elizabeth warren, alexandria ocasio cortez, and other democrats are openly expressing interest (and in come cases, campaign promises) that the electoral college has to go.
i disagree for a few reasons.
first, the 25 states (out of 50, so 50%) with the smallest populations only get 21% of the electoral college votes (in our current system, today).
The U.S. is a collection of 50 sovereign states. Abolishing the Electoral College would mean that California and New York would decide the outcome of every Presidential Election. Not even New York state, but the City of New York.
Democracies fail. The U.S. is not a democracy. Never was. It should never be.
question: have any of you that are now exjws had a parent leave the religion before you, and you shunned them because of that?
if so—and while you were still in the cult—what, if anything, could your parent have done to reach your heart and begin a reconciliation?
it’s been almost ten years since i left the religion and my two sons continue to shun me and rebuff all efforts i make to reconcile.
That's a rough situation jp1692. I was born in and did not leave until I was in my early thirties. I cannot recall a situation like yours. My father was disfellowshipped days after I graduated from high school. I was living at home the entire time he was disfellowshipped, so there was no shunning by my siblings and I.
I think we are all well aware of how reason, logic, and facts are pointless tools when dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses. Belief if a powerful thing. Belief is an opinion held in spite of what the facts show.
What I do know is that the following things are not found in the Bible -
"Jehovah's Witnesses"
"Governing Body"
"Disfellowshipping"
I also know the following is found in the Bible -
Honor your father and your mother is the first commandment.
Growing up there was a husband and wife who had a son my younger brother's age. I remember when I was in high school the wife and son left the husband in the middle of the night. They legally changed their names and switched congregations. I believe it was because of verbal and emotional abuse by the husband.
The son grew up, graduated high school, became a pioneer and Ministerial Servant. Then his father, who moved out of state, came back to visit. The father wanted to visit with his son, but the son refused. The father approached the local elders. Those elders told the son, now and adult, if he didn't speak with his father he would be removed as a pioneer and Servant.
So, if your father abused you, but is in good standing with the organization, you have to speak to him. If your father is disfellowshipped and you live outside the home you are not to speak with him. Such a loving arrangement.
so i was talking with my husband about all the things the organization is doing ie.
hiding pedophiles, lying about what 1914 was etc.
so his response was that the nation of israel had times when they weren’t doing the right thing, but it was still gods chosen organization.. another topic we were talking about was disfellowshipping.
Charles Taze Russell founded the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society in 1881 and began publishing "The Watch Tower" as well as founded the religious organization known as "The International Bible Students." From 1909 to 1931 The International Bible Students severed into over 7 groups -
3 groups under the banner of "Associated Bible Students"
Pastoral Bible Instituted that published "The Herald of Christ's Kingdom," a monthly magazine like the Watchtower.
The Standfast Bible Association that was started because of Rutherford's hypocrisy in teaching pacifism, but purchasing U.S. War Bonds during WWI. Elijah's Voice Society splintered off that group.
Dawn Bible Students Association who publish the magazine "The Dawn - Herald of Christ's Presence." The Independent Bible Students splintered from them in 1974 at a convention.
Not to mention the Free Covenant Believers who published the magazine "The Kingdom Scribe," the Christian Discipling Ministries International, the Free Bible Students based in Germany who were also persecuted during WWII and also published the magazine "Der Pilgrim," the Layman's Home Missionary Movement started by Paul S. Johnson who believed he, not Rutherford, should have been Russell's successor. The Epiphany Bible Students Association and Laodicean Home Missionary Movement. Then of course we finally have the Friends of Man movement that started in 1917.
All of these groups, including Jehovah's Witnesses splintered from Charles Taze Russell's International Bible Students. They all held meeting, attended conventions, many published periodical magazines. Even Charles Taze Russell's International Bible Students is a splinter group of the Millerites who believed Christ would return and end would come in 1843. When it didn't, many left. Just like many left the International Bible Students when Rutherford conducted his hostile takeover of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society.
So the question is - Why are Jehovah's Witnesses the one, true religion? Other than self-proclamation, why in 1919 did the International Bible Students produce the "Faithful and Discreet Slave"? Why wasn't it in 1831?
Also, Israel was "God's chosen people" beginning with the covenant with Abraham. It also ended, according to Jehovah's Witnesses, when the nation of Israel rejected Jesus and Christianity?
How do we know that it wasn't one of the many other groups who also gave false prophecy claiming the end would come in a certain year are God's chosen people on Earth? The all go to meetings and conventions. They publish magazines. They go door-to-door announcing Jehovah's Kingdom. They experience growth. They have all been persecuted for their beliefs. How can one say they don't have "the Truth"?
is it possible that anyone being truthful with themself can literally believe that there needs to be a cork placed in this problem.. if this continues, and most sources, not speaking about fox, are suggesting this is only going to get worse and at this rate there will be over 750k illegal migrants.
how are we suppose to sustain this influx.
the massive amounts of children flooding the schools in my own municipality is crippling, for many of the counties residents.. as an example the entire county offered free breakfast and lunch to all students.
