When I have attended an assembly at a 'bought and paid for' assembly hall, they always say that the expenses for the assembly run into the thousands! I haven't contributed a dime for years now, but how is it possible to ask for so much money from the circuit (or district) just to pay for lighting, water, and cleaning materials?
Dave (still a primate, but I don't need no education)
PrimateDave
JoinedPosts by PrimateDave
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20
My District Convention Is Being Held At An Assembly Hall
by enlightenedcynic inif this topic has been discussed previously, i apologize, but next week i unfortunately must attend the dc which is being held at the local assembly hall.
there are benefits to this as i don't have to rent a car or room for myself and family.
the downside to this is that it will now be harder to miss segments of the program or an entire day without being scrutinized.
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PrimateDave
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13
Strange experiences on the field
by wozadummy inhas anyone had feelings or experiences on the field where what happened seemed only to be from one source - divine?
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PrimateDave
Generally, field service is a pretty neutral experience. Sometimes it can be pleasant because there are nice people out there. Once in a while it can get downright nasty.
I remember going to a house in Georgia once where the man of the house was blunt and rude. It was a nice home out in the country and the man was white upper-middle class in appearance. I was about 20yo and naive but at least tried to be nice. Our exchange lasted about 30 seconds, and I started back for the car. Next thing I knew a dog had bit me on the ankle without any warning at all. I remember it was a collie. I yelled out and the man came back out of the house looking like he wanted to fight. I was shaking and said that the dog had bit me. The man then proceeded to chase the dog around the house kicking it while his wife came out and looked at my ankle. The dog had just barely broken the skin, and it wasn't quite bleeding. She was apologetic. I decided to just leave and never go back there.
I was once on a return visit with a pioneer elder, a nice young guy from Pennsylvania. His RV started to present questions relating to hellfire. The man insisted on literally interpreting the relevant scriptures from his KJV. It became evident that he had planned this out before our visit. Naturally, we ganged up on him with our 'scriptural proofs' which just made him angrier. There were actually three of us in the man's apartment, so he accused us of ganging up on him. Well, needless to say, the RV was over and the poor pioneer felt obligated to apologize to the man and later to me and the other witness who had accompanied him.
Anymore, to me the whole door to door arrangement just seems to be the way for a publishing company to distribute mediocre literature in an effort to bolster membership in its subsidiary religion. It has as much to do with true human spiritual experience as modern American Suburbia has to do with the ancient nomadic tribalism.
Dave -
23
Anyone have pictures scanned from the Paradise book?
by Apostate Kate ini have the one at seans research.
i am looking for the one with a bull sitting on a thrown with glowing eyes.
i have a friend who is working through some old fears and that picture is one of them.
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PrimateDave
The Paradise Lost book was the first book that my mom studied with my brother and me. I don't recall being disturbed by the illustrations. I guess that I was just too young to truly grasp the concepts involved. Or it may be that we were being taught to hate other people in a very subtle manner. Kind of like desensitization.
One picture I remember was of the water canopy around the earth before the flood. Anyone have a scan of that?
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20
The December 31, 1924 Golden Age magazine
by cabasilas inrecently, i obtained some pdf copies of old golden age magazines.
i haven't had much time to read these but i just came across the december 31, 1924 issue.
i had heard the golden age was a bit odd...this confirms it.
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PrimateDave
This should be required reading for all current Bible studies! ;) The writers obviously had no concept whatsoever of the scientific method. This kind of 'science' is on a par with astrology as opposed to astronomy. Thanks for posting this!!! It's a definite keeper!
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25
Governing Body Shoots own Foot, Yet Again.
by metatron ini felt this deserved its own post.
please consider the eventual effect of deepening watchtower restrictions as regards sex and porn.
and their effect on individual witnesses, namely:.
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PrimateDave
Bstndance said: "Yeah, I never understood why they are so against masturbation."
Because the people who run the corporation are a product of their time period. They will resist change in the face of scientific 'new light' and stick to the traditional 'pattern of healthful words' that they always have.
Some info that will not be presented in Awake! - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solitary_vice -
54
Something strange about "Christs invisible presence"...
by Hellrider insomething just occured to me: .
we all know that "parousia" doesn`t mean "invisble presence" at all, it just means "presence", but think about the inlogical...ness about the whole jw-doctrine on 1914. my question is: what is jesus` job really, up there in heaven?
- he "took reign" and was "given the throne" in 1914. but what does that mean, really?
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PrimateDave
Gumby said: "Just remember....jesus and his father see all you say and do here and they won't forget it when Armageddon comes."
Anyone ever watch the 'Power Rangers', that kids show back in the '90s? For some strange reason, the female villain Rita Repulsa (I only watched it a couple of times, I SWEAR!) was always watching the Power Rangers and could see all that they said and did. Kinda like an evil Santa Claus or God. Always watching. LOL.
So, the question was... what is Jesus doing during his 'presence' since 1914?
