Posts by slimboyfat

8

Brain tumor causes woman to become JW (4 times!)

by Anders Andersen in

why one woman mysteriously started hearing 'divine' voices.

after doctors admitted the woman to the psychiatric unit of the hospital, they learned that this wasn't the first time she felt a strong interest in religion and spirituality.

she described four previous times in her life, beginning at age 13 and again at ages 23, 32 and 41, when she experienced periods of intense spiritual and religious devotion.during these periods, which lasted about a year or two, she would join jehovah's witnesses and then later resign, when she lost interest, according to the report.as part of her psychiatric evaluation, the woman also underwent an mri.

slimboyfat

Cured from religion by hemeopathy? Ha, sorry that’s funny! It’s like some sort of rationalist joke, except I can’t work out the punchline.

93

Higher Education

by Brian J in

just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.

clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.

their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".

slimboyfat

So if an elder or his family member attends university they “may” no longer qualify, and they should be “reviewed”.

In some ways that’s worse than a clear rule excluding such people. It’s an invitation for all sorts of petty and small minded investigations into families and personal “attitudes” over what should reasonably be a private decision.

Thinking about all the inevitable tedious discussions about what counts as “higher education” as opposed to “further” or “vocational education”: it hardly bears thinking about.

93

Higher Education

by Brian J in

just spent 8 hours in a 1 day elders school last weekend.

clarification given: "moving forward any elder, ms, or pioneer who themselves or someone under their roof enrolls in higher education, may no longer qualify for privileges in the congregation.

their qualifications will have to be reviewed by their boe.".

slimboyfat

What scripture did they apply?

I think it’s time elders, and everyone, “reviewed” whether they wish to give any further service to this organisation as long as it continues such brazen conduct.

26

gb, PLEASE, PLEASE UP THE ORGANIZATIONAL HARSHNESS IN 2018

by steve2 in

sometimes i have expressed a longing for jw organization to tone down its rhetoric and become, well, nicer and more loving.

i have not been alone in my hope.

some posters have even said that if a wave of kindness washed over jw organization and, say, the shunning doctrine was modified (e.g., left up to the individual's conscience without fear of retribution from elders), they'd go back.

slimboyfat

It's darkest before the dawn.

9

When did the society decide blood transfusions were a bad idea?

by new boy in

jw
friends

more book research..

slimboyfat

Singelenberg claimed there was an earlier reference in the Dutch editon of the WT, as I recall.

24

Tight Pants Tony and the 1st international broadcast started a chain reaction that woke up an uber pioneer

by Bad_Wolf in

hopefully more are on the same path.

here is the story..... this person i know was the model jw, and them and their spouse could have really moved up.

they knew i was gone and awhile ago started asking me questions.

slimboyfat

I only saw Dan Sydlik and Jack Barr of the GB give talks. I was impressed with both of them. They seemed sincere and engaging. And Barr released the Creator book at that convention (1998?) one of the best WT books, I think. And Sydlik gave the closing prayer which humble and gracious. These people made a good, if fleeting impression on me as a JW.

55

The watchtower does not have the resources

by pepperheart in

if you have a look at the december broadcast on jw tv they tell you that they wont be showing you a normal format for december but the 143rd event of gilead because the watchtower does not have the resources other wise to translate it many different lanuages.. with all the cuts the watchtower have made and are going to make you would have thought that they would have lots of resources.

slimboyfat

They are in serious trouble, make no mistake about it.

33

Have you ever thought what the primary teaching of Jehovah’s Witnesses is?

by Half banana in

it is not “preach the good news” nor is it “believe in jesus and get saved” neither is it “believe in the governing body of jehovah’s witnesses and get saved” although in practice they do teach this.

no, everything they claim depends on a belief in another doctrine which logic decrees cannot be found in the bible.

the leadership of jehovah’s witnesses put absolute faith in a protestant doctrine which is given a latin name, sola scriptura, meaning “by scripture alone”.. good evidence of the governing body believing in the primacy of this doctrine was when being questioned by the australian royal commission, they resorted to the ‘authority’ of scripture to defend their stance on having “two witnesses” when they are investigating child abuse cases.throughout the hearing they paraded their naive trust in the bible as the highest possible authority proudly ignoring the fact that most people regard it as having been superseded by modern scientific evaluations of what is true.. .

slimboyfat

It is true that JWs sort of believe in sola scripture. Where they differ from the Protestant tradition is they do not believe that correct interpretation of the Bible is available equally to all. For example the October 1st Watchtower 1994 was about the role of the Bible, and included a box titled: "Channel to Understanding the Bible". In this box it states: "All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the 'greatly diversified wisdom of God' can become known only through Jehovah's channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave." (Page 8) This seems to be at odds with the Protestant idea that a right understanding of the Bible text is available to all believers unmediated by any church authority.

On the canon of scripture accepted by JWs. I think there is a good argument to be made that Origen listed the Potirpestant canon over a hundred years before Athanasius. Origen was a subordinationist and arguably better aligned with JW Christology.

55

The watchtower does not have the resources

by pepperheart in

if you have a look at the december broadcast on jw tv they tell you that they wont be showing you a normal format for december but the 143rd event of gilead because the watchtower does not have the resources other wise to translate it many different lanuages.. with all the cuts the watchtower have made and are going to make you would have thought that they would have lots of resources.

slimboyfat

They won't do unless circumstances force them. But circumstances may force them.

114

the watchtower is starting to crumble

by pepperheart in

for the december monthly broadcast instead of jws from around the world waving to you and items of how to shun people we will have to make do with repeats of of old gilead videos that have been on the jw website for a good while.

slimboyfat

My post appeared twice because of delays. And both times I managed to misspell the word "effort".

Yes I agree WT appears to be in a real crisis. I don't know how it will play out, but put it this way: as dramatic as the changes of recent years have been, I believe their crisis is such that greater drama is yet to come. I think it is a mistake to think they have restructured in such a way to create a strategy for future stability. As another poster noted, they are sticking their head in the sand over the two witness rule. Every indication is they are doing the same about their financial and organisational problems. And chickens are now coming home to roost.