rocketman

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Posts by rocketman

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  33

  Do you think the WTS will ever seriously start DA'ing faders?

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some have indicated that this might be coming.

  based mostly on the new book - some think maybe the org is positioning itself to remove all possible 'doubters' and 'inside apostates' this way.. i mean - having spent four decades watching the actions of this organization as a witness, i can see something like that happening perhaps.. service meeting announcement;.

  having had six months to renew his association actively with jehovah's witnesses, and having not been to a meeting or out in service for that same time span, we must announce that ____________ has left the organization and shown by his actions that he is no longer one of jehovah's witnesses.. the brothers and sisters need to be reiminded that he should be treated 'as a man of the nations' - full shunning is in effect!.

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  rocketman

  For starters, I can't ever see them serving refreshments.

  The rest, while plausible, is doubtful, at least in the foreseeable future. It creates problems possibly for shut-ins or the infirmed, though I'd imagine that the elders would take circumstances into consideration. It also creates problems for the emotionally or mentally ill. For example, in one congregation I was in there was an elder's wife who hardly ever came - and once when she did, she had to leave very soon after the meeting began. Certainly they wouldn't consider such a person DA'd.

  However, if those little problems could be side-stepped, it may be something that could one day happen. After all, they've already gone from not bothering inactives to suddenly being quite worried about them. And they DF smokers after a six-month window. So the six-month chance at reprieve plus a concern about inactives could perhaps one day morph into some new little WTS monster.
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  47

  Dub at work said that the Knowledge book was too difficult for new ones

  by acsot in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  to understand so that's why the wts published the new book being released at this year's district conventions.. the new book gets "straight to the point".

  according to her "and many others", the knowledge book was too difficult for those just beginning a bible study.

  i said, "you're kidding!

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  rocketman

  
  I remember the studies we had in the Ezekiel book, the Thousand Years book, the Paradise Restored by Thoecracy book, etc. I was a teenager at the time. Those books were not a problem to comprehend. Like Blondie said, a lot people don't want to study. When I was a bookstudy conductor, I was often perplexed at the total lack of recall and knowledge that jws had. Five meetings a week - you'd think they'd be able to remember something they learned. Also while conducting, I learned quickly that trying to ask any question that required thinking, rather than looking at the book for answers, was a totally vain pursuit. I'd ask and they'd always look at the book, as if the answer would hopefully jump out at them.

  Then again, the jw routine pressures people so much, no wonder they can't absorb anything.
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  175

  The facts on crucifixion, stauros, and the "torture stake"

  by Leolaia in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  finally, i will look at biblical and patristic evidence bearing on the crucifixion of jesus in particular.

  we need to examine the earliest known descriptions of the kind of crucifixion adopted by the romans and the specific terms they used to refer to it.

  apparently the society believes that crux still meant "stake" in the second century a.d., when tacitus composed his annals.

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  rocketman

  Another outstanding thread Leolaia.....excellent work!

  I noticed how balanced this presentation was. For example, I've looked at some web sites that discuss the cross and basically all they do is use Thomas' words at John 20:25, highlight and emphasize nails in the plural, and presto, support for the cross. And obviously, this thread shows very well the slight-of-hand tactics that the WTS uses.

  As Leolaia's work points out, it's not that simple on either side of the cross equation. This thread holds great value for all who have an interest in this subject.
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  47

  Drama at DC in KC

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  well basically it was aimed at youths and was all about timothy and the apostle paul.

  it was rammed down everybodys throat --no college- get pionerring just like timothy

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  rocketman

  was one of the first areas that I could plainly see that they were talking out of both sides of their mouth

  Tell the outsiders one thing in print, but make sure the insiders know better verbally.

  These two comments by LHG and RM pretty well sum up my view. There are numerous cases of this stuff happening throughout the jw's history. The rank and file sometimes don't know what to think...too bad they usually don't think for themselves.
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  62

  The status of women in early Christianity

  by Leolaia in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the watchtower society maintains a very strict gender dichotomy in its organization.

  this is news to no one.

  although men -- in many cases, unqualified men -- are expected to reach for advancement within local congregations (e.g.

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  rocketman

  I bookmarked for further study a couple days ago and I'm still working my way through it. Fascinating topic and presentation Leolaia.
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  27

  DO YOU BLOG?

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just started doing this (blogging) and it is not unlike writing a diary put into public view.. there a zillions of these things floating around out there.

  many are extremely inventive, artistic, interesting and startling.. however, most are utterly inane!.

  sturgeon's law at work.

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  rocketman

  Well whaddya know....I am blogging again....

  http://www.blogtext.org/rocketman
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  36

  This takes balls....

  by chrissy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...and considering i don't have any, it is surprising that i found the nerve to post my photo as my avatar!

  i was leery to use my photo thinking someone i knew could catch on to my new apostate antics.

  so, i couldn't decide what to use.

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  rocketman

  Cute pic!

  ...Appreciates Pretty Blondes Class....
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  46

  I'm new here

  by Apostanator in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  this is the first time i feel comfortable posting something.

  i've been a lurker for over a year and i must say there are a lot of courageous people here who left the watchtower.

  thank god for the internet and sites like this.

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  rocketman

  Welcome to the board....nice to see you've been helped by reading us over the past year.
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  23

  Genesis 6:2 - The "sons of God"

  by rocketman in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  while reading the niv study bible recently, i came across some interesting notes on genesis 6:1-4, concerning the situation before the flood in which the "sons of god saw the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.".

  from what i had always understood (mainly by reading wts literature) these "sons of god" were angels that sinned by taking the daughters of men as sex partners.

  however, the niv study bible, and some other bible commentators, mention that there were other possibilities:.

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  rocketman

  Excellent clarification Leolaia. Clearly, the weight of evidence favors an interpretation of Genesis 6:2 as referring to angels as the "sons of God". Thank you.

  Kind of makes me wonder how bible commentators miss the mark on this, but as you allude to, they seem to be following a more "Christian" interpretation.

  The NIV Study Bible was not dogmatic on any one interpretation but simply pointed to the others as possible understandings of the verse. Interestingly, in its introduction to Genesis, the NIV Study Bible points to numerous similarities between the events recorded in Genesis and their similarity to ancient mythological and secular accounts from Sumerian, Babylonian, Egyptian, and Canaanite writings.
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  23

  Genesis 6:2 - The "sons of God"

  by rocketman in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  while reading the niv study bible recently, i came across some interesting notes on genesis 6:1-4, concerning the situation before the flood in which the "sons of god saw the daughters of men were beautiful, and they married any of them they chose.".

  from what i had always understood (mainly by reading wts literature) these "sons of god" were angels that sinned by taking the daughters of men as sex partners.

  however, the niv study bible, and some other bible commentators, mention that there were other possibilities:.

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  rocketman

  I checked Leolaia's posts and did find this thread, which comments somewhat on the matter.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/10/68556/1.ashx

  In her thread the basic assumption that seems to be made is that Genesis 6:2 refers to angels, in conjuction with 2 Peter and Jude. I'd like to see what she thinks of the other possibilities mentioned in the NIV Study Bible. Calling Leo!