Posts by Heaven

6

Former fundamentalist 'debunks' Bible

by insearchoftruth in

http://www.cnn.com/2009/living/05/15/bible.critic/index.html.

he was also interviewed about a month or so ago on npr..

Heaven

PrimateDave … thank you for your post! It sounds to me like you have a similar understanding of your family history as I have about mine. I am curious about it, I think, in part because I am getting older and many family members are gone now. My grandparents were English, Irish, and Scottish. Beyond that, I only know a portion of the history. I do know my maternal grandfather spent some time in India. Who knows what could have happened there?

I have questions about family that have not been answered. There is nothing written down. Time and money are two things I don’t have a lot of so I haven’t delved further, coupled with the understanding that I may not find any records since some were destroyed. My cousin started a family tree beginning with her paternal grandparents (my maternal grandparents) and I saw how quickly it was growing from that point! I hadn’t really thought about the actual numbers of relatives since I stopped thinking once I got to 'some grandparents records lost' and only knowing a bit about some of my great grandparents. The math you presented here is mind boggling!

As I started reading the Bible, it names so many people, all first names, and I was struck with the thought of how can anyone possibly connect themselves back to these people? Just one of the reasons I have my own doubts about the Bible. I view the Bible as kind of a history of man but it sure falls short on details in many ways.

I work with a Muslim man who can cite 7 generations of his family. I was impressed! I asked if he can connect his family to anyone in the Qur’an and he said ‘No way. Impossible.’

Your question … Could we be descended from "Biblical" characters? Who knows? i s one I have been mulling over quite a bit of late and thought I would ask if anyone has been able to do it.

21

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-17-09 WT Study (VIGILANT)

by blondie in

jw
friends

http://exjehovahswitnessforum.yuku.com.

http://www.jwsupportforum.com/index.php.

http://www.jehovahswitnessrecovery.com/.

Heaven

That Kingdom government is very shortly going to bring an end to Satan's world

It's 'very shortly' now. Hmmmm.... Interesting. So, what IS the definition of 'very shortly'? Especially when there are still some prophecies left to be fulfilled. I've never received an answer to this question.

For nearly a century now, horrendous events taking place around the world testify that we are living in the last days.

'Nearly a century?' Uhhhh.... what about things like 'The Spanish Inquisition' (starting in 1478) ... or 'The Crusades' (the first one starting around 1095)? It's been many centuries... like around 21 of them!!

Interesting use of the word 'VIGILANT'. Stick an 'E' on the end of that word and you get 'VIGILANTE'. It's a fine line... much like the line between sanity and insanity.

12

get a load of this

by mouthy in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zi26y4ds6-k.

Heaven

I was totally amazed to find out that they actually allow 'blood fractions' now. When I was little it was emphatically NO BLOOD! No discussion. You should have heard my mother describe how doctors want to get in their and 'mess around'... that's why they used blood. She was angry and screwed her face all up in disgust. I thought it a very odd reaction. It didn't make sense to me... and it didn't sit well in my heart and mind.

I think if all JWs actually believe the blood doctrine from the WT, then they should all 'abstain' by draining the blood from their bodies this instant. It's the same logic. This is where using the Bible for their own purposes (to prove they are God's only people) doesn't jive with other scriptures about blood, especially Levitus 17:14 and Deuteronomy 12:23. In addition, if the original blood doctrine had been accurate, truthful, and from God, it wouldn't have to change now would it?

One of my many issues with this organization.

26

How Do YOU Handle Busybodies?

by minimus in

jw
friends

we all know elders believe they have the god given right to ask any question they want, especially if they are "investigating" a matter that could be "judicial" in nature.

but not only elders are known to ask personal questions.

i've seen elder's wives ask inappropriate questions simply because they were "elder's wives".

Heaven

It really depends on what kind of mood I'm in. Anywhere from sweet as pie to outlandish stories (like troubled mind) to turning it back on them (like minimus) to rabidly angry (with actual foaming at the mouth for emphasis). I like being flexible. (Red Alert -- Shields UP!)

