Jump to content
JWTalk - Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community

Newtonian

Restricted Users
  • Posts

    2,294
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Everything posted by Newtonian

  1. True - He said that while the first 5 things were good, making disciples and baptizing them was our goal. I just finished watching the March program. The brother interviewed of course concentrated on the spiritual blessings of having been baptized at age 15 and being used by Jehovah in many ways. He mentioned the 1953 convention announcement of a new training program - he was trained and trained others. If I remember correctly, he trained Br. Sanderson. Married at 28, 52 years of marriage - over 60 years of service. Although just a snippet from his experiences, I liked his mentioning besides spending long hours with young ones in the ministry (I enjoyed this too when I was young) there was also fun playing board games, softball & basketball. It reminded me of the thread on dreaming of a schedule in the New System including recreation - I had fun on that thread! But I have a question - which board games would be best? Like - do they play board games in Angola or Mozambique? Of course, the spiritual encouragement, including the new song whose title I forget, was/is more important. I loved the lyric 'because you gave your life for me - I give my life to you! [something like that] That's our dedication and baptism! Oh, and that beautiful waterfall in Angola!
  2. The study article "Let Jehovah Soothe you" is very encouraging if you have anxiety or depression - here: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020286 "The apostle Paul had strong faith, but he was overwhelmed with “anxiety for all the congregations.” (2 Cor. 11:28) King David had such strong faith that Jehovah developed a special fondness for him. (Acts 13:22) Even so, David made mistakes that caused him to suffer bouts of crushing anxiety. (Ps. 38:4) Jehovah comforted and soothed each one of them. Let us examine what we can learn from their examples." When I was disciplined and could not comment - at one meeting I looked up the wrong verse - in the 38th Psalm - the song of a suffering repentant one. I couldn't believe my eyes - it was exactly how I felt (Psalms 38:2-11) What a comfort to me - David felt the same way I did - his words exactly matched my situation (I did not commit adultery). Yet David was forgiven! I had already been forgiven by the one I sinned against - eventually my prayers were answered and we became best friends. I still feel Jehovah had a hand in my turning to the 38th Psalm - that this was comfort for me from Jehovah! WHAT WE LEARN FROM KING DAVID "As in the case of King David, what can help us if we make a serious mistake? (See paragraphs 16-19)"
  3. I second that! Wonderful pictures! See this thread for more! Hmmm - I tried twice to put a link to the above thread- somehow the above appeared! The thread is in the deep Bible research forum section.
  4. Hmmm - well, since no one else has posted on this study edition of the Watchtower: Archaeological evidence that Israelites were slaves in Egypt, which Bible critics have claimed is myth, is documented in this article in our March 2020 study edition: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020322 "A papyrus dated to the Middle Kingdom (c. 2000–c. 1600 B.C.E.) contains names of slaves who worked in a household in southern Egypt. More than 40 of those names are Semitic. These slaves, or servants, worked as cooks, weavers, and laborers. Hoffmeier observes: “Since over forty Semites were attached to this single estate in the Thebaid [southern Egypt], the number across Egypt, especially in the Delta, was likely considerable.” Archaeologist David Rohl writes that some of the names of the slaves on the list “leap straight out of the pages of the Bible.” For instance, the fragments contain names that are similar to such names as Issachar, Asher, and Shiphrah. (Ex. 1:3, 4, 15) “This is real evidence for the time when the Israelites were in Egypt as slaves,” concludes Rohl. Dr. Bimson states: “The biblical traditions of the bondage in Egypt and of the Exodus have a firm historical basis.” See the article for additional documentation.
