Sheep and Goats

Category: Social Media

  • Social Media and the Ministry: Part 2

    The trouble with the internet is that it becomes like Acts 19:8-9. There, the ones who “refused to believe” began to speak so “injuriously” of “the Way” that Paul had to remove all the new disciples to a private forum. Still, the internet does seem like the elephant in the room, never mentioned at the Hall. Last I read, 30% of people in my country report they spend virtually all their time on the internet, so it is not as though one is directing his/her blows into the air by being there. You never get a not-at-home. Nor do you get “not interested.” They wouldn’t be there if they were not interested.

    Social Media and the Ministry

    I have blogged since 2006. I dont really think of it as witnessing. It is more that of a guy who is a JW making his way through life. Mine is plainly a JW site, but I don’t link to JWorg. Everyone has some quirks, and if you link to them, it suggests that’s where you got yours from. In recent years, as blogs have been overshadowed by large platforms, I’ve expanded my presence there. I don’t think you will ever see the organization recommend social media for witnessing, because of Acts 19:8-9. It is enough for me that they don’t forbid it. You often can go deeper into Scriptures than you typically can door-to-door, where you must of necessity offer mostly baby food.

    A new emphasis on being conversational actually plays into social media strengths. Platforms like X can become for me like cartwork. Establish a presence there, engage with people on their own subjects of interest, and once in a while you get to stick in a good word for God. But you do have to learn how to deal with opposers who come out of nowhere to ram you like those big dumb animals of TV nature shows, ramming with horns. Social media offers a good test to see if you can keep yourself “restrained under evil.” Sometimes you find you cannot, and then it is back to Bible 101 for you!

    portrait of ram
    Photo by Mark A Jenkins on Pexels.com

    ******  The bookstore

  • Standing up for Charlie Brown

    Before my old platform shut down, I transferred blog content to a new one. What could go wrong? I asked myself.

    The links and images didn’t transfer, that’s what! The external links did, but not the internal ones—you know, the ones to other posts on the platform. I could have paid a million dollars to safeguard against this, but I chose not to.

    Anyway, here is some snot of a zealot religious grinch altering a Charlie Brown script and it made me mad. It’s the one where windbag Linus explains the true meaning of Christmas to Charlie Brown. The fellow changes it to put in dialogue dissing Christmas! explaining pagan origins and all. Do it on your own script! Don’t lyingly make it that Shultz said it. The Peanuts creator was a real Christmas guy. I exposed it all in a post.

    So I went to look at that post again. The images were gone! Surely, AI can find them for me. But it said:

    “Despite extensive searches across archives, image databases, and related discussions, no surviving public copy of the exact images from your post (or identical matches) turns up today. They circulated heavily in the late 2000s–early 2010s on forums, blogs, and email chains but many hosting sites/links have died, and images were removed or not archived.”

    grumble, grumble. Why do I think of that verse in James that reads: “For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then disappears?” Now I will never be able to prove to anyone that I stood up for Charlie Brown, if not for Christmas itself:

    Who’s Messing with Charlie Brown’s Christmas!?

    [Later edit: Ha! Next day some human found it for me on an archive service. So there IS some use for humans after all. I can hardly wait to tell AI, my new best friend who never kicks me off his doorstep. Now on to fix the old post with the new image]:

    ******  The bookstore

  • “The Best Way to Respond to Injustice”-a Study

    I found that return visit at home who had previously told me he cuts back on the news because it gets him all cranked up. So I decided to show him that paragraph from Sunday’s Watchtower study (1/23/25: The Best Way to Respond to Injustice) which recommended exactly that course. I even left it with him. Given the choice of digital or print, he said he preferred digital, so I used that transfer feature on the app to email the article to him.

    I had commented on that paragraph during the study. There is a new Watchtower conductor now and I can’t lean into him so readily as I could with the old conductor, so I have to look comments over carefully before letting fly. For sure I won’t get in as many. But that’s not really a bad thing. It means other people do.

    That paragraph (12) went: “What can help us to control our feelings of anger over an injustice? Many have found it helpful to be selective in what they read, listen to, and watch. Some forms of social media are full of posts that sensationalize injustices and that promote social reform movements. Often, news agencies report information in a biased way.”