Standard answer: He is overseeing an earthwide ingathering work that fulfills the prophesy of Matt 24:14. God does not desire any to be destroyed, but desires all to attain everlasting life. (John 3:16) I have heard that construction on the city of New Jerusalem is proceeding nicely. From the Revelation Climax book: "What a remarkable city this is! A perfect cube 12,000 furlongs (about 1,380 miles) [2,220 km]) in perimeter, surrounded by a wall 144 cubits, or 210 feet [64 m], in height... It would cover a territory about 14 times as large as modern Israel, and it would tower almost 350 miles [560 km] into outer space! ...[W]hat do these measurements tell us about heavenly New Jerusalem?" Even so, what with labor and supply issues, the city is not yet complete. The archangel in charge of the project was recently overheard complaining about a lack of skilled workers and delays on the construction of the pearly gates. He said, "Even with a head start of a couple of thousand years, the pearls are just not ready yet. The plans got approval later than expected. You just can't put an order in for a dozen pearls that size and then have the architect change his mind." Others have voiced environmental concerns as well. Asked when the city might be finished, the archangel replied, "Only the Father knows."
However, the GB has a little secret that they aren't telling anyone!! They know that Jerusalem fell in 587 Before Christ and that the REAL start to Christ's presence was in 1934, the same year that Rutherford tried to be fiends (friends?) with Hitler! In addition to that, "this generation" began in 1957 when the Russians launched Sputnik! So, we can expect the end in the year 2027 (70 years) or 2037 (80 years)
These dates do not seem realistic, however, in light of the scripture that says that ten kings will rule alongside the U.N. for 'one hour'. (Rev 17:12,13) Using the rule of 'a day is as a thousand years' we see that these kings will rule with the U.N. for 41 and 2/3 years. If the U.N. started to rule tomorrow, then the end would be upon us in 2048 anno domini.
Well, maybe that isn't the standard answer after all.
Dave -
15
Comments You Will Not Hear at the 6-4-06 WT Study (SHEPHERDS)
by blondie in(b) how does jehovah feel about appointed shepherds?.
(luke 22:55-60; 24:34; john 18:25-27; 21:114) did jesus reprimand the repentant peter for his lack of faith?
" (john 21:15-17) as the bible account of the history of the first-century christian congregation shows, jesus' confidence in peter was not misplaced.
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PrimateDave
Thank you Blondie!
"Loving Christian shepherds endeavor to show personal interest in each sheep in the congregation."
As soon as I got to the hall yesterday, I got some 'personal interest' in the form of an interrogation. My BS conductor wanted to know if I had attended a different book study than his. And where was I on Thurday night? (I wonder what he would have said if I told him I was reading Ray Franz's Crisis of Conscience?) Why wasn't I in service with the rest of the congregation Saturday? There was no point in telling the truth. Oh, and where is your field service time? 'I already put it in the box over there.'
There is no feeling of community. All the personal interest revolves around 'production numbers'. I don't remember if it was Noam Chomsky who said that corporations are authoritarian regimes, but the WTBS is just a corporation inside the skin of a religion.
"At times, shepherds may suggest ways in which an individual can improve in his service to Jehovah. In doing so, wise shepherds imitate the apostle Paul. Consider the way he appealed to the brothers in Thessalonica: "We have confidence in the Lord regarding you, that you are doing and will go on doing the things we order." (2 Thessalonians 3:4)"
It took me all of two minutes to see the spin of this 'study article'. Not that I paid attention, mind you. I was reading Who Wrote the Bible?, a book that explains the Documentary Theory of Biblical origins. Excellent book. The Society criticizes it in various WT and A articles but does not give any refutation.
Dave -
55
WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE/WORST STUDY BOOK?
by badboy inwhich ones did you hate and which ones did you like out of the study books?
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PrimateDave
I've just about finished Ray Franz's book Crisis of Conscience. What an eye opener! Well, it seems that the Commentary on James was written by Ed Dunlap. I don't have Franz's book with me at the moment, but I seem to remember that someone on the GB disagreed with the wording on some small part of the book and Franz rewrote a paragraph to kind of smooth over the objection. Anyway, from reading Franz's book, it seems that Ed Dunlap was a good man who really knew the Bible better than anyone on the GB, and he got the axe for his Bible trained conscience. What a raw deal! I have the WT Library on CD 2005. It contains the text for the Commentary on James. I wonder if the text has been altered from the originally published book.
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29
Why did God create mosquitoes?
by JH in.
i tried to finish mowing the lawn this morning and just couldn't.. there were about 775 mosquitoes around me .
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PrimateDave
LOL @ JH & kls!!
God owns shares in the major American corporations that produce insect repellant and mosquito netting.
And it could also be that he simply enjoys things that make irritating noises and disturb people on Saturday mornings while they are working in their yards. -
29
Why did God create mosquitoes?
by JH in.
i tried to finish mowing the lawn this morning and just couldn't.. there were about 775 mosquitoes around me .
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