Posts by Disillusioned JW

27

"Somebody" needs to do "Something!"

by Terry in

jw
friends

it's always unjustifiable for a country to attack another country without having first been attacked itself.. the nuremberg trials at the end of wwii made this clear.. more vividly too: following orders as a patriotic duty is never secondary to the pangs of your personal conscience.. .

worst of all, hypocrisy destroys credibility when you.

criticize other countries for doing what you have done.. .

Disillusioned JW

I don't think Biden in trying to cause the USA to start a hot war with Russia. I think the Biden administration and a number of European nations are trying (by means of a cold war) to avoid making the mistake they made in the 1930s in dealing with Hitler and Nazi Germany. Back in the 1930s they initially made no serious effort to prevent Hitler from invading/taking countries (especially those containing many German people). To their surprise they saw Germany invade/take nation after nation. Only after Germany did such did they go war with Germany, but by then it was very very hard to defeat Hitler. If they had strongly resisted him much earlier they would have stopped him long before he invaded/took more countries - including long before he bombed Britain and before he overran France. That is one thing which the study of world history teaches. To me, in regards to conquest of nations, the actions of Putin and his Russia are like the actions of Hitler and his Germany, though on a much smaller scale.

Should the USA and NATO and western Europe really wait to take major action until Putin's Russia has reconquered the former states/nations of the USSR and regained control of much of the rest of eastern Europe? I say no! Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it! Putin's ultimate goal is to bring back the entire USSR and its whole sphere of influence - not just a relatively small portion of what was lost from it.

LoveUniHateExams, I agree with you that the USA should never had gone to war with Iraq after the 9/11 attack. I also never believed that that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction - I firmly believed what the UN inspectors had said about Iraq not having such weapons. After the USA went to war against Iraq I twice went to downtown Portland, Oregon (when George W. Bush was president of the USA) and joined in a protest march against the war (a march which called for the end to the war)!

46

Where will the war in Ukraine lead to?

by Kosonen in

jw
friends

there has been comments in the news recently that the war in ukraine could be the beginning to the world war three.. i would not be surprised if it is.

.

the bible says a time will come when the peace will be taken from the earth.. revelation 6:4 another came out, a fiery-colored horse, and it was granted to the one seated on it to take peace away from the earth so that they should slaughter one another, and he was given a great sword.. have you heard what possibly this war in ukraine could lead to?.

Disillusioned JW

LV101, I don't see the book you mentioned called "Jehovah's Witnesses and the New World Order?" (with the question mark included in the title"). Are you sure about the title? I do however see on Amazon a book/booklet called Jehovah's Witnesses and the New World Order: The Hidden Link. Is that the book/booklet you mean? That book/booklet is not a JW book in the sense of being written by the WT/JWs (though perhaps it was written by an ex-JW), but it is about them and the UN.

Interestingly yesterday I was watching a DVD of a History Channel show about the secrets of the USA dollar bill (and the show talked a lot about the Masons). It interviewed people who talked about the back of the USA seal shown on the back of $1 bill saying "New Order of the Ages" in Latin (and the show mentioned that some incorrectly translate it as "New Secular Order"). That had me thinking once again a lot about the WT and its teaching of the "New Order" (and the "New World"). Years ago I read that the NT has a Greek word called "aion" which the 1984 NWT translates as "system of things", but a book I read says it literally means "age" (or "eon") in the sense of "ages" (or "eons"). [For documentation the WT's usage see https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1200004288 .] As we know the WT teaches a New World and a New Order (and an end of the "system of things") and of living forever in that New Order.

13

Are They Letting the Organization Go?

by pistolpete in

interesting idea by;.

fabian strategy warrior.

to many of you, this idea might seem absurd, but is it?.

Disillusioned JW

According to a news article dated today the rate of growth of the numbers of JWs in the USA shot up dramatically in the year 2021! Surprise! See http://rockrivertimes.com/2022/03/03/jehovahs-witnesses-increase-as-virtual-meetings-ministry-conventions-keep-individuals-active-and-safe/ which says the following.

