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Samuel Livingsotone

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  1. Upvote
    Samuel Livingsotone got a reaction from Ann O'Maly in Why don't Jehovah's Witnesses celebrate Easter?   
    Here is the Origins if it is from German Ostara
    http://bellejar.ca/2013/03/28/easter-is-not-named-after-ishtar-and-other-truths-i-have-to-tell-you/
    Actually, according to Jacob Grimm’s Deutsche Mythologie, which he wrote after journeying across Germany and recording its oral mythological traditions, the idea of resurrection was part and parcel of celebrating the goddess Ostara:
    “Ostara, Eástre seems therefore to have been the divinity of the radiant dawn, of upspringing light, a spectacle that brings joy and blessing, whose meaning could be easily adapted by the resurrection-day of the christian’s God. Bonfires were lighted at Easter and according to popular belief of long standing, the moment the sun rises on Easter Sunday morning, he gives three joyful leaps, he dances for joy … Water drawn on the Easter morning is, like that at Christmas, holy and healing … here also heathen notions seems to have grafted themselves on great christian festivals. Maidens clothed in white, who at Easter, at the season of returning spring, show themselves in clefts of the rock and on mountains, are suggestive of the ancient goddess.”
    Spring is a sort of resurrection after all, with the land coming back to life after lying dead and bare during the winter months. To say that ancient peoples thought otherwise is foolish, naïve and downright uninformed. Many, many pagan celebrations centre around the return of light and the rebirth of the land; these ideas are not new themes in the slightest.
    And yes, rabbits and eggs are fertility symbols, and they are, in fact, associated with Eostre.
  2. Upvote
    Samuel Livingsotone got a reaction from Melinda Mills in How about an "Expose Wrongdoing / Hypocrisy" category on here?   
    Their actions are between themselves and Jehovah. He knows their hearts and will see that his faithful are rewarded.
    it is not for us to become the conscience police or to publicly shame them on social media
  3. Upvote
    Samuel Livingsotone reacted to JW Insider in Why won't they announce the reason for disfellowshipping or disassociation?   
    @Γιαννης Διαμαντιδης,
    I do not know any specifics of your particular situation or the situation in your congregation. No matter what the case, Jehovah knows your heart, and no humans or organization actually holds the final word of judgment. What I can say is that I'm aware of why there was a time when we once announced the reasons for disfellowshipping or disassociation. Then it turned into "conduct unbecoming a Christian" or "so-and-so no longer wishes to be associated . . . " often with a related talk given within a week or so, designed to remind the congregation of the need to remain morally clean, and the specific worldly or immoral elements the congregation had shown vulnerability to were usually emphasized. 
    It should be obvious why this has changed. We do not wish to embarrass the person over a specific wrong or reason that they may later wish the congregation had no specific knowledge about. Most persons disfellowshipped are somewhere in a process of repentance. The elders do not believe the process is ever perfect, but they especially do not want to create a situation where a person might regret having everyone else know what weaknesses they overcame. There are issues of fairness and justice to consider when a congregation may know all about one party in a wrongdoing but nothing about a second party to the same wrongdoing.
    I don't think I need to spell out all the ways that one person may be hurt more deeply due to the unfairness of allowing a different level of information for two different persons where the wrongdoing may have been equal. The other side of that coin, is the case where two persons were involved in the same wrongdoing, but one person was much guiltier than the other, yet the announcement sounds pretty much the same for both. The best solution has appeared to be the minimization of all announcements, allowing persons to keep more privacy and dignity.
    Perhaps in your case, you wish to "give a witness" about why you are choosing to disassociate. Because you have been a Witness, your motivation is understandable, but you are asking for an opportunity to explain yourself in ways that might be considered detrimental to the spiritual well-being of the congregation. The elders are there to take care of the spiritual interests of the whole congregation. Most persons do not join a Christian congregation to get a sermon from someone who disagrees with the teachings that they joined to hear more about. You don't go to a meeting to have your belief system torn down, but to be built up. If you feel you have important points to make, why not write a book, or write to elders, or branch personnel, or go on the Internet, so that the congregation in general will have a choice as to what kind of information they risk exposing themselves to.
     
     
  4. Upvote
    Samuel Livingsotone reacted to Evacuated in Could Jehovah choose an 8 year old child to be one of the "anointed"?   
    Yes, in answer to your question. And if their dedication and baptism was accepted, what would be the basis for dissuading them? As we recently discussed in the Watchtower, the only difference between anointed and others is their calling. So, apart from taking the emblems, their behaviour should be no different from any other dedicated 8 year old. And, as they would continue subject to their parents until adulthood, the congregation would support them as it would any other family.
    And if that 8 year old should change their viewpoint later, what of it? As long as they wished to serve Jehovah faithfully, they would be supported by family and the congregation whatever their destiny.
    I can't help but be reminded of the spirit of Gamaliel's words (Acts 5:39) in many of these discussions about who is and isn't anointed.
  5. Upvote
    Samuel Livingsotone reacted to Fmadriaga in PRINCE ROGERS NELSON   
    Jah is a God of justice, so no two standards.  Though i was shaken last time coz he have favorites ?
    As for this, we don't even know if he is baptised already or what his standing in the congration is or if this.  Remember, the congregation are all composed of imperfect sinners at different levels of spiritual maturity.
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