This issue will never be solved.
The Republican elite class of Washington, D.C. need to help their buddies in their home districts fill cheap, unskilled labor jobs to keep overhead down and maximize profits.
The Democrat elite class of Washington, D.C. require a permanent underclass to keep them in office.
Human Trafficking is close to surpassing narcotics trafficking as the number illegal business in the world. Mexican Drug Cartels could literally stop the manufacture and delivery of controlled substances and switch to human trafficking with out losing one red cent. There are too many geo-political powers that rely on this trade to make their fortunes.
so, what do you think?
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fwiw, i say sleazebag....
Trump's payment to Stormy Daniels was from his personal account. The monies paid did not come from Trumps election campaign account. Therefor there is no offense. It has only been presented by media advocates (formerly known as "journalists") as to be a violation of campaign fund violations.
Politicians across the U.S. have paid people off not to reveal the skeletons in their closet. It's only against the law if campaign funds are used.
jws don't say, "i am a jehovah's witness.".
instead, they say, "i am one of jehovah's witnesses.".
what does the second way of saying it convey that the first does not?.
It's simply grammatically correct.
a huge realization hit me the other day while listening to a podcast that discussed the "lineage of jesus".. according to the bible, "the messiah" was to come through king davids lineage.
but, if you wade through the entire chapter of matthew that lists "son of ...son of...son of...etc", it becomes obvious that jesus did not come through davids line at all!.
in fact, that lineage lists jospeh (mary's husband) as being in davids line.
I thought Jewish linage was matriarchal. That being said, it wouldn't matter what tribe Joseph was a descendant. It only mattered what Mary's lineage was.
so, what do you think?
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fwiw, i say sleazebag....
Michael Cohen was convicted of Perjury in Congressional Testimony.
Here our some things you should know about how Federal criminal cases are carried out.
1) The United States Attorney's Office meets may meet with a Defendant represented by legal counsel in what is called a "Proffer Meeting." This is where a deal is set out that, in exchange for evidence that would assist the government in prosecuting another person, the Defendant receives leniency at sentencing. Michael Cohen was sentenced to 36 months in the US Bureau of Prisons. That means he Cohen had nothing of value to offer at his Proffer Meeting.
2) Prior to sentencing a Defendant in a Federal criminal case is interviewed by a member of the U.S. Probation Department. This is to complete a pre-sentence report. This report is given to the District Judge to assist in the sentencing of a Defendant. In Cohen's pre-sentence report it states that Cohen told the Probation Officer he wanted a high ranking position withing the Trump administration. Cohen stated to the Probation Officer that he resented the fact that Trump offered him no position at all in the adminstration.
3) During yesterday's hearing Cohen was asked, under oath, if he was supposed to get appointed to a position in Trump's administration. Cohen answered "No" and went on to say that he never asked or wanted a position. Cohen stated he wanted to be independent and continue his work as a "fixer."
Michael Cohen is a convicted felon. That alone impeaches any testimony he offers. Michael Cohen was convicted of a crime of moral turpitude. That also impeaches any testimony he offers. Michael Cohen was convicted for committing perjury before a congressional hearing. At yesterday's hearing Michael Cohen, under oath, lied when asked if he wanted to received a position in the Trump administration.
Yesterday's hearing was nothing more than grand theater of at a Shakespearean order. It was a tax payer funded TV ad for the political elite class for the purpose to undermine the legitimacy of the Trump presidency.
there was a little bit of discussion on another thread about the results of the recent tax changes in usa.
i decided to compare whether or not the changes were favoring the lower-income class versus the middle class.
the family that i inputted into the system was a married couple with four minor dependents, their income was $44000.00 annually and they paid $2100.00 in taxes during the year.. after completing the calculations, this family is getting a refund of $9981.00; the bulk of it are earned income credit $2191.00 and additional child credit $5600.00.
This is why I am a huge proponent of abolishing the U.S. Tax Code and the IRS in exchange for a flat tax. Everyone and every corporation pays a flat percentage in income tax to the U.S. government. The only deductions should be for donations to charities.
a woman gets an abortion.
the baby is supposed to die because of the abortion but doesn’t.
should that living baby be put to death or should the baby be given medical help to survive?.
Conversely, I don't think people she be allowed to eat their cake and have it too.
If it is solely up to the woman to decide whether or not to keep the child, the mother should solely be responsible for the child. Men having to pay child support for a child the mother decided to keep should be abolished.
