Black Sheep >>
Sometimes, it's a bugger living on the arse end of the planet.
What ?!?
bats in the belfry
JoinedPosts by bats in the belfry
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hey cedars thanks for your apology
by soft+gentle ini also apologise for saying you are nuts and anything else i said that upset you.. i realise now that many problems result from differing perceptions - for example some of us tend more towards being realists whilst others tend more towards being idealists (of course this is a little simplistic) but it was my bingo moment this morning.
i guess i am enough of an idealist to appreciate your writing and overall i think it is excellent.
what i mean to say about idealism is that we would all like to see the wt go down and to believe that they are very short of money, on the brink of survival and this is such an encouraging image that may indeed be close to the truth.
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bats in the belfry
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Jehovah's Witnesses: Who Can Baptize?
by Cold Steel inif you're a jehovah's witness and you have a child, spouse, or buddy who wants to be baptized, can you baptize them yourself if they request it?
this is assuming you're a jehovah's witness in good standing.
and is it common in the church?.
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bats in the belfry
The 'stranger' class defined:
The Watchwower 1943, December 15, page 378
And, of course, with the definition of that class go its rights and duties:
The Watchwower 1944, November 15, page 346
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bats in the belfry
A lot of mental twisting, considering that egeiro in other instances implies to have risen from a lifeless to a living state (i.e. Matthew 16:21, 17:23), talking about Jesus' resurrection.
According to WTBTS, most Bible commentators have difficulty explaining verse 53, but no so if you are"spirit directed" and use the NWT. You, the reader, will be less confused!
‘Many Bodies of the Holy Ones Were Raised Up’
“THE earth quaked, and the rock-masses were split. And the memorial tombs were opened and many bodies of the holy ones that had fallen asleep were raised up, (and persons, coming out from among the memorial tombs after his being raised up, entered into the holy city,) and they became visible to many people.” (Matthew 27:51-53) Catholic scholar Karl Staab calls this event that occurred at Jesus’ death “most mysterious.” What happened?
Epiphanius and other early Church Fathers taught that the holy ones literally came to life and went with the resurrected Jesus to heaven. Augustine, Theophylactus, and Zigabenus believed that these dead ones received a temporary resurrection but later returned to their tombs. The latter opinion, however, “did not gain wide recognition,” comments scholar Erich Fascher. When rendering Matthew 27:52, 53, many modern Bible translations give the impression that a resurrection took place. Not so the New World Translation, which points to the effects of an earthquake. Why?
First, whoever “the holy ones” were, Matthew did not say they were raised up. He said their bodies, or corpses, were. Second, he did not say these bodies came to life. He said they were raised up, and the Greek verb e·gei′ro, meaning to “raise up,” does not always refer to a resurrection. It can, among other things, also mean to “lift out” from a pit or to “get up” from the ground. (Matthew 12:11; 17:7; Luke 1:69) The upheaval at Jesus’ death opened tombs, tossing lifeless bodies into the open. Such occurrences during earthquakes were reported in the second century C.E. by Greek writer Aelius Aristides and more recently, in 1962, in Colombia.
This view of the event harmonizes with Bible teachings. In 1 Corinthians chapter 15, the apostle Paul gives convincing proof of the resurrection, but he completely ignores Matthew 27:52, 53. So do all other Bible writers. (Acts 2:32, 34) The corpses raised up at Jesus’ death could not have come to life in the way Epiphanius thought, for on the third day thereafter, Jesus became “the firstborn from the dead.” (Colossians 1:18) Anointed Christians, also called “holy ones,” were promised a share in the first resurrection during Christ’s presence, not in the first entury.—1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:14-17.
Most Bible commentators have difficulty explaining verse 53, although several of them suggest that verse 52 describes the opening of tombs by the earthquake and the exposing of newly buried corpses. For example, German scholar Theobald Daechsel gives the following translation: “And tombs opened up, and many corpses of saints laying at rest were lifted up.”
Who were those that “entered into the holy city” a considerable time later, namely after Jesus had been resurrected? As seen above, the exposed bodies remained lifeless, so Matthew must refer to persons who visited the tombs and brought news of the event into Jerusalem. Thus, the rendering of the New World Translation deepens Bible understanding and does not confuse readers concerning the resurrection.
The Watchtower 1990, 9/1, p. 7
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New 16 page WT & AWAKE available on jw.org
by St George of England inneedless to say it's the same old rubbish.
the wt has the usual 'doom & gloom front cover, end of the world, fireball, people running in panic.... george.
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bats in the belfry
Whoa! The font for the Awake! has gotten awfully big - as if they don't have to communicate much to the rest of mankind anymore.
Nor do they bother to align the text left and right to the margins for the public reader - pure sloppiness.
