Pudgy

When you hear tapping, tapping, gently rapping, tapping in your house late at night, it may be a Raven, or a Demon using Morse Code.

Hmmmmm……. I always thought those tunnels were used for giant radioactive ant men to get to central Australia. 
….. since the “other” stories about the tunnels have no proof, mine is EQUALLY valid. 
…… and Certainly worth what you paid for it.
For $15.00 I will send you a genuine hand drawn map!

Hmmmmm……. I always thought those tunnels were used for giant radioactive ant men to get to central Australia. 
….. since the “other” stories about the tunnels have no proof, mine is EQUALLY valid. 
…… and Certainly worth what you paid for it.
For $15.00 I will send you a genuine hand drawn map!

I assume you already know that I don't have any power to ban people from this forum. And I wouldn't ban anyone anyway, because I don't believe it's a good or useful thing to do. I think everyone comes to these forums for their own reasons. Mine are different from yours obviously. But I don't think I have any more right to be here than you do. I don't know the owner of the forum, and I'm not always happy with the way things go all the time, but it's not my forum, and he or she or they can run it as wished. I'm tired of it at times, but I still like to share what I learn, and learn if what I have shared has been thought about in a different way by others.
The most important thing for me is to share things in such a way that they might attract some others who are equally willing to discuss the same issues that have caused concern for me or other WItnesses, and who have found solutions or counterpoints to the specific issues raised.
I understand where you are coming from. And based on things you have said, I would agree that the easiest way to handle issues I have brought up (when you disagree) is to simply think of me as an apostate, or think of me as dishonest, or badly motivated. It's not possible for you to think of me as a brother, and I admit that it stings a bit, but I understand that I have no reason to take it personally on a forum, where I am not here in person. And I would not be able to be so honest if I were here in person, anyway. But this in no way keeps me from thinking of you as a sister, and understanding the predicament. If an apostate said any of the things I am saying, you would not need to be the least bit concerned with giving any kind of answer or response. You could merely ignore it, or simply state that you disagree. And you might even want to spit a bit of venom my way. It's probably natural.
I understand that it is my own fault if I create discomfort for some, in the same way that these questions once created discomfort for me. Some still do create a lot of discomfort for me, but I will still be honest about these issues, especially if I am going to find someone else who has found a solution that works for them, and might also work better for me.
The way I have come to see it is this: that in order to provoke an honest response I sometimes need to state the issue as honestly as I think it's possible to state it. There are many examples right here under this same topic. In a previous post here, I could have said, for example:
I don't think that Russell should be seen as having a special part in the fulfillment of Malachi 3 because I think it's possible he lied in court and it's possible he showed himself to be hypocritical and it's possible he was presumptuous and it's possible he was dishonest in other ways.
That might be a bit provocative but it would not be likely to elicit a real thought-out defense of why Russell should have a part in fulfilling Malachi 3. It just makes it more likely that someone will simply respond:
OK maybe Russell did some of those things, and maybe he didn't, so let's just give him the benefit of the doubt, and go with the WTS publications that involve Russell's work in the fulfillment of Malachi 3.
It's not that claim would have been dishonest, because I do believe "it's possible" when I spoke about those things I believed were possible. But it would be more honest if I stated my more honest belief that it's not only possible, but very true that Russell lied in court, for example. This way, I might elicit a solution from someone who actually also knows that it is true. Or a responder might show that they are just as concerned with the Bible issue in Malachi by asking for the reference about Russell. And if If they don't believe it, but also don't show any interest in the evidence, then I already know that they probably don't really care about the Bible problem involved, and have probably misunderstood it to be a sly way to take a "dig" at Russell, or relay some embarrassing history. And this will tell me something right away about the level of seriousness the person has about the Biblical issue.
And some will be expected to simply give a downvote to the very idea, or make a judgment about me that implies bringing up an issue (honestly) makes me apostate or demon-possessed. That's another way to handle the discomfort, and I can't judge them for it. It's the same way I tried to handle the same discomfort for a while. I can't take it personally for that reason. It's my own doing, since I am not trying to couch everything in easy terms here as I would do in my congregation.
And perhaps it's merely that I am the wrong kind of person to ask about such issues. Using another more common example, we would allow, or even expect an apostate to ask about the "overlapping lifespans" making up the latest definition of the generation. But if a Witness herself asks, it is considered possible evidence of apostasy, depending on how seriously they feel they need to present the question. If someone were to say, "Hey, I don't really have much of a problem with it, and I can see it going either way, but I am still a bit concerned," then we give them a pass, and say that they are probably not apostate. But what if that same person, to be more honest with others, will say, "Hey, I can't see this at all! I've looked up the Scriptures, and I think the explanation is wrong!" Now, that Witness is suspected of being or becoming an apostate merely because they are being more honest, or want their faith in things unseen to be based on evidence.
And I'm not saying that any Witness needs to respond to her question about the generation, even if they might find it necessary to down-vote her, or make a simple statement to say that it makes sense to them. For certain issues, that might even seem an appropriate response. It may be all we can do.