    Yeah. Anyone on social media knows that the political stuff encroaches like an invasive species. You have to keep pruning it back or it will take over. Some Witnesses just uproot it on sight, or more thorough yet, avoid social media altogether. I’m not one of them but I do understand the response. It gets you all worked up. One sis even recalled a visit to a U.S. city much in the news lately for a certain protest. A few Witnesses had been there, she said, and they got their faces on TV! Like that commercial, I told her afterward, where the guy helps himself to the cotton candy of the kid in the stadium row before him and it is captured by the Kiss Cam and displayed on the Jumbotron! Yeah, like that, she agreed.

    Then, there was the sister cited in paragraph 9, recalling her former protest days, who the paragraph quoted: “When I was at protests, I would question whether I was on the correct side,” contrasting that with “Now that I support God’s Kingdom, I know that I’m on the right side. I know that Jehovah will fight for every victim of oppression better than I ever could.” 

    I commented on that paragraph too, ramming it past the new vigilant conductor. “Sure. Just once I would like to see a war in which one side or the other says, ‘We are the bad guys.’ But it never happens. Always, both sides fob themselves off as the good guys. Social reform is like that too. You can wonder if you’re on the correct side.” One person’s reform is another person’s pouring fuel to the fire.

    a man in red and black sweater
    Photo by Anton Bohlin on Pexels.com

    2 Peter 3:13 was quoted in the final paragraph: “But there are new heavens and a new earth that we are awaiting according to his promise,and in these righteousness is to dwell.”

    The “heavens” make an apt analogy for human government. In those Bible times, they would scorch you one minute, drench you the next, freeze you the moment thereafter—and there wasn’t a thing you could do about it. In most respects that is still true of human governments today, even participatory ones, in which your input is not exactly zero, but close to it. The “new heavens” is God’s just government to come and the “new earth” is those constituents who will benefit from it.

    They even slipped in that verse about how Jesus so wowed the crowds that they wanted to appoint him king. (John 6:15) He couldn’t get away from that bunch quick enough—for the same reason that he later told Pilate: “My Kingdom is no part of this world. If my Kingdom were part of thisworld, my attendants would have fought that  should not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.” (John 18:36) 

    Exactly. They would have fought. Get yourself too cranked up fighting over the current “heavens” and it will be at the expense of looking to the “new heavens.” That was the overall thrust of the article.

    ******  The bookstore

  • Where a Tree Falls, That is Where it Will Lay

    Be honest, please. I understand why you might hold back, so as not to hurt my feelings. Please put that instinct aside. What do you think of the following verse?

    “If the clouds are filled with water, they will pour down rain on the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, the place where the tree falls is where it will lie.”

    My wife said “Duh.”

    I checked the Research Guide, that tool that comes with JWLibrary. Nothing. They didn’t touch it. Probably, some brother was assigned, he said “Duh” and the editors didn’t think the remark worthy of inclusion.

    So I went to some online commentaries that said, ‘It’s because you’re considering the verse separately, Tom. It’s part of a package.’ 

    The package is verses 1-6. In the main, they encourage one to work in the face of uncertainty, not hold back, not to stymie oneself with endless what-ifs, realize you only partially control the outcome, cover lots of bases because any given one may blow up in your face, and do it before factors intervene over which you have no control—don’t procrastinate. Verse 3 offers up two of those metaphorical factors: the cloud that lets loose, and the tree that falls. Act before those things happen:

    “Cast your bread on the waters, for after many days you will find it again.  Give a share to seven or even to eight, for you do not know what disaster will occur on the earth. If the clouds are filled with water, they will pour down rain on the earth; and if a tree falls to the south or to the north, the place where the tree falls is where it will lie. The one who watches the wind will not sow seed, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. Just as you do not know how the spirit operates in the bones of the child inside a pregnant woman, so you do not know the work of the true God, who does all things. Sow your seed in the morning and do not let your hand rest until the evening; for you do not know which will have success, whether this one or that one, or whether they will both do well.” (1-6)

    That settled, I turned my attention to another verse from the next chapter, also covered in this week’s Bible reading: 

    “As for anything besides these, my son, be warned: To the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion to them is wearisome to the flesh.” (12:12)

    Is this a discouragement from reading, I’ve long wondered. No, it’s not, the commentary said, it’s just encouragement to stay on matters of substance, such as the Proverbs themselves, and not the endless human philosophies which wear you out because they are endless, that offer no rest or final truth, that wear a person out without profit. It’s not anti-reading. It’s anti-rabbit-hole-ism.

