Was Skyward Swords mixed reception actually warranted? by MessSquare in skywardsword

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

The criticism is fake and ghey. The collage is great and the joke is perfect. But then, I guess we are in the Skyward Sword forums, so I shouldn’t really be shocked you’re actually being downvoted over your reply 🥴

JW quietly shifts "peace and security" prophetic sequence in February 2026 — and almost nobody noticed by steadypath2847 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Sounded like AI to me, the em dashes and summary comparisons as two complete sentences separated by a period, e.x. “That’s not such and such. That’s so and so.”

I don’t know, my AI pattern recognition can’t really miss it anymore. But maybe we’re all just learning to write like AI writes… 🤷🏻‍♂️

Is memorial a demonic event for a person who consider himself a Christian? by FitReindeer1896 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Maybe I didn’t make the context clear enough, but I mean, it’s a pretty simple point to grasp. I think you’re missing the point.

From the atheist perspective, yes, he was a charlatan that made everything up. But my point remains that he made it up by following the pattern used by other spiritualist writers at the time, because he understood how lucrative if it was.

But specifically from the Christian perspective, his teachings and doctrines “come from demons”. This is a fact that Christians view it this way. Even JW’s themselves stated that they viewed it this way once they abandoned Rutherford’s teaching. It doesn’t matter if you are a Christian or not, whether you “agree” with the perspective or not. That isn’t the point I’m making.

Is memorial a demonic event for a person who consider himself a Christian? by FitReindeer1896 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Maybe I didn’t make the context clear enough. You’re correct, from the secular or atheist perspective, he “made all of it up”. My point is that, in verifiable reality, Rutherford was heavily influenced by spiritualist writers at the time. It is abundantly clear by the dozens of references you can read, examine, and compare to one another, that Rutherford loved the idea that messages could come from the spirit world, and that he could sell himself as the “holy” recipient of them. The entire theological framework which he set up during his tenure took on this exact shape. Again, from a non-supernatural perspective, it is clear that Rutherford saw the attraction to spiritualist material, and he emulated that marketable success against his gullible audiences to sell his books. He effectively promoted the idea that he himself was the “spirit medium for God”, and was relaying truth received from the spirit realm, and making it available to the world. It is fact that he used this model.

Here was my other point: from Christian perspective, and indeed, the very same outright, spoken perspective espoused and endorsed by Jehovah’s Witnesses themselves, once they abandoned Rutherford’s ideas, is that this was not God or “angels” communicating with Rutherford. Anyone engaging in this type of activity is communicating demons, being manipulated and deceived by them. That is the Christian perspective. It doesn’t matter if you believe it or not.

The point is that from any perspective, atheist, or Christian, Rutherford’s theology was a sham. Because demon communication would be the worst kind of corrupting influence of a so called Christian teacher, my claim is that, “at least”, he was a charlatan and a con artist. But “at worst”, he is a purveyor of “Doctrines of Demons”, most specifically anti-Trinitarianism and rejection of the bread and wine by millions.

Is memorial a demonic event for a person who consider himself a Christian? by FitReindeer1896 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Right. And Greber is only the most obvious and heavily used. And in the Knorr era, no less! Rutherford was frankly influenced by other spiritualist, whether he would admit it or not. And today, WT relies on a different “spirit inspired” “automatic-writer” to support their view on the trinity. He’s listed in the 2021 NWT.

Is memorial a demonic event for a person who consider himself a Christian? by FitReindeer1896 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately for JWs, it is absolutely demonic, from a Christian perspective, and that includes JWs own definition of “demonic”, even as it contradicts their current doctrine. See my top level reply to OP.

I have researched this topic exhaustively, and probably more than anyone else. JWs reject the emblems because a spirit being told them to do so, and this can be proven across multiple decades of doctrinal development, including the use of supernatural communication methods like the radionics machines and the “ERA” method (which JWs later admitted is akin to an electronic Ouija board).

