PublishingCult

Joined

• started 83 topics
• posted 943 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by PublishingCult

• 
  12

  The Face Of Jehovah

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was one of the lucky ones (sarcasm).

  i was born into the cult of the publishing corporation.

  my earliest childhood memories are tangled horribly with the sights and sounds a kingdom hall.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  Looks like Frankenstein mixed with Matthew Perry

  Ha ha, yeah it does.
• 
  12

  The Face Of Jehovah

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was one of the lucky ones (sarcasm).

  i was born into the cult of the publishing corporation.

  my earliest childhood memories are tangled horribly with the sights and sounds a kingdom hall.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  
• 
  12

  The Face Of Jehovah

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was one of the lucky ones (sarcasm).

  i was born into the cult of the publishing corporation.

  my earliest childhood memories are tangled horribly with the sights and sounds a kingdom hall.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  I was one of the lucky ones (sarcasm). I was born into the Cult of the Publishing Corporation. My earliest childhood memories are tangled horribly with the sights and sounds a Kingdom Hall. Flashes of faces and suits and ties, stepford smiles all around, the droning of a male voice over the speakers, the plunk plunk plunk scratchy sound of prerecorded Kingdom songs on vinyl played over the PA system . . . voices singing From House to House in unison. Getting my two year-old ass torn up in the bathroom, I can only assume, for being disruptive and cranky during the closing prayer. There was the big orange Paradise book placed in my lap and opened to images of death and destruction.
  
  I remember this one dark cold night. I think I had witnessed my older brother, four years older than I, doing something he could apparently get in trouble for. He first told me in detail who Jehovah was, what he could do, that he sees everything, knows everything, and can do anything. He told me about Armageddon in detail. I was scared. He had my attention. He asked if I promised not to tell mom, and I am sure at that point I had forgotten all about what I had seen him do. I was so very young. I promised, not knowing what a promise actually was. He made me take an oath before Jehovah that I wouldn't tell mom. He made me say the words like some incantation, "I take an oath before Jehovah that I will not tell mom . . . ". Then he reminded me of what Jehovah would do to me if I should break my oath to him.
  
  It was during that experience that my imagination, for the first time, conjured up the image of Jehovah. I saw his face. I saw what he looked like. The image of his face based on everything I had experienced from infancy until that night came into my mind with vivid detail. He was there above me in my room. I could hear him breathing he was so close and watching me, his presence there, menacing, threatening, to remind me not break my oath. I suddenly felt him watching me all the time. I was four years old when I felt the oppressive accusing eyes of Jehovah burning into me.
  
  I have actually made an image of what Jehovah looked like to me my entire life, and I want to show you my impression of "the only true god".
  
  But, I am telling you this story because I am very curious to know what the face of Jehovah looks like to all of you. This is sort of an experiment.
  
  If you would, please, either draw a picture and post it, or write a description of his face. I would like to for all of us to compare these images, for I am curious to know what face your minds have produced when the name, Jehovah, is spoken.
  
  Thank you in advance for participating in this experiment.
  
  PC
• 
  7

  THE ANALOGY OF LEAVING THE ORGANIZATION OF JWs

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  can you give an analogy of what it was like (for you personally) leaving the organization of jehovahs witnesses?.

  for me, it was very much like the story of mountain climber aron ralston.

  the canyon wall of the narrow passage was the watchtower bible & tract society.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  Can you give an analogy of what it was like (for you personally) leaving the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses?
  
  For me, it was very much like the story of mountain climber Aron Ralston.

  
  
  The canyon wall of the narrow passage was the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
  
  The boulder crushing and pinning my hand to the canyon wall was my belief system, my JW indoctrination.
  
  My hand was my mangled confused crushed ability to reason, inoperable and useless to assist, and if my hand stayed pinned between the rock and the hard place, I would eventually die.
  
  I could not tell the cold deaf stone how it was hurting me, nor could I ask the merciless stone to release me, for it did not have the ability to reason, and preferred to rest in the comfort of its imposing weight. I could not move the boulder for it was too heavy and wedged too tightly between the narrow canyon walls. It was fixed and overwhelming. Though it did not have all of me, it only needed to keep my hand trapped where it was to prevent the rest of me from getting free, and from living.