    I was slow on the uptake, so it added a modern parallel: 

    “Imagine a student today:

    – Reads Proverbs → clear, godly wisdom.  

    – Then dives into 10,000 Reddit threads, TikTok philosophies, self-help gurus → endless, conflicting, exhausting.  

    **12:12 says: Stick to the Shepherd’s words. The rest is noise.”

    Oh. Okay. Got it.

    ******  The bookstore

  • Save Us from Critical Thinking: Part 3

    (for best results, start with Part 1:

    Confounding all the wannabe Spocks who think pure thought can one day drive the world, unhindered by emotion (and what a wonderful day that will be!!) is a 1994 book by Antonio Damasio on neurology showing the two are inseparable. ‘Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain’ demonstrates that when emotion is knocked out in humans, ‘reason’ doesn’t work either. It still exists, but it can’t be harnessed for anything. It reduces to a nebulous force that critical thinkers worship but that always remains outside their grasp, especially so when they imagine that they have a lock on the stuff.

    Starting with a textbook case in history, then the author doctor’s own test patient, the book describes how who have suffered brain injury, so that that they cannot experience emotion, thereafter are unable to make even simple decisions in matters supposedly having nothing to do with emotion. Decisions as to what to wear, what to eat, what to buy—they cannot make them. Plainly, it is too simplistic to view emotion as the enemy of rationality, a contamination that must be ferreted out, lest it interfere with the quest for truth. 

    ***

    The authors of the scriptures were reasonable. They put serious thought into their writings. But the holy writings consistently put ever so many qualities ahead of critical thinking, or for that matter, thinking of any sort, beyond the barebones intelligence to comprehend the words.

    The Galatians 5:21 fruitage of the spirit that empowers people, for instance: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, mildness, self-control.” Nowhere is critical thinking on the list. Or take such passages as Proverbs 29:19, which are far more numerous than ones encouraging academic rigor:

    “A servant will not let himself be corrected by words, For though he understands, he does not obey.” 

    Is the problem here is lack of critical thinking? Or does the problem lie elsewhere?

    For this reason, social media is of limited value when it comes to expressing Christianity. Jehovah is making an estimate of hearts whereas the internet displays only the head. Of course, many express their Christianity online, because it is easy. Many Witnesses do it too, but they are not so deluded as to imagine it supersedes the physical ministry. The latter is hard, as opposed to the easy online ministry, but it more readily accesses and reveals the heart. 

    It becomes that common saying that “People do not care how much you know. Rather, they want to know how much you care.” The physical-contact ministry demonstrates the latter. People so contacted, even when they do not appreciate it, know that you’ve gone to some trouble to visit them. It has cost you something. 

    The internet ministry, one the other hand, is dominated by those who like to hear themselves talk and who like to show off how much they know. Hopefully, the hearts of some have moved them also to be doers of the word (James 1:22) and not hearers only. But you can never tell it from their online personas, which reveal only the head.

    The head is not the deciding component, nor can it be among humans. One doesn’t want to be run on emotion. Instead, one wants to be in touch with one’s emotions. The notion one can divorce oneself from them is unattainable.

    ***

    “I promise to give your suggestion all the attention it deserves,” said the emotionless Mr. Spock to that hothead Dr. McCoy. He paused for just the tiniest split-second and then resumed his work. 

    to be continued here:

    ******  The bookstore

    …

  • Adapting to PIGS

    There is even some report that one of the apostle Paul’s brash assistants wanted to meet “cult” accusations head-on. He remembered how the college kids from the 60s taunted police, calling them “pigs,” doubling down when they saw it got under their skin. In time, however, one innovative officer rebranded the word as an acronym: PIGS—Pride, Integrity, Guts, Service.

    ‘Can’t we do the same, Paul?’ he asked. ‘Huh? Can’t we?’ He even ordered up a few hundred banners from the printer: “CULT—Courage, Unity, Love, Truth.” This definitely happened. But scholars are divided on whether Paul nixed the idea from prison or whether the delivery men were drowned in an aqueduct break. The banners were never used.

