stillajwexelder

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Posts by stillajwexelder

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  16

  Sept 15th 2003 Watchtower Page 26-30

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just read this article about martin luther -- the wtbts state -- luther recognized that god's favor cannot be earned.

  rather , it is granted to those exercising faith romans 1:16; 3:23,24,28 .

  these days i do not go to meetings very often so i do not know what is new light and old -- and have read in r. franz coc similar material with ed dunlap and commentary on letter of james.. this implies salvation can not be earned (i.e.

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  stillajwexelder

  Just read this article about Martin Luther -- the WTBTS state -- Luther recognized that God's favor cannot be earned. Rather , it is granted to those exercising faith Romans 1:16; 3:23,24,28

  These days I do not go to meetings very often so I do not know what is new light and old -- and have read in R. Franz COC similar material with Ed Dunlap and Commentary on Letter of James.

  This implies salvation can not be earned (i.e. can not earn salvation by doing 100 hours on the Field Service) Does anyone know what current truth is. Is salvation granted by exercising faith or by works (filed service) orr is it the standard get out clause -- Exercising Faith is going on the ministry?
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  45

  Did the 1914 Generation Die Anyway?

  by JanH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  did the 1914 generation die anyway?

  ver since the beginning of the watchtower movement, they have had some sort of deadline for god's activities.these activities could be the rapture of the saints (which jws today do not believe in), the destruction of "false religion", ie every other religious group, or the final end of this world.

  earlier, these deadlines were explicit dates.

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  stillajwexelder

  Excellent post. Newyork44 writes -- I remember attending the WT study when the 1995 article was discussed and was taken back by the total lack of understanding of the significance of the change. There was no after meeting discussion bny the R&F and the tone and mood of the congregation during the study was no different than any other study. I am sure that even the society was amazed at how easy it was to insert a major doctorinal change. I was on a body of elders at the time --and when the CO came on his next visit he asked us all how the change had gone down just to let you all know -- so there was some concern from the society
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  20

  Are JW more depresed?

  by heianderen in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  as many of you know there are some studies that indicade thath jw have an above-average mental illness incidence.

  i know a jw doctor that , ironicaly, has confirmed this claim to me.. greets,.

  heianderen

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  stillajwexelder

  yes it is true I have seen studies and the statistics -- sorry do not have a URL Web address just yet -- will locate for you -- you see if you are Catholic you just confess your guilt to a priest -- but with the witnesses it is exactly what I have said in other threads. No matter what you do it is never enough -- if you are attending all meetings -- you should be preparing for all meetings -- if you do 10 hours a month in the ministry you should be auxilliary pioneering now and again . If you are auxilliary pioneering now and again then you should be regular auxiliary pioneering -- if you are regular auxiliary pioneering you should be regular pioneering --. It is always more more more -- nothing is ever enough there is never a "well done" and of course -- we are never putting enough in the contribution box -- this can and does lead to overwhelming anxiety and guilt and then depression -- and the new system is always "Just around the corner' . Add to this all the disappointments re 1975: The Geneartion Taeching in 1994, UN, Child Abuse --- hell no wonder the depression rate is so high amongst witnesses. I actaully think it is one of the most negative religions on the planet
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  5

  ONE SCHOLAR SAID:.............

  by wannaexit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from time to time wt quotes from supposed scholars.

  they never tell you the source of the quote or the name of the supposed scholar.

  i am wondering if they are quoting themselves.

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  stillajwexelder

  I checked one or two quotes --especially some of the scientific ones (Creator Book) -- they definitely quote out of context and very rarely give the whole quote so they leave part of the quote out which does alter the meaning -- they do not often give the name of the author either -- personally I call it intellectual dishonesty -- C. O Jonson points out some in Gentile Times Reconsidered
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  9

  How to Eders influence you?

  by UpAndAtom in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am not a jw (never have been)... and am curious by the "10 hrs" i see posted from time to time.. does an elder pull you aside and say, "i see you've only done 9 hours, so i will revoke your status of ____?

