respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  45

  It got to be hard being a JW today!!!!

  by jam in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i can understand why they think the end is near.. in the old days, one was proud to be a jw (well maybe.

  not for you young ones) but for us that came in the 60,s.

  and 70,s, we felt no shame in our game.

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  respectful_observer

  They don't stand out as different anymore. No more sacrificing for The Kingdom. New houses. Expensive vacations (NOT to seldom worked territory). They are just "keeping one foot in the door" just in case. . . .

  That's how it seems to be in my area as well. I can't even recall the last time I heard a single person under the age of 40 say "Well the New System will be here by then!" or "The End will be here before Little Jonny graduates from High School."

  Instead you hear:

  • "I'm psyched that the 401(k) match at my new job is much better than my old one!"
  • "We'll probably stay here until the kids are done with school, but then move somewhere with palm trees. I'd never want to retire around here."
  • (In a low tone) "We know technically college is a no-no, but there's no way Little Suzy isn't getting her degree."
  • "We're just making sure we don't end up like both our parents...self-employed with little/no retirement savings."
  • "Sorry, I watched my dad get burned out as an elder and my mom burned out as a pioneer. There's no way we're going to put each other and our kids through that. Making it to the meeting is hard enough."

  Oh, and practically everyone drinks like fish.
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  42

  JULY 15th Study Watchtower - NEW LIGHT IS FANTASY

  by The Searcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the july 15 study watchtower uses all 4 study articles to try to inculcate into every witnesses' mind that the governing body is indisputably god's sole channel of communication on earth.

  to do so, it uses a multitude of scriptures along with seriously flawed un-inspired reasoning.

  the foundation stone of this watchtower's blatant agenda is the claim that when jesus used only a few to dispense the physical food to the many, he was setting a principle which would be applied to the distribution of spiritual food after he returned to heaven.

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  respectful_observer

  Also think about the ratio of disciples to the number fed, how many would be required to feed 7,000,000? More than 8 I think......................

  I guess it's a good thing they discontinued food service at the conventions!

  Wait, so what does it mean that we now supply our food at the assemblies and conventions?! Wouldn't that be the same as supplying ourselves our own spiritual food too??
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  32

  Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-05-2013 WT Study (STUMBLING)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  stumbling block.

  comments.

  comments.

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  respectful_observer

  15 One brother who was raised in a Christian household wrote that for as long as he could remember, he struggled with homosexual tendencies.

  I actually commented on this paragraph. I think it's stupid that they always use this term "tendencies". I said "Here we're given this experience of a gay brother. Being gay has obviously been a huge struggle for his in his efforts to remain in the congregation...".

  I was anticipating someone being horrified that I'd say there were actually gay JWs, but instead I actually had several people approach me after the meeting and thanked me profousely for my comment and told me how much they appreciated how I said it. Who knew?!
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  28

  Sad Discussion Regarding Beards

  by turtleturtle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so both my wife and i are awake to ttatt.

  we are still active, patiently waiting for the org to implode.

  being active, it is evident this is happening as a quickening.. we were having a discussion regarding shaving & beards.

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  respectful_observer

  "The Illustrated London News," October 1, 1949, shows a cross with a young man nailed to it, beardless and with short hair, to represent "Christ crucified, but triumphant."

  Since the Bible does not describe Jesus’ facial appearance or indicate he had a beard of length, we follow the oldest archaeological evidence..."

  Following that logic, shouldn't they also show him hanging on a cross and not a stake?
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  47

  Day One After Armgeddon written by a JW awaiting the Big A w/eager expectation - Warning: LOOOONG!!!

  by Eve Deceived in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  once we found out we were all witnesses, we all hugged.

  now we just had to see if our kingdom hall was still standing.

  when we came to the hall we had such a huge shock.. there were so many people there.