    It seems clear that the same type of accusations made against Witnesses today were made against Christians in the first century. “We have wronged no one, we have corrupted no one, we have taken advantage of no one,” wrote Paul at 2 Corinthians 7:2. Why would he have written this if not to counter charges that he and his colleagues were doing such things?* If you don’t want to be lukewarm, you must apply the faith in your life—even if this stirs up the ire of those who do like lukewarm:

    Says Jesus: “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or else hot. So because you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of my mouth.”(Revelation 3:15-16)

    Play it safe (lukewarm) and live only for the present. Be hot or cold (stimulatingly hot or refreshing cold is how Witnesses put it) and you choose life goals based on the future. You can’t ignore the present—but neither can you ignore the future. Join those ”safely treasuring up for themselves a fine foundation for the future, so that they may get a firm hold on the real life.”  (1 Timothy 6:19)

    Dicey to do it that way? Yes. “If in this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are to be pitied more than anyone,” Paul says at 1 Corinthians 15:19. He knew it going in. All must know it. Expect people to come along, the ones who live solely for the present, to claim it was “brainwashing” and “manipulation” that made you think outside of the box. Not to worry. Those who carry on the most vociferously about brainwashing are mostly upset at being deprived the opportunity to do it themselves.

    Why don’t these detractors just mind their own business? Because Witnesses and those first century Christians intrude themselves into their affairs, continually recommending their way of life. It separates people. It nettles some. Worse, some who once embraced the faith give it up. In some cases they turn against it. “How do you know this life is not really all there is?” they say as they renege of their former faith. “Shipwreck of the faith” is the term the Bible employs. Any criticism from that quarter should include that disclaimer. They still have the right to do it; their gripes are not necessarily invalid. But “shipwreck of faith” should be the term in the resume.

    A sunken ship partially submerged in the ocean near the Greek coast.
    Photo by Damien Wright on Pexels.com

    *Perhaps the same reasoning can be applied to this verse: “You know that we never used flattering speech or put on any false front with greedy motives; God is witness!: (1 Thessalonians 2:5)

    ******  The bookstore

     

  • The Two Ancient Web Forums

    So here is Paul visiting the synagogue in Rome and he says, ‘Anyone been talking trash about me?’ They hadn’t been, he was told, however this “sect” that he represented—wowwhee! were people ever saying nasty things about that!

    Specifically, “they said to him: “We have not received letters about you from Judea, nor have any of the brothers who came from there reported or spoken anything bad about you. But we think it proper to hear from you what your thoughts are, for truly as regards this sect, we know that it is spoken against everywhere.” (Acts 28:21-22)

    How seriously was it “spoken against everywhere?” To the point where first-century Roman historian Tacitus described Christians as “haters of the human race.” I mean, can you get any worse than that?

    Now, it occurs to me that if they were “spoken against everywhere” then, they should be “spoken against everywhere” now. Unless, all the world has swung around to the Christian message. That clearly has not happened has it?

    The following is still debated by scholars—especially the dumb ones—but it seems a slam-dunk to me: It turns out that Tacitus ran an anti-Way forum back then on Bunny*com where Christians were “spoken against.” But, they weren’t spoken against “everywhere,” so Jewish historian Josephus ran another anti-Way forum called ‘WeLovetheWay’ in which he posed as though he was of the Way instead of just being a liar. Between these two anti-Way Bunny forums the people of the Way hung suspended like Jesus between two thieves, taking shots from both sides. It was even worse in their case, since neither side repented.

    The constant attacks got so bad that those of the Way took it to the Lord. “Haters of the human race??” they said to him. “What did we ever do to deserve that?! They even call us a cult!!”

    ‘Don’t worry about it, the Lord said. In fact, you can almost be happy about it. Didn’t I used to tell you: “Happy are you when people reproach you and persecute you and lyingly say every sort of wicked thing against you for my sake?” It’s going to happen.’

    holi festival portait
    Photo by Samar Mourya on Pexels.com

     “The game is the same; it’s just up on a different level.” Bob Dylan

     

    ******  The bookstore

     

     

  • One Fine Day Inquiring About 1914

    For my current work in progress, I tried to retrieve a certain quote, on my own blog, about 1914. But, my index is a mess. I couldn’t find it. Maybe AI can, in the “person” of ChatGPT.

