Srecko Sostar

It would have to be a small star sized chunk of iron .... probably not something you could get at an automobile scrap yard.
Further, when a star collapses, it can go Nova, or Supernova, which is how we get elements heavier than iron.  This is the natural life cycles of Stars, and there is NOTHING we can to to speed it up, slow it down, or ANYTHING ... except watch.
I suspect in the New System, with perfect people, and 10,000 years of scientific advancement, this will STILL be true.
Same with "Climate Change", AKA "Global Warming.
There is nothing we can do except watch .....
and perhaps move to the mountains, or buy a boat.

Billy ... climate change may contribute to accelerated erosion ..... but accelerated erosion DOES NOT CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE.
"Everybody says" that because the CO2 levels are rising, the earth is getting warmer.
THEY ARE WRONG
The Earth is getting warmer because it is a natural cycle, due to orbital mechanics of our planet, and the variability of our Star, the Sun.
BECAUSE it is getting warmer, bacteria is flourishing  more than when it is cooler.
Bacteria exhale CO2, just as we do.  Then the trees use CO2, strip off the carbon to make wood, and exhale oxygen.
You are fixated on erosion.
There is an expression for this phenomena of perspective.
"When you are a hammer ... EVERYTHING looks like a nail."
 

The only way to learn the truth about whether "global warming" is real ... and whether it is a naturally occurring phenomena that mankind can do NOTHING about, or is caused by human interaction with the environment, which may or may not be able to be stopped or reversed, is to YOU PERSONALLY educate yourself with the math, physics, chemistry, meteorology, and ocean sciences, and orbital mechanics, etc.,  ..... to be able to tell the difference between hoax, fraud, fake science, and religious hysteria and hallucination that this issue has become.
And then sit down and draw sketches, accumulate data ... possibly completely wear out a scientific pocket calculator .... or two, and then correlate what you PERSONALLY know with astronomy, and other related sciences ... comparing the physics of other planets' atmospheric meteorology to see if conclusions by others make sense, or have any validity whatsoever.
If you are not willing to YOU PERSONALLY do this ... and take a decade, or 20 years, or the rest of your life ... then your opinions will be based on FAITH .... NOT SCIENCE.
FAITH in the opinions and conclusions of others .... the new global religion of "Man Caused Climate Change".
Faith in the opinions and conclusions of others, where you have not PERSONALLY proved it yourself, is not TRUTH.
Seek ONLY THE TRUTH.  
In science, and in religion, and in all things.
However, although you will fail to get the correct answers ...... intellectual integrity can also be accomplished by not caring, to the point you do not believe anybody, about anything.
... and is a LOT less work.
 
 
 

I am not arguing that there is not "Global Warming".
There IS!
This is a natural cycle that is determined by orbital mechanics of our Earth, and the various cycles that our VARIABLE STAR,  the Sun naturally goes through.
On this clear gas planet, Earth, with its predominate Nitrogen atmosphere of "one atmosphere" at sea level , It's all about geometry, and the fact that all radiated energy follows the inverse square law.
THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING MANKIND CAN DO TO MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE WHATSOEVER.
Nothing mankind can do to cause, or accelerate global warming.
...and nothing we can do to slow or stop it.
That's the way Jehovah designed the system.

When all is said and done ... you and Billy ARE my soul brothers, and I would defend you both with my life if necessary. 
We all take turns being wrong about many, many things, with the firm and profound belief that we are right.  It's part of being "big ugly bags of mostly water.
... just add gravel, and Portland Cement.
In the big red "Revelation" book, circa 15 or so years ago, it mentioned as an aside that Sir Isaac Newton may have been one of the Anointed. This sparked me reading two very large biographies on his life, and what impressed me the most was the fact that he never published anything without rigorous proof.
Rigorous proof means that the facts you use are checkable, and do not contradict known chemistry, physics, and science that makes the REAL world what it is.
If it cannot be expressed with HARD NUMBERS, and to "how many decimal places" ... it is NOT science .... it is ONLY opinion.
The things wars are fought over.
ALL agenda driven thinking, without exception always has been, , is now, and will always be faulty.

