I was looking over the Yahoo! Answers page and found an interesting question and answer about how the jw's defend themselves when hit with charges of being a false prophet. I think you will enjoy Curious Jorge's response. (I copied/pasted it as is with no commentary or changes of any kind.)---
Q: Jehovah's Witnesses, what is your defense when the WTBTS is called a false prophet by many, according to scriptures?
A: From my experience, they have two primary defenses:-
1) They weren't really prophets; and
2) It's no big deal, because God's servants have been wrong before.
These two defenses are incredibly weak. Here's a brief rebuttal to each.
First, to the defense that the Watchtower/JW leadership weren't really prophets. While the Watchtower leaders have written articles describing themselves as "prophets" (see for example, chapter 4 of the book "The Nations Shall Know that I am Jehovah"), they claim that they are not "inspired."
Thus, the Watchtower Governing Body seems to have invented a new category for itself--that of the "uninspired true prophet."When it comes to the issue of the prophetic nature of the Governing Body, JWs parse words in such a way that would put former U.S. President Bill Clinton to shame (he's the one who said "it depends on what the definition of 'is' is").
I am of the opinion that talk is cheap, and a person or group of people is best judged by its actions. So, it makes more sense to look at the *actions* of the Governing Body and see if they *act* like they think they're modern day prophets.
For example, the Governing Body claims that God uses it as the sole channel of communication. In other words, God only speaks through them. Now, in the Bible, who did God speak through? Prophets.
Also, the Governing Body requires its followers (Jehovah's Witnesses) to believe and follow every religious pronouncement they make. For example, when the Governing Body decided in 2008 that the "generation" of Luke 21 no longer meant "wicked people" but now meant "anointed Christians," every single JW was *required* to change his/her belief on this matter. In other words, the Governing Body's pronouncement had the *exact same* effect as if it were part of Scripture.
So, it looks like the Governing Body is trying to "have its cake and eat it too." On one hand, the Governing Body expects its followers to believe and adhere to everything it says as if it were Scripture. But on the other hand, the Governing Body accepts no accountability when it's wrong...typical of a man-made organization.
The second defense incorrectly equates wrong expectations held by some early Christians with blatant false predictions such as "millions now living will never die" and proclamations that 1925 is "God's date and not ours." I guess some people can rationalize anything.
Also, to address the answer of "Line Dancer" regarding the example of Nathan and David. This has got to be the weakest JW defense I've seen in a while. How can you equate Nathan's general statement that David should do what's in his heart and that God was with him with the wild-eyed predictions of the Watchtower society? what a stretch!
And I love that paragraph from the Watchtower quoted in the answer of "Line Dancer." It contains an amazing number of logical fallacies--even for a Watchtower article!The fact is that the Bible is rife with warnings about false prophets. So, when a man or group of men make false predictions, of course they are going to try to rationalize their actions...like the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Anyone looking at the matter objectively can see right through their excuses and cover stories.
False Dates Slideshow
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Christian Witnesses Website
There is a great website for active and former JW's who are interested in joining or starting up a bible reading group.
Here is a link to an introductory video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AELs6dLljC0
Here is a link to an introductory video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AELs6dLljC0
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Did Jesus Die On A Cross Or A Torture Stake?
Jehovah’s Witnesses go to great lengths to push the idea that Jesus did not die on a cross (Crux Duplex). Instead they insist that he died on a single upright stake (Crux Simplex). Now to me and I imagine most people, how the Lord Jesus died is not as important as the fact that He died and atoned for our sins. So, if He died on a stake, a cross, a gallows, was beheaded, or shot to death by a firing squad it makes no difference because the outcome would be the same. Jesus died for our sins.
Well, for whatever reason, the Watchtower Society stresses the idea of Jesus hanged on a stake instead of a cross and they have actually gone back to some very old writings to find support for their claim. One that is of great importance is the reference given in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (KIT) to the book, De Cruce Liber Primus, which was written by the Catholic scholar Justus Lipsius of the 16th Century. As proof they offer a photograph of an illustration that depicts an upright stake with a man hanging on it in the 2nd column of page 647 of Lipsius’ book. They go on to say that this is the manner in which Jesus was impaled. This leads anyone reading this statement to believe that the Catholic scholar Justus Lipsius supported the Watchtower’s belief that Jesus died on an upright stake. If this is true, then all of the evidence should bear this out.
It’s important to ask if this one image is the only one in Lipsius’ book. If we look beyond the single image the Watchtower included in the KIT, we will see that according to his research there were many different types of torture employed by the Romans. He includes several different illustrations showing different methods of torturing people. We see a tree being used to hang up someone, an X cross with a man hung on it, a man impaled through his rectum with the stake protruding from his mouth, and a couple of versions of the crux duplex or the cross with a crossbeam such as used by Christendom to illustrate Jesus’ death. Now, to be fair, just because there are other illustrations in De Cruce Liber Primus, that is not proof that the Watchtower Society has lied or been deceptive in stating that the cross is not what Jesus died on. Even though it is troubling to me that they didn’t permit the other types of crosses to be shown in the KIT.
Where do we need to go to get proof that Jesus died on a cross and not on a torture stake?
