Ranmac... Thanks for the reply... I asked the question because I've heard that statement many years ago (that helping the poor, building hospitals and schools is a form of "worshiping society" versus worshiping God, or words to that effect), but no further explanation is ever provided... I've also heard: "Jesus asked us to preach the good news not to build hospitals"... I think this is just a cop out and a lame excuse for not making significant and/or tangible contributions to the community...
Posts by Alfred
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892011 District Convention "Let Us Be Bored and Confused Into Obedience"
by ranmac inthis has already been discussed but i need to vent.. i just spent the most painful weekend of my life sitting thru this years dc.
what an unbelievably pointless, soulless and demeaning spectacle the assemblies are.
the three days were a blur of monotanous droning and brainwashing.
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53
The Governing Body has NEVER claimed to be inspired
by Alfred inthere was a recent thread here which covered the subject of the gb claiming to be spirit directed (and not actually inspired by the holy spirit).
by now, most of us are quite aware that this is just a play with words to excuse themselves whenever one of their false doctrines is debunked (by someone using the bible or their own publications).
but when you think of it, spirit-directed is actually more presumptuous than spirit-inspired.. that being said, id really like to draw attention to the fact that the wt continuously claims that the governing body of jehovahs witnesses has never claimed to be inspired by god (through his holy spirit).
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Alfred
I know there were a few articles written before 1955 that implicitly elevate the FDS to the level of a "spirit-inspired" prophet, but I currently don't have quick access to these... I know they exist because I came across these in the past... If anyone can find such articles, please share... Thanks!
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53
The Governing Body has NEVER claimed to be inspired
by Alfred inthere was a recent thread here which covered the subject of the gb claiming to be spirit directed (and not actually inspired by the holy spirit).
by now, most of us are quite aware that this is just a play with words to excuse themselves whenever one of their false doctrines is debunked (by someone using the bible or their own publications).
but when you think of it, spirit-directed is actually more presumptuous than spirit-inspired.. that being said, id really like to draw attention to the fact that the wt continuously claims that the governing body of jehovahs witnesses has never claimed to be inspired by god (through his holy spirit).
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Alfred
There was a recent thread here which covered the subject of the GB claiming to be “spirit directed” (and not actually “inspired” by the holy spirit). By now, most of us are quite aware that this is just a play with words to excuse themselves whenever one of their false doctrines is debunked (by someone using the Bible or their own publications). But when you think of it, “spirit-directed” is actually more presumptuous than “spirit-inspired”.
That being said, I’d really like to draw attention to the fact that the WT continuously claims that the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses has NEVER claimed to be inspired by God (through his holy spirit). In fact, one of my last conversations with an elder (when I was active) regarding 607-1914, 1935 and other doctrines led this elder to tell me the very same thing. His exact words: “You have to remember, these are imperfect men and they NEVER claimed to be inspired.”
However, this is completely FALSE… They did in fact claim to be inspired by the holy spirit (and also claimed to be God’s prophet) in this May 15, 1955 Watchtower (pages 305 and 308):
Page 305…
16 From the many recorded experiences we next observe that the official “Word” transmits the message either by means of an angelic messenger who appears face to face or by the use of God’s holy spirit to inspire the next agent in the line of communication . On special occasions even the Word himself might appear in a face-to-face interview with the next agent. Who, generally, is the next agent? For supernatural communications that reach the earth the agent (generally a human, although once the ass of Balaam was used) is referred to Biblically a prophet if he is a male servant of God or a prophetess if a woman. The prophet, in turn, speaks out the communication as God’s spokesman on earth. He publishes it to the many whom God intends to hear it if other than a single person is being specifically addressed. The prophet then becomes the immediate earthly channel through which the waters of lifegiving truth are conveyed to earth’s thirsting residents. Thus Jehovah’s earthly channel of communication is identified. The earthly channel is either a prophet or a collective prophetlike organization .
