It boils down to anyone can cherry pick scriptures from the bible or change words to make it say what ever you want. I say it all started when they came up with their own version of the bible.

Arauna….id love to know which Christian religions promote smoking.

4 hours ago, Space Merchant said:

@4Jah2me Not only that, something that I've debated on a while back, and others chimed in, you and your enemy are God fearing men who seek God to gain you victory. A True Christian and or someone who has become a Christian and building up in faith would know that War is not the solution, and going to War is wrong, so in the Christians case, even to the JWs, neutrality is something that must be put into application.

@Matthew9969 

That being said, if one is of God, we do not take the side of men to commit bloodshed on other men. Fighting an old man's war that has no solution, but rather, consequences, and more sons and daughters to be butchered, killed, raped, blown to shreds,tormented, etc. The mainstream accepts this, even marvel at the bombing of men, women and children apparently, true ones do not.

When the rich and powerful wage war, it is the poor and the lowly, humble ones that pay for it in death.

Likewise with Kingdoms and authorizes, submit, but do not serve them over God himself because it is only God's Kingdom that will cure the sickness that is imperfection concerning mankind.

I agree with you if we lived in a perfect world, but it's not. Does the believer just stand idle and watch others be killed, raped, tortured, etc., and hope it does not come to their family and then to again just sit and watch it happen to your family. 

Stopping the evil actions of others does not make one a raptist, butcherer, war monger, does it?

Anyone on this thread right now could be a child molester, jw or xjw or anti-jw. Or a on looker....or a governing body member gathering info.

Your pretty spot on, but the curse words aren't necessary and not true to reality.

What this means is that the policies/by-laws, etc. of past administrations/owners, etc. can be held liable for allowing harm to happen to it's employee's. It reminds me of the lawsuits that arrived from asbestos poisoning and tobacco manufacture's.

https://www.asbestos.com/mesothelioma-lawyer/settlements/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tobacco_Master_Settlement_Agreement

Would dying by refusing a blood transfusion be suicide?

This guy is a coward for allowing elders to force him to kick his 15 year old daughter out of the house.

5 hours ago, Anna said:

Sorry for butting into your conversation, but I feel like I need to comment on this. I am assuming you are at a stage what ex JW's call "waking up" . This is very misleading though because it implies you have been asleep, and now, by finding out all the stuff they have to say, you are getting "real" facts, whereas really, all it is (in the majority of cases) is them letting go of spirituality, and embracing a me only attitude. If that is the way someone wants to go, then they will find many "excuses" which make this transition easier. These people are no longer concerned about what God thinks, this is why the large majority of them have become atheists, because that's so much easier; they don't have to take God into account in what they do in life at all. That's what it's really about. So don't be mislead in thinking you will find enlightment, unless of course you prefer to forget about God, in which case you will agree with everything they say. But if you are concerned about what God thinks, then do your research and you will find that Jehovah's Witnesses, despite their failings and mistakes, are the only true religion, or as even a die hard critic like JTR would say: "Jehovah's Witnesses are the only game in town". 

Your correct to a point, there are some who leave your governing body, and turn to God.

I'm guessing no one finds this question worth their time?

If I read that right, the elders expected him to kick his 15 year old daughter out of the house?

I remember several years back a couple in our congregation got divorced. The reason for the divorce...the wife said God was talking to her, then had a emotional/mental breakdown. What was shocking was this was used as a excuse for her husband to divorce her.

On 11/7/2019 at 3:45 AM, Equivocation said:

@Witness But you are just making assumptions, nothing more. 🤔

Also no, because the focus was on the term, Mentally Diseased, but we see that you're adding quite a bit.

Why not start another thread instead of adding on?

But the question still remains, if the term Mentally Diseased is in connection with what we see in Scripture correlating with this term, Mentally Depraved concerning specific individuals, why consider us in the wrong for pulling from the Scriptures itself?

In a simple term, do you agree with what is read in the letter to Timothy or not?

I like to add that this isn't anything new, others will simply term it as, Mentally Broken or Mentally Lost, Ill Minded, Diseased Mentality, and the list goes on. An odd one I heard that even alludes to the Scriptures is "A Broken Basket". This I only heard once lol, I dunno where the girl I met learned that from but when I talked to her, she only says this about people who is quick to start something without having all their facts in order, which is no different from an Apostate starting problems for Christians.

Do you at least have a citation or a source? 🤔

I still couldn't find that "God" source of yours, so I am just going to check "False" on that multiple choice paper.

And again, you're quite on the passage mentioned earlier and what Outta Here mentioned.

