peacefulpete

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Posts by peacefulpete

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  6

  CHICKEN LITTLE and the power of stupid PROPHECY

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  prophecy or bad guessing spoken with authority?

  _________________________________________________________________________ (53 years ago!

  ) september 2022 broadcastgoverning body member, stephen lett:“we’re living in the final part of the last days.

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  peacefulpete

  Amen
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  60

  What Will JW's Do If They Find Themselves Still Conscious after Death?

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we all know that despite many scriptures to the contrary, jw's believe that when they die, their consciousness will cease.

  my question is this: what will be the likely reaction of jw's if they find themselves conscious after death?.

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  peacefulpete

  Philo when commenting of the Jacob's Ladder story:

  Somn. 1.138–139 For so far is air from being alone of all things untenanted, that like a city it has a goodly population, its citizens being imperishable and immortal souls equal in number to the stars. Of these souls some, those that are closest to the earth and lovers of the body (φιλοσώματοι), are descending to be fast bound in mortal bodies, while others are ascending, having again been separated (from the body) according to the numbers and periods determined by nature. Of these last some, longing for the familiar and accustomed ways of mortal life, hurry back again (παλινδρομοῦσιν αὖθις), while others, pronouncing that life great folly, call the body a prison and a tomb but escaping from it as though from a dungeon or a grave are lifted up on light wings to the ether and range the heights for ever. (De somniis 1.138–139)1
  
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  16

  CSA Victom Speaks Out

  by LostintheFog1999 in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i happened to come across this video at the beginning of the week.

  you feel so sorry for this poor woman who experienced csa and then the hardheartedness of the elders (what's new there) when she needed genuine love and help.. https://fb.watch/j1qacgxphi/.

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  peacefulpete

  The flaw in legislation is the equating the Catholic "sacrament" of "confession" with "shepherding" conversations. The Bishop himself differentiates the two. He reported abuse that he became aware of it in "shepherding" context. He knows he is a mandatory reporter in that setting. The WT is falsely equating their shepherding discussions with a church sacrament. The sacrament tradition of the Catholic church is itself morally indefensible but that is a separate issue. It seems this was recognized by the one panelist, confession needs to be defined very narrowly. All communication with victims and families are not a "confession".
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  33

  What Percentage of active JW's are on Anti-Depressants?

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i came across an xjw post on redditt from a rn.

  she states that nearly every jw she ever treated was on anti-depressants or anti-psychotic drugs:.

  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/f35vaa/just_about_every_jw_i_come_across_is_on/ i once read somewhere that 1 in 5 jw's were on anti-depressants, but i couldn't find any documentation.

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  peacefulpete

  I know everyone feels this way but just to be clear, we hope anyone who feels they need some help, gets it. There is no shame to using antidepressants or other medications. If you feel you may be tempted to harm yourself, please do not hesitate calling 988 in the US.
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  6

  CHICKEN LITTLE and the power of stupid PROPHECY

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  prophecy or bad guessing spoken with authority?

  _________________________________________________________________________ (53 years ago!

  ) september 2022 broadcastgoverning body member, stephen lett:“we’re living in the final part of the last days.

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  peacefulpete

  Regarding acid rain, it is a classic success story. Public awareness resulted in legislation that reduced SO2 by 93%. Our air is by far clearer today then in the 70's. It would have become a much greater issue had not these efforts been made. There is hope that the effects of Global Climate change can be minimized if we similarly act responsibly now. Whatever Happened to Acid Rain? | American Council on Science and Health (acsh.org)

  Neither of these issues were "prophecy" delivered by someone with claims of inspiration. These were secular projections based upon available evidence. The reductions of acid rain were not a failure but a success.
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  6

  CHICKEN LITTLE and the power of stupid PROPHECY

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  prophecy or bad guessing spoken with authority?

  _________________________________________________________________________ (53 years ago!

  ) september 2022 broadcastgoverning body member, stephen lett:“we’re living in the final part of the last days.

