XJW4EVR

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Posts by XJW4EVR

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  18

  Looks like Long beach CA loves the conventions

  by loosie in

  1. social
  2. current
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  XJW4EVR

  Looks like it's time for the So. Cali. Apostates to inundate the Long Beach Press-Telegam with the real story.
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  82

  When will people "stop" relying on "churches and religions" for happiness?

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.

  not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.

  i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.

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  XJW4EVR

  Thank you, Starting Over. I labored to put my story into words that would be readable, captivating & entertaining. It was also very theraputic for me. I don't think it is a completed work. I need time to think through what I wish to add regarding issues that have happened since the point I left off at.
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  19

  "Uh-Huh" is Not "You're Welcome"

  by XJW4EVR in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  last weekend my son told me about the the training he is getting for his new job.

  he said that he is required to watch customer service videos, and in one of the videos there was a segment that told people to say, "you're welcome," and not, "uh-huh.".

  this made me realize just how bad mannered some people have become, especially in the customer service realm.

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  XJW4EVR

  Last weekend my son told me about the the training he is getting for his new job. He said that he is required to watch customer service videos, and in one of the videos there was a segment that told people to say, "You're Welcome," and not, "Uh-huh."

  This made me realize just how bad mannered some people have become, especially in the customer service realm. In the course of my job I deal with vendors all the time, and I thank them for the service they provide my company. Since my son told me about this video, I can count on one hand the amount of times that one of my vendors replied to my "Thank you" with "You're welcome."

  Have any of you noticed this also?
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  82

  When will people "stop" relying on "churches and religions" for happiness?

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.

  not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.

  i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.

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  XJW4EVR

  
  
  XJW4EVR
  

  So, it's simple, prove to me that Jesus' body is in a tomb somewhere, and I'll join you in your disdain for religion. Now don't tell me that Jesus never existed, because there is more proof that Jesus of Nazareth existed than there is for the existence of Alexander the Great, or Julius Ceasar.

  
  

  
  
  

  There you have it, startingover, in a nutshell the manner to disprove Christianity. Show me the bones of Jesus!

  
  

  
  Well how can I argue against that. It would be hard to pull that off for someone that died 100 years ago. I 'm pretty sure if they one day discovered a box containing bones and labeled Jesus, King of the Jews you would laugh it off as a fake. I guess it looks like you'll be a Christian 4evr.

  
  

  
  This statement is the epitomy of arrogance and condesension. In case you missed it, I have posted my story. Granted I has not the best behaved J-Dub, but I knew what I believed. That belief system was jettisoned as soon as I determined, by the evidence, that it was false. So the fact that I have jettisoned one belief system due to the facts, kind of makes the rest of your post mute.

  BTW, does any of your proof exist outside the bible? If so I'd like to see it.

  I have seen enough evidence from archeology, which collaborates what is written in the NT & OT to give me confidence in the Bible as a whole.

  Josephus, while admitted, finally as an interpoloation, does make statements that are consistent with what the Gospels claim about Jesus. The fact that the Mishnas and the Talmuds go out of their way to degradate Jesus, rather than say that his body was produced on such-and-such a date. There are also the historians such as Pliny, Tacitus, etc. While their testimony does not prove the existence of Jesus per se, they do attest to the presense of Christians, and how they viewed Jesus. This view is consistent with the Gospels, Acts & Epistles in the NT.

  If you want specific sitations you will have to wait as I do not have access to my notes at this point in time.

  So I have given some proofs, and I can give you others, but the question is if you saw enough proof to support the fact the Jesus lived, died, was buried, and raised from the dead, would you place your trust in him?
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  82

  When will people "stop" relying on "churches and religions" for happiness?

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it just breaks my heart when i read some of the posts on this websites and hear all of the horror stories about people and families suffering because of what the church or religion did to them.

  not just jw's or mormons, but catholics, born-agains are also included in this group.

  i bet you could find just as many disgruntle ex-catholics and ex-born-agains out in the world who have been severly hurt by their church.