"WHAT ABOUT THE NUMBER OF THOSE PARTAKING AT THE MEMORIAL? In recent years, we have seen an increase in the number of those partaking at the Memorial of Christ’s death. That trend contrasts with the decrease in the number of partakers that we saw for many decades. Should this increase trouble us? No. Let us consider some key factors to keep in mind. “Jehovah knows those who belong to him.” (2 Tim. 2:19) Those taking the count at the Memorial cannot judge who truly have the heavenly hope. The number of partakers includes those who mistakenly think that they are anointed. Some who at one point started to partake of the emblems later stopped. Others may have mental or emotional problems that lead them to believe that they will rule with Christ in heaven. Therefore, the number of partakers does not accurately indicate the number of anointed ones left on earth." Watchtower 2016 Jan study ed page 25 & page 26

"Memorial partakers. This is the number of baptized individuals who partake of the emblems at the Memorial worldwide. Does this total represent the number of anointed ones on earth? Not necessarily. A number of factors — including past religious beliefs or even mental or emotional imbalance — might cause some to assume mistakenly that they have the heavenly calling. We thus have no way of knowing the exact number of anointed ones on earth; nor do we need to know." Watchtower 2011 Aug 15 p.22

"Over the years some, even ones newly baptized, have suddenly begun to partake. In a number of cases, after a while they acknowledged that this was an error. Some have recognized that they partook as an emotional response to perhaps physical or mental strain. But they came to see that they really were not called to heavenly life. There is every reason to believe that the number of anointed ones will continue to decline as advanced age and unforeseen occurrences end their earthly lives." Watchtower 1996 Aug 15 p.31

9 hours ago, Anna said:

All the redrawing and reshuffling of boundaries and the sell off of some Kingdom Halls and the merging of some congregations is probably because a few financial experts were finally allowed to sit down and ascertain the efficiency (or lack of) of the way Kingdom Halls were being used. They called it equalizing. When I hear brothers say that obeying the restructuring, and cooperating with moving to different halls is obeying Jehovah, (was also in a video) I can't help wondering why they don't just say it's because it saves money. Why bring Jehovah into it and make people feel like they're sinning against Him if they don't cooperate. 

Because it's a mind controlling technique to brainwash you into believing that the governing body is Jehovah. It is good that you are questioning their tactics.

If you do commit suicide, make sure you have 2 witnesses, then maybe you'll be resurrected.

There is a notable difference worshipping with your head raised looking up at a monitor rather than looking down at a book.

Acts 10 New International Version (NIV)

Cornelius Calls for Peter

10 At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion in what was known as the Italian Regiment. ² He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly. ³ One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, “Cornelius!”

⁴ Cornelius stared at him in fear. “What is it, Lord?” he asked.

The angel answered, “Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. ⁵ Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. ⁶ He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea.”

⁷ When the angel who spoke to him had gone, Cornelius called two of his servants and a devout soldier who was one of his attendants. ⁸ He told them everything that had happened and sent them to Joppa.

Peter’s Vision

⁹ About noon the following day as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. ¹⁰ He became hungry and wanted something to eat, and while the meal was being prepared, he fell into a trance. ¹¹ He saw heaven opened and something like a large sheet being let down to earth by its four corners. ¹² It contained all kinds of four-footed animals, as well as reptiles and birds. ¹³ Then a voice told him, “Get up, Peter. Kill and eat.”

¹⁴ “Surely not, Lord!” Peter replied. “I have never eaten anything impure or unclean.”

¹⁵ The voice spoke to him a second time, “Do not call anything impure that God has made clean.”

¹⁶ This happened three times, and immediately the sheet was taken back to heaven.

¹⁷ While Peter was wondering about the meaning of the vision, the men sent by Cornelius found out where Simon’s house was and stopped at the gate. ¹⁸ They called out, asking if Simon who was known as Peter was staying there.

¹⁹ While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Simon, three^[a] men are looking for you. ²⁰ So get up and go downstairs. Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.”

²¹ Peter went down and said to the men, “I’m the one you’re looking for. Why have you come?”

²² The men replied, “We have come from Cornelius the centurion. He is a righteous and God-fearing man, who is respected by all the Jewish people. A holy angel told him to ask you to come to his house so that he could hear what you have to say.” ²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.

Peter at Cornelius’s House

The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. ²⁸ He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

³⁹ “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[b] and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

We studied this chapter in a men's bible study group yesterday and I would like the JW's view on one certain aspect....Cornelius....believed in God, used by God, a military officer/centurion. 

What I see here is that military service is not frowned upon by God, it actually shows that God can and will use individuals in the military for His will. And an aside from that, bringing in Matthew 28:19,20, since our military is stationed world wide, this would be another avenue God could choose to spread His good news into all the earth.

I welcome everyone's thoughts.

I wonder if they have a separate set of question for children?

So the engineers and such who planned the new luxury digs for the gb were high school dropouts who just read a lot of awake magazines?

https://www.christianlingua.com/into-how-many-languages-has-the-bible-been-translated/

So I have heard that witnesses need to pass a 80 question exam by the elders. Why do you need to pass an exam, and if you pass isn't this getting permission from men to have a personal relationship with Christ?

Didn't the watchtower say that some of the self appointed anointed may have mental illness?

Why aren't they using song books?

They have said if you leave them, you are leaving Jehovah. Its pretty straightforward that they are at least putting themselves on equal par with Jehovah.

On ‎10‎/‎26‎/‎2019 at 1:50 AM, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

Satan has a lair?

He used to live in the bat cave, but got tired of batman's mood swings, it was scaring the hell out if him.