Posts by castthefirststone

223

Comprehensive NWT Comparison Project (calling all technically skilled members)

by Apognophos in

is anyone aware if this project is already being done by someone?

if not, perhaps we can brainstorm how to go about this, now that the pdf for the revised nwt is out.

a couple initial impressions:.

castthefirststone

Let me ask you this: I noticed the code you pasted above is an INSERT statment. Can you just do a select on the bible_verse table and paste the hex string for one of those verses? I wonder if I can send it through some functions to see if it comes out with actual text.

I will send the hex as soon as I can but the hex I sent was the last verse of the Bible (Rev 22:21) but I think without the key it's difficult to decipher. Most of my work is stored on another computer so I need to copy it over when I get a chance and then I'll send more text.

I believe I'm getting closer (I didn't stop looking at it) as I believe the key is stored somewhere in a table (found some code that reference it). The app needs to decrypt it, so the key must be stored somewhere either in the xml files, the code or the database. I don't understand why they tried to encrypt it as it's not worth the effort, eventually someone with enough perseverance will figure it out.

Oh and about phoning the bethel boys club, they will just tell me to chat to the elders again. Sorry but I'd rather run around in the decipher hamster wheel than the circular logic wheel, thank you very much.

223

Comprehensive NWT Comparison Project (calling all technically skilled members)

by Apognophos in

is anyone aware if this project is already being done by someone?

if not, perhaps we can brainstorm how to go about this, now that the pdf for the revised nwt is out.

a couple initial impressions:.

castthefirststone

It turns out that the actual contents of the table (nwt_E.db) is an encrypted hex as an example:

INSERT INTO "bible_verse" VALUES(31193,'<span class="vl">21</span>',X'36D76E4B872B0901D1368D804B7E76CCC3B503BFF0D297F24466FA6CB4279EADBE5609D0BAAB3EA1EACED053947E91DD3E20F327F3BA6FC935A7ADEEF3C003DE53C3A11F600FEE1859D8D91512E6AF320AE7617215B53863E2B9BBB76D2CA754171073EFC730D65353DAC83079D79E29');

Haven't figured out where the key for it is stored as yet.

So PDF seems to be the only viable option so far, sorry for the false alarm.

223

Comprehensive NWT Comparison Project (calling all technically skilled members)

by Apognophos in

is anyone aware if this project is already being done by someone?

if not, perhaps we can brainstorm how to go about this, now that the pdf for the revised nwt is out.

a couple initial impressions:.

castthefirststone

Hi MeanMrMustard,

I admire your dedication to this. If you don't get it with the PDF (it seems problematic) there is another way to access the text of the NNWT...

Instructions:

Install the JWLibrary on an Adroid device.

If you don't have a rooted device, use APK Extractor (a Play Store app) to move the APK file to a folder on the phone that has user access.

Copy jwlibrary.APK to a folder on a computer using a usb cable.

Download apktool from https://code.google.com/p/android-apktool/

Use apktool on JWLibrary.APK (cmd prompt, go to the directory that contains JWLibrary.apk and issue "apktool d jwlibrary.apk jwlibrary" without the quotes) It takes a few minutes depending on the speed of your computer (the baskmaling process takes a while)

Go to the newly created directory that apktool was so kind for you to create (jwlibrary if you used the above apktool parameters) and navigate to the assests directory.

In the assets directory there's nwt_E.jwpub file. Rename it to nwt_E.zip (it's as easy as that, no encryption).

Extract the "contents" file out of nwt_E.zip into the assests folder. (You can copy it to any folder).

Rename the contents file to "contents.zip" (again no encryption).

Open contents.zip and extract nwt_E.db (we have a database :) into a folder.

The database is a sqlite database so you'll need http://www.sqlite.org/download.html to extract the contents.

I'm pretty sure my instructions can be followed by someone that can post nwt_E.db to a filesharing/hosting site if you don't have access to an Android device.

11

Now that Gays can legally get married, if one of the gay couple want to become a JW would he or she have to get a divorce?

by booker-t in

i remember years ago maybe 20 years ago an elder or co was giving a talk on armaggeddon and he said that we know we are close to the end when homosexuals get the same rights as straight people.

he said jehovah would never allow gay people to marry because it would be an abomination and he would do the same as sodom and gommorrah.

what if a member of a gay couple decides to become a jws would he or she have to get a divorce?.

castthefirststone

A more pertinent question would be, if the same sex marriage dissolves via a divorce would they be free to remarry? The Elders Super-Secret Special Manual seems mute on this point. Perhaps a letter will be published soon from mother with instructions.

91

Open letter Re: Mr. Bowen, Mrs. Anderson

by Prime in

"jws leaders need to mandate elder bodies to uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction; prohibit elders from being involved in any investigative process to decide guilt or innocence in place of the authorities; do away with the two-witness rule to determine, as if they were magistrates, guilt or innocence of someone accused; prohibit so-called repentant molesters from engaging in the door-to-door ministry, and always inform the congregation if a convicted or confessed molester is meeting with them.

