Srecko Sostar

1 hour ago, Outta Here said:

As a living example?

While we are alive, we all are living examples.... some day in a future we all come to be death examples :))) 

8 hours ago, Outta Here said:

she designated the weekly services as a class, instead of a formal religious worship.

Prison warden made correct conclusion in that issue, of course some would argue how this can be matter of perspective on what word "worship" means.  

Cambridge Dictionary explained:  A) to have or show a strong feeling of respect and admiration for God or a god B) to go to a religious ceremony.

Well, standard view on "worshiping god in a chapel would be some sort of ceremony and/or individual or mass prayer to god. Meeting of two (or more) persons that reading WT Publications with questions and answers (teacher - student form) is for sure class hour. Singing a songs to god would be "worshiping", reading and studying magazines are not. Reading Bible can be directed in few ways: Adoration to god and finding spirituality in self or reading stuff that happened in past or poetry or religious and anthropological research and similar.   

Worshiping god was in much an ceremony aspects, as in old Israel (feast with food and slaughtering animals for sacrifice) or assembling to offer prayers or to read Holy Scriptures. Today as in some cases, to not go to kill other people because you consider other people as children from god. Connections in people's mind about god and life can bring idea, how some sort of individual behavior in society coming from religious spirituality of that person  who by that "worship" god with his words and deeds. 

8 hours ago, Outta Here said:

Simmons, speaking by phone Wednesday, said the complaint is part of her long-running effort to push women’s equality within the state’s correctional system.

“I want to see women empowered in this state,” Simmons said. “One of the big reasons women are not successful in the community when they get out (of prison) … they’re either working housekeeping, fast food or waitressing. They’re not getting the same kind of jobs that men are. They’re not able to make a living and raise a family.”

Here we came to social reforms efforts. I have nothing against that.

What is questionable here is that this Simmons lady, who have Bible study with JW members, are involved in practice that is forbidden by WTJWORG Church. JW Bible Study teaching females to be obedient to males but she want equality for all sex (or gender). She want to see woman empowered in this state.  Here we have just opposite what is WTJWORG Policy regarding woman. Male is first, and woman are not equal to man in JW World. Looking for Social Reforms inside Prison who is run by State and Politics is area where JW want to be "Neutral". By that JW teachers who run Bible study with her obviously not came to that chapter with her, yet.  

Of course that ex female convicts needs a better chance for better jobs.

I just point here to hypocrisy of religion and some religious people.

I do not know how looks like Montana woman prison chapel. Perhaps as this two on pictures?

All have the right to proselytize their religion to others (in western lands cultures). I wonder this: If prison chapel looks like chapel of "normal" christian church chapel, with cross and similar symbols, why would JW want to have Bible study in such space under "pagan" symbols? 

In every day life JW do not want to enter the church of any other religion, maybe only for touristic and historical reason. But not to listen or talking to people in the church. To have religious service on the same place where so called "satan service" also is offered, strange :))) 

If people chooses one path and believe how their choice is good ...... Stay brave and endure!

If people believe how their circumstances are not possible to change ......Stay brave and endure!

If people have faith how one day all will be better.....Stay brave and endure!

"Normal" treatment in normal prisons is such that prisoners have limitations... in many things. Among some limitations is how time is determined for sleep, be awaken, go on fresh air, time for eat, work, free time and so on.

In my time while waiting for Court tribunal and after Judicial decision while waiting for transfer to prison (and all that was in Military Court and Military Jail building) "normal" time for walking on fresh air was only 1 hour a day (inside walls of course inside building courtyards, there was 3 separate yards for 1 prisoners separately walking in own yard), all other time you spend in cell, sitting, reading or standing, but it was forbidden to lie on the bed until late evening aka sleeping time (i am not remember that precisely but i think that waking up in the morning was at 6 

After, in prison, waking up was in 5 or 6 am, morning toilets, breakfast, roll call, going to 8 hour work, pause for snack, roll call, going for lunch, after lunch some people went to school, others has free time, roll call before dinner at 6 or 7. Watching TV to 9, roll call, light off at 10 pm. Very Normal :))))))

And I have endured, ...... ok perhaps i am not "normal" now after all that, as other "normal" people :)))))))))))))))))))))))

To read and find out the experiences of other people have great value.

