Perry

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Posts by Perry

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  9

  who says apostates are mentally diseased, bad people?

  by hoser in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i had an encounter with a long time fader on a recent business trip.

  this regular lurker and sometimes poster on this forum was nothing but kind to me.

  i had contacted her and offered to buy her a coffee on my stop in her city but she went out of her way for me.

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  Perry

  She was trying to befriend you for the purpose of leading you away from the Watchtower. Oldest apostate trick in the book.
• 
  4

  Interesting to compare GB to Kim Jong-un, North Korean know-it-all

  by LogCon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  could these cronies be likened to elders, hanging on every word of the gb, and afraid to ask questions?.

  http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-magazine-monitor-27116092.

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  Perry

  This pargraphs' style and syntax is so similar to the WT, that IMO could have easily been written in a a watchtower about any WT president: :

  "After Kim Il-sung visited a fishery in 1976, KCNA published this: "Watching a truck at work, the president said that its bucket seemed to be small in comparison with its horsepower. He said the problem of carriage would be solved if the bucket was enlarged. Afterwards the truck's bucket capacity increased to two tons from 800 kg. As a result, 20 trucks were capable of carrying the load to be done by 50 trucks."

  High Leader is so strong, so smart, such a problem-solver. What would we do without High-Leader????

  Idolotry is pretty much the same everywhere.
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  12

  Idol Worship

  by cultBgone in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we couldn't celebrate birthdays because that was self-idolatry.

  young boys couldn't have posters of sports stars because that was idolatry.

  young girls couldn't have posters of their favorite rock band, same reason.. however, as "pioneers" we were told to memorize the names of the governing body members and the names of the wts presidents.

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  Perry

  The organization and all its various levels of "privleges" with its associated status is just one big idol comprised of lots of little ones. Elders have been setting up "idols of the heart" for a long time. Once anything dominates a person as their 'cause, 'ought' or chief motivator - it is an abomination to God.

  Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, .......should I be inquired of at all by them? Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Every man of the house of Israel that setteth up his idols in his heart ..... I the LORD will answer him...according to the multitude of his idols; That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.

  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations. For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that sojourneth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the LORD will answer him by myself: And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the LORD. - Ez. 14
• 
  14

  Well son got married this weekend,

  by jam in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs
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  Perry

  This was a Mormon wedding at the Mormon church. Her folks and she are

  devoted Mormons..

  Then are we to asssume that your son is a devoted Mormon too? In Mormon theology getting marrierd in a Mormon church is a really big deal from what I understand.
• 
  754

  Theists, why does God allow suffering..

  by The Quiet One in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  ..specifically, the suffering of animals.

  you can talk about free will/sin/people choosing to not listen to god etc to explain human suffering being allowed.. but how can you love a god that allows animals, that haven't sinned or chosen to not have anything to do with god, to have their short lives ended in often long, drawn out, painful ways.

  i could list stories i've read that would probably make you feel ill, but i'm not looking to shock anyone or start an emotional debate.

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  Perry

  Because the universe as it is, not as we would imagine it, allows for its possibility. When Adam fell, and became God's enemy ....everything in Adam, and under his dominion became disconnected one way or another - from the Source of Life.
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  16

  Authority in the Witnesses

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now that pastor russell is persona non grata, i was wondering how this movement ever started.

  i always find it surprising that educated people refuse to read the bible.

  they will just follow someone.

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  Perry

  People have been claiming 'special' status for thousands of years.

  Jesus life WAS special. Very special.

  Peter Stoner was chairman of the mathematics and astronomy departments at Pasadena City College until 1953 when he moved to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. There he served as chairman of the science division. At the time he wrote this book, he was professor emeritus of science at Westmont.

  In the book Science Speaks, there was a foreword by Dr. Harold Hartzler, an officer of the American Scientific Affiliation. He wrote that the manuscript had been carefully reviewed by a committee of his organization and that "the mathematical analysis included is based upon principles of probability which are thoroughly sound." He further stated that in the opinion of the Affiliation, Professor Stoner "has applied these principles in a proper and convincing way."

  Peter Stoner's Calculations Regarding Messianic Prophecy

  Peter Stoner calculated the probability of just 8 Messianic prophecies being fulfilled in the life of Jesus. As you read through these prophecies, you will see that all estimates were calculated as conservatively as possible.

