Posts by Island Man

7

The Other Sheep and the Little Flock -- Simplified Suggestion

by FusionTheism in

if you look at the context of the scriptures, you'll see that the "little flock" jesus was going to give the kingdom to (luke 12:32) are the leaders in the congregations, the ones who faithfully serve his sheep, beginning with the apostles and original jewish believers.. in addition, the "other sheep" who would be brought into the congregation later, given the context in the gospel of john, would be the gentile (non-jewish) christians.

(see john 12:20-32).

nothing in these scriptures says anything about an earthly hope for the other sheep and a heavenly hope for the little flock.. that is going beyond what is written..

Island Man

I agree with you on the identity of the "other sheep" being gentile christians.

However, I think that when Jesus used the expression "little flock" he was referring specifically to his then present 12 (or 11) apostles. 12 people out of a nation of millions truly is a little flock. Although large crowds followed Jesus and he at one time had upwards of 70 disciples, it was the very little flock of 12 that faithfully stuck with him up until his arrest. The apostles are given the most prominent inheritance in the kingdom. (Matthew 19:28; Revelation 21:14) After Jesus, the highest authority in the kingdom will be the apostles. In this sense they are given the kingdom.

I don't think "little flock" refers to all the leaders in the congregations down to our time because the context shows that Jesus was clearly speaking to those present with him at the time. He was calling them the "little flock". Thus little flock simply refers to his close disciples/apostles highlighting the fact that they were a small group. In contrast, Jesus clearly indicated that the "other sheep" was a future group which wasn't present when he spoke about them. He used the future tense and indicated they were not then present ("not of this fold")

Often, the simplest explanation that fits the context is the correct one and there is no need to be reading too much into what Jesus says unless the context indicates that he was speaking in parables.

55

JWs and their views on Sex

by campaign of hate in

in the past i have read on this forum that the wt have a say in the "bedroom" of couples.

i thought that was a bit overkill at first, but recently i have come to conclusion that this is true.. the control administered by the wt cooperation on ones sex life is not on only intrusive, its damaging.

they control every aspect of ones thought and action, thus leading most down a path that said corporation wants them to tread.. this path is to get married young, and then eternal loyalty the the organisation.. so how can an organisation force you to get married young?.

Island Man

steve2: As a Witness, I began dating a very marriageable man . . .
My sensitively-inclined boyfriend . . . I was stunned, as was my husband. . .

steve2, you're a woman?! And all this time I was thinking you're a man! lol

64

What triggered your doubts / awakening?

by Tornintwo in

i am sort of new here, used a different username for a while but things got 'difficult' at home so i've since been lurking.... what i would be really interested to know, if you don't mind sharing, is what it was that triggered your doubts and initial research which led to awakening, was it a bad experience, injustice, changed doctrine?

for me, it was seeing mistreatment of young ones in the congregation, they're under so much pressure and as soon as they go even slightly astray they are shunned, either informally (as bad associations which pushes them further into the 'world') or formally - with elders dying to throw the book at them so they even lose their family.... ...then reading about child abuse issues in the press.... ...which led me to silentlambs.

...then jw facts, this forum and coc, wham!

Island Man

The deceitful use of misquotes and fallacious logic in the Evolution book.

21

RC 2015 Book "Jesus—The Way, the Truth, the Life"

by wifibandit in

http://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/jesus/.

.

non jw download - all formats & audio.

Island Man

It looks like just a copy and paste of the Greatest Man book with some adjustments.

It seems like "Faithful and Discreet Slave" is no longer in the business of cooking fresh food. More often than not they just pull some leftovers out of the refridgerator and warm it up in the microwave and add some fresh garnishing to make it look new.

Seems like Watchtower no longer has a writing dept. but an editing (copying and pasting and adjusting) dept.

35

A Burger and a Hook-up

by John Aquila in

so i went to get a burger just now, and a couple of elders from my former congregation caught me off guard.

they started giving me the we feel so sorry for you, you must be so lonely bit.

i kept telling them im doing great and im not lonely but its like they couldnt hear me talking.

Island Man

Sure, I could marry a hot 20 year old, but then I'd have to deprogram her then she'd be all like "I only married you because you were decent looking and weren't gross". And she'd be like "Thanks for helping me out, btw I'm gay lets get divorced". So yeah that's not happening

ROFLOL

37

The flat earth conspiracy!

by Truthexplorer in

ok. let me first start by saying i am not a flat earther.

i like most on here will have the same view most will have here about our planet.

in saying that however, i am incredibly gob smacked by the book written by eric dubay called 'the flat earth conspiracy'.

Island Man

Well the earth is flat at the "metroscopic" scale - by that I mean the sensory perception of the unaided human standing on the surface of the earth. It is only round at the macroscopic scale.

5

guy says he's not guilty of murder because victim refused blood transfusion that could've saved him

by Question_Mans_interpretation in

i wonder if the guy will get off the hook for murder since the jw died during surgery that he refused blood for.

http://www.fresnobee.com/2015/05/15/4526968/did-fresno-shooting-victims-religious.html.

Island Man

I agree with OnTheWayOut. The only difference that should exist between a charge of attempted murder and murder is the name. Both crimes should have equal sentencing. The only time there should be a difference is when the perpetrator has a last minute change of heart while committing the crime and he takes actions to save his victim's life.

36

"Be Kind to the Fornicators in the Congregation!" -- New August Watchtower

by FusionTheism in

have you noticed the article entitled "watch your associations in these last days" in the new august 2015 study watchtower?.

unless i'm reading it wrong, or somehow misinterpreting it, it is saying that we should be kind to intentional breakers of god's laws inside and outside the congregation, including fornicators, but that we must not be close associates with them.. are they already preparing for a shift in their disfellowshipping practices?.

here are the relevant paragraphs:.

Island Man

I think you're reading way too much into the article.

55

Should I Make My Wife Watch the May Broadcast?

by TTATTelder in

jw
friends

for some background, i am still in.

still an elder.

very much awake.

Island Man

What you could possibly do is review with her some old Watchtower literature criticizing churches of christendom for soliciting money from their flock. Then you can look up the meaning of the word solicit in the dictionary to make sure she understands what it means. Then you watch the May broadcast. lol.

2

Is the Watchtower claim that memorized prayers displease God, consistent with the bible and even JW culture?

by Island Man in

if memorized prayers displeases god then how is it that the psalms are filled with prayers that are written in acrostics to make them easy to memorize for recitation?

why would god inspire men to write prayers down in a format that makes them easy to remember for easy recitation again and again on different occasions, if he dislikes memorized prayers?

also, what about the jw practice of singing praises to jehovah by repeating the same songs in written form and/or from memory over and over again at kingdom hall meetings and conventions?

Island Man

The Searcher, some of the Psalms are actually prayers as clearly indicated by their superscriptions. Yet some of them are written in acrostic format for easy memorization. So the bible condones the act of repeating memorized prayers.

Regarding Matthew 6:7, the greek text actually literally refers to "multiplying words". This expression in my view, refers to the act of making very long wordy prayers - not repeating a prayer by rote. Interestingly, in the gospel of Mark, Jesus chides the pharisees for making long prayers as a pretext of righteousness.

If Jesus was referring to saying the same prayer over and over then his view would contradict the fact that the bible condones memorizing prayers in the Psalms for easy recitation and singing the same Psalms of praise over and over from memory.

Or are we to believe that God values recited songs of praise but is against recited prayers? Where's the logic and consistency in that view?