Posts by Inquisitor

4

First and last to legalize Xmas?

by Golden Girl in

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i saw a statement about the first state to officially celebrate christmas so i looked it up to be sure.... first state to officially celebrate cristmas was alabama in 1836.. last state to officially recognize christmas was oklahoma in 1907.. didn't take long to catch on did it?.

snoozy..

Inquisitor

Awwwww... somebody's getting grouchy about XMas.... lol

Well you've made a fair point about the spending craze on such a holiday, Hellrider. It's not fun to spend extreme amounts of money to please so many people. But I disagree that we should bolster the WTS's arguments against XMAS.

One should remember that not everybody's XMas is necessarily plagued by commercialism. This fact the WTS very very conveniently ignores in their most recent Christmas-slamming Watchtower. I think there was also a mention in the same Watchtower how these XMas get-togethers often see fierce family arguments. Another desperate attempt to make non-celebrants feel better.

INQ

12

A thing that bothers me about JW and Christmas

by zagor in

is that they dont celebrate it but are quite happy to accept gifts or money given by many companies at the end of a year as christmas gift.

in fact, ive heard all sorts of excuses ranging from well thats our money that weve earned over the year anyway to well we shouldnt really offend anyone

it looks like as long as you are receiving money or gifts its okay.

Inquisitor

bleh.. no fellow conpiracy theorist willing to play the game... sigh.

42

Doctrine on Homosexuality

by DaveNwisconsin in

i was reading on the web about gays and jw's.

first of all i am gay.

i am not saying i am sorry as i don't feel there is anything bad about it.

Inquisitor

A Paduan,

Who's the "they" you're referring to? Gay people or the WTS?

Stop speaking in riddles, man, if you want people to understand you! ;)

INQ

25

Curious...

by Tez in

who here has become involved with another religion since leaving the borg, and what was it that drew you to it??

any 'born agains'?.

(ok mum, you may have suspected i would post this!

Inquisitor

Dear Tez

Your post said: "but I hear from some who feel they have found it elsewhere so I am intrigued"

Did you check whether these have merely found a church to belong to so they can enjoy forming new social ties (since they'd probably lost quite a few friends and family having left the org)? Or have they actually found THE TRUTH elsewhere? I'm willing to bet that most of the time, the new church/religion is the equivalent of new friends, not new Truth. That's my two cents anyway.

I'm not out of the organization yet, but I've been studying, preparing for the eventual big showdown. Anyway, even now, I sense that there is no TRUTH. So why would I need another religion to "show me their wares"?

So it's a "NO" from me. ;)

INQ

28

A Fanatical JW...

by stillAwitness in

a fanatical jw...

-thinks the tsunami and hurrican katrina are signs the satan is becoming more resilient in his quest to take over the world!.

-keeps tracts in their back pocket to place in the grocery line.. -thinks dr. phil is "satan's little helper".

Inquisitor

...would not describe the above behaviors fanatical, but would prefer adjectives like "spiritual-minded", "zealous", "godly", "righteous".

...would have no qualms calling any member of Christendom with the same pattern of behaviour "fanatical".

INQ

12

A thing that bothers me about JW and Christmas

by zagor in

is that they dont celebrate it but are quite happy to accept gifts or money given by many companies at the end of a year as christmas gift.

in fact, ive heard all sorts of excuses ranging from well thats our money that weve earned over the year anyway to well we shouldnt really offend anyone

it looks like as long as you are receiving money or gifts its okay.

Inquisitor

A non-witness friend of mine was always broke from buying gifts for birthdays, Xmas etc etc.

Once, having just bought some very expensive gifts for several birthdays in a week, she learnt from me that although JWs do not celebrate such events, they happily accept presents or cash from any "insistent" friends or relatives. She said with tongue-in-cheek, "WOW.. where do i sign up? I'd save me heaps that way. Get presents all year and not need to give any away!"

Jokes aside, i wonder why the WTS has not been draconian about accepting these items.

1) Do they normally get a BIG XMAS present from some secular business/corporation in December? And thus silence is literally golden?

2) Do they reason that whatever the r&f receives eventually adds to the wealth of the organization? ( I wouldn't bet my money on this one though)

Any ideas??

INQ

27

RACISM IN WT

by stillAwitness in

jw
friends

this article entitled :jws, blacks and discrimination emailed to me from an "inactive" friend of mine.

i don't know wether to be hurt or just plain pissed.

my question is has anyone read or seen any hints of racism amongst the wt even nowadays?

Inquisitor

Dear AuldSoul

I'm well aware of what the WTS has said. I have actually read the post, the link, and the publications mentioning this incident. I'm asking why you take the expression "commercial Jews" as an anti-Jew slur. Shall we take the "oppressive Anglo-American empire" as an insult to all Brits and Americans? If I said "Muslim religious leaders are not doing enough to counter acts of terrorism by Muslim fundamentalists", should I be accused of bigotry against Muslims?

You described the statement as part of a letter to the Nazi party. Funny that. I read that it was a DC declaration, not a placating mail. Care to clarify?

I haven't questioned your capabilities, AuldSoul. Have some decency to accord me some respect too.

INQ

27

RACISM IN WT

by stillAwitness in

jw
friends

this article entitled :jws, blacks and discrimination emailed to me from an "inactive" friend of mine.

i don't know wether to be hurt or just plain pissed.

my question is has anyone read or seen any hints of racism amongst the wt even nowadays?

Inquisitor

If one takes "commercial Jews" to be an insult to the Jews as a race, shall we also take "the oppressive Anglo-American Empire" as an insult to British and American nationals? Having said that the WTS had never shown "genuine malice" to certain races, one must remember that they DiD make some politically incorrect statements. A reflection of the thinking of that era. I of course refer to statements made of people with darker skin. INQ

27

RACISM IN WT

by stillAwitness in

jw
friends

this article entitled :jws, blacks and discrimination emailed to me from an "inactive" friend of mine.

i don't know wether to be hurt or just plain pissed.

my question is has anyone read or seen any hints of racism amongst the wt even nowadays?

Inquisitor

I think we've sorta moved from commenting on the contents of the watchtower magazines to the conduct of JW's in general.

Re: WT - I don't believe that we have a legitimate cause for concern with regards to what was in the watchtower a 100 years ago. I mean obviously people spoke differently a century ago! I have never known any Watchtowers to reflect genuine malice for people of a certain race. Feel free to prove me wrong.

Re: Witnesses - What I have seen are some Witnesses who fail to fully adopt the Christian code of love and impartiality. Witnesses who kowtow to a particular race but treat members of their own race with indifference. I've also seen some who do the exact opposite. Though these colour-conscious Witnesses should not be used to accuse the WTS of racism, they do invalidate the claim that theirs is the true religion on the basis of them ALL "having love for one another".

INQ

29

What are WT's most abusive features?

by IT Support in

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if you were granted a wish to change wt's worst features, what would you want changed?

.

Inquisitor

Guess I'm not really answering your question, IT Support.

But I've always wondered why it is compulsory for men to wear suits at all meetings. I mean for an organization that prides itself in being "no part of this world", it sure has an ironic dress code for appearing before the Creator.

INQ