  5. And the trinity - did you know Isaac Newton, my user namesake, also rejected the trinity and that he wrote more on his Biblical research than on his scientific research! See: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1977284#h=1:0-60:672 Excerpts (see the article) - "Newton appreciated that God is the Source of all truth, and in line with the deep reverence he had for his Creator, he appears to have spent even more time searching after the true God than he did in searching out scientific truths. An analysis of all that Newton wrote reveals that out of some 3,600,000 words only 1,000,000 were devoted to the sciences, whereas some 1,400,000 were on religious topics.3" "3. The Correspondence of Isaac Newton, edited by H. W. Turnbull, F.R.S., Cambridge 1961, Vol. 1, p. XVII." "In his writings, Newton gave much attention to the doctrine of the Trinity. One of his most outstanding contributions to the Biblical scholarship of the time was his work An Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture, first published in 1754, twenty-seven years after his death. It reviewed all the textual evidence available from ancient sources on two Bible passages, at First John 5:7 and First Timothy 3:16." "Using early Church writers, the Greek and Latin manuscripts and the testimony of the first versions of the Bible, Newton proved that the words “in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one,” in support of the Trinity doctrine, did not appear in the original inspired Greek Scriptures. He then traced the way in which the spurious reading crept into the Latin versions, first as a marginal note, and later into the text itself. He showed that it was first taken into a Greek text in 1515 by Cardinal Ximenes on the strength of a late Greek manuscript corrected from the Latin. Finally, Newton considered the sense and context of the verse, concluding, “Thus is the sense plain and natural, and the argument full and strong; but if you insert the testimony of ‘the Three in Heaven’ you interrupt and spoil it.”4" "4. An Historical Account of Two Notable Corruptions of Scripture, by Sir Isaac Newton, Edition of 1830, London, p. 60."
  6. Somehow this sentence disappeared from my post, and too much time has passed for me to edit it back in: Don't boil the flax seed tea for more than 2 minutes or you will end up with flax seed jelly instead of flax seed tea.
  7. One more thing - the media correctly has informed us that no antibiotic helps since this is a virus, not a bacteria. They also correctly have reported that there is no vaccine for this virus (any mutated variant). But they are, very suspiciously, totally silent about anti-virals!!!! There is no good reason to not tell us - but there are some really bad reasons to not tell us. What they do say is that there is no drug approved by the FDA to treat Corona virus - I guess they think the virus will wait for FDA approval! Btw - unfortunately I have allot of experience with bronchitis and some with pneumonia, and for me some things help - here are a few: 1. Flax seed tea breaks up a cough so you can cough up the congestion. The recipe: 2 teaspoons of flax seed,, 2 cups of water, boil for 2 minutes - add honey and lemon to taste. When done, strain out the seeds before adding the honey and lemon (it can taste like lemonade) - however, the seeds are edible so no need to worry if some seeds are in the tea. 2. A hot water bottle on the chest. Most microbes/germs are better handled by the body if the infected location is hot - that's why fever helps - as long as your brain does not get too hot (an ice pack on the head will help with that). 3. A menthol vapor goo - like Vicks or any generic with menthol - you can breathe in the vapor deep into the lungs - from up the nose/nostrils - it also helps. 4. Blackberry brandy - one teaspoon swallowed about every 30 minutes - Alcohol also kills germs on contact. Wine is too weak, whisky is way too strong. 5. Chicken soup with cayenne - red pepper. It also helps. Black pepper irritates tissue, Cayenne/red pepper helps tissue heal - in moderation btw! 6. Orange juice - or similar - helps a little - other healthy fluids help - but orange juice has vitamin C which helps. 7, Deliberately cough up mucus in the bronchial tubes and lungs - this is where flax seed tea is crucial. There are also drugs that can help with this - but flax seed is not a drug - it is actually a healthy food - but it has to be tea/liquid to help. 8. Echinacea - I take it as a pill - it is especially effective early on before onset of serious symptoms. It is an herb. But with a very virulent microbe (bacteria or virus) this won't be enough - you will also have to be hospitalized as I was twice this past year. But all of the above helped me survive as well - the most critical is flax seed tea since it helps you cough up the mucus so you can breathe. Simply, you cannot live if you cannot breathe!