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  XJW4EVR

  I've noticed that XJW4EVER likes to declare victory and leave on some threads. Good for you lad. It helps preserve that superior image of yourself that is so fragile it doesn't really stand up to debate. You're kind of an aloof, drive-by shooter. Best wishes to you, you've been through a lot and I certainly don't begrudge you whatever works. Hey, we're XJW brothers anyway!.

  
  

  
  Scratching my head wondering, "What in THE HELL are you talking about?"

  Or better yet, the best you have is an adhominem?
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  26

  Once saved always saved?

  by greendawn in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  at one extreme are people like the jws that we criticise for relying too much on works for their salvation and so they have to live through a lot of anxiety day after day out of fear of failing.

  at the other extreme are those that say "i am saved by faith alone, once saved always saved, that's why jesus died for us" and seem to ignore completely the good works factor.

  obviously the right balance is somewhere between the two but we need more sophisticated thinking to grasp it than just: i need works to be saved or i need only faith to be saved.

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  XJW4EVR

  The issue is what saves you. God's grace through the faith God enables you to produce, or by your works. You, like many before you, confuse salvation with sanctification. We are saved by grace through faith unto good works.

  Now back to James, and his practical approach to fleshing out your faith. Most of the items you listed I would agree that a Christian would be doing or abstaining from in his sanctification.
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  14

  "Will I be Saved"?

  by Warlock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was about 12 years old, i used to see a religious show on sunday mornings called "amazing prophecies".

  what the ministers name was, i don't remember.

  at the end of the show, he asked those who wanted to be saved and have jesus come into their heart, to pray along with him, so i prayed along with him, because i wanted to be saved.. about 13 years later, i become a j.w.

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  XJW4EVR

  Well, you're saved from the big one, eternal seperation from God.
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  14

  "Will I be Saved"?

  by Warlock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was about 12 years old, i used to see a religious show on sunday mornings called "amazing prophecies".

  what the ministers name was, i don't remember.

  at the end of the show, he asked those who wanted to be saved and have jesus come into their heart, to pray along with him, so i prayed along with him, because i wanted to be saved.. about 13 years later, i become a j.w.

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  XJW4EVR

  I think that some of you have it wrong. You can't help that you have been told wrong by Christians and cultists alike. God is not going to give you a theological quiz that you must pass you get into heaven, and if you flunk you are condemned to hell.

  God is going to ask a simple question, "By what merits do you, a sinner, have to enter my perfect kingdom?" According to Chrisitianity, it is by having trusted in the atoning work of Christ on the cross. According to every other religion it is by your work over your life. One way says I will do it my way, and the other, I will do it God's way. Since it's His invitation to His home, He makes the rules of entry.
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  62

  My 1st time in a KH

  by fl native in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i went to my first kh 3 sundays ago and was quite suprised that they we'ren't pushy.

  in fact, no one even spoke except the man in front who let me borrow his songbook.

  i am a christian and always have been to church.

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  XJW4EVR

  I am a Christian and always have been to church. I went because I'm involved with a JW (we're both married)

  Forgive me if I'm wrong but are you saying that you are having an affair with a married man?

  My thoughts exactly, except put more delicately.
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  26

  Once saved always saved?

  by greendawn in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  at one extreme are people like the jws that we criticise for relying too much on works for their salvation and so they have to live through a lot of anxiety day after day out of fear of failing.

  at the other extreme are those that say "i am saved by faith alone, once saved always saved, that's why jesus died for us" and seem to ignore completely the good works factor.

  obviously the right balance is somewhere between the two but we need more sophisticated thinking to grasp it than just: i need works to be saved or i need only faith to be saved.

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  XJW4EVR

  I believer that Christians are saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves but it is the gift of God not be works so that no man can boast (Eph. 2:8 & 9). The soteriological element in this passage is clearly the grace of God, not the faith or the works.

  Now what James was preaching was pratical Christianity. Demonstrating our faith through our good works. For lack of a better illustration, faith is the apple seed, and good works are the apples.