I only heard of that when a brother moved. The body of elders from the old congregation would sometimes mail a letter of recommendation to the body of elders of the new congregation. This was usually done for Ministerial Servants as only elders automatically got re-appointed in their new congregation.
truth_b_known
JoinedPosts by truth_b_known
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Links to articles of letter of recomendation
by jojorabbit ini am new to this forum.
i was a former jehovah's witness for many years.
i have a question maybe some of you can help me with.
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How To Talk About Interpretation With Jehovah's Witnesses.
by Vanderhoven7 inthis from my book: good news for jehovah's witnesses.
before we discuss any doctrinal issues, i would like to distinguish between what i believe is proper versus improper interpretive practice.... so you know what i can accept as biblical and what i can't accept.. basic guidelines for validating doctrinal claims`).
i. there must be at least one scriptural reference that can be cited for support of any doctrinal claim or position.. ii.
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truth_b_known
Whomever offers to interpret something for you has an agenda.
The Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses have long history of coming to erroneous conclusions.
Example #1 -
For physical training is beneficial for a little, but godly devotion is beneficial for all things, as it holds promise of the life now and the life that is to come. - 1 Timothy 4:8 NWT
Growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses I recall on numerous occasions 1 Timothy 4:8 being used to cast a negative view of physical training (i.e. "working out").
"The Bible says 'bodily training is training for a little...'"
Yes. However, the Bible does not state bodily training is worthless, harmful, or forbidden. Stop mischaracterizing scripture to support your unhealthy lifestyle.
Example #2 -
Do not be misled. Bad associations spoil useful habits. 1 Corinthians 15:33 NWT
Growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses this scripture was used by my parents and so many others. They read it as if the words were "Do not associate with persons who are not Jehovah's Witnesses" or "All persons not Jehovah's Witnesses are bad association."
Take 1 Corinthians 15:33 in context with the entire chapter. Paul was warning that there were those in the congregation being influenced by the Sadducees' teachings which denied there was a resurrection including that of Jesus. Paul wasn't warning about outsiders - non-Christians. Paul was warning about fellow Christians right inside the congregation!
Those are not my interpretations. That is just me being literate reading the scriptures.
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Does the WTS have a clergy class
by blondie inthis can be confusing because the wts has adjusted from not having a clergy class to not having a "paid" clergy class.. "a congregation of brothers precludes having a proud clergy class that honors itself with high-sounding titles and elevates itself above a laity" wt 6/1/2001 p. 12, pp 11. still same idea in 2021 wt october, p. 20, pp.
7, but 2022 in the wt publication, frequently asked questions about jehovah’s witnesses, page 13, the wts inserts "paid" in front of "clergy perhaps to shore up their current statement in secular courts they have clergy, just not paid) "following the model of first-century christianity, jehovah’s witnesses have no clergy-laity division.
all baptized witnesses are ordained ministers and share in the preaching and teaching work.
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truth_b_known
The Watchtower would have to in an attempt to put on some semblance of an honest organization.
The biggest example is using the legal loophole in some states that do not have a legal requirement for clergy to report sex abuse. I was surprised to learn recently that it is either New York or New Jersey where there is a huge sex abuse based law suit against the Watchtower where this loophole is being exploited by the Watchtower.
Elder = Clergy
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How Murderers In the Congregation are handled
by blondie ini don't have the link but i am trying to post this, this is from a previous post on jwn.
watchtower bible and tract society of new york, inc. dear brothers:.. we received your letter of december 17 in which you inquire about handling a situation involving a brother who has been guilty of serious violation of the law in the past.. you explained that you received information indicating that this brother ?committed several murders and crimes before his baptism.
you ask if law obligates some action on our part.
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truth_b_known
Watchtower: You say he may or may not have smoked marijuana with a co-worker? You better get to the bottom of this matter.
Watchtower: You say he murdered several people prior to his baptism? It is your DUTY to hide this! Imagine if others in the congregation found out.
Anyone else hearing the same thing?
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Do JWs trust and rely on bad reviews? Why should they? How could it be coherent?
by psyco injws 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.?
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truth_b_known
If your worldview is that Satan controls the world and the media, and is determined to bring the WTS down, you are willing to accept some very thin premises in order to maintain that point of view. Confirmation bias is a very powerful thing.
So true. Ultimately what it comes down to is not a matter of what is true and what is not true, but a matter of protecting the concept of living forever on paradise Earth. Everything that is done is self-deception to protect the idea of living forever on Earth. The anxiety of that idea being proved false is the fuel source for all of it.
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Do JWs trust and rely on bad reviews? Why should they? How could it be coherent?
by psyco injws 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.?
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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.
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Is it okey to express your love for Jesus currently as a Jehovah's witness?
by Kosonen inis 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:.
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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.
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2022 - 1914 = ?
by fedup inobviously 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.
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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."
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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.
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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.
