Posts by SAHS

7

IMPORTANT - please read and consider - IMPORTANT

by El blanko in

jw
friends

a good friend of mine has spent a considerable amount of time building an air-tight case against the societies handling of the united nations issue and has uploaded the information to share.

the document is just under 1 megabyte in size and suitable for print in microsoft word.

i suggest anybody with even a passing interest in this issue, downloads the file now.

SAHS

Thanks, ?El blanko.? I read it all, and printed it out yesterday. I will show it to my parents when the time is right.

I think I?ve already sped-read it before, but I think it?s a very important exposé of the kind of hypocrisy of the WT, especially considering that they make such a big deal about petty things such as clinking glasses, going to your school prom, saying ?good luck? or ?happy birthday,? etc., etc.

It would be nice if someone could hack into the WT?s Web site and add a link to that document! What a laugh that would be, eh.

?SAHS

29

JW fun is at an all-time low

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

there used to be much more enjoyable things in the jw religion that would give you some relief from the recycled information.

remember when there were two dramas at the conventions?

remember at the meeting, instead of having a public talk, a missionary would show slides from his recent trip, or there would be a movie shown from the wts?.

SAHS

Being a JW was about as much fun as somebody shoving a cold soldering iron up your butt and then pressing the "ON" switch.

Well, the warmth from a soldering iron is rather nice?for a few seconds (not speaking from experience), so you can?t really complain that it?s all bad!

?SAHS

29

JW fun is at an all-time low

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

there used to be much more enjoyable things in the jw religion that would give you some relief from the recycled information.

remember when there were two dramas at the conventions?

remember at the meeting, instead of having a public talk, a missionary would show slides from his recent trip, or there would be a movie shown from the wts?.

SAHS

SAHS are you from Colorado? These used to hold these square dances in Colorado too.

Nope. They?re ?square? up here too.

?SAHS

10

Wild Animals in Paradise

by JH in

jw
friends

i remember when they said that wild animals wouldn't be wild anymore in paradise.

we could be right next to these wild animals, and no harm would come to us.. i remember seeing magazines with pictures of young children and lions next to each other.

is it realistic to believe that all animals would be nice to each other and peaceful, like shown in the magazines?

SAHS

When the prophet Daniel was thrown into the lion?s pit, apparently an angel was sent to shut the mouths of the lions to prevent them from eating him. So, I guess in the new system?, there will just have to be one hell of a lot more of that mouth shutting. The angels will probably be assigned to also shut the mouths of any murmurers.

?SAHS

29

JW fun is at an all-time low

by Nosferatu in

jw
friends

there used to be much more enjoyable things in the jw religion that would give you some relief from the recycled information.

remember when there were two dramas at the conventions?

remember at the meeting, instead of having a public talk, a missionary would show slides from his recent trip, or there would be a movie shown from the wts?.

SAHS

In the early ?80s, they used to rent a local recreation center once a year for a square dance. They even had a brother who was a professional square dance caller. It was put on by an elder who was fairly old. There were just a couple of congregations that went, so it wasn?t like it was an unmanageable or unruly crowd in any way. It was mostly families with children. It was actually quite wholesome and fun (although it was a little ?square? for my taste).

You would think that such a positive, wholesome get-together would be considered acceptable!

Well. Apparently, one of the elders at the Canadian Bethel (notice how I skipped any adjectives) felt that it wasn?t a good idea to have such a gathering just in case it got out of hand or something. So, . . . you guessed it . . . the annual square dance get-together was canned!

Now, I don?t really care much for square dancing myself (I was more into the eating of those baked date squares, as well as everything else at the food table). But, when I heard about the square dance?something I had thought was the ultimate goodie-goodie family event?actually being canned because of the opinion of some (still no adjectives?looks like I won?t be banned from the board today) Bethel starched shirt elder, I knew that this had to be quite the high control group if I ever saw one. Holy crap! (Oops, I let an adjective slip out?I described the crap as being ?holy.?)

Pretty sad, eh?

?SAHS

41

IS IT TRUE & SHOULD WE OBEY IT?

by gdt in

jw
friends

my mother said 'if you can't say anything good about anyone (thing), don't say anything bad'!.

true?

a lot would need to change in our comments and attitudes, surely.. false?

SAHS

True? A lot would need to change in our comments and attitudes, surely.
False? Let's keep up the rage.....