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  respectful_observer

  Awe man, I hate that the writer skipped over what happened 1 week after Armageddon...you know, just around the time that every single nuclear reactor on the planet finally overheats because the power grid is down and can't keep the fuel rods cool anymore. Nothing like 700 simultaneous nuclear meltdowns worldwide.

  Maybe that First Aid tent at the KH is equipped to treat radiaton burns??
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  33

  Skydiving/Parachuting. A disfellowship offense?

  by stealthmode-brazil in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm an active witness from brazil (who would leave if it weren't for my family/friends inside) and always dreamed about practicing skydiving.

  but as radical sports are a no-no for witnesses... i wonder if any elder or ex-elder on this forum knows if an active jw, practices skydiving/parachuting once and/or regularly, can he or she be disfellowship on that basis?

  i'm considering secretly jumping but afraid if someone finds out.

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  respectful_observer

  It's not a DF-ing offense. I once had my C.O. tell me that he skydives occassionally. He told me "if you decide to go, just be sure you don't go around telling everyone. It only becomes an issue if someone is stumbled by it."
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  45

  I heard Jehovah's Witnesses were the first ones on the scene in Boston providing assistance.

  by Theocratic Sedition in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you know those articles from the wt are coming, along with emails from jw friends and family.

  all the shameless self-attaboys, and fictitious observations by non-jws remarking on how jws provided the most and best assistance to the victims..

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  respectful_observer

  I can verify that there were several JWs running the marathon yesterday. Several were within a mile of the finish line when the bombs went off. One of them had crossed the finish line less than 30 seconds after the first bomb went off so was very close. They are all safe and sound.

  I'd post more, but don't want to "out" myself....

  As of JWs being on the scene for "support and comfort" none of the Boston-based JWs that I know have related any such experiences. The media did mention that several people were walking up and down the marathon route sharing Bible verses for comfort.....but they turned out be Lutherans!!!
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  38

  No more big District Conventions?

  by serenitynow! in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so i went to the hall today for a funeral and took a look at the bulletin board.

  i was surprised to see a letter stating the dc for michigan would be held at the local assembly hall instead of the big convention center in ohio where it had been held the past few years.

  have you all heard about this?.

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  respectful_observer

  The conventions in my area are still held at rented areanas. The closest Assembly Hall is in use something like 50 weekends a year, so it would be impossible to also use it for 8 weeks of DCs held here at 5,000+ a piece.
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  21

  Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 04-07-2013 WT Study (HERITAGE)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2 in his word, god has preserved for the use of.

  18 jehovah has preserved spiritual.

  gods written word contains the truth.

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  respectful_observer

  5 That privilege became part of our spiritual legacy at our convention in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., in 1931. The letters “JW” appeared on the printed program. One sister said: “Speculations were made as to what JW stood for—Just Wait, Just Watch, and the correct one.”

  The person sitting next to me at the meeting nudged me and pointed with their pen at "...Just Wait..." and whispered "Maybe they should switch it to 'Just Wait'; it's what they keep telling us to do at every assembly and convention." We both had a good snicker over that one.
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  10

  We are all under the influence of Satan, that,s why we can,t see the truth.

  by jam in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  have you been told that and if so what did you say.

  blinded by the devil until we come back to jehovah organization.

  we will never see the light.

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  respectful_observer

  I would ask "how exactly is Satan influencing me?"

  I find it puzzling that, on the one hand, JWs run are told over and over not to let Satan and the demons influence are thoughts and actions, or that "Satan tempts you when you are weak", yet on the flip side they say that Satan and the demons cannot read our minds, but only see our actions.

  If he can't read people's minds, then how is he tempting/influencing anyone. Unless he's physically possessing someone ( ) then he can't, right? If Satan can only break the Spirit/Physical World barrier (e.g., moving objects), but can't break the Spirit/Mind barrier, then how in the heck are Satan are the demons influencing people?? I have yet been able to have a J-dub provide an answer to this.

  For someone to claim that Satan can't read our thoughts, but somehow influences people mentally...