Posts by Bonsai

91

Why using Jehovah for God's name is as good as using Yahweh

by oppostate in

in another thread i wrote some notes about why using jehovah in english is as good as using yahweh.

i'm starting a discussion on this topic because it sounds quite ignorant to hear people talk of the monk who started using it in latin without really understanding why the monk did so.. the spanish dominican monk, raymundus martini, in 1270, didn't get hoodwinked by an old jewish superstition about pronouncing the divine name with the vowel points of another word.. 1. first the vowel points of adonay and jehovah cannot be the same for grammatical reasons.

you just can't use the same vowel points because some vowels aren't paired with some consonants in pronouncing hebrew words.

Bonsai

May I flap my cojonads around for just a minute?

First of all, thank you for taking the time to research and share your thoughts on this subject. It seems you love god and want to preserve the modern trend of using the name of the Big J. I guess I don't really care if you want to use Elohim, Adonai, Yahweh, Jehover, Abba, Allah, Lord... whatever. For whatever reason, god allowed his name in it's original given form to be discontinued. Whether it was superstition or culture, that really doesn't change the fact. It doesn't seem like he cares one way or another about what you or I call him.

My issue is with JWs teaching that using the name Jehovah is the only way to have an approved relationship with him, and the only way to salvation. They overemphasize this modern name to sell their brand and put themselves on a unique pedestal.

When I was at the height of my indocrination, I honestly thought that the world knew that god's only true name was Jehovah, but they refused to use it because they were being manipulated by Satan and wanted to worship Jesus. Now I know that it isn't used because the real pronunciation is unknown, and Jesus himself never used it! The reality is that JWs owe so much to the Catholics. I think they should start calling themselves "The Catholic Witnesses of Jehovah".

Jesus (who I think is a bit more qualified than you or I to convey god's preferences) used "father" and "my god" when referring to the Hebrew deity. That seems good enough to me.

14

What Jehovah can't do...

by C0ntr013r in

during the rc today i heard this(i am paraphrasing and translating):.

"jehovah has created the physical universe for us.

he is a spirit and he can't enjoy physical things so he created it for us alone.

Bonsai

I'd rather focus on what he/she/it CAN do.

He/she/it can be silent.

He/she/it can be invisible.

He/she/it can be non-existent.

He/she/it is like that father that was never there, never cared. Always too busy to bother saving a child from a tsunami, or save a starving baby from a vulture. Too busy with the building of Warwick to stop earthquakes, viruses or cancer. Too busy showing humans that we can't live without him, by alienating himself from us during our greatest moment of need.

I remember climbing a mountain and screaming to god, "Tell me that you are there! Tell me that you care!"

All I heard were the echoes of my fading plea. God wasn't on the mountain that day....

31

What Road Would You Choose---IF?

by John Aquila in

say you could go back in time to when you were 15 years old.

no watchtower in your life.

but the experience you have now you could keep.

Bonsai

What problemaddic 2 said. I got a lovely wife and a lovely kid and we all are getting out together, so I wouldn't change a damn thing. Just wish I would have taken school more seriously, though.

5

Took a walk by the Kingdumb Hall

by airborne in

jw
friends

and what did i see.

it was a jw.org sign looking back at me.. startled i was, and couldn't believe.

what a stupid place for a decal (stuck on the entrance door) to be.. rutherford wouldn't be happy, as stiff as a board was he.. unless he was drunk, with good 'ol whiskey..

Bonsai

Brown bear, brown bear what do you see?

I see a trolley looking at me.

Trolley, trolley what do you see?

I see mute, disinterested witnesses standing by me.

Mute, disinterested witnesses what do you see?

We don't know, but go to JWorg and you'll see.

(modified from the children's book: Brown bear, what do you see?)

32

How to Block an Interrogation by J.W's

by The Searcher in

"don't you believe that this is god's spirit-directed organization?".

"do you believe that god is teaching us through the faithful & discreet slave?

"who else has the truth?

Bonsai

I recently had this argument overt the phone with my former COBE. I was asking him over and over to show me where in the bible it is scriptural to shun df'd ones who are trying to get reinstated and going back to meetings only to be shunned at them. Inevitably, I was asked if I was criticizing God's earthly representatives the (k)GB. I said I was criticizing policies that are not supported by the bible which is the main authority in my life. That went right over his head.

Him: "So, you are telling me that you didn't have a problem with these policies when you answered the second question for your baptism with a yes, but now you do?"

Me: "I baptized myself to God with the bible as my authority and the bible as my beacon for my conscience."

