I really do think it is all about the terminology or semantics, which Watchtower is notorious for. Are there 8.5 million people truly believe we are in "the last days," who make 50% of the meetings every week, and spend at least 4 hours in the ministry every month? I'm not so sure. Are there 8.5 million people who have one foot in and one foot out? I would believe that.
truth_b_known
JoinedPosts by truth_b_known
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How many here believe the WTS really has has 8.5 million followers / 8.5. million members
by Hotpepper ini think it's closer to 5 million with all the selling of kingdom hells and branch bethel's all over the world.
it's even hard to get a hard copy of the lastest craptower or afake mag now in new york city..
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How did/do you address your fellow believers?
by JayDubyaDotOrg inevening all.. during today's midweek bore-athon my mind was wandering as usual, and i was doing some (oh the horror!
) thinking.. nothing screams 'cult' more to me than dubs calling each other brother.. "that was an excellent talk tonight brother anderson".. "brother jones, we really need to go in service together again soon".. is it just me using people's first name.. "hi john how's it going?
did you watch the match yesterday?
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truth_b_known
I usually only used the "brother/sister" thing when addressing people from the stage during a meeting. Once the meeting was over everyone was on a first name basis.
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Congregations That May Dissolve Soon!!
by Atlantis infrom a member of the board asking for this to be posted.. hi.
i'm pimo.
could you please let people know about this?
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truth_b_known
I remember my dad giving public talks at many of those congregations when I was very young.
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Providing salvation is not that important
by pixel inthe washtowel has a crazy obsession with diminishing the important of jesus' sacrifice for humankind.
i find this so antichristian.
i mean, how can you ignore scriptures like john 3:16?.
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truth_b_known
"For God loved the his name so much he gave his only begotten son so that his name might be sanctified." John 3:16 New World Translation
Accept John 3:17 continues -
"For God did not send his Son into the world for him to judge the world, but for the world to be saved through him."
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Richness of personality seems to work against spiritual-mindedness,
by snugglebunny inare you bland enough?
just incredible imho.
wt 63, 2/15.
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truth_b_known
Clearly, not all dedicated and even mature Christians possess the holy spirit to the same measure.
This is the typical Watchtower teaching that creates judgmental people who let the Ego run their life.
Ironically, I remember being counselled from the platform against praying for "an extra portion of God's Holy Spirit" to be given to a particular person or group. The reason - The Holy Spirit cannot be partitioned.
That brings us to the next point - The Holy Spirit: Either you have it or you don't.
That is just like Watchtower encouraging people to work on the "fruitages of the Spirit." First, its singular (fruitage). That is to say, if you have the Holy Spirit you display all the qualities outlined in Galatians. Second, you cannot make yourself have those qualities.
Great post Snugglebunny. Yet another proof of just how off kilter Watchtower is.
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Providing salvation is not that important
by pixel inthe washtowel has a crazy obsession with diminishing the important of jesus' sacrifice for humankind.
i find this so antichristian.
i mean, how can you ignore scriptures like john 3:16?.
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truth_b_known
“My argument against God was that the universe seemed so cruel and unjust. But how had I got this idea of just and unjust? A man does not call a line crooked unless he has some idea of a straight line. What was I comparing this universe with when I called it unjust?” - C.S. Lewis (Theist/Former Atheist)
“There is no answer to the question, ‘Why not be cruel?’” - Richard Rorty (Atheist)
What is "evil," "pain," and "suffering" but subjective personal experiences if the universe "just is"? How can you condemn a god for things that don't exist? How can you deny the existence of once thing based on something that is a subjective feeling or personal experience?
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"MUST" Release such Guilty Members to Punishment!
by Atlantis in"must" release such guilty members to punishment .
watchtower 1962, november 15th, pg.-693, par.-9-10.
“9 worldly authorities render a judgment and punish persons, whether they are inside the congregation or outside, if they violate the laws of decency and good order.
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truth_b_known
Watchtower worshippers will walk those statements back by stating that they agree they are not to protect or hinder the earthly authorities from holding lawbreakers accountable, but are not under scriptural obligation to report lawbreakers to the earthly authorities. Then it comes down to Watchtower's favorite game of semantics as to what "hinder" means. Failure to report is hindering in my book. However Watchtower would disagree.
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Do You Believe In Polls?
by minimus inwhen you hear that the polls say.... do you really believe it??.
i think polls can be and often are skewered.
i don’t trust them..
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truth_b_known
Polls have two major flaws -
1. They are only as accurate as the poll participants are honest (e.g. 2016 Presidential Candidate Poll).
2. The person who writes the polls designs them in such a way to bolster and argument.
Here is a classic example of #2 int he form of the age old "gun control" debate -
"Do you A) Think we need stricter gun control laws or B) Think our current laws suffice?" Notice that there isn't a "C) Think our current gun control laws are too restrictive."
That's why I cringe when I hear people citing polls as evidence to prove an argument.
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Have you ever? (Suffered a Great Disappointment?)
by Terry inhave you ever suffered a great disappointment?.
well, meet william miller!______.
time: 1782 (after the american revolution and before the war of 1812).
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truth_b_known
William Miller and his Millerite movement is the true origin of the Russell's Watchtower and the modern day Jehovah's Witness religion.
The end of season 2 of the HBO tv show "The Leftovers" featured Miller and the great disappointment. It was powerful watching those Millerites getting up on their rooftops waiting for the end to come.
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Not invited to congregation “get togethers”. They finally said it
by solomon inwe don’t get many invitations to congregational social gatherings.
we don’t attend midweek meetings and miss about 1/3 of sunday meetings.
we go in service at least once a month.
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truth_b_known
My family was the victim of the same. I worked shift work. Then one day I swapped shifts so I could make it to the one day assembly. After the session we received no dinner invite. Elders wanted to stop by for a shepherding call, but only offered Sunday after the meeting. I worked Sunday after the meeting. I invited them any evening during the week. They declined.