Posts by GOrwell

75

Why Women Love Jerks

by compound complex in

jw
friends

do nice guys lose to bad boys?.

[see advert.

i'm afraid to look ...].

GOrwell

The jerks are the "Jokers" of the world (in Batman Dark Knight terminology). They have no to few rules to abide by. They are "wild" and "wanton." But what do I know? Maybe I'm wrong.

I'm a nice guy.

9

Grasping "new" points when reading the Bible?

by GOrwell in

i'm always surprised when reading the bible of things that i've missed or never saw in that manner before.

how often does this happen to you?.

for instance, i've probably read the book of john about 8-10 times.

GOrwell

I'm always surprised when reading the Bible of things that I've missed or never saw in that manner before. How often does this happen to you?

For instance, I've probably read the Book of John about 8-10 times. However, tonight when reading it, I read John 18:1-8, where Jesus is confronted with the mob who has come to arrest him. The mob confronts Jesus, and he asks them who they are looking for. They answer "Jesus the Nazarene." He confirms his identity by using the rather (in the minds of JWs at least) controversial answer of "I am [he]." This seems to inspire great fear, awe or reverence into the mob, and they "draw back and fall to the ground." Jesus confirms a 2nd time his identity by these same words that he used in John 8:58. Of course, it would seem reasonable that the mob were in fear because of the connection to God using that same Name to identify himself. (Ex 3:14)

On a side note, the WT CDROM indicates that the mob fell to the ground because they were in shock over how calm and brave Jesus was in facing the mob. Now, what's more likely? That a large mob, including professional soldiers, is shocked over the lack of an emotional reaction of a soon-to-be prisoner in the middle of the night? Or the fact that this same prisoner invoked God's name as his identity and that scared the wits right out of them?

So how often do you notice "new" things when reading the Bible?

70

Acts 10:19, 20 - Destroying the Holy Spirit personification argument

by GOrwell in

this set of scriptures pretty much demolishes "the holy spirit is only god's active force and is only personified throughout the bible" argument (as if the rest book of acts doesn't already).

these verses pretty much put the nail in the coffin of that argument :.

acts 10:19,20 - nwt.

GOrwell

@Band on the Run : Agreed. As I read the Book of John, it's like he's TRYING his best to tell us something, but it isn't quite 100% clear. I suppose I could be like the ones who truly didn't "see" back in Christs' day. Is the written word unable to synthesize the complete nature of God? Quite likely it is so. Perhaps, we simply can't understand these things without the insight of the spirit/Spirit of God. Jesus DID say to the Twelve of things they wouldn't be able to understand right then. Is the Trinity one of these things?

@Moshe: "pet" scriptures and proof-text's definitely seem to be their favourite. Obviously, I don't expect them to comment on EVERY verse in the Bible, but when one COMPLETELY (a "power" or "force" that is speaking in the first person as in Acts 10:19,20) contradicts a doctrine, you'd think there'd be some mention of it. In Trinity section of the Reasoning book, they mention you have to take ALL of the scriptures into account. Of course, they don't take this one and others into account.

26

Thank you, and Goodbye

by cyberjesus in

thanks once again to all of those who post in this forum.

and good bye to those of you who choose to leave.. the healing process of exiting a cult is a slow one.

specially if you were born in it.

GOrwell

phew, I was worried there for a bit... since you have what I think is the best handle on the board, I hope you don't go anywhere for some time!

9

Am I wrong about this aspect of WTS theology?

by drewcoul in

it seems to me, that if the wts is right, the only thing that would matter is that people are converted to the jw religion before armageddon.

all people throughout the thousands of years of human history will be resurrected according to them, right?

only except for those who are df'd when they die.

GOrwell

It doesn't. Read the account of Matthew 25, where Christ judges each person brought before his throne individually. There are many terrible, absolutely evil (that I know personally) people in the WTS, just as it is the same outside the WTS (and genuinely good people vice versa). Membership to one specific organization simply can't be the deciding factor whether or not you bite it when you are judged, as Matthew 25 goes on to explain the criteria for judgement.

70

Acts 10:19, 20 - Destroying the Holy Spirit personification argument

by GOrwell in

this set of scriptures pretty much demolishes "the holy spirit is only god's active force and is only personified throughout the bible" argument (as if the rest book of acts doesn't already).

these verses pretty much put the nail in the coffin of that argument :.

acts 10:19,20 - nwt.

GOrwell

@Aguest - I'm pretty perplexed by what you believe. You say that Christ IS the Holy Spirit. Yet, you don't believe in a triune God. Yet there still exists someTHING called holy spirit. Can you point me to some scriptures to reason on your belief that Christ IS the person of the Holy Spirit?

70

Acts 10:19, 20 - Destroying the Holy Spirit personification argument

by GOrwell in

this set of scriptures pretty much demolishes "the holy spirit is only god's active force and is only personified throughout the bible" argument (as if the rest book of acts doesn't already).

these verses pretty much put the nail in the coffin of that argument :.

acts 10:19,20 - nwt.

GOrwell

Interesting. The scripture in Acts 10:20 is the only one that I'm aware of where the holy spirit is actually referring to himself (as in "I") and what he did. Yes, there are other scriptures that talk of him speaking, but this one scripture seems to thoroughly say that the HS in fact a person.

Does anyone know of any other scriptures where the HS speaks of "I"?

23

Jesus vs Satan

by scary21 in

jw
friends

my daughter, who's not a jw,is visiting me.

both her grandmothers are jw, so she went to.. meetings while growing up.

she is now telling me that she was told ......and always believed ,jehovah created satan first, before jesus.she says the bible speaks of satan in the book of genesis, but not jesus.

GOrwell

@Aguest. You said :

"And so I ask you, if that One says, "Hey, folks, pray to the Father and not to me," wouldn't it be wise... at least, for those who claim to follow the Son... to do "just so"? Isn't the one who is faithful in what is least... also counted faithful in much?"

I am curious where Jesus says "pray to the Father and not to me"? (I'm thinking of John 14:14 here),

70

Acts 10:19, 20 - Destroying the Holy Spirit personification argument

by GOrwell in

this set of scriptures pretty much demolishes "the holy spirit is only god's active force and is only personified throughout the bible" argument (as if the rest book of acts doesn't already).

these verses pretty much put the nail in the coffin of that argument :.

acts 10:19,20 - nwt.

GOrwell

This set of scriptures pretty much demolishes "the holy spirit is only God's active force and is only personified throughout the Bible" argument (as if the rest Book of Acts doesn't already). These verses pretty much put the nail in the coffin of that argument :

Acts 10:19,20 - NWT

"As Peter was going over in his mind about the vision, the spirit said: “Look! Three men are seeking you. However, rise, go downstairs and be on your way with them, not doubting at all, because I have dispatched them.”

I mean, really, who is the holy spirit being personified here as? Himself? Someone else?

Unsuprisingly, if you look up Acts 10:20 in the WT CDROM, there is only exactly ONE reference and isn't even discussing this part of the verse.

Pretty funny, no?

43

Called to be Free - Dissolution of the Worldwide Church of God

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

[the time links work on my website, not good here].

called to be free - dissolution of the worldwide church of god.

[note: this presentation is over an hour long and is very well done, but i have marked key time slots from the video so if you are in a hurry you can watch the key highlites.].

GOrwell

Wow, leavingwt, those articles are a fantastic recounting of life inside the WCG. I'm only on section #2, but it is EERILY creepy how similar WTS and the WCG was (and the WTS still is). Granted, the WCG seemed to be more of a personality cult to the bitter end, but these comparisions are amazing!