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  2. 
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  peacefulpete

  "I tell you this generation will see all these things occur".

  100-200 years later ......

  "it did occur, it was the church" Hermas

  "it did occur, we go to heaven now" Ignatius, Polycarp etc.

  "it did occur, it was spiritual". St. Augustine
  
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  60

  What Will JW's Do If They Find Themselves Still Conscious after Death?

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we all know that despite many scriptures to the contrary, jw's believe that when they die, their consciousness will cease.

  my question is this: what will be the likely reaction of jw's if they find themselves conscious after death?.

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  peacefulpete

  We haven't mentioned the widely held Jewish belief in reincarnation. The great Jewish thinker Philo of Alexandria (contemporary of Paul) discussed these concepts as if they are not in genuine tension. Immortal soul, death of the soul, resurrection, reincarnation were eloquently woven into a single philosophy. Mind you it makes little sense, but then we find in Paul a similar confusion.
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  60

  What Will JW's Do If They Find Themselves Still Conscious after Death?

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we all know that despite many scriptures to the contrary, jw's believe that when they die, their consciousness will cease.

  my question is this: what will be the likely reaction of jw's if they find themselves conscious after death?.

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  peacefulpete

  TonusOH...I agree with your logic that many of these items "could ' have happened. But none of them are established facts as was claimed. Many 'historical Jesus' writers use a similar logic as you have, by eliminating the impossible, they imagine some historical core. That approach however fails to appreciate the creativity of the author of Mark, the role of OT midrash and the boastful nature of Paul.

  "Paul" is claimed to have been a highly recognized Pharisee but at the same time claimed to have been sent on a mission by the Sadducean High Priest. Highly unlikely. Many of the doctrinal issues that inspired contempt for Christians were equally divisive among those groups. Also Roman law forbid local authorities conducting executions without their endorsement. Making the Acts stoning story improbable and illegal. Also Acts has Paul (Saul) being a resident of Jerusalem participating in the stoning by the Sanhedrin. Either we have Paul's backstory being fabricated post-Paul or he was exaggerating to impress his audience. Given the contradicting versions in Acts and the Paulines, we have to recognize that either is possible, and maybe a mix of the two.
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  60

  What Will JW's Do If They Find Themselves Still Conscious after Death?

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we all know that despite many scriptures to the contrary, jw's believe that when they die, their consciousness will cease.

  my question is this: what will be the likely reaction of jw's if they find themselves conscious after death?.

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  peacefulpete

  As far as the resurrection goes, most scholars (skeptic, Jewish, Christian etc.) who publish in this area agree on these minimum facts that are well attested to in history.

  You keep saying that despite having patiently been shown otherwise.

  Of your list 5 and 9 can be regarded as well established facts.

  5. The disciples (language drawn from the Gospels, "certain Jewish believers" would be more accurate) had experiences which they believed to be the risen Jesus (Christ).

  9. The church was born and grew.

  The rest of the list is in dispute as pious fiction drawn from OT midrash or contradicted by the NT itself or early documents.
  
  
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  10

  Wise counsel for JW's in latest WT

  by BoogerMan in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  june 2023 study watchtower p. 13, par 15 - “we will not be fooled if we “make sure of or, “test” all things.”...we need to test what we hear or what we read to determine whether it is genuine.....instead of naively accepting what others the org say, we use our thinking ability to compare what we read or what we hear with what the bible and jehovah’s organization say.”.

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  peacefulpete

  Ding ...exactly. That's not even a subtext. That is exactly what they are saying.

  "If you hear some other interpretation, all you have to do is compare it to what we have said on the matter to know whether to believe it."

  At the same time it perpetuates the illusion for individual JWs that they 'know' the Bible and have arrived at the WT teachings through study and research.

  It's an old used car salesman approach, " I don't want to pressure you, go ahead and get others' best prices, we're sure you will be back... But don't wait too long this car will be gone soon."