Yes so if not JWs then which of the 30K are the true followers of Christ?
Formerbrother, are you genuinely asking a sincere question? .. or, are you using the question to try to prove a point?
is there gods true worshipers on earth today as jesus said there would be?
if they are not jws then who are they?.
who else comes close to being gods true followers today?.
Yes so if not JWs then which of the 30K are the true followers of Christ?
Formerbrother, are you genuinely asking a sincere question? .. or, are you using the question to try to prove a point?
original thread here.
update: so, after the meeting i had with elders a few weeks ago as outlined in my original thread, they met as a body and once again called to tell me that after considering my case they still thought a judicial committee should be held against me and asked to be there "thursday at 7:30".
all of this, i remind you, because of posting coc on facebook.
DJS: thanks man, and you are right. It's only a matter of time now.
Islandman, All or nothing: Yup. I turned in the book when I stepped down as elder, but I kept the digital copy in my tablet. When confronted about this during my meeting with them, I straight up told them the bible said nothing about "secret and confidential manuals". They just stayed quiet and proceeded to other subjects.
Laverite: You are right. According to their legal ways, not every act needs to be "admonished once and twice". However, fortunately for me, when it comes to act of spreading "apostate views", the elder manual is specific about this procedure. In my original thread (link in my OP) I posted the section of the book that dealt with this matter.
Zappa-Esque: Exactly ;)
OneeyedJoe: LoL... I might just do this
PaleEmperor: So true. I used their own legalistic ways against them. Hopefully others might benefit from my experience.
Giordano: As stated, the elder manual is available online in various places. If you need help finding one, PM me.
Stuckinarut2: Not a bad idea :)
Sahs: I think about ways of doing this all the time. I already have an alias FB account and I love using it to troll on the JW groups comment sections.
has anyone else noticed how alarm bells go off inside a jw mind as soon as they hear someone that "is out" refer to the leaders of this org as "watchtower"?
i've chatted with a few friends now about my doubts and each and every time i've started using phrases such as "watchtower said this" or "watchtower did that", i can almost see their heads about to explode in anger, as if they've just realized they are talking to the lucifer himself.
some have even interrupted and corrected me by reminding me that it's not "watchtower", it's "god's organization".
Has anyone else noticed how alarm bells go off inside a JW mind as soon as they hear someone that "is out" refer to the leaders of this org as "Watchtower"? I've chatted with a few friends now about my doubts and each and every time I've started using phrases such as "Watchtower said this" or "Watchtower did that", I can almost see their heads about to explode in anger, as if they've just realized they are talking to the Lucifer himself. Some have even interrupted and corrected me by reminding me that it's not "Watchtower", it's "God's organization".
while reading the magazines the other day it occurred to me that jws never really had a very good answer to that question.
because it was aimed at young people and it said something along the lines, "if you believe in god you have a purpose, but if you don't believe in god your life has no purpose or meaning".
i think that is a faulty analysis of the situation.
Typ JW answer: God gave us the purpose of filling the earth, that we convert it into a paradise, subjugate the animals, and live happily forever according to his instructions.
original thread here.
update: so, after the meeting i had with elders a few weeks ago as outlined in my original thread, they met as a body and once again called to tell me that after considering my case they still thought a judicial committee should be held against me and asked to be there "thursday at 7:30".
all of this, i remind you, because of posting coc on facebook.
Original thread HERE
UPDATE: So, after the meeting I had with elders a few weeks ago as outlined in my original thread, they met as a body and once again called to tell me that after considering my case they still thought a judicial committee SHOULD be held against me and asked to be there "Thursday at 7:30". All of this, I remind you, because of posting CoC on Facebook. I again gave them trouble over the phone and told them I would NOT be there, that instead, I'd be writing them a letter.
So I wrote the letter that night and handed it to them the next morning. In it I restated my defense in that I regretted posting the link on FB, that I had removed it, and had not posted any similar items since. I asked them again: Shouldn't they have "admonished me once and twice BEFORE proceeding to a JC, as per the instruction in their elder manual?(see original thread).
Well, they call me a few days after the letter to setup yet another meeting with 2 elders (obviously not a judicial committee). I agreed to go, and during that meeting lo and behold they tell me that they were glad to see that I had "reversed my course regarding the FB post" and thus they had decided that indeed the judicial committee should NOT take place so long as I didn't continue doing that.
I couldn't believe it. Even after 2 scheduled dates for my judicial committee to take place, they'd now reversed their course and said I was right after all in that it should be cancelled. Honestly, I don't really give a rat's ass anymore as the idea of being DF and free was beginning to sound rather attractive; but, I still feel proud to be a member of the extremely small group of those that have managed to get their judicial committees cancelled.
I hope this defense can serve well to any others in a situation similar to mine.
today is the day.. i was baptized as one of jehovah's witnesses on march 25th 1989.disfellowshipped for admitted apostasy today, september 10th 2015.. what an amazing story we all share.
how did we get involved with this group and think this was the best way of life?.
i asked my wife to stay home from the meeting tonight and spend the evening with me.she is.... we celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary this past monday.. i must admit, i never saw any of this coming, but it couldn't have come sooner.i'm free of all the fake friendships.
I must admit, I never saw any of this coming, but it couldn't have come sooner.
I'm free of all the fake friendships. I can do as I please with out having to worry who sees.
That's a relief right there
Amen!
in recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
That is a false equivalence. Believers are hopeful it will never happen despite the evidence to the contrary. I believe it will because of the evidence. Until it does we can converse about the current state of the research and it's possible implications - if that's alright with Sanchy?
Bicker away my friend. I give you permission
in recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
Basically he, like many other theists are hoping it will never happen.
.. and here lies the real motive of threads like these. To bicker with and poke at those who don't see things the way you do. They might be hoping for it to not happen, but you as well are wishing for the opposite, so what's the point? It hasn't happened yet, and until it does, they have as much right to doubt it as you do to wish it.
in recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
Is it because you are not aware of recent developments in origin-of-life science?
No. It's because the rest of your argument is based on a hypothetical where you project your biases and disdain for the opposing view. There's no real substance added with this post other than it just being a starting point for the ever going origin of life debate, which I know you love being a part of, but, usually your posts are substantive.
Another thread outlining the latest developments in bio-genesis research would have been much more instructive and constructive.
in recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.. how do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
as a former christian i know my reaction would have been something like "well that just goes to show that it takes intelligent life to make life", but for two reasons that defense doesn't work.. firstly it would prove that life is not an ethereal force that originates with god.
there is no 'ghost in the machine', no elan vital.
In recent years significant progress has been made in solving the question of how life originated on our planet.
How do you think theists will respond when it finally happens?
Cofty, I usually find your posts very instructive and I must say they've been partly instrumental in my being motivated to learn and accept what science has to say about creation and specifically evolution. But honestly, this post adds no benefit to the discussion and comes off as a prideful grasping at straws, with much projecting and worthless argumentation.
I think you should stick to the facts, they are on your side my friend.