Him: "So, you are saying you have a problem with this organization..."

Me: "Yes, I do. These policies are causing unnecessary pain, as well as suicides. They also bother my bible-based conscience."

Him: " Paul gave clear counsel to stop associating with df'd ones, as well as remove them from the congregation. In fact, 2 John 11 clearly states that we are not even to greet ones who are gross sinners, for if we did we would share in their sins."

Me: "Paul also said that we are to confirm our love for such ones so that they don't become overwhelmed with sadness and possibly end up killing themselves. By the way, I was hoping you would bring up 2 John, because it shows that you are not adhering to the bible at all. That scripture was meant for an ANTI-CHRIST. Someone who denies Jesus. My df'd family member is not an..."

Him (interrupting an increasingly excited me): "I think I see what you are trying to do. You only called to criticize. I can stomach you criticizing me, but I can't stomach you criticizing God's organization. I can't talk to you anymore. You are dangerous and something is going to have to be done about this phone call." Click.

131

On the Relevancy of The Institutionalization of Sin

by Perry in

child murder, sodomy & corrupting the human genome are not new sins, they are old ones.

what is new is their institutionalization.

but even that isn't totally new.

Bonsai

You've gone from being a JW to a Born Again. That is quite a feat! I bet 5 years from now you're an atheist.

Imagine being in an uncomfortable situation void of all comforts for ever and ever and ever and ever.... unable to cease being conscious - for eternity.

Sounds exactly how my life was as a JW.

53

I Don't Get It!

by John Aquila in

there are literally about thirty young single very good looking sisters in this one kingdom hall under the age of 30. that is just one kingdom hall.

in the circuit there are literally hundreds of young beautiful jw girls under 30 who are single and anxious to get married.

about two years ago, this one single good looking brother who is about 30 years old and who is an elder married this plain looking sister who is 59 years old.

Bonsai

I went to Mexico more than once to see if the fields were ripe for the harvest. They were! The country girls are the best. They love their momma, work hard and can find joy in the simple, uncomplicated things in life. I met a nice one but she scared me off with all her talk of wanting kids (always in the plural form). Alas, I wasn't ready yet.

18

The first 4000 years Jehovah communicates with humans,the next 2000 years is given to Jesus and he communicates with no one.

by smiddy in

the bible has ample evidence of god communicating with humans during the first 4 centuries.. since jesus time ,god has not communicated with humans at all .,in the same way as he did in the first 4 centuries .. in fact jesus has not communicated with humans in the same way as jehovah did for the first 4000 years., during his 2000 years to this date , .

does not the bible say , god does not change , he is the same today as he was yesterday and will be tomorrow ?.

so why was god communicating with humans on a regular basis , one way or another for 4000 years and then , neither jehovah or his son jesus christ ever directly contacted humans ?.

Bonsai

Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit comes, that he would instruct born again believers into all the ways of truth.

Any proof to back up that that has happened yet?

(crickets chirping)

Guess not...

Many would like to believe that a loving creator cares about them. They wait for their "road to Damascus" moment, but it never comes.

53

I Don't Get It!

by John Aquila in

there are literally about thirty young single very good looking sisters in this one kingdom hall under the age of 30. that is just one kingdom hall.

in the circuit there are literally hundreds of young beautiful jw girls under 30 who are single and anxious to get married.

about two years ago, this one single good looking brother who is about 30 years old and who is an elder married this plain looking sister who is 59 years old.

Bonsai

30 virgins? Do you live in the middle east? I gotta hopeless JW male friend who could use some help. Where is that congregation again?

51

Getting it out of my system, a VERY long introduction/outpouring..

by adimmedlight in

warning, novel ahead:.

after a few months of lurking on this site, i've decided to take the plunge...i don't really care so much about introducing myself, but somehow there is some relief in the thought of getting my little story out there, just getting it out of my system.

i am the oldest of 5 kids.

Bonsai

I really enjoyed your life story. life throws a lot of lemons at us, but it seems you are making lemonade with them! I respect you for trying to preserve your faith. Just remember that you don't need fleshly humans to dictate how you choose to worship your deity. It's so funny how fleshy men, who can't see or know any more than you can, try to hijack one's faith and chain them to a human organization.

"Ask yourself now, Did Christ Jesus, who set our example and told us to follow his example to gain life, join any church organization in his day? No, God does not require us to do that, but he requires us to worship him... We have the Bible to show us the right way. Certainly it is not necessary for a person to become a member of a church to gain everlasting life." Watchtower 1953 Mar 1 p.143

It seems "mother" Watchtower knows it, too.