Posts by kaik

16

When did Christianity Separate from Judaism?

by fulltimestudent in

this is a subject of some importance, the view of the witnesses, likely inherited from franz's influence, seems to be that early christianity developed as a separate religion to the jews.. the view of most contemporary scholars is that the separation occurred slowly, and that influential early christians (e.g.

such as paul, peter, john and james) still saw themselves as jews.. to those of us that are no longer christians (and, most ex-witnesses here, seem to gradually move to that position) this is not an important issue.. but to an organisation that claims it has "the truth," surely it should know the truth about its origins.

yet the evidence is that the modern day religion of jehovah's witnesses, does not know the "truth" concerning the origins of early christianity.

kaik

Christianity evolved from Judaism, but the ideological split happened in the course of two generations. Reformation was also a process that took about 40 years and it created two different branches of Christianity. Another major issue for Judaism and its identity was the Jewish war in 70AD that had a profound effect on the development of the Jewish identity. Prior that event, Jewish faith and culture was deeply integrated in the Greco-Roman culture and their faith was considered as equal. Jewish revolts in 70AD and later 115 cemented their beliefs and national identity due several factors: Jews were considered as a hostile element in Roman society, rabbis were executed through the empire, and Jewish holy books were banished.

While Christianity was also oppressed, their identity development was different from the Judaism. Certainly after 70AD the split between these two groups was permanent and irreconcilable, but for another 50 years there were Jewish Christians as can be seen from contemporary writings. Ignatius who died in 107AD pressured these Jewish Christians to give up their Jewish customs. What I have read, the split had happened between 70AD and 115AD.

234

Suicide - How many do you know within the JWs

by Lady Lee in

thw wts likes to play games with their statistics.

one interesting but truly tragic is the number of jwhovah's witnesses who commit suicie.. now i suspect that if a person commits suicide shortly before or after they are disfellowshipped then the elders would say that person wasn't a witness or that they had done something so terrible that they were too guilty to admit it and by their action of committing suicide they pretty much declared they were no longer a jw.. yup fancy talk to make sure any crap didn't fall on them.. so my question.. do you know of cases like this?

if so then can you answer a few more questions.. had this person been dfed or in real danger of being dfed or whatever the equivalent is if they were never baptized?.

kaik

Suicide among JWs are common. The saddest thing is that due cult proximity of one another, they tends to go together and several people will kill themselves within short time span. My mom was a friend with one lady who was these JWs who never married and available after Armageddon. She had several suicide attempts, once she jumped under train which mauled her, but she survived. Several months later she succeeded, but she destroyed everything in her house and all her clothing. I was with that woman in Strahov assembly in 1991 and I still do not grasp why she went the way she did. Several years later, entire JW family died outside Prague by driving into the countryside, put plastic tube into the car exhaust pipe and killed themselves and their children. Exactly the same case happened 10 year later, but different congregation couple who also killed themselves the same way with two children. I wonder often if these two families knew each other.

44

Are Jehovah's Witnesses Happy?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know of the local congregation's issues, per an elder i know quite well.

he has said that nearly everyone in the congregation is suffering emotionally and mentally.

he said he has never seen so many witnesses with so many problems.

kaik

I never seen them as a happy bunch. There is little social interaction, constant demand for spiritual warfare, and tons of mental abuse. Totalitarian societies are not happy and JWs beliefs dictates them that present happiness is dangerous, but reward is just behind the corner.

16

When did Christianity Separate from Judaism?

by fulltimestudent in

this is a subject of some importance, the view of the witnesses, likely inherited from franz's influence, seems to be that early christianity developed as a separate religion to the jews.. the view of most contemporary scholars is that the separation occurred slowly, and that influential early christians (e.g.

such as paul, peter, john and james) still saw themselves as jews.. to those of us that are no longer christians (and, most ex-witnesses here, seem to gradually move to that position) this is not an important issue.. but to an organisation that claims it has "the truth," surely it should know the truth about its origins.

yet the evidence is that the modern day religion of jehovah's witnesses, does not know the "truth" concerning the origins of early christianity.

kaik

Generally the break between Judaism and Christianity started with Paul, because Judaism does not teach Original Sin, or atonement of anyone else sin. Paul preached it that Jesus sacrifice was necessary and Judaism was obsolete so the new belief does not need upholding old laws. If he died during the Nero's time, this split in the theology was definitive as it is impossible to reconcile both faiths. Certainly the split was completed after the sack of Jerusalem and destruction of Judea which had profound effect on forming cultural identity of Jews versus Christians.

