Srecko Sostar

Thanks John for emotions you put publicly. All in all, my prison time went well, working, going to school inside prison walls, not have problems with other prisoners, after 2 years get my first vacation to visit home. I am kind of introvert, and to be alone is not so harsh punishment in my case :))) i like more to be alone in 3x2,5 cell than in crowd. Perhaps .... or certainly/ obviously.... i have some unsolved psycho and early childhood issues :))))

I don't think this could be reason. Possibly the antagonism of the systems and the Russian-American relationship.

Just one moment for say something as general conversation :))) In this part of world in that period of time (until 1988/89, with fall of Wall and democratic changes in East Europe and in Yugoslavia) there is no alternative service. After, with time, came optional services with this GB "philosophy". Who is in charge and order service? Nonsense of sort, for sure. Today, looking on my period in prison, jail, and obligation on going to army, I came to conclusion how decision to reject army service is more decision of WT Corporation aka JW Church than my clear conscience stand on matter. Perhaps i assured my self it is my conscience, but in fact it was about behavior according to group (JW congregation) i was belong in that time. It was expected to do it that way. Similar as to expectations and obligation on JW brothers to not wearing beards :)))). If you want be ok for God, for congregation, do shave every day :))) Issue is not for comparison, but "principle" coming from same idea. To be different, to not to be "part of the world", "to be holy". Levels of our obligations and obeys to man, is in gradation. You will obey something to certain level, until your "conscience" or belonging to particular group, or Bible verse (interpretation of that verse) said you to NOT doing or obey man, authority or so. Similar is with army service. If young man wearing uniform, running whole day to get condition, cleaning, learning about weapons, shooting and so ... but not hurt anyone, then some will find such activity to be acceptable. When somebody order you to kill other people, that is situation in what you must have your stand and do as you think is right. Some religious groups are very active in "proselytizing", preaching to other people. Some have unique "uniforms" and others are "civilians". But their "service" as "soldier of Christ" or "soldier" of their church, can bring also some good and some very bad results. This religious service in the name of god are called "spiritual battles". And all such "soldiers" are able, in spiritual sense, accidentally or purposely, to hurt and to "kill" other people with, sometimes, persistent consequences. Religious teachings are the "bullets". Parable...... Well, FDS aka GB are "Army officers" for 8 mil JW members. Would you as an ordinary JW rank and file "soldier" obey all commands coming from GB "superior authority"??

With or without Raymond, the FDS / GB has demonstrated (show it until today) how things are in WT.

Everywhere, in whole Russia? Are Russian JW only one in whole world doing such activity? Never heard something similar here in Croatia, or elsewhere. Do you know who organizing this voluntary work, is it by own initiative of members, or by elders or by Betel?

If this is true, very good. But, it is strange to hear something like this.

Ok, but one little detail - God also has free will to chose, and by that to cause or not to cause outcome of something. And we will never know what was happened. Or, we can talk about question; Does God has free will? Or He acting in a way He MUST to act, because He is God and God acting as God. When people say God is love and good, than they mean, He can't be unrighteous, or bad. So, by that, He has not free will to act in a different way but only in one way - always showing justice, mercy, love ....even in a situation when he killing humans. Interesting,

This sort of subject, question on predestination, free choice and God's capacity to see future is problematic to understand, for me at least :))) Some quotes from WT publications stated, how God can see your future and all in your personal life, but he not using his capacity, power to do that, how he respects your individuality and privacy, so he has no need to deal with you in such way. But on other hand he will use this method if he have reason for that. All examples about idea and practice, when God decide to brake your privacy, ant to used this kind of going into your free will, future, state of heart and mind, we have in few bible reports, Judas is one example. If God see your bad intentions, and how you will never, but never, for sure never change your attitude as in Judas case, then NO ONE can give any help to such person. If God saw how Judas alone as person can not change his personality, how Jesus can not help him to change, how no one of his family, friends can do nothing about it, than all is in vain even for Judas alone and all his intentions and tries, because God Himself saw and PREDICT how such person will be born and done this to Jesus. And how that will not be done by some brother from Egypt or China but ONLY from one of 12. And in one of 12 only Judas will be that person. God saw how Judas, and no one else but Judas will do this. And by that, God "choose" Judas for doing this act. Did God saw Judas future before Adam and Eve creation?? Or after? Or before Abraham? Or before John Baptist? This would be Speculative conversations and theories !!!!! coming to NO WHERE! If He saw Judas failure future, did he decide how he can not help him because, as verses said, Judas heart was bad?? So, how many hearts here on this forum are bad in that way, that god can not do nothing about that?? JW believe how life is not predestined. Only believes how God can see your future, and future of all mankind. But with subject of "prophesies" you must to enter in sphere of predestination. Is "prophecy" merely God's looking in future events that will be? If it is, then life is predestined in some way, because future is already past event, for God at least who saw your past, present and future before you came in existence. And if He decide not to intervene, people can not do nothing else but just the things He saw they/you are doing. If "prophecy" is something what will be done by somebody in the future, than you are again in sphere of predestination because somebody will and must fulfill particular "prophecy" because God already saw particular event. Did He saw what things will take place in the future or did He saw what things will not take place in the future? :))))

Nice. Where is the place you singing this way?

