Ann O'Maly

Well, you have written persistently (and imo unfairly) about our exchange, not only in the thread that was deleted, but again here so it's natural to gain the impression that it is constantly cycling through your mind. Anyway, rather than having to guess at the backstory, readers can go to the original thread if they so wish and see how our exchanges actually went.

It is extreme, yes. It's cartoonish hyperbole.

Sa'fyre response leaves 'a good feeling about mankind' Volunteers needed to help sort million letters, packages for young burn victim By Paul Nelson Updated 8:55 pm, Wednesday, January 13, 2016

If anyone cares enough to know what 'shoving match' TTH keeps harping on about, it's on this thread:

I can give you countless JW articles encouraging the simplifying of one's life, which often includes giving up existing jobs to find less time-consuming and less demanding jobs in order to pioneer or serve where the need is greater (e.g. http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/lv/r1/lp-e/0/15468) True, however there are those articles that encourage singleness to make room for theocratic activities. We do not know all the circumstances and influences that led her to remain single (unless she went into detail in court?). The time-frame may be relevant too as to whether the Russian JWs were under Soviet rule or one of the other bans. Attitudes can be far more 'black and white' under those situations. The experiences of a JW woman in Russia will likely be considerably different from those who live in other countries.

From the link: "At 2 Corinthians 12:4, the word evidently refers to a future paradise, and at Revelation 2:7, to a heavenly paradise.—Ca 4:13; Lu 23:43."

Baloney.

OK. That's believable. I personally know JWs who were pressured into not starting a family because 'the end was so close.'

What did she lie about in court?

It depends. I think everyone's jumping the gun here. First, you'd have to learn to communicate effectively with them and learn their culture. Then you'd have to send missionaries and have a Remote Translation Office set up in their part of the galaxy. If the missionaries are not eaten or liquefied to become some kind of biofuel for their hover pods, then all's good. However, there might be some problems with internet signals so connection to the org's website on Earth could be an issue. But if those obstacles are overcome (lots of prayer and donations will be needed), an interested life-form would then have to complete two study books, regularly attend the meetings, decide whether it was going to wear either a suit and tie or a dress forever (once the decision has been made, it's irrevocable), actively evangelize its fellow life-forms, and only then would it be considered for water* baptism. * Unless it professes the heavenly calling, there is no other kind, because Bible.

Lol. Yes the 'Two Babylons' alarm was tripped again with the second set of pictures.

I would think Easter Sunday. Hm. Yes. I thought the section on Lent was interesting - that eating eggs, meat and dairy was forbidden by the church during that fasting period, but hens would continue to lay eggs, so when Lent was over, there would be a stockpile of eggs to use up and that may partly account for eggs being part of Easter traditions. And then there's the symbolism related to Jesus' tomb - like the egg, it looks dormant on the outside but new life emerges from it. Again, as I've said elsewhere about the cross and some Christmas customs (and as the Awake! said about piñatas), regardless of what pagans did with artefacts in the past, Christians viewed them differently and endowed them with Christian meanings. E.g. pagans had their blood sacrifices, but I'm sure a JW wouldn't try to argue that Jewish animal sacrifices or Jesus' human blood sacrifice are of pagan origin and are therefore God-dishonoring. Some depictions of the goddess Artemis have her with a watch tower crowning her head. Does this mean the Organization is using a pagan symbol for its logo? No. The Org's symbol comes from Bible verses.

You know, this claim does not seem to come from Hislop and I'm having trouble tracking down where it originated from (beyond just repetition on the interwebs). I can only get as far as this source - a self-published work: J. R. Terrier - History of Easter - Hidden, Secret Origins and Mystery Religion. I don't know exactly what s/he says from the preview or where the author gets the idea that coloring eggs originated from the practice of sacrificing infants and using their blood, but I strongly suspect that its completely made up. If anyone else can track down this claim further to 'ground zero,' then please post it. I'm curious. Nothing. Easter eggs and bunnies are now the secularized part of the spring celebration. "Should we celebrate Easter or allow our children to go on Easter egg hunts? This is a question both parents and church leaders struggle with. Ultimately, it comes down to a matter of conscience (Romans 14:5). There is nothing essentially evil about painting and hiding eggs and having children search for them. What is important is our focus. If our focus is on Christ, our children can be taught to understand that the eggs are just a fun game. Children should know the true meaning of the day, and parents and the church have a responsibility to teach the true meaning. In the end, participation in Easter egg hunts and other secular traditions must be left up to the discretion of parents." - Source And remember this general principle: "A main concern is, not what the practice meant hundreds of years ago, but how it is viewed today in your area. Understandably, opinions may vary from one place to another. Hence, it is wise to avoid turning such matters into big issues." - g03 9/22 p. 24.

