Island Man

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Posts by Island Man

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  35

  How do we know the WTS monitors this site? Can anyone tell me for sure?

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i keep hearing this in threads.....

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  Island Man

  A few years ago John Cedars leaked a confidential letter to bodies of elders on the subject child abuse. Soon after that John's website was down. Watchtower complained to John's website provider resulting in his site going down for a while.

  There are also examples of youtube channels critical of JWs, getting pulled due to DMCA complaints issued by Watchtower.

  Do you think that this, one of the oldest and perhaps the most popular website with information critical of JWs, escapes the notice and periodic monitoring by Watchtower. I find that very difficult to believe!

  Maybe Simon will shed some light.
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  3

  Massive Bible contradiction of the Draw Close to Jehovah book. Or Jehovah is not loving.

  by Island Man in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  "love...does not rejoice over unrighteousness.

  " the new english bible here reads: "love...does not gloat over other men's sins.

  " moffatt's translation says: "love is never glad when others go wrong.

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  Island Man

  "Love...does not rejoice over unrighteousness." The New English Bible here reads: "Love...does not gloat over other men's sins." Moffatt's translation says: "Love is never glad when others go wrong." Love finds no pleasure in unrighteousness, so we do not wink at immorality of any kind. How do we react if a fellow believer is ensnared by sin and fares badly as a result? Love will not let us rejoice, as if to say 'Good! He deserved it!' (Proverbs 17:5) We do rejoice, however, when a brother who has erred takes positive steps to recover from his spiritual fall." -- Draw Close to Jehovah, page 307, paragraph 20

  Contrast the text I highlighted above from the Watchtower publication with what Proverbs 1:23-27 says about how Jehovah feels toward those who fare badly because of not following his counsel:

  (Proverbs 1:23-27) . . .Respond to my reproof. Then I will pour out my spirit for you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I called out, but you kept refusing, I stretched out my hand, but no one was paying attention, 25 You kept neglecting all my advice And rejecting my reproof, 26 I also will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when what you dread comes, 27 When what you dread comes like a storm, And your disaster arrives like a storm wind, When distress and trouble come upon you.

  At this week's Congregation Bible Study (week of September 21, 2015) JWs commenting on paragraph 20 were giving examples of JWs who were warned against following a certain course and rejected counsel and ended up in trouble. JWs were saying it would be wrong to rejoice or gloat over their fall as if to say: 'we told you so, serves you right!'
  But look at what Proverbs 1:23-27 reveals about Jehovah. The exact behavior that dubs and Watchtower say is wrong, is the exact behavior that Jehovah, the God of love, exhibits! So it seems like Jehovah does not live up to Watchtower's counsel on showing love. The elders need to take Jehovah to the back room and counsel him. lol.
  
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  29

  Impression of Leaked Letter Regarding Annual Meeting

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the letter that watchtower free put up was very interesting.

  here is my impression.. the watchtower is becoming more and more geared towards idiots.

  the midweek meeting has a stupid name, and the parts sound equally dumb.

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  Island Man

  I think this change up of the meetings is just to serve as a distraction from the implications of the layoffs and the stoppage of K.H. construction work.

  "Pay no attention to the layoffs and work stoppage behind the curtain. Look at the shiny new meetings and literature arrangements that we've made for you!"

  The work stoppage and layoffs may have been planned months in advance . . . together with the meeting changes to serve as a consoling distraction.
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  43

  Rumor Confirmed!: Bethel Downsize First Hand

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just texted a very good remote worker friend, said i heard that there is a reduction in force coming at bethel and i hoped he wouldn't be affected.

  .

  he said its true, its not a rumor.

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  Island Man

  "The scary thing is that it's so well written it could be real..."

  What! It's not real? If that letter ain't real then Watchotwer-Free deserves a Nobel Prize for Watchtower parody.
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  119

  Latest rumor - all WT construction "suspended", except for Warwick

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  heard 4th-hand, but from a full-on believer, so not likely to be an "apostate lie":.

  apparently, at bethel's morning worship this morning, it was announced that all worldwide wts construction is "suspended" for an indefinite time, except for the new world headquarters at warwick.. also, the "relocation" of remote translating teams is also suspended.. finally, there will be a "worldwide" reduction in bethel personnel.. all this came to me in a non-english language, and,as noted, 4th-hand.

  so it is possible something may have been lost in translation and/or in the multiple steps between bethel morning worship & me.. but if true, it would be quite stunning.