However, this may become a problem if the solution to some of the life situations, that somebody has achieved, wishes to imitate in full or in full imagined detail (details that are not known to anyone who read the article).

Another issue, even bigger, arises when publisher's article tries to direct his readers to the idea how this is the way. And how that process of attempts to act, in similar or the same  way, would be blessed by God.

And as more dangerous is idea, how exactly this way is the only right way.

Yes, perhaps he/she just reading other people's blogs and get some idea for this post.  

Librarian!

You have something on your mind while post this in connection to JW Open Club.

Would you be so kind to tell us ... what? 

4 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

This is true and it lets the air out of the balloon of these morons.

Whenever I buy my liquor, Jack or Srecko, were they to chance to see me, would think they had met Groucho Marx.

4 hours ago, Anna said:

As for Sophia's ice cream; do you think Sophia will never have any ice cream again in her life? Obviously she will, as will real children.

:))))  never on Sunday! 

... with one exception; if parents are reasonable and realistic people, they will give a child a new $ which will replace the one who ended up in the donation box. That would be 2 $ per Sunday, but children happiness is priceless !!!

19 minutes ago, Jasper1375 said:

So if I tear your ear off - you still can live.  Chop off a leg or arm - you can still live.

haha, this reminds on old one - better to be live dog than dead lion. But dog will never be a lion, he will have dog's life :))) and that is ok so far as you consider yourself what you are - a dog, but problems can come at the moment when dog consider self to be a lion (with or without leg .... of course it would be easier with all legs)   

Perhaps we can mention another important aspect. Self-sacrifice.

The Bible, a book WTJWORG so passionately wants to promote in the lives of people, a believer, gives examples when an individual gives up on something he has the right to use or have.

Little Sophia, in a cartoon, has the all right to consume ice cream on Sunday after the meeting, BUT, "mature Christians" aka GB at JWTV, learns her and all other, she has to give up of ice cream that costs $ 1.

TM the III has the freedom to drink what he wants. But can he to give up of buying and drinking his " Sunday ice cream", on Sunday or on any day of the week. Does TM want to donate his personal sacrifice to the "Interests of the Kingdom"?

It is all about/ to show SELF-SACRIFICE to the/towards people (and to the God).

11 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

Doing it here is not the same as having the guts to be vocal in front of the people

Yes, that is true.

18 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

Then you would be able to understand the difference between deliberate lying and unintentional lying.

Oh Billy, I understand the difference. But we are not making issue of Motives here. We have disagreement is it lie A Lie in all circumstances and space and time, or is it permissible to talking lies because someone thinking how he has  "justification" to tell the lie.  

18 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

If I told you the traffic light is green when the light was red, and you come to a screeching halt or worse get into an accident. How, should this unintentional lie be handled

First of all, here you talking about colors. Your perception of traffic lights and wrong vision can be reason to talking wrongly to others. If that is not the case, than we can start to discuss about your motives about why you told me fault fact about color of traffic light. Anyway, with no interest to enter into your motives now, dry fact loudly saying to all of us - You told lie (or more politely wording: you have been in wrong) when you spoke about traffic light color. As result, I don't respect you in this color issue.

People hate lies. God hate lies. But  we still lying?! :))

The Bible’s Viewpoint - https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/102000087

Lying—Is It Ever Justified?

“A LITTLE INACCURACY SOMETIMES SAVES TONS OF EXPLANATION.”

THIS comment illustrates how many people feel about lying. Their rationale is that lying is not wrong if it does not harm anyone. Such reasoning even has an academic name—situation ethics, which says that the only law you need to follow is the so-called law of love. In other words, explains author Diane Komp, “if your motivation is right and your heart is right (then the) fact that you lied . . . is no big deal.”

Such a viewpoint is common in today’s world.

This part in article for Public said how lie is a lie and how Situation Ethics is worldly viewpoint, not God's. But still, Secret Elder's Instruction Manual told different- if lie is not intentional and not made big problems, you are not in problem. If lie is intentional but said in Court that is also not big deal.

