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THE GLADIATOR
JoinedPosts by THE GLADIATOR
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30
God's son / spirit / leader of the Jah horde joins forum...what nick?
by Qcmbr inthere is a fringe discussion that pops up now and then regarding jesus' name.
if he joined jwd ( and let's be honest - 'where else would he go?
') what username would he choose because that would cause all sorts of theological threads alone...?.
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14
Police inquiry over Jehovah's Witness magazine 'mentally diseased' article
by koolaid-man inhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8791196/police-inquiry-over-jehovahs-witness-magazine-mentally-diseased-article.html.
friday 30 september 2011. log in | register | subscribe.
police inquiry over jehovah's witness magazine 'mentally diseased' articlean official magazine for jehovah's witnesses that described those who leave the church as "mentally diseased" is at the centre of a police inquiry, it has emerged.the watchtower is the official magazine of jehovah's witnesses photo: alamy9:58am bst 27 sep 2011. detectives are investigating whether the article, published in julys edition of the watchtower, is in breach of britains religious hatred laws.. the article, published in the magazine which is distributed by jehovah's witnesses across the globe, reportedly warned followers to avoid "false teachers" which it condemned as being "mentally diseased".. "suppose that a doctor told you to avoid contact with someone who is infected with a contagious, deadly disease," part of the article stated.. "you would know what the doctor means, and you would strictly heed his warning.
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THE GLADIATOR
Your not wrong there wha happened?
Of course becoming increasingly outspoken could prove to be counterproductive for the Watchtower Society.
The member may become uncomfortable with their hate campaign. Pushing people too far can be a mistake.
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Police inquiry over Jehovah's Witness magazine 'mentally diseased' article
by koolaid-man inhttp://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8791196/police-inquiry-over-jehovahs-witness-magazine-mentally-diseased-article.html.
friday 30 september 2011. log in | register | subscribe.
police inquiry over jehovah's witness magazine 'mentally diseased' articlean official magazine for jehovah's witnesses that described those who leave the church as "mentally diseased" is at the centre of a police inquiry, it has emerged.the watchtower is the official magazine of jehovah's witnesses photo: alamy9:58am bst 27 sep 2011. detectives are investigating whether the article, published in julys edition of the watchtower, is in breach of britains religious hatred laws.. the article, published in the magazine which is distributed by jehovah's witnesses across the globe, reportedly warned followers to avoid "false teachers" which it condemned as being "mentally diseased".. "suppose that a doctor told you to avoid contact with someone who is infected with a contagious, deadly disease," part of the article stated.. "you would know what the doctor means, and you would strictly heed his warning.
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THE GLADIATOR
Call me strange if you like but having left the Watchtower Society's organization, I really don’t care what they think of me or what they call me. Left means completely gone.
Apostate, mentally diseased, disloyal, lazy, demonized, redneck son of a bitch that has returned to his own vomit; still sounds a hell of a lot better than being a brain-dead, mislead, hypocritical, grovelling, bible bashing, Watchtower slave with his head up his own kingdom hall rostrum.
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16
what do jws have to say when getting baptised ? do they dedicate to god and jesus or the watchtower ?
by looloo in -
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THE GLADIATOR
Baptism
I was just thirteen years old when I qualified for baptism. It seems very young looking back, but at the time I was aware that to be fully accepted and to be sure of surviving Armageddon, it was a step I had to make. Failing this I would have had to rely on my parent’s baptism to count for me. Baptism only takes place at the twice-yearly assemblies or larger annual assemblies. The candidates for baptism sit at the front of the audience and listen to a short lecture, and are then asked to stand and collectively answer two questions, which are read out loud to them. Prayer is then offered and they then depart to the baptism pool. Sometimes this is in the same venue, in which case the whole audience of perhaps a thousand people will witness this event. Should it be an international assembly in a sports stadium then many tens of thousands will watch.
In my own case, the baptism, which was a happy occasion, took place in a specially constructed small baptism pool built into the floor of one of the Kingdom Halls, near where the assembly was taking place. The water was warm and the people present were kind and happy for me. The event brought great joy to the brothers and sisters who knew me. I was warmly congratulated and experienced a feeling of well-being and deep satisfaction, that I was pleasing those I loved and dedicating my life to God. It is interesting to note the change that has taken place in the vows taken just prior to baptism. The two questions that I was expected to give an affirmative to are shown here,
“Have you repented of your sins and turned around, recognising yourself before Jehovah God as a condemned sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his son Jesus Christ?”
“On the basis of this faith in God and his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening holy spirit?”
These questions, or vows, were changed in 1985 to alter the emphasis place on Jesus and in favour of the organization:
“On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?”
“Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, in association with God’s spirit-directed organization?
The above changes are rather significant. The lines that I have highlighted change the basis of the dedication. The new vows bind the candidate to the Watchtower Society. Also there is no longer any mention of the revealing of God’s will through Jesus Christ or the Bible by means of Holy Spirit.
There is a legal significance to this. Should a member who has been excommunicated for apostasy try to sue the Society on the basis that their vows were to serve God through Jesus Christ and claim that they are still doing this, the Society could respond by saying that their vows specified that they remain a Witness, under the direction of the Society. This further illustrates the way that the Watchtower Society has slowly moved itself into the position that many other Christians have reserved for Jesus.