' ... in the spring of 2020 .... Jehovah’s Witnesses suspended their in-person public ministry, large meetings and assemblies.

... With this historic change, the number of Jehovah’s Witnesses grew 3% in the United States in 2021 alone, matching the most significant increase for the organization over the past decade and the second-largest percentage increase since 1990.

“Staying active in our ministry while remaining safe has had a powerful preserving effect on our congregants and communities,” said Robert Hendriks, U.S. spokesman for Jehovah’s Witnesses. “The wise decision not to prematurely resume in-person activities has united us and protected lives while comforting many people in great need. The results speak for themselves.”

... Last year, the international organization reported all-time peaks in the number of people participating in their volunteer preaching work, increased attendance in Zoom meetings and more than 171,000 new believers baptized. In the past two years, more than 400,000 have been baptized worldwide.

Some whose ministry or attendance at religious services had slowed because of age and poor health said they feel reenergized with the convenience of virtual meetings and a home-based ministry.

... By sharing the Bible’s hope remotely, the fewer than 3,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses in Alaska can rapidly preach across the 586,000 square miles of their sparsely populated state. “We’re talking to more people in a day than we did in a month,” said Marlene Sadowski of Ketchikan.

... After starting a free self-paced Bible course on jw.org in December 2019, Lisa Owen requested a free, interactive Bible study over Zoom. She was one of nearly 20,000 baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses last year in the United States in private settings, including backyard swimming pools, tubs and even rivers.'

WOW! The new form of witnessing is working wonders for the WT's religion (if the growth rate numbers released by the WT are accurate). It is growing the religion rapidly instead of slowing it down. Amazing.

18

Pat Robertson makes one last ''doomsday prediction''

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

pat roberston,92, comes out of his million dollar mansion ( which his loyal followers paid for ) to continue his doomsday prediction.

pat needs to make one last appearance to show his followers he was right all along.

after all his failed predictions on his ''700 club,'' pat needs to show his followers that this ''doomsday prediction'' is a bible prophecy.

Disillusioned JW

When Pat Robertson ran for the Republican party nomination for USA President he won one caucus state election. The year he ran Jessie Jackson (an ultra progressive candidate) ran for the Democratic party nomination for USA President and Jackson won multiple states.

13

Are They Letting the Organization Go?

by pistolpete in

interesting idea by;.

fabian strategy warrior.

to many of you, this idea might seem absurd, but is it?.

Disillusioned JW

I read the claim that there were numerous WT doctrinal changes made since the year 2013 but I am only aware of a few (or at most several) of them. I ask that someone post a long list of the changes.

13

Are They Letting the Organization Go?

by pistolpete in

interesting idea by;.

fabian strategy warrior.

to many of you, this idea might seem absurd, but is it?.

Disillusioned JW

Getting rid of types and antitypes might cause a problem for the religion in some ways, but types and antitypes is bad theology (and wrong application of bible prophecies), and outmoded thinking. For example, neither Jehovah God (nor any any pre-Christian humans attributed as writers for him) ever meant for apostate Jerusalem or apostate Israel to represent a future Christendom (or apostate Christianity). Likewise the writer (whether the human transcriber, Jesus, or even Jehovah) of the book of Revelation never meant for the two witnesses (mentioned in Revelation) to refer to 7 or 8 men at WT headquarters (nor the WT corporation, nor Russell's/Rutherford's Bible Student movement) of the 20th century CE.

15

Jehovah's witnesses at polish border. Wtf

by usualusername1 in

jw
friends

sky news reporting ukrainian refugees coming into poland.

"jws are offering support".

🤦🏿.

Disillusioned JW

Unlike in North Korea the JW men in the Ukraine can get a religious exemption (perhaps being required to do medical work during wartime or some other noncombat community service). Note that https://www.refworld.org/docid/57a188544.html (a website of the UN) says the following (the bold face emphasis is mine).