Lipsius stated in a caption next to an illustration of a cross (Crux Duplex) in his book that, “In the Lord’s cross there were four pieces of wood, the upright beam, the crossbar, a tree trunk (a piece of wood) placed below, and the title (inscription) placed above.” So, instead of supporting the Watchtower’s false teaching that Jesus died on a torture stake, Lipsius actually supported the idea of a Christian cross with a crossbeam. Did the translating committee get away with this outright lie? No it did not. The Watchtower Society was confronted by Christian groups and was pressured to change it in the 1985 edition of the KIT. Now, they still quote Justus Lipsius and give their followers the impression that he supported the torture stake teaching held by the Watchtower which their adherents just blindly follow without question. I think it is funny that the book that they cite to support their teaching actually proves it to be a false teaching.
Something else to consider is what the Bible says about the wounds in Christ’s hands. If we read John 20:24-25 we see that it supports the teaching of the cross.
“But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called The Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. Consequently the other disciples would say to him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.” ”
It clearly says the print of the NAILS, plural or more than one nail. If Jesus was hung like the Watchtower says, there would be a hole in each hand from ONE nail passing through them. But since it says NAILS it is obvious that Jesus hands must have been apart as they would be on a cross when he was nailed to it.
It is very important that we each do our own research and really study God’s Word. For one to blindly accept the doctrines of a group is lazy Christianity and it will get a person killed for following a false prophet.
A slideshow of the Lipsius illustrations is here:
http://s429.photobucket.com/albums/qq19/Watchtower_Facts/Justus%20Lipsius/?albumview=slideshow
Special thanks to MCO4Help for research and clarification.
Well, for whatever reason, the Watchtower Society stresses the idea of Jesus hanged on a stake instead of a cross and they have actually gone back to some very old writings to find support for their claim. One that is of great importance is the reference given in the Kingdom Interlinear Translation (KIT) to the book, De Cruce Liber Primus, which was written by the Catholic scholar Justus Lipsius of the 16th Century. As proof they offer a photograph of an illustration that depicts an upright stake with a man hanging on it in the 2nd column of page 647 of Lipsius’ book. They go on to say that this is the manner in which Jesus was impaled. This leads anyone reading this statement to believe that the Catholic scholar Justus Lipsius supported the Watchtower’s belief that Jesus died on an upright stake. If this is true, then all of the evidence should bear this out.
It’s important to ask if this one image is the only one in Lipsius’ book. If we look beyond the single image the Watchtower included in the KIT, we will see that according to his research there were many different types of torture employed by the Romans. He includes several different illustrations showing different methods of torturing people. We see a tree being used to hang up someone, an X cross with a man hung on it, a man impaled through his rectum with the stake protruding from his mouth, and a couple of versions of the crux duplex or the cross with a crossbeam such as used by Christendom to illustrate Jesus’ death. Now, to be fair, just because there are other illustrations in De Cruce Liber Primus, that is not proof that the Watchtower Society has lied or been deceptive in stating that the cross is not what Jesus died on. Even though it is troubling to me that they didn’t permit the other types of crosses to be shown in the KIT.
Where do we need to go to get proof that Jesus died on a cross and not on a torture stake?
Lipsius stated in a caption next to an illustration of a cross (Crux Duplex) in his book that, “In the Lord’s cross there were four pieces of wood, the upright beam, the crossbar, a tree trunk (a piece of wood) placed below, and the title (inscription) placed above.” So, instead of supporting the Watchtower’s false teaching that Jesus died on a torture stake, Lipsius actually supported the idea of a Christian cross with a crossbeam. Did the translating committee get away with this outright lie? No it did not. The Watchtower Society was confronted by Christian groups and was pressured to change it in the 1985 edition of the KIT. Now, they still quote Justus Lipsius and give their followers the impression that he supported the torture stake teaching held by the Watchtower which their adherents just blindly follow without question. I think it is funny that the book that they cite to support their teaching actually proves it to be a false teaching.
Something else to consider is what the Bible says about the wounds in Christ’s hands. If we read John 20:24-25 we see that it supports the teaching of the cross.
“But Thomas, one of the twelve, who was called The Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. Consequently the other disciples would say to him: “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them: “Unless I see in his hands the print of the nails and stick my finger into the print of the nails and stick my hand into his side, I will certainly not believe.” ”
It clearly says the print of the NAILS, plural or more than one nail. If Jesus was hung like the Watchtower says, there would be a hole in each hand from ONE nail passing through them. But since it says NAILS it is obvious that Jesus hands must have been apart as they would be on a cross when he was nailed to it.
It is very important that we each do our own research and really study God’s Word. For one to blindly accept the doctrines of a group is lazy Christianity and it will get a person killed for following a false prophet.
A slideshow of the Lipsius illustrations is here:
http://s429.photobucket.com/albums/qq19/Watchtower_Facts/Justus%20Lipsius/?albumview=slideshow
Special thanks to MCO4Help for research and clarification.
Friday, January 16, 2009
JW's Settle More Molestation Cases!
Well, the fiend McLean is still on the run from justice, but the victims that he molested have received a settlement from the Watchtower as payment for its involvement in it I imagine. It's too bad the law has not yet caught up to this monster so he can pay what he owes too. I am wondering what the jw's that keep making excuses and denying anything is wrong with their organization will say to this. I bet they keep going on with their Watchtower Blinders on even tighter. What a shame.