10

How to get this Forum/website higher up the Google search rankings?

by ThomasCovenant in

are there any ways we can increase the google search position for this site by the way we access it?.

(i'm definitely not computer / tinternet savvy.).

i haven't got this site stored in bookmarks/favourites.

Heaven

Start including items that are most searched on the Internet including movie and music stars, latest gadgets, and world holidays and events.

47

New Guidelines for this Forum - Please take notes

by BonaFide in

we are happy to inform you of some rule changes on this forum.

we do not want to give the impression they are rules, so we will use the term guidelines.

at present, some are using this forum to express their own opinion.

Heaven

Why are the vast majority of "apostates" smarter than the average bear?

They're the ones with the most pic-a-nic baskets.

4

Hilarious! A Mormon Mother's Day

by rebel8 in

http://exmormonforums.com/viewtopic.php?f=14&t=1513.

Heaven

And they just keep confirming what I've felt since my teen years... all religions are man-made. Glad I've never joined any of these groups borgs.

This is what I tell my father when he tries to push me to become a JW .... "ALL religion is man-made, Dad, including the JWs. I seek a higher power than an organization of men."

(I like using the terms 'man' and 'men' since most of these borgs don't equitably treat women).

10

Our Strengths...a list of attributes post-cult

by alamb in

jw
friends

found this tonite while online.

i was comforted to know that we have all come out stronger...and why.. compassion & empathy: having survived cultic abuse, you may be readier to empathize with someone else's grief.

it's easy to see the difference between the care and concern our commenters show each other and the hurtful sarcasm so prevalent in the blogosphere.

Heaven

It was after I left home to attend school and then enter the working world that I truly began to realize the devastating ramifications of the WTS on me and my family. I had always been my own person and rejected any of their doctrines that didn't sit well in my heart and mind.... but listening to my mother speak about how bad everything was every time I went to visit my parents was certainly and eye-opener. Her complete abdication of responsibility for her life was another. Her ever deepening depression and collapse just broke my heart.

In the real world, the theme is "How can we accomplish this?" and "Let's make it happen!" and in the JW world it's "Everything and everyone outside of 'us' is bad"' and "What do you want to do THAT for?!"

I tried to help my Mum. What I learned is .... you can only help someone who truly wants to be helped. The best I was allowed to do was just be there. So that's what I did. I wish I could have done more.

47

New Guidelines for this Forum - Please take notes

by BonaFide in

we are happy to inform you of some rule changes on this forum.

we do not want to give the impression they are rules, so we will use the term guidelines.

at present, some are using this forum to express their own opinion.

Heaven

Member: BonaFide

Joined: 10 months ago

Soooo..... 10 months on JWN doesn’t constitute a ‘newbie’?

6

Former fundamentalist 'debunks' Bible

by insearchoftruth in

http://www.cnn.com/2009/living/05/15/bible.critic/index.html.

he was also interviewed about a month or so ago on npr..

Heaven

I haven't read his book but I would like to .... adding it to my list. I have always had questions about the Bible. Things didn't 'flow' properly and seemed to be in contrast to other things... especially reality. I definitely got out of the Bible that there are 'exceptions to the rules' (ie Christ healing a man on the Sabbath. He broke a rule but for the right reasons.).

I like Ehrman's statement from this article as it is sooo true!

no one accepts everything in the Bible. Everyone picks and chooses

Not that I've tried very hard to do this but... can anyone link themselves back to any of the people cited in the Bible? Unfortunately, I'm not sure I have enough information or could even find it (some key relatives documents were destroyed in the fire of London) to be able to trace my ancestry. So far, I only know back as far as my great grandparents. I may be able to find more if I put a concerted effort in but I may just come up frustrated as well. When birth records are destroyed or lost (or maybe never existed), how can you proceed?