  8. True - so far. The problem is that Corona virus is far more contagious than the flu - and more virulent than the flu. There is an old saying - a stitch in time saves 9. Jehovah's organization is taking seriously the threat, especially to us elderly, to get pneumonia and die from this virus. As Jesus foretold, the nations do not know the way out (Luke 21:25). Admitting the serious problems that exist will cause panic (not necessarily unreasonable panic). But not admitting this will increase the rate the virus will spread. For example, just a few hours ago Louisiana has their first case of Corona Virus - though officially not confirmed by the CDC (= Centers for disease control) in Atlanta, Georgia. The person came from Jefferson parish (= county here in Louisiana) - but hospitalized in New Orleans The person had not travelled and they do not know how they contracted the virus. Just enough information to make us nervous. But what they won't tell us is who the person is, what hospital they are in, and when they were in the emergency room (the time). But they did say the person was in the emergency room for some time. Here is the problem - if they would tell us which emergency room during what time, then those who were there at that time could self-quarantine - but now they don't know. Frankly, they are telling us just enough information to cause panic, but not enough information to help those who had contact with mysterious person X to self-quarantine until tested. Not to mention that it is difficult for a person to get tested. Bottom line - more information, more panic but less spread of the virus. Less information, less panic but more rapid spread of the virus. Personally - I am nervous about attending our convention this Sunday in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. I am not panicking. The person did not contract Covid/Corona by travelling - so if we have not traveled we also could already be infected but without symptoms. Edit: the latest: The governor admitted they have several hundred test kits - that is deplorable! Also, so far in Louisiana only 15 - yes 15 - people have been tested - 14 negative, 1 positive! They also maintained their stand to not make public any more details about person x (ostensibly to protect their privacy) - good reason to panic don't you all think? Remember the Aid's epidemic? One reason it spread so far so fast is that it was illegal to reveal who had been tested positive for Aids! But this epidemic is much worse for us who are chaste in conduct - the virus is not spread primarily by sexual contact - it is air borne and lasts on surfaces. So we will likely soon all be at risk. Sorry - I am not really panicking - but I have no confidence that this country will take the way out - or even if they know the way out. Their is an old saying: hope for the best, expect the worst. Btw - the virus is continually mutating according to one health authority on TV - and you know if its on the media its true! Just kidding!
  9. Brother Brother Si - Thank you so much for starting this thread - I just love to dream about life in the New World. As some of you already know, I would like to live on the/a Antarctic Coastal mountain in the New System. Note, however, that my daily schedule for summer (with 24 hours of light) and winter (with 24 hours of darkness) would be different - so I will post my summer schedule for now. While this will be typical day, I would likely have somewhat variant schedules each day. Also we will pray each meal and each family study and congregation meeting (usually 2 hours with 30 minute intermission with refreshments/association) - 3 meetings per week - visit other congregations once per week. Three conventions per year - two assigned (incl. one 2-day convention) and one free to travel to any convention but with advance notice. Summer 6:30-7.00 am cuddle my wife and kitties, get up and walk the terrace gardens (thermal glass enclosed), pick some fruit and say Hi to some early bird neighbors while my wife cooks breakfast (my wife and I alternate cooking each day and on the 7th day eat left-overs), 7:00 - 7:30 we eat while having a family study. Yum (both ways!) 7.30-9:00 - we walk the terraced gardens and associate with neighbors - East one day, West the next day - 6th day up one week, down the next week along the 280' parkland (one per mile). On the 6th day this would take up most or all of the morning. 9.00-12 noon - joining brothers and sisters gardening, farming, building, harvesting, cleaning or other projects/chores needing to be done - meeting on 7th day. Noon -1 PM - Alternate cooking, napping each day - 7th day eating out wherever we travelled. family study while eating - or group study. 1:00 to 5:00 - 1st day - gardening internal greenhouses and internal chores. 2nd day - harvesting internal greenhouses and sharing with animals - letting animals help in the harvesting. 