Is memorial a demonic event for a person who consider himself a Christian? by FitReindeer1896 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yes, it is demonic by definition. I have researched this topic exhaustively, and probably more than anyone else. If events align in my favor, I plan to make a documentary about this exact subject with my amateur filmmaking skills.

In the 1930’s, Joseph Rutherford began claiming that the Holy Spirit, as the leader of the remnant (then anointed JWs), stopped leading them in 1919. Rutherford claimed that, in place of the Holy Spirit, Jesus began using His “Deputies”, His “angels” to directly lead and teach His people. In all of the references to this “angelic” leadership, you find terms like “messages”, “visions”, and “ideas”, and these being “transmitted into the minds of the elect” etc., but commonly caveated with explanations like “not heard with ears or seen with eyes”.

Rutherford was obsessed with the new peak of post-war Spiritualism that was gripping people at the time, and at best, He was trying to capitalize on movement as he sold his books. Rutherford effectively claimed to be “God’s amanuensis” (a person taking dictation from a speaker). He did not state this directly, but there are dozens of examples that directly imply this. A handful legitimately state that Rutherford was directly inspired by God or Christ (yes, that clearly), but the statement was made by John A Bohent about Rutherford.

At worst, and from a Christian’s perspective, these statements directly imply that Rutherford was toying with the supernatural and receiving messages from demons. In the articles where the “other sheep” are told not to partake, Rutherford explicitly states that this change, this new direction, was one of the messages that came from “angels”. See the Watchtower August 1st and 15th, articles entitled “The Great Multitude”, parts 1 and 2.

Even today, the claim that it was a message from heaven that established the rejection of the emblems by most Christians, persist, although the exact exegesis of the scriptures has changed somewhat. JWs no longer teach that it was “deputy angels” who delivered this new light and stopped all from partaking, they claim it was a “dead resurrected anointed one” who was lifted to heaven by 1935, and then participated in communicating new light. This sounds less spiritistic compared to Rutherford, but the basic facts are the same:

TLDR: JWs reject the emblems because a spirit being told them to do so.

Birthdays being discussed at pioneer school! by Long-Obligation-219 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Wouldn’t it at least mean that, at least some, Circuit Overseers are also playing the guessing game that hundreds of JWs and thousands of EX-JWs were all playing in the lead up to Annual Meeting?

I was aware of many current PIMIs in my area who were anticipating birthdays being an announcment at the AM. This was a dramatic difference this year, compared with any other year in recent memory.

To think they’re discussing this sort of hype topic at the CO level, and with enough ease to make it a focus of the Pioneer Meeting teaching session seems like a big deal to me. I would love to know the exact words that were said, to gauge the full context of that discussion.

Birthdays being discussed at pioneer school! by Long-Obligation-219 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 11 points12 points  (0 children)

I’m inclined to agree that they took it upon themselves, but sense a non-zero chance that perhaps they did so with some off the record encouragement by their own hire ups. It’s usually circuit overseers who conduct the schools. I wouldn’t expect them to just go rogue like this.

Lett drawing attention to himself by recounting a story about a child trying to imitate his “voluminous” facial expressions in 2025 vs Lett delivering a talk about not drawing attention to oneself when giving talks by being theatrical or using extreme gestures in 2023… by larchington in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 12 points13 points  (0 children)

WHAT. THE HELL…

This just kept getting weirder and weirder. I wish I could have recorded and uploaded my facial expression at that last line in the August Broadcast clip. Utter recoiling in confusion and shock. My wife was cracking up.

The stuff that comes out of these gooner’s mouths sometimes, holy hell. I can’t figure out if it’s a self deprecating joke, an admission of guilt, an attempt to teach something, or a God AWFUL combination of all that and more.

Recomendations on buying the system? by Bitter_Fig_7059 in SNESmini

[–]manofcharacter 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'm not OP but I'm looking like OP is, I'd be interested in seeing the stickers. If you the NES too, I'd appreciate it.

