Posts by peacefulpete

27

A Jehovah's Witness in a relationship with a non-Jehovah's Witness

by KShelton in

my name is kevin shelton.

my wife is a jehovah's witness.

my two children are jehovah's witnesses.

peacefulpete

You may have left already but the greater issues revolve around the nature of the church. It is an isolationist high control group. You (as the non-JW husband) are regarded as either a potential convert or an enemy of God. You seem to be a partial convert, having adopted some of the language but retain language from your past church affiliation.

You are completely justified in being indignant regarding their sectarian isolationism. The extent of the control over the lives of members is not limited to just who they date. All personal decisions are determined by how the church directs. Your son is exercising independence, that is what is most deeply disturbing to your wife, it is an alarm bell for those fully invested in the church. He is probably already being marked by other youths in the congregation as 'bad association'.

This social distancing can be very powerful in compelling members to conform. If you find the sectarian isolation a concern you might express that to your son.

Let him know that you will love him regardless his religious choices in life.

33

July 2023 Study Watchtower - Great Tribulation is coming soooooooooooooon!

by BoogerMan in

is this the "great tribulation" which jesus warned he would bring upon the corrupt christian congregations worldwide, (revelation 2:22; 7:14) or is it the same 1st century g.t.

which he said would never occur again?

(matthew 24:21).

peacefulpete

I think they are using the 'inner room' analogy as being a member of the congregation. The message is that you will be 'safe' only if you are a member in good standing. The usual inside, outside metaphor. Fear of being 'outside' is a powerful means of control.

3

God's first Creation

by peacefulpete in

the first of god's works was..........behemoth.

job 40:19 he is the reshit (firstling) of the ways of el; he, his maker, can approach it with his cherev (sword).. ok, where to start.

first of all, yes the word in context does imply 'first'.

peacefulpete

The first of God's works was..........Behemoth.

Job 40:19 He is the reshit (firstling) of the ways of El; He, his Maker, can approach it with His cherev (sword).

OK, where to start. First of all, yes the word in context does imply 'first'. But even if you apply the extended definition of "best, or greatest". the text is troublesome without appreciation of the meaning of Behemoth.

The creation stories throughout ancient word involved the vanquishing of chaos, often represented as the restless sea or untamable beast/monster. The OT has this imagery many times and informs many narratives involving dividing water. In this section of Job the author is describing one of the Hebrew forms of this legend. Instead of a single beast there are two, one in the sea, Leviathan and one on the earth, Behemoth. Note that the ferocity of the Behemoth is such that only God can approach it with his sword. Thus demonstrating his control over his creation.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/68724/behemoth

11

I do not understand the universal issue anymore

by psyco in

to explain the universal issue we are often referring to a teacher and his/her students.. let us imagine that a teacher (god) has an hour (everlasting) class to show his students (humans and angels) how to fix a broken clock (to reign).. one student (adam) says he is able to fix it better independently, without the teacher's help (universal issue).. the teacher let him demonstrate that in front of all the others, but instead of an hour lesson he gives him only 5 minutes (death after a limited period of time) and he blocks one of the student's hands behind his back (imperfection).. if i were one of the other students watching i could think: but those were not the initial conditions the student was in when he said he could, and what would have happened leaving him more time and both hands free?.

am i crazy?.

peacefulpete

What is "perfection" ? A meaningless loaded term. IF Adam had it when he made a decision, the decision would have been 'perfect'. If he was not "perfect" then he was simply naive. This is the message the Jewish sage was making, naivety was the cause of suffering. The solution was wisdom from God/s.

The brilliance of the sage is his inverted use of the goddess/wisdom iconography as a woman, snake and tree. He would be terribly insulted with modern Christians thinking he believed in talking snakes and magic fruit.

The whole concept of "perfection" and imperfection was foreign to the text and Jewish thinking.