  
  
  After many hours (months) of fear, confusion, delusion, searching for ways to lift the boulder and flee with my hand in tact, it came down to severing the dead hand, now obviously and completely dead, to get free.

  

  The WTBTS may have taken part of me, part of my life, my mind, but I am free.

  

  I do what I love, I love who I want, and live the way I need to. In some ways the new prosthesis of my heart and mind, my beliefs, my rationality, my sense of reason and logic is better and stronger than what I had to cut off and leave behind. It might always continue to feel a bit awkward, though.
• 
  26

  PACIFIC on Tsunami alert after biggest quake ever recorded hits Japan

  by hamsterbait in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  japan was hit by a 30 metre wave after an 8.9 superquake.

  10 metres is not 13 feet, as stated on another post, a metre is over three feet.. hawaii, phillipines and west coast of us on alert.. is anybody in the affected areas?.

  hb.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  And JW's all over the world are gleefully rubbing their hands together and thinking 'Armageddon' will be coming any day now.

  and I'll be waxing my surfboard
• 
  26

  PACIFIC on Tsunami alert after biggest quake ever recorded hits Japan

  by hamsterbait in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  japan was hit by a 30 metre wave after an 8.9 superquake.

  10 metres is not 13 feet, as stated on another post, a metre is over three feet.. hawaii, phillipines and west coast of us on alert.. is anybody in the affected areas?.

  hb.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  We anticipate a surge here in San Diego of maybe 2.3 feet at 8:41 this morning. Probably won't be very impressive or threatening.
• 
  57

  Governing Body Autographs Gift Bibles For Cuban Authorities

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "the one sacred book that thus from first to last declares its author to be jehovah god is the holy bible.

  " (w60 10/1 p. 584 par.

  5 the holy biblethe book by jehovahs witnesses).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  @ RayPublisher:

  The language is clear: "Governing Body members sign gift Bibles for public officials".

  Definition of SIGNATURE (Merriam-Webster)

  1 a: the act of signing one's name to something b: the name of a person written with his or her own hand

  Since the caption clearly says they were signing Bibles, and since we know the WTBTS publishes Bibles, their own NWT version, we can be certain they were not signing the country's guest registry. We can only go by the careful choice of language used by the WTBTS.

  Now, if however, you are talking about a gift inscription, the language to be used for such an act should make a clear distinction between the two ideas. To suggest it might only be a gift inscription is to merely suggest it might be a gift inscription, and you could be correct.

  

  The photo, however, highly suggests a formal book signing, for how many givers of books as gifts do so in the context of a photo op and sitting formally at a table simply to inscribe a message of appreciation to government officials and/or politicians unless it was a tacit act of political alignment or acquiescence?

  

  Which actually brings us to your reminder about the NGO scandal.
  
  This entire trip to Cuba by the governing body smacks of schmoozing with government officials, acting out of harmony with their stated Scriptural position when it comes to religious leaders and their dealings with government and politicians, or as the WTBTS puts it in the book, The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah, chap. 16 p. 297 par. 11, "hobnob with the politicians" in order to further "kingdom interests".
  
  The GB loves to point their self-righteous finger at the Catholic clergy, for example, who cooperate "with [the] business and political groups in trying to persuade their parishioners that all was well". (WT 12/01/80)
  
  Why is it the governing body can violate their own standards by hobnobbing with governments, and sign oaths of allegiance to them to further kingdom interests when my JW child must suffer ostracism by peers and teachers for not saluting the flag?
  
  Whatever the case may be, signing or inscribing, this shameless public display of hobnobbing with government officials only lends more weight to the UN NGO issue. Surely, we can reasonably agree on that point.
• 
  19

  Keeping JW's as Friends - Healthy? - New Awake Article

  by GOrwell in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  kidding about that awake article title - i know it sounds like the title of an awake article, please forgive me :).

  but seriously, do you think it's healthy to maintain friendships with people who are jehovah's witnesses?

  when is it time to "move on," even if they don't seem to want to?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  They shun you, point their collective fingers at you denouncing you as evil, demonic, under Satan’s control, a contaminant to the congregation and to spirituality. You are labeled “spiritually sick”.
  
  The art of projection/finger pointing has been mastered by the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Be careful when you point your finger at another person. You have three fingers on the same hand pointed right back at you.
  