  " do they actually have an scripture reason for insisting on logging hours?

  they must have some kind of reason that makes sence, otherwise you could just turn around and say, "two hours is enough - it's the quality, not the quantity" or can't you talk like this to an elder?

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  stillajwexelder

  Cicatrix writes

  The printed protocol is that there is no "official" hourly requirement, that ten hours is just what the average Witness manages, ---- However,in reality, Witnesses are judged by the number of hours -- is often used when elders decide whether or not a person is fit for baptism or other priviledges. ---attending a "quick built Kingdom Hall event" require ---- going out in service at least ten hours a month -- Unfortunately, this unofficial protocol creates a class system and allows some elders to use their position of power to prevent persons with whom they have differences from being considered members of "good spiritual standing". A person may be held back from being baptised simply because they are not putting in ten hours of field service a month.

  Unfortunately this is all TRUE
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  31

  What are your 5 favorite songs?

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mine

  imagine by john lennon he went to paris by jimmy buffett raindrops keep falling on my head by b j thomas the voice by the moody blues express yourself by madonna

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  stillajwexelder

  A Working Class Hero -- John Lennon , Losing My Religion REM, Stairway to Heaven Led Zepplin, Money Pink Floyd and Eleanor Rigby by the Beatles
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  5

  Effective Communication

  by iiz2cool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was discussing this a little with someone earlier, and i wanted to get some opinions.. as jw's, we were not supposed to associate with 'worldly' people, other than what was absolutely necessary.

  we conversed with them while out in the preaching work, but most of that discussion was of a pre-packaged sort.

  our topics for conversation were found in the kindom ministry as were suggested presentations.

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  stillajwexelder

  Me personally -- no, no, no, no and no. When I was active in the truth I always maintained worldy friends, family and colleagues. I thought the field ministry helped me personally to be even more outgoing -- I never particularly enjoyed it and still do not -- but it forces me to get out and speak to people -- this has helped me in my career in being able to speak to customers. If I can sell the Watchtower I can sell anything. The theocratic ministry school helped me progress as a public speaker -- and all the talks about doing personal study helped me study -- other books etc. Being a witness helped me -- this board is just helping me even more- -being critical, analytical, open-minded -- I would sincerely recommend to any witness without fear of being struck down dead by Jehovah that they read Crisis of Conscience and The Gentile Times Reconsidered -- and there are other good books also -- The Epic og Gilgamesh being one. Will not say more - do not want to repeat myself from other posts
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  20

  Japan Lost 500 Congregations!!!!

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do the math:.

  1998 - 3,802 congregations (1999 yrbook figure) .

  (drum roll, please).

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  stillajwexelder

  It is publishers but in a high land and other cost country such as Japan a decline in publishers (esp a consistent decline) then a decline in congregations would follow. The same would be true in Britain and probably Holland
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  17

  Guilt and Infidelilty

  by lisavegas420 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  recently a poster shared with us that her father had committed infidelity.

  then 3-5 years later, decides he can no longer live with the guilt and confesses to his wife.

  he alone with his actions turned the entire family upside down.

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  stillajwexelder

  I would want to know - I just hope I could forgive despite the pain
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  6

  Critical thinking - Alternative Explanations

  by Noumenon in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  ignored explanations of the phenomenon in question.

  in many situations it is tempting to believe that because an explanation is consistent with the known facts it must therefore be the correct explanation.

  this is especially tempting when the particular explanation is the on which we would most like to be true (egs, jesus returned in 1914. the gentile times start in 607ce.

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  stillajwexelder

  well of course there were not more earthquakes in the last century anyway -- the WTBTS admitted that in March 22nd 2002 Awake -- interestingly -- the average JW still will not say that either on the doors or in talks from the platform (talk 3 and 4 ) in the Theocratic School if using reasoning fromn the scriptures-- and as yet no elder has corrected them - sorry if it is drifting slightly away from the original post but I thought it was connected