See this Wikipedia article on bloodletting - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting
Leeches were sometimes used for this, and some people still do it.
on my recent "college courses" thread, i got this contribution from veradico and thought it deserved it's own thread.
it was news to me.
this is a partial quote:.
See this Wikipedia article on bloodletting - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bloodletting
Leeches were sometimes used for this, and some people still do it.
a witness cannot question anything from a critic's point of view.
wondering aloud why the watchtower says a certain thing can get you in trouble with the think police (the elders).
what things can you think of that are taboo for jws??
tara
F*** them! I did divorce him...Best thing I ever did. Then I left the JWs...second best thing I ever did.
Bravo!!
a witness cannot question anything from a critic's point of view.
wondering aloud why the watchtower says a certain thing can get you in trouble with the think police (the elders).
what things can you think of that are taboo for jws??
I didn't know it at the time, (because that is all I knew, being raised in) but there was hardly a decision I could make for myself. So much had to be dictated by the publications, the GB and the WBTS, that I had to learn, as an adult, how to make life decisions on my own merit rather than always running to some publication or some programming from the publications that had embedded itself in my character.
So, I guess I'd say I could not make my own, my very own, decisions in many cases because I was a Jehovah's Witness. But, again, were someone to have told me that when I was a Witness, I would have protested strongly. Hind-sight, huh?
hey guys.. sometimes im really next to crying (better: im crying).
no answer.
" no answer.
freeme
i really cant understand how she cant see whats going on.
Fear. She is afraid. Keep that in mind. That is why she got so upset. Somewhere, deep inside, what you said to her made sense, and that frightens her.
i will be respectful.
but in reading past posts it seems we are allowed to speak frankly?
i think jehovah's witnesses have the truth.
LoverOfTruth
When I have doubts about anything, I tell myself over and over what is Good about the situation and ignore the Negatives.
It's always a bad idea to completely ignore the Negatives. They remain, and they fester.
It would be like ignoring a pile of rubbish in the corner of the room, covering it with newpaper, holding a kerchief to your mouth and nose to mask the stench and to wipe the tears from your burning eyes, always pretending that everything is okay...
does doing what is right in god's eyes mean we have to use only bible terms?
i know the organization is not perfect.
is there strong evidence that he has his people here on earth that although not perfect, are doing his will?
You say you hate the gossip and the lack of love and yet look at some of your posts!!!
See, here is the problem with that line of reasoning. The Witness religion touts itself as Jehovah's people, as the most loving, kind people on earth. The Witnesses present themselves as this light in a dark world. And yet... there is this very dark, dark side. I feel like I was taught false love.
We, here, are not special in the same way that the WBTS, the Governing Body, and the Witnesses claim themselves to be. So, you can't turn this around on us. We're not held to the same measurements as the Witnesses are, are we? Are you saying we're no better? Well, then, neither are the Witnesses. And that is the whole point.
And, you keep mentioning that the brothers, etc. are imperfect, when mistakes are mentioned. And yet... the Witnesses are supposed to be guided by Holy Spirit. That's what we were all taught, innocent as we were; that mistakes were never made; that when sister so-and-so was disfellowshipped for something she claimed didn't happen, that she was a liar. The Elders are guided by Holy Spirit, are they not? (Maybe indirectly, but still...) If so, how can "mistakes" be made?
And, if you admit that mistakes are made here or there, then... well, then everything becomes suspect, does it not?
i will be respectful.
but in reading past posts it seems we are allowed to speak frankly?
i think jehovah's witnesses have the truth.
I'm not reading this entire thread, nor your other, but I wanted to comment on this:
I have studied about the U.N. and the NGO. I go online and read and do all the research I want. Could there be an explanation for it? I did something that I am not sure some of you have done, I considered the motive. Why did they do it? And if it is a mistake, does that negate the tons of evidence that the Witnesses are doing God's will?
Absolutely, it does. But esp. when you combine that with all the other issues, does this add up to the fact that the WBTS and Governing Body are not what they protray themselves to be.
I have seen lives change completely after a person studies the Bible with the Witnesses. People who had terrible, unhappy lives change them, and become happy, well-adjusted.
And I have seen similar changes in people after having had other, unrelated, sorts of experiences. This is not proof that one way or another is "Truth". Scientologists can give us numerous accounts of people making breakthroughs, life-changing breakthroughs after going through their auditing sessions. So?
Alas, I know that my words are as nothing to you. But that's okay, because I have really no interest in convincing you. Because I can't. I know this because I was once exactly like you. If, some day, your eyes are opened and you truly see the trap you've been led into, the prison you are in, that will be all you need.
Also, you need your prison bars. They make you feel safe.
I know this does nothing to cause you to listen more closely, but look at that card. That is Adam and Eve... Us, chained to the altar upon which the Devil sits. If you looked closer, you would see that those chains are loose. They could remove themselves easily if they would simply see. But they will not until they are ready. And neither will you.
here is the best that i could do, but i think it gets the main points of the articles across.
i wouldn't bet my life on this translation, but i think it is good enough for our purposes.
question box.
I haven't read all five pages of this post. But I just wanted to make a quick comment
We are certainly grateful for all of the spiritual food Jehovah has given in these last days.
This was translated incorrectly. It should rather be:
If you don't do as we say, you are an ingrate in Jehovah's eyes and since it's the last days and all... <hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink> KABOOOM!! Bu-bye!!
i rarely ever set foot in the place and will go out of my way to avoid shopping there.
tonight i made the mistake of giving walmart the benefit of the doubt and walked in the door.. they didn't have the main item i was looking for, but they did have one other small item.
i headed to the front to check out only to find they had only a few check-outs open and all of the lines were far too long.
Just heard of yet another reason - WTS style - teens in Mexico working at Wal Mart are classed as "volunteers" and are unpaid workers!
I wanted to note that this is not because Wal-Mart is forcing them to work "unpaid". This is because that is a local custom there at grocery stores in general. You would find the same thing at other grocers. Senior citizens also take advantage of this volunteer arrangement.
Imagine this: You run a store, you have employees. Some local teens in your very poor community come by and ask if they may volunteer to bag groceries so that they may perhaps receive tips. Do you run them off? Or do you let them take advantage and make some tip money?
Don't be a knee-jerk.
my first week of posts here were very serious and all the wonderful, encouraging replies helped me very much.. so now i want to ask something semi-frivolous.
(actually it's one of the many things that don't make sense to me about "the truth").
why do animals die?.
You are asking from a perspective implying that they are being held to the same rules as humans.
Same rules? Who said that?
Were they meant to be eternal or immortal?
Or ephemeral playthings with various lifespans?
This was how I understood it, that the animals didn't matter. They weren't special like us, and so were meant to die anyway, much like the dinosaurs were created by Jehovah, just so they'd die and provide us with such great oil products!
But we, well, we were created in His image, not like those pesky animals. They were created for our benefit, and thus, expendable.