Did you know that speaking to your bible student in the car while driving home after the meeting counts as a return visit? Of course, going to pick him up to take him to the meeting also counts as a separate return visit. Now imagine if you drive 2 bible students to and from the meeting. Yes, that's 4 return visits! A C.O. revealed as much during a talk when he was encouraging the reporting of return visits. I'm sure thinking JWs in the audience found this glaringly loose, envelope-pushing, figure-fixing, any-excuse-for-a-return-visit mentality coming from an organization higher-up hard to swallow.
Island Man
JoinedPosts by Island Man
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17
The Ultimate Jehovah's Witness Question??? dun dun DUN
by runForever inthere is a gray space, unconnected rifts in the truth.
it is a question that once you ask it you will never be the same - like being on the.
event horizon of a black hole.
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he refused a transfusion... and died
by sister x ingrowing up my mom told me that my father passed away from a heart attack in 1989 and i always believed her.
a few yrs ago i went snooping in her closet and found my fathers medical records.
i took them without her knowing and read them when i got home.. i have worked in hospitals all my life and i am an rn, im use to reviewing records.
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Island Man
So sorry to hear about your dad sister x.
Your mom could be in a state of denial. Have you heard of the reasoning that some people refuse to accept the reality that their religion is false because they've invested too much into it? Well look at it this way: your mom has invested your dad's life into the religion. For her to now accept the reality that the religion is not true would mean her having to confront the implication that your dad died in vain. She cannot bring herself to confront this possibility so she must continue as if the religion is true. It would be very hard for her to accept TTATT because of the deep emotional turmoil it would bring in her case. You would have to work very hard to help her lay blame where it really lies - on those who decieved her and not on herself.
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Survey: Who Here Believe In God/The Bible? Who Are Not Sure? Who Do Not Believe?
by minimus ini think there are many that still want to believe in a god but just aren't sure.. personally, do you believe in a god?.
are you a "spiritual" person?.
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Island Man
I'm now an atheist.
Having done a lot of research into both sides I have come to the conclusion that theism is fundamentally rooted in wishful thinking. One has to want to believe in God to accept the arguments theists put forth for God's existence. When one dispassionately examines the arguments for both sides, atheism is the more reasonable and logical position.
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The Right Religion Demonstrates True Faith In Jesus Christ
by pronomono inthe week of december 9th, i have the talk "the right religion demonstrates true faith in jesus christ" base on the reasoning book rs p329.
the following is the suggested material.. istruefaithinjesuschristbeingdemonstrated?
this involves appreciation of the value of the sacrifice of jesus human life and of his position today as heavenly king.
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Island Man
You can also mention the matter of true faith in Jesus being reflected in our speech. You can quote Jesus' words about out of the heart's abundance the mouth speaks. Then you can ask rhetorical questions like:
"Ask yourself: Does my everyday speech reveal that I'm someone who truly exercises faith in Jesus? The writers of the NT regularly referred to Jesus with such titles as "Savior" and "Lord". Can I recall the last conversation when I referred to Jesus as being my Lord or my Savior? We regularly speak of Jehovah's organization and what Jehovah is accomplishing and teaching us by means of his organization. But we must remember that Jesus is the head of the congregation and the Father's belongings are also Jesus' belongings. When last have I used the term "Jesus' organization" or spoken of the things that Jesus is doing and teaching by means of the organization? Does our speech reveal that Jesus is not on our hearts at all? Let us give no one cause for thinking that we do not believe in Jesus"
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new watchtower on jw.org Americans don't know their own history
by hoser ini started reading the feb 2014 public watchtower about a war that changed the world.
i had to do a double take in the very first paragraph.. .
"a century ago, millions of young men left the security of their homes and went off to war.
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Island Man
Maybe this American volunteer independently went off to fight even before the American govt. got involved. It's not entirely unheard of for individuals living in a country not at war to join in the fighting efforts of other nations. It's also not unheard of for the Watchtower to revise history.
