xero

BTW Being one of Jehovah's Witnesses is a vector, not a location, a profession of desired direction, not an existential state, a continuous series of actions (all of which we are not the judge, but Jehovah is), not a trophy or a plaque on the wall or even being on a list in a database somewhere.

To me, every real Christian should claim to that calling "I want to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses!".

And yet it is important to note that one cannot do it alone nor should they. This means associating with groups of people some of whom we may heartily agree in all respects and some we may have issues with. Iron needs to sharpen iron. Without friction there isn't growth.

3 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

It can also be an expression of competition and the ability to refute the opposite side with quotes. What the Spirit of God has in all this, on both sides involved in the discussion, does not have to be part of reality, but only on our ideas of reality. And our needs / skills to show ourselves stronger.

Of course, this (quotes) should not be wrong because it can give the other side food for thought. But it can come back like a boomerang if the other party has the knowledge to neutralize some biblical quote with another biblical quote or with reality. Quoting some biblical passages is, many times, part of the interpretation of a certain group of believers, and the interpretations are often times on shaky feet and are not a reflection of the workings of HS. WTJWorg has proven this many times.

I have no problem w/being wrong. In fact I'm wrong about something I think I'm right about even as I type this. I'm not concerned about being wrong as much as I'm concerned about doing right according to my conscience. Looking backwards at anyone including ones' self can be as out of focus as the projections one may have for the future of either. 

I probably posted this before, but this ted talk bears listening to again.

Just now, Srecko Sostar said:

But you contribute with "wood" by posting citation/verses. :)) 

 

 

Good point!  It could be like a game, where you only answer w/scriptures and if the person on the other end can't get the point, then it's like holy spirit doesn't want them to understand. You do that when you start getting people bloviating or showing off or looking like they just want to start something. I used to ask people at the door whether they really wanted to know (when they asked a question in a cranky way) or whether they're just trying to start something. (Of course we haven't been to anyone's door around here in a while)

Just now, Dmitar said:

I'm glad you have an application of confidence for yourself. Continue to recite scripture in your behalf. However, my point was made with your response. Are you a Jehovah's Witness? I have asked others if this is something Jehovah Witnesses do in their daily lives, to be rude and obnoxious to others. I have not received a response. 

  Where there is no wood, the fire goes out,And where there is no slanderer, quarreling ceases.+ - Proverbs 26:20

²  A stupid person takes no pleasure in understanding;He would rather disclose what is in his heart.+ - Proverbs 18:2

Just now, Dmitar said:

@xero There is no reason to be rude with your reply. No one here should have to be rude or obnoxious when posting.

9 Do not hurry yourself in your spirit to become offended,+ for the taking of offense is what rests in the bosom of the stupid ones.+ - Ecc. 7:9

Just now, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

Yes Paul was talking to memebers of the Body of Christ, the Anointed. In fact 99% of the Greek scriptures are to the Anoined ones. Unfortunatley many people use those scriptures to refer to ALL people. 

The immorality inside of the JW organisation is frightening. And to think they try to 'bribe' families into it by threats and false promises. 

You last sentence / question seems to presume that I belong to some type of 'organisation' 'church'.  I don't. 

I am simply a Christian by faith and by word, although a sinner by deed. 

 

What makes you think there's a special "Anointed" vs "Non-Anointed" class distinction made in any of the counsel given in the CGS? The existential distinction that some claimed such that they were "superfine apostles" was disputed by Paul as hot air. Were these "Anointed"? Who cares? What matters is behavior. Like the scriptures say, "A live dog is better than a dead lion", the same is true and Jesus made that point when he gave the illustration about the "Neighborly Samaritan". If Jesus were alive on earth today he might choose to shock someone out of their complacency by replacing "Samaritan" with "Apostate". Jehovah is the judge and of course he's delegated to Jesus the actual instantiation of the judgement (which has yet to take place) so our only concern should be w/our own fidelity to Jehovah. Some may differ or question our integrity, but that's going to happen. This persistent and obsessive concern some have w/who is or isn't wearing an invisible magic beanie is beyond me. To me it shows the person needs to address the man in the mirror and let others do the same.

