Matthew9969

Where is Luke and Laura when you need them?

On 4/10/2024 at 11:00 AM, JW Insider said:

Speaking of security. It’s much tighter than it was in 2019 when I was here last. There is the iron gate out front and the brother has to make a phone call with your name and appointment confirmation # to another person inside before they open it. Then you must stop for an attendant who asks you for the info again. Then a parking attendant. Then a brother at the main lobby door who only lets you in with a card key. 

I was just in Patterson to see the Bible Village “Museum” tour. It was excellent but too short. They also have a “legally establishing the good news” tour/museum and a Gilead school historical tour which now covers the other schools more extensively than before. 
 

I am back in Warwick now. Got here a bit early so I’m looking out on the lake. Very nice. I’ve worked while looking out on this lake before. But for IBM and not the WTS. IBM is at the other end of the lake. We used to handle our disaster recovery setup with them and I was sent here twice for my secular work. 

Dang, why the need for so much security? That truly does sound like a billionair den. I'd be willing to bet those guys were packing heat.

Its a bit hilarious watching jw's playing ping pong but insisting on using eggs instead of a ping pong ball.

What's the good news?

Is it..any day now jehovah is going to kill every man woman and child who is not associated with the watchtower bible and tract society or the organization.

Or is it...After Armageddon we get to dispose of 7.8 billion dead men, women and children and probably lots of dead animals as well.

On 4/6/2024 at 11:38 AM, BTK59 said:

Does it matter if people are tuning in to a news source known for its shameful content? I only watch it for the humor.

Does that discount the fact that Pudgy, this disfellowshiped Republican registered voter and Racist tried to influence his political agenda here?

If it was truly disheartening for him to post it now, in a presidential election year, Pudgy and FOX NEWS would have shown outrage in 2021. Why didn't FOX NEWS mention it in 2021, the outrage felt by those Confederate white supremacist Republicans, MAGA, attempting to influence and corrupt our nation?

This is why Witnesses shouldn't engage in politics, which is precisely why they should abstain from it. Now Pudgy, can you genuinely refute Biden's 2021 declaration? Avoid distorting, manipulating, or twisting your words. Provide concrete evidence that he did not make that declaration in 2021, rather than in 2024, a presidential election year?

Your brothers and sisters are avidly watching the news networks, too bad they are so out of touch with reality they keep on watching for poll results on if George Washington won the primary.

On 4/5/2024 at 2:00 PM, Pudgy said:

… clearly a mouth-breathing troglodyte that is addicted to airport CNN “news”.

FOX news is not perfect, but the others are demented by comparison.

Unfortunatley News Nation for what's it's worth is Fox News light because they all use the same sponsors....medicatons with side effects of loss of life or sever rashes.

Most jw's i know personaly watch fox news or news nation. I was in the house of a jw once who wanted to watch CNN, that was a twilight zone episode.

He is just trying to get more votes because he's loosing to Trump.

Come on man......jeans and Jesus loves me t-shirts to wear to meetings.

I've known young people who committed suicide after being shunned/disfellowshipped. I was one of those who tried to kill himself after being disassociated several years ago. I've talked with dozens of young disfellowshipped ones. In the past 30 years I've talked with parents of children who committed suicide due to being disfellowshipped. I wanted to share this....

On 2/9/2024 at 8:48 PM, xero said:

Here is a list of lunar eclipses visible in Mesopotamia between 600 and 650 BCE, along with the percentage of the moon eclipsed:

Date	Percentage of Moon Eclipsed	Eclipse Type
Before 627 BCE: March 19, 650 BCE | 87% | Penumbral Lunar Eclipse February 8, 650 BCE | 49% | Partial Lunar Eclipse January 8, 649 BCE | 99% | Total Lunar Eclipse December 8, 648 BCE | 79% | Partial Lunar Eclipse November 7, 647 BCE | 28% | Partial Lunar Eclipse October 7, 646 BCE | 89% | Total Lunar Eclipse September 6, 645 BCE | 41% | Partial Lunar Eclipse August 5, 644 BCE | 94% | Total Lunar Eclipse July 4, 643 BCE | 60% | Partial Lunar Eclipse June 4, 642 BCE | 99% | Total Lunar Eclipse May 3, 641 BCE | 40% | Partial Lunar Eclipse April 2, 640 BCE | 92% | Total Lunar Eclipse March 2, 639 BCE | 55% | Partial Lunar Eclipse February 1, 638 BCE | 99% | Total Lunar Eclipse January 31, 637 BCE | 72% | Partial Lunar Eclipse December 30, 636 BCE | 32% | Partial Lunar Eclipse November 29, 635 BCE | 92% | Total Lunar Eclipse October 28, 634 BCE | 49% | Partial Lunar Eclipse September 27, 633 BCE | 98% | Total Lunar Eclipse August 26, 632 BCE | 68% | Partial Lunar Eclipse July 26, 631 BCE | 99% | Total Lunar Eclipse June 25, 630 BCE | 58% | Partial Lunar Eclipse May 25, 629 BCE | 92% | Total Lunar Eclipse April 24, 628 BCE | 63% | Partial Lunar Eclipse April 9, 627 BCE	100%	Total Lunar Eclipse
March 29, 626 BCE	87%	Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
February 18, 625 BCE	96%	Total Lunar Eclipse
January 8, 624 BCE	97%	Total Lunar Eclipse
December 8, 623 BCE	41%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
November 7, 622 BCE	91%	Total Lunar Eclipse
October 7, 621 BCE	22%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
September 6, 620 BCE	82%	Total Lunar Eclipse
August 5, 619 BCE	96%	Total Lunar Eclipse
July 4, 618 BCE	52%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
June 4, 617 BCE	99%	Total Lunar Eclipse
May 3, 616 BCE	28%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
April 2, 615 BCE	88%	Total Lunar Eclipse
March 2, 614 BCE	40%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
February 1, 613 BCE	90%	Total Lunar Eclipse
January 1, 612 BCE	46%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
December 31, 611 BCE	98%	Total Lunar Eclipse
December 30, 610 BCE	73%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
November 29, 609 BCE	23%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
October 29, 608 BCE	83%	Total Lunar Eclipse
September 28, 607 BCE	35%	Partial Lunar Eclipse
August 27, 606 BCE	90%	Total Lunar Eclipse
July 27, 605 BCE	48%	Partial Lunar Eclipse

