UN Compact 2018

[Arauna]

There are people who joke so much because this is their way of disrupting the conversation - or to get to the center of attention.  There is a time for everything and a good joke timed well is irreplaceable.  I do agree that some cultures have a different sense of humor.   In Sweden one has to say it is a joke.....  because they are so serious and do not get it when one utters an absurdity.  (Too many absurdities of course creates a different impression).

However, I think Strecko should make his own intentions clear.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Perhaps he will comment, about my presumption.

I have found as a general observation the more snow a culture has to endure, the less of a sense of humor they have.

Hardship trying to stay alive sometimes does that.

Of course, if you are the Cook, almost EVERYBODY finds your jokes funny !

... everyone has to eat !

The Muppet Show. Swedish Chef telling a joke (317).mp4

[Arauna]

These days they are talking about 'virtue signaling' and 'snowflakes' in a moral high ground sense.....  but I presume you are talking of real snow.... 

Yep I can agree - although we have had a very mild fall and winter so far.  We have had snow but only one day at      -9 degrees.  The rest were just above or below zero.  But the bad days are coming  - the awful wind.  Last year my face got burnt from the wind. The only cream that helped for the burns was bees wax. 

Today is longest night.  So I guess we will have only 5 hours of murky (clouded) light. Doing field service so far has not been too bad.

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

MINUS 9 DEGREES .... BUT THE BAD DAYS ARE COMING ?

YIKES!

[JW Insider]

8 hours ago, Arauna said:

It brings the famines under communism to mind. 

I know that we almost got a discussion going about this, but most of the Western propaganda about famines under Russian communism were originally made up as Nazi propaganda. The United States actually hired some of the Nazi propagandists after the war. Because, historically, so many officials in United States have had such a fear of communism, or even socialism since the 1800's, it was useful and necessary to make up lies about the so-called purposeful state-sponsored starvation(s) and accidental state-induced famines through errors. Once the propaganda had taken root, the next stage of propaganda was to pump up the number of victims by multiplying originally claimed numbers into the 1,000s, then 10,000s, then millions. For China, some "experts" have decided they can literally get away with making up numbers on the order of hundreds of millions.

Most Americans and other Westerners never think to question the propaganda. Most Westerners and even anti-communists in Russia since Yeltsin have been happy to go along with the old Nazi sponsored propaganda. It either fits a strongly-entrenched world view, or it helps to strengthen a grip on the current power structure.

Here is just an overview of what actually happened with reference to the "famines under communism."

RUSSIA

No one doubts that there were famines, it is a good part of what led to the 1917 revolution in the first place, because the wealth of the czars was compared with the induced shortages among the commoners. It was similar to the French revolution of the late 1780's/1790's when the Queen was supposed to have said "Let them eat cake." A good representation of the way that the governments "induced" such famines can be found especially in the last season of the PBS series "Poldark" set in the late 1700's and early 1800's. In that presentation, the starving miners and fishermen watched their landowners and merchants illegally sell local grain and food to places like Portugal. They were not punished for the illegal actions, but if a starving commoner rioted in response he could be executed by hanging. These conditions were similar to the conditions in czarist Russia.

So after communism in 1917, there were still terrible conditions, but the famines were finally ending under Lenin's "collectivization." Under Stalin, famines were completely eliminated after the 1933 famine. The only exception was the Nazi-induced famines from the willful German destruction of 27 million Russian lives along with their means of production brought back a famine that lasted even for a time after WW2. It's obviously ludicrous to try to blame the Nazi induced destruction on communism but, believe it or not, some "experts" have done this very thing.

CHINA

China, once a very poor country with a very high percentage of poverty, suffered famine especially in the 1960's. To an extent agricultural policy contributed. (e.g., the "Three Pests Campaign.") But some of these policies only lasted for a short period and were scrapped when found to be not working. But these mistakes weren't the explanation for the famines, nor for the high number of deaths. A full one-third of China's arable land was destroyed by droughts in the north. And for a while during this time, extreme flooding and storms hit the south. Entire rivers had dried up completely. India suffered a famine at the same time killing millions, but the propagandists care very little about the famine in India, because it can't be blamed on communism.