  Take the WTBTS’s admonition and interpretation of 1 Corinthians 5:11:
  
  “But now I am writing YOU to quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a . . . a reviler . . . an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. “
  
  Those under the influence of the WTBTS are sick and delusional. They will make you sick. Not a chance in hell that I would associate with JW’s.
• 
  57

  Governing Body Autographs Gift Bibles For Cuban Authorities

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "the one sacred book that thus from first to last declares its author to be jehovah god is the holy bible.

  " (w60 10/1 p. 584 par.

  5 the holy biblethe book by jehovahs witnesses).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  How did they manage to legally go to Cuba in the first place? Wasn't it illegal for Americans unless you sneaked in by going to Mexico first?

  Americans can travel to Cuba legally if you are a Cuban American, politician, journalist or if you have a research project regarding Cuba. Others including students, religious groups, and humanitarians can apply for a license from the U.S. Treasury Department Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).

  I have submitted a request to the OFAC as follows:

  To Whom It May Concern,
  
  From December 1 to 7, 1998, members of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Lloyd Barry, John Barr, and Gerrit Lösch, paid a visit to Cuba, and they were accompanied by 15 other delegates. The visitors were citizens of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, New Zealand, and Puerto Rico, according to an article in the May 15, 1999 Watchtower Magazine published by the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society.
  
  I am writing you to respectfully request one copy each of any and all LICENSE APPLICATIONS FOR TRAVEL TO CUBA submitted by the members of this delegation, including all required attachments, specifically for Lloyd Barry, John Barr, and Gerrit Lösch, and copies of the licenses themselves for the purposes of research on this particular religious organization.
  
  Please send to:
  
  XXXXXXXX
• 
  57

  Governing Body Autographs Gift Bibles For Cuban Authorities

  by PublishingCult in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  "the one sacred book that thus from first to last declares its author to be jehovah god is the holy bible.

  " (w60 10/1 p. 584 par.

  5 the holy biblethe book by jehovahs witnesses).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  PublishingCult

  Could it be that they are NOT autographing the Bibles, but rather writing gift inscriptions in them?

  Something like "Please accept this copy of the NWT for your library," and then signed by the GB member?

  And that would be different.........in what way??? I've been to quite a few book signings. They look exactly like that picture in the WT. I've never known anauthor to send a stand-in for a book signing.

  Exatly. The caption clearly says, "Governing Body members sign gift Bibles for public officials".

  We call a person's signature in book or on boobies "an autograph".

  Athletes autograph baseballs and footballs, jerseys and ball caps. The September 1st, 1972 Watchtower talks a bit discouragingly and negatively about sports heroes whose fans follow their pattern, eat the same food and wear the same styles of clothing, and mentions the “great clamor for their autographs”.
  
  Movie stars, musicians and rock stars autograph photos, posters, music CD’s, DVD’s, and even belly buttons and bare breasts.
  
  The January 15th, 1993 Watchtower, in an article entitled, Guard Against Idolatry of Every Sort, the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses warns against putting anybody on a pedestal, and making him into an idol. They assert that idolatry can begin quite harmlessly by a person’s asking for an autograph as a souvenir. The article also discourages dressing and grooming like these celebrities, and reminds us that, for Christians, adoration belongs only to God.
  
  The December 8th Awake! Magazine offers the perspective that those of notoriety who give out autographs might be demonstrating “selfish ego and personal vanity”.
  
  Based on their Bible-trained consciences, and based on the viewpoint of Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, how would JW's view a situation in which, for example, the Pope met with corrupt politicians and publicly autographed Bibles for them as souvenirs?
  
  Authors autograph books for their readers they themselves have written and had published. Does it mean anything if just anybody autographed a book they did not author themselves? Does it make sense or hold any value for Joe Blow to autograph Marilyn Monroe’s 1959 headshot?

  The WTBTS makes it very clear who the Author of the Bible is, don’t they? They say Jehovah is the Bible's author. In the WT library, you can search and find many clear assertions by the WTBTS to this effect.

  Based on everything I know about the Bible and the WTBTS’s published viewpoints on idolatry and religion prostituting themselves with governments and politicians, this is a clear case of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses blatantly acting out of harmony with Bible teachings as set forth and interpreted by the WT Society. But here it is. It’s in print, arrogantly documented by the WTBTS themselves. They autographed Bibles for worldly politicians. They used the occasion, very obviously a political one, as a photo op.