shouts to me that he had an agenda when he left Bethel. Doesn't bother me except that it suggests "he was gathering evidence while on the inside" as you mention in your post.

  Ray's books had a tremendous effect on my thinking, and his way of writing, without the flaming apostate attitude I was led to believe I would find by WTBTS, impressed me greatly. However, I believe he knew what he was eventually going to do when he left if he could not make reforms from the inside.
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  10

  The Spiritual Man According to WTBTS

  by zophar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  who is a spiritual man according to wtbts?.

  this post will resonate most with people who have been long associated with jws and have seen a dramatic change in the spirituality of traveling overseers over the years..

  how does a man get appointed as a circuit overseer?

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  zophar

  Who Is A Spiritual Man According to WTBTS?

  This post will resonate most with people who have been long associated with JW’s and have seen a dramatic change in the spirituality of traveling overseers over the years.

  How does a MAN get appointed as a Circuit Overseer? Could the Apostle’s Paul and John qualify today?

  
  

  Years ago, a family man could be appointed as a substitute Circuit Overseer in the United States. Then, there was a change, a man had to be in a position to serve full time as a CO in order to be appointed as a substitute CO. The affect? Less emphasis on balanced family men who were merely serving to younger more ambitious men who wanted that job. Spiritual qualities and maturity appeared to be less important than youth, good health and parroting the GB. If you were older and had any health issues you were not considered for appointment. Sorry Paul, that “thorn in the flesh” affliction means you are not qualified. And as for the Apostle John, too old we can’t afford to have you traveling around to the congregations, too much liability to the Corporations money situation. Never mind your wealth of experience in practical living, we can find young guys that do as we say, no input from you is needed.

  
  

  Assembly and Convention talks by these younger men are not from the heart but are delivered by rote, no personality allowed in the delivery. They have to please the higher ups to get that job! An issue arises where you disagree with an opinionated CO and what do you do? Speak up and lose the chance for the job or keep your mouth shut? Well, how much do you want that job?

  
  

  Many on this board will remember a time when the CO often was a man who had raised a family and had real life experience. Why, you might even find the CO had a mind of his own and such a thing as an original thought! Maybe, he even cared about the families he served.

  
  

  Now it seems to be the Career man we are looking for. Just do as we say and you will get the appointment er job
  
  
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  71

  They dared !

  by coalize in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  i can't believe they had the cheek to come out with that explanation.. it's no more "new light" it's "new scam"!!

  !.

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  zophar

  Youserious

  Welcome!
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  28

  Preparing for Governing Body 3.0? Making older GB step down? (New September Watchtower)

  by FusionTheism in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  watchtower, study edition, september 2015, "are you reaching the stature that belongs to christ?":.

  paragraph 6: the mature christian shows humility in that he recognizes that jehovahs ways and standards are always better than his own.

  [footnote: for example, older, experienced brothers may be asked to step aside from certain responsibilities and to lend support to younger brothers as they take on those responsibilities.].

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  zophar

  "he recognizes that Jehovah’s ways and standards are always better than his own"

  Where in Jehovah's "ways and standards" does it ever encourage older men to give up their responsibility???

  Deuteronomy 31:1,2: Then Moses went out and spoke these words to all Israel, saying to them: "I am 120 years old today. I can no longer lead you for Jehovah has said to me, 'You will not cross this Jordan.'

  Deuteronomy 34:7: Moses was 120 years old at his death. His eyes had not grown dim, and his strength had not departed.

  So Moses was only losing his position because of death. In fact he was vibrant and active at 120 years old.

  Why doesn't this accurately reflect "Jehovah's ways and standards"?

  Once again, we are told what Jehovah's ways and standards are, but nowhere does the Bible reflect those ways and standards for the Christian Congregation.
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  36

  Looking for ideas.

  by Driving Force in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i received an email from one of the elder in the local congregation.

  i am not dfed so there is not a problem there, i am just an aggressive fader.. one of the last things i said to this elder before i stopped all activities was that i do not agree with the borg taking all the assets from the congregations.. here is what the elder said in the email:.

  "i recently saw something while looking through the jw broadcasting for the month of may and i though about you.

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  zophar

  Driving Force

  I suppose he thought the video would be encouraging to you. It shows how he just doesn't see things the way you do. No doubt he sincerely believes you would find the video encouraging instead of as if the Organization is soliciting.

  I looked up the word "solicit" and found this definition from Merriam Webster:

  : to ask for (something, such as money or help) from people, companies, etc.

  : to ask (a person or group) for money, help, etc.

  How is what Lett is doing not meeting that definition? Ask him, "What am I missing here?"
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  43

  G Losch: child baptised at 5, reg pioneer since!

  by fifth.column in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  at the end of april, there was a zone visit in france, with tv broadcast in all kh.. g. losch told he received a letter from a girl, 10 years old, baptised at 5, reg pioneer since 4 years !

  what a fine example, he said....... let s imagine the faces of the parents in the kh!

  i was happy to see i was not the only one to find it crazy.. if you have a child, you know how mature he is at 5. how can a child preach 2.5hours/day after 7hours of school and homework to do??

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  zophar

  Requirements are that you have to be baptized to qualify as a pioneer. How can one Pioneer @ age 4 then baptized @ age 5?
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  37

  Geoffrey Jackson Bio!

  by elkatire1980 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in the watchtower august 15 in the topic: "let the many islands rejoice" appears the following paragraph: .

  then, however, it came time for a serious decision.

  would i accept a scholarship to go to university?

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  zophar

  There is no doubt much that can be said negatively much of it justified. On the other hand there are things in the story that might lead one to believe he is sincere but blinded. The one hour each day for 20 years to produce a language book, he and his wife living with a native family because there was no where else to live would not have been easy. Yes, it's "Free" living off of others but certainly not luxurious by any means!
  
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  75

  Rumor about the Imitate Jesus Convention

  by FusionTheism in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i saw a rumor a few weeks ago on reddit that the new imitate jesus convention is supposed to present new light and clarified understandings on the disfellowshipping/disassociation practices.. supposedly, if this rumor has any truth to it, there will be a talk given at the convention about how we should not be strict like the pharisees in how we shun people, loosening up some of the jw rules about this practice.. has anyone here heard anything about this or have more info on it?.

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  zophar

  We should know soon. They have just updated the JW App so that the convention releases can be downloaded. I just did the update and haven't seen a way to download them yet but on the Update information it mentions Convention Releases. This is on an IPhone 5, no update available yet for my IPad.
  
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  6

  How do you feel about the Red Letters?

  by zophar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  curious as to how you feel about the actual words ascribed to jesus in a red letter edition translation bible like niv on biblegateway.com?.

  do you feel these teachings are inspired and or beneficial to a productive life?

  it seems to me that the actual words of jesus contain real wisdom and show how to live a fulfilling life.

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  zophar

  Galaxie

  I should have repeated myself in that 2nd paragraph. That's the problem when I let my typing do my talking!

  No problems.