ExpandedMind
JoinedPosts by ExpandedMind
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13
E-Watchman Judge for yourself
by uriah inrecently i posted a thread "e-watchman - what's his game".
he hasd replied as posted below.. my opinion remains the same, that he answers a question you haven't asked.. what say any of you?.
this is not my question but one i read on jw.com and which i feel deserves an answer.
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13
E-Watchman Judge for yourself
by uriah inrecently i posted a thread "e-watchman - what's his game".
he hasd replied as posted below.. my opinion remains the same, that he answers a question you haven't asked.. what say any of you?.
this is not my question but one i read on jw.com and which i feel deserves an answer.
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Eternal Life through Jesus - When did it start?
by anti-absolutism inok this one might seem odd to some people... as christians, (i personally am not sure if i want to consider myself christian yet) is the belief that, since christ gave us the opportunity to have eternal life, or an immortal soul, that it was only after his death that we had the opportunity?
in other words did the people who died before his death not have the opprtunity and therefore are still just dead?.
your response is appreciated, as brief as possible, please.
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ExpandedMind
Hello!
After disassociating from the WTS I began associating with Evangelical Christians. I was still very much a student of the Bible and even through all of my studies I never heard or read anything that answered that question adequately.
For the most part it appears to be a matter of faith. My question was why would God wait until the first century of our common era to send the Messiah? Why not send the messiah shortly after Adam & Eve (if indeed they existed) "sinned"?
The Watchtower, of course, teaches that this allowed a time for people to show who's side of the issue of universal sovereignty they were on. Sounds good, but it is speculative and can only be "proven" by proof-texting the Bible.
If you read information written by persons who are Jewish (probably the more conservative or orthodox groups) who have responded to the claims of Jesus being the messiah, you'll find that the OT appears to indicate that forgiveness can be given by God without blood, or sacrifice.
These are just some quick thoughts. It will be interesting to hear other viewpoints and learn a bit more. It's a facinating subject.
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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E-Watchman - What's his Game?
by uriah inbelow i copy a question and part of the answer.i have highlighted in red what i consider to be the salient part of the question.
if you go and look at the full answer you will see that he does not answer the question at all but pads out his reply, casting red herrings into the water so that it appears to be an answer and by the time you have read to the end you have, more or less forgotten what the question was.
this reminds me of a mormon i used to correspond with.
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ExpandedMind
I also have noticed that many of his/her comments do not directly answer the question that was asked.
Even though he/she appears to be more open minded when it comes to discussing various issues, I have noticed a condescending attitude in his/her writing. They do appear to feel they have been specially selected by Jehovah to make these pronouncements, which is evident in many of the answers. And obviously this person thinks it is OK for him/her to have dealings with ex-JWs since many of the questions asked appear to be from that "source".
He/she admonishes others not to be causing divisions and seems to think it is best not to speak of things that one is doubting about, yet how is his/her writing not causing division? It would be interesting to have him/her openly state why they have the authority to expose the WTS, etc and yet others do not.
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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4
Tim LaHaye & 1914
by ExpandedMind ini am reading a book titled: end-time visions, the road to armageddon.
in it the author (richard abanes) mentions tim lahaye, who i believe is the author of the left behind series of books.
interestingly, the end-times book shows how lahaye also looked to 1914 as the beginning of the "last generation" and eventually changed this "date" to a later date.
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ExpandedMind
Hello!
I am reading a book titled: End-Time Visions, The Road to Armageddon. In it the author (Richard Abanes) mentions Tim LaHaye, who I believe is the author of the Left Behind series of books.
Interestingly, the End-Times book shows how LaHaye also looked to 1914 as the beginning of the "last generation" and eventually changed this "date" to a later date.
I am going to do some more research on this, to see if there is any connection with LaHaye and the Bible Students or Witnesses (although I believe he would be considered an Evangelical Christian), but I was wondering if anyone here knows anything about this?
Thanks...
