The part about the pharisees defining what constitutes work and coming up with a myriad of man-made rules for the sabbath reminds me of Watchtower defining what constitutes feeding and what constitutes blood and coming up with a myriad of man-made rules stating which fractions you can have and which you can't.
Island Man
JoinedPosts by Island Man
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their beliefs and practice's don't tally- tonights book study
by purrpurr intonights book study in part is about jesus throwing out the merchants and money lenders in the temple... how do they manage to tally that up with asking for funds for all their various projects?
it seems hardly a meeting goes by without some kind of money plea?
don't they realise that they are doing the same thing that jesus got so angry about and threw out of the temple?
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their beliefs and practice's don't tally- tonights book study
by purrpurr intonights book study in part is about jesus throwing out the merchants and money lenders in the temple... how do they manage to tally that up with asking for funds for all their various projects?
it seems hardly a meeting goes by without some kind of money plea?
don't they realise that they are doing the same thing that jesus got so angry about and threw out of the temple?
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Island Man
I think this weeks study provides a wonderful oppurtunity for Awake ones to share TTATTy comments that subtly point to JWs disparaging default view of all non-JWs and the use of man-made rules in the organization (e.g. no beards or no privileges)
Lots of JWs are going to be having cognitive dissonance with this study. Let's take advantage of this.
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How to Bewilder a Witness!
by The Searcher inask a witness what seems like a simple bible question: "nine verses in the bible tell us that jesus is going to judge the living and the dead.
(john 5:28,29, acts 10:42, acts 17:31, romans 14:9, 2 cor.
5:10, 2 tim.
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Island Man
The best way to disprove the JWs false interpretation of Romans 6:7 is to get them to read and explain for you, 2 Corinthians 5:6-10:
We are therefore always of good courage and know that, while we have our home in the body, we are absent from the Lord, 7 for we are walking by faith, not by sight. 8 But we are of good courage and are well pleased rather to become absent from the body and to make our home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we are also making it our aim that, whether having our home with him or being absent from him, we may be acceptable to him. 10 For we must all be made manifest before the judgment seat of the Christ, that each one may get his award for the things done through the body, according to the things he has practiced, whether it is good or vile.
From the context above, it is very clear that 2 Corinthians 5:10 is suggesting that unfaithful resurrected anointed ones will be judged for "vile things" committed "through the body", i.e. before they died!
We also have Jesus' words at Matthew 11:20-24:
Then he started to reproach the cities in which most of his powerful works had taken place, because they did not repent: 21 “Woe to you, Cho·ra′zin! Woe to you, Beth·sa′i·da! because if the powerful works had taken place in Tyre and Si′don that took place in YOU, they would long ago have repented in sackcloth and ashes. 22 Consequently I say to YOU, It will be more endurable for Tyre and Si′don on Judgment Day than for YOU. 23 And you, Ca·per′na·um, will you perhaps be exalted to heaven? Down to Ha′des you will come; because if the powerful works that took place in you had taken place in Sod′om, it would have remained until this very day. 24 Consequently I say to YOU people, It will be more endurable for the land of Sod′om on Judgment Day than for you.”
Jesus reproached the people's lack of faith in him and indicated that they will be adversely judged for it on Judgment Day. Isn't Judgement Day that future time when the dead are raised up and judged? It surely is, for Jesus also mentions the people of Sodom having a better judgement and we all know that the people of Sodom were long dead in Jesus' day, so logically Jesus was here referring to the future judgment day when the dead will be raised up and judged. So Jesus was clearly suggesting that his first century audience who failed to put faith in him despite seeing his powerful works, will be judged for their lack of faith after they're resurrected at Judgement Day. They will be judged for showing lack of faith in Jesus, before they died!
So I think these two bible passages can be used to reason with JWs to show them that their interpretation of Romans 6:7 is a false interpretation. In fact, a careful reading of the surrounding context of Romans 6:7 and using other translations, makes it clear that the scripture is not referring to acquittal from blame for ones sins, but rather, the body's acquittal from being enslaved to commit sins. The text is simply saying that a dead person is free from the compulsion to sin due to his body being inactive in/paralyzed by death.
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INTERSTELLAR, is anyone else excited!!
by DATA-DOG infrom the moment i saw the preview, i became a little emotional.
maybe because the main character is thinking of the future of his child?
it does remind me of my struggles as a fading parent.
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Island Man
I am!
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Thanks in Advance
by ctrwtf inso sorry, why is it that if i brush the keyboard the wrong way it posts an unfinished rant?.
thanks in advance for reading my drivel.. .
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Island Man
" What irritates me most is that this phraseology assumes that the reader will do what is asked without thought or question, thus placing the writer of said phrase in a superior position."
Not so. the phraseology assumes that the reader will do even more than what is asked without thought or question. Ever noticed how Watchtower coaches instructions as suggestions with words like "may wish to"? Do you remember that recent letter outlining the change in the kingdom hall loan arrangement that went something like: "In congregations currently repaying a kingdom hall loan, the elder may decide to table a motion for the congregation to donate a sum of money that is at least equal to the sum they are currently paying on a monthly basis."?
Watchtower and its passive-aggressive method of psychological manipulation!
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I AGREE WITH THE JWs: THE 'SOUL' DOESN'T EXIST
by NAVYTOWN ini agree with the witnesses about almost nothing, but i do think they have the right idea when it concerns the 'soul'.
it is my belief that there is no such entity as a 'soul' that resides in a human being.
the idea originated in ancient, pre-scientific eras.