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How Many Hours Did You Spend Going to the Meetings and Ministry?
by God_Delusion ini spent far too many.
in fact, i recently created a spreadsheet and documented how many hours i spent in total per week.
it's so depressing.
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bats in the belfry
It amounts to much more than a tithing.
Just take your hourly income/earning rate multiplied by the hours spent for meetings and ministry. See for yourself whether or not it surpasses the 10% mark of your weekly or monthly income; and that figure does not even include gasoline or public transportation charges.
15 What is included in this spiritual tithe? For one thing, we give Jehovah of our time and energy. The time we spend at meetings, in attending assemblies and conventions, in the field service, all of this is something given to Jehovah—a part of our tithe. The time and energy we spend visiting the sick and helping others—again, these are part of our tithe. Assisting in constructing Kingdom Halls and sharing in the work of maintaining and cleaning the hall are likewise a part.
16 Our tithe also includes our financial contributions.1992 The Watchtower, December 1, page 16, pars. 15-16
In our day the tithe represents the time, energy, and finances that are used directly in Jehovah’s service and in support of the Kingdom work. The tithe includes the time we spend at meetings, assemblies, and conventions, as well as in maintaining and cleaning our meeting places.Our Kingdom Ministry, May 1993, page 3, par. 7
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Will Don Cameron have to write a new book?
by tornapart inin light of the 'new light' recently about the fds not being inspected until later (and not in 1919) does this mean don cameron will have to rewrite his 'captives of a concept'?
as most of his book is debunking this 'inspection of 1919'.
any thoughts?.
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bats in the belfry
A.: No.
... he just has to provide "clip 'n glue" sheets with the updated information.
It's a proven technique practiced many times when the revised Revelation Climax book came out.
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Was the Watchtower Right?
by Christ Alone inthis question is for atheists and believers.
what teachings do you think the watchtower got right and why?
do you still think they are right about the trinity?
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bats in the belfry
An emphatic NO.
2013 The Watchtower, January 1
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picture of F&DS with Russel, Franz, Luther, Tyndale, Gutenburg, etc
by wallsofjericho inwas there not a watchtower article years ago that had a picture of the f&ds that included russel and franz but also had images of non-jw's like luther, gutenburg, tyndale, et al?
i swear this image exists!
woj
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bats in the belfry
Mix 'n Match
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Can Lightning Strike Twice? New GB Prediction!
by donuthole inno more random anointing at all.
no more "i just have a feeling" vagueness.
the watchtower amps up the language implying that many (most?
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bats in the belfry
donuthole >>
The "laying on of hands", would be figurative, meaning that they would simply approve you
My guess is, the "laying on of hands" will still be done by 'Great Crowd' folks, just as they used to do.
14 While bodies of elders share with traveling overseers in recommending brothers to serve as elders and ministerial servants, the actual appointments are made according to the pattern set in the first century. On one occasion, a need arose for spiritually qualified men to care for an important assignment. The governing body gave the following direction: “Search out for yourselves seven certified men from among you, full of spirit and wisdom, that we may appoint them over this necessary business.” (Acts 6:1-3) While men on the scene made the recommendations, the appointments were made by responsible men there in Jerusalem. A similar pattern is followed today.
15 The Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses directly appoints all members of Branch Committees. When deciding who can assume such a weighty responsibility, the Governing Body has in mind Jesus’ statement: “Everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him.” (Luke 12:48) In addition to appointing Branch Committee members, the Governing Body appoints Bethel elders and traveling overseers. However, they do commission responsible brothers to act for them in making certain other appointments. There is Scriptural precedent also for this.
‘Make Appointments, as I Gave You Orders’
16 Paul told his coworker Titus: “For this reason I left you in Crete, that you might correct the things that were defective and might make appointments of older men in city after city, as I gave you orders.” (Titus 1:5) Paul then outlined the qualifications that Titus was to look for in men who would qualify for such appointments. Today, therefore, the Governing Body appoints qualified brothers at the branches to represent it in making appointments of elders and ministerial servants. Care is taken that those acting representatively on behalf of the Governing Body clearly understand and follow the Scriptural guidelines for making such appointments. Hence, it is under the direction of the Governing Body that qualified men are appointed to serve in the congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses worldwide.
17 When recommendations for appointment of overseers and ministerial servants are submitted to a branch office of the Watch Tower Society, experienced men rely on God’s spirit for guidance in making the appointments. These men feel a sense of accountability, realizing that they must not lay their hands hastily upon any man, lest they share in his sins.—1 Timothy 5:22.
18 Certain appointments may be transmitted by a letter bearing an official stamp from a legal entity. Such a letter may be used to appoint more than one brother in the congregation.
19 Theocratic appointments come from Jehovah through his Son and God’s visible earthly channel, “the faithful and discreet slave” and its Governing Body.
2001 The Watchtower, 1/15, pp. 14-16 pars. 14-19