The reason I am not "sympathetic" to you Billy, is that if you found someone who knew EVERYTHING about any particular subject ... and you knew NOTHING about that same subject ... you would debate him.
Sometimes ... you just need to sit down, shut up ... and listen.

JW USA: A Witness responds to Lloyd Evans about JW and global climate change .....
It's not what Evans sez: It's what DILBERT sez:

I regretted it almost the moment I sent it. Who am I to interject myself? Maybe I should have taken it back, but I usually do not delete things once I've put them out there. I try to dig myself out of the mess I've made later. Ideally, I think it through first. In this case, I shot myself in the foot.
It is what it is. No one is saying that anyone is proud about it. That being said:
Well, they're people too. Maybe if you "probably would not accept anyway" they somehow had a clue that would be the case. It isn't easy stepping into a situation that you know will be unpleasant, especially if you have many other things that are pleasant that you can occupy yourself with.
 
It may not be wrong to look at it that way, but that does not mean it is helpful.
It might be that if you do "make trouble" for her, she will go your way. Or it might be that she will break and/or that your marriage will blow up. Would you prefer that? Take it as real concern for her on their part, and even for you that you do not make what would have to have been a strained marital relationship 10 times worse.
 
OK. It is a good word, I think. If you notice, my word to you was also a good word. I said that she probably loves you "with good reason."
Don't misunderstand. Spiritually speaking, I think you have traded in the diamonds for the turds, but that does not mean that I dislike you personally (though - I admit it - at times I have).

It can be said how JW members generally reject the possibility that abuse occurs within the organization, and if that is a very rare case. 
On the other hand, they believe that the JHVH spirit will purify the organization in a way that will reveal to the elders the secret sins of such people and then they will expelled such from the congregation to remain congregation "clean".
If the spirit of JHVH God reveals sins in WTJWORG, than the question arises as to, which spirit reveals the same sort of sins of people in the Catholic Church?

That link is just fantastic. Very straight, no hype.
Sorry but I cannot stand videos from USA about child abuse as they always seem hyped up, but this link is just so down to earth.
I suppose I prefer to read it rather than listen to or watch it. I was moved by the straight forward way in which it was written.
Of course that cowboy BTK and probably TTH and others will say it's not true and apostate lies, but we cannot expect anything better from those that worship the GB and the JW Org. Anyway a man that pretends to be a cowboy, and an author looking to earn money are hardly people we need to take notice of are they ?   
I do honestly hope that this year will see some positive outcome from all the investigations Earthwide. Hopefully the GB will get punished in someway, either by God / Jesus Christ, or by the US legal system, or both. 
It is so good that some people take the risk of stealing documents to give proof of the crimes of the GB and JW Org. 
I'm sure in some way this would relate to things from Bible times, where true servants of God risked their lives for God's true purpose. I'm thinking of the 'spies' that went in to Jericho. 
But now we have a question. Where does it go from here ?  it's like politics, it's all too easy to remove a political party or to protest against same, but the more difficult task is to replace it. 
What does God / Jesus Christ intend to follow up with, that is the question we should all be asking ? 
 
 

It can be said how JW members generally reject the possibility that abuse occurs within the organization, and if that is a very rare case. 
On the other hand, they believe that the JHVH spirit will purify the organization in a way that will reveal to the elders the secret sins of such people and then they will expelled such from the congregation to remain congregation "clean".
If the spirit of JHVH God reveals sins in WTJWORG, than the question arises as to, which spirit reveals the same sort of sins of people in the Catholic Church?

A FORMER JEHOVAH'S WITNESS IS USING STOLEN DOCUMENTS TO EXPOSE ALLEGATIONS THAT THE RELIGION HAS KEPT HIDDEN FOR DECADES.  
 
