Posts by NeonMadman

58

Video: Jehovah's Witness Elders Lie and Call Police

by leavingwt in

(via free minds).

jehovah's witness elders lie and call police.

on october 31, 2010 jehovah's witnesses elders lie when asked by charles huff, also a jehovah's witness, if they shun ex-members of the jehovah's witnesses' religion.

NeonMadman

all the posters that don't see what this guy was trying to do? ARE BLIND................

I think most of us see what he was trying to do, and that is understandable. What we have more difficulty with is what he actually DID, which is something completely different from what he was trying to do. What he did was to confirm what the WTS teaches their people about "apostates" - that we are angry, hateful people who only tear down and have nothing positive to offer. Lies can be exposed without such angry confrontation. A "worldly" person seeing this video would be entirely justified in concluding that the JW's are more peaceful and reasonable than those who have left the cult.

8

Why did the WTB&TS side with protestenism as regards the books of the bible

by smiddy in

NeonMadman

In rejecting the Apocrypha, Protestants are following the canon of the Jews rather than that of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. 1 Maccabees is a reasonably reliable historical account of the Jewish revolt against Antiochus Epiphanes. However, it is simply a historical account; I see no reason to regard it as Scripture. There are lots of histories and other documents from Jewish and Christian sources that are valuable, but not regarded as being part of the Bible. The Jewish canon was established before the time of Jesus, and the Christian church basically followed it. The Apocrypha were seen as valuable devotional literature that gave insight into Jewish history and thought, but of distinctly less value than Scripture. If I recall correctly, the RC church did not dogmatically make the Apocrypha an "official" part of their Bible (though there were certainly those in earlier times who regarded them as Scripture) until after the Reformation, as a response to the Protestant rejection of the Apocrypha.

2 Maccabees is another matter. It appears to be a later, more embellished account and has religious issues as well for Jews and Protestants, in that it contains the idea of prayer for the dead. JW's would also have a problem with that concept. That doesn't mean that the book has no value or that it shouldn't be read; only that one must recognize that the problem exists and proceed accordingly. If you're looking for the most reliable text in a historical sense, I'd suggest sticking with 1 Maccabees.

31

7th Day Adventists came to my house... it was weird

by sabastious in

jw
friends

so i get a knock on the door and a minister from a local 7th day adventists is at my doorstep.

it felt very much like a witness.

he asked me about my life and how things were going and if i was a christian.. i explained to him that i gave up christianity a while back and he asked why.

NeonMadman

I attended an SDA church for a short while as a teenager. While they rarely went from house to house for proselytizing purposes, they would have a special campaign that they called "Ingathering" around Christmas and Easter times, during which they would go from house to house in order to solicit funds for their schools and hospitals. They did carry pamphlets that they would distribute, though I think they related more to the social programs of the church than doctrinal matters. IIRC, they may have contained the standard SDA "free Bible correspondence course" offer. I took part in the work a few times myself, and as I recall, it was a lot more fun than going out in field service as a JW. My guess is that the "Ingathering" program, or something very like it, is still alive and well. That was probably the reason that the SDA knocked at your door.

25

The expression 'need greaters'. Anyone else heard this?

by jambon1 in

jw
friends

my wife gets emails from someone who is serving in another country.. he keeps on referring to brothers/sisters who are 'need greaters'.. if they are actually using this expression then i have to say that it is the stupidest 'title' that they have ever dreamed up.

so full of their own self importance.. need greaters?..............

.

NeonMadman

"And remember brothers, it's serving where the need is great, not where the great are needed."

5

5000 every week?

by ssn587 in

jw
friends

have heard it a number of times that there are 5,000 newcomers every week to the dubs.

what are the stats for those leaving everyweek?

does anyone have an idea.

NeonMadman

Based on the 2009 and 2010 Yearbooks:

2008 Avg. Publishers: 6,691,790

2009 Avg. Publishers 6,829,455

Increase 2008-2009: 137,665

Baptisms 2008-9: 276,233, or about 5312/wk.