Thursday, January 15, 2009
Internet Dangers Internet Dangers Internet Dangers
The Watchtower cult leadership fears information more than anything. They would love nothing more than to keep all of their people shut inside and only allowed to read their books and magazines. They struggle every day with the huge amount of information that shows them for the child-molesting, misogynistic, money grubbing, blasphemous fiends they are.
If you go through their literature or even better, their Library CD-ROM, you will find how they repeat the words Internet and Dangers together so many times that the two words become joined at the hip so to speak. In fact I counted 143 times where Internet and Dangers appeared on a page together. It seems to me like they are really working overtime to make sure their followers get the message that the Internet is bad.
I wonder how worried they are about people going to the doors of people they do not know for face to face confrontations while selling their literature. I mean with all the dogs, apostates, and unfriendly, violent and evil “Worldly” people that are under Satan’s control you would think there would be a concern for their safety, right? Let’s see, I went to my handy-dandy WT-CD and searched for Door-To Door Dangers. Guess how many entries I found in their literature. ONE (1). Yes, just one. And it made some obscure reference to the dangers of preaching in Nazi Germany.
Speaking of Nazi Germany, their Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels made an extraordinary statement.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Let’s see how it looks after my alteration for emphasis of my point…
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the Watchtower Society can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the Watchtower Society to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the Watchtower Society.”
If you go through their literature or even better, their Library CD-ROM, you will find how they repeat the words Internet and Dangers together so many times that the two words become joined at the hip so to speak. In fact I counted 143 times where Internet and Dangers appeared on a page together. It seems to me like they are really working overtime to make sure their followers get the message that the Internet is bad.
I wonder how worried they are about people going to the doors of people they do not know for face to face confrontations while selling their literature. I mean with all the dogs, apostates, and unfriendly, violent and evil “Worldly” people that are under Satan’s control you would think there would be a concern for their safety, right? Let’s see, I went to my handy-dandy WT-CD and searched for Door-To Door Dangers. Guess how many entries I found in their literature. ONE (1). Yes, just one. And it made some obscure reference to the dangers of preaching in Nazi Germany.
Speaking of Nazi Germany, their Propaganda Minister Josef Goebbels made an extraordinary statement.
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the State can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the State to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the State.”
Let’s see how it looks after my alteration for emphasis of my point…
“If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. The lie can be maintained only for such time as the Watchtower Society can shield the people from the political, economic and/or military consequences of the lie. It thus becomes vitally important for the Watchtower Society to use all of its powers to repress dissent, for the truth is the mortal enemy of the lie, and thus by extension, the truth is the greatest enemy of the Watchtower Society.”
Is Jesus The Mediator Between Men And God?
The Watchtower Society ignores what Paul wrote at 1 Timothy 2:5-6 about how Jesus is teh mediator between men and God. Instead they teach this, "Jesus Christ is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members." (Worldwide Security "Under The Prince of Peace" Page 10.
How is it that these men can side-step a Scripture and teach such falsehoods and then get away with it?
It is all about mind control. Most cult groups use thought and information control at some level to gain the trust of their members and to manipulate them. They say it all day long how Jesus is the Mediator between men and God, but they hang onto many elitist and wrong teachings in order to elevate themselves above the rank and file members.
The Watchtower Society TWISTS scriptures and casts its own teachings into the pool of truth to pollute it in order to make their unquestioning devotees actually believe their blasphemous lies. It’s not surprising to me that they would cast Jesus in the role of an attorney. Their second president was an attorney with delusions of Judgeship. They are a legalistic bunch who enjoys making their adherents jump through all sorts of legal hoops for their enjoyment. They are the modern day legalistic Pharisees and are being exposed as such every day. I believe that the internet and access to information is going to be the undoing of their little cult. I pray for them every day so that Jesus will open their eyes and get out of this cult.
Consequently, 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 is not using “mediator” in the broad sense common in many languages. It is not saying that Jesus is a mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, it refers to Christ as legal Mediator (or, “attorney”) of the new covenant, this being the restricted way in which the Bible uses the term. Jesus is also a corresponding ransom for all in that covenant, both Jews and Gentiles, who will receive immortal life in heaven. The apostle John referred to these at 1 John 2:2. But he indicated that others too will receive the benefit of Christ’s sacrifice: “He is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.” (Watchtower of 8/15/1989 Page 31, Questions From the Readers)
How is it that these men can side-step a Scripture and teach such falsehoods and then get away with it?
It is all about mind control. Most cult groups use thought and information control at some level to gain the trust of their members and to manipulate them. They say it all day long how Jesus is the Mediator between men and God, but they hang onto many elitist and wrong teachings in order to elevate themselves above the rank and file members.
The Watchtower Society TWISTS scriptures and casts its own teachings into the pool of truth to pollute it in order to make their unquestioning devotees actually believe their blasphemous lies. It’s not surprising to me that they would cast Jesus in the role of an attorney. Their second president was an attorney with delusions of Judgeship. They are a legalistic bunch who enjoys making their adherents jump through all sorts of legal hoops for their enjoyment. They are the modern day legalistic Pharisees and are being exposed as such every day. I believe that the internet and access to information is going to be the undoing of their little cult. I pray for them every day so that Jesus will open their eyes and get out of this cult.