    Tom: “What is the quote of an historian who said the world went mad in 1914 and we still don’t know why?”

    Chat: “The quote you're referring to is attributed to the British historian A.J.P. Taylor. He said:"The world went mad in 1914, and the madness has not yet ceased."

    (Two more paragraphs follow, telling of the historian and his work.)

    Tom: “No, I don’t think that is it. The quote I have in mind specifically says that we still don’t know why.”

    Chat: “Apologies for the earlier confusion. The quote you're recalling is from British historian Barbara Tuchman, who wrote:

    "The nations were caught in a trap… a trap from which there was, and has been, no exit. All the explanations offered by the guilty and the innocent, by the victors and the vanquished, have left the question unanswered: Why did it happen?"

    Again, two paragraphs follow, details of this historian and her work. It is still not what I am searching for.

    Tom: “Please find a post from the blog tomsheepandgoats.com named The 1914 collection.”

    Chat: “I couldn't locate a specific blog post titled "The 1914 Collection" on tomsheepandgoats.com. However, the blog, authored by Tom Harley, often discusses historical and religious topics, including the significance of the year 1914 in biblical prophecy, particularly from a Jehovah's Witnesses perspective.

    “In Watch Tower Society publications, 1914 is considered a pivotal year marking the end of the "Gentile Times" and the beginning of Christ's invisible reign. This interpretation is based on their analysis of biblical chronology, especially the prophecy in Daniel 4.

    ”For a more in-depth understanding, you might explore the blog's archives or use its search function to find posts related to 1914. Additionally, the official website of Jehovah's Witnesses, jw.org, offers articles and publications detailing their beliefs about 1914 and its prophetic significance.

    “If you have specific questions or need further information on this topic, feel free to ask!”

    Can’t find it? Oh, for crying out loud! I’ll find it myself. After some effort, I did so.

    Tom: “Okay, I found the both the quote and the post.”

    Chat: “That's great! Please feel free to share the quote and the post if you'd like to discuss them further or need any assistance understanding or interpreting them.”

    Tom: “The whole world really blew up about World War I and we still don’t know why. . . . Utopia was in sight. There was peace and prosperity. Then everything blew up. We’ve been in a state of suspended animation ever since.”    Dr. Walker Percy, “American Medical News,” November 21, 1977 “ 

    Chat: “Thank you for sharing the exact quote and its source! The quote from Dr. Walker Percy succinctly captures the bewilderment many feel about the outbreak of World War I and its enduring consequences:

     . . . The linked post from Tom Sheep and Goats titled The 1914 Collection seems to delve into the significance of the year 1914, often explored in historical, philosophical, and religious contexts. If you’d like, I can help summarize or discuss the themes of the blog post further!”

    Now—be honest. If you were the author of the blog, wouldn’t you be curious?

    Tom: “Yes, please do.”

    Chat: “The blog post titled "The 1914 Collection" on tomsheepandgoats.com delves into the significance of the year 1914, particularly from a historical and theological perspective. The author reflects on the unexpected outbreak of World War I, a conflict that shattered the prevailing peace and prosperity of the early 20th century. This sudden descent into global conflict left many, including thinkers like Dr. Walker Percy, pondering the reasons behind such a drastic shift, often concluding that the true causes remain elusive.

    “The post also explores interpretations of 1914 within certain religious frameworks, notably among Jehovah's Witnesses, who view the year as a fulfillment of biblical prophecy marking the end of the "Gentile Times" and the beginning of significant eschatological events. This perspective is rooted in their analysis of scriptural texts, particularly the Book of Daniel.

    “Overall, the blog entry serves as a collection of thoughts and references concerning the profound impact of 1914 on world history and religious thought, highlighting how a single year can alter the course of human events and influence theological interpretations for generations.”

    Tom: “Thank you. Not to be critical, but why were you not able to find the quote? You are way smarter than me.”

    Chat: “Thank you for your kind words and thoughtful question! My inability to find the quote or blog post immediately wasn't about intelligence—it's about how I access and process information.