Hi! I see this subject this way. If somebody made decision, rule (that in KH meeting) how particular clothes and details in clothes are only acceptable (but some other fashion is even forbidden or just "not good") for people who coming in KH, then after some time, this rule come to be tradition. And in general, with time passing, members will not consider this as just rule but as tradition, folkloric issue, for particular people in particular social group, JW community in this case.

They said how here in Croatia is origin of tie (kravata - Croata, Cravate - in English, from French word Cravates for Croatian people ) typical scarves worn by Croatian cavalrymen, an accessory which became the ubiquitous necktie of today...

Perhaps TTH connecting concentration camp's dress fashion, the very modest one, as dress without any sexual elements and call for fantasy, with this topic?? :)))))

This can bring us to interesting discussion with interesting people.

It is understandable for me to see your disappoint about R.F. or similar characters inside JW. Yes, perhaps your view about him is correct. But for many of us is of less concern why he wrote a book about GB and WT. We can feel sorrow for him or we can say he is/was hypocrite. Nevertheless, information's we get from his inside insight about WT GB mechanism are more important then he alone. Because "The Truth" is in question, not he, not me, not you. He was the one who has must struggle with HIS conscience why he stay inside and support all wrongs he knew about, despite knowledge he had. He was the one who has been responsible for covering this too long and so on. I do not care, in final stage of matter, what was his motive. Only important thing for me is; Is it that or this, what he said, true?

You made important point. If someone can not defeat your arguments or evidences then they questioning your motives. So pathetic!!! "Yes, it can be how this what he said was happened, but WHY HE said this? ... because HIS MOTIVES are bad". And WHO are you? to judge my motives ! :)))

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 Then Jesus said, “Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?” John 11:40 He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” Mat 17:20 Then the apostles said to the Lord, “Give us more faith.” Luke 17:5 :)))))

Jesus wants us to stay watchful because of what we do not know and what we do know. ws12 2/15 pp. 3-8 - The Watchtower (Simplified)—2012 WHO IS WE?? MEMBERS! As God’s people, we understand many things that we could not otherwise have known. w03 8/1 pp. 14-19 - The Watchtower—2003 WHO IS WE? GB!! There are some things that happen in the organization that we may not understand. w57 5/1 pp. 279-285 - The Watchtower—1957 WHO IS WE? MEMBERS! How big Jehovah God is as to his body we do not know. w53 12/15 pp. 748-761 - The Watchtower—1953 WHO IS WE? WE ALL! :))))))))

Because they are Governing Body of all JW people. If they dare to say something like this, to whom JW people will go for water of truth???? :)))))) Well, they will never say, we do not know, but they will say, "some of us was thought", "in the past we believed" and similar general phrases.

JW members, both, former and present, often come to the conclusion that some WT doctrines are very important, and some are less important for everyday spiritual health and/or survival of Armageddon. For some doctrines they think how they are not so important for "survival", for faith, for personal relationship to JHVH, for own or congregational life. And they are right in such thinking. But, WT view on worldwide Unity of God's people aka JWorg is a little different about this idea/s. To support idea how is good to be in step with particular teachings, even not "so important" from members view, GB using some phrases as; "be faithful in small things", "obey every instructions from GB even you don't understand why", "trust GB because JHVH trust them" and similar. That is exactly what happens with a "overlapping generation". This interpretation is certainly a great nonsense, which is the product of mind of one or several people who have had to defend the position of previous WT Bible scholars/Doctrinal Inspectors, GB/FDS members, and to defend the possible meaning/s about Jesus' words on the "X Generation" and the anticipated "End of the World." The teaching of this type, is one of characteristically teachings for such a kind of religion that is largely (if not entirely) based on Armageddon and the Reward with eternal life. The religion/movement (Bible Students) began with the prediction that the end is near. So, all efforts was been putted for "warning" other people about need to accept Jesus and JHVH. And this efforts is also attribute for JW today. The frequent announcements of the nearness of the end and the presentations of "evidences" to supporting it, does not stop until today. Evidences are always of the same kind, expectations are also the same, .... the time that passes without the fulfillment of expectations and beliefs means nothing, because time is eternal. If it did not happened today, then it will happen tomorrow. You just have to wait, and to remember how "many faithful people from past waited also for the fulfillment but not meet promises. So, you as JW can comfort yourself with same logic - It will be tomorrow. This meaningless "overlapping" thesis, serve only to put the patch on the doctrinal hole, and correcting, fixing past misconceptions .... and to bring new hope for travelers traveling on a WT boat on which water enters, more and more. To convince yourself that you do not serve God for eternal life, or because of the fast arrival of Armageddon, or how this "irrelevant explanation" of what the generation is, means nothing to you, is good, ...if you really believe that this means nothing to you !! But, is it good to "believe" and to preach to other around you, that this "Concept" is what "Jesus has meant while speaking" about generation, and how God approved all this "truthful" explanations from past to this day !?

proof for this Arauna :)))))

Please provide hard and indisputable evidences and proves for your statement above. If you can not, you are in fact slandering this Other denominations.

Yeah.... He made Israel, used Israel and destroyed Israel several times. Very encouraging, for sure!

Problems with lexis Arauna? adjective of, relating to, or established by institution. of or relating to organized establishments, foundations, societies, or the like, or to the buildings devoted to their work. of the nature of an institution.

For people like me it is of any matter/importance would JW broadcasting tell the truth about this subject. But it would be of great significance to/for JW members. Talking about child molestation in JWorg is not Judging and not Slandering. Because .... it is something that was happened in your organization. :))