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Island Man
" One things for sure: we'll all find out if there's an afterlife when our turn comes."
If there's no afterlife we'll never find out because, being dead, we'll be unconscious of the fact that there is no afterlife. It would only be possible to find out that there is an afterlife (if there really is one) and it would be impossible to find out if there isn't one.
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Was It Designed? Rabies Purposeful Mode of Transmission.
by Island Man inwas it designed?.
rabies' purposeful mode of transmissionrabies is caused by a number of lyssaviruses that attack the cells of the nervous system disrupting their normal function.
symptoms include painful spasms in the muscles of the throat and larynx of patients, accompanied by a strong aversion to drinking liquids - hydrophobia.
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Island Man
I'm glad you guys liked it - even though the formatting didn't come out exactly as I coded it in html.
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Was It Designed? Rabies Purposeful Mode of Transmission.
by Island Man inwas it designed?.
rabies' purposeful mode of transmissionrabies is caused by a number of lyssaviruses that attack the cells of the nervous system disrupting their normal function.
symptoms include painful spasms in the muscles of the throat and larynx of patients, accompanied by a strong aversion to drinking liquids - hydrophobia.
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Island Man
WAS IT DESIGNED?Rabies' Purposeful Mode of Transmission
RABIES is caused by a number of lyssaviruses that attack the cells of the nervous system disrupting their normal function. Symptoms include painful spasms in the muscles of the throat and larynx of patients, accompanied by a strong aversion to drinking liquids - hydrophobia. Rabies has one of the highest fatality rates of any infectious disease, killing virtually every victim that becomes symptomatic within 2 to 10 days of first symptoms. What is the secret behind this efficient killer?
Consider: A person is typically infected with the virus after a bite from an infected animal. The virus first starts to replicate in muscle cells close to the wound, remaining virtually invisible to the victim's immune system. From there it spreads to the peripheral nerves and on to the central nervous system. The high fatality rate is due to the virus essentially outpacing the immune response since its spreads is mostly unnoticed by the immune system. In the final stages, the virus sets the stage for its spread to another victim by entering the patient's salivary glands resulting in production of large amounts of highly infectious saliva. How does this saliva get to the next victim?
The virus disrupts the functioning of the central nervous system resulting in delirium and aggressive - even violent - behavior. As a result, there is an increased risk that the patient - especially when it's an animal - will bite his next victim, thus injecting him with infectious saliva. But there's more. Because the illness causes the patient to have a fear of swallowing liquids, large amounts of saliva accumulate and foam out of the mouth ensuring that there is always a ready supply of infectious saliva on hand to infect the next victim. So the virus ingeniously hijacks the patient's nervous system and salivary glands, using them to increase its own chances of spreading to another victim.
What do you think? Did Rabies' purposeful mode of transmission come about by evolution? Or was it designed [by a loving God]?
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NEW LEVY FORCED ON WITNESSES?
by The Searcher inhave i missed a previous posting on this?
sorry if this is old news.. just heard from someone whose meeting is on a tuesday evening; basically, 3 per publisher is to be levied to "replace" the kh insurance payment.
the money will be used for damage, vandalism, & disasters, but also to protect any of the societies' entities.. .
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Island Man
The letter states that the money will also be used "to protect any of the Societies entities."
That's likely the money that goes toward paying out claims to pedophile vicitms.
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Consider the "outcome" when elders apply the two-witness "rule"
by AndersonsInfo injehovahs witnesses two-witness rule is applied by elders when a witness member accuses another member of a sin, even if that sin is a criminal act.
if there arent two witnesses to the accusation, it goes nowhere, including not being reported to the authorities.
and in the case of an allegation of child abuse, the accused is free to molest again.. watchtower attorney, jim mccabe, recently stated this about jehovahs witnesses two-witness rule which he described as a bible-based belief :.
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Island Man
“What we are doing is simply being consistent with the Bible laws and principles, and as much as you dislike the outcome,we have told everyone of our stand, and you can’t fault us for being consistent,” the organization said in its defense of the rule."
Contrast this reckless view of "we follow the Bible and don't give a damn what results" with what Watchtower has to say about creationists who arguably take a similar hard-line position in applying their "6-day rule" for the creation of heaven and earth:
"Those who teach . . . creationism - may have high regard for the Bible, but they contend that God created all things in six 24-hour days just a few thousand years ago. They reject credible scientific evidence that contradicts their view. As a result, the teaching of creationism actually discredits the Bible, making it appear unreasonable and inaccurate." The Watchtower, October 15, 2013 page 7, paragraph 3.
Really, Watchtower? And your ultraliteral application of the 2-Witness rule doesn't discredit the Bible, making it "appear unreasonable and inaccurate?" You don't reject the use of a second credible witness to pedophilia in the form of police investigation?
So when following the two-witness rule, JWs adopt an ultra-literal interpretation of scripture, resulting in the continued harm of innocent children and bringing reproach, not only on their own organization (when it is eventually found out) but also on the bible. And it does not occur to them that something could be wrong about how they're applying the scripture. Yet JWs hypocritically turn around and condemn Young Earth Creationists when they follow the "6-day rule" by adopting the ultra-literal interpretation of Genesis to mean that God created the heavens and the earth in 6 24-hour days.
The JW organization is one of the biggest hypocrites in Christendom!
