Posts by Roddy

28

Just Had My Elder Visit

by Undecided in

jw
friends

i just got through talking to a couple of elders, they both had moved here from other places, one from fla and one from wis. i can't remember their names.

they said the society had instructed them to call on all inactive ones.. they were nice to me, but had the same old answers that i used to present.

i brought up a lot of things for them to think about, but their minds have been carefully programed so it didn't register.

Roddy

Musky >>I assume the elders use the latest in technology when finding people. I once asked if I could transfer my own records to my new hall.<<

If so, then would the elders will be SO STUPID to foot the bill for these technological services? I doubt it. Will this come out of the congregation's general funds? Why not? If so, will the congregation be informed? Will the congregation know what these expenses are and why they were used? Or will it be sneaked through without mention?

If the elders would use technology, you had better believe that the WTS will not pay for the elders to do it from WTS money. And you better believe that the WTS will be watching the congregation's donations for any significant or protracted drop in the usual amount sent in.

45

Jesus Is God (John 1:1)

by JesusISJehovah in

according to john 1:1, jesus is god.

how do jehovah's witnesses rationalize that blatant statement of jesus' deity?

Roddy

JesusIsJehovah >>In the OT, God says his name is "I AM" (Exodus 3:14). <<

Sorry but I don't buy it. Nowhere in the OT do we see anybody refering to God as "I AM". God was referred by His name.

>>It changes. In the OT, he wanted the Jews to refer to him as I AM, and they spoke Yiddish. We speak English, and because he hasn't designated to us what he wants to be called in English, we revert to the literal translation of the greek (Lord, God etc) or, in the case of the JW's, the Yiddish Jehovah.<<

Sorry but I don't buy that either.

I keep an open mind about things, but I think that Jesus and Jehovah are separate individuals. It really does take a lot of reaching to try to make the case that Jesus and Jehovah are the same person. The Jews were very monotheistic as per Deut 6:4. And Jesus didn't cast any of that aside at Mark 12:28. If he did, it would have not gone unnoticed and I would have expected to see two things: 1) A great deal of writing regarding the debate and discussion among the Jews on the new revelation that Jesus and Jehovah are the same person. 2) A great deal of writing regarding the debate and discussion the followers of Jesus would of necessity be having with the Jews, Samaritans, and Gentiles they were converting. All this is missing in the Scriptures.

Jehovah and Jesus are separate and unequal persons. Jehovah is God and Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

13

Blessings for Loyalty

by JH in

jw
friends

did you believe that you would be blessed by god by doing more in the organization?

did you see a relationship between being blessed by god and being active in the organization?

Roddy

Of course. It was drummed into our dear little ears in every magazine, book, meeting, field service, circuit overseer visit, assembly, funeral talk, wedding talk, Memorial, family study, student talk, and everywhere else.

"Are you doing enough for Jehovah?"

"What prevents you from pioneering?"

"Are you reaching out for greater privilages?"

"Are you going out in service?"

"Did you hand in your field service report for the month?"

The more more more you did the happier happier happier we're supposed to feel. And if you didn't, then something is wrong with you. You're blocking Jehovah's spirit. You have a bad attitude somewhere or you are still not doing enough.

You're happy because Jehovah is blessing you.

If you're sad that's because you are not serving Jehovah, you're not studying, you're not whole-souled - it's all your fault! Have the elders work with you. Don't give up. Don't be discouraged. And if you are discouraged, that's your doing, not ours; we're only trying to help.

But it gets to the point after you've been whipped for the umpteenth time when you stop to ask, "So when is this constant badgering going to end? Enough already! Is this REALLY what God requires of us?"

Edited by - Roddy on 30 December 2002 13:14:22

16

Question

by Mantis in

hi, i've been reading this site for quite a while now.

i've read the gentile times reconsidered book and found it very interesting.

i've tried to verify everything in that book and found it to be accurate.

Roddy

Mulan >>Also, there are other religions preaching a Kingdom message. We were always told we were the only ones who didn't believe the Trinity, Hellfire, didn't go to war, the onlyones who used God's name, Jehovah, and the only ones who preached the Kingdom. You will learn that there are others. We definitely were NOT the only ones.<<

There is such an information Iron Curtin it is paranoid. You have to eat everything the WTS says without independant verification or external information. It has been a shock to me that our teachings are not exclusive. I found out that even 1914 is not exclusive because there are many Russellite organizations out there.

Does anyone know of a website that pretty much gives a highlight and summary of what the different religions teach?

24

Nails in The WT Coffin

by hillbilly in

jw
friends

nails in the wt coffin-- what kind of nails?

a while back i posted my opinion that the wt's demise would come at the hand of the "home grown" legal department.

in my scenario i see the lawyers flitering cash out and creating legal manuvers to protect the players ( like any other corporate "legal theft").

Roddy

Hillbilly >>Whats the old saying- somthing about "enough rope and you will hang yourself"? The "Blessing" of The WT CD will be a curse. Many of the articulate, informed comments we find on this ( and other) boards have been formed using the CD . I really doubt that many would have the patience to do the reasearch and comparisons working strictly in a paper format. <<

There is one flaw in your argument. Since the WTS holds the information, then the WTS can make quiet edits to the information. I'm sure even the original 1993 WT CD had damning information quietly altered or removed. Even bound volumes are affected.