I don't see a Mitsubishi any where on that list.

23 hours ago, George88 said:

Instead, let's acknowledge the diversity of people from all religions and find common ground for understanding

That is something jw's refuse to do.

1 hour ago, John Houston said:

Yeah, but he wasn't disfellowshipped, right? There is a difference. We are directed to avoid these ones, but not like the plague. That is an over reach, anyone doing that is touchy with their conscience. No, I would help such a person if needed, speak to such a person. They need help just as any other human, what I will not do is stand and fellowship with them. But I will NOT be cold and unloving towards them because of their situation. That is what Jesus taught.

I have to shake my head when I hear a jw say, 'we don't shun family members'.

Don't you mean a free book study.

On 2/11/2024 at 11:59 AM, TrueTomHarley said:

Q: How much credit do PIMO Jehovah’s Witnesses owe to Zoom for freeing them from attending boring meetings at the Kingdom Hall?

Probably quite a bit, though simply fading would accomplish the same goal, minus the certain element of hypocrisy. Fading works fine for those who wish to leave. As long as one doesn’t go publicly reviling, robbing banks, or killing people, one is fine.

A consistent blackened screen without any participation always suggests to me PIMO as a possibility, save for obvious cases of infirmity, distance, hardship, etc. Nor is anyone fooled in the long run. Witnesses bond so readily with their fellow believers, even from around the world, because 2/3 of what they have in common is their spirituality/love of God. Begin to indicate that 2/3 is not very important to you, and in time relationships, even friendships, will shift.

I mean, I don’t think those meetings are boring at all, but if I did, I not only wouldn’t go but I also wouldn’t use Zoom in an attempt to deceive others into thinking I was. I like to think I have some backbone.

As a residential and business internet installer/trouble-shooter for the past 16 years, I have heard the sentiments plenty of times that people are a bit paranoid about their cameras being on. Some even conspiratorial about the cameras on their computers.

On 2/12/2024 at 7:07 AM, Anna said:

Maybe if our meetings were more like this the PIMOs might be tempted to attend in person? 😂

 

I attended 2 mega churches for several years, this type of music is nice to listen to but being in that concert type environment week after week gets old. Knowing what goes on behind the music also makes it out as just a show. Followed up by a regurgitated topical teaching that may use a scripture. And I found most people who go to mega churches are biblically illiterate. Even a pastor once said they were there to entertain people.

On 2/6/2024 at 9:55 PM, George88 said:

It seems that the pizza picture is quite popular. I remember seeing it a long time ago.

Looks like Maralyn Monroe to me.

Well since they claim all other bibles are corrupt and they produced the only jehovah approved bible, so yea.

8 hours ago, George88 said:

Provide clear evidence of how the Watchtower is compelling the fellowship through baptism practices that contradict scripture.

Hope this helps:

Matthew 28:19... Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

watchtower: (1) “Have you repented of your sins, dedicated yourself to Jehovah, and accepted his way of salvation through Jesus Christ?”

(2) “Do you understand that your baptism identifies you as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in association with Jehovah’s organization?”

The imperfect human response then should be, 'we apologize for the mistake we made'.

Of course if one claims to be the "mouth piece of Jehovah", then makes several mistakes, they are in essence saying Jehovah made the mistake.

16 hours ago, George88 said:

Consider this: where does body augmentation or plastic surgery fit in the grand scheme of things?

Brothers can now get beards tattoo'd on their faces?

2 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Related to the beard issue is the issue of tattoos on the body. The Law of Moses forbade the Jews from tattooing. But, JWs do not care about the Mosaic Law to such an extent that its rules would guide them through today's life. JWs today tend to adapt the Bible's permissions and prohibitions to fit their circumstances.
Although I am not a supporter of tattoos, it will be a new experience to observe how GB will regulate this segment of the free will of its members, when it becomes so current that it captures GB's attention.

Oh my, how would elders verify if a sister got a tramp stamp

On 12/22/2023 at 2:07 PM, Anna said:

What?

When I was 15 I received a blood transfusion. My congregation soft shunned me because they literaly were afraid I might have received the blood of a satan worshiper or ax murderer.

6 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

In his latest  Update, Gb member "clarified" that JW should emulate, follow the example of "political and business world" when it comes to beards. Well, I guess that also applies to women's fashion. lol

This is the jw mindset.....since women can't grow beards, they are gonna stop shaving their legs and armpits.

Jehovah created man to have pubic hair, oh what a controversy there should arise if a sect/cult should require it's members to shave all pubic hair, but must grow a full beard, even if genetics won't allow them to do so.