3rd day - skiing on North slope, partly under glass - or sledding (etc.) . 4th day - hike to parkland,, down to base icy coast - playing with the Penguins when sunny (this would be in the best external weather of the 5 days). 5th day - watching and playing with animals in the internal pastureland or simply lying on the grass and watching nature. 6th day - travel - once per week high speed tube transit 300 mph North beginning 11 AM to temperate destinations visiting friends. going to ocean beaches sometimes, staying overnight in cool high elevation equatorial destinations - highly variable - lunch while travelling - siesta while travelling, videos, personal study, etc. 7th day - Spent in equatorial destination once per month with friends doing whatever we choose to do. Spent in warm beaches once per month, body surfing, making sand castles, having fun. Eating and studying together with friends, stay overnight. Or simply staying home doing whatever we want to do. Note: When travelling far (to equatorial locations) once per month the entire weekend is spent with that congregation and we will follow the schedule of the family we are visiting most (but not all) of the time. 5:00 to 6:00 - alternate cooking and resting (recreation or napping) - then prayer, eating, then cleaning up - can end past 6 PM. 6.00pm- 9:30 PM - 3 meetings per week - one on 7th day morning. - the other 5 evenings: 3rd day - back to sledding or indoor rowboating, scuba diving in warm coral reefs, canoeing, boating along internal lakes and rivers, watching waterfalls, use of internal recreation areas (tennis, bowling, ping pong, ) 4th day - return hike on the next parkland 1 mile east or west or internal elevators through internal stores, gardens, etc. 5th day - going with a group to do whatever. Prayer at meals, bedtime, or whenever. Two Bible studies with resurrected ones on two evening - eating and recreation with them as well.. 9:30 - 10:30 - totally variable including early to bed , early rise the next morning when travelling to equatorial locations once per month (ditto warm beaches).
  10. It depends on when in the pandemic one makes the observation. At this point, one of the worst plagues was part of the beginning of pangs of distress in these last days - namely the Spanish flu in 1918 which killed c. 20 million people in one year! One expert noted that the Corona virus is constantly mutating - that makes it potentially extremely dangerous - or more benign - depending on what it mutates into! We have made much progress since 1918 - we can now cure viruses! Just kidding - we cannot cure all viruses. A BIG question to me is: Sure, antibiotics do not stop viruses - but why isn't anyone talking about anti-virals???????
  11. I wanted to start a thread on what qualities of Jehovah draw us to love Him and invite you all to join me/us in sharing some examples that are dear to your heart - not just the qualities, but also in getting to know Jehovah (John 17:3; 1 John 4:8) through Bible reading, and in real life experiences as we meet together to incite to love and fine works (Hebrews 10:24 - see NWSTY study notes) - or in any other way. The NWSTY study notes are here: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/b/r1/lp-e/nwtsty/58/10#study=discover&v=58:10:24 In our Watchtower Bible study Sunday we considered helping Bible students to progress towards baptism by helping them grow in love for Jehovah - from paragraph 8: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020240 "As you conduct the study, then, emphasize Jehovah’s appealing qualities. Help your students to understand that our loving God wants them to gain everlasting life, and he is ready to help them to achieve that goal." To me Jehovah's love is the most endearing quality that moves me to love Jehovah with all my heart (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:29,30). Thank Jehovah, I was called on and gave a comment on Jehovah being love and not cruel (somewhere in the article, can't find it now). I mentioned how many in Christendom are taught God is cruel, teaching them God eternal torments people. In contrast we have found from our study of Scripture that this is a false doctrine painting God as cruel. Oh, and so much more - but I will stop there and wait for you all to share some of the things that draw you closer to Jehovah!
  12. Yes, that was my assumption but I forgot to take into account the Hebrew imperfect tense (action in progress not yet complete) in Genesis 2:18-22. But verse 20 does imply that Adam had named all the animals and then Eve was created: Genesis 2:20 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) 20 So the man named all the domestic animals and the flying creatures of the heavens and every wild animal of the field, but for man there was no helper as a complement of him.