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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38
God's Name?
by seeking_truth inanother question for everyone.
i have read through some of the threads, posts or whatever and even though there is a sense of disagreement over witnesses and the society, their way of handling the words of the bible.
i was curious to know if anyone does believe jehovah is his name?
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ExpandedMind
Good Morning!
Once I was at the Kingdom Hall (I was about 17) sitting next to a brother who was about 14, who told me that God's name was Harold. Huh?
You know, he said, as in "Harold be thy name"? Not sure where he heard that joke from, but it was a bit funny.
Personally, I am continually questioning things, even to the point of questioning the existence of God. I think once a person leaves a controlled group like the WTS, it is hard not to question everything.
But my personal experience was that Jehovah was the true God. Not that I thought that was the only pronounciation. There are other groups that claim to worship Yahweh or Jehovah that feel they know more accurately the pronounciation. From the things I have read, I don't know if the exact pronounciation is possible or even necessary. God, we believed, can read the heart.
As a JW I did believe that I had a personal relationship with Him through Christ. My relationship with Jehovah was as real as most of my other human relationships. I don't think this is the case with all JWs. Otherwise you would not have JWs leaving the organization and then AFTER their departure experiencing what they would describe as an "real" relationship with God or Jesus.
When I started doubting things about the WTS, I would question myself, thinking... "Who have I come to know, if it isn't "Jehovah" God?" Gradually I came to believe that Jehovah is greater than anything I previously believed about Him.
Honestly, I gradually used the Name, less and less, based on influence or whatever from other Christians I associated with at the time.
I think that anyone who has an experience with the "divine" or whatever one wishes to call it, will probably call God, by whatever "name" they knew when they had the experience. Not that that can't evolve.
Even now, when I think of dedicating my life to Jehovah, I feel "awe".
Yet I am still trying to make sense of it all.
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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Anyone know Stan & Gail Hedeen? AZ
by ExpandedMind inanyone know stan and gail hedeen?
last i recall they were living in arizona.
have a good evening!
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ExpandedMind
Hello!
Anyone know Stan and Gail Hedeen? Last I recall they were living in Arizona.
Have a good evening!
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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The Karen Carpenter Story
by ExpandedMind indoes anyone know where i can purchase a copy of the tv movie "the karen carpenter story"?
i taped it when it first aired, and then lent it to a friend, who accidentally lost it.
since then i have emailed several "carpenter" websites and never have received a response.
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ExpandedMind
Does anyone know where I can purchase a copy of the TV movie "The Karen Carpenter Story"?
I taped it when it first aired, and then lent it to a friend, who accidentally lost it. Since then I have emailed several "Carpenter" websites and never have received a response.
I'd appreciate any information anyone has! Thanks!
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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ExpandedMind
I was/am also a Carpenter fan!
I forgot that yesterday was the anniversary of Karen's death until I was driving to grab something to eat at lunchtime. Someone, on the radio station I listen to, requested that a Carpenters song be played in her honor.
I also remember exactly where I was when I heard the news. Just pulling out of the parking lot after work. How sad!
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes
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7
Not even once
by Gig ini've read my fair share of their pubs, and nowhere, ever have i seen a clearly stated repentance or a humble confession on the part of the wts.
i know that they have delicately admitted a mistake here and there, but it's always overshadowed by the self-praise logic that overall we should be thankful for the mistake.
the bible specifically speaks against that.
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ExpandedMind
I was just thinking about this very topic on my way home from work yesterday.
I still remember the Assembly when the GB/WTS "admitted" (to a degree) their share in the 1975 debacle. But even that "admission" did not clearly state 'we were wrong for initiating the spectulation about 1975 and for allowing the speculation to proceed. We ask the forgiveness of the brothers & sisters'.
I also remember the WT article that laid the blame for speculating about 1975 on the brothers and sisters. Even at the time, what was written, didn't "ring true".
How nice it would be for the GB/WTS to openly admit their mistakes and ask for forgiveness! I wonder if they have ever discussed the possibility of doing this among themselves. They are probably fearful that their authority over the brothers and sisters would crumble.
ExpandedMind
"The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size." --- Oliver Wendell Holmes