No, but I remember the constant insistance from our elders that we go out and preach on Christmas morning and new years day. (perfect chance to find people at home right?). The thing is that we did so very early in the morning. I always try telling everyone that was a bad idea. People tend to reject us in their regular days.. but if we attempt to do it while they are sleepy and drunk from the night before? To tell them that God will kill them for what they just did?
StarTrekAngel
JoinedPosts by StarTrekAngel
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Has anyone ever.....
by Ugottabefresh in.....done evening witnessing on halloween?.
true story: once i was auxiliary pioneering in october and got the flu mid-month.
naturally i had to get those sixty (dating myself) hours in and i was at fifty on 10/30.
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Romans 14:23
by StarTrekAngel ini bumped into this text (romans 14:23) during one of the meetings.
yes, most times i find myself drifting away from the meeting into some real bible studying.
do i understand this correctly or is it saying that even good things should be done by faith or else is a sin?
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StarTrekAngel
I understand what you express JK. I know such issue over stumbling others is repeated in other parts of the new testament. However, what puzzles me is the change in par 22. (Bolds mine)
The faith that you have, keep it to yourself before God. (Now switches to third person) Happy is the man who does not judge himself for what he approves. But if he has doubts, he is already condemned if he eats, because he does not eat based on faith. Indeed, everything that is not based on faith is sin.
What do they mean by "Happy is the man who does not judge himself for what he approves"? Does it mean that our confidence on our belief set us free from guilt?
The rest, I see it this way. In those time when pork was considered unclean, a man who was converted to "the truth" could now understand that he was ok to eat pork. However, he may not be fully convinced or have faith that he was doing nothing wrong. If he went ahead and ate anyway, doubts and all, then he was comitting a sin. A man who was reassured of his belief and ate without guilt, was therefore a happy person. All of this, off course, so long he did not stumble anyone who saw him by doing so.
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Romans 14:23
by StarTrekAngel ini bumped into this text (romans 14:23) during one of the meetings.
yes, most times i find myself drifting away from the meeting into some real bible studying.
do i understand this correctly or is it saying that even good things should be done by faith or else is a sin?
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StarTrekAngel
I bumped into this text (Romans 14:23) during one of the meetings. Yes, most times I find myself drifting away from the meeting into some real bible studying. Do I understand this correctly or is it saying that even good things should be done by faith or else is a sin? Anyone cares to shed some "light" into this (pun certainly intended)
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their beliefs and practice's don't tally- tonights book study
by purrpurr intonights book study in part is about jesus throwing out the merchants and money lenders in the temple... how do they manage to tally that up with asking for funds for all their various projects?
it seems hardly a meeting goes by without some kind of money plea?
don't they realise that they are doing the same thing that jesus got so angry about and threw out of the temple?
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StarTrekAngel
Doubt they are going to have any cognitive issues. Cognitive issues only arise when you do some thinking. When you are predisposed to quickly take what you don't understand and put it in the "Waiting on Jehovah to clarify" pile, cognitive dissonances get shut off.
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their beliefs and practice's don't tally- tonights book study
by purrpurr intonights book study in part is about jesus throwing out the merchants and money lenders in the temple... how do they manage to tally that up with asking for funds for all their various projects?
it seems hardly a meeting goes by without some kind of money plea?
don't they realise that they are doing the same thing that jesus got so angry about and threw out of the temple?
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StarTrekAngel
Same thing went thru my mind last night after the meeting. The difference is that I am passed the point where I expect anyone to be listening. They are hearing, but they are not processing. One thing I took the chance to point to my wife was the rulemaking. So happens that her brother was once reprimended for wearing his sideburns too long. I asked her is that was not the same as what we just studied. She agreed, but rather reluctanly. When I started studying many years ago, I use to wear a goatee. I was told that I needed to remove it if I wanted to enroll in the ministry school. She got angry then because the elder that pointed this out stated "he would not let anyone step in HIS platform wearing that". Remind her of this too.
