I don't know how many witnesses know the teaching since I never did until just prior to my DA letter. I was shocked and appalled by that teaching. Why would all the witnesses pray in the name of Jesus if He wasn't their mediator, I guess GB didn't want to mention that in their reasoning. JC died for all but was mediator only between so called anointed??? Doesn't make sense at all. But than again nothing that originates with WTS leaders makes sense without twisting scriptures. Other sheep = great crowd is another strange one when one looks at it from the outside. Little flock = 144k? hmmm Glad to be out.
diamondiiz
JoinedPosts by diamondiiz
-
24
Jesus' Role as Mediator
by sd-7 ini just had a thought--never a good sign, right, ladies?--about jesus' role as mediator, as defined by the watchtower society.
i personally experienced a particularly interesting moment with my mother back when i first started to lose faith in the borg.
(i'm actually going to use that term, borg, now because "organization" makes me cringe every time i hear it, even when it's used at work.
-
-
-
22
The National Parks: America's Best Idea
by leavingwt ini'm looking forward to the new ken burns film, which will begin airing this weekend.. .
the national parks: america's best idea.
http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/.
-
-
diamondiiz
BurnTheShip: I would love to go to everglades. Love reptiles. Gaters are awsome, I almost got one at one time in my younger years. Would love to check out that part of the country as I was only 10 when I drove through there.
On a side note, if anyone goes through northern Arizona/Utah border a tine hole in a ground to check out is Antelope Canyon (actually two upper and lower) they are spectacular!!! One can spend hours shooting them and get totally different results as light changes in them creating different light and color. Not a NP but I thought it was worth mentioning.
-
22
The National Parks: America's Best Idea
by leavingwt ini'm looking forward to the new ken burns film, which will begin airing this weekend.. .
the national parks: america's best idea.
http://www.pbs.org/nationalparks/.
-
-
diamondiiz
I loved Canyonlands and Arches NP in Utah.
-
105
What exactly are JWs unique in?
by isaacaustin inthe wt will make the assertion that the witnesses have the truth (i.e.
are god's org) due to a huge laundry list of items.
of course, this ignores the fact that their teaching is that they were appointed over jesus earthly belongings in 1919. but, lets roll with it...the witnesses have the truth because they do not:.
-
-
diamondiiz
OT - AE, just out of curiousity you wouldn't be the same Reniaa character(s) would you? Just thought to ask since you came on just prior to its departure and post a lot in a less offensive style but something that wouldn't surprise me of wt doing. If you have no connection to Reniaa individual(s) I apolagize but please answer with yes or no statement.
Some unique doctrines are their interpretation of Rev and applying it to themselves. I'm not sure if there are any other religions teaching that Jesus is Michael in a heavenly position. Probably also unique in having stayed afloat for 130 years while having so many scandals within that short period of time and being able to keep these scandals nicely hidden from so majority of their followers
-
37
2010: What next for Jehovahs Witnesses?
by truthseeker inin the last two years we have seen many changes in the watchtower - a few are listed below.
what are your thoughts concerning the movement and direction of jehovah's witnesses for 2010 and beyond?.
doctrinal changes:.
-
-
diamondiiz
I doubt 144k teaching will change but something has to give with 1914 BS! They either stop mentioning it more and more in their publications and after some time, that it's almost a dead issue they drop the date as Christ's return (similar what they did with 1874/1014 during the 1930s). They could change 607 to 587bc and say that the Babylonians started their occupation of the land, and eliminate 1914 all together or buy themself another 20 years by pushing 1914 to 1935 but I doubt they will move 1914 to another date, more likely they'll drop it all together. I am surprised that they are lowering the required service numbers thus bringing averages down. People are getting tired out and pioneer numbers were dropping so they lowered their demands. Meetings were more and more empty so they shortened them. Waters are slowly drying up but it will take time. I'm looking forward to 2015 to see if there is a larger awakaning. I also sense that the articles are stressing more and more obedience to gb and maybe it's just me but there is just more emphasis put on the greatness of gb - maybe I just didn't notice it while a dub.
They also changed a bit with their view on education as they don't paint it all evil as they made it appear in the years past but still frawn upon University studies this should help encourage more kids to stay longer??? Smaller GB probably makes issue discussions less appealing as these old farts know their stand and they have no reason to vote on doctrine that won't get passed anyways. If they introduce new GB then there might be more nigh light shining forth as these new ones can vote against the present majority and it could be why they're not replacing dying gb members. Will it go back to one supreme leader again?
I don't see them going anywheres anytime soon, their increases will be flat or will start trending lower and they will end up like all other religions where only few hard core diehards stay around as gb keeps on stressing the love of many is cooling off as another sign that the end is so close at hand.
-
69
A Smurf walked out of the Kingdom Hall
by Joshnaz inwhen i was a kid, i'm guessing 5 or 6 years old.
the "smurfs are demonized" rumors started spreading around.
after a few weeks of hearing that and having to throw away all my smurf toys, i was at the kingdom hall and a sister came in with a bookbag with a big picture of a smurf on it!
-
-
diamondiiz
Didn't C.T.Russell look like Papa Smurf? Actually Papa Smurf was single and Charlie was divorced, looked like Papa Smurf had hots for the Smurfette just like Charlie liked Rose- hmm maybe you seen CT Russell's invisible return and that's why he appeared blue?
-
50
How many congregations have you been in???
by angel eyes inor did you remain in the same one since childhood?.