11

What Exactly Is The JW View of Physical Discipline, Corporal Punishment?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i believe that since it is not politically correct to spank your child, the watchtower doesn't push parents anymore in that direction.. years ago, elders would sit a parent down and tell them that they needed to discipline their kids and if needed, give them a spanking, since the bible says, they won't die if you give them a beating.. what is the watchtower's view on this subject now?.

kaik

JWs were known for physically abusing their kids into such extent even under communist rule that many cases ended in the courts, which was unusual, because physical punishment was and still is widespread in Eastern Europe. I my old KH, elder regularly beat up all his children, sometimes with fist, while his crazy wife was pinching them. Any case, his children moved out when they get old and want nothing to do with the old man.

22

Recycled WTS beliefs

by Simon in

we all know the wts abandons and invents beliefs faster than apple can churn out new shiny stuff.

but have they ever abandoned a belief and later picked it up again?.

i remember many years ago we had one of those post-district-assembly review parts (part of the service meeting) where they were discussing some "new light".. there was some confusion about which was the "new" and which was the "old" and a semi-discussion ensued with people commenting.

kaik

Also what to do if woman was raped. If she scream did not scream, so it could be seen as adultery. One point they claimed that shock from the rape or intimidation can prevent woman to scream and she would not be guilty, other time they said she would be.

Another recycle material is the ten horns, it always changes depending which top ten countries appear on the political scene. Other would be Abaddon, now they claimed that it is Jesus, other times it was Satan. Either way when you miss one belief, another one will arrive very shortly.

24

St John's wort

by wannaexit in

st john's wort is accepted by the medical literature for use in mild to moderate depression.

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if anybody is using it could you share your experiences with it?

kaik

rebel8, I am actually surprised that anyone would claim that St. John Wort can treat a depression, which is known since the times of Romans that it is extremely dangerous for people with light sensitivity and increases hypersensitivity on UV light. This can be further enhanced by even common antibiotics like oxacillin. In ancient and medieval times St. John Wort was used for torture. I do not think it would change much 2000 years later. Medical evidence of St. John Wort falls into unproved legends and can be actually dangerous. Some people believe that dicentra has healing properties for heart due shape of the flowers (it is a bleeding heart after all), but it is also poisonous and can cause a death if digested. But every year there is always some idiots who tried to digest it because they heard or were told that it can work on heart problems...

24

St John's wort

by wannaexit in

st john's wort is accepted by the medical literature for use in mild to moderate depression.

.

if anybody is using it could you share your experiences with it?

kaik

I would be very careful with St. Johns worth. It can cause serious hypersensitivity and permanently scar skin and eye due increased sensitivity to sunlight. In ancient and medieval times the tea made from the plant was forced into the prisoners for sun exposure to increase their suffering. The plant is lovely and I used to have it at my backyard for decoration, but I would avoid touching it because it did cause skin pigmentation. I am very fair skin complexion and contact in the summer would make my skin turn red. Another problem with St. John that it interact with many other medications especially with antivirals or cancer treatment. It is one the most dangerous herb supplement out there if taken carelessly.

46

WT addresses the "rapture" teaching.

by wifibandit in

look at paragraph 15 of the 2015 july 15th study edition pg 18-19.. http://imgur.com/3wparys.

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basically they admit to teaching the rapture (for the anointed remnant), just don't call it that!.

kaik

Catholic, Orthodox, and major Protestant denominations consider Rapture to be heresy. It is actually forbidden doctrine by the Catholic Church. It did not appear in Christianity until 1830's by preachers in Northern American and was not fully defined by fundamentalists until early 20th century. Catholics and European Christianity uses word Ascension, but there is also difference in theology between this and Harvest. JWs attempts to model their rapture theology on other fundamentalist religions who often believe that chosen one will float away from this earth while meeting Jesus in midway when he is returning. This way they think they escape the wrath and tribulation. Of course WT teaches that rapture will happen to the reminder of 144K. Back in the 1980's it was pack of 8000 or so individuals.

46

WT addresses the "rapture" teaching.

by wifibandit in

look at paragraph 15 of the 2015 july 15th study edition pg 18-19.. http://imgur.com/3wparys.

.

basically they admit to teaching the rapture (for the anointed remnant), just don't call it that!.

kaik

Rapture is purely American invention in theology and unknown to major European mainstream religions. Actually there is no equivalent to it in my native language. We had first time were taught a rapture in 1980's where the DO was tried to explain to us what it mean. Teaching of Rapture is old as is JWs, but it was never fully explained until later years when various evangelical movements usurped a rapture as their central theology and teaching. Any case, it is not new teaching and it was in JWs for at least 30 years.