Posts by mizpah

38

Halloween after leaving the JW's

by TresHappy in

when i was a kid, we did halloween every year.

no big deal, just costumes and trick or treating, but that was the 70's.

when i was 11 we stopped celebrating everything, and several years ago i left the jw's.

mizpah

Sirona:

Being a professed witch, I can't understand your sensitivity about the "occult" celebration of Halloween. Samhein was a celebration of the Celts who thought the spirits of the dead returned to earth to visit relatives and friends on October 31st. ("Occult: l. pertaining to, or dealing with or knowledgeable in supernatural influences, agencies or phenomona." American Heritage Dictionary) Some historians note that Celts often dressed in grotesque costumes to ward off the evil spirits of witches, faeries and demons on that particular night. (So evidently even some pagans had a dim view of witches.) If true, it seems strange that witches would even choose this night to celebrate.

Regardless of how hard followers of Wicca try to project a different image today, the origins are based in the occult.

6

Temple of Onias

by mizpah in

for anyone interested in history, this is a fascinating subject.

onias (possibly son of onias iii) established a second jewish temple in egypt.

it lasted for 243 years.

mizpah

peacefulpete:

While it is true that we are not positive how the prophecy of Jeremiah 44 was accomplished, Jeremiah does indicate a "remnant" or "a few fugitives" from Egypt would survive. (Vss. 14,28) Could it be that those specific ones who fled in Jeremiah's day did die by "famine and the sword" (except for those few mentioned) whereas others, past and future exiles, established a Jewish colony and survived? History seens sketchy on these points. But it could be a possible explanation. We just don't know all the circumstances and implications of Jeremiah's prophecy or historical record of that time.

However, I do find it interesting that three temples dedicated to Jehovah did exist: l. Temple in Jerusalem 2. Samaritan Temple at Gerizim 3. Temple of Onias at Leontopolis (Egypt)

11

Confessions of The Anointed!

by Voyager in

this anointed one was never disfellowshipped or excommunicated, and some of the shocking facts he exposes about the watchtower, are truely worth the read.

he totally explodes watchtower dates, and theology.

elders who used the congregations for financial gain.

mizpah

Petespal:

I think what the writer was pointing out was that the word "annointed" can be translated as "messiahs" or "christs"...all having the basic meaning of annointed ones. The Watchtower does teach that there are only 144,000 of "annointed ones." This is not to be confused with Christ as "the annointed one" or "the Messiah."

25

Can anyone confirm this? New congregation consolidation 'unofficial' policy

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i recently was told by an elder in queens, that there are so many young people being df'd, marriage problems and divorce, that some congregations in the queens, bronx and manhattan areas are very small as a result of the above problems.

he said that there is an unofficial policy of the gb, that they don't like congregations with less than 75 publishers.

as a result, some kingdom halls are being sold and congregations with few publishers are being consoloidated with bigger congregations.

mizpah

I wonder if the Watchtower Society will ever boast that it is "the fastest shrinking religion in the world?"...haha

38

Halloween after leaving the JW's

by TresHappy in

when i was a kid, we did halloween every year.

no big deal, just costumes and trick or treating, but that was the 70's.

when i was 11 we stopped celebrating everything, and several years ago i left the jw's.

mizpah

Treshappy:

I'm with you on this one. Halloween is a major occult holiday. Just ask all the occultists who show up in Salem, Ma. on this day and the numerous participants in the "witches circle" preformed by the covens on that night!

33

jw view on sex

by abraham in

genesis1:28 -gods purpose is to populating the earth , sex is not wrong but .

sexual before merriage is wrong .

(1 thess.

mizpah

I don't think we should fault Jehovah's Witnesses for keeping strict moral codes regarding marriage and sex. They are not Watchtower rules. They are God's laws to keep his people clean and upright. Civilization itself rests upon the family. The bond between husband and wife is sacred. When it is broken, civilization itself suffers. Most religions in the world recognize the sanctity of marriage and the proper use of sex.

P.S. I saw an interesting TV program that dealt with the Puritans. The Puritans had anything put a "puritanical view" of sex. According to the show, even pre-marital sex was not forbidden provided the man married the maid when she became pregnant. Puritans viewed sex as a natural function...but one that had to be within the structure of the community and family. On the other hand, adultery was condemned since it broke the family and community ties.

29

Everlasting life on a Paradise earth..myth or reality?

by shotgun in

everlasting life on a paradise earth.

this hope permeates the very being of every jw.

does it mention everlasting life on a paradise earth?

mizpah

I have come to the conclusion that Christ and early Christians spoke of the "one hope" as a heavenly one. But how do we understand the promise of "a new heavens and a new EARTH?" (2 Peter 3:13, Rev. 21:1) While is doesn't specifically speak of a "paradise earth", does it not suggest a restoration of the earth? Bible believers: What are your thoughts on the "new earth.?

The one scripture we often used as a key ("The meek shall inherit the earth") to the "earthly hope" was, in fact, not applied to this class at all. As far as I recall, the Watchtower said the "meek" were actually the annointed who would receive the earth as an inheritance when they ruled with Christ in the heavens. (Blondie: Can you find any references to this?)

11

Confessions of The Anointed!

by Voyager in

this anointed one was never disfellowshipped or excommunicated, and some of the shocking facts he exposes about the watchtower, are truely worth the read.

he totally explodes watchtower dates, and theology.

elders who used the congregations for financial gain.

mizpah

Voyager: It is a long account. And some parts of it have a "Walter Mitty" quality about it. However, that being said, if it is fiction it is brilliant. It is obviously written by someone who has had long experience in the Watchtower Society. So many of the things he relates are exactly "on the mark." The infighting, gossip and intrique in the congregations are accurately portrayed. He has captured the agony and distress of someone who had been in the organization for a long time and wrestled with the issues that bothered many of us during those same years. As for the critiscm of the too many "I"s.... What would anyone expect out of the autobiographical sketch of a person's life? Thanks for bringing it to our attention, Voyager.

53

Is the WT working on any new doctrinal changes

by fearnotruth22 in

mizpah

We shouldn't forget, though, that 1874 was a "fundamental" date during Russell's time and part of Rutherford's tenure. It took Rutherford a number of years before throwing it completely out of the Watchtower chronology. The difficultly the Watchtower has with the 1914 date is that it has linked it with God's approval on the "annointed" as represented in the Watchtower Society. If they dismiss this date, they dismiss the alleged authority of its own organization. It's a stickier issue...but not impossible.

Elsewhere:

I loved the book and reread it after leaving the organization. The "pigs" philosophy seems to be that of the leadership of the Watchtower: "We are all equal, but some are more equal than others."

6

Temple of Onias

by mizpah in

for anyone interested in history, this is a fascinating subject.

onias (possibly son of onias iii) established a second jewish temple in egypt.

it lasted for 243 years.

mizpah

For anyone interested in history, this is a fascinating subject. Onias (possibly son of Onias III) established a second Jewish Temple in Egypt. It lasted for 243 years. Onias used Isaiah 19:19 as the Scriptural basis for his project. If interested, look up "Temple of Onias" on Yahoo. Very interesting material!