Island Man

Joined

• started 138 topics
• posted 2,374 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Island Man

• 
  27

  Embarrassed and Glassy-Eyed stop by

  by wheelwithinwheel in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  two brothers doing the territory stopped in at my place.

  i kept them on the step.

  after some hellos and catching up, i said so you folks are on tv now.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man
• 
  49

  MY CONCLUSION IS: 'GOD' DOESN'T EXIST

  by NAVYTOWN in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have come to the conclusion that there is no god.

  period!!!

  if there was a loving, righteous, all-knowing, all powerful god up there somewhere, where is he and what good is he???

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  NAVYTOWN, here's an interesting scripture. It's very, very, very ironic when you apply it to God:

  But whoever has this world’s means for supporting life and beholds his brother having need and yet shuts the door of his tender compassions upon him, in what way does the love of God remain in him? Little children, let us love, neither in word nor with the tongue, but in deed and truth. - 1 John 3:17,18

  God has the means for supporting life and aleviating suffering in the world and beholds humans having need and suffering and yet shuts the door of his tender compassions upon them. In what way does the love of God remain in God? LOL. Christians, your God should love, neither in your heart nor on the pages of the bible, but in deed and truth.
• 
  57

  Was the Biblical Canon Directed by God?

  by Chris Tann in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  this is a question a sincere christian may agonize over after learning that some books of the bible were rejected by certain early christian groups,while other books that did not make the canon were accepted.

  also,when one realizes that so called inspired writers of the greek scriptures quote from apocrypha,that most christians reject today,one wonders if these writings that include these quotes should even be in the bible.. it is true that when it comes to the christian greek scriptures the canon has been closed for many centuries.

  also, these books have been accepted by christians ever since the second,perhaps first,century.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  I highly recommend you read Forged by Bart Ehrman.
• 
  31

  Do you believe that we are living in the last days, and why?

  by new light in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has been a long time.. thanks to jw.org, i was reading some jw material (what does the bible teach i believe).

  it was the first time reading a "book study" book in many years and i was blown away by the controlling, cultish writing.

  this question especially struck me as manipulative: do you believe that we are living in the last days, and why?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  From a biblical perspective, yes. The bible indicates that the last days began in the first century. In Acts 2, Peter quotes from the book of Joel where it talks about young men and young women prophesying and the moon turning to blood. That prophecy says those things will happen in the last days. Peter quoted from it and applied it to events that happened on the day of Pentecost when they all spoke in tongues. So this shows that the last days began in the first century.

  But from a reality perspective, no, I don't belieive we're in the last days. According to the bible, the end should have come a long time ago. The generation that Jesus said would not pass away before the end has long since passed away. JWs and other christians are in denial. They can't bring themselves to accept that Jesus' predictions did happen within the timeline he indicated they would. The JWs ever-changing, embarrassing BS interpretations of the meaning of "this generation" is a testament to this failure.
• 
  16

  The REAL purpose of the new 1914 explanation video...

  by Calebs Airplane in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  when a dub starts to question an elder about this doctrine (at the kh, field circus or wherever), the elder will only need to utter these words: "just watch the video".... .

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  I have a feeling that video produced a lot of cognitive dissonance in the minds of many JWs coming right on the heels of them seeing David Splane's talk about not reading types and antitypes into bible passages that the bible doesn't say are types and antitypes. The seven times passage of Daniel 4 is a perfect example of a type/antitype being read into a passage when the bible itself does not say it's a type/antitype. Hypocritical Watchtower wants to have its cake and eat it too.
• 
  53

  Awake! to be part of Watchtower Public Edition!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  this was posted on a jw site and it would be nice if we could verify.. .. .. as of february 2015, the awake!

  will come as a part of the watchtower public edition instead of as a separate magazine.

  this is a huge change... with serious cost savings.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  " The translation seems to indicate that this is a shipping matter not a publishing matter. The two small mags will be sent together to the congregations instead of two seperate bundles."

  hmmm . . . what's the reason for shipping the Awake! inside the Watchtower? Is there some shipping law or shipping tariff that Watchtower is trying to evade? Why is Watchtower hiding one magazine inside another for shipping purposes?
• 
  28

  Awful WTBTS " infomercial " funeral service talk

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  w77 6/1 pp.

  346-347 mourning and funeralsfor whom?

  a funeral or memorial service?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  The funny thing is that JWs often cite Ecclesiastes 7:1 as an argument for not celebrating birthdays. That text says:

  "A name is better than good oil, and the day of death than the day of one’s being born."

  The reasoning JWs employ with regard to this text is that the day of a person's death is more important than the day of birth because it is at his death that he would have finished making a name for himself.

  Based on this text, you would think then than JWs would use funerals as occassions to elaborate about the "name" of the deceased, i.e. eulogise them. But no, they're given a few minutes of token attention and the rest of the talk is all about selling JW doctrine.