11

I do not understand the universal issue anymore

by psyco in

to explain the universal issue we are often referring to a teacher and his/her students.. let us imagine that a teacher (god) has an hour (everlasting) class to show his students (humans and angels) how to fix a broken clock (to reign).. one student (adam) says he is able to fix it better independently, without the teacher's help (universal issue).. the teacher let him demonstrate that in front of all the others, but instead of an hour lesson he gives him only 5 minutes (death after a limited period of time) and he blocks one of the student's hands behind his back (imperfection).. if i were one of the other students watching i could think: but those were not the initial conditions the student was in when he said he could, and what would have happened leaving him more time and both hands free?.

am i crazy?.

peacefulpete

AnonyMouse...You are very right. The Job in the poetic dialogue section 3-27 is a very different Job from the prologue, (and from other redactional additions). He is arguing that all the traditional wisdom he was told was worthless. Patience, justice and piety are meaningless in the face of a God that tortures his creation. He wishes the world had not been created and he not born. He calls on the priests to invoke chaos monsters to prevent his birth and by extension undo all creation.

The madness of trying to incorporate an omniscient and omnipotent deity into the realities of the world.

12

KGB Agent explains Ideological warfare: Destroy A Nation From The Inside Out

by Diogenesister in

former kgb agent yuri mesmenov explains the concept of ideological warfare.

or how to destroy a nation from the inside out - by demoralising them within 20 years.. why 20 years?

because it takes 20 years to educate one generation of students that despite an abundance of information to the contrary, they are unable to come to a sensible conclusion in the best interests of their family, their community and their country and instead embrace the ideology of the enemy.

peacefulpete

Fact check: Baseless claims on 9/11 attack on the Pentagon circulate (usatoday.com)

Fact Check: Donald Rumsfeld Did NOT Report That $2.3 Trillion Was Missing The Day Before 9/11 Attacks | Lead Stories

14

Voting thumbs up

by peacefulpete in

is anyone else having problem giving a thumbs up?

it has been happening for a long time.

i vote up , it appears, then disappears when i return to page.

peacefulpete

I have never done that. I have always tried to find common ground from which we can discuss divisive topics. Please reinstate my ability to offer encouragement to helpful posters and express dislike for posters that use insulting language and personal attacks. Also my ability to engage in private messaging. Another function of this board I have never abused.

14

Voting thumbs up

by peacefulpete in

is anyone else having problem giving a thumbs up?

it has been happening for a long time.

i vote up , it appears, then disappears when i return to page.

peacefulpete

Well, it's possible. OK

I will just add that I have given thumbs up to many well argued and thoughtful comments. If you thought you were ignored, please don't.

I have also been unable to send private messages for a year or more. I was assuming it was some computer issue, such as I had posting threads.

12

KGB Agent explains Ideological warfare: Destroy A Nation From The Inside Out

by Diogenesister in

former kgb agent yuri mesmenov explains the concept of ideological warfare.

or how to destroy a nation from the inside out - by demoralising them within 20 years.. why 20 years?

because it takes 20 years to educate one generation of students that despite an abundance of information to the contrary, they are unable to come to a sensible conclusion in the best interests of their family, their community and their country and instead embrace the ideology of the enemy.

peacefulpete

Russian disinformation efforts targeting 2020 elections began last year: study | The Hill

She warned that the group was still pinpointing divisions in U.S. society through the posts, often targeting both sides of the political spectrum with “wedge issues.”

362

Just read that Carl Olof Jonsson died yesterday

by slimboyfat in

for newbies, who was carl olof jonsson?

he was a jw in sweden who was challenged by a householder in the 1960s, who pointed out to him that secular history books don’t agree with watchtower that jerusalem was destroyed in 607 bce, but instead place the event 20 years later.

the reason the date is important is because it is the starting date for jw chronology which leads to 1914 as the end of the gentile times, and the beginning of the last days, as jws understand it.

peacefulpete

He was sincere and yet troubled, that is something many of us can relate to. Taking months even years focused on such an obscure academic topic took a deep dedication. His work was valued by many thousands.