Hey JT,
Jehovah's Witnesses avoid making rules and regulations beyond those provided in the Scriptures
I did fall off my chair when I read that one
Chester
chester
JoinedPosts by chester
-
8
U Got to Love the Boys in Writing
by JT inorganization.
following the model of first-century christianity, jehovah's witnesses have no clergy-laity division.
all baptized members are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work.
-
-
chester
-
40
Experiences: How you know it ain't the 'truth'
by LDH inplease post your experiences here for any lurkers to read.
when i was a teenager, there was a young lady early 20's who had moved into our cong.
she had a newborn son and had just married her worldly boyfriend, the father of the baby.
-
-
chester
There are so many ways that I know "it ain't the truth".
The big eye opener for me was the article that came out in the KM in November of 1999 about "the dangers of the internet"
When I saw the lengths they were going to keep information from us bells started going off in my head big time.
Chester
-
13
Sept. KM: WT Sanctifies Fiscal Irresponsibility
by Room 215 in``because the world scene is always changing, a family head may be inclined to spend an excessive amount of time on the job, with a view to building up his financial reserves for unforeseen crises.''.
do they seriously endorse living from paycheck to paycheck as spiritually meritorious, a responsible mode of living for heads of families with mortgage/rent payments, child support, health insurance, car payments, utility bills, a food budget, etc.
all this after they ``stack the deck'' against self-sufficiency and independence for the average jw famnily head by discouraging university education or other forms of specialized education so vital in today's complex economy.. that's why so many, even while professing loyalty and submission to the fds quietly come to terms on their own.
-
-
chester
Wait until you see the November 1 2001 WT.
On pages 28 and 29 they suggest ways in which some choose to give contributions to the worldwide work.
Among the ways listed are
Insurance
Bank accounts
stocks and bonds
Real Estate
Gifts Annuity
Wills and TrustThey are telling us that if we have been inclined to build up financial reserves and you die.....we want what you have left.
-
63
"Hey there all you lurkey ones..."
by Simon inhmmn, doesn't quite work does it?
ok...we'll stick with 'thirsty' then .
why not register and make a post or two...ask a question...make a statement...whatever !.
-
-
chester
Just want all to know that I am much the same way.
Many times I have done the same thing Friendly Fella has done.
Written a response and then discarded it.I am happy for the information I get from this forum.
I don't take anything for granted. I research everything to see if it is true or not.I have obtained more than enough information for me to determine that "it ain't the truth" but I come here to continue to learn.
I have learned more about the bible and religion from this forum than anywhere else.I have a lot of respect for the people here because I have found that there is no deceit or lies here.
Chester
-
31
WTS involvement with politics/UN exaggerated?
by troubled ini've seen the threads on the wts' involvement with cesnur, swaggert, and the un.
since then, i've done additional research on the internet, including accessing the un's webiste and searching for "watchtower" and "jehovah's witnesses.
" and i am concerned that many of the posts on this website grossly overexaggerate the degree of the wts's involvement and its purpose.. in my internet research, the only connection i have seen between the wts and cesnur or the un is in situations on the world scene threaten their right to religious freedom.
-
-
chester
hillary_step said
Continue your research, but be prepared to make honest decisions based on the facts that you unearth, beware the gossip and innuendo, they will just devour valuable emotions.
I really like that advice!!!!
Chester
-
23
"Waiting on Jehovah"
by jst2laws inmy friends,.
i just finished a holiday week-end with old friends in the organization.
all they knew when they came was that i had recently resigned as a elder.
-
-
chester
Hello jst2laws,
When you made the post "JST2LAWS is TOAST!" back on June 16th you gained my admiration and respect.
That admiration and respect is greater today. It takes a lot of courage to do what you have done.
I wish the best for you and your family.
Chester
-
174
get a life -- 10 facts
by joelbear ini thought it would be interesting for people to just post a few things about themselves so we can get to know each other just a bit.. try posting 10 facts about your life.. joel.
1. i was born and raised in south georgia.. 2. my favorite subject in school was math.. 3. i was in the fulltime service (bethel and pioneer) for 4 years.. 4. my favorite color is blue.. 5. mitch and i have been together over 12 years.. 6. we live in a suburb of atlanta georgia.. 7. we love to eat out and have friends over for dinner and board games.. 8. the only sport i was ever any good at is tennis.. 9. my favorite tv show of all time is the simpsons.. 10. we are both naturists and wish we could lay on the beach naked every day.