My thoughts on Jehovah w/regard to omniscience is that he designed the universe(material and immaterial) in his "head" prior to creating his son and did so in such a manner such that no matter what path free will might take, it would be perfect. Rather than inspecting quality into the creation, he designed it so that like a biological system engaging in apoptosis (cell death of "sinful" senescent cells), evil is removed and can leave no indelible marks.

13 hours ago, Dmitar said:

Can you clarify your position here with this post? Are you for God's creation, or are you criticizing God for his creation?

Did I stutter?

These people are the ones who get into this question:

https://answersingenesis.org/animal-behavior/what-animals-eat/creations-original-diet-and-the-changes-at-the-fall/

https://www.academia.edu/33873583/Did_Jesus_Je_HoVaH_salvation_know_God_s_name?email_work_card=thumbnail

I wonder why people spend so much time imagining anything they do has to do w/anyone else's salvation other than themselves.  (you can't save anyone, you can't save yourself either)

You goal should be to exercise yourself vigorously to get yourself through the door and make sure you're doing all you can to highlight the kingdom as the solution for all the woes we're facing.

Anything else is a distraction. 

All the noise just looks to me like a lack of faith.

7 hours ago, BroRando said:

The Good News of God's Kingdom...

 

Preaching the Good News of God's Kingdom in Satan's World often brings a hostile and violent reaction from the unfaithful and lawless one. If this is how they react when the Good News of God's Kingdom is declared, how do you think they will react to the final message of divine destruction is delivered? Soon, those who reject the Good News will have no recourse.

 

What to look for to help gain discernment for the coming events:

• Brothers and Sisters who are 70 and 80 now, becoming 90 and 100
• 144,000 Congregations
• No Response in the preaching work
• An outbreak of peace and security proclaimed by the political kings
• Treat those coming for you with hospitality and kindness

So where can I get a T-Shirt or bumper-sticker, plus do you have any coupon codes I can use for some sick merch?

2 hours ago, Dmitar said:

Salutations, Space Merchant.

 

This is what I feared. It appears no one here can hold a civil tongue in order to have a constructive and a healthy debate.

 Therefore, I will stay silent in order not to offend anyone or be a cause of any further quarrels in my behalf. I can see where the left and the right will come together to vacate someone that is not welcomed in this forum.

It's just that you come off as totally fake.

Just now, Dmitar said:

Friend, I have no idea what your problem is, please don't make whatever allies you're life, be part of mine. I wish no ill will against anyone. If you are a Christian, you need to work on your bitterness, and rudeness. If you are a Jehovah Witness, you bring shame upon your own organization. Is this your intent?

Go pound sand and leave my puppy alone!

If the society begins to use pronouns not found in the bible, I quit.

21 hours ago, A Nice Guy said:

That being said, I can’t believe all the deceit and duplicity that goes on here. Aliases, counter-aliases—it’s enough to make a nice guy like me swear like a trooper. Which, of course, I would never do. And you call yourselves Bible people!

Just now, Space Merchant said:

@NoisySrecko 

A while back, there has been some people who pose as others, and or somewhat pretend to be someone else, often times, it is not 100%, for instance, we know Patiently is JB/JB1, although he denies it. Likewise we had some interesting characters such as a guy named Billy, Jesus Defender, and Alex, who coined "That being said" once and they assume he was me, but his mannerism in conveying things is vastly different from mine. 

In your case, I was able to discern Srecko from you ever since the Bible student discussion whereas the other Srecko has his own mannerism, often times, quite cryptic and unknowning.

 

That being said, it would not be much of a surprise if another Srecko popped up at any point.

One Srecko is one too many.

5 hours ago, NoisySrecko said:

I see Christian life dos not dwell in your life. It's a shame when one becomes the very instrument of our own discontent of others. Perhaps one day, God will heal what you have broken.

