truth_b_known

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Posts by truth_b_known

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  77

  A question about the contemporary generation teaching following a conversation with a JW apologist

  by Giles Gray in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i would like to ask the ex-jws on this site to put their ‘apologists hat’ back on for a moment, so that i can go through the overlapping generation teaching in an attempt to make sense of it.

  i apologise if these points have already been addressed on this site.a quick background for the reason for my request… having never confronted a jw apologist on the topic, i recently engaged with a jw regarding the official understanding of a ‘generation’ and unfortunately he didn’t have an answer to the points i was making.

  i was left a little confused as to what the official jw response would/should be.so i was hoping that my thoughts below might be considered from an apologist’s perspective.the point in question relates to this section of the watchtower article below from 2008, as well as the jw.org video explanation of the overlapping generation:---:w08 2/15[box on page 25] can we calculate the length of “this generation”?the word “generation” usually refers to people of various ages whose lives overlap during a particular time period or event.

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  truth_b_known

  eisegesis

  noun

  eis·​ege·​sis | \ ˌī-sə-ˈjē-səs , ˈī-sə-ˌjē- \
  

  plural eisegeses\ ˌī-​sə-​ˈjē-​ˌsēz , ˈī-​sə-​ˌjē-​ \

  Definition of eisegesis

  : the interpretation of a text (as of the Bible) by reading into it one's own ideas

  — compare EXEGESIS

  Not just with Jehovah's Witnesses, but all Christian denominations there have been non-Biblical beliefs introduced that were later defended by self interpretation of the Bible (e.g. see origin of Hell fire). This is a great example.

  First, the Watchtower gave us the 1914 doctrine. Looking at the book of Matthew it gave Witnesses hope that Armageddon would before the generation that saw 1914 ended. Then - the generation ended and no Armageddon.

  As 1914 is a core doctrine of Witnesses, the Watchtower could not allow this belief to be proved wrong. So the goal posts were moved with a new Watchtower definition of the word generation. In a sense, the Watchtower changed the word to simply mean "a time period". However, this is very nonsensical.
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  13

  Was Mary Magdalene an apostle?

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new article about mary magdalene says:.

  the catholic church calls mary .

  “the apostle of the apostles” because she was the first to bring news of jesus’ resurrection to the apostles.

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  truth_b_known

  The Catholic Church decided to magically deem the title of "prostitute" on Mary Magdalene. The reason for this was for the fact that people were believing that she was an Apostle or at least of great importance. The Church was not going to let a woman have such an honor.

  Apostolic succession is a real thing. Matthias was chosen to replace Judas Iscariot. Further proof comes from non-biblical Christian writing prior to Constantine creating the Holy Roman Church.

  The Protestant movement under Martin Luther rejected any writings outside the Bible. In addition, Luther had several Old Testament books removed from the Bible and was unsuccessful in getting Hebrews, James, and Revelation removed from the New Testament. Luther wanted all those books removed because the contradicted his teachings of By Grace Alone and By Faith Alone.
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  17

  Covid19 "Suggestions" (aka rules)

  by Huxley1979 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so a co just said in his talk yesterday that anyone that doesn't follow the branch's covid19 "suggestions" is disobedient and the type of person that won't survive armageddon.

  didn't the letter say that each head of household would choose for himself how to apply the "suggestions"?.

  the funny thing is there are other countries where none of these "suggestions" have been given..

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  truth_b_known

  This is a suggestion. However, if you do not follow this suggestion you will be destroyed.

  "Sir, did you coerce that man into giving you his wallet by putting your gun to his head?"

  "No! I merely suggested it."
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  20

  Pioneer School Funny Picture

  by pale.emperor in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  found this on one of the exjw reddit pages.

  a "hilarious" group photo.

  another sign that this isnt the same religion we remembered of the 80s and 90s - and i dont mean that in a good, progressive way.. you can just smell the virginity oozing out of the front and back row.. .