  I have seen shameful favoritisim with regard to who is allowed to have their funerals at kingdom halls. I have seen situations where two bible students of much the same spiritual standing have had different outcomes. One bible student was studying the bible and even had an offspring who was also studying the bible and attending meetings. The student died but was refused having the service at the K.H. because the student was not a baptized JW. Another adult individual who grew up around the truth but never became baptized and has children out of wedlock and attended meetings on and off with their JW parent, also died but was permitted to have the funeral at the kingdom hall. So some non-JWs are allowed to have their funeral at the kingdom hall while others are not. There is clearly partiality at work.
• 
  15

  How did the term "The Truth" come about?

  by FeelingFree in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just wondering how this vile term came to be used in constant referral to the org, i really, really hate it!

  it's only since coming out that i have realised how much the jdubs use it.

  everything is the truth this and the truth that.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  It comes from 2 John and 3 John:

  "I rejoice very much because I have found certain ones of your children walking in the truth, just as we received commandment from the Father." - 2 John 4

  "For I rejoiced very much when brothers came and bore witness to the truth you hold, just as you go on walking in the truth. 4 No greater cause for thankfulness do I have than these things, that I should be hearing that my children go on walking in the truth." - 3 John 3,4

  But I believe that the expression "the truth" as used in second and third John are actually titles referring to christ, and is inspired by Jesus' words at John 14:6 where he said:

  "I am the way and the truth and the life".

  So the expression "the truth" is actually a reference to christ. Thus 2 John 4 and 3 John 3,4 can be mentally read as follows:

  "I rejoice very much because I have found certain ones of your children walking in the christ, just as we received commandment from the Father." - 2 John 4

  "For I rejoiced very much when brothers came and bore witness to the christ you hold, just as you go on walking in the christ. 4 No greater cause for thankfulness do I have than these things, that I should be hearing that my children go on walking in the christ." - 3 John 3,4

  This idea of christians being "in christ" is expressed elsewhere in John's epistles and at John 15:4-7 where the NWT renders Jesus' statement to remain "in me" as "in [union with] me".

  So "the truth" is really a metaphoric synonym for the christ. In turn, being a christian is sometimes referred to in the scriptures as being "in christ". Thus, with time, it came to be known as being "in the truth". Interestingly, Jesus also calls himself "the way" at John 14:6, and guess what - the book of Acts refers to early christianity as "the way". So early christians adopted Jesus' descriptions of himself at John 14:6 as alternative ways of saying that they're "in christ". First they used "the way", then they used "the truth". I suppose next they'll be using "the life".

  JWs and other groups are essentially copying what the writer of 2 John and 3 John did by using the expression to refer to their religion. So I think there is genuine scriptural basis for christians referring to christianity as "the truth". But given that the expression seems to have originated from Jesus' own designation of himself it seems rather, should I say sacrilegous?, that the JWs apply that term to their religion when they try hard to minimize the role of Jesus in their everyday life and worship.
• 
  27

  How To Be Subversive While Knowing TTATT And Stuck Inside The Watchtower Corporation Confines?

  by frankiespeakin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so you found out it is all bs but due to family and friends you don't want to be disfellowshipped and shunned.

  you have to go to these rediculous meetings maybe even engage in corporation sponsored magazine drives to get the propaganda into the homes of your neighbor in hopes of making another corporation zombie mystified by childish magical thinking, of a jealous deity that wants you to work for the corporation finacial interest or else die for your lack of corporation loyalty.. it is a stressful sitiuation with all kinds of trip wires one has to beware of in order not to be heading into some back room kangaroo court where obediance to the almighty corporation is the bottom line, and a fair hearing of the facts is last on the list of importance.. one consolation is that one may eventually get friends and family out of this demanding and destructive cult with patients and passage of time.. so what ideas would you like to pass on to readers?

  what are some of subversive activities one can engage in while stuck in this nasty bit of mandatory corporation exercises of preaching, selling, and building?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  I think sarcasm can be a good tool. If giving a comment or talk you can state the JW line in such a way that it sounds like you're being sarcastic, like you're hinting at how wrong/ridiculous the JW line really is, but be sure to have a prepared, innocent denial response if the elders speak to you about it afterwards. Also, try to bridle the degree of sarcasm so it's not too obvious that you're being sarcastic. Make it sound sarcastic while at the same time leaving room so that it can be doubted that you're actually being sarcastic.

  Ask innocent, non-confrontational questions that lead JWs to think and have doubts. Let them arrive at the logical TTATT conclusions and doubts while you pretend to be a loyal dub who has a sincere question or seeking clarification.

  You can also draw attention to the bad policies or teachings of the organization by disguising your criticism of the org as a positive statement of commendation. For example, you can say something like: "Isn't it wonderful how we have progressed as an organization while christendom remains in the dark? For example, there was a time when we, like christendom, honored Jesus more in our speech and in our songs. Today we have grown to understand that it is not necessary - and is liikely even wrong to - honor Jesus like that. All honor goes to Jehovah! But christendom doesn't get it - they foolishly think they have to honor Jesus to have Jehovah's approval."

  You can also disguise TTATT as a ridiculous idea you heard from someone in the ministry.

  "You know I met this guy in the ministry once and I was explaining the "other sheep" of John 10:16 to him and you wouldn't believe the ridiculous nonsense he learned at his church. He said the "other sheep" refers to gentile christians . . . something about Jesus earthly ministry was just to the lost sheep of the house of Israel so the other sheep refers to the future ingathering of gentiles not of the fold of the house of Israel. And he was telling me about this text in Ephesians 2 that explains what John 10:16 is referring to, but I don't remember the exact verses. Can you believe the utter nonsense they're learning in church?! They are in such darkness!"
• 
  5

  666, Revelation, and preterism

  by Richard_I in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  on reddit, there's a post about how 666 is mistranslated as 616 in revelation (thread).

  666 and 616 are both correct.

  if you read into revelations, very little is presented as actual prophecy- it's an analogous tale to describe the roman empire during their persecution of christianity.. 666 and 616 come from the hebrew tradition of converting words into numerical values.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Island Man

  Here's a video that is in line with the OP:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkZqFtYtqaI