Posts by truth_b

8

Do JWs trust and rely on bad reviews? Why should they? How could it be coherent?

by psyco in

jws are taught that all bad reviews about them made by exjws are false and sick, so they must not read or listen to them.. so, when jws decide on joining, applying, or buying whatever product, service or organization: are they reading and listening only to good reviews about people still satisfied with that product, service, or organization because they consider false and sick all bad reviews made by people who abandoned that?

do they trust and rely on all bad reviews reported in documentaries, on internet, on tv, on magazines etc.

about people who left scientology, who left that house, who left that job position, who left that hotel, who left that restaurant, who left that medical treatment etc.?

truth_b_known

The Watchtower Bible & Tract Society posits the claim that any negative statements about the organization referred is a lie. The claim continues that such negative reviews come from either 1) News media organizations controlled by Satan or 2) government entities (e.g. courts) controlled by Satan or 3) former Jehovah's Witnesses (i.e. "apostates"). The Watchtower does site positive reviews from news media organizations and government entities.

The claim has at least 2 logical fallacies -

The Double Standard Fallacy
The Appeal to Motive Fallacy

If an argument seems to make sense it cannot be valid unless the form is valid.

The Watchtower has regularly cited news sources in their publications which feature favorable reviews of Jehovah's Witnesses. An example would be when a newspaper publishes an article praising Jehovah's Witnesses during a local Regional Convention. However, that same news source may publish a story about Jehovah's Witnesses attempting to cover up child sex abuse cases. Such articles are condemned by the Watchtower as apostate lies.

How can a newspaper be good enough to cite in a Watchtower publication, but the same newspaper be condemned as declared forbidden reading?

In addition, if a newspaper article publishes a story that puts the Watchtower in a negative light, to challenge the claim by calling into question the motives of the proposer of the thesis is a logical fallacy.

16

Is it okey to express your love for Jesus currently as a Jehovah's witness?

by Kosonen in

jw
friends

is it okey to express your love for jesus as a jehovah's witness?.

it should be, even though it would lift some eyebrows in the congregation.

let's see what jesus said:.

truth_b_known

In Watchtower theology and doctrine, Jesus is an object, a tool that exists only to serve Jehovah's will. Jehovah uses Jesus as a carpenter uses a hammer. Just like when a carpenter is finished building his project, Jehovah puts his tools away.

Jesus Purpose according to the Watchtower

Create everything
Glorify Jehovah's name
Be a ransom sacrifice
Take 1,000 years to restore humanity to perfection

After #4 Jesus is just another angel, which angels are barely above men.

If you are an active Jehovah's Witness (PIMO) trying answering at the Watchtower study and add the phrase "Jesus is my Lord and Savior" in your comment and see what happens.

15

2022 - 1914 = ?

by fedup in

obviously not the orgs brightest moment for teaching that the generation of 1914 would be alive to see paradise.

forget the "new light" that bought them an extra 100 years, which if any other religion would've done this, the org would scream false religion.

the fact is that for 75 years this #1 recruiting message from the society was a lie.. i asked a current jw to get a calculator and do the math: 2022 - 1914 = an angry reaction.

truth_b_known

Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. - Matt 24:34 NWT

Truly I say to you that the generation that overlaps this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen. - Matt 24:34 NWT with added NuLyte

Imagine getting into a debate with one of Jehovah's Witnesses and every time that person alleged you were wrong you correct them by saying, "I am not wrong. My light is either older or newer than your light."

10

Mother's Day is Only for Mother Church

by Sea Breeze in

what jackasses !.

truth_b_known

It only seems to be JWs who pick every crumb apart and worry if something supposedly violates bible principles. Or they take interpretation to an unnecessary extreme. It’s no wonder they are neurotic and scared of their shadow but worse yet they imagine they are more righteous somehow because they want to separate themselves.

Yes! This!

First, they desire to out-righteous one another to feel superior.

Second, they grasp at straws and pull at threads to unravel anything benign as if it were malignant.

10

Mother's Day is Only for Mother Church

by Sea Breeze in

what jackasses !.

truth_b_known

This is a great example of nutty the Watchtower can be.

Watchtower statement - Mother's Day was created in England and the United States of America. Probably true. Doesn't matter.

Watchtower statement - England and the United States of America are the chief countries of Christendom. How anyone would come to that conclusion is beyond me.

Watchtower statement - The command to honor one's father and mother is a symbol of loving Jehovah, your true father, and the Watchtower ("organization"), your true mother. This is where Rod Serling steps out from the shadows, lights a cigarette and begins an "Imagine if you will" monologue.

Watchtower statement - Mother's Day was first observed in the United States in 1914 which is the year Satan was kicked out of heaven. This leads us to the Watchtower's conclusion of conspiracy theory based logic...

Mother's Day was invented in England and the United States.
England and the United States = Christendom.
Mother's Day was recognized in 1914 = Satan being banished to the Earth.
Therefore: Mother's Day = Satan & Christendom.