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  truth_b_known

  I realize I have been out for over a decade, but as previously mentioned, just about every person in that photo would have received a strong counselling and a threat of removal as a pioneer for 1) the way they are dressed, and 2) the way they are acting. If I had shown up to Pioneer School wearing a purple shirt and a bow tie I would be told I had 20 minutes to go home and change. I would also be told to thing and pray over how serious representing Jehovah is.

  Not only am I no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses, but I don't think they really exist anymore. I got the guilting of a text with a link to the "Return to Jehovah" video. Return? How? The organization I left no longer exists.
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  9

  Jehovahs Dodge Claim

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  "victims say cash moved offshore".

  i just thought you might be interested in how widespread this article has been taken up by the media in australia.. west australian newspaper , herald sun sunday victorian newspaper ,the daily telegraph n.s.w.

  newspaper,.

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  truth_b_known

  https://www.news.com.au/national/special-investigation-into-jehovahs-witnesses/video/a334969a3052132c8cab3c94ccc4925e

  Does this mean all Kingdom Halls are for sale in Australia and the proceeds have been funneled elsewhere?
  
  
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  3

  Process and Content

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in a previous life, when we were teaching quality management business practices, we emphasised the need to differentiate "process" from "content".

  this required looking at how things were being done rather than any analysis of the internal data being processed.. it is possible to look at the processes involved with the creation, editing, and delivery of any sacred scriptures without having any need to accept or agree with the content of what the people were writing.. the judaeo/christian scriptures open to us the minds of peoples living long ago in cultures that are very different to ours.

  i actually hesitated when i wrote "judaeo/christian" because in reality we have the hebrew literature followed by jewish literature.. treating their writings as "literature" opens the field of enquiry, freshening the mind from having any need to become personally involved in its contents.. i am currently investigating second temple judaism, since that period created the foundations for judaism and for christianity.

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  truth_b_known

  This topic is fascinating. It really turns modern Christianity on its head. Especially Protestant denominations as they believe everything in the Bible is literal and happened as written as a matter of historical fact.
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  30

  Would Watchtower Ever Risk Setting Another Date

  by Number 6 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there was a 50 year gap between the failed dates of 1925 and 1975.. memories fade, people die, and who cares what was said 50 years ago.. most jw's now in the religion werent there when 1975 was a thing.

  even my mother who was baptized in 1974 who i do remember speaking about it back in the day, can barely remember what the fuss was about.

  for active jw's who are doing all there studying online now, its practically impossible to find any wt contemporary reference to 1975.. i read recently (sorry i cant source it right now) that at the time, even watchtower may have taken the view that even if they knew 1975 was wrong, the short term gains would far outstrip those who left leading to an overall net gain so it was a risk worth taking.

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  truth_b_known

  I highly doubt it. They even had to redo the Awake! tagline about this system ending before the 20th century ends. All will get is 31 flavors of "The last, of the last, of the final part, of the last days."
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  20

  Pioneer School Funny Picture

  by pale.emperor in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  found this on one of the exjw reddit pages.

  a "hilarious" group photo.

  another sign that this isnt the same religion we remembered of the 80s and 90s - and i dont mean that in a good, progressive way.. you can just smell the virginity oozing out of the front and back row.. .

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  truth_b_known

  "We are not in a cult. See, we wear bow ties and make silly face photos."
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  35

  Noah’s flood

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  a few years ago at one of the conventions, there was a talk on gods remarkable creation.

  one of the slides showed a giant sequoia tree, approximately 5000 years old!.

  later another talk was about noah etc.

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  truth_b_known

  There was no global flood. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. There was a local flood in the region of Turkey about the time the Biblical flood took place. This is probably what started all the flood myths, but good luck getting any Protestant denomination to believe it.
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  35

  Noah’s flood

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  a few years ago at one of the conventions, there was a talk on gods remarkable creation.

  one of the slides showed a giant sequoia tree, approximately 5000 years old!.

  later another talk was about noah etc.

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  truth_b_known

  There was no global flood. The scientific evidence is overwhelming. There was a local flood in the region of Turkey about the time the Biblical flood took place. This is probably what started all the flood myths, but good luck getting any Protestant denomination to believe it.