Consequently, 1 Timothy 2:5, 6 is not using “mediator” in the broad sense common in many languages. It is not saying that Jesus is a mediator between God and all mankind. Rather, it refers to Christ as legal Mediator (or, “attorney”) of the new covenant, this being the restricted way in which the Bible uses the term. Jesus is also a corresponding ransom for all in that covenant, both Jews and Gentiles, who will receive immortal life in heaven. The apostle John referred to these at 1 John 2:2. But he indicated that others too will receive the benefit of Christ’s sacrifice: “He is a propitiatory sacrifice for our sins, yet not for ours only but also for the whole world’s.” (Watchtower of 8/15/1989 Page 31, Questions From the Readers)
Sunday, January 11, 2009
How Effective Are Jehovah's Witnesses In Thier Ministry?
I often hear on the various forums that the JW's are increasing by NINE congregations per day. Claims that over 800 people per day are coming into the cult sounded excessive to me, so I did some research and found out some interesting figures.
From September 2006 to September 2007 the jw's recorded 1,431,761,554 hours in Field Service to recruit new members, yet less than 300,000 were baptized. ! ALMOST A BILLION AND A HALF HOURS IN ONE YEAR! If you average that out, each baptism took 4,800 hours. If you figure that each publisher averages about 10 hours in field service per month it would take 40 years of door knocking to convert just one person.
Apparently there are about 550 New Publishers added every day, not the inflated figures that some jw's ahve been posting online. You would think this is a good growth, but on the back end the wt is hemorrhaging at a rate of 61%. Between 2003 & 2007 there have been 1,315,523 baptisms. But the number of publishers only grew by about 500,000 in the time between 2003 and 2007. What happened to the over 807,779 others? Where are these missing, new jw's?
Another thing about their growth, they claimed a 3.1% increase in their ranks, but they ignore Global Population Growth. Every day about 200,000 people are born but the ranks of the wt only increase by about 550. Every year that the jw's wait for Armageddon, it requires Jehovah to execute another 70,000,000 people. Think about that. When the wt posts figures they rally around false figures to try to make their adherents believe they are doing so well. The figures show anything but that.
Thanks to V for providing the statistics!
http://www.watchtowercomments.com/
From September 2006 to September 2007 the jw's recorded 1,431,761,554 hours in Field Service to recruit new members, yet less than 300,000 were baptized. ! ALMOST A BILLION AND A HALF HOURS IN ONE YEAR! If you average that out, each baptism took 4,800 hours. If you figure that each publisher averages about 10 hours in field service per month it would take 40 years of door knocking to convert just one person.
Apparently there are about 550 New Publishers added every day, not the inflated figures that some jw's ahve been posting online. You would think this is a good growth, but on the back end the wt is hemorrhaging at a rate of 61%. Between 2003 & 2007 there have been 1,315,523 baptisms. But the number of publishers only grew by about 500,000 in the time between 2003 and 2007. What happened to the over 807,779 others? Where are these missing, new jw's?
Another thing about their growth, they claimed a 3.1% increase in their ranks, but they ignore Global Population Growth. Every day about 200,000 people are born but the ranks of the wt only increase by about 550. Every year that the jw's wait for Armageddon, it requires Jehovah to execute another 70,000,000 people. Think about that. When the wt posts figures they rally around false figures to try to make their adherents believe they are doing so well. The figures show anything but that.
Thanks to V for providing the statistics!
http://www.watchtowercomments.com/
Saturday, January 10, 2009
My Letter To "The Factor"
I would like to encourage everyone that feels it is a good idea to write to media outlets and their Congressmen about the way the Watchtower uses its tax exempt status to its full advantage but does no charitable work. Below is a letter tthat I wrote to Bill O'Reilly of The Factor.
Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
I want to start off by saying how much I have enjoyed your program over the years and that I am glad that you are not afraid to seek the truth and share it with your audience. It is refreshing to see that integrity still has a place in this world.
I am writing to you to share a bit of interesting information. On ABC, the show called Extreme Makeover Home Edition http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=index, is doing a great thing by building a Fresno family a new home so that the mother, who is severely disabled and is bound to a wheelchair can better care for her family. Here in Fresno, the local paper the Fresno Bee is doing a series of stories about the project and it made note that the woman attends a local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1117887.html
Jehovah's Witnesses is the marketing arm of the publishing corporation known as The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which in recent years has been wrapped up in wrongful death suits brought forward by the surviving family of Jehovah's Witnesses who have died because of the Watchtower ban on medical use of blood even in emergency situations. Another touchy area is the out of court settling of several cases where it was proved that the Watchtower Society (WTS) had knowledge of child molestation going on within their congregations and forced the victims to remain silent about the crimes and did not report the crimes to the proper authorities. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
http://www.silentlambs.org/NationalPresspacket.htm
After learning about this Extreme Makeover episode, it struck me that being part of the Jehovah's Witnesses individuals are discouraged from going on television and indeed having anything to do with what the Watchtower calls Satan's System of Things. The media being a major part of this system. Witnesses are also told to not engage in charitable works by donating either time or money to any worthy causes except to the Watchtower Society. The WTS holds other religions, government, and the media in contempt and feels that associating with any of these groups or engaging in any inter-faith or charitable works is contrary to what the Bible teaches.
As I have researched the WTS I have noted that it enjoys tax free status as a church and is a non profit organization that holds Billions of dollars in assets including huge real estate holdings but does nothing for the communities in which it operates. The WTS does not even have a single program to aid their needy adherents. I find it hypocritical for the WTS to enjoy tax exempt status while doing nothing for the community along the lines of feeding and clothing the poor, offering assistance with healthcare expenses, or even donating money to such causes.