-
-
chester
I have gone to school or worked in the following places
Washington, DC
Atlantic City, NJ
San Antonio, TX
Rantoul, IL
Dover, DE
Ramstein, Germany
Mount Clemens, MI
Uijongbu, Korea
Columbus, OH
Duluth, MN
Albuquerque, NM
San Bernadino, CA
Agudilla, Puerto Rico
Chandler, AZ
Selma, AL
Sacramento, CA
Cleveland, OH
Kansas City, MO -
33
My stepfather died tonight
by Mulan ini have just finished making phone calls informing the family of the death of my stepfather.
i was an adult when he married my mother, but i loved him very much.
he was a wonderful man.. although he was a faithful jw, for his entire life (he was born to it) he was a really good man, and a true christian, i believe.
-
-
chester
Mulan,
I don't post much but I read a lot.
I feel as though I know you and your family.
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your Stepfather and all of the things that the family is going through concerning attending the Memorial.Love,
Chester -
28
This Article from the Sep KM is very interesting
by chester ini thought this article from the september 2001 kingdom ministry was very interesting.. get out there and sell those books!!!.
is it an obstacle to preaching?.
most people lead busy lives.
-
-
chester
The part I thought was particularly interesting is
The primary purpose of secular work is to provide for one's material needs. But how much do we need? -
28
This Article from the Sep KM is very interesting
by chester ini thought this article from the september 2001 kingdom ministry was very interesting.. get out there and sell those books!!!.
is it an obstacle to preaching?.
most people lead busy lives.
-
-
chester
I thought this article from the September 2001 Kingdom Ministry was very interesting.
Get out there and sell those books!!!
*********************************************************************
Is It an Obstacle to Preaching?Most people lead busy lives. Jehovah's Witnesses are among the busiest-studying God's Word, attending congregation meetings, and sharing in the field service. In addition, we are busy caring for secular work, ousework or school work, and many other responsibilities, which all take time. This is especially challenging for family heads.2Because of unfavorable economic conditions in various places, heads of households may have to work long and hard to make a living. When demanding secular jobs take most of their time and strength, they have little left for the preaching work. Since they have an obligation to provide materially for their families, some may feel that they can have only a limited share in the ministry. (I Tim. 5:8) Granted, today there are many pressures connected with obtaining the necessities of life. But one's secular work need not become an obstaclelo preaching the good news. (Mark 13:10) Hence, we do well to examine our actual situation. Because the world scene is always changing, a family head may be inclined to spend an excessive amount of time on the job, with a view to building up his financial reserves for unforeseen crises. (I Cor. 7:31) While increased secular work may seem to provide extra material things or additional opportunities for recreation and entertainment, will this make the family happier and more contented if it is done at the expense of time for spiritual pursuits and regular meeting attendance? We would certainly want to avoid anything that would endanger our spirituality. Heeding Jesus' counsel to 'store up treasures in heaven and be "rich toward God" is the wise course.-Matt. 6:19-21; Luke 12:15-21.
* Seek Kingdom Interests First; Jesus taught his followers to put spiritual matters ahead of everything else. He urged them: "Never be anxious and say, 'What are we to eat?' or, 'What are we to drink?' or, 'What are we to put on?"' Why would he say that? He plained: "For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things." If we are truly convinced of that, there will be no obstacle that will prevent us from doing what Jesus next said: "Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these [necessary material] things will be added to you." God will see to that! (Matt. 6:31-33) This certainly is no time to be distracted by undue anxiety over mak-
ing a living or by a desire to get comfortably situated in a system of things that will soon pass away.-1 Pet. 5:7; I John 2: 15-17.
The primary purpose of secular work is to provide for one's material needs. But how much do we need? The apostle Paul wrote: "Having suste-
nance and covering, we shall be content with these things."
Are we trying to acquire more than that? If so, we may be reaping the consequences that Paul warned about: "Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires, which plunge men Into destruction and ruin." (I Tim. 6:8, 9; Matt. 6:24; Luke 14:33) How can we tell if we are being hindered by excessive desires? if because of our secular pursuits we have only a minimal share in field service or fail to see the need to make sacrifices for the sake of the good news, then there is a need to adjust our priorities. (Heb. 13:15, 16) A more modest life style will go a long way toward eliminating this obstacle to our preaching. Kingdom interests should always be the first priority when it comes to the use of our time and energy.
7 The Labor That is Not in Vain: Paul's words encourage us always to have "plenty to do in the work of the Lord, knowing that [our] labor is not in vain in connection with the Lord." (I Cor. 15:58) The
foremost "work of the Lord" is the Kingdom-preaching and disciple-making work. (Matt.24:14; 28:19, 20) To have as full a share as possible, we should schedule time for the field service each week and endeavor not to use that time for any other pursuit. (Eph. 5:15-
17) Then, neither secular work nor anything else will become an obstacle to our ministry. " When we give of ourselves in sharing Bible truths with others, we experience the superior happiness that comes from giving. (Acts 20:35) By pursuing the Kingdom preaching work, we can look to the future with confidence, "for God is not unrighteous so as to forget [our] work and the love [we] showed for his name."
-Heb. 6:10