It seems to me that the only reason people argue about the stake or the  cross is to enhance their own credibility about other things, reasoning that if you can prove the stake concept is correct for the cross concept is correct you have more credibility.
It doesn’t 
…… Unless of course you actually have photographs.

When you hear tapping, tapping, gently rapping, tapping in your house late at night, it may be a Raven, or a Demon using Morse Code.

Hmmmmm……. I always thought those tunnels were used for giant radioactive ant men to get to central Australia. 
….. since the “other” stories about the tunnels have no proof, mine is EQUALLY valid. 
…… and Certainly worth what you paid for it.
For $15.00 I will send you a genuine hand drawn map!

The demons are very active on forums …it gives them the voice that Jehovah took from them.

thinking is no coward…probably not that brave eith tho……but also has a lot of common sense …I’m not Like JWI who is as dodgy as they come..twists and blabs away losing serious points in a confusion of ramblings.
 
The point is…Pearl has admitted to me personally she does no Bible study…but of course we can all put confidence in Her ….hahahaha….and never know what she is goinng to write as it just flows and comes to her.
Now if ones  Like JWI…want to find holes or worm his way around such blatant self admissions by the one doing these things…then who’s the coward ….and why?????
your as sly as they come JWI…..and I’d say a double agent who sits at the table of demons …and walks amongst Gods people doing the devils work?…and he does it because he has deceived himself ….you act as a insider…and are aptly named….
Ban me if you like from this forum..which houses dark forces anyway….I have to ask…myself why on earth are we and even worse/ me! tangoing with such dark forces….
Also who ever runs this forum at some stage you are going to have to step up  and protect ones who are honest hearted….and not become complacent in the devil having a platform……all for the sake of interesting conversations…..why not let’s just sit with the devil….I wonder how Jehovah would view us then..

…… And remember that Bob spelled backwards, it is boB.

I saw Bob this morning. Yep, good ol’ Bob. 
He said he saw Carl all dressed up in a suit and tie having coffee at the same table with the king of the south telling lies to each other. Man said they were to invade the land of decoration after going out in service, or letter writing rather. 
I couldn’t believe it! That rat!

You are in good company.
22 “Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. 23 “Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.” Luke 6:22-23

Bob …… 
Bob foresaw this happening ……
 

That reminds me of the Steve Martin comedy routine where he starts out with a sly voice and a giant grin that goes from ear to ear……
… “And I’m gonna tell you how to make a MILLION dollars ….. and never pay taxes”.
“And I’m gonna tell you how to make a million dollars and never pay taxes“.
“Yes I’m going to tell you how  to make A MILLION DOLLARS, and NEVER pay taxes.”
FIRST ……… get a million dollars.  ……….…….

You spend a lot of time worrying about other people's affairs. I think you'd be better off looking in the mirror.

Yes indeed. Didn't the Leaders of the Watchtower BLAME the CONGREGANTS  for 'getting it wrong about 1975' 

What an ironic moniker.

So, don't be a hammer. Be sensible and look at both sides of every coin. 

THAT .... is a very good point!

An Edler once said to me ' Things written in the Bible are there for a purpose, not just to fill up space'.
The overlapping generation is NOT written in the Bible. But the other things are.
The probelm is, the GB / Leaders / helpers of the Watchtower / JW org, just cannot be humble. They cannot just say 'We don't know'.   They are always pretending there is 'new light', which is funny as they now admit that they are not inpsired by God's Holy Spirit. so yes, they destroy their own credibility. 

When you are a hammer .....
...everything looks like a nail!

My guess was that Linda James was going along with the joke.
My intent was to have people continue the "story", and see where it would end up.
That assumes everybody "got it".

It does not have to be THAT funny to be mildly amusing, invoking mental imagry of the various sub-references.….. and besides, it was fun to write, and like Dilbert, most of my humor only I understand. 
 
….. thanks for stopping by, and don’t forget to tip the waitresses.
 
 

Does that go for the aliens thing too.

I find that all this "1914 Overlapping Generation", "Gog of Magog", and "King of the North" stuff does nothing but distract me ...and even if it is all true, it SOUNDS phony, and destroys any credibility that I might otherwise perceive.
I have resolved to put such things, and all similar things that have no practical, real life consequences ON THE GROUND, where the "rubber meets the road" on a mental "suspense list" shelf, and ignore it completely.
Otherwise, I agree with GB Member Dan Sydlik, and will try to do the same.