Currently, who would have thought that it would be communism in China that would make it a global economic competitor? Who would have thought that it would be communism in China that has created more economic stability, economic growth, more stable (and better) unemployment numbers, lower incarceration rates, with huge gains in bringing a higher percentage of people out of poverty. It's still a developing country, of course, and a lot is still left to the global market, making it sensitive to global problems. Yet, in a trade war between China and the US, the US is actually being hurt worse, so far.

Capitalism has made a lot of dumb decisions, too, with instability and crisis actually built into its economic foundations. We have been taught to see regular recessions, depressions, and even financial collapse of large parts of the economy as just "the old normal." Our economists try to present the rules of capitalism, and "free market" as stable. Someone showed me their notes from a recent class at Harvard taught by a presidential economics advisor where he showed a smooth graph of economic growth/strength/stability throughout American History. When asked about 2008, and 1929, and 1876, etc., he said "these are just anomalies that we can ignore for the purposes of understanding the foundations of our economic system." In fact, it's just the opposite: these so-called anomalies (crisis/corrections) are so much a part of the system, that we would be going through famines here and now if it weren't for a counteracting, bullying military and foreign policy program that can plunder other nations for "American interests."

I hope you'll understand that this is no defense of communism or any other form of human government. It's just that we have been led to believe a lot of what we believe because propaganda and lies are a very important part of the governmental apparatus. Communist governments must also lie about Western and capitalist powers, too.

[Srecko Sostar]

11 hours ago, Arauna said:

Strecko - the things you are saying is so absurd

Absurdity - something that is stupid or unreasonable

"Absurd" quote No 1) In Islam and in Old Israel and in other "only true religion" is very similar.

 

Question 1: Is it Islam, as "only true religion", absurdity for Muslim?

Question 2: Is it Jew religion, as "only true religion", absurdity for Jew people?

Question 3: Does Jew and Muslim have something in common?  By Islamic tradition, Ismail is the son of Ibrahim (Abraham) and Agar, and is worshiped as the bearer/father of the Arabs.

Well, if Jews and Muslims consider their (separate) Religion as "Only true", that can not be absurd for them, but, can be absurd for other who not belong to one of this two religion.

 

"Absurd" quote No 2)   Leviticus 24:16 says, “Anyone who blasphemes the name of the LORD must be put to death. The entire assembly must stone him. Whether an alien or native-born, when he blasphemes the Name, he must be put to death.”

Question 4:  Does JW members consider this command as "absurd"? 

 

"Absurd" quote No 3) About women. They are always in wrong and must be guilty .... because in Eden Eve caused all problems, too  :)))))) 

 Bible report told how Adam blame Eve for eating The Fruit. He was not take responsibility for own action.                         Even more, Bible text make statement how Eve (The Woman) is more problematic than Adam (The Man):

"A woman should learn in quietness and full submission.  I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet.  For Adam was formed first, then Eve.  And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner.

Question 5: Do You support this view how women "became sinner" and Adam is just passive observer and was punished only because he has been in wrong place, in wrong moment? Which quotes are "absurd"? Those in 1 Timothy or my expression of making laugh of doctrine that making women more guilty than they are?

 

[Arauna]

Strecko - Many of your statements are not reality because you do not have the accurate history of what happened and it is pulled out of context.

For example:  A muslim does not think it is absurd that Ishmael and Abraham were in Mecca and built Mecca. I agree with this idea of yours:- BUT if that Muslim wants to know the TRUTH he will not just be satisfied with what he learnt from his own religion.  He will test it for truth.

He will go and look at old maps and he will see that Mecca did not exist in 1943 BCE when Abraham was alive.  In fact Mecca is not found on any of the Roman maps until AFTER 150 CE.      Also - Ishmael is mentioned in the Bible as living in Paran which is not far from Midian (where Midian lived)  - both places are almost 1000 miles away from Mecca. 

Mecca was a wilderness until 150 CE when forefathers of Mohammad came from Yemen and started to build this city. In fact the daughter of Ishmael married into Esau's family and he lived close enough to Abraham so he could attend his funeral when his father died......  They had funeral within one day.  So he lived close enough to go the funeral with Isaac.