In an organization, what sort of prevailing spirit would enable and encourage its people to hide its dirty business?  The spirit of God, who always exposed the sins of His people?
What spiritual atmosphere promotes child abuse by ignoring a child’s call for help and justice, from their own parents? 
What sort of spirit promotes parents to threaten their children using disgusting ‘weaponry’ against them, and at the same time, teaching them of “Jehovah’s paradise” as a promise if they were good? 
What spirit resides in the heart of an elder who would ask a child suffering from parental abuse, “If her mother did end up killing her, could that prevent Jehovah from resurrecting her at Armageddon? “Of course, I said no,” Kimmy said, rolling her eyes. “They told me, ‘Go home and obey your mother.’”
How can the Watchtower call itself “Jehovah’s theocratic organization”, or “Jehovah’s spiritual temple” when at the inner core of its “whitewashed tomb”, “the bones of the dead and everything unclean” exists?  Matt 23:27
Child abuse is everywhere, but it is a rampant evil sickness in an organization that proudly claims to belong to “Jehovah”, to be a protection in times of distress, and an ark of salvation.  What hypocrisy.    Has it ever occurred to a JW that God sees the sins of His people?  And when God sees His people sinning, He refuses to aid them in times of crisis?
Remind yourself again of what is happening in Russia.  Since the organization obviously hides its sins; yet, blatantly practices idolatry by ignoring the true temple of God in the anointed ones, (1 Pet 2:5,9; 1Cor 3:16,17; Eph 2:20-22; 2 Thess 2:3,4) God has no interest in coming to  Watchtower’s aid in times of distress. 
Tell me why He would.    Judges 2:6-23; Rom 1:18-25
 We have a deliverer, and it isn’t the GB or the organization who has refused to offer any aid to thousands who have suffered from abusive individuals residing in the “spiritual paradise”.  Our deliverer is the Father and Jesus Christ.  Judges 3:7-9; Rev 2:2-6,19-22; 3:17-21
From The Atlantic:  https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/03/the-secret-jehovahs-witness-database-of-child-molesters/584311/
 
 
 
 