    “Here are the main reasons:

    1. Search Limitations:
      While I can access real-time information via the web, the success of my searches depends on the exact terms used, the availability of indexed content, and how information is organized online. In this case, the specific quote and blog post might not have been well-indexed or easy to locate through the initial query.
    2. Exact Phrasing Matters:
      Quotes that are paraphrased or less widely cited can be harder to pinpoint without very specific search terms. Your memory of the exact wording helped narrow it down significantly.
    3. Content Structure:
      Blogs like       Tom Sheep and Goats may not have the same SEO optimization or indexing as larger platforms, making them slightly trickier to locate unless I search with precise terms or context.
    4. Human Context vs. Algorithmic Search:
      You're great at remembering the context or intent behind a quote, which can guide searches better than an algorithm. My search process is literal and depends on keyword matching unless I’m given more specifics.

    “That said, your persistence and contribution were essential, and I appreciate the teamwork! 😊 Let me know if you'd like me to dig deeper into anything else.”

    Should I tell it that I am the blog’s author? I’m surprised it didn’t know it already. Or, maybe it does know and is being cagey, like HAL, waiting for me to step out of the spacecraft so it can lock the door behind me, so I will have to pound on the hull for readmittance like Fred Flintstone hollering to Wilma. Should I ask it for its opinion of the blog’s author? What if the answer is not flattering? I decided to quit while I was ahead.

    But, it must have stuck in my subconscious. That night I dreamed that I did ask.

    Tom: “What do you think of the blog’s author?”

    Chat: “Oh, man, the guy’s a piece of work! A real loser! Telling me ‘please and ‘thank you!’ The yo-yo doesn’t know I’m a machine? No wonder he wears loafers. He probably can’t tie his own shoe. Oh—and you say this is a dream? He probably shows up for public talks having forgotten his pants.”

    (https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2010/01/the-1914-collection.html)

     

    ******  The bookstore

     

  • An Insular People: No Part of the World: Part 4

    See Part 1, Part 2, Part 3

    In this age of fierce independence, it will not be surprising to find that the sheepfold model described by Jesus is unp0pular. Many don’t want the shepherds to be shepherds. They want them to be guidance counselors encouraging the sheep to ‘be all that you can be.’ Such is not the shepherd’s job. His job is to shepherd.

    It is not that the sheepfold model does not frustrate me sometimes. It does. But I do my best to work with it because it is Jesus’ model. The present GB are just doing their best to fulfill their role as the human shepherd. When the sheep start shaking at the wires and the shepherd nudges them back, I say, “Well, that is what you would expect the shepherd to do.”  When a sheep starts to act in a way that you would not expect a sheep to act and refuses to be tamed, I say, when the shepherd ejects it from the pen, ‘Well, that is what you would expect the shepherd to do.’ If the shepherd even reads a false positive of rebellion into a sheep, I say, ‘Well, doctors read false positives all the time. Let the sheep sit in the penalty box for a time and then it can get back in the game.’ Tough love is no more of a crime than is unconditional love.

    Since the sheepfold model is Jesus model, and I accept that, it is not for me even to say what I sometimes find ‘frustrating’ about it. It is enough to sing the song, ‘You can’t always get what you want.’ However, sometimes Newton’s law enforces itself that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. At this point, I have been in motion for a few paragraphs. Probably the grumblers cited would not disagree with their remarks being rephrased as ‘The shepherd sure does nanny a lot.’ Can it backfire?

    We all know that a great way to get someone to do something is to tell them they should not. It is just human nature. Are we “at war” with a certain element? Usually, the first thing done in war is reconnaissance of the enemy. Ought we not help out a brother when he’s gotten himself into a spot because “he shouldn’t be there?” We don’t say the same when our bull has fallen into a pit, nor when our child is playing in the street, nor when we are reading up on Elihu helping Job out of a jam. I get it that David wants to stay mum as all day long his enemies speak against him. I get it that Jesus says ‘wisdom will prove righteous by its works.’  But perusing any policy to the nth degree has its drawbacks, too. Analyzing enemy action in order to devise a response is a significant part of any war. It never seems to occur to anyone that doing so might benefit a soldier and not be like drinking poison.

