Posts by truth_b

10

How Long Is Forever?

by HiddenPimo in

imagine you have a spoon and you dig out one scoop of soil from the ground in central new york.

then you put that soil in a bag and carry it with you as you travel from there to the grand canyon.

you repeat these steps until you have created another grand canyon in new york and filled the original one in arizona.

Living forever flies in the face of the natural order of things. Imagine the universe as a single, organic entity that is constantly creating new life while life simultaneously is ending. A cycle if you will.

Living forever devalues life because it negates purpose. Anything you can do today you can put off until next millennium as you will be alive then as well. The whole anxiety of dying is experienced only when one has not found a purposeful life. This is why Witnesses are obsessed with living forever. They have no purpose now because they believe that this life is not "the real life". For them all purpose begins only when they are on the other side of Armageddon.

With that being said, I have also recently become acquainted with the theory of the Big Bounce. That is the theory that universe has no beginning and has no end. It only resets itself every so often with a Big Bang. Then there's the First Law of Thermodynamics. If energy cannot be created or destroyed in a closed environment (e.g. the universe), it can only change forms, then what happens to consciousness when the body dies?

27

November WT study article

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

in one of the study articles from the november 2020 edition, is mentioned (free quotation):.

"don"t get disturbed if your kingdom hall will be sold".

food on the right time, i asume?.

truth_b_known

I was born in back in the 1970s and was in until about 2010. During that time I would often hear about areas needing new Kingdom Halls due to growth. That is why there was a whole contribution box in every Kingdom Hall just for that purpose.

Now, the excuse is being given that it is too expensive to do this. So congregations who's numbers are dwindling are being consolidated into one congregation at one Kingdom Hall. The unused Kingdom Halls are being sold and allegedly the proceeds go to build Kingdom Halls where the increase in number requires more meeting space.

Here's the problem with this new model - its a never ending cycling. Who is to say a few years from now the area that was consolidated doesn't experience growth and now needs another Kingdom Hall? Who is to say during that same time the area that needed a new Kingdom Hall doesn't experience a decrease and now they can be consolidated into one Kingdom Hall?

If the rising cost of building and operating Kingdom Halls is such an issue why not just stop having them all together? Wouldn't it make more fiscal sense to just rent/lease a space to hold meetings? They do it for Memorials every year. They last few years I was in I remember going to a hotel ballroom or a community center for the Memorial than attending at a Kingdom Hall. If it is alright to celebrate the Lord's Evening Meal at the local Holiday Inn why not have the public talk there too?

Why not buy double wide trailer homes and just park them wherever they need them? If the congregations shrink, consolidate them and then move one of the trailers to where the congregations have grown.

I could go on and on with models that work better than what the Watchtower is currently doing. However, I think that is just evidence to the fact that it is not about the congregations - its about the money.

30

Did you feel contempt for Non Witnesses

by Steel in

the other day i went to this farm owned by this jw lady with my wife being a jw and my mother being a non witness.

later taking to my mother she noticed this vibe like this jw lady really hated her.

she just had these little slags like when we tried to pay for the fruit we picked , she looked directly at my wife and said " don't worry about it, i only charge wordly people ".. i also have this aunt who is a jw we are estranged from.

truth_b_known

I never felt contempt for non-Witnesses when I was a Witness. Probably because, much to my parents' dismay, I always maintained friendships with non-Witnesses. In fact, throughout the 30 some odd years I was in many of my best friends were non-Witnesses.

I recall clearly being counselled (I think it was a Watchtower study) that we were to refrain from calling non-Witnesses names like "worldly people." The Biblical reference comes from the Pharisees who used the term "am ha·ʼaʹrets" or "people of the land" as a derogatory slur. The Pharisees used this term to refer to those who did not observe Jewish customs. Sound familiar?

34

How do JWs view the Ransom?

by Vanderhoven7 in

looking for a simple explanation of the ransom from a jws perspective..

truth_b_known

JWs teach that any being created perfect that sins is not redeemable. Therefor Adam, Eve, Satan, and all demons are forever condemned to death.

57

What is Causing This Sudden Increase in Crime / Racial Tension???

by RubaDub in

jw
friends

yes, there has been crime as long as we can remember.

under 8 years of obama, there was crime.

under 8 years of bush the younger, there was crime.

truth_b_known

"Idea Laundering" through "Grievance Studies" really reveals a lot to what is going on. The vacuum created by Modernism was filled with Post-Modernism. In short, a lack of a spiritual practice caused a hunger which is now being filled with this new religion.

57

What is Causing This Sudden Increase in Crime / Racial Tension???

by RubaDub in

jw
friends

yes, there has been crime as long as we can remember.

under 8 years of obama, there was crime.

under 8 years of bush the younger, there was crime.

truth_b_known

Racism in in the very DNA of humans. Us vs Them has been an issue throughout all of human history. Blame makes living easier because you don't have to reflect upon your own deficiencies.

Is there racism in the U.S.? Yes. Is it worse or better than the past? Is it worse or better than in any other country in the world? I don't know.

I do know that media news networks make money off it. Red makes green. I have seen online news site posting stories of "systemic racism" in which the events took place 2 or 3 years ago. The flames are intentionally being stoked.

The biggest issue is that racism comes from fear. Fear incites a response for protection and the first and easiest form of protection the brain knows is anger. Anger does not allow for reason.

Race relations have gotten worse because people have stopped reasoning in lieu of strong emotion, primarily anger.

21

The last part of the last days 1967

by Fadeaway1962 in

ts lett just repeated from this watchtower.

.

truth_b_known

I recently read a book that draws out that the writings of the Apostles John and Paul indicate they both believed Jesus would return BEFORE they died.

What actually constitutes "last days"? If there is an end, wouldn't any day after the first constitute last days? Based on Paul and John's teachings, every day after the resurrection of Jesus has been part of the "last days".

57

What is Causing This Sudden Increase in Crime / Racial Tension???

by RubaDub in

jw
friends

yes, there has been crime as long as we can remember.

under 8 years of obama, there was crime.

under 8 years of bush the younger, there was crime.

truth_b_known

Overall crime has been down for over a decade, but there has been a recent uptick in violent crime. Especially domestic crimes. COVID-19 lock downs have a lot to do with this.

35

So...what do you think about The United States of America?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know the usa is not perfect.

there have always been social issues and differences.

politics has been for many people divisive.

truth_b_known

Unfortunately television, movies, and big cable news paint a picture of what life is, including what the U.S. of America is. So what do we see?

Los Angeles

San Francisco

New York City

Chicago

Miami

There is so much more to the U.S. than this mega urban centers. The "salt of the earth" is usually found outside these giant cities.

24

I don't get it - Marriage in WT world

by menrov in

in wt world, a marriage is only seen (considered) as legal if it is registered in the municipality (or similar governmental organisation).

now, if you look at the scriptures, there was no requirement to have a marriage legally registered in order to be considered married.

is it not strange that the wt subjects themselves to and adopts an worldly arrangement setup but governments rules by satan when it comes to a marital status?.

truth_b_known

I often wondered the same. I understand that "not to bring reproach" you are required to obtain a marriage license where the state says you're not married without a license. However, I remember several weddings where Witnesses were to still "chaperon" the wedding couple until they signed their marriage license so they wouldn't commit fornication.

That is crazy! Those actions state that the spiritual marriage ceremony before God and man has no meaning. Only signing a piece of paper from the government. Not to mention, I had a friend who was disciplined by the body of elders because he was engaged to a woman and then he broke the engagement off. How much more trouble would you get into if you literally just exchanges vows in front of the congregation and then went "Nope! I change my mind," and then not sign the license.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known