"Missing" Publishers: 138,568, or about 2665/wk.

In other words, over half the number baptized stopped "publishing" in the 2008-9 service year (not necessarily the same individuals, of course). We might attribute a small percentage of this decrease to deaths, but that would be almost insignificant in view of the obviously large numbers leaving the organization.

12

Farmville disfellowshipping?

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

i wonder if i can get into trouble for having a christmas tree and sending christmas gifts on farmville?

wouldn't it be something to be the first farmville disfellowshippee?

i'd like to hear that that judicial committee!

NeonMadman

Would that mean that JW's only had to shun you in Farmville?

14

Christopher Hitchens / Tony Blair debate - November 27, 2010

by Nickolas in

this is the first of nine youtube videos covering last night's debate on religion in toronto.

well worth the time.. http://www.youtube.com/user/hitchensblairdebate#p/u/8/ipmpfu3mmpa.

also available in avi format for torrent download here: http://onebigtorrent.org/download.php?id=10240&export=1&d=1.

NeonMadman

I thought Hitchens was not debating because of his treatments for cancer? He cancelled a debate with Dr. James White for this reason, and I suspect (without having actually watched the video) that Dr. White would have been a more formidable advocate of theism than Tony Blair.

30

Who Will Conquer the World in the 1970's? - Public Talk

by Bonnie_Clyde in

july 1970 km page 3 (under announcements) - "a new circuit assembly program is scheduled to begin in september.

we believe you will find it most informative and upbuilding.

the public talk will be "who will conquer the world in the 1970's?".

NeonMadman

I remember being present for that talk, and being rather disappointed because it didn't really offer any specifics about the 1975 prophecy beyond what we already had in other publications. Rather, iirc, it focused on "conquering the world" in the sense that Jesus spoke of in John 16:33 - "I have said these things to YOU that by means of me YOU may have peace. In the world YOU are having tribulation, but take courage! I have conquered the world."

There was a WT article a few years later on the same topic. Here's a sample:

*** w79 2/1 p. 17 par. 3 World Conquerors by Faith ***
What kind of conquest is this conquest by faith? Well, to have faith means to be so thoroughly convinced concerning things unseen or things of the future that these become a reality to the believer. True Christian faith, far different from credulity built on shifting sands of emotion or superstition, is built on the sure foundation of Jesus Christ. Like ‘gold, silver and precious stones,’ it is incombustible. (1 Cor. 3:11-14) It is convinced of the existence of the one living God Jehovah and that he will vindicate his position as Sovereign Lord of the universe. This faith is anchored in the promises of the God “who cannot lie.” It looks intently to Jesus as its Perfecter and as God’s Chief Agent for fulfilling all of His grand purposes in connection with his kingdom.—Titus 1:2; Heb. 11:1, 6; 12:2.

So I think we may be overreaching to try to pin the 1975 prophecy to this talk - even though that's clearly the "tease" that they intended at the time with the title. All of us thought we would get some earth-shaking new information about the nearness of Armageddon, but it didn't happen in that talk.

28

Secret elders meeting in the end of 2010

by Lore in

jw
friends

all the elders in my circuit are driving across the state for a big elders meeting.

and the ministerial servants have to do it on sunday.

evidentally they were all told to study certain parts of their new book before going.. .

NeonMadman

Sounds like it's probably the Kingdom Ministry school where they will go over the new elders' manual.

13

Can I be df'd even if I never meet with the elders?

by ele_lux in

if i never agree to meet them, can they still df me if they knew i was doing something they condemn?.

NeonMadman

In theory, if you refuse to attend the JC meeting, they can act based on the evidence and testimony that is available to them. If they believe there is sufficient evidence to disfellowship, then they will do so. Since a JC meeting is not normally called without some sort of prima facie case for disfellowshipping, most committees will see that as being sufficient. Your refusal to show up just adds fuel to the fire, since if you were repentant, you would undoubtedly want to be there to receive "help" [translation: "browbeating"] from the elders.