We can only hope something gets through. I really enjoy religious history and learned so much from others on this site. I always hoped those topics might break the spell and awaken the minds of some trapped in a dark apocalyptic place. It stuns me that posters can be here so long and never engage in topics like textual criticism and religious history. It's unfathomable to me but for some I'm the devil's agent by even wanting to discuss such things. All I know is what I'm doing doesn't seem to penetrate the fog, maybe a little pointed mocking might.
peacefulpete
JoinedPosts by peacefulpete
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543
Encouraging scriptures for the day
by Kosonen inhello my friends,.
here are some encouraging scriptures for the day:.
revelation 21:2 i also saw the holy city, new jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from god and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.. hebrews 11:10 for he (abraham) was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is god.. revelation 21:24 and the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.. revelation 22:1 and he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of god and of the lamb 2 down the middle of its main street (of the holy city).
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New Light and Update tracking
by jwundubbed indoes anyone have a list of all the new light or gb updates in order?
is there a post here that lists all the changes in the organization?
i left about 1996 and i haven't kept up, but it seems like a completely different organization than it was when i was in it.
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peacefulpete
Sorry, I was responding out of misplaced concern.
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543
Encouraging scriptures for the day
by Kosonen inhello my friends,.
here are some encouraging scriptures for the day:.
revelation 21:2 i also saw the holy city, new jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from god and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.. hebrews 11:10 for he (abraham) was awaiting the city having real foundations, whose designer and builder is god.. revelation 21:24 and the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it.. revelation 22:1 and he showed me a river of water of life, clear as crystal, flowing out from the throne of god and of the lamb 2 down the middle of its main street (of the holy city).
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peacefulpete
I get genuinely saddened by posters that after so many years have never been able to restart their lives.
Konosen, 15 years ago you hoped for greater freedom of thought within the WT. Now after all these years despite having been free to reconsider all things, you seem trapped in an obsession with the Watchtower.
It's to me a lot like isolated Japanese soldiers decades after the war still brainwashed for the Emperor.
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New Light and Update tracking
by jwundubbed indoes anyone have a list of all the new light or gb updates in order?
is there a post here that lists all the changes in the organization?
i left about 1996 and i haven't kept up, but it seems like a completely different organization than it was when i was in it.
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peacefulpete
Unfortunately, the church is still a high control, isolationist, fear mongering sect. The changes are cosmetic, some born of legal necessity, some because of modernization like all churches, some the result of change in personnel at the top.
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What If?
by peacefulpete inrecent news about beards is getting lots of attention.
it made me wonder if any guys will return to the church under the impression that 'so much has changed'.
back when, i knew a couple guys who were outspoken about beards, seeing it as an issue, and was never terribly moved by their viewpoint.
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peacefulpete
Great comments, please anyone else?
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What does God eat ?
by stan livedeath inbeans ?
( human beans ).
to those of you that believe in god: do you all believe the same thing ?.
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peacefulpete
Aristophanes was the Richard Pryor of his day.
Here again in another play (Plutus) he has the gods starving because humans are refusing to sacrifice because of having been mistreated:
Cario
Eh! friend, was it you who knocked so loudly? Tell me.Hermes
No, I was going to knock and you forestalled me by opening. Come, call your master quick, then his wife and his children, [1105] then his slave and his dog, then yourself and his pig.Cario
And what's it all about?Hermes
It's about this, rascal! Zeus wants to serve you all with the same sauce and hurl the lot of you into the Barathrum.Cario
aside
[1110] Have a care for your tongue, you bearer of ill tidings!To Hermes But why does he want to treat us in that scurvy fashion?Hermes
Because you have committed the most dreadful crime. Since Plutus has recovered his sight, there is nothing for us other gods, neither incense, nor laurels, [1115] nor cakes, nor victims, nor anything in the world.Cario
And you will never be offered anything more; you governed us too ill.Hermes
I care nothing at all about the other gods, but it's myself. I tell you I am dying of hunger.Cario
That's reasoning like a wise fellow.Hermes
[1120] Formerly, from earliest dawn, I was offered all sorts of good things in the wine-shops, —wine-cakes, honey, dried figs, in short, dishes worthy of Hermes. Now, I lie the livelong day on my back, with my legs in the air, famishing.Cario
And quite right too, for you [1125] often had them punished who treated you so well.Hermes
Ah! the lovely cake they used to knead for me on the fourth of the month!Cario
You recall it vainly; your regrets are useless!Hermes
Ah! the ham I was wont to devour!Cario
Well then! make use of your legs and hop on one leg upon the wineskin, to while away the time.Hermes
[1130] Oh! the grilled entrails I used to swallow down!Cario
Your own have got the colic, I think.Hermes
Oh! the delicious tipple, half-wine, half-water!Cario
Here, take this and be off.He farts.
Hermes
in tragic style
Would you render service to the friend that loves you? -
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What does God eat ?
by stan livedeath inbeans ?
( human beans ).
to those of you that believe in god: do you all believe the same thing ?.
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peacefulpete
The ancient comic playwright Aristophanes depicted the gods as dying of hunger after the smoke of sacrifices were stopped.
(Birds, 1515] Since you founded this city in the air. There is not a man who now sacrifices to the gods; the smoke of the victims no longer reaches us. Not the smallest offering comes! We fast as though it were the festival of Demeter. [1520] The barbarian gods, who are dying of hunger, are bawling like Illyrians and threaten to make an armed descent upon Zeus, if he does not open markets where joints of the victims are sold.
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What If?
by peacefulpete inrecent news about beards is getting lots of attention.
it made me wonder if any guys will return to the church under the impression that 'so much has changed'.
back when, i knew a couple guys who were outspoken about beards, seeing it as an issue, and was never terribly moved by their viewpoint.
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peacefulpete
What have you learned through your experience outside the JWs that would inform your choice to return or not?
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Help urgently needed.
by MissDaSilva ina sister has snitched on me.
got a message from my group overseer requesting a little chat to see if i’m okay.
urgent suggestions needed please.
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peacefulpete
Thank them for their concern and assure them if you want to talk, you will approach them. "Please respect my wish to sort this out myself." Close the door.
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What If?
by peacefulpete inrecent news about beards is getting lots of attention.
it made me wonder if any guys will return to the church under the impression that 'so much has changed'.
back when, i knew a couple guys who were outspoken about beards, seeing it as an issue, and was never terribly moved by their viewpoint.
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peacefulpete
Recent news about beards is getting lots of attention. It made me wonder if any guys will return to the church under the impression that 'so much has changed'. Back when, I knew a couple guys who were outspoken about beards, seeing it as an issue, and was never terribly moved by their viewpoint. Now mind you I usually didn't shave whenever I had the chance, because it just felt natural and masculine, but it was never an issue "worth dying over" (being the believer I was). In reflection, I didn't understand the more fundamental reason it was an issue for the guys, then again, maybe they didn't know why it bothered them so much. Instinctive maybe.
Since then, opinions about vaccines seems to be a favorite topic. On this forum there seems to be people who felt the emphasis on vaccines was proof the church was not what is claimed to be. (Please let's not discuss that again.)
What if?
If next year a new version of the JWs came about, one that didn't care about vaccines, beards, transfusions and pantsuits; one that let you talk to former members and go to college; one that let you decide about who you married and whether you want to vote. Would you return if doing so:
...meant that you would have to believe
In things like Heaven and in Jesus and the Saints
And all the ProphetsTo quote J Osborn.
What have you learned through your experience outside the JWs that would inform your choice to return or not?