So this proves that Islam is not a Abrahamic religion because it was not started by Abraham but it was pagan religion before Mohammad. The sirah (life of Mohammad) confirms this.  There was 360 idols in the Kaaba and Mohammad made the god of his tribe  the only God and broke all the other gods. Mohammad thought the Jews would accept him if he said he was a prophet in line of Ishmael - but they did not and he killed them.

When Gideon defended Israel in war against Midian and Ishmael - they took all the gold ornaments from their camels and it was crescent moons.   The area where Ishmael was living was well known for moon worship.  So his religion was not islam. 

I can do the same with many religions - I can look at what they say and what is the truth.   I left my religion I had before because I investigated to see if it was teaching the truth according to bible and also looking at their historic traditions.... to see if it is accurate.  This way one can find the truth.

We honor Jehovah's name but we do not put to death anyone who violates the name.  When Jesus came to the earth he set a new example for us - to teach other people the name of God.  If other people blaspheme the name of the God of the bible (which many are doing now) we do nothing to them because we are now under the law of Christ.  We are no longer under the law of Moses.... So we wait for God to bring judgment on them.  We do not stone any longer...... so the context of what you are reading is very important.  Jesus gave us Principals not laws - and we follow this today.  Romans 6:14 "For sin must not be master over you, SEEING THAT YOU ARE NOT UNDER LAW+ but under undeserved kindness.+" We are no longer under the stoning law.

So I urge you to study more to learn what the bible is really teaching......

 

[Witness]

4 hours ago, Arauna said:

We are no longer under the law of Moses.... So we wait for God to bring judgment on them.  We do not stone any longer......

The organization is under a spiritual symbolic stoning law, written in the “Shepherding the Flock of God” book.

There is a type of killing that doesn’t cause literal blood to pour out of an individual. This type of dismembering  isn’t seen with the physical eye.   It is a spiritual “killing” that the Watchtower has honed into a deceitful art, otherwise known as an act of love, and “keeping the congregation clean”.    Obviously, you do not recognize this killing accomplished daily by the elder body.    It is a spiritual guillotine that shuts the mouths, erases the life and severs a family member from their loved ones. 

This is an act of judgment according to the “creeds” of the Watchtower.

4 hours ago, Arauna said:

Jesus gave us Principals not laws - and we follow this today.

 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

³ “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵ You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. Matt 7:1-5

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.  Rom 2:1

There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and destroy. But you—who are you to judge your neighbor?  James 4:12

Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.  Rom 14:4

Should Christ’s servants/anointed be judged by an elder body?  That is Christ’s job. 

"Satan's organization sails under the high-sounding name of "Christendom" “Jehovah’s organization”.  It boasts of a membership of over 500,000,000 (insert 8 million here) persons. Its members are in bondage to creeds, customs, rites and ceremonies; they dare not disown these or criticize or expose them. To do so would bring down on their heads taunts, reproaches, disfellowship and persecution. Many thousands of the Lord's people (anointed ones, as well as their companions) are held in these denominations as prisoners, afraid to express their disapproval of the creeds, methods and customs of the organization. Wt. 1930 Oct 1 p.301

"Disfellowshiping means the casting of a member out of Gods household; and if one should remain in this disfellowshiped condition till he died, it would mean his everlasting destruction as a person who is rejected by God. Staying away from meetings leads in that very direction." Watchtower 1965 Dec 15 p.75

“Being limited by the laws of the worldly nation in which we live and also by the laws of God through Jesus Christ, we can take action against apostates only to a certain extent, that is, consistent with both sets of laws. The law of the land and God's law through Christ forbid us to kill apostates, even though they be members of our own flesh-and-blood family relationship .”  WT 1952/11/15 pp. 703,704

 

They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, the time is coming when anyone who kills you will think they are offering a service to God. ³ They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me.   John 16:2,3

Synagogues, (“congregations”) where the Jews worshiped.  Tell me, where do we find spiritual “Jews”?  The “Israel of God”?  In the “Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses”. 

 

The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. ⁶ It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. ⁷ It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.