I think that both can be true, but only in their proper place. What I mean is:

In the context of talking directly to rank-and-file JWs, I think that, in all fairness, the golden rule would have to be applied because many of them don?t deliberately mean to be at fault?they have been misled. It would serve no real purpose to maliciously berate or antagonize the common JW because it would just be a negative experience for everyone.

However, that does not preclude the merits of being able to talk openly among ourselves about the JW religious/organizational system to foster support and solace. People can vent their rage about annoying TV commercials, corrupt political and religious practices, the weather, and so on. So, I think that people should also have the right to vent their frustration and rage about JWs among themselves?or even directly to JWs if done in a duly tactful manner. After all, ?What goes around comes around.?

Open discussion, and even rage, can be a good means of promoting understanding and healing. (As long as it doesn?t involve planning any physical revenge or terror, or anything like that.) There should surely be somewhere (like this forum) to express one?s observations as well as personal feelings without restraint or fear of reprisal. (Remember the saying in Ecclesiastes about ?a time and place for everything under the sun.?)

So, I guess the main thing is not so much whether or not to express negativity, but, rather, to whom, and in what setting. It all boils down to whatever is fair and appropriate.

That?s my $0.02 + whatever the CAD-USD exchange rate is for today.

?SAHS

33

Make Up A Prophecy or a Statement You'd Like To See In A Watchtower

by minimus in

jw
friends

since the watchtower has regularly disseminated "false prophecy" over the years and has given truly silly reasonings for their beliefs, let's give the society some ideas as to what they might put into the next watchtower.....i'll start----"since the elders are representatives of christ jesus himself, we should give them glory too.

"

SAHS

What does this mean for Jehovah's true worshippers?
For one, this good news justifies our position as God's earthly organization and gives us all authority over all who profess to worship Jehovah.

I just took a peak at the latest form letter to be sent to all the congregations for the month of ?May-Happen-If-They-Get-the-Chance?:

Dear Brothers,

Our most recent and exciting procedural change is that from henceforth, any member who becomes disfellowshipped will be ?cut off from his [or her] people? in the ultimate literal sense. That?s right! Starting this month of ?May? (which month has been formally known as ?May-Happen-If-They-[We-]Get-the-Chance?), in the spirit of the Mosaic Law (boy, how we love that Law!), all members who become disfellowshipped will be stoned to death!

All those judged worthy of being stoned to death (you know, clinking glasses and all) will be transported to the Bethel property at your local branch, stripped naked (we just thought we would add that part too . . . to make a good fearful example out of them, of course), and then stoned to death by their families (by ?persuasion?), and by the local body of elders (no ?persuasion? necessary there). Such happy, spiritually-uplifting events will of course be tied in to all the branches by video line, as well as streamed on the Internet (order your deluxe RealPlayer Jukebox today!).

Let?s make this month of ?May? special by reporting any infractions (listen for that glass-clinking!) to your loving Body of Elders.

Are not we all thankful and titillated by these unrestrained and unprecedented displays of theocratic love, are we not, are not we? Well, are we not? (Gotta love that expression! . . . do we not. Well, do not we?)

Warmest Christian love,

Office of the Governing Body,

Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated

BOE letter, month of ?May,? 2000-and-something

Dreamed up and typed in Canada

10

Dog question...

by desib77 in

jw
friends

when a dog is sick to it's stomach and wants to eat grass, is it okay to let them do so?

does it help them to feel better or make them feel worse?.

desi

SAHS

As long as the grass it eats isn?t in an area that has been used as a bathroom by anything (or anyone), then what the hay, eh? It?s nature?s salad bar. If anything, it?s good roughage. (Although you might also want to make sure your dog gets sufficient roughage in its diet. Throw it a carrot once in a while.)

?SAHS

33

Make Up A Prophecy or a Statement You'd Like To See In A Watchtower

by minimus in

jw
friends

since the watchtower has regularly disseminated "false prophecy" over the years and has given truly silly reasonings for their beliefs, let's give the society some ideas as to what they might put into the next watchtower.....i'll start----"since the elders are representatives of christ jesus himself, we should give them glory too.

"

SAHS

Watchtower study for Sunday, the 1 st day of Hell Freezing Over, 2004

A Godly View of Blood and Mercy

?He said: ?Persons in health do not need a physician, but the ailing do. Go, then, and learn what this means, ?I want mercy, and not sacrifice.????Matt. 9:12, 13

1 We all know of the sin-atoning value of Jesus Christ?s ransom sacrifice by virtue of his blood shed in our behalf. This antitypical fulfillment was the culmination of all the blood used in sacrifice under the Jewish Mosaic Law. But as we consider the essence of this gift and its meaning for us, we see that it is one of love, as shown by God?s demonstration of mercy.

