Jehovah's Witnesses are bringing convention, financial boost to Salem

I thought it was Salem Massachusetts. That is where they burned the witches or persons who were falsely accused as being witches in the Dark Ages.

The JW's have completely destroyed my Family. in my opinion they are nothing but a bunch of mind altering people that brainwash the elderly and the naive. I had a normal happy family until a couple named Keith and Raetta showed up in my Mothers life. Thanks to my jail ridden uncle, as all prisoners do reach for the bible after being locked up. So happenly My grandmother was a true blooded jw. She only had a relationship with family members she brainwashed into the JWS. This Religion is a CULT. what other religion tells you what to where and has you out passing out their watchtower books on your time and gas? they actually expect work or money out of you. If Keith and Raetta read this Thank you so much for ripping my family apart...I am sure God is proud of you. Does it make you feel good to tear family's apart? Jw's are the hokiest religion ever.. research them, see how many predictions they predited wrong.. see how many family's they have torn apart. God would never want that. I have to believe that, and I am not that religious. God does good not Bad...

i have been waiting on these people during these conventions as i am an associate at the front desk of one of the nicer hotels.... and they have been the NICEST most respectful personable people.... the children are well behaved.....that being said, here's what i think.... it's ALL a little too "Stepford" for me... children should misbehave from time to time and not be robots....
All of them tipped VERY well!!! i remarked about it to one of the leaders and he said "Yes, that is because the elders mandated that!" are these folks a bunch of "Sheeple"??? mindlessly doing what they are told?? i mean i loved getting my first $20 tip at the front desk, but c'mon!! i didn't do shit, really, to deserve it. i WILL say, however, they DIDN'T try to save my "heathen" soul.... NOT ONCE!!! weird........ i loved the people, but i eye the religion with an air of wariness....sumptin's amiss!!!!

We try to do what is right according to the bible and yes that IS very different and strange behavior to observers who are not use to it.

As far as "ripping families apart". It is not the JW's that do that. I am the only JW in my family and it was MY family that disowned ME. I did nothing to them nor did I break off any relationships with them. They simply could not handle me changing my life for the better. I believe that they began to feel guilty for their own bad behavior that they were comparing to my improved behavior. Not that I'm perfect. But I am striving to be obedient to the bible principles which have elevated my life up out of the gutter of this nasty and immoral world.

Yes, I am aware that some JW do not want to associate with some of their family members. However, it's not because they don't love them. Usually they want to share the wonderful things that they have learned from God's word and the family member doesn't want to hear it. So since that is mostly what they think and live about and for; they really do not have much in common with them anymore. And many family members have forbidden the JW to even speak about Jehovah God with them. When one loves Jehovah God more than anyone or anything, which is what we are suppose to do; it ticks off many family members who wrongly accuse the JW's of thinking that they are better than them.

It's sad when someone accuses the JW of being the one who rips families apart when it is in reality satan and HIS ways.

Jimmy David wrote:

i have been waiting on these people during these conventions as i am an associate at the front desk of one of the nicer hotels.... and they have been the NICEST most respectful personable people.... the children are well behaved.....that being said, here's what i think.... it's ALL a little too "Stepford" for me... children should misbehave from time to time and not be robots....
All of them tipped VERY well!!! i remarked about it to one of the leaders and he said "Yes, that is because the elders mandated that!" are these folks a bunch of "Sheeple"??? mindlessly doing what they are told?? i mean i loved getting my first $20 tip at the front desk, but c'mon!! i didn't do shit, really, to deserve it. i WILL say, however, they DIDN'T try to save my "heathen" soul.... NOT ONCE!!! weird........ i loved the people, but i eye the religion with an air of wariness....sumptin's amiss!!!!

I believe I understand what you are saying ' a niceness' an unnatural politeness and behavior.
Lack of spontanaity ,self consciousness, of making right image.
Everything is image taught constantly to these people. Taught to present themselves, as clean shaven tidy smart dress. House and home , white picket fences everything tidy in place lace curtains. Car clean and sparkling. Constantly taught about how you present your outside image to others for Jehovahs sake. yet at the same time learn on the inside to hate anyone different to them. Don't associate with worldly neighbors, don't talk to apostates, don't go on worldly forums like this one. ha ha ha.

Now Jimmy David
Here is for you what Jehovah Gods Word really says
"God loved the world so much he sent his only begotten son, that whomsoever exercises faith in him shall not perish but have everlasting life."
"Everyone who has the Son has this life."
Many of us are labeled Apostates for we refuse to direct people to an organization, but direct people to exercising faith in Jesus Christ.

YES, Little Lamb!!!!!!!! as i will coin shortly.....

IT'S THE WORD, NOT THE HERD!!!!!

YOU DON'T NECESSARILY need fellowship in an actual church to find christ OR just to live better...

God is not gonna condemn me to hell for not paying tithes, going to church, or knocking on doors.....
there are SO MANY other reasons he could choose to bar me from heaven!!!!!!
but thanks for your insightful post!!

I love that phrase ' Its the WORD not the HERD.'
Hits it right on the nail
But exercising FAITH does mean obedience to Christ.
And there are commands he has given.
That is generally why congregations got started in the first place, but what seems to go wrong is THEY become more important then HIM.

abrother wrote:

I thought it was Salem Massachusetts. That is where they burned the witches or persons who were falsely accused as being witches in the Dark Ages.

Only Native Americans lived anywhere near Salem (which wasn't called that) in the Dark Ages. The Dark Ages were roughly 1000 years before the witch trials.

BTW, abrother..... the article/thread is talking about Salem, Oregon on the WEST coast!!!!
but don't worry.... we have our fair share of pitchfork-wielding, torch-carrying, toothless villagers!!!! all loudly muttering (in a very South Park-esqe manner!)"Rabble-rabble-ra bble-rabble!!!!"