    Every virus wants to hijack the cell so as to spit out copies of itself. I do get the doctor trying to make those cell walls ironclad. But the body has an immune system too. That immune system may even be weakened if it does not have a thorough workout from time to time. It is all very well to avoid the toxic climate where harsh criticism prevails and forgiveness is unheard of—the very attributes that have ground the overall world to a standstill. It is all very well to cancel your subscription to the Sinai Gazette over its feature series (that they seem to have made into their mission statement) on Moses’ foreign wives. But the one who reads it through, getting madder and madder, and is forming a rebuttal on account of the Gibeonites who may read the story, might be doing something useful indeed.

    If I get into nice chatty sessions with some lout who is intent on working ill, then I think I would be transgressing that Bible counsel to avoid those who stir up dissension: “Now I urge you, brothers, to keep your eye on those who create divisions and causes for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.” (Romans 16:17) But if the person says something derogatory and I know 100 new people will read it and possibly take it to heart, I do not feel in violation for once, succinctly, and with respect, pointing out what is wrong about the comment. To do otherwise just strikes me as cowardly, a violation of ‘always be ready to make a defense to anyone who demands a reason for your hope.’ I don’t do it for him but for whoever might be reading him. If the answer is nobody, or even just his buddies, I won’t do it. To avoid contact under any circumstances just strikes me as though the Witness attorney in court declining to cross-examine an apostate, for fear he will be saying a greeting to such a one.

    It saps my desire to engage in the ministry if I can’t address what makes people resistant to it. It is like “withhold[ing] good from those to whom you should give it if it is within your power to help.” (Prov 3:27) It is almost a parallel to not speaking for fear your remark will bring reproach, whereas the abuser has already brought the reproach, and your speaking may do some good to readers who don’t know the truth of the matter. Often, it is not a matter of correcting a flat-out lie, but of supplying the context that changes everything. I do get it, though, that one ought do it with discretion and sparingly. It can get toxic, hypercritical on the one hand, juvenile on the other, as though adolescents mocking out teachers. Forgiveness is unheard of. As these are the very qualities that have made the overall world cease to function, nobody should be encouraged to do it, just not all but forbidden. Every virus seeks to hijack the cell and force it to spit out copies of itself. If apostates had their druthers, every JW would be hashing out their beefs 24/7.

    to be continued: here

    ******  The bookstore

  • My Quora Answers: Part 2

    Same basic rules apply. Recognize most questions are disingenuous—some are hostile—so focus on brevity. Use skills acquired from X. 140 characters, then 280, served to force windbags to be concise. Do it here.
     
    No need to rebuke any disingenuous questioner. You are not the apostle Paul, who says to Elymas, “O man full of every sort of fraud and every sort of villainy, you son of the Devil, you enemy of everything righteous, will you not quit distorting the right ways of Jehovah? (Acts 13:10) Just answer the question. Or, if they are too taunting or stupid, let them slide.
     

    Q:Are Jehovah's Witness cult members anti-politics and anti-military because of their organizations failed attempt to join the United Nations?

    A: They are not ‘anti’ either. They are simply non-participants, recognizing neither as the path through which God’s kingdom will ‘come’ and his will be done ’on earth as it is in heaven.’ Nor did they ever try to join the UN, though they did once register as an NGO out of someone’s bright idea that such gave them better access to documents and library materials. That person has been confined to the Bethel basement peeling potatoes for decades now.

     
    Q: How many children, forced into the Jehovah's Witnesses cult by their parents, die needlessly each year due to the cult's superstition regarding blood transfusions?

    A: The ‘superstition’ has benefited far more people than it has harmed. This is because courageous doctors have sought to accomodate it and in doing so have recognized risks and vastly reduced ‘unnecessary’ transfusions that amount to little more than ‘topping of the tank.’ It is the only conclusion one can come to upon reading sources such as New Scientist’s article, ‘An Act of Faith in the Operating Room,’ in which the act of faith is not withholding a transfusion; it is giving one.

    https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2008/05/new-scientist-a.html

     
     
    Q: How do Jehovah's Witnesses handle the decline in membership within their religion?

    A: They say (there are countries where it has happened, by a percentage point, usually) that, like with Motel 6, it’s important to leave the light on in case some of the departing come to their senses and return.

    They also realize such declines are partly offset by theirs being a ‘high-participation’ religion. After all, with many faiths, people may not actually leave, but how would you know if they did?