I feel that there is something very wrong when a corporation that purports to be a Christian Church enjoys the privileges of that position and ignores the responsibilities that go along with that position. I would like to hear your opinion on these matters and wonder if you find that looking into them would be worthy of your time and effort.
Thanks for your kind consideration, Mr. O'Reilly.
Lorenzo Gonzales
Dear Mr. O'Reilly,
I want to start off by saying how much I have enjoyed your program over the years and that I am glad that you are not afraid to seek the truth and share it with your audience. It is refreshing to see that integrity still has a place in this world.
I am writing to you to share a bit of interesting information. On ABC, the show called Extreme Makeover Home Edition http://abc.go.com/primetime/xtremehome/index?pn=index, is doing a great thing by building a Fresno family a new home so that the mother, who is severely disabled and is bound to a wheelchair can better care for her family. Here in Fresno, the local paper the Fresno Bee is doing a series of stories about the project and it made note that the woman attends a local Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses. http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1117887.html
Jehovah's Witnesses is the marketing arm of the publishing corporation known as The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society which in recent years has been wrapped up in wrongful death suits brought forward by the surviving family of Jehovah's Witnesses who have died because of the Watchtower ban on medical use of blood even in emergency situations. Another touchy area is the out of court settling of several cases where it was proved that the Watchtower Society (WTS) had knowledge of child molestation going on within their congregations and forced the victims to remain silent about the crimes and did not report the crimes to the proper authorities. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21917798/
http://www.silentlambs.org/NationalPresspacket.htm
After learning about this Extreme Makeover episode, it struck me that being part of the Jehovah's Witnesses individuals are discouraged from going on television and indeed having anything to do with what the Watchtower calls Satan's System of Things. The media being a major part of this system. Witnesses are also told to not engage in charitable works by donating either time or money to any worthy causes except to the Watchtower Society. The WTS holds other religions, government, and the media in contempt and feels that associating with any of these groups or engaging in any inter-faith or charitable works is contrary to what the Bible teaches.
As I have researched the WTS I have noted that it enjoys tax free status as a church and is a non profit organization that holds Billions of dollars in assets including huge real estate holdings but does nothing for the communities in which it operates. The WTS does not even have a single program to aid their needy adherents. I find it hypocritical for the WTS to enjoy tax exempt status while doing nothing for the community along the lines of feeding and clothing the poor, offering assistance with healthcare expenses, or even donating money to such causes.
I feel that there is something very wrong when a corporation that purports to be a Christian Church enjoys the privileges of that position and ignores the responsibilities that go along with that position. I would like to hear your opinion on these matters and wonder if you find that looking into them would be worthy of your time and effort.
Thanks for your kind consideration, Mr. O'Reilly.
Lorenzo Gonzales
Friday, January 9, 2009
Jehovah's Witnesses or Ty's Witnesses? Who Truly Helps JW's In Need?
Mary Ann Riojas, a disabled JW is in need of a more habitable home in Fresno. She is wheelchair bound and has no wheelchair access to her home. This amazing woman was born with no legs, one short arm and one normal arm. Of course when one of Jehovah's people is in need the congregation LEAPS into action to help them. Nope, not in this case.
Thank Jehovah for Extreme Home Makeover! Ty Pennington and his crew of volunteers are doing what the watchtower is either unable to do or is unwilling to do. Did I just say a family of Jehovah's Witnesses is going to be helped by a bunch of perverted, homosexual, murdering, sex-loving, worldly people. Not in my words, but I can hear the jw's saying these exact words.
How could the WT allow this to happen? Why is the WT so freaking cheap when it comes to helping people? Do you think this will make a good witness and glorify Jehovah's name, or will it drive another nail into the WT's coffin?
Maybe they should be called Ty Pennington's Witnesses since this humanitarian is doing Jehovah's Work.
Fresno bee Article: http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1117887.html
Thank Jehovah for Extreme Home Makeover! Ty Pennington and his crew of volunteers are doing what the watchtower is either unable to do or is unwilling to do. Did I just say a family of Jehovah's Witnesses is going to be helped by a bunch of perverted, homosexual, murdering, sex-loving, worldly people. Not in my words, but I can hear the jw's saying these exact words.
How could the WT allow this to happen? Why is the WT so freaking cheap when it comes to helping people? Do you think this will make a good witness and glorify Jehovah's name, or will it drive another nail into the WT's coffin?
Maybe they should be called Ty Pennington's Witnesses since this humanitarian is doing Jehovah's Work.
Fresno bee Article: http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1117887.html
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
What It Means To BE A JW...Clarified
An elder in SoCal named Olin made a funny and to the point response to a question at Yahoo Answers. Apparently some JW listed off the Christian things that make a JW. Olin tells it like it actually is.
With his permission
______________________________________________________________
Angelmusic1914 made some statements and I will shine some light onto them.
Love Jehovah God = Obey The Watchtower Society
Love your neighbor = Unless they are not a JW
Love his Son - his representative = Obey the Watchtower Society His Representative
Obey his commandments = Obey the Watchtower Societies Commands
Don't steal = Don't Steal
Don't lie = Use Theocratic Warfare Strategy to mislead and deceive by lying if the person is not worthy of hearing the truth.
Give thanks for what you have = Thank the Watchtower Society by giving them money and free services.