'2. Conscientious Objectors

Sources state that the Ukrainian military allows for alternative service for conscientious objectors (US 14 Oct. 2015, 5; UN Sept. 2015, para. 36; Equal Rights Trust Aug. 2015, 192) based on religious grounds (ibid.; UN Sept. 2015, para. 36). According to information posted on the website of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Article 35 of The Constitution of Ukraine states that

[n]o one shall be relieved of his or her duties before the State or refuse to perform the laws for reasons of religious beliefs. In the case that the performance of military duty is contrary to the religious beliefs of a citizen, the performance of this duty shall be replaced by alternative (non-military) service. (Ukraine [2015])

The 2004 summary version of the 1992 Law of Ukraine "'On Alternative (Non-Military) Service'," as found on the website of the Institute for Religious Freedom (IRF), a Kyiv-based human rights NGO that assists "in the realization of freedom of conscience, religion, beliefs and other related human rights…and dissemination of information on the status of the law and religious life" in Ukraine (IRF n.d.), states that

[c]itizens shall do alternative service on the enterprises which are in state or communal ownership or dominant part in the state fund of which is in the state or communal ownership. Activity of such enterprises shall be related to social protection of population, health protection, environmental protection, building, housing and communal services, and agriculture. Besides, alternative service may be conducted in medical attendance service in Red Cross organizations of Ukraine. Labour relations between the citizen who does military service and enterprise shall be maintained on the basis of written fixed-date labour agreement. (Ukraine 2004)

Further information on the details of alternative non-military service could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate within the time constraints of this Response.

According to a report by Equal Rights Trust[1], which was written in partnership with the LGBT Human Right Centre Nash Mir, the religious groups that are able to claim conscientious objector status, on the basis that their religious organisations do not allow their members to bear arms, are: Adventist Reform Church, Seventh Day Adventists, Evangelical Christians, Evangelical Christian-Baptists, the Slavic Church of the Holy Spirit (Pokutnyky), Jehovah's Witnesses, the Charismatic Christian Churches and the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (Equal Rights Trust Aug. 2015, 192). An excerpt from the forthcoming (2016) book Free Radicals: War Resisters in Prison, by CJ Hinke, as found on the website of World Beyond War, a "global nonviolent movement to end war and establish a just and sustainable peace" (World Beyond War n.d.b), similarly indicates that in Ukraine, those who are able to claim religious conscientious objector status are: Seventh Day Adventists, Baptists, Adventists-Reformists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Charismatic Christians (ibid. n.d.a).'

https://www.state.gov/reports/2020-report-on-international-religious-freedom/ukraine/ ("An official website of the United States Government") mentions legal cases involving JWs in Ukraine.

https://www.jw.org/en/news/legal/by-region/ukraine/human-rights-conscientious-objectors/ has a news article which says the following (the bold face emphasis is mine). "Ukraine’s high court has affirmed that conscientious objectors have the right to alternative service even in times of civil unrest and war. This decision has broad implications for human rights, both in Ukraine and abroad.

... The courts of Ukraine have recognized that conscientious objection to military service is a fundamental human right that merits protection even during military mobilization. It is neither a selfish evasion of duty nor a threat to national interests and security. In affirming the rulings of the lower courts, the high court has upheld human rights for all Ukrainians. Ukraine has set an example for countries that punish conscientious objectors who refuse military service for reasons of conscience."

11

Why the King of South (USA) is in the Northern Hemisphere?

by pistolpete in

there's been a lot of talk among jws, that this is it with russia (king of the north) pushing and shoving against the (king of the south usa).

but look at the world map below on the link, and notice that usa is in the northern hemisphere.. meaning the king of the south must be none other than -----------argentina .

that's so funny that jws still can't figure it out that they are being conned to the max.