" -barbara anderson .

this is another reason why the watchtower society doesn't require that the elders uniformly report abuse to the authorities no matter what jurisdiction.

castthefirststone

Why is it okay for the elders to phone the branch office and discuss private confidential information yet they can only phone the authorities once permission has been obtained from that office?

74

NAME ONE USEFUL THING done by Russell, Rutherford, F.Franz

by Terry in

simple question: pastor russell must have accomplished as least on practical thing in his life.

pyramidology?

divine plan of the ages chart?

castthefirststone

The Bible laid the foundation, Russell started the construction and Rutherford completed the construction while making huge changes to create the beast know as the Watchtower. Today it provides employment, housing and purpose to thousands of members albeit to the detriment of others.

10

No doubt Noah took the lead in family worship...

by tootired2care in

"no doubt".

wasn't family worship night invented in 2010?

the writers at bethel really are getting more stupid, this was taken from the latest august 1st watchtower.

castthefirststone

I think Noah's wife is holding more than Noah's hand there while praying, didn't she read the latest council in her Watchtower? From the look of things it seems like that holding will soon escalate from the look Noah has on his O-face.

Noah also looks fairly young for a guy that's over a 100 years old and so does his wife.

Why is Ham/Jephtah/Shem elbowing his wife in the face? Does this also form part of "family worship"?

100

Post 607: Reject 607 BC if You TRULY Trust the Bible!!!

by Londo111 in

therefore, if the 70 years period is for the destruction of jerusalem and exile at babylon:.

if zedekiah had not rebelled against babylon, had he surrendered during the final siege that lasted two and a half years, then the destruction of jerusalem and the deportation need not have happened.

then in the jubilee year, they were set free and their hereditary land was returned to them.

castthefirststone

scholar will show the circular reasoning involved in the 609 chronology

scholar will show how it makes little sense ftom even a biblical viewpoint

scholar will show that the seventy years conincided with the depopulation of Judah and thus could only end upon their return

scholar will even edify participants wih his doctorate level of understanding hebrew and greek.

So why don't you? Stop threatening and just do it, or better yet why don't you publish your 607 theories in a peer reviewed historical academic journal and see how far that gets you. I mean it's obvious that this forum is below your intellect and academic achievements, so why not settle the 607 problem once and for all by changing the academic opinion on it. I mean you now apparently have the credentials to do it.

529

Analysis of anti-607 BCE Rebuttals

by Ethos in

i agreed yesterday to engage in the '607' topic.

i've read numerous threads and am well aware that this topic has been addressed and dissected quite thoroughly.

therefore, if you are uninterested in participating, that's fine.

castthefirststone

The connections are there, plain and obvious to all

I still don't get it. Where does it state in the Bible that it will take 70 years for the utensils to be restored?

But his false prophecy is interesting because it completely solidifies my argument.

How does a prophecy, that you are so desperate to prove false, "solidify" your argument? The prophecy stated that there will be two separate events, one where the king is dethroned and the other which occurs two years later where the utensils are returned. The event that is linked to the 70 years (the dethroning of the king) happens first and then two years thereafter the utensils are to be returned. How does that "solidify" your argument??? By the way if Hananiah's prophecy was false why did the events that Jeremiah ratified still occur?

Also AnnOMaly mentioned that the utensils were raided more than once even prior to Jerusalem being destroyed. This further debunks your theories.

All the scriptures that you listed mentions Babylon (or is associated with Babylon) and the lifting of that yoke. Once Babylon's yoke was removed the 70 years was over. It's plain and simple and is stated explicitly in the Bible. No links or mental gymnastics required. It's not open to interpretation, it's stated explicitly. Even in the New World Translation it's clear that the 70 years is linked to the ruling of the Babylon king. No bolding or underlining required, all you have to do is read your Bible.

529

Analysis of anti-607 BCE Rebuttals

by Ethos in

i agreed yesterday to engage in the '607' topic.

i've read numerous threads and am well aware that this topic has been addressed and dissected quite thoroughly.

therefore, if you are uninterested in participating, that's fine.

castthefirststone

Ethos

You said:

Hmmm, nothing but insulting and blog peddling and a zealous, yet misguided 'rebuttal' to my points.

Please point me to something either insulting, blog peddling or a zealous, yet misguided rebuttal in my post below:

True but Jeremiah ratifies that prophecy in Jer 28:6 by saying Amen. After that statement by Jeremiah the prophecy was no longer false. Jeremiah does qualify which portion of the prophecy was ratified and the part of the utensils is ratified. So the issue with the 70 years ending with the utensils being returned persists.

Your main argument was that when the temple utensils were returned then the 70 years ended. I asked you where did you get this in the Bible as I can find any evidence in the Bible that the 70 years ends once the utensils are returned. You have yet to provide that scripture.

I even pointed you to a prophecy in Jeremiah that totally refutes your argument and that points out that the utensils will only be returned two years after the 70 years. You then told me that this prophecy was false because it was from Hananiah. I corrected you in your statement as Jeremiah ratified this prophecy therefore it was not false.