TTH, I just told myself (and others) that I should stay away from all controversial topics that might reflect negatively on current Witness doctrine, at least for a few weeks. I don't think this topic counts, since I'm not even taking sides on whether JWs do more or less than their reasonable share. (I'm guessing, like you, that JWs do better than the average person in this regard, but I'm not trying to make any claims.) In fact, perhaps it's a good idea for me to just limit my comments to non-JW topics like climate change, politics, physics, computer science, and economics whenever I get the urge to kick my feet up on the desk and relax over here on the forum.
I could care less what Lloyd Evans thinks about climate change, unless he is some kind of expert on the topic who might be ready to bring something new or important to the table. I haven't looked into that part of the discussion and probably won't try to. If he's just criticizing JWs, then it's probably a complete waste of time on such a topic. But I have no problem if JTR is drawn into a discussion on the topic, because I'm sure he knows more than I do about it. And that's the beauty of a forum where you can dialogue with persons who know more than you. For me, it's an ideal way to test and/or prove whether what I think stands up to counter-evidence. 
So if you don't mind, I'll start out with my take on what you just said:
I thought for a second that you might be joking on this claim. The world most definitely does not split down the middle on climate change. It probably seems that way in the United States, of course, because we are here bombarded with propaganda that pretends that it's a political issue. And the United States has had a long history of promoting political issues that split the population down the middle. But even the majority of persons in this country more honestly answer "I don't know" when typical climate change questions are asked. Those who have been fooled into thinking it's a political issue are apt to believe they know something about it when they don't. It's a very small percentage of the population who actually know anything more than the political propaganda that only pretends to know.
If we just count the people who have truly studied the scientific factors with respect to climate change, then we truly do get a split of about 98 percent who fall on side of human-influenced climate change. Only about 2 percent of scientists who have studied a wide range of climate related factors will deny that humans have had or can have any significant influence on climate. And only about 0 percent of such scientists believe that significant "global warming" does not exist. 
An old "divide and conquer" propaganda trick when trying to overcome the "impossible" is to find a couple of persons who will present themselves as experts and make a contrary claim to the scientifically tested claim. Then even if the skewing is 99 percent to 1 percent, the propagandist can still claim that "some experts hold an opposing opinion." Now you are just moments from using propaganda outlets, such as established news organizations to do the rest of the dirty work for you. News outlets love controversy and drama because news sells best when it is really entertainment instead of news. Also, news outlets can be made to look balanced by finding a representative of both sides of a controversy. So if the actual score is 99 to 1, propaganda outlets will make it look like 50/50. The 1 percent get just as much media attention as the 99 percent. When this happens often enough, someone will say: "the world is pretty much split down the middle on this topic."
It works like a charm, and climate change is only one of many such topics manipulated by propagandists.
Over the last few decades, there has been better understanding of the data and much improvement in the way the models reflect and predict reality. But this is not the reason that the term "global warming" sometimes takes a backseat to "climate change." The real reason is propaganda. Propagandists appeal to the stupidity of most of us by saying things like: "Ha! ha! These scientists still believe in global warming when it's freezing out today, and I have a snowball from an unexpected snowfall." Stupid people, who are usually the target, not the source of such propaganda will often fall for it. In fact, global warming just means that the average yearly temperature around the globe at literally 1,000s of different measuring points, measured daily, will all be averaged together to get a global average temperature for the entire year (or day, week, month, decade, etc). This global average is trending upward at a rate that is much faster and higher than most of the models predicted. But it does not necessarily follow that the average global yearly temperature will rise EACH year, or that there will not be unexpected cold waves and snowfalls. In fact, almost all global warming models all along have predicted that while global warming occurs it will follow that some areas will see colder and unexpected changes. This does not change the average global yearly temperature just because some areas still see a lot of cold, or even extra cold. For all the extra cold seen in some places there will be an excess of heat in other places making up for it.
For example, there were many times in the last few years when the temperature on the North Pole was warmer than the temperature in New York, when measured at the exact same time. But it is also true that some of the cold winds that usually effected the North Pole had trended southward and brought colder temperatures to parts of Canada and the United States. Some new cold temperature records were recorded to the south, while the North Pole reached temperatures in the 70's Fahrenheit.
Global warming is the same as climate change, and the data has come out just as models had predicted. Global warming has been a known fact for decades. It is not just 98 percent of climate specialists agree with, but 100 percent agree with it. The question has been whether man has caused a significant part of it, or can cause an improvement or change in the other direction. It is on this question where 98 percent of the scientists agree that man is influencing it, and 2 percent say no.
There have been some bad practices in science in most areas, but usually this is about scientists who are lazy and don't want to go through the selfless tedium of collecting their own real data. There are bad actors like this in all fields and it's just as prevalent in areas of science, schools, universities, labs, and of course authors, students professors who want to make a quick name for themselves, etc. Data is faked. No doubt about it. Data is often copied and adjusted and randomized within expected ranges to make it look like real work was put into it. But a second person or group comes along and can poke holes in it.
But the types of issues with data fraud that come up in climate science are much more common from the 2 percent trying to disprove global warming. These are paid for by the fossil fuel industry. Millions of dollars are poured into producing a propaganda network of studies that obfuscate data, cherry-pick datasets of anomalies to "prove" the opposite of what the full set of data indicated. Reports that don't go the way of the oil companies have been hidden, given false summaries, forged, and dishonestly edited.
The money machine behind the oil industry makes sure that all investigation of their fraud is squashed, and that even the most minor mistakes of actual climate scientists are blown out of proportion.
Most scientific innovation and energy innovation these days comes out of China. China is still not able or ready to wean themselves from dirty energy but their scientists realize the urgency. The US and Russia are too tied to their petroleum economies, and capitalist economies like these always fight change due to the effect of change on corporate profits. National interests become corporate interests. Corporate interests become the driver of politics and propaganda in places like the United States and Russia. Germany has done well in trying to wean off a petroleum economy. Other European nations see the advantages, but are at differing stages.
Unfortunately, there is no shortage of oil, coal, and natural gas, and natural gas is relatively cheap. Even to manufacture and transport solar and wind renewables still takes a lot of electricity and oil. When you drive an electric car you still ultimately get that electricity from coal in this country.
So I think the corporate and political propagandists of this world will drive change as slowly as possible, and if left to their own devices, would drive the planet to destruction.