-
-
diamondiiz
7 or 8. I DA myself from the nicest (real or fake) cong I've been to but I would never go back as long as I have to follow mind numbing retards in Brooklyn. For anyone to know the truth and go back to follow scum like GB it would be like Jesus going back to Judas and seating him on the left hand of God.
-
279
Golden Age Goodies
by Leolaia inrecently i had the pleasure to examine a stash of 1920s and 1930s golden age magazines, among the rarest of watchtower publications.
i thought it would be a fun idea to have a thread in which i share with you some of the amazing, ridiculous, hilarious things contained therein.
hence, this is the first post of a series of excerpts, scans, etc.
-
-
-
-
-
diamondiiz
Pjs - search out Mexican constitution (pre-1990) on the net and in that document search out religion if I remember correctly it should bring you to the part of the Mexican constitution that states that Mexicans have freedom to follow any religion and cult and other organizations and there is a part about these organizations being forbidden to own property and some other details that I don't remember exactly. You'll read that part and then you'll find yourself WT yearbook on Mexico, it's around 1990 era and ask yourself WHY wasn't WTS a registered religion when they could had been for decades.
Next thing you search out if the "carilla" is a fact or Ray Franz's lied? Did Ray make it up? We all see things from different angles at times and we sometimes see things differently than others so maybe Ray was wrong in his observations that is why it is up to us to go and do our research to double check if his statements are correct. As far as I checked out his statements are true. Maybe I'm missing something which I would readily view more information if it is presented. I may not have checked all other facts which I admit but the story to my knowledge appears to be true.
Would God use this organization as His own in such a manner to hurt people? I doubt it. God testing people is WTS lingo, it's more like wts' demands test people. Same nonsense as satan causes this or that, doesn't it appear that humans on their own can come up with enought evil inventions without a need of a spirit creature? I doubt satan influenced anyone in making an atom bomb, or how to skin a human or hang a man on a stake and light him up. Mankind has enough evil in himself to imagine all sorts of evils. Religion will claim it's satan's testing or god testing or satan causing or god allowing. Maybe we take it for what it is, in case of Malawi it's religion implying something and followers obeying. In case of job loss it is a circumstance that has occured and the individual needs to deal with it has nothing to do with testing. Religion makes people VERY superstitious and everything is either a test by god or satan or caused by god or satan. One gets a promotion and it's a blessing to one because the family will be taken care off better. Another one will claim it's a curse because one may miss a meeting - pure religious nonsense! No test, no god involved no satan involved, religious superstision and that's all.
We hear (heard) examples as - a witness was about to quit service but decided to call on a house where he finds an interested one who prayed for answers from God. It's either a made up story or out of all these millions hours spend the coincidents is bound to happen that a witness calls on someone who may have been in distressed situation praying. The story is probably spiced up too to make it sound better and build emotion during a ca or da. There was a co who gave a fine example of him quiting his job and pioneering and relying on Jehovah and putting God's interests first and was blessed for it - but he never mentioned he was wealthy, retired early and was living well off his savings and had income coming in if I remember correctly, that little fact they never mentioned from the stage. Now it a naive listener thinks to himself "Wow, Jehovah must be really blessing this man, I should quit my full time job and pioneer since I'm young and healthy" (no not me :) ) now this naive follower tries it and barely makes a living, scrapes by from month to month and calls it either a test of his endurance or blessing for being able to survive on practically nothing. Religion makes people believe one way or another and twists reality however way you like it. Religion always points to something that's it;s a test. You choose a job it's a test. You choose your mate it's a test. Are you going to the meeting after you worked your ass of all day and are exhusted is a test. Give me a break, I doubt God has nothing better to do than test people constantly with mandane things that are part of regular life except wts like other high control groups doesn't want that reality to penetrate their followers minds since they may realize that their religion is the one that is testing them in their every move they make and not God nor Satan.
Maybe I became too skeptical of all this testing by satan and testing by Jehovah but I don't buy it any more. Get rid of your superstition and you might see more clearly.
-
-
-
diamondiiz
pjs - you're repeating wts nonsense. I know quite well what WTS claims is God's direction and what they claim is his people. I don't need years to study. My old friends (pre-wts) were more real than any I met in the KHs. I could have trust them with my opinions, thoughts and life - that you can never do with any of your so called friends. For most part a witness will side with gb and will reject their friends or family member(s) for strangers they've never even met. Since I don't want to bog you down with too much I will bring up Mexican witnesses bribing army officials to get themselves a card fstateing they served a year in a military. This fraud had gb blessing as implied that other south american countries are accustomed to bribes so no big deal for witnesses to do likewise in Mexico with the military service card. Same time frame, Malawi witnesses were getting raped and butchered because they felt it would be wrong to buy a political card in One party state! GB had no problem with that either, after all they were able to use Malawi as an example of faith to show how people should act when it came to dying for the faith but how many articles or conventions mentioned that Mexicans were doing illegal acts to better their lot in life? I would say breaking the neutrality stand that is sooo important to gb. Oh this same chosen group had no problem being registered in Mexico as a cultural organization so they could own property while Mexican constitution since 1917 allowed all religions and cults to exist with the exception of owning property until that law changed in '89 or 90 when WTS actually registered itself as a religion in '89 if I remember correctly and made a big stink that Mexican witnesses could finally hold actual meetings like all other witnesses. It's religions like this that make people suffer and it has nothing to do with God.