Rufus T. Firefly

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Posts by Rufus T. Firefly

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  22

  How the new US gay marriage ruling could cause trouble for the WTS

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here are a couple of ways that come to mind:.

  -- suppose a married gay couple, or even one of the partners, starts studying the bible with jws and decides he wants to baptized?

  would the jws require him to get a divorce?

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  This ruling will have no effect on the WTS.

  <<Suppose a married gay couple, or even one of the partners, starts studying the Bible with JWs and decides he wants to baptized? >>

  One has to qualify to be baptized as a JW. Such one as you describe would never be qualified. No legal consequence for the WTS.

  The Bible (and thus the WT) does not condemn homosexuality where there is no homosexual activity. It condemns fornication, regardless of whether the one practicing it is homosexual or heterosexual. Anyone practicing fornication gets disfellowshipped.

  Many JWs are celibate homosexuals, or they marry persons of the opposite sex. Letters from such ones (some even serving as elders or ministerial servants) have been published in the Watchtower and Awake magazines.

  I know of situations where persons of the same sex live together and act just like married couples (for instance, sitting together at every meeting and holding hands during every prayer), and nothing is ever said. If a gay couple wanted to badly enough, it could be done. But, as has been stated already, Why would any gay person in his or her right mind want to be a JW? (Or any straight person, for that matter?)
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  18

  Time Magazine Article: Now’s the Time To End Tax Exemptions for Religious Institutions

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://time.com/3939143/nows-the-time-to-end-tax-exemptions-for-religious-institutions/?xid=newsletter-brief.

  june 28, 2015 .

  nows the time to end tax exemptions for religious institutions.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  Thanks, Barbara, for sharing this excellent article. If it can be demonstrated that a so-called religious institution rewrites its history, propagates myths to support a hierarchical authority structure, or conceals human-rights abuses, it should lose its tax-exempt status. Sound like any institution you know?
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  45

  Fun at The WT This Morning

  by OneFingerSalute in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so ofs was at the wt this morning, and on par.

  14 the question was, "what trust can a faithful christian whose relative is disfellowshipped have?".

  after awhile when no one else raised their hands ofs did, and was called on.. ofs commented, "one of jw can have the trust that god will lovingly give them the ability to uphold the disfellowshipping arrangement by totally shunning family members.".

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  <<"If, however, a baptized Witness makes a practice of breaking the Bible’s moral code and does not repent, he or she will be shunned or disfellowshipped.">>

  Or, if an exemplary Christian points out Watch Tower teachings which conflict with the Bible.
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  13

  Car group stopped by

  by All for show in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a car group out in service stopped by.

  we don't even live in the territory,not even close.

  we happened to be outside with the kids playing.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  What you experienced is the new witnessing routine. My wife is a regular pioneer, but she never talks about witnessing to anyone. She always talks about the car group going to visit a JW who is in the hospital, or some such social call. It's bizarre! Most likely, they stopped by your home between making calls on people they knew would not be at home and going for coffee at the nearest donut shop.
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  109

  The Confederate Flag

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  the latest controversy over the confederate flag just sums up to me the state of dysfunction that exists in american society.. in summary: a white supremacist nutter shoots 9 black people dead in a church.

  he's clearly inspired by the messages of others which the confederate flag is often a symbol of.. it seems like a no-brainer to remove it.

  not only isn't it removed, it isn't even lowered at all as a mark of respect.. and of course now there are the people who want to defend their right to have it.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  I think it is worth noting that the Southern States in question began displaying the Confederate flag on government buildings in response to the Civil Rights movement of the 1960s. That says a lot to me about those who oppose taking it down.
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  21

  Going clear: Scientology

  by James Mixon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a must see if you haven't seen it.

  some scary stuff.

  they pay their workers.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  James Mixon, you wrote: Compared to them (scientology) JW's are a sane organization.

  I made a similar comment to a fellow ex-jw, and he replied, How many people have died because of being JWs and how many have died because of being Scientologists?

  I had to admit he had a point.

  There are many similarities between the two religions.