  13. Yes, my mistake - I meant the 6,000th year of the 7th creative day - thank you for the correction! I meant 100 years from 4026 BCE for Adam's creation and 3926 BCE for Eve's creation. And I am not really serious about this but I have no idea how long it took Adam to name all the animals. But I think this was finished before Eve was created. The 7th creative day began after Eve's creation.
  14. Thank you sister Samira. Have any of you heard of any convention cancellations?
  15. From: https://climate.nasa.gov/evidence/ Excerpt: ""The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters (about 2,300 feet) of ocean showing warming of more than 0.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969.[6]" "6. Levitus, S.; Antonov, J.; Boyer, T.; Baranova, O.; Garcia, H.; Locarnini, R.; Mishonov, A.; Reagan, J.; Seidov, D.; Yarosh, E.; Zweng, M. (2017). NCEI ocean heat content, temperature anomalies, salinity anomalies, thermosteric sea level anomalies, halosteric sea level anomalies, and total steric sea level anomalies from 1955 to present calculated from in situ oceanographic subsurface profile data (NCEI Accession 0164586). Version 4.4. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information. Dataset. doi:10.7289/V53F4MVP"
  16. I'm sure glad that this past year I was in the hospital with bronchitis to pneumonia from bacteria: first - Strep; the second from some other microbe that was not Strip, or Flu type A or B. Antibiotics helped and I was cured both times. However, anti-biotics cannot kill viruses though they can eliminate some complications. There are anti-virals - but the media is not mentioning them. Why? Don't some anti-virals work on Corona Virus?
  17. Wow! Do you have a link to that? We are about to have a circuit assembly - wonder if it might be cancelled?
  18. Seriously, back in the late 1960's we thought it took Adam less than a year to name all the animals and thus ignored this time period in our calculation that led to 1975 being the 6,000th year of man's existence. For us, we take some time - often over a month- to name a cat (for example). Let us assume Adam took a year to name 24 animals (2 per month) and that there were 2,400 animals to name. That would mean it took Adam 100 years to name all of the animals, and the 6,000th year of man's existence would be 2075. I hope you all aren't taking me too seriously !
  19. Besides the resurrection and having a part in teaching resurrected ones - one of the things I most look forward to is peace among all mankind and all animals! (Isaiah 11:6-9; 65:25) Like this picture from our book: "Mt Book of Bible Stories" story # 115- https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1101978174 STORY 115 A New Paradise on Earth LOOK at those tall trees, pretty flowers and high mountains. Isn’t it beautiful here? See how the deer is eating out of the little boy’s hand. And look at the lions and the horses standing over there in the meadow. Wouldn’t you like to live in a house in a place like this?
  20. What I got from the beginning of the program is that our goal is to make disciples, but even if we do not have a Bible Student that becomes a disciple, we are still planting the seed - others may water, Jehovah then makes it grow. 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) 6 I planted,+ A·polʹlos watered,+ but God kept making it grow, 7 so that neither is the one who plants anything nor is the one who waters, but God who makes it grow.+ We are not just teaching, we are helping people to observe all of the things Jesus commanded (Matthew 28:19,20) and we should focus our attention on deserving ones (Matthew 10:11-13). Acts 13:48 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) 48 When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers. Baptism saves (1 Peter 3:21)
  21. I like how this article highlights how we can learn to love Jehovah: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020320 I especially liked: "You could view love for Jehovah as both the gateway to baptism and the guardrail that helps you stay on the path of serving God." When I first saw this article I said to myself: I have been baptized for many years - so this article is for others not me. Didn't keep that thought long though! Love for Jehovah is actually the greatest commandment in the Bible according to Jesus (Matthew 22:37-40; Mark 12:29,30; Deuteronomy 6:4,5) - and this is always the most important thing! I love the phase "the guardrail that helps you stay on the path of serving God!