The only way to catch the WTS, and to catch them making unannounced changes to their literature, is to have the original published magazines and books, and have all that compared to the bound volumes and WT CDs. Where the comparisons fail that is where the WTS will look double bad: Not only are they caught with the damning information but they are caught in secret tampering of the evidence to avoid being linked with the damning information.

It will take a lot of people a lot of time going over a lot of paper and data but, if this is carefully done, then the WTS will surely be hung by it as you say.

55

Which religion are you?

by Aztec in

i think this is an interesting test.. http://www.selectsmart.com/religion/.

i was not at all surprised by my results!

my most compatible match was secular humanist and my least compatible....drumroll please...jehovah's witnesses..... ~aztec

Roddy

1.	Orthodox Judaism (100%)

2. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) (96%) 3. Islam (89%) 4. Sikhism (88%) 5. Jehovah's Witness (88%)6. Reform Judaism (77%) 7. Bah' Faith (72%)8. Jainism (72%) 9. Hinduism (68%) 10. Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant (64%) 11. Seventh Day Adventist (58%) 12. Orthodox Quaker (55%) 13. Eastern Orthodox (55%) 14. Roman Catholic (55%) 15. Liberal Quakers (49%) 16. Mahayana Buddhism (49%) 17. Neo-Pagan (45%) 18. Unitarian Universalism (44%) 19. Mainline to Liberal Christian Protestants (39%) 20. Theravada Buddhism (36%) 21. New Age (31%) 22. Scientology (29%) 23. New Thought (24%) 24. Christian Science (Church of Christ, Scientist) (22%) 25. Secular Humanism (19%) 26. Nontheist (17%) 27. Taoism (15%)

I can't believe I'm a Jew! LOL Amazing that the closest Christian religion match is JW. I thought I was Catholic but this says I'm more Mainline to Conservative Christian/Protestant.

Fun test!

Edited by - Roddy on 28 December 2002 0:27:43

51

Best argument against a Jehovah's Witness?

by Happy in

jw
friends

don't get me wrong, i'm not one to actively persecute jw's, i'm just wondering what you guys think is the best agrument/point to use when a pesky brother or sister just won't leave you alone.

normally, i am willing to listen to their drivel out of respect (even though i have no respect for the wt) but there are times when i am not in the mood to hear them babble.

i normally bring up the 1914 generation point, and it normally works.

Roddy

>>Everyone says that the WTBTS is making a lot of money, and I know they're a billion dollar (b)org. but I don't understand where they get all this money, aside from donations. Don't they give out the mags. free? Anyone wanna explain?<<

The WTS also own stocks in companies. Some directly and some through shadow companies.

What would really be cool is if some senior person from the WTS' general accounting dept were to defect or get kicked out. If that person talked, wow. I wonder if the WTS is serious enough to have someone like that 'disappear' before they ever get a chance to talk?

51

Best argument against a Jehovah's Witness?

by Happy in

jw
friends

don't get me wrong, i'm not one to actively persecute jw's, i'm just wondering what you guys think is the best agrument/point to use when a pesky brother or sister just won't leave you alone.

normally, i am willing to listen to their drivel out of respect (even though i have no respect for the wt) but there are times when i am not in the mood to hear them babble.

i normally bring up the 1914 generation point, and it normally works.

Roddy

>>or the easy one is to say ok so jesus choose the wt in 1919 as the fds ...sounds good to me....lets study the wt mag's and books from that time to see if jesus really choose the wt then .... they never will ... at this point you busted them.... and never let them off this study,.,., only old wt's till 1919 if you stick to this point you will never be shut up..... that's a fact.....keep the pressure ON <<

Especially the point that in Bethel they celebrated Saturnalia on December 25th. (Oops, I meant Christmas.) If they did that then you can be sure they did Easter too! ;)

15

running scared - Elder sighted off the port bow!

by czarofmischief in

the repercussions of my argument with my mother on the phone the other week are starting to make themselves felt.

let me be clear: i've been disfellowshipped from the org for two years now.

i'm loving my freedom of thought.. so i was talking to my mom [still in the borg] and started expressing myself on various subjects on which i disagree, or at least see room for philosophical "wiggle room" with the society's viewpoints.

Roddy

>>What do you guys think I should do? Talk to him? Meet with him? See what he wants? Hide? <<

Sounds unusual with you being DF for two years. Either they are under an order to try to get DF and DA back into the congregation or maybe they heard that your father ate a meal with you so they can run him through hell for eating with a DF person. That is a major no-no, if you can believe that.

I don't suggest you tell them anything. If you want, get something in writing about the subject of the meeting they want to have with you - without committing yourself.

40

Anything new on Barbara Anderson's case?

by Gamaliel in

can anyone give any details on what to expect next in barbara anderson's case?.

i just read about the questioning of how a woman got into a researcher position at bethel.

i have a few questions on this myself, based on the level of involvement i've heard claimed.

Roddy

>>P.S. Take Roddy with you.<<

What's your problem with me, Eric?