  I suggested to Lawrence Wright that he write a similar expose of JWs. He told me I was the second person to suggest that, and that he would keep the suggestion at hand.
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  17

  Watchtower's deception regarding blood transfusions

  by Rufus T. Firefly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  you also ask why one can be dis-fellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion but not for taking blood fractions.

  while both may affect the life of an individual, the expression "life-sustaining" in connection with blood transfusions is synonymous with the idea of taking in food for nourishment.

  in this regard both whole blood and major components of it carry nutrients, oxygen, and other nourishment to the body.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  Thank you, Simon, Kanon and Marvin, for your very thoughtful responses. I believe each of you hit the nail on the head. I do not regret the decision I made because I believe it resulted in my son receiving a higher standard of care. But, your point is very well taken, Simon. What makes me shudder is the thought that, had the results of the EPO not been as effective in our son’s case, would I have let my son die? But even that thought is outweighed by the confidence I had in his treating physician. I am certain that he would not have permitted my son to die, even if I would have. He had much experience in treating children of JW parents in the past, and he had even gotten court orders permitting him to administer blood transfusions over the objections of misdirected parents, including a certain nephew of ours. Yes, Simon, if my son had died as a result of my cognitive dissonance at the time, I would be carrying a much heavier burden today. Thank you for making a very valid point.
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  17

  Watchtower's deception regarding blood transfusions

  by Rufus T. Firefly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  you also ask why one can be dis-fellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion but not for taking blood fractions.

  while both may affect the life of an individual, the expression "life-sustaining" in connection with blood transfusions is synonymous with the idea of taking in food for nourishment.

  in this regard both whole blood and major components of it carry nutrients, oxygen, and other nourishment to the body.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  I appreciate all of the thoughtful responses to my post.

  When our 13-year old son began chemotherapy for cancer, our local elders told us to be prepared to make our objections known regarding blood transfusions but to realize that our son’s treating physician would take whatever steps were deemed to be in the best interest of our son. Our son had to undergo several surgical procedures over the course of two years, and each time we made our objections known, the hospital provided a document for us to sign which was basically the Letter of Understanding. The only time that the blood issue was really pressed was when our son’s red cell count was at 3.2, and the treating physician ordered EPO to be administered to our son, and the need for a blood transfusion was averted. Prior to our son’s final surgical procedure, as we signed the document, the anesthesiologist expressed amazement that during two years of chemotherapy, our son had never received a blood transfusion.

  At that time, I was still a Blood Card carrying JW, and I do not regret having taken the stand we took. My purpose of my original post was to show how deceptive the Watchtower has been regarding its blood policy. It wasn’t very long ago that my cognitive dissonance would not permit me to see how indoctrinated I had become. When I first read In Search of Christian Freedom, the chapter on the blood issue was the only one that proved hard for me to accept. I had to reread it a couple of times before it all sank in.
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  17

  Watchtower's deception regarding blood transfusions

  by Rufus T. Firefly in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  you also ask why one can be dis-fellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion but not for taking blood fractions.

  while both may affect the life of an individual, the expression "life-sustaining" in connection with blood transfusions is synonymous with the idea of taking in food for nourishment.

  in this regard both whole blood and major components of it carry nutrients, oxygen, and other nourishment to the body.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  “You also ask why one can be dis-fellowshipped for taking a blood transfusion but not for taking blood fractions. While both may affect the life of an individual, the expression "life-sustaining" in connection with blood transfusions is synonymous with the idea of taking in food for nourishment. In this regard both whole blood and major components of it carry nutrients, oxygen, and other nourishment to the body. It is this aspect of taking in blood, that is, to provide nourishment that links blood transfusions with the Biblical prohibition. Note that "Questions From Readers" of the July 1, 1975, issue of The Watchtower stated: "The Bible specifically forbids the taking of blood to nourish the body.-Gen 9:4; Lev. 17:1-14; Acts 15:28, 29." The motive or reason for taking a serum is significantly different. It is not to feed the body, as would be the case if there was an eating of whole blood (or a major component thereof) by mouth or by having it transfused intravenously. Rather, the antibodies that have been separated out are administered for the purpose of immunizing the body against a certain disease. While blood fractions in certain situations can be lifesaving, they do not operate to feed and nourish the body and in this way sustain life but, rather, utilize other mechanisms.” (Watchtower Branch letter of March 23, 1998 to Randall Jensen.)

  But the Watchtower Society had known since the 1950s that transfusing blood is far different from eating blood for nourishment, that transfused blood is not digested but retained in the body much like a transplanted organ. “Transfused blood cannot be used by your body as food any more so than can a transplanted heart or kidney.” – (Watchtower 9/15/58, p. 575)

  “By your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12:37)

  http://ajwrb.org/do-jehovahs-witnesses-really-abstain-from-blood
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  29

  Fading and not "outing" yourself, what are your thoughts on it?

  by Brock Talon in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  fading and not "outing" yourself.. what are your thoughts on it?.

  i ask, because i just received a scathing personal message on facebook from a person who read my latest book and in it i describe myself as a fader.

  i was not dfd and i did not da myself.

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  Rufus T. Firefly

  Brock, you left on YOUR terms, not on THEIR terms. I did the same. They can't tag you as 'disfellowshipped' or 'disaasociated.' That makes it harder for them to figure you out or to dismiss you. It gets under their skin. I say good for you!