Don't bog yourself down with the inconsequential = Inconsequential is anything not of the Watchtower
Avoid bad associations - drugs, etc = Bad Associations are anyone not a JW.
Don't condone killing - even in wars = Unless the Watchtower says it's ok.
Have respect for life - no abortions = No abortions unless an unwanted pregnancy threatens to dirty the image of the Watchtower
Don't mix the good with the bad - avoid pagan practices = Unless the Watchtower says to. ie wedding rings, Masonic and Egyptian pagan symbols
Find out why Jehovah has you here = Give every waking moment to the Watchtower Society. Mostly money and time preaching.
Find out the future he has planned for the beautiful earth = The wholesale slaughter of nearly 7 Billion ignorant people that are not JWs
Take care of the earth he has provided as your home = Unless the Watchtower farm needs to dig a mine and pollute drinking water
Stay faithful to your mate = Stay faithful to your mate, even if he beats you and molests your kids.
Raise your kids responsibly = No friends who are not JWs, No public School, force them to every meeting and to preach.
Take care of your elderly parents = Unless it interferes with selling magazines
Treat your neighbors fairly and justly = Unless they are not JWs
Pay your taxes and obey the laws = Unless the Watchtower says it violates your conscience
Have a good work ethic - listen to your teachers and bosses = Unless the Watchtower says they are persecuting you.
Be kind to animals = Unless they are chasing you and biting you for knocking on a door that says no soliciting
Support God's kingdom = give everything to the Watchtower society
And that is a CULT in action. Seems pretty logical and evil to me.
Olin Moyle is a Christian. One of Jehovah's Witnesses. An elder no less.
With his permission
______________________________________________________________
Angelmusic1914 made some statements and I will shine some light onto them.
Love Jehovah God = Obey The Watchtower Society
Love your neighbor = Unless they are not a JW
Love his Son - his representative = Obey the Watchtower Society His Representative
Obey his commandments = Obey the Watchtower Societies Commands
Don't steal = Don't Steal
Don't lie = Use Theocratic Warfare Strategy to mislead and deceive by lying if the person is not worthy of hearing the truth.
Give thanks for what you have = Thank the Watchtower Society by giving them money and free services.
Don't bog yourself down with the inconsequential = Inconsequential is anything not of the Watchtower
Avoid bad associations - drugs, etc = Bad Associations are anyone not a JW.
Don't condone killing - even in wars = Unless the Watchtower says it's ok.
Have respect for life - no abortions = No abortions unless an unwanted pregnancy threatens to dirty the image of the Watchtower
Don't mix the good with the bad - avoid pagan practices = Unless the Watchtower says to. ie wedding rings, Masonic and Egyptian pagan symbols
Find out why Jehovah has you here = Give every waking moment to the Watchtower Society. Mostly money and time preaching.
Find out the future he has planned for the beautiful earth = The wholesale slaughter of nearly 7 Billion ignorant people that are not JWs
Take care of the earth he has provided as your home = Unless the Watchtower farm needs to dig a mine and pollute drinking water
Stay faithful to your mate = Stay faithful to your mate, even if he beats you and molests your kids.
Raise your kids responsibly = No friends who are not JWs, No public School, force them to every meeting and to preach.
Take care of your elderly parents = Unless it interferes with selling magazines
Treat your neighbors fairly and justly = Unless they are not JWs
Pay your taxes and obey the laws = Unless the Watchtower says it violates your conscience
Have a good work ethic - listen to your teachers and bosses = Unless the Watchtower says they are persecuting you.
Be kind to animals = Unless they are chasing you and biting you for knocking on a door that says no soliciting
Support God's kingdom = give everything to the Watchtower society
And that is a CULT in action. Seems pretty logical and evil to me.
Olin Moyle is a Christian. One of Jehovah's Witnesses. An elder no less.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Is The JW New Order All It's Cracked Up To Be?
If we ask what the health situation will be in the JW new world order, many jw's will no doubt chime in and say that there will be no sickness or mistakes made in paradise. This may sound reasonable, but is it really? Honestly, NO MISTAKES? What about injuries? What about accidents? Many of the jw's I have known in my more than forty years in the watchtower believe that we will be immortal, will have super powers of the mind, and have superhuman strength and healing abilities.
I believe that if there is such a new order on its way we will still have need of doctors and firemen and even policemen. Perfection is a relative term. We will have perfection as far as mortal humans go. To nearly-quote the society, we are always subject to death being mortals. If a person chooses to breathe water instead of air, that person WILL drown.
People will have to live within the parameters of human existence. If I’m playing ball and trip and roll down a hill and break my leg, am I to expect Jehovah of Armies, the Great King of the Universe to heal me on the spot? I don't think so. Why? Because He gave us each the ability to heal at a human rate so we could be trusted to be relatively self sufficient and self maintaining and not bog down His day with childishness and redundancies.
What if when I fell I was out of the reach from my friends' ability to rescue me? Why should an angel be sent down to help me when there are human professionals who have it in their ability to save me? Angels are soldiers, messengers, worshipers, and sons of God who have more important issues to attend to than to be perched upon the shoulders of clumsy and dim-witted humans. Sure they love us, but come on, who wants to be tagging along after their kid brother for all eternity?
