Posts by Noumenon

9

unbuttoning the watchman

by czarofmischief in

in my current campaign against "e-watchman" i am going to copy tactics i learned from my favorite watchtower studies - posted weekly by blondie.

my urge to do this is caused by what i view as a real danger to those who are escaping the intense mind control of the borg.

e-watchman uses guilt and condemnatory statements in a big way, which could strike those who are feeling guilty about leaving the watchtower anyway.

Noumenon

Are you going to e-mail him directly with your thoughts?

16

RAY FRANZ - e-watchman's strong rebuke

by Noumenon in

jw
friends

the author of www.e-watchman.com has been getting stuck into ray franz lately, accusing him of having weak faith, etc.

his rebuke of ray franz is quite stinging in the latest q & a posted on his site... is ray franz aware of this and would he be willing to offer a response to e-watchman?

i'd love to see ray's reply.

The author of www.e-watchman.com has been getting stuck into Ray Franz lately, accusing him of having weak faith, etc. His rebuke of Ray Franz is quite stinging in the latest Q & A posted on his site..

Is Ray Franz aware of this and would he be willing to offer a response to e-watchman? I'd love to see Ray's reply.

8

What is it with Bangladesh?

by Noumenon in

jw
friends

.

i boggle when i read the jw's worldwide service report and see that bangladesh, with a population of over 100,000,000 only has about 100 witnesses.. doesn't jehovah or the organisation care about bangladeshis?.

so much for 'and this good news will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come'.

Noumenon

I boggle when I read the JW's worldwide service report and see that Bangladesh, with a population of over 100,000,000 only has about 100 witnesses.

Doesn't Jehovah or the Organisation care about Bangladeshis?

So much for 'and this good news WILL be preached in ALL the inhabited earth for a witness to ALL the nations, and then the end will come'.

22

What does 666 in the book of Revelation really mean?

by JH in

revelation 13:18 here is wisdom.

let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is six hundred threescore and six.

so, does anybody have understanding here?

Noumenon

The image in Daniel 3 was 66 cubits high and 6 cubits wide, so it has something to do with worshipping and idolizing a political image. Incidentally, it was after receiving the vision of the huge image (Daniel 2) that Nebuchadnezzar received built his sacriligious image for everyone to worship, which also helps us understand what 666 means in Revelation, ie, basically it symbolises satanic controlled human political systems in their entirety that is worshipped (just as all the Babylonians worshipped Nebuchadnezzar's image) and revered by mankind, as opposed to God's designated King. Check the context of Revelation 13 also, which is talking about a political wild beast and how everyone is compelled at some future time to worships it's image and get marked by it.

e-watchman.com also discussed this and gives and excellent interpretation, but I don't know where amongst on his site it is or I would insert the link for you.

208

THEY'VE DONE IT!!!! The WBTS set a new date!

by dmouse in

the latest watchtower, dec 15th 2003, is an out and out attack on the rank and file for dropping into a drowsy state spiritually.

ok, so armageddon didn't come before the generation of 1914 grew old and died.

but does that mean that the big a isn't near?

Noumenon

I have to totally agree with Dmouse. It is also weird to me how some cannot see it. It seems some are at cross-purposes here. The ones who say they cannot see it are considering the article through the tinted glasses of wondering how on earth the Society could possibly be pointing to such a distant date because that would be 'counter-productive' as far as increasing a sense of urgency. They seem to be missing the point however...

The psychology of this is very interesting. .

The point I get is that the Society is hedging both ways with this. Reading the article, they are re-emphasing that the end is imminent and the work is urgent, as they have for over 120 years, because the end may come at any time, YET, with this article I believe they are indeed planting the seeds for a maximum time span this system may go for.

Seems to me the Society realise that any 'weak' and disaffected ones will see this new possible date and probably just get weaker and leave, like they were going to do anyway; this will be just the excuse they're after and they will be 'sifted' out. The Society are not afraid to take a temporary loss, as they did in 1975 and 1994. BUT they know the loyal and unthinking R & F will give more heed to the usual proclamation that the 'end is very close'. Jesus words that 'you do not know the day or the hour' is like a sacred mantra to JW's, so the 2034 implication will be dismissed as 'no one knows the day or the hour'.

Wishful thinking about the end of the world being close is enormously powerful and is the main psychological exponent for the gullible R & F to be kept in line.

Just think: if you had busted your buns for years, or all your life, doing all the 'works' the borg are expected to do and then an article appears in 2003 that 'implies' that this system could go on for another 30 years, yet in the same breath the article is saying that 'the end is close' and it is more urgent than ever before, what are you going to take to heart? The latter obviously.

If you are running a marathon, and someone says once-off in a vague kind of ambigous way that the finish 'may' be quite far off, you may be a little perturbed, YET if you have always heard right from the start of the race that the finish is 'just around the corner' and the person who implied the end may be rather far off in the same breath restates that it is imperative to keep running because it is still close, what are you likely to believe? You're gonna keep running aren't you?

The GB know this psychology only tell well. Only a small minority will see the 2033 date and be discouraged enough to leave, and they are probably already 'unfruitful' and near to leaving anyway as it is. Let them go..sift them out. The great majority will not give the 2033 connection much weight and new twist on the parallel to Noah's days much credenc; rather they will just hungrily gobble up the usual rhetoric that 'the end is close' and the work is 'more urgent than ever' and plug on as usual.

At the same time the Society have hedged their bets with this. It's there in black and white now..the ass-covering is done. If the system does drag on for many years to come, they can always point back and say 'look, didn't we tell you that the system may go for 120 years from 1914, so quit complaining, and do more cuz now it's REALLY close"

So crafty..

24

Who Really Rules the World?

by Kenneson in

one of the current topics discussed by the watchtower society concludes that it is satan who really rules the world.

http://watchtower.org/library/t22/who_rules.htm of course, a number of scriptures are offered as proof.

however, a number of other scriptures are completely overlooked.

Noumenon

Yea, but if God is ruling the world right now, or Jesus, how come all the wickedness and suffering? It's obvious the devil is controlling things right now. You seem to be forgetting or deliberately ignoring the crucial point that God has merely allowed Satan temporary dominion. It's all relative my dear.

Anyway, I thought George Bush and Donald Rumsfeld are currently ruling the planet

48

If you could use a voodoo doll to hurt anyone you chose, would you?

by Happythoughts in

be honest

Noumenon

That's not a very happy thought happythought.

If you are that desperate to hurt someone you really are a sicko girl.

21

Does the Soul continue to Exist after the Death of the Body?

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

.

do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.rather be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in hell....the words of jesus at matthew 10:28. so,according to jesus,the soul does exist after the death of the body.but in order not to be destroyed you must fear the one who can destroy your soul.. what a way to live!.

blueblades