I am blind, but you acting worst when agree with statement and promote idea how lie is not lie if is justified by Elders Ethics based on WTJWORG Manual.  

11 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

the misunderstanding you have about the Shepard book.

 Once again The Shepherd book quote: 

Lying that justifies
judicial action involves more than just exaggerations
or petty, misleading statements of relatively
minor consequence or lying because of momentary
pressure or fear of man.

Is it lying lying when you give misleading statement?

Intentionally or not intentionally? No matter are consequence is minor on not minor?

With 3 elements WT and you darkening and fogging  issue: Again, Is lying sin or not?  

Elements in the book are: 1) deliberately and malicious lying 2) minor consequences of lie 3) lying to worldly people

Shepherd book instructing elders that if JW member deliberately lying to Court about something (especially connected to other JW member) is not lie at all. So, if they give you free hand to lie about your Brother in Secular Court how would be if you would lying about some "worldly" people in the Court? That would be not so bad and of no concern??

According to some WTJWORG interpretations if you tell lie to "secular" people about organization and brotherhood, and did that deliberately, it is not lie?!

8 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

Yep, you got it. The same thing I said. Good for you. I believe we are beginning to understand each other. 😉

Understanding each other, to some level, yes. To explain my thoughts about WT list of sins and separation inside that list, and how that is not good, a little more.

For example: Shepherd book 2012

21. Deliberate, malicious lying; bearing false
witness: (Prov. 6:16, 19; Col. 3:9; Rev. 22:15; it-2
pp. 244-245) Though all lying is bad, judicial action
is taken only if there has been a practice of deliberate,
malicious lying. “Malicious” means deliberately
harmful, harboring ill will or enmity. Lying that justifies
judicial action involves more than just exaggerations
or petty, misleading statements of relatively
minor consequence or lying because of momentary
pressure or fear of man.—Matt. 26:69-75.

22. Generally, elders should not consider administering
discipline if a Christian charges another Christian
with making false statements in a court dispute.
For example, this may involve divorce, child custody
and support, and so forth. The Christian making the
charge can express his concerns to the court that has
the responsibility to determine what is truthful when
rendering a judgment.

Bible verses used in Elders book:

16 here are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him: 17  haughty eyes, a lying tongue,  hands that shed innocent blood, 18 a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil 19    false witness who pours out lies and a person who stirs up conflict in the community.

9 Do not lie to one another, since you have taken off the old self with its practices, 

15 Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

In this and other WT Instructions about that how JW member are NOT ALWAYS OBLIGATED to TELL THE TRUTH, in other words how LIES are GOOD sometimes and not needed to be Judicially Processed is 100% opposite of what God has said in Bible. 

As I can remember what was written in Bible in other places too, God has never said (or gave that impression) how,  for certain lies there is a license, and that for some other lies there is a punishment. 

WT Elders by this given rule, as new moral principle, have free hand to establish illusory justice, illusory truth based on perverted idea how lie is truth and truth is lie. Isaiah spoke about that also.Woe to those who call evil good and good evil who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet  and sweet for bitter.

When JW Church leaders are ready to justify lies and not want to take disciplinary measures against liar than they are in opposition to God and to His words in Proverbs. Words they put in print in WTJWORG publications to explain how lie is not always a lie. Terrible!

2 hours ago, Queen Esther said:

@Srecko Sostar....   My thinking too,  of sure false money.  Before Armageddon, the most people always running after such of  "free"  money!  In my eyes its a fake, sorry....

I made fun just for fun. But, in history there was at least few situation when money and gold worth nothing in specific part of world and in specific situation. People already trowed material thing verbatim and figurative in the past and present time.   

10 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

Here is a picture of it: .....(Venezuela, money on streets)

Maybe this picture is Photoshop Propaganda from those who prefer Electronic Money aka Bitcoin :)))))) 

10 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

Wrong again. What I'm referring to is the degree of sin. You keep wanting it all to mean the same when there is a level when it comes to culpability. In this case, your ideology is no different than Johns. That's why you both agree on an erred perception.