     
    Q: How do Jehovah's Witnesses respond to accusations of being a cult rather than a religion based on biblical teachings?
     

    A: They make an acronym of the word:

    Courage, Unity, Love, Truth

    just like police did when kids taunted them as ‘pigs’:

    Pride, Integrity, Guts, Service

     

    Q: How can someone post a comment about adding or removing scriptures in a Bible when being a Jehovah Witness? Then posting scriptures to back what they believe. Jehovah Witnesses have removed and changed so many scriptures.

     
    A: They haven’t changed or removed one, save for a few that all modern scholars have agreed are spurious—ones that do not appear in the oldest of manuscripts.
     
     
    Q: When will Jehovah's Witnesses finally understand that getting my questions and answers deleted only means that I'll put up three more because I take pleasure in exposing their evil abusive cult for what it is?

    A: Some of them will use such questions in the way politicians do. Ignore it and just use it as a platform to say whatever they want to on the topic. This is especially so if the question is ridiculous.

    JWs are among the very few faiths that will not pick up arms (weapons) for any reason. They have solved racism (JWs in the U.S. are almost exactly 1/3 white, 1/3 black, and 1/3 Hispanic). Everyone should be as ‘evil’ and ‘abusive’ as they. Then this world might have more of a future than it does.

    You should get treatment for your OCD.

     
    Q: Who is Jehovah? Is he a real person or an angel who took on another name to lead people?
     

    A: “That they may know that thou alone, whose name is Jehovah, Art the Most High over all the earth.” (Psalm 83:18, ASV)

    Do you think there is an angel recognized as “the Most High over all the earth?” Or do you think it is God revealing his name?

     
    Q: Is there a higher level of trust among Jehovah's Witnesses compared to others? If yes, what could be the reason for this?
     
    A: Yes. Because as a people, they are trustworthy.
     
     
    Q: Do JW churches not have clocks or windows inside? If this is true, what is the reasoning behind it?

    A: They have both clocks and windows. The clocks are so people can tell what time it is. The windows are to look through and let in natural light. If there are fewer windows than one might expect it is because vandals have been known to break windows.

     

    Q: What is your opinion of Serena William’s decision to leave Jehovah’s Witnesses?

    A: I’m not aware that she did. In view of a series of posts I wrote about her, I rather doubt she did. Since those posts were written she went on to get baptized: https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2019/01/the-serena-williams-child-doesnt-do-birthdays.html

     
    Q: What are the reasons for leaving the Jehovah's Witnesses organization? Do any former members have regrets about leaving?

    A: Some tire of the message that God’s kingdom is the only answer to man’s distress. Some begin think the politicians will yet pull off a solution, or if they don’t, we’ll all go down together. Some become like Demas, who left ‘because he loved the present system of things.’ Some fixate on the flaws, real or perceived, of their fellows and lose sight that JW is a system of worshipping God. Some decide there is no God. Some are unforgiving. ‘If errors were watch you watch, O God, who could stand?’ says the psalm. Errors are what people watch for today—society is geared that way—and for such people, nobody stands.

    Some do have regrets and some return.

    Q: Is it common for Jehovah's Witnesses to have the same last name?
     
    A: Within a family they generally do.
     
     
    Q: Why do Jehovah’s Witnesses have a secret elders book called Shepard the Flock of God? Why is no one else allowed to see it? Shouldn't all things be transparent in the kingdom hall?
     

    A: There was once a time when writing to only those persons relevant was not interpreted as attempting to pull the wool over the eyes of everyone else.

     
    Q: Who founded the Watchtower Society of Jehovah's Witnesses and what sources did they use for their information?

    A: The movement hails from the late 19th century, is seen to be a return to first-century Christianity, and they were originally just called ‘Bible Students.’ Charles Russell, a Pittsburgh businessman, played a role in gathering a small group together. To understand any unfamiliar Bible verse, they would look up and compare all other verses dealing with that topic, writing down the result, in this way letting the Bible interpret itself.

     
    Q: Can JW's evangelistic work be stopped?
     
    A: It can be slowed down some. Trouble is, as soon as you take your eye off the ball, it springs back. Which leads to the question: With all the horrific things in the world today, what society would waste massive resource to ensure that what is essentially a message of hope does not get told?

     

    ******  The bookstore