“If anyone is to go into captivity,
    into captivity they will go.
If anyone is to be killed with the sword,
    with the sword they will be killed.”  Rev 13:5,7,10

The elder body uses its “silver sword” (Heb 4:12) at every judicial committee, and its own version of God’s Word to “kill”….disfellowship.

The third angel poured out his bowl on the rivers and springs of water,and they became blood. ⁵ Then I heard the angel in charge of the waters say:

“You are just in these judgments, O Holy One,
    you who are and who were;
⁶ for they have shed the blood of your holy people and your prophets,
    and you have given them blood to drink as they deserve.”  Rev 16:4-6

[Space Merchant]

21 hours ago, Arauna said:

These days they are talking about 'virtue signaling' and 'snowflakes' in a moral high ground sense.....  but I presume you are talking of real snow....

Speaking about snowflakes, such ones are just as annoying as the shills in today's society. Then we have the far left/right going at it and the obvious shills. They are in their own little space not realizing what is going to happened. Some of them think they realize the situation with the UN agendas and the migrants, but they go about things the wrong way and only hasten their own destruction.

It will come to a point whereas anything pertaining to God will trigger these people, so far only small instances, who a few, will justify the Bible as hate speech when they misunderstood things of the Bible; some of the blame is due to false Christians who are hate preachers and or insighters of infighting.

[Space Merchant]

22 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

It's proof the male population is generally bat-crap crazy.

If I wanted to "feel included" .... I would not choose THAT!

It gets even worse, there are men who spend money to look like the male companion of the Barbie doll - Ken. Should you so speak of this man, you will only get a ton of swing and hate coming your way.

 

It is that society we live in sadly whereas such things take place, you do not know who is who anymore, or who is what.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

2 hours ago, Space Merchant said:

It is that society we live in sadly whereas such things take place, you do not know who is who anymore, or who is what.

I think you are confusing me with someone who actually cares ....

They do not keep me awake at night ....

If they knew, I would keep them awake at night.

 

 

[Srecko Sostar]

10 hours ago, Arauna said:

Strecko - Many of your statements are not reality because you do not have the accurate history of what happened and it is pulled out of context.

For example:  A muslim does not think it is absurd that Ishmael and Abraham were in Mecca and built Mecca. I agree with this idea of yours:- BUT if that Muslim wants to know the TRUTH he will not just be satisfied with what he learnt from his own religion.  He will test it for truth.

He will go and look at old maps and he will see that Mecca did not exist in 1943 BCE when Abraham was alive.  In fact Mecca is not found on any of the Roman maps until AFTER 150 CE.      Also - Ishmael is mentioned in the Bible as living in Paran which is not far from Midian (where Midian lived)  - both places are almost 1000 miles away from Mecca. 

Mecca was a wilderness until 150 CE when forefathers of Mohammad came from Yemen and started to build this city. In fact the daughter of Ishmael married into Esau's family and he lived close enough to Abraham so he could attend his funeral when his father died......  They had funeral within one day.  So he lived close enough to go the funeral with Isaac.

So this proves that Islam is not a Abrahamic religion because it was not started by Abraham but it was pagan religion before Mohammad. The sirah (life of Mohammad) confirms this.  There was 360 idols in the Kaaba and Mohammad made the god of his tribe  the only God and broke all the other gods. Mohammad thought the Jews would accept him if he said he was a prophet in line of Ishmael - but they did not and he killed them.

When Gideon defended Israel in war against Midian and Ishmael - they took all the gold ornaments from their camels and it was crescent moons.   The area where Ishmael was living was well known for moon worship.  So his religion was not islam. 

I can do the same with many religions - I can look at what they say and what is the truth.   I left my religion I had before because I investigated to see if it was teaching the truth according to bible and also looking at their historic traditions.... to see if it is accurate.  This way one can find the truth.

No problem Lady Arauna. If you are so sure in Your reality i have no problem with your try to convince Muslim people how they are in absurd religion and how they believing in absurdity. I am not Muslim and i do not care so much for pro et contra "proves" is this religion true or lie.  But it is interesting to read something about history, of course.