Sin and peril are always going to be an option if we are to have free will and remain mortals. Jesus came here to die to remove Adamic Death from us. He did not die so we could do as we please and not have consequences to face. Suppose a new child is born 10,000 years into the new order. That child has no idea what our time here was like for the past several thousands of years. He could decide, like Satan, to rebel. Let's say he runs into me as he walks out of a corn crib where he stole a few ears of corn. He panics and decides I need to be silenced. Bang! I am beaned with a shovel and I die.
Do I get resurrected? If so, on what basis? Life will be very cheap if we can go and get resurrected every time something bad happens to one of us. Eventually there will be a "Don't give a shit attitude" about everything and lo and behold Jehovah or Jesus or some anointed heavenly king is working overtime resurrecting dumbasses because they are careless, stupid, or just clumsy.
I believe Jesus when He said there will be no more sickness, or crying or death because things like these that are due to Adamic sin will indeed have passed away. But if I fall and scrape my knees I might still cry tears. If I go to the bathroom and don't wash my hands before I make dinner, someone will get sick and puke. We will be relatively perfect. We will be better than we are now I think, but still subject to the laws of physics, hygiene, and to the health codes.
We all advance, retreat, or stand our ground with the gifts that God gives us. Our personality is made from everything and everyone we encounter in life. How we deal with these things is us or who we are, Human Beings. Whether or not there is a New Order like the one the Watchtower is selling to its adherents or not is not so important as how we treat one another now and how we do all that we can to reach Almighty God in prayer and try to do His Will and live His Truth. In Jesus’ Name.
I believe that if there is such a new order on its way we will still have need of doctors and firemen and even policemen. Perfection is a relative term. We will have perfection as far as mortal humans go. To nearly-quote the society, we are always subject to death being mortals. If a person chooses to breathe water instead of air, that person WILL drown.
People will have to live within the parameters of human existence. If I’m playing ball and trip and roll down a hill and break my leg, am I to expect Jehovah of Armies, the Great King of the Universe to heal me on the spot? I don't think so. Why? Because He gave us each the ability to heal at a human rate so we could be trusted to be relatively self sufficient and self maintaining and not bog down His day with childishness and redundancies.
What if when I fell I was out of the reach from my friends' ability to rescue me? Why should an angel be sent down to help me when there are human professionals who have it in their ability to save me? Angels are soldiers, messengers, worshipers, and sons of God who have more important issues to attend to than to be perched upon the shoulders of clumsy and dim-witted humans. Sure they love us, but come on, who wants to be tagging along after their kid brother for all eternity?
Sin and peril are always going to be an option if we are to have free will and remain mortals. Jesus came here to die to remove Adamic Death from us. He did not die so we could do as we please and not have consequences to face. Suppose a new child is born 10,000 years into the new order. That child has no idea what our time here was like for the past several thousands of years. He could decide, like Satan, to rebel. Let's say he runs into me as he walks out of a corn crib where he stole a few ears of corn. He panics and decides I need to be silenced. Bang! I am beaned with a shovel and I die.
Do I get resurrected? If so, on what basis? Life will be very cheap if we can go and get resurrected every time something bad happens to one of us. Eventually there will be a "Don't give a shit attitude" about everything and lo and behold Jehovah or Jesus or some anointed heavenly king is working overtime resurrecting dumbasses because they are careless, stupid, or just clumsy.
I believe Jesus when He said there will be no more sickness, or crying or death because things like these that are due to Adamic sin will indeed have passed away. But if I fall and scrape my knees I might still cry tears. If I go to the bathroom and don't wash my hands before I make dinner, someone will get sick and puke. We will be relatively perfect. We will be better than we are now I think, but still subject to the laws of physics, hygiene, and to the health codes.
We all advance, retreat, or stand our ground with the gifts that God gives us. Our personality is made from everything and everyone we encounter in life. How we deal with these things is us or who we are, Human Beings. Whether or not there is a New Order like the one the Watchtower is selling to its adherents or not is not so important as how we treat one another now and how we do all that we can to reach Almighty God in prayer and try to do His Will and live His Truth. In Jesus’ Name.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
An Eye Opening Disassociation Letter
I read the following letter and immediately remembered how imposing and judgemental the Watchtower Society and those who follow their teachings really are. It is really amazing to me how the Bible instructs us to approach our brothers in the spirit of love and concern first to try to first ascertain if they are making a mis-step and then if they are to help them to correct their step before contacting another brother or finally the elders with a problem and the people who worship the Watchtower Society go running like paranoid fools to report any hint of an idea of perceived wrongdoing to the body of elders. Below is a letter of disassociation that resulted from such wrong-minded behavior.
________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday 12/25/2008
To the Body of Elders of the M******l W***s congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
I wish to state, first of all, that I take no pleasure in writing you this letter. The difficulty I find in stating that which I have felt for many years, is enormous. The only satisfaction I do intend to gain, however, from this episode of my life, is the fact that this deplorable chapter is rapidly coming to an end, and I will finally have peace knowing that I have done the right thing.
