170 publishers at $1100 a month? That isn't much at all. How do they pay their loan amounts and other bills? Does each KH have to take care of their own bills (utility and such) Or is it covered by the WT?
InChristAlone
JoinedPosts by InChristAlone
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74
They are going to charge members monthly fees now! Society Tyranny
by MysticMage inwell there you have it folks.
they have passed around pieces of paper for each publisher to write.
down how much they are willing to give the society every month for their entire lives!.
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InChristAlone
Ismael, it is true that the book can be used as one pleases. There are many beliefs that I was once dogmatic about. As my spiritual life has grown, I have learned that it is much more about my personal relationship with God and less about criticizing others. If others choose to believe the same thing that I do, great. If not, that is their choice. My job is to cultivate my relationship with God and share with others the love of Christ. Please don't assume that I mean one thing when I say another.
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InChristAlone
Hi Mad Giant,
I respectfully disagree. I can declare the Bible as God-breathed and profitable for teaching reproof and correction without having the arrogance to declare my interpretation as the only correct one. My understandings of the Bible have evolved over time as I have gained more knowledge and drawn closer to God. I am no one's judge, nor am I infallible and all-knowing. It has nothing to do with not wanting to step on toes. I know the answers that many churches preach, but I don't answer to the church.
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199
Trinitarians! Who is Jesus Christ's father the Holy Spirit or the Father?
by booker-t inthis is one question that trinitarians try to avoid because they have created a very embarrassing problem.
the bible is very clear when the angel tells mary that holy spirit will overshadow her and she will become pregnant.
the angel does not say the father will overshadow her but the holy spirit will and if the holy spirit is a person that would make him the father of jesus.
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InChristAlone
Cofty, your experience is accurate. As I said before, the average church does a pathetic job of educating their congregation on this doctrine. In order to understand it, one must divorce the idea that one being must equal one person and vice-versa. That is the human understanding that makes this doctrine seemingly impossible. So, I will try to help here. There is one being, Jehovah, that has the nature of God. That being is revealed in three distinct persons with three distinct roles. They are all God because they share the same nature just as we are all man because we share the same nature.
Knowing that all analogies fall short, try this one. Ask yourself if your words are still you. Sure, they represent you, but they can't possibly be anyone else. Obviously, you produce them, but was there ever a time that you did not have them while you have been alive. Try seeing Jesus as the God's word made manifest as a person. This is why he could only say what the Father willed him to say and do what the Father willed him to do. He is literally the word of God. This explains how no one could have ever seen the Father and yet so many people in the Old Testament are said to have seen Jehovah. Jehovah cannot be separated from His Word in the same way that Jesus cannot be separated from the Father. I see the Holy Spirit as Jehovah's actions, which is a bit more than simply an active force. Who sends the Holy Spirit? Both the Father and His word do. Does that at least help gain some insight on this topic?
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InChristAlone
I am a Christian. I do find many of these questions fascinating, and I freely admit that I do not have an answer for all of them. I do know that much of my life I was not open to a true belief in God. During that period of time, many aspects of my life were falling apart. I also know that when I finally allowed God to take the reins, if you will, all aspects of my life began to steadily improve. I have also noticed that the more I depend on God, the less judgmental I am toward others out of a realization that I am no better. To me, God is real. I have seen how He has worked in my life. I have felt His direction, and yes sometimes I have outright disobeyed. I feel that many of these questions are focused on how Christians view the superiority of their doctrines to those of others. These are the wrong questions. As a Christian, I simply feel grateful for the grace and mercy God has shown me. I don't feel superior in any way to anyone else.
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If the earth is going to burn up as Born Agains teach would that make Jesus a "false prophet"?
by booker-t inas i have mentioned here for many years there are some things i totally disagree with the wt society on but one thing i do believe they have right is that the earth is going to last forever.
one thing that has always amazed me with born agains that teach the earth is going to burn up is the scripture where jesus says "the meek will inherit the earth".
this is clear and plain and why would jesus outright "lie" about the earth if he knew it was going to burn up?
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InChristAlone
Booker-T,
Born-agains get their beliefs on this subject from the following verses: Rev. 20:11, 21:1; 2 Peter 3:10, 13; Isaiah 65:17; 66:22. They believe that the meek will inherit the "new earth" and that God will reside with them there.
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199
Trinitarians! Who is Jesus Christ's father the Holy Spirit or the Father?
by booker-t inthis is one question that trinitarians try to avoid because they have created a very embarrassing problem.
the bible is very clear when the angel tells mary that holy spirit will overshadow her and she will become pregnant.
the angel does not say the father will overshadow her but the holy spirit will and if the holy spirit is a person that would make him the father of jesus.
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InChristAlone
I realize that commenting here in favor of the Trinity is like stepping up voluntarily in front of a firing squad, but I will anyway. I struggled for about two years to understand the Trinity as the bible presents it. It didn't take long for me to realize that the concept I had growing up in church was not biblical. Hence the struggle. I have now come to an understanding that I am very comfortable with that fits very well scripturally. I put all of my notes into a six-session study and am happy to share it privately. Please PM me if interested.
The Trinity is a biblical concept, although it is very misunderstood by most proclaimed Trinitarians. It is even more misunderstood by JW's as they teach that the Trinity is the same as modalism. Let's face it, it is a difficult topic, and few churches spend any time at all delving into it. I personally believe that a person does not need to believe the Trinity in order to have salvation. I do believe that better understanding the concept of the Trinity helps with better understanding many other Christian concepts.
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Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth and the life..." What is the JW perspective on this passage?
by Faithful Witness inhow important is the phrase, "i am" to jw's, when it is spoken by jesus about himself?
my elderette wants to examine this scripture (john 14:6) together next week.
i'm wondering what rabbit she is going to pull out of her hat.
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InChristAlone
I would suspect an answer that the verse was written for the 144,000. I would respond with a question about who the mediator is for the great crowd, followed by asking whether 1 Timothy 2:5 agrees with that comment.
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1500 year old text reports Jesus not Crucified
by designs infound in 2000 with a group of antiquity smugglers this bible contains the gospel of barnabas according to the report in the national turk.. written in aramaic this gospel account was omitted by the church during the period of the council of nicea.. the text maintains a story similar to islam regarding jesus being a great prophet.. is has a reported value of $28million and is said to be in the museum of ankara.. http://moorishharem.com/culture-detail/1500-year-old-bible-that-jesus-christ-was-not-crucified-vatican-in-awe/.
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InChristAlone
How can something that is 1500 years old have been discussed at the Council of Nicea 1700 years ago?
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Why did Jesus tell the convict on the cross next to his, that he would be joining him in Heaven TODAY??
by Faithful Witness inmaybe a silly question, but i'm curious about this part of the story of christ's crucifixion, when the 1 thief challenges jesus to save himself and "us too" from their deaths, but the 2nd thief rebukes him and pleads with jesus... .
luke 23:42-43: and he said unto jesus, lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
and jesus said unto him, verily i say unto thee, today shalt thou be with me in paradise.. .
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InChristAlone
One explanation that I have heard is that during Jesus's death, he was in Sheol (as literally described in Luke 16). The thief would be there as would all who have previously died. This goes along with with the thought of Jesus "preaching" to the spirits of the unrighteous, rising on the third day, ascending to heaven and taking the righteous to heaven with him. ("Taking captive those who were captive" in Ephesians). Following that point, all righteous who died went to the third heaven as Paul described. Just one idea amidst many others.