Having been baptised, I was now expected to earn my salvation, in order to be saved, paying by instalments. If I failed at any point, or disagreed with any new teachings the Society introduced, I thought I would lose all the credit I had built up and either lose my salvation or knuckle down and start again. The Society’s publication “ Babylon the Great has Fallen” 1963 explains:
“The person now righteous in God’s sight should keep on practising righteousness. The one who is holy as a slave of God should continue being made holy. Otherwise they will lose all the credit they have built up by their previous righteousness and holiness. But if they keep on in righteousness and holiness, they will at last have an accumulated credit with God and be richly rewarded for this. What a warning and an encouragement!” Page 672
This is in contrast to the Bible passages shown below:
“For it is by his grace you are saved, through trusting in him; it is not your own doing. It is God’s gift, not a reward for work done.” Ephesians 2:8
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom (paid) by Jesus Christ.” Romans 3: 22-24 The New English Bible
The Bible indicates that there is a standard for Christians but states that being declared righteous is a free gift and not the result of accumulated credit. Nevertheless a trained Witness may persuade you otherwise and encourage you to join and earn your salvation. Working hard to please Jehovah God, as directed by the Watchtower Society, is the essence of being a good member.
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47
Which songs/Albums were considered "Demonic" in your Congregation...did you toss some?
by Witness 007 in"hotel california" was considered a major demonic song.
ac/dc stood for anti-christ devils children....{not according to the band} kiss stood for knight s in satans service {not according to the band} anyone else have to toss albums?.
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THE GLADIATOR
Which songs/Albums were considered "Demonic" in your Congregation?
Everything except the kingdom songs.
Did you toss some?
That's none of your business!
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15
I've Run Out of Stuff
by Farkel ini have no more steam, and no more passion.. i've run out of stuff to write about.
what is left to write about a religion that is so fucked up that everyting is already written about how fucked up they are?.
i don't think anyone can trump my article about berta and bonnie.
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THE GLADIATOR
Farkel Run out of stuff! That's not an excuse to stop posting.
Just do what most of us do, recycle the same old nonsense that we have been churning out for years.
No one will notice the difference.
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197
What is "truth" - COULD Einstein Have Been Wrong?
by AGuest inmay you all have peace!.
just came across this article:.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44629271/ns/technology_and_science-science/?gt1=43001.
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THE GLADIATOR
AGuest, you have taken upon yourself to lecture me about love and how I don’t get it. But you inform the board that you live by love because you are special and loved by the Most Holy One of Israel, JAH of Armies... and His Son and Christ, the Holy One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA... the Chosen One of JAH.
Regrettably I see no evidence of love in your posts to me or others who dare to question you claims. You only love those who support you or tread carefully while allowing you to dominate all debate. I do see aggression and self-aggrandisement in your posts. Other posters can draw their own conclusion. I for one am no longer interested attempting to have a rational discussion with you.
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15
A Little Light Relief...
by THE GLADIATOR inpost card from snowdonia.
we have just returned from a week in snowdonia, north wales.
my first impression of the beamed cottage we rented for a week was that it was dusty and in need of refurbishment.
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THE GLADIATOR
N.drew As it happens I do write books in my spare time. The last two are non-fiction both available on line at www.Lulu.com under my name Trevor Willis. They make some money but I have not promoted them enough due to other calls on my time. Holidays being one of them. My latest book is a satirical fiction book based on my life as a Jehovah's Witness. It will be put out there once it has been proof-read. I have thought about posting a few pages on this forum but held back so far. And yes! Esther did feed the mouse and I know better than to interfere.
ohiocowboy Glad you liked it. An ever expanding volume of my r amblings which others can add to is a neat idea.
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15
A Little Light Relief...
by THE GLADIATOR inpost card from snowdonia.
we have just returned from a week in snowdonia, north wales.
my first impression of the beamed cottage we rented for a week was that it was dusty and in need of refurbishment.
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THE GLADIATOR
N.drew Thanks for the advice. I write a postcard like this each time I go away and have quite a collection now. Most are longer than this one. They are meant to be entertaining and help to keep in touch with people who know me. Stamping and sending a pile of real postcards, often from a foreign country, is something I gave up doing a long time ago. I doubt there is enough substant to these light hearted e postcards to merit a book. Glad you liked it.
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197
What is "truth" - COULD Einstein Have Been Wrong?
by AGuest inmay you all have peace!.
just came across this article:.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44629271/ns/technology_and_science-science/?gt1=43001.
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THE GLADIATOR
Tammy Thanks for your reply and the thought that you have given to what I have said. I am surprised at the response to one small sentence. I commented on the influence that Shelby has because I do care for you. It was not my intention to hurt you nor have I ever considered you weak, quite the opposite.
I can’t see that commenting that someone is influencing someone else “are words that you would only use to speak to an adolescent - or someone easily taken advantage of, or easily led.” As you said, “As to influence, don't we all influence one another?” Yes we do! This doesn’t imply weakness on the part of the one being influenced.
Shelby stated that I am being influenced by others on this board. Knowingly or unknowingly, it is inevitable that we will be influenced by people we associate with, for better or for worse. Because I don’t share your belief, I see your situation from a different perspective which is why I said, “ From my perspective.”
When my older brother left Jehovah's Witnesses he became increasing involved in another belief system. I expressed my concern over the influence it was having on him. He wanted to hear how I felt he was being affected and welcomed my input. Some years later he regretted getting involved and left.
It is well known that when people with a common interest regularly converse they form a group mentality. People in that group will adopt from others and also compromise in order to maintain harmony and solidarity in the group. I have knowingly done this to fit in with both religious and secular groups I have been involved with. The more involved I got the more I was expected to adjust or comply. I did not see this as a weakness. That has been my experience and my comment was based on such experience.
As I said to you though Tammy, ”It’s not my business.” I am sorry if I have upset you. I will not comment again on my observations regarding the influences on this board in relation to you personally. Instead I will endeavour to share the same light hearted approach that I have away from the board.
Once again I wish you well in your spiritual journey.
Kind regards - Trevor