Hi, Gill,
I might laugh if I didn’t realize how many JWs are being misled.
'cooperating with reasonable guidlines laid down by those given authority in the congregation is also part of fulfilling the law laid down by Christ.'
Yes, that is an important statement because it shows how the WTS replaces the Bible with their publications and their directives through the elders. That is how the policy on beards on men becomes so powerful, not that anything is in the Bible but that the WTS policies are more important than the Bible.
Hey min,
Being "normal" is not a sin----to my lurking JW friends. It is a sin to accept bullshit as if it came (in)directly from God.
It is not so much that JWs reading this think about how they can unnormalize "their" lives but they start looking around the congregation to see who they can "help" or is that "badger" about how they should change their lives. Like the elder encouraging a young man to pioneer, an elder who has never pioneered in his life and as a lucrative business.
Yes, Soledad,
Yet, from God's viewpoint, can any way of life in this system of things be "normal"? This world is under the influence of Satan and his demons, dominated by harsh political systems, greedy commercial interests and selfish false religions. It is filled with fear, hatred, violence, immorality, corruption, economic difficulties, sickness and death. This sounds like the ranting of some crazed lunatic!
A typical WTS tactic, demonize the person or institution. Never mentioning that the WTS is supposed to be neutral to politics, and that fear, hatred, violence, immorality, corruption, economic difficulties, sickness and death are characteristics of the WTS organization.
Welcome, Auld
If we let "leaving the Organization = leaving Jehovah" then we can freely cancel like terms.
The simplified equation would be, "leaving the Organization = leaving Jehovah" or "the Organization = Jehovah." To my mind, that should be enough to scare anyone away who considers God superior to man-made organizations.
That formula is in every article
Also
God
Jesus
Organization
Rank and file
Notice how the rank and file cannot get to Jesus without the organization
Yes, carla,
No rain?! How then did they grow things? vegetables? Do they really still believe this?
*** it-1 pp. 623-624 Dew ***
The Bible explains that early in earth’s history, before it rained on earth, "a mist [vapor] would go up from the earth and it watered the entire surface of the ground." (Ge 2:6 and ftn)
Does that mean that there was no rain during the whole Biblical period of creation? If someone wants to research that and post it somewhere else, that be interesting.
Jgnat, you and hubbie deserve a break.
. this sounds like a GREAT WEEKEND to go to the Waterpark instead of the meeting.
(As to the medication, I am on nausea meds all the time that’s how I can do these reviews)
Gumby, is that cognitive dissonance?
It's no wonder many dubs are on anti-depression meds from the conflicting teachings they are required to believe.
Good point, BB,
From personal experience, there is no "worldwide" brotherhood. It's more like "territory" brotherhood. If you are not in their territory, there is no love or support!
Some congregations even narrow it down by book studies. I have had elders tell me they can’t help someone because they are in another book study.
Sorry, shelley
Thanks for the "vomit alert"--but I think it needed to be alot sooner
I’d have to put one in front of the title, lol, But I know what you mean. I take my nausea meds just before sitting down to "review." When my meds don’t work, I know I have to put an alert at that spot.
But there’s hope for everyone to see through the crap. You did, I did, just about everyone here on JWD has. When it gets high enough to start tasting it….leave.
Hey Mr. Flash,
Just remember these thoughts are brought to you by the same people that say a JW should stay with her abusive husband and take a beating, for God of course.
It couldn't possibly be that people are unhappy because of the bad treatment they personally or others they know received
True, willyloman
'I might as well take steps that will permit me (or my children) to have a respectable career that pays very well and will enable me to enjoy a comfortable life. Of course, I will attend Christian meetings and have some share in the preaching work, but there's no reason for me to exert myself or make great sacrifices.'
I was told by a CO that the elders are the most difficult to deal with. The elders won’t change and the rank and file imitate. It is hard for a CO (though they will do it) to counsel the rank and file to lead a normal life and then the publisher points to several elders who aren’t doing it. Monkey see, Monkey do.
Very good, pistoff,
Good points, clearly laid out.
It is all part of the psychotic duality of the witness brain.
The elders are loving, caring shepherds//JR Brown calls them untrained volunteers. When we bring problems to them, they tell us to read the bible more and be more active. We are told they are a hiding place from the wind; in reality the only confidence most can keep is the identiy of sex abusers.
We are told from an early age that this is SATAN's system, and we also read the scriture where Paul says that the government is God's minister. Which is it???
We are reminded of the great urgency of the times, and articles like this harangue about "normal" lives; still the WT builds, builds, builds.
We are told to regard our jobs as secondary to our ministry, to put kingdom interests first. I remember an article stating that with months left in the system, why go to college? AND we are reminded to have enough extra to support our parents in their old age.
Gumby
This is so true,
I was thinking the same thing, but more so since the generation change in 95. The dubs of today are buisness minded, building new homes, watching "trading spaces" and are making up for time they lost when pursuing a career, investing, planning, etc. was considered materialistic and was frowned upon. Window washers amoung dubs is a fading buisness.
And I don’t think bashing JWs with articles like this is working. They are getting more passive-aggressive.
Heathen,
They use these quite frequently. There are others that I have pointed out in reviews of days gone by.
I was lmao at the WTS trinity comment
Cygnus,
Notice how they seem to avoid identifying the host and why he is qualified to make this statement.
Our host reminds us that before the global flood of Noah’s day the earth’s entire climate was that of a humid hothouse. This condition existed for thousands of years after the creation of plant life on the third "day" of creation (again, 35,030 years or so ago until the Flood, or was adjusted so animal life could live safely). It was very suitable for growth of huge forests and heavy vegetation and also the preliminary decomposition of the trees and plants when they died off.
Yes, Ozziepost, this one was a minefield,
Hey, did you like their use of the "theocratic" "But"?
Our cherished friendship with God makes us happy to be called Jehovah's Witnesses. True, Christ's disciples of the first century had not adopted the name "Jehovah's Witnesses." But
The exception proves the rule, eh?
How quickly they go from acknowledging the true statement to immediately contradicting it! They're amazing! past masters at it though.
The thing is they themselves say that it was through "divine providence" through God’s hand/choice/direction that they we called Christians. Why didn't God get off to a good start with "Jehovah’s Witnesses"?
Excellent points, BluesBrother
Par 16 - 17 "We might be disappointed that Jehovah's promises are not being fulfilled as quickly as we personally would like (Implies that you are a selfish B... for wanting 'my paradise NOW!')
*** w99 7/15 p. 18 Anchored by Hope, Impelled by Love ***
Drawn by the hope of "Paradise soon," some were prepared to spare no efforts to attain it—zealous in the preaching work and regular in attendance at all meetings, assemblies, and conventions. Now thinking that the realization of their hopes is farther off than they anticipated, they have lowered the price they are willing to pay. This is evident in reduced preaching activity, irregularity at meetings, and willingness to miss parts of assembly or convention programs. Others are devoting more time to recreation and to obtaining material comforts. These facts lead us to consider what should be the driving force in our lives in line with our dedication to Jehovah. Should our zeal in his service be dependent on the hope of "Paradise soon"?
Good comments, even food for thought for other threads, such as no rain before the Flood and
Is the rider on the white horse in Revelation 6:1-4 the same as the one in Revelation 19:11-16?
Love, Blondie
