Proplog2,
With all due respewct, your apologia for the JW insensitivity toward the needy and suffering is lame. The obvious fact that Jehovah's witnesses are not responsible for creating the problems endemic to society does not exempot them from their Christian duty to show compassion for the less fortunate.
Certainly no one who gives a sandwich to a starving person is under any illusion that his personal act is anything but one tiny act and will have not lasting effect on eradicating the root causes of human suffering. The reasoning that says ``we can't do much so let's not do anything'' is worse than specious -- it's a callous conscience-salving copout. It can also be viewd as a lack of faith in God's promise to repay in multiples any losses we may incur in the performance of good works.
The WT argument that goes ``why paint the stern of the sinking ship when there's a huge hole in the bow?'' is nothng more than an insidious appeal to one's innate selfishness.
Far better to light one candle --which as we were warned during wartime, could be seen for miles -- than to curse the darkness, and to make a personal statement that you worship the God that tends to the lilies of the field and the sparrows.
Room 215
JoinedPosts by Room 215
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73
Matthew 25
by Farkel inwhen did we see you a stranger and receive you hospitably, or naked, and clothe you?
he was talking about food, clothing, shelter and supplication to the least of the brothers.
he could not be talking about anything else and here is why: could any human offer jesus spiritual food?
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Field Service is Officially Over Forever!
by professor ini hereby urge every single one of jehovah's witnesses nationwide to stop going out in field service!
according to the january 1, 1989 watchtower, our obligation to field service officially ended last year!:.
the apostle paul was spearheading the christian missionary activity.
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Room 215
Java, et al..
The change to the text in the bound volume, CD Rom, is yet another sad example of intellectual dishonesty. The rank and file rightly expect these to be what they purport to be -- an accurate historical record of what was actually published. Add this bit of eviodence to the pile.
On this question, I was told -- since I tossed all my bound volumes into the trash, I have no interest in looking at a CD Rom-- that there's a fine-print disclaimer somewhere wherein the WT says it makes no representation that the material reproduced is identical to that which was orignally published.
True? Any comment on this? -
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Why do loyal dubs post here
by Room 215 inthis issue, of course, has been raised before.
of course there's no one simple reason.
arrogance, i'm sure plays a role -- the ones that feel the wts counsel to avoid dialogue with opposers is meant for the ``weaker ones'' and cannot possibly apply to someone as well-grounded and mature as they.. it may be a tacit acknowledgement that the society's arguments against debate are specious.
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Room 215
This issue, of course, has been raised before. Of course there's no one simple reason. Arrogance, I'm sure plays a role -- the ones that feel the WTS counsel to avoid dialogue with opposers is meant for the ``weaker ones'' and cannot possibly apply to someone as well-grounded and mature as they.
It may be a tacit acknowledgement that the Society's arguments against debate are specious. Jesus and his followers have have remained silent in the presence of ridiculers, but certainly not opponents with hard questions or objections.
Then too, naivete --- some still buy into the line they were fed before having gotten baptised, the one that goes like ``we now have The Truth; truth is unassailable and never flinches or hides from a challenge.
Then many -- who knows? -- some may be counting the time spent here as field service! It's the one endeavor where being a slow typist is an advantage!
Whatever your reasons, dubs, welcome! -
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Why the WatchTower T S never answers
by Nassau inas jw since 1976 i wonder why watchtower official spokemen always keep silent on every difficult and controversy subjects!
just ignore the letters and the questions of sincere jws trying to have good arguments to defend the "god's organisation"?
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Room 215
Hello Nassau,
The one-word answer is ARROGANCE. Once you get baptised, you lose the right they drop the pretense they sold you at first, i.e., `fire away with all your questions, we've nothing to hide.'' Now it's ``sit down and shut up! We take your decision to get dunked to mean that all your questions were satisfied beforehand.'' -
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Greenlees & Chitty -- Some Sources
by AlanF inposted on an email message board:.
posted on an email message board:.
posted recently to the h2o message board:.
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Room 215
I'm not hip to the timing and extent of what you refer to as the ``Sauna scandal'' but I was a first-hand witness to the expulsion of 43 Bethelites on accusations of homosexualty in the spring of 1969.
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Greenlees & Chitty -- Some Sources
by AlanF inposted on an email message board:.
posted on an email message board:.
posted recently to the h2o message board:.