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  Island Man

  Look for any secular breaking news stories that mention the collapse of some major financial institution, investment bank, or financier.
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  119

  Latest rumor - all WT construction "suspended", except for Warwick

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  heard 4th-hand, but from a full-on believer, so not likely to be an "apostate lie":.

  apparently, at bethel's morning worship this morning, it was announced that all worldwide wts construction is "suspended" for an indefinite time, except for the new world headquarters at warwick.. also, the "relocation" of remote translating teams is also suspended.. finally, there will be a "worldwide" reduction in bethel personnel.. all this came to me in a non-english language, and,as noted, 4th-hand.

  so it is possible something may have been lost in translation and/or in the multiple steps between bethel morning worship & me.. but if true, it would be quite stunning.

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  Island Man

  What if . . . it's just a clever strategy to get JWs worldwide to think that the organization is in some kind of dire financial emergency so that all JWs worldwide will suddenly rally and pour in huge donations?
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  11

  MEXICO AND CENTRAL AMERICA: WE NEED MORE MONEY!

  by avaddohn94 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this topic was already discussed in the following thread: .

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/451530001/we-need-more-money-letter-sent-mexico-re-jw-broadcasting-may-2015.

  if you don't want to go through the whole thing; basically it is about a letter that was sent by mexico's branch requiring the body of elders to modify the service meeting for this week (september 21) and the following (september 28) in order to watch (again) stephen lett's solicitation for money (may's broadcasting).. so, why a new thread?

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  Island Man

  No such thing in my region.
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  72

  The bridge burning has begun.

  by sparrowdown in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was feeling particularly hopeless about the whole jws being assholes thing and sick to death of pretending so ....

  i rang my sister and told her that i no longer believe jws have the truth and the phone went silent, when i asked her to say something she just said if that was the case then she would have to hang up on me and then proceeded to indeed hang up..

  so i texted her back immediately with fu..

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  Island Man

  "I rang my sister and told her that I no longer believe JWs have the truth and the phone went silent, when I asked her to say something she just said if that was the case then she would have to hang up on me and then proceeded to indeed hang up."

  I think her response highlights the ugly truth about the JW religion. When you really get down to it, it's really not about worshiping and serving Jehovah. It's about the pride of being special, the grandiose thought and religious prestige of being the only true religion.

  So when you say that you no longer believe that JWs have the truth, that's a hard blow to their narcissistic religious pride. It pains them more to hear you say that than if you had said that you no longer believe in God. That's why they hate defectors from their religion more than they hate atheists. Defectors assail their true god - pride of religion.

  The JW religion is a tribal one and that's why JWs support their tribe (the organization) at all cost. They will lie and they will deny facts in a bid to be loyal, die-hard supporters of the tribe. It's just like die-hard supporters of a sports team. Supporting the team is more important than the game itself. They will hate a team that beats them fairly and make all kinds of excuses and rationalizations for why their team lost. In extreme cases they even attack supporters of the winning team. Tell such a die-hard fan that you don't like the game of soccer. But don't tell him that his team sucks. It's the same with JWs.
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  78

  Need Help with Blood Transfusion Illustration

  by Dissonant15 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  please, who can provide an intelligent rebuttal to the following illustration?

  i always thought it was bullet-proof:.

  "if your doctor directs you to 'abstain from alcohol' would you be ok to have it injected into your veins rather than drink it?

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  Island Man

  Watchtower's "sustaining life by means of blood" redefinition of the issue is unbiblical and ridiculous.

  The bible does not say it is wrong to sustain your life by means of blood. It only says that blood is not to be eaten because blood is being used on the altar to atone for sin. (Leviticus 17:10-12). The idea that it is wrong to sustain your life by means of blood, was invented by Watchtower out of whole cloth.

  It is also ridiculous to say that the bible is against using blood to sustain your life when blood was supposedly created for the very purpose of sustaining life! Also, every JW is sustaining their life by means of native blood flowing in their veins. So if it is wrong to sustain your life by means of blood then every JW should have to slit their throat and bleed themselves out so as to comply.

  Watchtower is dishonestly and foolishly redefining the blood issue because if they go only by what is stated in the bible, the blood issue does not apply to transfusions.
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  43

  New here!

  by Mandy97 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys !

  hm.. i'm new in this website !

  my name is mandy and i just want to meet new people!

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  Island Man

  Hi Mandy97. Welcome to the forum. Your English is good. I studied French in high school but eventually dropped it in favor of Spanish. I found French more difficult to learn. The pronunciations are tricky and there are too much exceptions to the rules. Overall I found the language a bit inconsistent - a lot like how English is inconsistent.

  But I do love the way the language sounds when it's spoken. It sounds very sexy - especially the way the hard R's are savored in words like derriere. I just love the way this Zouk dance instructor speaks!

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3FVqswIy_3o