You don't know what you're talking about. Fake x-ians spend a lot of time trying to look shiny. No one is shiny.

2 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Perhaps we should ask @Srecko Sostar. Does he consider NoisySrecko a jibe? Or is he flattered?

Friend, do you think such language is appropriate? Especially on a day when one notable land devotes itself to thanks?

How about "dungy" as in "dungy idols". To be true to the emotional content and derision present in scripture it should have been "sh*tty idols". It isn't as if these were smeared w/dung. It was a judgment.

It's totally appropriate.

6 hours ago, NoisySrecko said:

The manner of your personal interpretation is false. Life experience can give a better account than statistics friend. Don't be rude.

"Lived experience" is crap. Those are just anecdotes and these mean nothing. You don't go from some anecdote or some gas you might have at the moment and conclude anything about the external world based on those kinds of things.

My "lived experience" is that apostates are massively annoying trolls who instead of trying to better their own lives just hang around people who are doing their best to do what's right and yelling "Boo!, boo!".

No one cares what apostates have to say, even people who don't like JW's despise apostates.

17 hours ago, xero said:

I'm talking about the police response. I'm not talking about the rate of offending which is highest in the black population, likely due to the ruination of the family at the hands of leftist policies going back to the Johnson administration which incentivized single parent families.

One thing for certain. Noisy doesn't know anything about crime, crime stats and the causes of and correlates of crime. I do. I took every CJ class offered. Other things (beyond absentee fathers) which increase the likelihood of violent offending is low IQ and higher male hormone levels . Interestingly, when the IQ drops to 70 the rate of offending goes down. The sweet spot appears to be an IQ of 85.https://law.jrank.org/pages/1363/Intelligence-Crime-Measuring-size-IQ-crime-correlation.html

1 hour ago, Pudgy said:

I think the above statement is blatantly false, because in the USA, white people comprise 87% of the population, and black, brown and people of color compose 13% of the population.

The reason black, brown, and people of color get shot, arrested, and imprisoned more often is because THEY COMMIT 60% OF ALL VIOLENT FELONY CRIME.

If you remember how to setup a simple proportional algebraic equation you can calculate the actual violent felony crime rate committed by blacks, browns, and “coloreds”, in comparison to the violent felony crime rate of white people.

During WWII, there were many, many millions of good and wholesome Germans, but those on the battlefield, wearing Nazi uniforms, were many, many, MANY times more likely to get shot.

Like the standup comedian Ron White often said on stage, pausing for effect, sipping from a glass of whisky: “In Texas … if you kill somebody…..(pause)…… we’ll kill you Back!”.

 

I'm talking about the police response. I'm not talking about the rate of offending which is highest in the black population, likely due to the ruination of the family at the hands of leftist policies going back to the Johnson administration which incentivized single parent families.

Just now, NoisySrecko said:

It would seem, it also happens here with statistics. The way a question is framed, and answer might not give it justice. The perception of some reporters can differ with an indirect inference. The cops in an upper class neighborhood might spend time defusing a white counterpart to give up and not resist. The same scenario with a black person might not get the same consideration and that cop will be more motivated to shot first and ask questions later, than with a white person.

Case in point. A black man wielding a knife is more likely to get shot than a white person wielding a knife. This scenario happened recently in two cases. The black person was killed, and the white person, even though he stabbed the cop in the neck, didn’t get fired upon. Then it becomes optics rather than facts or statistics.

False. The crime stats are such that white people are more likely to get shot under the same circumstances and this due to the ferguson effect. 

6 hours ago, Matthew9969 said:

I'll take that to mind. These days I listen to radio, due to my job. I lean towards Blaze network and The Daily Wire. I also often take a peek at politifact. I used to be a Fox News fan until I heard this...

 

Awesome!

22 hours ago, Patiently waiting for Truth said:

Yes, but some of us get up and try in a different way to serve God through Christ. 

I applaud that. I don't applaud the chronic personal sniping and whining. That don't get it done.