If it is pretentious and arrogant, it certainly is no less so than your position. You assume with your newfound air of enlightened wisdom that if Jehovah's Witnesses "got involved" as you think they should, they would all say: "You know, that Srecko is right! Let's roll up our sleeves, pitch in and help him save the planet!" In fact, they would simple divide roughly 50/50 on the issue and fight each other to a standstill.
Do you think that you have stepped into an arena where there is unity? You haven't. We have. Do you think you are in a place where what you want done will be done? You're not. We are. Don't come here lecturing people about pretentiousness and arrogance. Your people are the ones who cannot agree on how many genders there are.
The world splits down the middle on climate change. The very reason it is called 'climate change' rather than the old term 'global warming' is because is because proponents got frustrated with the data not coming in as they thought it would. There have been several instances of fraud on that account so as to present a picture that the data does not back up. Europe is real keen on the climate change. Also Australia and Canada. But everyone else is lukewarm at best and some are opposed, including the current administrations of both the US and Russia.
Just ask @James Thomas Rook Jr. about it. (But tell @JW Insiderto stay away) They fought like cats and dogs over it once on this forum. So do you think that if they abandoned the Witness position to hold hands with you they would suddenly do a Kumbaya? No! They would fight like cats and dogs just on a bigger forum.
 
 
 

Actions speak louder than words. Personally I know that many JW's recycle, they prefer to purchase energy saving appliances, ride bikes instead of drive a car, conscientiously try to conserve water and be careful about littering and dumping contaminated things where they don't belong. Why would they do that if they didn't care? On top of that, as the article mentions, most of our new buildings are "green" .
https://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/united-states/gbi-awards-four-green-globes-sustainable-design/
http://www.constructionmanagermagazine.com/onsite/witness-model-construction-project/
It is our earth, given to us by Jehovah. Knowing that God will sort things out, is no excuse to treat the planet he gave us with disrespect. On the contrary. And as far as I know, that is every JW's attitude, including mine.
As for some kind of activism, well no, JWs don't take part in that because they know it is futile. And people who believe activism will help, then they are being naive, because the matter of money always comes first, and then concerns about the environment. Money will always win.

Every government in every country is corrupt. So does that mean that all criminals should go unpunished ? 
The 'world' is run and controlled by Satan the Devil, but God's word says that the authorities stand in place with God's approval at this time. Therefore if God allows those authorities to remain in 'power' it would be going against God not to show respect for those authorities. 
 

And was Rutherford supposed to be being guided by God and / or Jesus Christ in all this thinking / writing ? 
 

I caught my breath when reading this one.  I know I’ve mentioned this before, but it bears repeating to any JW that would pay attention to scriptures. The anointed are compared to stars.  These stars – “angels” do not symbolize the elder body, as the WT teaches regarding Rev 1:20; 2:1; Rev 12:1; (Gal 4:24,26) Angels are messengers, the anointed are messengers.   Mal 2:7; John 1:51; Matt 22:29,30; 1 Pet 3:22; Heb 12:22,23; Luke 10:20, etc. 
 “Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, (Rev 14:3-5; 2 Cor 11:2; Heb 7:26); “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky (Matt 5:16) as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain. Phil 2:14-16
These anointed “stars” can fall from their stable “heavenly” position. 
“Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position.”  2 Pet 3:17
During the last days, there are anointed ones “carried away by the error of the lawless”, who fall from God's grace.
“See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.” Heb 12:15
In order to defile many, one must lead many, into iniquity. 
Revelation 12:4 speaks of anointed who fall by swallowing deceptive teachings/water from a false prophet. 
Wormwood is a bitter root.*
·       *bitter gall; extreme wickedness, a bitter root, and so producing a bitter fruit. Matt 7:15-20
Wormwood represents fallen anointed leaders who produce spiritual bad “fruit” that defiles many.  Rev 13:11,14  When one falls from God’s grace by breaking the covenant with God, he or she commits spiritual adultery.   
“The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water— 11 the name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter.”  Rev 8:10,11
Truly, Jehovah’s people do not hunger spiritually or thirst for truth. Neither does the scorching heat of God’s fiery judgments fall upon us. We know how good the spiritual provisions taste and how nourishing they are. Km 5/88 p. 5,6
There is nothing nourishing about falsehoods, no matter how they are dressed with ‘side dishes’; but as the quote says, lies poison slowly, cautiously,  and I will add, deliberately.  The cup that Wormwood offers, is brimming with lies. Micah 2:11; Eph 5:18; Rev 17:1-4  Accepting this Harlot’s cup induces numbness; and the distinction of what is a lie and what is truth is impossible to determine, unless one sincerely turns to God, and asks for His help.    Jonah 2:1-9; Lam 3:19-25 
 