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How the Watchtower Society Views Women
by daringhart13 inhey gang,.....i continue to write as thoughts come to me.
i would love to hear how the ladies here feel about my observations on how the wtbs views/treats women.. new article here: http://darrinhart.hubpages.com/hub/gods-view-of-women-according-to-the-watchtower-bible-tract-society.
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Island Man
I noticed an error that you would want to correct. Near the end of the article - the 3rd sentence of the 1st paragraph under the heading "Consider God's View of Women" - you wrote:
Psalms Chapter 31 is in fact a chapter devoted to the amazing character of a good woman.
Somehow I think you meant to say Proverbs chapter 31 and not Psalms chapter 31.
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A Jesus question...
by zound inthis is directed to believers in jesus.. if jesus existed, and did the miracles he did - quite openly and in public - and spoke the words he spoke, words that echo through the centuries and supposedly have the power to change peoples lives today just by reading them.... ...why is it that so many people in the time of his presence on earth, who saw the miracles, heard the sermons - heard the very voice of the son of god - why were so many less than impressed?
why did many experience all that and then conclude "messiah?
nah i don't think so.".
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Island Man
Anyone doing a bit of objective research into ancient religion and myth would soon discover that the Jesus story as reported in the synoptic gospels actually follows the same pattern, having the same elements as other mythological legends that even predate Jesus.
You should find this video discussion by an expert in the field very eye-opening (you need to "fast-forward" to the 28:00 mark, where the lecture actually begins):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=ILldt2XHZw0
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97
First post
by thedog1 inthis is a very strange thing for me to do.
i have been an active witness for over 25 years.
i currently serve as an elder and i conduct the watchtower study.
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Island Man
Welcome thegod1!
You may find the following series of blog postings on your particular doctrinal issue - "this generation" - very interesting:
http://meletivivlon.com/category/bible-prophecy/this-generation/
But there are other doctrinal issues discussed on the meletivivlon.com (aka Beroean Pickets) site which you would find very interesting. You will begin to see scripturally proven errors in some of the JW teachings that your eyes were hitherto blinded from seeing. The moderator of the site is actually a Witness who is awake to the errors in some of the teachings but does not advocate leaving. I think it might be the right site for where you are currently.
Island Man
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WTS overboard w/suggested presentation
by doinmypart inthe nov 2013 km contains an article that is ridiculous in its level of minutae.. they focus on the word "because".
they tell jws to use the word "because" when explaining why they're at the homeowner's door.
writing department, you wrote an article on the use of the word "because"?
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Island Man
I think the great emphasis that the JW organization places on training JWs to be effective in the ministry as exemplified by this meeting part; and the minutiae of details regarding field service presentations etc, provides strong proof that JWs are not empowered to preach by holy spirit as mentioned by Jesus at Acts 1:8. In reality, they are empowered to preach based on human organizational efforts.
Also, they are motivated by institutionalized peer pressure. The desire to be seen as being in good standing; the desire to not be put down as irregular; the desire to not have the elders come asking them about their poor field service performance; the desire not to be judged as spiritually weak by other JWs and the organization - these are the real forces (or should I say fears) motivating JWs to go out and preach, not holy spirit, not love for neighbor (at least not in most cases).
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WTS overboard w/suggested presentation
by doinmypart inthe nov 2013 km contains an article that is ridiculous in its level of minutae.. they focus on the word "because".
they tell jws to use the word "because" when explaining why they're at the homeowner's door.
writing department, you wrote an article on the use of the word "because"?
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Island Man
Keep in mind it's only a ten minute part, just a fraction of the total amount of items to be discussed at the meeting.
Stand For Pure Worship, the Service Meeting is 30 minutes in length and this is a 10 minute part. That's one third of the entire Service Meeting dedicated to "I Am Here Because"! That's a very sizeable fraction if you ask me. We all know that 10 minutes is relatively long in JW meeting time. "Only a ten minute part"? "Just a fraction of the total amount of items?" Give us a break!