'do not forsake the gathering of yourselves together, especially as the day draws near'

abrother wrote:

I thought it was Salem Massachusetts. That is where they burned the witches or persons who were falsely accused as being witches in the Dark Ages.

If them rules applied today. there would be alot of jw's burning at the stake.cause they say that a spirit is leading them.Well evidently it isnt the spirit of god with all the mistakes. so it must be the devil.wow brother I sure hope you have some asbestos bvd's in your drawer cause your nuts are gonna fry! "ZING"

God said to Adam: in the day you do eat of the fruit you will die.

God said DIE, not "fry or fly"

About tipping, you have that wrong. For years the JWs were not known as good tippers. Then, a few years ago, it was brought out that tipping is usual and often expected by hotel personelle. Please read the following that I took directly from their literature.
"Restaurants: In many places, it is customary to leave a 15 to 20 percent tip, depending on the service.
Hotels:(1) Please do not reserve more rooms than will actually be needed, and do not have more people stay in your room than what is allowed.(2) If you must cancel your reservation, notify the hotel immediately.(3) Take a luggage cart only when you are ready to use it, and return it immediately so that others may use it.(4) Do not cook in rooms where cooking is not permitted.(5) Leave a tip for the housekeeper each day.(6) As Christians, surely we will not abuse any complimentary breakfast, coffee, or ice provisions that are made available for guests to use while they are at the hotel.(7) Display the fruitage of the spirit in dealing with the hotel staff at all times.(8) The room rate shown on the Recommended Lodging List is the full price per day, excluding tax. If you are billed for any additional charges for anything you did not request or use, refuse these charges and inform the Rooming Department at the convention as soon as possible.(9) If a problem arises with your hotel room, be sure to inform the Rooming Department while at the convention."
That is not a list of "mandates" it is information for people who might not realize how things work. What is objectionable about letting people in your group know what's expected? Since you benefitted from their knowledge of tipping practices, why would you complain? You can't have it both ways.

BaC wrote:

About tipping, you have that wrong. For years the JWs were not known as good tippers. Then, a few years ago, it was brought out that tipping is usual and often expected by hotel personelle. Please read the following that I took directly from their literature.
"Restaurants: In many places, it is customary to leave a 15 to 20 percent tip, depending on the service.
Hotels:(1) Please do not reserve more rooms than will actually be needed, and do not have more people stay in your room than what is allowed.(2) If you must cancel your reservation, notify the hotel immediately.(3) Take a luggage cart only when you are ready to use it, and return it immediately so that others may use it.(4) Do not cook in rooms where cooking is not permitted.(5) Leave a tip for the housekeeper each day.(6) As Christians, surely we will not abuse any complimentary breakfast, coffee, or ice provisions that are made available for guests to use while they are at the hotel.(7) Display the fruitage of the spirit in dealing with the hotel staff at all times.(8) The room rate shown on the Recommended Lodging List is the full price per day, excluding tax. If you are billed for any additional charges for anything you did not request or use, refuse these charges and inform the Rooming Department at the convention as soon as possible.(9) If a problem arises with your hotel room, be sure to inform the Rooming Department while at the convention."
That is not a list of "mandates" it is information for people who might not realize how things work. What is objectionable about letting people in your group know what's expected? Since you benefitted from their knowledge of tipping practices, why would you complain? You can't have it both ways.

Since when are we told by God to compromise on HIS [Jehovahs] command to keep ourselves from following the customs and traditions set by men?
Compromises to Gods Word aren't scriptural or Godly. They could be death dealing though!

for the truth wrote:

God said to Adam: in the day you do eat of the fruit you will die.
God said DIE, not "fry or fly"

what do you think God meant when he said that to adam without any watchtower rhetoric please what are your personal thoughts on the subject ?

Wasn't complaining, BaC...... just remarking......

colin 2 wrote:

<quoted text>
what do you think God meant when he said that to adam without any watchtower rhetoric please what are your personal thoughts on the subject ?

it says what it says: die as in death, dead, same as eccl states: know nothing, thoughts perish, the soul that is sinning will die....etc...all from GOD's word and good enough for me!

Lisa wrote:

The JW's have completely destroyed my Family. in my opinion they are nothing but a bunch of mind altering people that brainwash the elderly and the naive. I had a normal happy family until a couple named Keith and Raetta showed up in my Mothers life. Thanks to my jail ridden uncle, as all prisoners do reach for the bible after being locked up. So happenly My grandmother was a true blooded jw. She only had a relationship with family members she brainwashed into the JWS. This Religion is a CULT. what other religion tells you what to where and has you out passing out their watchtower books on your time and gas? they actually expect work or money out of you. If Keith and Raetta read this Thank you so much for ripping my family apart...I am sure God is proud of you. Does it make you feel good to tear family's apart? Jw's are the hokiest religion ever.. research them, see how many predictions they predited wrong.. see how many family's they have torn apart. God would never want that. I have to believe that, and I am not that religious. God does good not Bad...

Have a look at my website at http://wtgoathead.webeden.co.uk and find out WHY they act the way they do!

for the truth wrote:

<quoted text>
it says what it says: die as in death, dead, same as eccl states: know nothing, thoughts perish, the soul that is sinning will die....etc...all from GOD's word and good enough for me!

question Did adam actually die physically on the "DAY" that he ate from the tree"

Jehovah God said he would die positively ? If he died like you said " die as in death, dead, same as eccl states: know nothing, thoughts perish, the soul that is sinning will die"

how come adam lived to 930 years of age ?

Genesis 2:16 NWT And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man:“From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. 17 But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.”