 
 
 

It seems than that the Kid is trying to run the show, and give orders to others. He seems to have learnt his ways from the GB and the Elders. 
I do wish people would fully understand the word Apostate though. And isn't this the OPEN forum for all of us.
Don't JW's have a private/ closed forum for themselves ? So where is the problem for that poor child Kid. Can't he just go to the Private forum and be happy there ? 
@JW Insider Quote "The only comments allowed in a congregational setting must be completely supportive even if the paragraph contained information that was clearly unscriptural. "
Thank you JWI, this is so true and so wrong. And it's a form of brainwashing, a ritual by parrot fashion answering. Basically just repeating what the W/t article states as 'fact' when in truth it is not fact. 
When you think of it that's how they teach evolution in schools. If it's in the text book it has to be right.  Just as if it's in the W/t it has to be right. 
Can people not see the hypocracy of it all. And that is what the Kid wants here, indoctrination. No thanks. 

TTH, Am I going to have to actually go back and read this entire thread? I tried to avoid reading it, by only scanning for comments on the Chilean flag portion. But it has become pretty obvious that I have been referenced by others more often than I have even made comments here in this thread. Don't know why I ever became a sub-topic here.
The rebuke was effective. I will be holding my cards close to the vest for the next few weeks. If I feel that my conscience is still clean, and there is no more reason to speak up anywhere about the things I have seen and heard, then I will happily remove myself completely and no longer comment in public about the controversies and issues that I currently think should be brought to light. For the record, I have not participated on any other public forum (with minor exceptions several years ago) before coming to this one when it was jw-archive.org. So this would not be a matter of merely moving to another forum.
Luke 17:3 of course says something like: "So watch yourselves. 'If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them.' "
Taking a strong stand or using a "loaded" bit of vocabulary has often triggered BTK (and persons just like him) to re-use the exact same words or expression back at the person he was conversing with. Although it was buried deep within your post, I read this, above, and fully expected BTK to use the same expression back at you. He came very close.
That minor quirk might relate to what you say below about another person that BTK reminds you of, but it is intentionally easy to disclaim this one as meaningless. It's just a friendly reminder that other similar reactions might not be unexpected. In my opinion, it's only one of literally hundreds of examples.
You are not implying it at all, but if BTK is AllenSmith "reincarnated," then I am very happy he is still here. Both Allen and BTK have very often provided unique insights that have been valuable in providing additional sides of an issue. But there may also be a dark lesson to be learned in the idea that a person can feel very distraught by having a past persona wiped out, and his prior comments removed as if worthless. It is probably akin to the removal of a person who has been disfellowshipped for matters of conscience, leaving them with no way to return, as if they have been wiped off the face of the earth, with loss of all prior connections that meant a lot to them. It's no wonder that we've seen people here refer to the process of disfellowshipping and shunning as a type of "murder." It must be worse for a person who feels that a forum is akin to a congregation in need of shepherding. (Sorry, my cards are showing again!)
I should add that BTK's comments also remind of AllenSmith in another way. When he quotes from other sources, or when he runs a comment through a Microsoft product before posting it here, those comments will reformat with extra gaps between paragraphs. When I checked the html "source code" of Allen's comments, they previously matched BTK's "source code" and have been the only ones on the forum that contained the following <class> and <span> definitions. Both of the following examples are from above in this thread:
----------------------------
<p class="MsoNormal">
            <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-bidi;mso-hansi-theme-font:
