14 jesus provides wise direction in times of crisis.
the benefits of that direction were evident when the covid-19 pandemic broke out.
while many in the world were uncertain about what course to take, jesus made sure that we received clear guidance to keep us safe.
Bad things are chalked up to "unforeseen circumstances befall us all (Eccl. 9:11)".
Good things are chalked up to "see? We really do have direct guidance from God!"
Anything in between is interpreted in whichever way suits their narrative. And if you want to believe badly enough, all of the explanations make perfect, obvious sense.
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Interesting. For him to make another video taking Evans down a peg (and how provocative is that thumbnail!), I can only imagine what his private conversations with him have been. I keep getting the impression that Evans's method of damage control is very similar to trying to douse a fire by dumping buckets of gasoline on it.
in a recent article there was this experience from el salvador:.
"during the meeting, brother baltasar perla, sr., who later became a member of the branch committee, asked all the elders present to give him their government-issued identity cards.
he then informed the elders that their names and addresses would be included in a written request to the government for legal recognition... then explained to us that since our names and addresses would be in that document, if the authorities ever wanted to ban our work, we would be the first ones they would come after and the first ones to be thrown in jail.
Some people deliberately want to be martyrs.
While others --like the GB-- prefer that someone else sticks his neck out, so that they can use their potential martyrdom as a selling point for their religious grift. Don't worry guys, you (and your families) will pay the price, but we'll get an awesome article and assembly speech out of it!
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The "live from the clunker" line made me laugh out loud.
they have predicted this for years.
religions of the world would become attacked by the governments.
the only difference is when they go after jehovah’s witnesses, then jehovah god will step in and destroy the governments..
If I am remembering correctly, the prophecy about the nations attacking religion is based on a vision in the book of Revelations. Like so many such visions, it is open to interpretation and does not deliver a clear message as to what will specifically happen. How do the nations mount an attack on religion? What does it mean that they utterly destroy it? Is it just legal restrictions? Removal of any beneficial status? A spoken/written condemnation? A direct attack on its followers? How would that work, considering that even now, something like 2/3s or 3/4s of the world's population identifies as religious?
The vagueness of the meaning makes it easy to point at any event and say that it is part of the fulfillment of the prophecy. Like so many prophecies and predictions from the past, it gets reinterpreted every time it is convenient to do so.
this is the letter i wrote back in '96 about the parousia.
following the '95 watchtower that disconnected the "generation" from 1914 i began to look carefully at end-time prophecy and soon discovered what i knew were basic errors in what i had been taught.. i was a loyal jw at the time and was still serving as an elder.
i used only watchtower publications in my research.
As far as the WTS is concerned, "asking questions" is the problem. It means you're not satisfied with their explanation, and they don't like it when people don't accept their explanations. Next thing you know, people are thinking for themselves and the whole thing comes apart.
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The "flawed individual" bit also doesn't work very well for someone who has made a healthy living off of pointing out the flaws of an entire organization and its leadership. Anthony Morris didn't kill or rape anyone, did he? So why make an issue of his purchase of some booze? Couldn't Morris make his next speech about how he is a flawed individual, but it's not like he cheated on his wife with hookers or made embarrassing YT videos about how he can't control his dick?
Maybe that's the way to make the point? For anyone he criticizes or attacks to point out that whatever issue he has is not nearly as serious as being an atrociously bad husband and father?
unlike men who took no note, surely the fallen angels knew of gods plan to flood the earth, so why didn't they build an ark(s) for their nephilum sons?
.
Having them wiped out in the flood meant no messy child support payments. Bunch of deadbeat angels...
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...a girlfriend cum travel companion...
Now that is an unfortunate turn of a phrase, given the context...
The story of the creation of the Mormon church is pretty interesting and entertaining. Joseph Smith seemed to have been as clever as he was insane. Not a good combination, but a lot of fun to read about.