Page 308…
TRUE Christianity as a revealed religion relies fully upon all the progressive revelations of Jehovah’s sacred pronouncements communicated to the earth from the time of Adam to that of the apostle John. Additionally we see how God has provided his Christian servants from Pentecost, A.D. 33, forward with a reliable channel of guidance for the understanding of these amazing revelations of his will and purposes. From the prophetic shadows to the actual realities we observe that this God-provided channel for Christians is the collective congregation of anointed ones who serve as a prophetlike organization under the leadership of its communicating head, Christ Jesus . –Eph 5:23
Yes you read correctly… they can blame these 1955 Watchtower articles on Whacky Freddy all day long if they wish to, but the WT did publish that the GB is in fact inspired by the holy spirit.
So if any of you “lurkers” had any doubt about this, I invite you to go back to your Watchtower CD and verify this for yourselves.
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True, or FAlse?
by Andyman ini am sure most of you have seen the following quote form the wbts's pr site:.
"do you shun former members?.
those who simply cease to be involved in the faith are not shunned.
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Alfred
FALSE
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Brothers divorceing, DF, marry younger sisters and later reinstated.
by jam ina few years back, when my elder brother was still talking.
to me, he mention that, brothers was divorceing there wife.
and marring younger sisters.
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Alfred
Wow... I thought "trade-ins" only happened in my region...
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64
JW nephew graduation party cancelled... your insight is requested
by Alfred ini have a jw nephew in another state who was at very the top of his high school senior class this year.
because of this, my sister (an elder's wife) had planned and sent out invitations to his "graduation party" which would be held at a community center with all the bells and whistles.
i actually bought plane tickets for my wife and i to attend this party immediately after receiving the invitation in the mail.
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Alfred
@Dozy... I've read that a few times in the past (elders being asked to step down if their kids go to college)... But I have to ask... Is this really current WTBTS policy? The reason I ask is because I know a few elders who have kids in college while the CO does nothing... In fact, the PO from the congo I used to attend is actually a college professor himself and was in the process of getting a doctorate's degree last year... I guess it just depends on the region...
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74
What is the most offensive/idiotic piece of WT literature you've read from the past 20 years (approximately)?
by Chemical Emotions ini think that some of the dumbest were ones that pertained to science- not all of them, but a few, particularly the ones about evolution.
the most offensive (and also dumbest) were the ones about women, and the ones about rape.
those were horrible.
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Alfred
Revelation - its Grand Climax At Hand!... This book has got to be the most arbitrary interpretation of the book of Revelation ever made by the WT since they published Finished Mystery (1917)...
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38
a SIMPLE answer re: 607 please
by RayPublisher ini know it's a complicated topic, and i've spent gobs and gobs of hours studying it and realizing that 586/587 is the most likely date.
so anyway, here's my question:.
how could jerusalem's fall be 587 but still be in line with the scriptures about 70 years of desolation that the wto uses to push 607 so strongly?
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Alfred
Correction: ... For the remaining 50 years of servitude...
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38
a SIMPLE answer re: 607 please
by RayPublisher ini know it's a complicated topic, and i've spent gobs and gobs of hours studying it and realizing that 586/587 is the most likely date.
so anyway, here's my question:.
how could jerusalem's fall be 587 but still be in line with the scriptures about 70 years of desolation that the wto uses to push 607 so strongly?
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Alfred
The WT cleverly substitutes the word "servitude" with the word "desolation" whenever attempting to justify their erroneous chronology (as if these could be used interchangeably when discussing the 70-year period)... The fact is that the desolation (of any of the nations serving the king of Babylon) only resulted from not having submitted to the 70 years of servitude... For example, Judah stopped serving Babylon after about 20 years and suffered the consequence of becoming desolate for the remaining 70 years of that servitude... It's as simple as that.
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JW nephew graduation party cancelled... your insight is requested
by Alfred ini have a jw nephew in another state who was at very the top of his high school senior class this year.
because of this, my sister (an elder's wife) had planned and sent out invitations to his "graduation party" which would be held at a community center with all the bells and whistles.
i actually bought plane tickets for my wife and i to attend this party immediately after receiving the invitation in the mail.
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Alfred
Thanks everyone... @leavingwt... I had time to think about it and you're right... I do need to ask the right questions and I only have one shot to get this right... @skeeter... I am almost certain he is going to college... Haven't confirmed it yet but he has brought up the subject a few times... I'm definitely monitoring this situation and will post something in a few months... Thanks again to all... Looking forward to more comments...