Another sad thing happened towards the last part of the meeting. While I believe this person sincerely just followed the part ( I am not implying he is a bad person on this), it just shows what many have pointed out before. The part was a presentation of how to prepare for FS with a sense of urgency. Part of which included a demonstration, by a couple, of how they prepare for field service, looking for subjects that will attract the interest of the household. They wen't on discussing a specific subject, regarding a big crime that was recently unfolding, in which law enforcement was implicated (no, it is not St Louis). The funny (sad really) part was when the man said "this is a good story to bring up to people. Lets take advantage of their concern". Literally I am quoting the brother.
May Jehovah forgive him because he is a good man.
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Has anyone a copy of the recent BOE about contributions to disaster fund?
by tezrichmond inthere was a boe recently (in last few weeks) about everyone in congregation contributing so much towards repairing kingdom hall's in emergencies, vandalism or disasters etc.
does anyone have a copy - i couldn't find it on here.. i want to do a video on this because they say they don't solicit funds but it was announced from the platform????
they might not be passing a collection plate around, but they're just doing it in a different way.. .
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StarTrekAngel
It was read to us last night. As far as soliciting, it was no different than any other money related announcements done before. At least for me, it is somewhat normal (not right, normal) to hear an announcement in which they ask if it is ok to donate x amount per publisher. They did clarify to us that this did not mean we were obligated to donate the x amount every month. With that said, we all know what would happen if the accounts don't balance out. Been there done that. They will eventually remind us of the motion (pledge) we made.
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can anyone tell me how to fly under the radar of the elders?
by purrpurr ini have all my family in the cult and was brought up in it myself.
although mentally i'm out if i leave i loose all my family and that would break my heart.
i've somehow got to fly under the radar and not be detected.
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StarTrekAngel
I find it hard to believe that you can fool them for too long. See if you are alone, this seems like a practical approeach (in my opinion) but when you have familiy you really love (and if they really love you, which I assume is the case) eventually they will take an interest on your problem as well. And how long can you fake this in front of your family. You need to concentrate on what really matters first. The elders don't matter as much as your family. If you work with your family as your main priority, everything else will fall into place. Love will win.
This is the problem with this org... it has too many checks and balances that will let them know when someone falls out of line. It is my theory that no one will ever succeed in taking them down by attacking them directly. There is too much diversity of thought and culture for you to show your friends, family and community, that this is wrong. Too much cushion between you (or us) and the GB. In fact, they remind me of the old movie, The Mask. The bad guy. When they shoot hundreds of bullets at him and he somehow collects them all in his mouth and shoots back. I believe the key is to start eating away the cushion like moths. Each from its own side and angle. Only then we would succeed in bringing about change.
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THE CULT STRIKES AGAIN!!!
by DATA-DOG init's amazing what you perceive, once you know ttatt.
today's wt mind-control session was an amazing example of cult mind control techniques in action!!
the program was about hearing jeehoobies voice!
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StarTrekAngel
Which article are we talking about?
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Reading the Watchtower and Awake! is like getting a college education!
by kairos inanybody remember hearing this?.
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is that comment in print anywhere?.
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StarTrekAngel
“I quit school in the 9th grade about twenty-five years ago. I have had no secular schooling since then. I should have, by all rights, stagnated mentally. Due to economic circumstances—I had to go to work full time to support my family—I found it necessary to go back to school for a high school diploma.
If he had so much education from WT, why did he need to go back to school?
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WT Study 26th Oct. '14
by BluesBrother ini could find another thread so i thought i might add a few comments here - not a full critique though.
"hear jehovah's voice wherever you are".
http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20140815/hear-jehovahs-voice/.
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StarTrekAngel
So just remember when bro So and So speaks from the platform, it is not him, but God who is speaking !...........
The funny part of BluesBrother view on this, is that at our meeting, last Sunday, the public talk was about idolatry. The brother went on to repeat something I had not heard in a while. That hanging a poster of your favorite sports player or singer is idolatry. A sister (an annointed one) later commented on par 16 the very same thing that is portrayed here.. She said, I did not know doing so would be idolatry, but now that the brother mentioned I have come to understand.
:/