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Room 215
Alan F and fellow posters:
Greetings. This topic is well-trodden ground here, it is not? None of this stikes me as new or revelatory.
It's no surprise that cloistered environment of Bethel would foster problems common to institutional life: prison, the military, monateries, etc.
I recall one particularly amusing, candid, if somewhat troubling remark made on the subject when I was a ``new boy'' at Bethel by my table head Howard Zenke, a long-timer Bethelite and senior staffer in the service department.
Commenting on some disclosure of minor hanky-panky at the breakfast table by Knorr, Zenke turned to me and said: ''No suprise to me. A lot of guys here are `light on their feet,' if you know what I mean.''
By the way Alan, you covered the allegations of homosexuality and child molestation rather thoroughly; what about that third hot topic: wife swapping? -
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When will NBC Dateline piece on JWs air??
by broken inhas an aircate been set for the nbc dateline piece on jw child abuse yet?
if so, when is it?
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Room 215
A suggestion:
It would be helpful if we could agree beforehand and arrange to do videotaping in the formats used in Europe,Asia, etc. -- i.e., in areas where Dateline is not televised (PAL format, I believe?)... -
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Validity of 607 BCE date
by stevieb1 inhas anyone on here ever come across the tiniest shred of evidence supporting this date for the fall of jerusalem.
i understand rolf furuli is about to but something out on this subject (see elihubooks.com), however even a table of contents has been a long time in coming from this site.
if no evidence exists what can he possibly be writing about?
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Room 215
Let's not lose sight of the fact that all of this sturm und drang over the correct date is only the beginning of the controversy. Even if we were to achieve consensus on one date, we then are faced with defending the premise that takes us from then to 1914.
I dont' know which is the longer road... from 607 to 586/7 or thence to 1914 (1934?)....
A lot of sound and fury, signifying nothing (or not much, anyway). -
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Disfellowshipping- Pros and Cons
by Vitameatavegamin inhello friends,.
since i have been a member of this forum since july, i have seen alot of posts by df'd or posts about disfellowshipping.
i just thought i would add my thoughts on the matter, for whatever it is worth.
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And for all their insistence on the scriputality of the practice, the present policies are often in direct conflict with the Biblical record of the occurrence in Corinth. For example, in the announcement to the congregation, the person is named, the offense is not specified; it's just the opposite in the Bible.
So today, an opportunity to use a specifc local example of how sin ensnares in an instructive lesson, the announcement simply activates the local ``grapevine'' gossip mill.... the ``sin'' can be anything from swimming in the local YMCA pool, cutting the lawn for the local church, buying a lottery ticket, up to murder.
In this instance, and there are myriad others, where it's all too obvious that money -- and the possibility of fiscal or legal liability -- influences of even dictates WTS policy.
In a controlled in environment such as Bethel, for example, when a family member was ``dressed down'' by one of Knorr's breakfast tirades, no words were minced about what the poor guy had done. In local congregations, however, the bland wording ``for conduct unbecoming a Christina,'' or whatever, is clearly invoked to avoid a libel lawsuit.
Once at an elders' meeting with the Circuit Overseer (one Floyd Adams) we were ordered point balnk to ``back away'' from any pending dfing action if the accused brohter/sister threatened a lawsuit and/or to name the Society as a co-defendant.
At which point I raised my hand and said I didn't understand the policy. ``We're supposed to be shepherds charged with protecting the sheep from harm, right? If so, why we should be intimidated by the threat of legal action? Is keeping our money, our homes, our assets, etc. more important than expelling those who would harm the flock? And if we were to lose our assets in the process, would not that be experiencing persectution for righteousness sake?''
Of course, he had no answer; he muttered something about having gotten the order from his boss the District Overseer, having turned beet red in the process.
The closing prayer was said, and one elder headed for the door and his car, shaking his head all the way... he never returned. -
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Disfellowshipping- Pros and Cons
by Vitameatavegamin inhello friends,.
since i have been a member of this forum since july, i have seen alot of posts by df'd or posts about disfellowshipping.
i just thought i would add my thoughts on the matter, for whatever it is worth.
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Room 215
Disfellowshipping and the shunning that it brings about are grotesque abuses of the congregatonal discipline urged by Paul, much as child beating is an abuse of a parent's responsibility to correct.
As practiced today by JWs, dfing has been broadened far beyond whatever was intended by Paul and is nothng more than intimidation and bullying.