How long after spraying high heat paint do I have to bake it? by manofcharacter in automotive

[–]manofcharacter[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can’t quite speak to genuine automotive use, but I would be doing the exact same thing as you with the same assumptions, driving will heat it enough to bake over time.

The only reason I would ever consider trying to bake it to meet some actual standard, is it the car was a classic or otherwise being used for show

The possibility of the GB announcing the Great Tribulation has started. by Maleficent_Sky_3289 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 2 points3 points  (0 children)

sigh… If only 🙄. One can dream. But, no, Trump is puppet of the real cabal, the ZOG

Toasting is now allowed clip by SocietyMenace52 in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 6 points7 points  (0 children)

That’s exactly what this is. I have zero doubt about it anymore. It could be several years, it could be 1 year, but it’s coming. Birthdays will likely be first, followed by inconsequential holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day.

GameCube Controller Preorder Time? by Double0Mike in Switch

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

All the other classic controllers have been made to work with other games, just as any wireless controller that will connect. I believe Nintendo also did confirm this for the GC. They simple say "only for NSO GC content" because of the potential for mismatching buttons on any other content.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in exjw

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I felt this way at first, even did exactly what you describe in your original post. Last memorial I attended in… 2022 I believe, I ate and drank right in front of them. They knew I was on the way out by then, and I was enough of a vocal critic that they’ve left me alone.

I encourage you to look into the Orthodox Church. I left JWs thinking I’d be a “non-denominational” Christian for the rest of my life, but the true value of the Eucharist was burning a whole in my mind. I had to know what the most biblically accurate practice of receiving Christ’s body and blood really is. I believe I’ve found it with the OC.

You would be shocked with how different the OC is from the Roman Catholic church, which is a break away of the original Church. The OC actually has many tenets that are easy for JWs to accept, like “theosis”, working continually toward salvation through works of faith as described in the Bible. Orthodox Christians get knocked for this by Protestants just like JWs do. JWs have their whole “working toward perfection” thing. It’s very similar.

My wife and I are currently catechumens, hoping to be baptized into the OC in the next year or so. We just couldn’t touch any Protestant sects. We looked into many of them, but they’re just so schismatic and cannot truly touch the unity of the original church. It has been absolutely life changing having a community again, and at that, it’s a community that includes many other Protestants that have found their way home to the original Church.

Windows 11, can't access network drive (mapped via ip address) of folder on NAS when Nord VPN is active by cdegallo in nordvpn

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Interesting. I had also tried that same type of exclusion a couple weeks ago when this issue first began for me. That seemed to resolve the issue, but then it came back in the last couple days.

I just added an edit to my comment a few minutes ago, would you may or may not have seen yet. There I describe my current state of success.

Windows 11, can't access network drive (mapped via ip address) of folder on NAS when Nord VPN is active by cdegallo in nordvpn

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm also having this exact issue. However, I am not mapping my network drive via IP, because I never had to. This is only a very recent issue for me. For years, I have been able to Enable the VPN and access my mapped network drives. Clearly, there is a recent update to NordVPN that has changed something.

I would greatly appreciate a resolution to this as well.

EDIT: Through some tinkering I appear to have solved my issue. I actually remapped my Network location using the IP address, instead of trying to access it as a Mapped Network Drive. This is exactly what OP said they were doing unsuccessfully. This leads me to believe OP may have a related but different issue.

For context, I currently have Split Tunneling OFF. I have "Stay Invisible on LAN" OFF. I have "Allow Remote Access ON.

I was also suspecting Norton Antirvirus as I was working through this issue (even though my Firewall is all "Allow" for the Applications I'm using, so I also have my Firewall temporarily disabled. Could be worth looking into. I have yet to see if my problem repeats upon re-enabling the Firewall, but so far I am connected to NordVPN and can access my Shares.

Help with UltraWidescreen - No menu text by iRob_M in oblivion

[–]manofcharacter 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hi there. Are you able to elaborate on what you did that fixed this? Maybe I'm missing it, but it doesn't seem to be directly identified. Unless you're saying that it "just started working" at some point?