2 As the above theme text indicates, Jehovah expects us to show this kind of mercy in our worship and dealings with others far and beyond any display of works, or ?sacrifice.? After all, Godly mercy is based on love, and as 1 John 4:8 says, ?God is love.? It is God?s desire that we imitate him in his mercy, as we are made ?in his image.? (Gen. 1:26)

3 Showing mercy based on Godly love is the essence of not only Christ?s ransom but, indeed, the law covenant as well. When one of the Pharisees asked Jesus ??which is the greatest commandment in the Law,?? he replied, ???You must love Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and with your whole mind.? This is the greatest and first commandment. The second, like it, is this, ?You must love your neighbor as yourself.? On these two commandments the whole Law hangs, and the Prophets.?? (Matt. 22:36-40) So, love is of paramount importance. Yes, love should be the greatest motivation behind our dealings, including mercy?far and above any meticulous, Pharisaical application of man-made rules.

4 Therefore, we are pleased to announce at this time that it is our position as the Governing Body of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Incorporated that it is no longer compulsory to follow our former directive to abstain from blood, either in whole or in its four primary components!

5 This is in accord with the principle as stated above, ???I want mercy, and not sacrifice.??? Many over the years, including our dear former brother, Raymond Franz, have felt that this superior course of Godly mercy is of vastly greater value in the eyes of God than demanding the rigid application of something which, in any event, was intended as part of the now defunct Noachian and Mosaic Law covenants (and most certainly not intended to supercede emergency medical procedure). Indeed, arguing over the advisability of allowing certain blood fractions in certain applications is a form of splitting hairs reminiscent of Jesus? castigation of the Pharisees, ??who strain out the gnat but gulp down the camel!?? (Matt. 23:24)

6 We are most confident that this latest and greatly overdue development will ease a tremendous burden on everyone, promote better safety in the medical treatment of us and our children, and will no doubt facilitate much improved relations with those outside our faith. The light of organizational interpretation has been getting brighter and brighter, but now we have switched off that subjective ?light? in favor of an appeal to seek God?s will in our lives as it is revealed through our individual conscience. May Jehovah be blessed for our reasonable application of Godly mercy!

7 In our next issue, we will be considering why the Governing Body is under moral and Scriptural obligation to apologize for impropriety (such as the history of pedophilia among Jehovah?s Witnesses, along with deliberate cover-ups, coercion, and intimidation).

?SAHS

I expect everyone to put up their hand on Sunday! J

19

Question on DF'ing

by Agent Smith in

jw
friends

.

ok...if 2 dubs divorce just because they hate each other, they are not free to remarry.. if one of them does remarry, he or she will be df'ed.

lets say that this person gets married with another dub....what happens to that person?

SAHS

?Balsam?:

. . . she has no use for the witnesses, and had wondered how her ex had pulled off getting married again without being disfellowshipped.

?littletree?:

my grandmother and her new husband ( now of 8 years ) were not disfellowshipped

I wonder if the Society has some sort of ?statute of limitations? to establish a recommended time period after remarriage during which a person could be disfellowshipped who has remarried when they weren?t, or aren?t, scripturally free to do so.

If, say, someone legally divorced their spouse and remarried to a JW even though they were not scripturally free to do so, but the new couple moved to another congregation in another area where their scripturally invalid remarriage wasn?t discovered for, say, ten years, then it wouldn?t make much sense to disfellowship them after they had already been remarried for that long.

Such a ?statute of limitations? probably isn?t in the elder?s manual (I think it?s called Pay Attention to the Flock), but I wonder if there is some sort of ?unwritten rule? about that.

?Cygnus?:

My ex-mother in law, a JW, divorced her non-JW husband. . . . Now I hear that she's getting remarried after some 8 years or so. When he got remarried several years ago she was so happy that she was now "scripturally free." My question was always: how can she be scripturally free after he's shacked up when he's not a JW and she was the one who left him?

I believe that once the other party has remarried to someone else, then the first party is automatically free scripturally, as well as legally, because remarriage automatically ends the first marriage (the other party can?t be married to more than one person at a time). Whether or not the first party was the one that left, or whether the other party was a JW or not, it really doesn?t matter. The deciding factor is that the first marriage has ended. (One would assume that the other party has consummated their new marriage in short order.)

?SAHS