Charlie Day Conspiracy - UK & US = Christendom Therefor Mother's Day and by Mother's Day I mean Satan because Watchtower

20

WT's Impact on Children

by Sea Breeze in

what is your opinion of the wt's impact on children?.

here, children get to connect the dots and see what will happen to you if you are disobedient.

.

truth_b_known

I was about 10 years old at the time my 2 younger siblings had a girl from our congregation over to the house for a play day. At the time we lived in low-income housing. There were a lot of kids in the neighborhood and everyone played together outside on a daily basis.

I remember seeing my two younger siblings playing with this girl from our congregation outside. A local child from the neighborhood who was not a Witness walked up and asked if she could play with them. My sister said "Yes."

The whole time this interaction took place with the neighbor kid, the girl from our congregation froze. She had a look of absolute terror in her face. It was as if this neighborhood child had rattlesnakes coming out of her eye sockets.

This poor girl's parents where uber-Witnesses. She was an only child. I had to imagine she was taught by her parents that non-Witness children were the devil himself and playing with them guaranteed death at Armageddon.

I don't think I have ever seen a child so terrified in my entire life. It still troubles me to this day.

9

What are the benefits of doubts?

by psyco in

what are the benefits of having created the human mind being able to have doubts inside (or regarding) the true religion (jude 22)?.

because if you have doubts, you are not sure, so it is difficult to believe and trust.

and if it is difficult to believe and trust, it is even more difficult to have faith since it is the "assured" expectation of what is hoped for (hebrews 11:1).

truth_b_known

There are 3 pillars -

Faith: You believe it works, but lack evidence.

Doubt: Because you lack evidence you are not sure if it is true.

Dedication: You don't want to believe. You want to know. So you diligently seek the facts and accept them as you discover them.

All Abrahamic religion is built on one pillar - faith. It is considered a sin to doubt and frowned on to ask questions.

Stay close to those who seek the truth and avoid those who claim the have found the truth.

3

Are Satan and demons able to create life?

by psyco in

aaron's rod became a big snake (exodus 7:8-10).. when something not alive, like dust, becomes alive, like a living person (genesis 7:2): is this not called "creation"?

so, when pharaoh's wise men, sorcerers, and magic-practicing priests of egypt also did the same (exodus 7:11, 12): how could we called this instead?

i read about some jws explaining it as a magic illusion.

truth_b_known

It's a lot arguing over General Calrissian's tactics against the Klingons at the Battle of Five Armies.

I'd say the magician's staves turned to snakes are as real as the fallen angels Nephilim children.

13

PIMA sitting on the fence

by PimoElder in

technically, an atheist is someone who doesn't believe in a god, while an agnostic is someone who doesn't believe it's possible to know for sure that a god exists..

truth_b_known

ag·nos·tic
/aɡˈnästik/
noun
a person who believes that nothing is known or can be known of the existence or nature of God or of anything beyond material phenomena; a person who claims neither faith nor disbelief in God.
a·the·ist
/ˈāTHēəst/
noun
a person who disbelieves or lacks belief in the existence of God or gods.

An atheist does not believe in a god or gods as their is a lack of evidence to their existence.

An agnostic believes there is no way to prove a god or gods exist and therefor are unknowable.

If the Great Tribulation were to start it would be physical evidence in favor of not only the existence of a god, but the God of the Bible. An atheist may change belief. An agnostic would dismiss the evidence as agnostics believe any evidence of a god is not possible in the physical universe.

10

The story of a renegade anointed

by Terry in

jw
friends

remarkable sister pettifog.

this morning i arrived on my bicycle at the local starbucks early and took up a seat at the outdoor table in the fresh air.. that’s when it happened--a group of 3 older ladies at one of the other tables outside rose to leave and one of them walked over to my table and spoke directly to me.

i was wearing earbuds at that moment and didn’t hear.

truth_b_known

To me, it was an illegal (according to JW theology) take-over, a coup d'état.
Prior to the change, all of the anointed on earth made up the FDS; therefore, they should have had a say in the decision (especially since it was such a big one and involved them directly), but, they were not consulted.

Spot on, Magnum!

In 1992 my father was disfellowshipped after his judicial committee. He was not told what the official reason was, but I heard from another source it was for apostasy. I do know the question that was asked of him was "Do you, as someone who professes to be of the anointed, consider yourself part of the Faithful and Discreet Slave?" He answered "Yes." That sealed his fate.

Interestingly, a year later he was reinstated. I do not believe if he was asked if he still maintained his belief or not. I left the religion prior to the change in doctrine and never asked my father what his thought was on it. I just know he did not quit being a Witness.

I recall a then friend telling me that he found fellow Witnesses had a hard time accepting a Witness as being one of the anointed if that person was not a fulltime Bethelite with some sort of special position. My father told me that in 1987 a new Circuit Overseer came in who had a reputation for targeting those who claimed to be of the anointed for disfellowshipping and my father was in his crosshair. It seems like there is a lot of bias towards such ones.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known