Posts by peacefulpete

14

Did Jesus have a pre-existence or was he fully human, begotten at his human birth.

by gavindlt in

so when was jesus begotten.

was he truly and wholly fully human.

did he exist in two states, part human part god.

peacefulpete

The Christ figure was a pliable icon that dozens of very different sects held as central to their identity and soteriology. They imagined and described him differently. A few of these conceptions became unnaturally collected together through the Catholic process of canonization. Even among this emerging orthodoxy, this artificial collection resulted in endless controversy.

For example:

Anomoeanism - Wikipedia

Homoiousian - Wikipedia

Anomoeanism - Wikipedia

Sabellianism = One and the same substance
Homoousian = Distinct but identical substance
Homoiousian = Similar in substance
Neo-Arianism or heteroousians = Unlike in substance
Homoianism refuses to refer to substance.

87

Lines you would never hear from a Jehovah's Witness

by Ron.W. in

a slightly tongue in cheek, but also serious roundup of jw speak and why trying to reason with them is like trying to chip through concrete with a plastic spoon.. how many can you think of??.

elder: 'yes.

i read through the material you asked me to at your judicial meeting - you're right we're both in a cult!

peacefulpete

deleted

5

In the spirit of Christmas

by no-zombie in

on this auspicious day, i'd like to propose a question (half in fun and the other half not) to ask, ... if the governing body reviewed the origins of christmas and now proclaimed that it was now a matter of conscience, how many of the brotherhood would pick it up and start practicing it?.

for me, i think that very, very few would take issue of the change and disassociate themselves.

yes, many would question it in their minds for a while but since it would be a governing body sanctioned holiday, i think a very surprising large number would do so with zeal ... particularly in europe, were it still has wholesome family traditions.

peacefulpete

I know some like my sister (now passed) would love nothing more than to have an occasion for a get-together and cook a special meal. Others seem to have a cultivated negativity about lots of things. Just look at how many former JWs think of it as a bother and speak disparagingly about the holidays and the privilege to vote.

20

JW sign is the sacred cow being idolized by the JWs

by enoughisenough in

this video makes valid points and the last pictures in the video says it all imo...i knew witnesses who wore the logo in their jewelry.

the sign represents the organization, so the organization is what is really being worshipped instead of god almighty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktadlxlqee8.

peacefulpete

Did a similar culture exist around the old Watchtower symbol? Did JWs have that symbol on ties, jewelry, bible covers, etc?

Per Terry:

The Cross and Crown pins were first advertised in the Sept. 1, 1906 Watch Tower

The Dec. 15, 1909 and subsequent ZWTs through the years give the following description of the "Cross and Crown Pins":

"Gold, beautiful, good and cheap. The cross is red enamel, the wreath in green--$1.35. The same without the green on wreath, $1.25. In silver enameled wreath and cross, 25 cents; size 3/4 inch. Plain gold without enamel, 1/2 inch, $1.15. These are wholesale rates and include postage." (Adjusted for inflation: $25)

November 1, 1927 issue of the Watch Tower. On page 335 there is a price list for the cross-and-crown jewelry sold by the Society.

The 5/8 inch cross-and-crown pin was $1.50. The 1/2 inch version was a real bargain at only $1.25. Cross-and-crown pendants, with and without chains, were also listed for sale.

Such was the practice until 1931.

17

"We're living in the final part of the last days, undoubtedly the final part of the final part of the last days....

by Ron.W. in

"we're living in the final part of the last days, undoubtedly the final part of the final part of the last days, shortly before the last day of the last days!!!".

how are they going to phrase this in ten years time......

peacefulpete

It is amazing the duration of crying wolf that WTC has practiced.

Par for the coarse, Christians have been saying "soon" for 2000 years.

45

Merry Christmas

by jhine in

jw
friends

so for those amongst us who celebrate the season .

merry christmas everyone.

.. jan from tam .

peacefulpete

Shabe Yalda mobarak! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah!

SHABE YALDA – A PERSIAN CELEBRATION (persianmama.com)

68

Are Atheists Hypocritical in Celebrating Christmas?

by Sea Breeze in

jw
friends

richard dawkins revealed that he celebrates christmas on radio four's today programme.. here is is quoted as saying: .

'i am perfectly happy on christmas day to say merry christmas to everybody,' dawkins said.

'i might sing christmas carols - once i was privileged to be invited to kings college, cambridge, for their christmas carols and loved it.

peacefulpete

I would have to really consider how much of a part l would be comfortable in playing in an Eid or Diwali celebration. Certainly not to the point of praising a deity that l didn't believe in , l would feel hypocritical doing that.

Jan, that was exactly the point. Believers in a particular deity and religious observance have a much harder time appreciating religious variety as cultural variety.

I've shared this before but every year we host a large Christmas featuring a different nation and their traditions. Many of these traditions are rather fascinating such as Poland with straw under the tablecloth of the virgins!

9

New Light and Update tracking

by jwundubbed in

does 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.

peacefulpete

Book of Joel:

J. William Whedbee writes: "The very features that unify the book efface and blur the traces of compositional history. The theory once dominant among biblical scholars of two stages of composition, which argued that a prophetic response to a locust plague was later expanded by apocalyptic editors, is now passé. Most would still allow for a complex history of the book's composition, but interpreters are increasingly content to posit a postexilic date for the final form of the book without delineating clear-cut stages of development. Even the evidence for dating is entirely circumstantial: there is no sign of a king, and the leadership is in the hands of elders; Israel is scattered among the nations (3:2); the Temple, with its priesthood and ritual, are at the center of the community's life (1:9, 13; 2:14); the community is apparently small (2:16); Phoenicians and Greeks, not Assyrians and Babylonians, are active in slave trading (3:6). All such clues point to a probable postexilic date (ca. 500-350 B.C.)." (Harper's Bible Commentary, pp. 716-717)

543

Encouraging scriptures for the day

by Kosonen in

jw
friends

hello 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).

peacefulpete

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.

9

New Light and Update tracking

by jwundubbed in

does 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.

peacefulpete

Sorry, I was responding out of misplaced concern.