slimboyfat

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Posts by slimboyfat

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  19

  I think it's possible for a change of trend in JW growth

  by Chook in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just like after decades of memorial partakers declining and now reversed.

  this information age might reverse the trend of jw membership.

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  slimboyfat

  I agree. I expect to see zero growth or an overall decrease in JWs this year or next. If they still publish the numbers.
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

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  slimboyfat

  Cofty I accept it is your opinion that pascifism is wrong.

  If everyone acted as JWs there would be no war. And unless humanity copies JWs soon and abandons war it's hard to see how it can avoid complete annihilation because of modern weapons.
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  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

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  slimboyfat

  The single biggest reason JWs have been banned and persecuted in many countries across the world is because they refuse to fight.

  That's not to say there are not other things about JWs that are objectionable, such as shunning and dividing families, if that's what you're alluding to.
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  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  slimboyfat

  I don't know anything in the NT about Christians killing non-believers. I was talking about the statement about "having love among yourselves". JWs are the practically only ones who fulfil that since they refuse to kill each other in war. It's amazing when you think about it, nearly 10 million people spread across the earth who refuse to go to war against one another. If only everyone took the same stand.

  Because if everyone acted as JWs there would be no wars and no killing. It's a basic question in ethics: "what would happen if everyone acted that way?" There would be no war to start with, that's what would happen. And the world would be a much better place.

  Apart from which I think there's good evidence for the early Christians refusing to go to war just as there is good evidence about them using the divine name. So it's another aspect where JWs copy the early Christians and are reviled for it.
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  slimboyfat

  Surely not killing each other is a very basic Christian requirement. But who else meets this requirement? Quakers and maybe a few other small groups. Maybe these are the two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie in Hebrews 6:18.
• 
  23

  Instructions to remove old WT information from kh libraries

  by Half banana in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a pimo friend (physically in mentally out) has just informed me that the cult has decided that they want to suppress all old jw org information by removing bound volumes etc from kh libraries.. in reality, all through their history they have claimed divine "new light" as a means of changing uncomfortable doctrines.

  this however would mean that new jws, or more likely these days young jws, will be prevented from seeing the old light which had been held up as divinely inspired truth in the past.. truth which would get you through big a and which if you didn't agree with would get you disfellowshipped.. anyone else heard of this?

  what might be the reasons (if true) for removing the old wts?.

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  slimboyfat

  Provided in electronic form? Like a communal tablet?

  Truly astonishing. They are winding down.
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  slimboyfat

  You must have good reasons for leaving after 60 years. The worst thing about it is not being able to talk to other JWs. I hope you've found people you can tall to.

  Remember you are not obligated to tell any JW your feelings about things if they are only going to use the information to harm you.
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  slimboyfat

  I'm not saying it wasn't an issue just because people didn't talk about it. Quite the opposite. The point I'm making is that people's reasons for leaving or staying are not static, either on a personal level or as a community.

  That's why many people who leave for religious reasons ("Jesus is my mediator") later find themselves to be atheist, and so on. It's a complex situation and I don't buy into the idea that all departures or arrivals are unqualified good or bad. The destination and nature of the journey are important too, and to recognise others have their own paths.
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  slimboyfat

  Phoebe I am sorry you have had distress and a sleepless night. It shows you take these things seriously and are a thoughtful person. I would only suggest that there are lots of complex things to consider, not least of which are your personal relationships and how you envisage your life unfolding. JWs have good points and bad points. I would count shunning and lack of freedom of thought as among the bad. Their teaching on the name and refusal to kill brothers in other countries are the best points in my opinion. Those are not exhaustive lists on either side. It's not all black and white. That's what I think I've learned on my own journey so far.

  jwfacts I was agnostic leaning toward atheism. Now I'm agnostic leaning toward belief in God. I'm really not sure what to believe but I think there must be something bigger than ourselves and that JWs have good points as well as bad points.

  Cofty, those sound like fine reasons to leave JWs. Which one of those reasons was it for you? Or didn't you say it was because you disagreed with JWs on the ransom doctrine? But you didn't mention that one on your list.
  

  I am making a serious point here. People's reasons for joining, staying and leaving are complex. Before 2001 I hardly heard abuse even mentioned as a reason for leaving JWs. Yet now, justifiably, it's a major, if not the major thing former JWs are corcerned about. Crisis of Conscience doesn't mention if once. Everyone's own story and understanding evolves, as yours has done. The reasons you initially left are not the same as the list you give now. And no doubt there is room for more development. If people stop on the way out, to consider the good and the bad, and make a considered choice, how can that be a bad thing?
• 
  332

  The most successful teaching of Jehovah's Witnesses and an amazing new book on the divine name

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses have had to revise their chronology and various doctrinal interpretations due to events and scholarly corrections.

  but the one teaching where they have been consistently ahead of the curve is the importance of jehovah's name.. .

  i'm going to run through a (necessarily selective) timeline of jw events and scholarly publications that demonstrate the phenomenal success of this teaching in the last days.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  slimboyfat

  Ha! Is that a serious question?

  I would describe the discussion this way,

  A few people pointed out that there is a contradiction between the JW claim that the Bible has been reliably preserved and the claim that the divine name has been removed. I agreed that this is a real contradiction, and that I've not come across an official JW response to the problem. I suggested that there are a few responses one could make to this contradiction. On the one hand the removal of the name could demonstrate that the Bible is not inspired. On the other hand there may be ways of reconciling the contradiction within the parameters of faith. I said that one way this could be done would be to view the recovery of God's name at the time of the end as providential. I also stated I was not making a strong argument for this view but presenting it as a possible way of solving the contradiction as a believer in Jehovah God.