  22. Here: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/library/r1/lp-e/all-publications/watchtower/the-watchtower-2020/study-edition/april Article "An attack coming from the North" - here: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020364 For starters I like the point about how that early group of Bible Students incl. Brother Russell arrived at important Scriptural truths - a method we still use - studying the Bible by subject. We also study the Bible in context as in our assigned Bible reading: [as reflected in our indexes] "MORE than a century ago, Brother C. T. Russell and his associates, a small group of other students of God’s Word, began to meet together. They wanted to see if they could learn what the Bible really teaches about Jehovah God, Jesus Christ, the condition of the dead, and the ransom. Their method of study was simple. Someone would raise a question, and then the group would examine every scripture text related to the subject. Finally, they would make a record of their findings. With Jehovah’s blessing, those sincere Christian men discovered many fundamental Bible truths that we cherish to this day." What are some of those truths learned so long ago (Mt.24:45 - at the proper time) which we still cherish?
  23. Thank you for posting on one of the three articles on the King of the North and South! To add: https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2020401 "If we view the prophecies of Ezekiel 38:10-23; Daniel 2:43-45; 11:44–12:1; and Revelation 16:13-16, 21 as speaking about the same time period and events, it appears that we can expect the following developments. 14 Sometime after the start of the great tribulation, “the kings of the entire inhabited earth” will form a coalition of nations. (Rev. 16:13, 14; 19:19) That coalition becomes what the Scriptures call “Gog of the land of Magog.” (Ezek. 38:2) That coalition of nations will make one final all-out assault on God’s people. What will provoke the attack? Speaking of this time, the apostle John saw a storm of unusually large hailstones raining down on God’s enemies. That symbolic hailstorm may take the form of a hard-hitting judgment message delivered by Jehovah’s people. It could be that this message provokes Gog of Magog into attacking God’s people with the intention of wiping them off the earth.—Rev. 16:21." I like cross referencing Ezekiel, Daniel and Revelation which, taken in harmony, provide additional detail. I also noted that while we have a new understanding of Gog and Magog, we already knew from the cross references that all of the nations will attack God's people and that demonic deceptions are involved: Revelation 16:13-16 New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (Study Edition) 13 And I saw three unclean inspired expressions* that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon+ and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and they perform signs,+ and they go out to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war+ of the great day of God the Almighty.+ 15 “Look! I am coming as a thief.+ Happy is the one who stays awake+ and keeps his outer garments, so that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.”+ 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Armageddon.*+ While Gog is not Satan, the Dragon is Satan so we already knew he, the political system (wild beast), the Anglo-American World Power (7th head/false prophet), and the demons will deceive "the kings of the entire inhabited earth" in a 'coalition' at the onset of Armageddon (the immediate cause of Armageddon). I take comfort in that many of the adjustments in our understandings over the decades since I came into the truth are usually not changes in actual belief, but in the accurate understanding of specific Bible accounts. Of course, we have also improve in our actual beliefs to be in harmony with Scripture - but that was more the case in the 1920's then now. I think, anyway. Meanwhile, are you all anticipation (like me) of what that hard hitting message will be?
  24. As I posted, I would offer to demonstrate a free home Bible Study. I might add that we are there to teach what the Bible really teaches and that we are Bible students as well. Also, I might seek common ground by saying - do you agree with us that the Bible is God's Word? So, do you think it would be good to share what we have learned from the Bible? Or something like that.

About JWTalk.net - Jehovah's Witnesses Online Community

Since 2006, JWTalk has proved to be a well-moderated online community for real Jehovah's Witnesses on the web. However, our community is not an official website of Jehovah's Witnesses. It is not endorsed, sponsored, or maintained by any legal entity used by Jehovah's Witnesses. We are a pro-JW community maintained by brothers and sisters around the world. We expect all community members to be active publishers in their congregations, therefore, please do not apply for membership if you are not currently one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

JWTalk 23.8.11 (changelog)