Disillusioned JW

Other than first king of the north and the first king of the south (according to WT interpretation and according to the interpretation of many Christian groups), I think it also pertains to the role the most recent kings take in relation to the prior two kings. I think it is role which primarily identifies them, not primarily which one is at the most northern latitude. For a WT explanation in regards to the communist block led by the Soviet Union (now identified as led by Russia and its allies) being the king of the north, see pages 270 and 275-278 in the WT 1999 book called Pay Attention to DANIEL'S PROPHECY (note that book was revised in 2006 but I don't have a copy of the revision and I haven't read the current online edition).

But note that most modern scholars (at least according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel%27s_final_vision ) say "... that the Daniel who appears as the hero of the Book of Daniel never existed ...".

If one accepts the WT's interpretation (at least that given in the first edition of the Daniel book) of the current kings of the north and the south (and of whom they currently say is the king of the north), then most likely according to that interpretation there will not be a nuclear war between Britain-USA and Russia (along with its allies). Why is that? Well if they mutually attacked each other with nuclear weapons then most likely neither of them would remain a world power and there would likely no longer be a king of the north and a king of the south (in the sense of the WT interpretation of the prophecy in Daniel) - not even later replacement kings for them. But page 285 (along with page 179) of the WT's book on Daniel says that neither of the two kings comes to its end by the hands of the other, but that instead the king of the south is destroyed by God's Kingdom and that at the battle of Armageddon all earthly kings at time will be removed by God's kingdom.

Interestingly page 278 of the WT's Daniel book in paragraph 17 says the following. "In modern times [Edom, Moab, and Ammon] represent nations and organizations that the king of the north targeted but was unable to bring under his influence." Could that also prove to be the case with Russia's attack on Ukraine? Very recent reports says that Russian is having a hard time in quickly defeating Ukraine, and the reports say many nations are condemning Russians war actions against the Ukraine. Furthermore Germany and the USA announced it will send weapons to the Ukraine, the EU said it will pay for weapons that will go to Ukraine, nations are financially cutting off Russian banks from SWIFT, and England along with the EU are cutting off commercial flights to their lands from Russia. Furthermore, according to Fox News "Ukrainian military official releases video showing what appears to be Russian missile system being destroyed by a drone" (but I don't yet know if that claim is accurate).

15

Jehovah's witnesses at polish border. Wtf

by usualusername1 in

jw
friends

sky news reporting ukrainian refugees coming into poland.

"jws are offering support".

🤦🏿.

Disillusioned JW

I read (in regards to Ukraine) that is a drafting/conscripting reservists of men aged 18 - 60. I'm not sure that means the men were drafted to enter the reserves (see the article below which gives a clue). Maybe it only means that those men already in the reserves have been drafted/conscripted into service.

Furthermore, an article from last December says the following (at https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/12/27/ukraine-requires-women-register-military-conscription-russia-threat-looms.html ).

'According to an updated regulation that went into effect Friday, Dec. 17, women between 18 and 60 who are "fit for military service" and work in a broad range of professions are required to register with Ukraine's armed forces. In the event of a major war, this expanded reserve of women can be mobilized as part of the national reserve to serve in a broad range of military specialties.

"This is not about conscription after reaching some age, as it is for men. It is about conscription in the wartime. And considering more than 122,000 Russian troops are at our borders, the decision seems logical, timely, and sensible," said Oleksandra Ustinova, 36, a member of Ukraine's national parliament, the Verkhovna Rada.'

30

How the Good work of Russell became the curse of the Watchtower today

by Terry in

the greatest benefit to come from jehovah's witnesses was the introduction of honest investigation into the.

claims of christianity based on the bible.. exposing error was the gimmick.. replacing doctrine or ritual with door to door activity was the greatest failure to follow truth where it leads.. .

mainstream religion in pastor russell's day was set in stone.

Disillusioned JW

Update: I notice that according to the above mentioned Wikipedia article France did have a powerful radical and socialist party at one time. The article says the following about that. "Until World War II, Radicals were a strong political force in France, embodied by the Republican, Radical and Radical-Socialist Party which was the most important party of the Third Republic."