Posts by galaxie

4

SAVED FROM PLEDGING MONEY!

by The Searcher in

an elderly sister pointed to the printed out pledge forms on the literature counter and asked me what this was about, because she'd missed a couple of meetings.

i tactfully (and very quietly!

) explained that there was a new donation arrangement via pledging!

galaxie

Small steps can lead to great adventures.

Best wishes.

20

Everybody is doing it !

by new hope and happiness in

postmen, accountants, window cleaners, pop-songers- even you!

yes these days everybody - and anybody - seem to be leaving the jehovers witnesses.so why should you be left out?.

there was a time when you had to have performed some terrible service to the g.b?

galaxie

Yes ...n.h a h..leaving the JWs after a bit of emotional brain trauma , I felt a sense of ME.

I continue to have zero regrets and KNOW by contrast with my family kids and grankids as opposed to my jw family members the love and happiness we have surpasses anything they have.

My kids often comment how glad they are not to ever have been brought up JWs, when they are subject to jw discrimination and judgement .

Best wishes.

609

What is spirit, exactly?

by Viviane in

i've always wondered that.

recently i asked that question on another thread and didn't really get ananswer.

cofty made an excellent point that we often hear what it isn't, but that really isn't useful.. so, what is it?

galaxie

Hi ViV the complications of the root meanings which lead us to spirit are the hijacking of the literal meaning.

The words were in use before the woo woo brigade decided to supernatural it. Hence the very reason we discuss it on this forum.

That said I agree the supernatural composition of spirit. Is as a dog chasing its tail.

Best wishes

20

Where does the Governing Body say "old light" comes from?

by matt2414 in

the governing body claims they've received "new light" from jehovah every time they change their doctrine.

so where did the "old light" come from that's being replaced?

if the old light is incorrect, could it have come from god?

galaxie

Hi matt;...unfortunately , as my brother the elder says,..the JWs are not a perfect organisation, in other words, so what if we got it wrong.

There is no getting through to that kind of mentality. I hope for his sake and most of my family time will tell but until then we endure the hurtful and totally unnecessary consequences.

Best wishes .

609

What is spirit, exactly?

by Viviane in

i've always wondered that.

recently i asked that question on another thread and didn't really get ananswer.

cofty made an excellent point that we often hear what it isn't, but that really isn't useful.. so, what is it?

galaxie

Etymologically, the English word spirit has its roots in ancient language the people who spoke these words were not using them metaphorically , but as the meaning intended literally.

Spirit (from latin spiritus/spirare literally breath, of the wind, breathe or blow)was not used when spoken as metaphorical but as the understood definitions.

Similarly the words : pneuma(greek) as in pneumatic, pneumonia .Lil (sumarian)air, breath would be translated as spirit.

Ruakh( aramaic/ hebrew )lliterally breath, air that is breathed also wind, force of wind/air .

Nephesh/neshamah( hebrew) literally breath.

The supernatural meanings of spirit are not the etymological roots, these later interpretations (understandable in less enlightened times)were a hijacking of the literal meanings to suit supernatural belief systems. Eg..the writer (whoever )of genesis chooses to describe god giving adam air( ruakh) in his nostrils to give him life. God the giver is supernatural , adam the receiver is myth the air however (ruakh) is literal chosen (hijacked) later to be seen also as ' supernatural '.as alluded to by the opinion of the dutch site Positief-atheism,...that "the original words acquired mystical status by believers".

Also in Edward R Bevans book 'symbolism and belief' that the view stated by Siebeck and also Cremer in his lexicon of biblical greek, states that the word pneuma(spirit in English)did not get a spiritual(supernatural) connotation till it was adopted by jews to translate the Aramaic/hebrew ruakh.

The fact that ancients believed in supernatural superstition in whatever form as mentioned previously in the topic ie Pythia greek mythology, Etemuu ghost stories , Anaximenes ancient philosopher who saw the correlation of spirit and air , but chose to believe it had ' devine attributes, does not detract from the root meaning of spirit and corresponding words in other languages and etymology of those being that it was literally : air we breathe, wind , force of wind, breath, blow also ' of the wind '.

These words therefore not always metaphorical (although certainly can be used as such) but used and spoken by ancients in their literal meaning/context.

Therefore I would conclude that spirit is exactly a word which can be defined as supernatural form(total non...sense imo)

Spirit is also exactly a word which is descriptive of human traits, behavior, attitudes etc, but can also be applied to animals eg a 'spirited horse' meaning excited, agitated.

Spirit is exactly a word derived etymologicaly from root and very ancient origins to be no more than the air we breath literally.

Best wishes

15

Sorry posters JWs leaders will not "change" 1914 or 144,000 "literal to figurative "doctrine

by booker-t in

jw
friends

i actually called bethel a few weeks ago and i was shocked that i actually got thru to the writing dept.

i was abit nervous but i asked the jw writer if there was going to be a change in doctrine.

i thought he was going to immediately hang up on me thinking "apostate caller" but he was actually nice and we talked for a while.

galaxie

Booker. T...looks like you got the 'diplomaticotelephonio ' treatment, what else did you expect ...newlightiotelephonio !!.its never gonna happen.

They already have their noooo light channel and it aint by telephone.

Best wishes.

34

Atheists lose latest legal fight 'In God WE TRUST".

by jam in

jw
friends

ok folks i'm an agnostic.

but to remove the motto from our.

currency is a little too much.

galaxie

Hi lois;...it's on the Clydesdale bank 20 pounds sterling. Equivalent to approx 33 dollars US.

34

Atheists lose latest legal fight 'In God WE TRUST".

by jam in

jw
friends

ok folks i'm an agnostic.

but to remove the motto from our.

currency is a little too much.

galaxie

In Scotland I've got Robert the Bruce, victor over the English at Bannockburn, and Rabbie Burns composer of Auld lang syne on the banknotes.

27

What's more to blame- the WT or the bible?

by keyser soze in

jw
friends

aren't they both just differen't variations of the same lie?

the only difference is the scale on which their impact on humanity is measured.

that, and the fact that the bible can exist without the wt, but not vice versa.. but at the end of the day, what's the difference between claiming to be the inspired word of god, or the one true religion?

galaxie

Heaven;... I agree entirely,

My point being the blame is exspansive , not solely a WT question.

Best wishes.

23

Troll Accusations

by Frazzled UBM in

i have noticed that some of us are a bit too eager to label new posters as trolls.

while it is clear that there are some posters who just like to stir up trouble or are out and out apologists there are others who are witnesses starting to have genuine doubts and so ask questions but then when they see the responses the cognitive dissonance kicks in and they push back and argue with what they are being told.

this can lead to very negative reactions from jwn members and accusations that the person is a troll.

galaxie

Shows the vital importance of face to face social interaction, it can mean the world of difference even to see some ones facial expression voice inflections etc.

Some forum interactions would probably come to a better and probably friendlier conclusion if conducted face to face.

Best wishes.