rocketman

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Posts by rocketman

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  56

  New Light on Prayer in NOV 15 WT Study Edition

  by lepermessiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i finally saw that november 15th wt article on prayer that everyone has been talking about - the people in the photos look as stiff as corpses!.

  people will be called in the back room for inadvertantly making contact with their spouse during prayer.. i think i will adopt the following stance during prayer now:.

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  rocketman

  When this matter first came up in a previous thread, I mentioned that I wasn't bothered by it because the hand-holding seemed corny and pretentious to me. But I also mentioned that this can be taken and applied as a rule among the more judgmental jws.

  Giving this further thought, it is a very worrisome development, because it does open the door to Pharisaic rule-making. The WTS need not say 'you can't' - other jws will take care of that. Those who 'might be stumbled' will take care of it too.

  The same thing happens in many other areas of life that should be personal choice. The Society makes a statement on it (such as playing school sports) and the elders and other jws take it to the next level. And that level is virtually always more strict and pharisaic.
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  32

  Did the sun stand still and go backwards up the steps?

  by TJ - iAmCleared2Land in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  been a while since i posted here, but driving into work the other day i recalled how "excited" we all were when it was announced that scientists had discovered "proof" that there is a full "day" missing astronomically, for the exact period of time covered by joshua's having the sun stand still, and isaiah having the sun move backwards, sending the shadow back up the steps for hezekiah.. that got me searching jwd for a thread about this topic, and i didn't find one, but i did find this snopes article.. http://www.snopes.com/religion/lostday.asp.

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  rocketman

  I tend to lean toward the most simple explanation - that Daylight Savings Time was introduced by Joshua, not by Ben Franklin.
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  16

  Generation Change

  by garlic81 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know there was an article on john barr's comments at the annual meeting this year.

  i've posted the reference below.

  i'm wondering if they are thinking of changing the belief back to that some annointed alive in 1914 will be alive when the tribulation starts?

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  rocketman

  I'll believe that they are making yet another change when I see it in print (well, in print here, since I don't have access to the mags anymore). And just because it was mentioned in comments by John Barr or any other GB member does not, in itself, indicate that there's been a change - he may just be speaking of his own accord.
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  76

  Circuit Assembly This Past Weekend "Safeguard Your Spirituality" -Everyone Please Enter-

  by tryingtoexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so we had our circuit assembly this past weekend, and it was the first one in my life that i told my wife i would not be attending.

  we had a brief conversation on why, and she said well just go to this last one with me, and then when we can discuss what we learn and compare it to why you've been expressing your "new" feelings towards the wts.. i love my wife, and as much as i thought i was gonna hate it i decided to go.

  now that i no longer want to be a jehovah's witness it really didnt bother me that nobody hardly talked to me despite me living in this same area for 4 1/2 years, everybody views me as spiritually weak because i dont go out in service, rarely attend meetings, dont comment, lesson is never underlined, so the "friends" never interact with me anyway and i'm use to it, actually that's the way i prefer it.

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  rocketman

  Threads like this one make me realize how lucky I was that my wife and I got out at the same time.
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  121

  November 15 Watchtower (Study Edition) - discourages showing affection to your spouse

  by CrazyBlonde in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  another gem from the same edition - article to be studied december 28 - january 3 (which most will miss lol coz of summer vacation) entitled "what do your prayers say about you?

  " page 6 para 19 reads:.

  19 when we are being represented in public prayer, we need to display reverential "fear of god.

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  rocketman

  "I am defin[I]tely not a WT apologist, but I think too much is being read into this. I think they are "discouraging" over the top affection during prayers, like say a full frontal hug between husband a wife, or a group of 5 single pioneer sisters linking arms or holding hands (which I used to see ever stinking mtg, didn't offend me, but was very corny)"

  I tend to agree with this assessment by Trescedu. I don't see a big problem with this.

  I observed some hand-holding by groups, especially at assemblies, and some affection shown by married couples. While I wasn't too bothered by it, I thought it looked kind of strange at times. I can't put my finger exactly on what bugged me about it, it just looked weird. Cameo-d mentioned that it seemed "pretentious", and I think that's what bothered me.

  On the other hand, I can see this "counsel" being taken by judgmental types (who abound at every meeting) and run with in the wrong direction. Lots of little Pharisees in those congregations, you know.
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  105

  Does the name Jehovah actually exist in the original Hebrew language?

  by Yizuman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  source: http://www.familybible.org/articles/messianic/jehovah.htm.

  well, then, where did the word jehovah come from?.

  thus the artificial name jehovah came into being.. (yahweh, the new encyclopedia britannica, vol.

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  rocketman

  If you're a JW, try using the term Yahweh in talks and/or everyday speech, and see how quickly you are counseled by elders not to do so.
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  24

  The WTS & The Sound of Music

  by Farkel in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recently watched the classic 1965 film "the sound of music" for the umteenth time.

  it was the winner of 5 academy awards, including best picture.

  i originally saw it on the big screen when it first aired and loved every minute of it.

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  rocketman

  First the Borg, and now von Trapp!* And I agree with both analogies...

  * von Trapp was played by Christopher Plummer, who also played Klingon General Chang in Star Trek VI. No Borg in Trek VI, so I'm stretching the connection a bit.
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  63

  I can't help that I think less of poor spellers

  by gubberningbody in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just do.. if a thread title has misspelled words or someone's rant has misspelled words, all i see are those ragged, misplaced letters all akimbo.. it's like watching early morning tv and i can't notice anything said by the fat woman who doesn't know how to dress for her figure.. i just think silently ... "you're fat and you dress poorly.

  how can you stand it?".

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  rocketman

  What bugs me (doesn't happen here often, if at all, but I've seen it at other web boards) is when people post in Text Message-ese.

  One very commonly misspelled (did I just mis-spell misspelled?) word that I often see, here and elsewhere:

  Definitely (often spelled "definately").
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  48

  Oct.15th WT GB Tells JW Rank & File-You are Our Belongings Stay Humble

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the mind control in this latest oct.15th is amazing.

  our lurking jw friend sent us this and it basically tellls witnesses that their opinions don't matter and only god is good .

  it belittles independent thinking and explains that each rank and file jw is owned by the alleged " faithful and discreet slave " .

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  rocketman

  On the "not our own competence" point:

  Essentially, a rock could show up at a person's door, and if God is moving them, they will accept the message.

  It gets the individual jw off the hook in terms of trying to be etremely proficient at delivering the door-door message. The jws are being told that the credit does not belong to them, but to God. In itself, that's not so bad. But....Kind of makes one wonder why they spend so much time rehearsing presentations.
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  51

  Do YOU Consider Persons Who Fornicate As Being "Immoral"?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if we were to accept the bible's view, anyone having sex with someone other than their spouse would be considered "immoral".

  do you still accept that point of view?.

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  rocketman

  I generally don't consider persons who fornicate to be immoral because society (much of it anyway) seems to have evolved in that direction. No one is really shocked any more that umarried people sleep together. It's become the norm.

  That said, if one wants to be strict or technical about it and bring the Bible into it, then sex outside of marriage does fall short of the Biblical ideal. Then again, we fall short of that ideal in many ways.

  I think a happy compromise would be to replace "marriage" with "committed relationship", which is pretty much what many religions have done.