it used to for me, and now it doesn't.. i'm not sure how i was able to accept that argument now that i don't, but perhaps it was connected with my increasing compassion for people and their personal suffering as i've grown older.. now it seems like a sick excuse.
more like a bar-bet with satan and all of creation suffers.. i read paul's words and he has no rejoiner except to say in effect "sucks to be a vessel of wrath...glad i'm not one, but who are you to complain anyway, huh?
who's bigger, smarter and more powerful than you, you, you complaining vessel of wrath, you.
I don't think I could sit by and watch my only Son beaten, raped and abused over and over and over again for six thousand years to prove an obvious point IF I was the Almighty...oh that's right human thinking...oh but we are made in God's image...
Bulldickey!
i found this list below on another site.. you've no doubt seen these lists...or lists similar to them: they give you marked ways to identify a cult.. now, i'm sure many of us agree that these signs eerily match a certain watchtower-slangin' group we're all familiar with.. and im sure that what i'm about to bring up has probably been discussed here sometime before 'my' time.. but, look at these 'cult i.d.
symptoms' below...and let your mind go.
: let your mind freely wander.. who else do these signs apply to...if you think wider?
@Unlearn - Since my departure from the JWs, I have had a number of ex-JW's try to convince me not to "throw out the baby with the bath water". Many of them are zealous Christians of various denominations.
I respect everyone's right to believe what they choose, after all its the American way. But for the present I am allergic to organized religion and prefer to hold myself accountable to my own moral code.
Oh, and I am trying to make as much money as I can to make up for 30 years of "self-sacrafice". LOL!!!
I know, I am materialistic and will die at Armaggeddon. But as 50 cent says, "Get rich. Or die tryin'".
i found this list below on another site.. you've no doubt seen these lists...or lists similar to them: they give you marked ways to identify a cult.. now, i'm sure many of us agree that these signs eerily match a certain watchtower-slangin' group we're all familiar with.. and im sure that what i'm about to bring up has probably been discussed here sometime before 'my' time.. but, look at these 'cult i.d.
symptoms' below...and let your mind go.
: let your mind freely wander.. who else do these signs apply to...if you think wider?
This is the WTBS view on cults:
***
w942/15p.4Cults—WhatAreThey?***
The
WorldBookEncyclopedia explains that “traditionally, the term cult referred to any form of worship or ritual observance.” By that criterion, all religious organizations could be classified as cults. However, in general usage today, the word “cult” has a different meaning. The same encyclopedia notes that “since the mid-1900’s, publicity about cults has altered the meaning of the term. Today, the term is applied to groups that follow a living leader who promotes new and unorthodox doctrines and practices.”
yes friends, it is important to understand your rich spiritual heritage as jehovah's witnesses, and so you don't have to look at old publications on your own or refer to worldly sources, the organization is pleased to select for you the history as we want you to have it and you can get it in your current watchtower.. from january 15, 2012 watchtower pg 31-32. the governing body is keenly interested in.
our theocratic history.
in commenting on the.
@factfinder...I know for a fact that they have scanned in everything ever written all the way back to Russell, Grew and Storrs! It is only available to the Writing Department, not the rank and file. I personally know the individual who headed up this effort. Upon its completion he was downsized in 2006. He was very bitter and unhappy, but I was not surprised.
They will NEVER let the rank and file have access to anything prior to 1950. And since the Awake/Golden Age/Consolation is WAY WACKY they will never let the rank and file see it before 1970.
They will release what they when they want to and spin incorrect material as "old light". The rank and file will eat it up. I can tell you that most of the people I know read/scanned or listend to on tape, the 607 BCE stuff and it just accepted it without question.
i found this list below on another site.. you've no doubt seen these lists...or lists similar to them: they give you marked ways to identify a cult.. now, i'm sure many of us agree that these signs eerily match a certain watchtower-slangin' group we're all familiar with.. and im sure that what i'm about to bring up has probably been discussed here sometime before 'my' time.. but, look at these 'cult i.d.
symptoms' below...and let your mind go.
: let your mind freely wander.. who else do these signs apply to...if you think wider?
@Unlearn...I AGREE! Can't wait to see this thread take off...here come the believers!!!!
that's right.
barbara anderson will be on cult free radio this saturday evening at 10pm eastern time.. show up to listen and post your questions on the social stream for me to ask her.. https://www.facebook.com/cultfreeradio.
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/cult-free-radio.
Barbara's my hero..cant't wait!
i was reading today about all these people who are upset at the big banks for charging more for accounts, to off-set cost for the change in regulations.
people were saying, "banks are greedy" and "banks are unfair.
" which is the common thought among society about several key industries.
If were not for big business I would not have a job or healthcare. If were not for the government the big business I work for would lose a large piece of business upon which my salary and bonuses are based. If were not for banks I would not have credit cards. None of these entities is inherently evil.
This may sound a little simplistic, but if we could somehow get it all to work together so that businesses could be profitable, people would have jobs and the government would have funding that they would then pour back into the private sector I think we would all be a bit happier.
But I guess if it were easy, anyone could do it!
probably this topic has been dealt with before, but i'm relatively new here, so perhaps y'all will be willing to indulge me in my pursuit for clarity.
regarding the anointed, the gb recently said this: .
"we thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know.
@Leolaia I love your posts! You are a great researcher.
one of the jehovahs witness doctrines that many of us have had trouble believing is that the seven angels trumpet blasts described in revelation applied to events that occurred in the 1920s at seven assemblies held around the world at the time when judge rutherford was the president of the watchtower society.. the revelation climax book (1988) contains this summary on page 173:.
highlights of jehovah's trumpetlike judgment proclamations.
1922 cedar point, ohio: a challenge to christendom's leaders in religion, politics, and big business to justify their failure to bring peace, prosperity, and happiness.
I can't believe I could teach the seven trumpets bullshit with straight face as many time as I did.
MDK
the watchtower society is addicted to numbers and growth.
the problem is that their very existence is justified by a preaching work that is intended to result in growth.
other religions don't have that kind of pressure.
@DT - I agree with BOC. Most JWs are not hard core loyalists. Most go along with crowd even thought they may not understand everything. They really face two large issues.
1. The pool of men to from which they choose elders is quite small. It is decreasing all the time.
2. Blind obedience and not Bible knowledge are the priority with these men. Russell, Rutherford, Knorr, Franz whether you liked them or not were not afraid to rock the boat. Rocking the boat is strongly discouraged. Maitaining the status quo is paramount. This is creating a pool of elders who do cannot lead and that folks will eventually lose confidence in.
The trend of many to lead normal lives AND APPEAR to be blind followers will continue to accelerate. It used to be that 120 hours a month was "whole-soulded service." Now they are happy if they can get folks to do 30 hours once per year. The lack of strong leadership and lack of numbers for leadership will eventually be the undoing of the organization.