major-bidi;mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi">I would say, you demand as much as Anna, James, JWinsider when it comes to the role an Elder and the governing body has within Christ Church.</span>
<p class="MsoNormal">
            <span style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:107%;font-family:
&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;mso-ascii-theme-font:major-bidi;mso-hansi-theme-font:
major-bidi;mso-bidi-theme-font:major-bidi">As for knowing people are liars, I agree and I treat everyone as such. I don&rsquo;t hold preferences as you do. I don&rsquo;t admire apostasy as you do.</span>
This gives away another research trick but it's a simple and useful one for cyber forensics. By contrast. Here are your own, TTH. Mine are the same, with no extra mso options:
<p>
            We&rsquo;re on the same side, really, going about the same thing in different ways. I am not going to allow a division be made between us. I&rsquo;m just not.
        </p>
----------------------
This is not any indication that BTK is doing anything wrong. No matter what, he is completely within his rights to speak up as he does, and I appreciate it. If someone is going to publicly present an opinion or information they believe is true, it is always important to have someone with a different or opposite opinion providing their own information. It is what we often need to keep from just merely falling for the first (or last) opinion we hear on a topic. It's one of the reasons I always argued to keep Allen from being removed, as admins can attest.
BTK is trying to root apostasy from this site. I think there has been too much apostasy on this site, too. But I also think all apostates should have a place to express their views in public as it also provides a double-check on the men who may have judged them as apostate. I think that even within the congregation all disfellowshippings for apostasy should be argued in front of the entire congregation so that the rebuke of the majority can be clear. Accessible public forums may be the next best thing. I also think that all of us should be able to comment from the heart about anything stated in the congregation or on jw.org. There is no current forum for many of us to comment honestly from the heart, and no comments section on jw.org. The only comments allowed in a congregational setting must be completely supportive even if the paragraph contained information that was clearly unscriptural. In some cases those unscriptural ideas have already been corrected over the years, but in other cases they would have been corrected more quickly if all persons felt comfortable answering honestly from the heart.
Of course, BTK has the idea (that we keep going back to) that no one should be allowed to publicly disagree with a current Watchtower doctrine, policy, or practice. He even appears to believe that past mistakes and corrections were possibly part of Jehovah's plan, so that they were not really mistakes, after all. He also thinks that someone is literally apostate if they disagree with the current eschatology. Of course, our eschatology is tied so closely to teachings about the anointed, the great crowd, the faithful slave, specifics of prophetic explanations, the definition of generation, etc., that his position could be understandable.

"The best sign of truth is simplicity and clarity, the lie is always intricate, tawdry and eloquent." - Tolstoy
"The lie does not kill with the mallet, but it runs through blood vessels like poison, slowly and cautiously, so it does not even notice how it works" - Ivan Cankar

"The best sign of truth is simplicity and clarity, the lie is always intricate, tawdry and eloquent." - Tolstoy
"The lie does not kill with the mallet, but it runs through blood vessels like poison, slowly and cautiously, so it does not even notice how it works" - Ivan Cankar

Who was it that said, college is a snare and a racket?

"The best sign of truth is simplicity and clarity, the lie is always intricate, tawdry and eloquent." - Tolstoy
"The lie does not kill with the mallet, but it runs through blood vessels like poison, slowly and cautiously, so it does not even notice how it works" - Ivan Cankar

"The best sign of truth is simplicity and clarity, the lie is always intricate, tawdry and eloquent." - Tolstoy
"The lie does not kill with the mallet, but it runs through blood vessels like poison, slowly and cautiously, so it does not even notice how it works" - Ivan Cankar