Anna

Come on, he just felt as if. We all, including him, know it has nothing to do with actual facts, only the warm and fuzzy feeling of relief you get when you have got away from something safely.

I think we can be sure. You mentioned that I shouldn’t refer to God’s organization of the Jews, you said that was old, so then you referred to Jesus, as that being the new way. Well didn’t Jesus become the founder of Christianity? Wasn’t it by divine providence his disciples became known as Christians, weren’t his disciples organized into congregations? I am sure you know the scriptures that talk along this theme, of not forsaking gathering together,....where two or three are gathered in Christ’s name.....to build one another up, you know about Paul’s letters being addressed to congregations, Jesus’ admonishing the congregations (in Revelation), Jesus being the chief cornerstone of the congregation, etc. etc........ As for our day, well how else would you organize the global preaching work but by organization. Organization for many people has become a dirty word when it comes to religion. Why? Could it be because of organized religion’s bad reputation on the whole? Of course, just because someone calls themselves a JW does not guarantee salvation, as the verse says: "but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will" so God's choice is based on those doing his will, as Jesus further says: " Therefore, everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does them... You come with ONE report, one that you would call “old”, as it pre- dates Christ, and with an ambiguous end, to support your view that God doesn’t care what you do as long as you “believe”. In verse 18 Naaaman explains that as a servant of his lord he will go with him to the temple of Rimmon, and because his lord hangs onto his arm (maybe he is old?) when he bows down, Naaman will have to go down as well, but he will not be doing this in worship, but only because his lord is using his arm for support. He definitely did NOT “make worship to idols”. We know how “jealous” Jehovah is of anyone worshipping someone else other than him. Paul, when writing to the Corinthians showed the seriousness of it: “ No; but I say that what the nations sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons and not to God; and I do not want you to become sharers with the demons. You cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons; you cannot be partaking of “the table of Jehovah” and the table of demons. (1Corinth 10:20-21) So I think it most definitely would have been a problem to JHVH! You definitely cannot have it both ways. "Doing" and "obedience" play a major role even if God "picked" you for salvation, the ultimate result of whether he saves you or not is dependent on YOU, on your obedience: Romans 6: 15 – 17: What follows? Are we to commit a sin because we are not under law but under undeserved kindness? Certainly not! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one you obey, either of sin leading to death or of obedience leading to righteousness? But thanks to God that although you were once the slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that pattern of teaching to which you were handed over. “ For this is what the love of God means, that we observe his commandments; and yet his commandments are not burdensome”

Thanks for pointing that out, I never noticed! I wonder why the artist considered it inappropriate to include underarm hair.....must be an American thing....

you mean it stopped?

But is it true?

Well - you are certainly right about not understanding. Hey, you quoted me, but I never said that!

Sorry! Truly. It's just that I think we get a little bored, and this is merely a frivolous light hearted interlude while waiting on others to gather something groundbreaking and worthwhile discussing

Thats what I was wondering....but you asked I find this advice from Ms. Webster: "......There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose. Its reputation has not risen over the years, and it is still a long way from general acceptance. Use regardless instead. So irregardless what you say, Tom Irregardless, I am not going to use it regardless how strange a trip

Others may not be commissioned by GOD, but they still have eyes and ears

And that faith is not blind either...

Do you actually know why the society made the change?

He did indeed, (and so do we) but if they wanted to get saved they would have to become Christians wouldn't they? And if they were a prostitute they would have to stop that wouldn't they? That is not a scriptural teaching if you put it in a scriptural context. That happening has conditions attached to it, otherwise every single person on earth would have this happen to them, even Hitler. I had a Bible study once, a science teacher and a former atheist. Something she said that I had never really thought of in this way before, she said that we (JW) are kind of preparing people for living under God’s rule when it starts ruling over the earth. I thought that was a very interesting observation from an outsider, and a practical aspect. But I would take it even further, how about God is preparing people to live under his government. When you look around in the world, can you see why it is reasonable to conclude that God does have conditions for those who want to live under his rule, and that not just anyone will be invited? He gives humans the opportunity now to “apply for citizenship” in the new world and he also has a “program” going which helps them “meet the required standards” for entry. After all “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the Kingdom of the heavens, but only the one doing the will of my Father who is in the heavens will”. And you know the rest of that chapter....

You are quite correct, God is impartial and accepts every human, regardless of race or social status, "who fears him and does what is right". This brings us to the usual argument about what it means to do what is right, and in whose eyes. In other words can it be said that religion, just like race or social status does not matter to God either? The Bible seems to indicate that it does matter to God. It indicates that the impartiality does have a condition attached to it. And that is the whole point of "he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance". Then what does repentance mean? Who sets that standard? God does of course and he lets people know what these standards are through the pages of the Bible. That being said, just because Witnesses get all involved with their "own" problems, doesn't mean they do not have compassion with people of other faiths. It is understandable that they will focus on their brothers in the faith first though. I know it's the "fashion" now for many to believe that ALL Christians in any denominations are acceptable to God as long as they live a morally clean life and try to do good to others. And that is fine by me because who am I to judge? BUT, I also believe that God has not abandoned his pattern of having a people, a group, unitedly worshiping together like he did in ancient times, separate from the world around them, but this time from every "tribe and nation" not just the Jews. The Scriptures do indicate this on a number of occasions when referencing spiritual Israel, and those who would attach themselves to them as "foreigners" or "other sheep" to make one flock, not individuals standing by themselves out of all the various denominations of Christendom....

Not paying you. My mum already gave me that advice. And she and you are right, reading quality books and classic literature educates you and broadens your mind like nothing else, not disregarding our Bible based publications which fill in the gaps that secular authors fail to fill. In saying that, college education does help train the mind to think analytically as well, which is useful.

Here's an interesting article on what might become the 2038 problem, oh, and isn't that about the same time the overlapping generation is due to come to an end? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem

Science yes, technology no

Wasn't the bound volume printed well before the Y2K problem?

They do this full time, so when would you expect them to go to work to earn money for a living?

Never know with you, are you actually being serious?

Misled? What specifics do you have in mind?

You may be right, but the GB may also be right. The thing is we just don't know for sure. We don't know for sure what is the truth regarding Jesus' words about the generation. And because of that we should humbly admit WE JUST DON'T KNOW instead of, as you say: trying to fit a round peg into a square hole. That is merely your speculation. However, it does beg the question, is this all that keeps us worshiping Jehovah and living our life in accordance with his standards? It shouldn't be of course, so it would be nice to see the GB finally admit one day that they just don't know, and wait on Jehovah just like admonish everyone else to do.

It's very annoying when reporters do that, and unfortunately there are more that do than don't.

Now you've kept that a secret! @TrueTomHarley

Actually he has a pretty fit body, as I remarked to my husband, much to his amusement

Thank you! Duh, why didn't I just think of doing that! I know, I must have thought you needed some work to do