In October of this year, while at my place of work, an employee of mine, M*** B****, overheard an inadvertent comment by my director stating that I had “Passed out while giving blood”. This comment did not state the particulars of this supposed giving of blood. It did not differentiate whether or not this was simply an incident of having my blood drawn for testing, or an actual donation of whole blood. Nonetheless, this statement was overheard on a Thursday afternoon at approximately 2:20pm, and had generated a response from your Body by 8:30am of the next morning. This response manifested itself in the form of W***** D**** and H***** M****** waking my wife from a sound sleep, and grilling her for half an hour on my habits. My wife was asked in an accusatory manner whether or not she knew about my donating of blood, and whether or not she was aware that I was intending to give my blood directly to her during an upcoming transplant surgery that she was to undergo. This last question is ludicrous in light of the fact that I had never even allowed this thought to cross my mind due to the fact that our blood types are completely incompatible. I personally, was never approached, either in person or by telephone, and asked about any of these things. Apparently, these things can only be asked of a sick 5’4” housewife, and not her large somewhat ill-tempered husband. The absurd way this situation was handled substantiates my belief that this Body of Elders is more interested in finding fault with me than with helping me.
This incident is the catalyst that has convinced me that I need to make my feelings known once and for all.
(A) The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, through its’ Governing Body, has repeatedly made predictions that have time and again proved to be untrue, while berating Rank and File Jehovah’s Witnesses who have been disappointed when these predictions failed to happen.
(B) This same group has displayed a startling amount of duplicity in it’s dealings with its’ so-called brothers, as displayed in its’ handling of the case of the Mexican military cartilla as opposed to the Malawian political card.
(C) This group forbids the medical use of whole blood while allowing the use of a majority of blood fractions.
(D) This group states that the only good and true hearted people on earth are Jehovah’s Witnesses or those who are about to become Jehovah’s Witnesses.
My feelings towards (A) and (B) are this. A religious group that purports to be the soul channel to God should be fair in its’ dealing. It should readily admit its’ mistakes and beg forgiveness of the people that it is supposed to serve.
As far as (C) is concerned, we have a term for this where I come from…Douchebaggery.
I struggle to find anything that can properly convey my utter disdain for the idiocy that is (D).
And so, I’m left with this. I do not, nor will I ever believe that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society or any of its’ subsidiary components is the sole channel to any divine being. I do not believe that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a safe one. On the contrary, I believe it to be extremely dangerous. I believe that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a high control cult that damage its’ members severely.
Because of these reasons I wish to no longer be known as a Jehovah’s Witness. I tell you this now, I will worship God, but I refuse to worship an organization.
M*** S******
A link to the original post is here:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/169611/1.ashx
________________________________________________________________________________
Thursday 12/25/2008
To the Body of Elders of the M******l W***s congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses,
I wish to state, first of all, that I take no pleasure in writing you this letter. The difficulty I find in stating that which I have felt for many years, is enormous. The only satisfaction I do intend to gain, however, from this episode of my life, is the fact that this deplorable chapter is rapidly coming to an end, and I will finally have peace knowing that I have done the right thing.
In October of this year, while at my place of work, an employee of mine, M*** B****, overheard an inadvertent comment by my director stating that I had “Passed out while giving blood”. This comment did not state the particulars of this supposed giving of blood. It did not differentiate whether or not this was simply an incident of having my blood drawn for testing, or an actual donation of whole blood. Nonetheless, this statement was overheard on a Thursday afternoon at approximately 2:20pm, and had generated a response from your Body by 8:30am of the next morning. This response manifested itself in the form of W***** D**** and H***** M****** waking my wife from a sound sleep, and grilling her for half an hour on my habits. My wife was asked in an accusatory manner whether or not she knew about my donating of blood, and whether or not she was aware that I was intending to give my blood directly to her during an upcoming transplant surgery that she was to undergo. This last question is ludicrous in light of the fact that I had never even allowed this thought to cross my mind due to the fact that our blood types are completely incompatible. I personally, was never approached, either in person or by telephone, and asked about any of these things. Apparently, these things can only be asked of a sick 5’4” housewife, and not her large somewhat ill-tempered husband. The absurd way this situation was handled substantiates my belief that this Body of Elders is more interested in finding fault with me than with helping me.
This incident is the catalyst that has convinced me that I need to make my feelings known once and for all.
(A) The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, through its’ Governing Body, has repeatedly made predictions that have time and again proved to be untrue, while berating Rank and File Jehovah’s Witnesses who have been disappointed when these predictions failed to happen.
(B) This same group has displayed a startling amount of duplicity in it’s dealings with its’ so-called brothers, as displayed in its’ handling of the case of the Mexican military cartilla as opposed to the Malawian political card.
(C) This group forbids the medical use of whole blood while allowing the use of a majority of blood fractions.
(D) This group states that the only good and true hearted people on earth are Jehovah’s Witnesses or those who are about to become Jehovah’s Witnesses.
My feelings towards (A) and (B) are this. A religious group that purports to be the soul channel to God should be fair in its’ dealing. It should readily admit its’ mistakes and beg forgiveness of the people that it is supposed to serve.
As far as (C) is concerned, we have a term for this where I come from…Douchebaggery.
I struggle to find anything that can properly convey my utter disdain for the idiocy that is (D).
And so, I’m left with this. I do not, nor will I ever believe that the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society or any of its’ subsidiary components is the sole channel to any divine being. I do not believe that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a safe one. On the contrary, I believe it to be extremely dangerous. I believe that the religion of Jehovah’s Witnesses is a high control cult that damage its’ members severely.
Because of these reasons I wish to no longer be known as a Jehovah’s Witness. I tell you this now, I will worship God, but I refuse to worship an organization.
M*** S******
A link to the original post is here:
http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/7/169611/1.ashx
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