  1. The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem ( Micah 5:2 ).
     The average population of Bethlehem from the time of Micah to the present (1958) divided by the average population of the earth during the same period = 7,150/2,000,000,000 or 2.8x10 5 .
  2. A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah ( Malachi 3:1 ).
     One man in how many, the world over, has had a forerunner (in this case, John the Baptist) to prepare his way?
     Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1x10 3 .
  3. The Messiah will enter Jerusalem as a king riding on a donkey ( Zechariah 9:9 ).
     One man in how many, who has entered Jerusalem as a ruler, has entered riding on a donkey?
     Estimate: 1 in 100 or 1x10 2 .
  4. The Messiah will be betrayed by a friend and suffer wounds in His hands ( Zechariah 13:6 ).
     One man in how many, the world over, has been betrayed by a friend, resulting in wounds in his hands?
     Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1x10 3 .
  5. The Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver ( Zechariah 11:12 ).
     Of the people who have been betrayed, one in how many has been betrayed for exactly 30 pieces of silver?
     Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1x10 3 .
  6. The betrayal money will be used to purchase a potter's field ( Zechariah 11:13 ).
     One man in how many, after receiving a bribe for the betrayal of a friend, has returned the money, had it refused, and then experienced it being used to buy a potter's field?
     Estimate: 1 in 100,000 or 1x10 5 .
  7. The Messiah will remain silent while He is afflicted ( Isaiah 53:7 ).
     One man in how many, when he is oppressed and afflicted, though innocent, will make no defense of himself?
     Estimate: 1 in 1,000 or 1x10 3 .
  8. The Messiah will die by having His hands and feet pierced ( Psalm 22:16 ).
     One man in how many, since the time of David, has been crucified?
     Estimate: 1 in 10,000 or 1x10 4 .

  Multiplying all these probabilities together produces a number (rounded off) of 1x10 28 . Dividing this number by an estimate of the number of people who have lived since the time of these prophecies (88 billion) produces a probability of all 8 prophecies being fulfilled accidently in the life of one person. That probability is 1in 10 17 or 1 in 100,000,000,000,000,000. That's one in one hundred quadrillion!

  This is equivalent to filling the state of Texas (or France) knee deep in coins and then picking one up with a unique mark on the first try. However, Jesus did not fulfill only 8 prophecies, he fulfilled 108 prophecies. The world itself could not contain enough coins to picture this probability.

  A detailed listing of all 108 prophecies fulfilled by Jesus is contained in Dr. Reagan's book, Christ in Prophecy Study Guide .

  Jesus is totally and utterly unique. He is the epitome of someone "special".
• 
  16

  Authority in the Witnesses

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now that pastor russell is persona non grata, i was wondering how this movement ever started.

  i always find it surprising that educated people refuse to read the bible.

  they will just follow someone.

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  Perry

  Jesus .... wanted to be above others

  Really? By healing the sick, raising the dead and washing dirty feet?

  Can you do that?
• 
  16

  Authority in the Witnesses

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now that pastor russell is persona non grata, i was wondering how this movement ever started.

  i always find it surprising that educated people refuse to read the bible.

  they will just follow someone.

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• 

  Perry

  BOTR,

  Suffering appeals to many hard working proud people. It makes them feel special as part of their overall works-based ideology. The WT feeds that notion.

  Sinners on the other hand are not special, but commonplace.

  Jesus' offer of salvation apeals to sinners, not special people.
• 
  16

  Authority in the Witnesses

  by Band on the Run in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now that pastor russell is persona non grata, i was wondering how this movement ever started.

  i always find it surprising that educated people refuse to read the bible.

  they will just follow someone.

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• 

  Perry

  I was wondering how this movement ever started.

  I can tell you what I know as a 4th Generation Witness.

  My Great Grandmother was the first of several hundred desendants and relatives to join. She came to the US as an Italian imigrant from Sicily at age 9. She hooked up in the 20's with the Watchtower masquerading as an American style Christian organization. Probably seemed like the thing to do in her new country. My grandmother was a 1st generation American Sicilian who only had a 3rd grade education. Grandpa was a 3rd generation American who descended from the same village in Sicily, but also only had a 3rd or 4th grade education. They joined the cult as did my mother, who was a high school graduate. But she suffered in the WWII years with getting kicked out of school because of the flag issue. They made her feel proud to suffer for the Truth.

  I finally read the bible and figured out that there is not ONE SINGLE SCRIPTURE that offers salvation outside of the New Covenant. Most of my several hundred Italian realitives on my grandmothers side are members. It is their "thing".

  There is hell to pay for ignorance of sin and God's solution to the problem.
• 
  6

  the subject of resurrection

  by Crazyguy in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  were the earliest believers of a resurrection the egyptians, i have yet to find an earlier culture believing in this idea?.

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  Perry

  I'm wondering if a better question might be: Was there EVER any culture that did not believe in an after life?