You know, this claim does not seem to come from Hislop and I'm having trouble tracking down where it originated from (beyond just repetition on the interwebs).

I see. Downvotes. Hey, I've done the serious, 'let's explain why this is fake history' approach many times. I've done the short, sharp, 'THIS IS TOTAL BUNKUM!' approach. Both approaches have not prevented further dissemination of this arrant nonsense on this forum. So I'm trying humor for a change

"TWO BABYLONS" ALARM TRIGGERED! Carefully back away, people, and make your way to the factual part of the internet. https://www.gotquestions.org/easter-origins.html http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/2009/april/was-easter-borrowed-from-pagan-holiday.html

One issue alone? Maybe you should read more than one thread. Again, you have decided what my opinions are and are railing against your own imaginings. ... If they choose to stop dissenting and change their beliefs back to those currently held by the Org. Those fences don't need to be broken in the first place.

I've read some reviews. This one's pretty good: https://www.academia.edu/7146106/Book_Review_Gunnar_Samuelsson_Crucifixion_in_Antiquity_An_Inquiry_into_the_Background_and_Significance_of_the_New_Testament_Terminology_of_Crucifixion

I already said that I disagree with Putin's/Russia's ban. It's a basic human right, after all, to have freedom of belief and worship ... as long as those beliefs do not infringe on others' rights and freedoms. (Articles 18 and 30, http://www.un.org/en/universal-declaration-human-rights/) Oh the Org has its own effective way of punishing open dissenters by banishing them from their loved ones - often for life. Really? Thank you for deciding for me what I have and have no problem with.

I find that remark distasteful, as well as not even remotely analogous. Just search through the WT Library. There are hundreds of examples. Christendom, its churches, its clergy, its beliefs and practices have been called 'apostate,' 'disgusting,' 'worthless,' 'deserving of destruction,' 'God-dishonoring,' 'liars,' 'pagan,' 'blasphemous,' 'faithless,' etc, etc, etc. Good.

The point slipped right by you. You appeared to be blaming the 'intolerant' Trinitarian bunch for the JWs' persecution in Russia. However, other Trinitarian groups are also being persecuted. Therefore, it doesn't make sense to scapegoat the Trinitarians for JWs' ills because Trinitarian groups are in the same boat. You follow? While I disagree with the ban on JWs, I agree with this statement by Alexander Dvorkin: "In their literature, there are some very harsh statements and very insulting statements about other faiths. Of course, every religion has the right to criticize other faiths, but that should be done in a non-insulting manner, especially if you are talking about the faith of the majority." - Source Sometimes, the Org invites backlash by being so vitriolic about other Christian faiths (it's interesting that they don't attack Islam in the same way). Then when the Org and JWs are on the receiving end of harsh criticism, all of a sudden 'it's so unfair.' (Matt. 7:2)

So how come Trinitarian groups are being targeted as well? RUSSIA: Alleged "missionary activity" prosecutions continue July 2016 – March 2017 prosecutions ... ... Prosecutions have involved individuals or communities belonging to the following religious communities: independent Protestants – 18; Jehovah's Witnesses – 13; the Society of Krishna Consciousness (Hare Krishna devotees) – 7; Baptists – 5; Seventh-Day Adventists – 4; Buddhists – 2; New Apostolic Church – 1; Ukrainian Reformed Orthodox Church – 1; and Salvation Army – 1. One village elder who permitted an independent Protestant church to display a banner at a village festival in the Mari-El Republic was also charged.

Only to Sadducees, since the more recent lexicons also define it the same. Maybe you should stop arguing meaningless "Hislop" methodology, and realistically learn something new. The only thing in error is your interpretation. Maybe you should start writing more clearly. I don't even know what any of that jumble means in relation to my comment.

I already discussed in my OP how Vine's and the Companion Bible is outdated and flawed. The Companion Bible's conclusion ("The evidence is thus complete that the Lord was put to death upon an upright stake...") is an erroneous one due to the author having both incomplete evidence (e.g. not accounting for the Oxyrhyncus discoveries) and relying on faulty scholarship (e.g. Hislop). As pointed out in the OP, the WTS and its anointed have used poor source material or ignored key information to form their conclusions. False premises result in false conclusions, i.e. error. At least they finally corrected their long-held misconception that Jesus was impaled, so that's a tiny bit of progress.