No, Billy. Sin is sin. Only consequences/aftermath/aftereffects of particular sin/crime are DIFFERENT. 

10 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

That's why wisdom is a good policy. That way, you should be able to see the fake ones from the real ones.

Of course, your idea is very good, but you know very well, as me too, what Bible say about Human Wisdom :))) 

2 hours ago, Witness said:

This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Disciples were looked at him in stages from visible to invisible moment, so if this verse speaking of the same way, and if we can use this sort of logic, His RETURNING (COME AGAIN) would mean how His coming will be FROM INVISIBLE to VISIBLE.

Now, people who love CONTEXT, have chance to explain this verse with some Context from other part of Bible. :))  

13 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

Here is another question.

If Christ has ALREADY come to Earth as an invisible presence, and is ruling as King NOW ......  starting in 1914 ...... why are we still celebrating the Memorial?

Hi James.

If Jesus has already come, than Celebrating should be stopped:   For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

If He has already come, according to WTJWORG this celebrating loses meaning ... IF 1 Cor 11:26 are Inspired and Prophetic words. 

But because WTJWORG introducing few sort of such COMES, JW people can not be sure about Jesus factual position in spiritual and physical influence on Earth and on Church. 

Well, because JW Church still celebrating and proclaiming His death (but in the same time celebrating Him as Living King) it seems how one part of JW theology is not sure did Jesus came in 1914.

33 minutes ago, Melinda Mills said:

(Rev 1:7) 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, and those who pierced him; and all the tribes of the earth will beat themselves in grief because of him. 

... some bible scholars explanations about word clouds says how clouds means invisibility, but that must not be true with this verse. It can be just about Jesus who coming from Heavenly Space, or about his as King, with Divine Origin, who coming to change things on Earth, Earth is under Clouds and Heaven.

42 minutes ago, Melinda Mills said:

They will be forced to recognize him, as the destruction will be coming from a heavenly source.  Read again and discern.  Those who pierced him are long dead. It is not literal seeing.  They will be forced to recognized that the supernatural things that will happen are as a result of Jesus' coming for retribution to all those who disobeyed him, and at the same time give a reward to the faithful ones.

They will be forced to recognize him? This idea is strange. People today has understanding how exist possibility that people on Earth are not only civilization in Universe. By that, many people believe of other advanced civilizations out there. What if people RECOGNIZED global destruction not in this religious answer with Jesus Kingdom, but about how Aliens coming to conquer the Earth or as some Cosmic Event? 

What interest would God has to Force you TO SEE how your violent end in death is caused by HIM? If this have to mean something, it would be about those who will survive such attack. For survivors that big event can be reminder how they must obey God for not to be destroyed. BUT THAN we have next problem; Does God have interest to holds you in Fear of Recognition about some future destruction that may come on you as were on those who you previously watched how they died in Armageddon?    

16 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

I wouldn’t trust the word of a former Bethel member between 1968-1984

yeah i remember well, these were very problematic decades :)))) for all Bethel's around the world and volunteer workers of those period has been special piece of work  :))))

18 hours ago, Jiminy Cricket said:

I swear that stuff is only $23 per bottle at my local supermarket.

Jiminy, purpose of this forum is not to promote local supermarket with cheaper prices :))))) 

................Perhaps admin will make new topic with your comment! .... ahahha... or worst ...give you "last warning"

4 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

“Then the sign of the Son of man will appear in heaven.”

 30At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and all the tribes of the earth will mourn.They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31

4 hours ago, Melinda Mills said:

Since World War I, Jesus’ true disciples have discerned the composite sign of his invisible presence, while most people have not recognized it.

Well, we have here two different claims:

1) Jesus told that all tribes of the earth WILL SEE the Son - source is Bible

2) Only Jesus' true disciples have discerned composite sign of his invisible presence - source is Wt magazine w94 2/15 p. 20 par. 21

3) Bible say - all people will SEE

4) Wt magazine say - only few have DISCERNED

So, who making (people to feel stupid) fun of people here?