₦airaland Forum

Maximus85: 1. In the world religion cycle, JWs are so tiny, in terms of population and infrastructure. In 236 countries, you can find us. In the whole world we are just 7,659,019. An average of 32,453 per country. See how small we are? Yes we are organized. Those in Bethel doesnt receive salaris but a little money for their basic needs. They don't build mansons and buy cars with it. You call that...salary?
We don't sell our magazines but we welcome voluntary donations. Pick up one of our magazines, take it to a printer and ask him the cost of producing that quality. Where some people donate N20, N50 for.
I pray that God in his infinit mercy help open your eyes.

--- 1) This is some of the nonsense JWs peddle. You betray your ignorance of the constituent costs of printed material. I will educate you here:

If you buy a book on say, www.amazon.co.uk for GBP 5.00 and you live in Nigeria; how much do you think it will cost to get the book to you? Almost certainly more than GBP 5.00.

Yet: you JWs have almost free labour for the production of all your books:
--- Some of the Writing Department people in your sect are paid salaries, the salaries are small
--- Almost all your GB (Governing Body) leaders get a maintenance fee, those are also small
--- Now, we come to the big one: marketing and distribution. In the real world, marketing is a big deal, but you JWs have zero marketing costs, and quite minimal distribution costs because people like Maximus85 are there to go to people's houses to market and distribute and sell the books for free. That's why the costs of your books are low, and you decieve people by telling them: 'look at the binding, look at the pictures, look at the quality; how much do you think a textbook like this will cost'? It's a useless question that has no meaning and is designed to deceive.

Maximus85: That we have shares in weapon industry and have affliate with the UN?

Essentially, yes; read my original post about this.

Maximus85: I wouldnt ask for the source of that mighty falacy.

Of course, you wouldn't ask!

Like an ostrich: head in the sand: see no evil, hear no evil. That is exactly what some of your elders did when they found out fellow elders were raping children int he congregation.

And let me tell you: if you're humble enough to ask, I'll provide details. But far be it beyond me to offer pearls before hogs. You know very little about your religious sect; and it is a pity.

Maximus85: I'll just pray for you. Even Jesus said we should leave those that wouldnt listen and go in search of others.

--- Pray for me?! The last refuge of the dejected religious! I don't need your prayers. Both Jesus the Christ and Jehovah, the tribal Jewish god of your sect have already prayed for and blessed me; heck, how do you think I knew all these things?

--- You are a diehard JW: almost no evidence will be enough for you, and when there's a hint of evidence, you close your eyes and don't want to see: none so blind as those who would not see. Yet, you will pick a bag, and go around misleading the uninformed, claiming you are preaching the 'good news of the kingdom'; what good news? There's no good news with JWs, only bad news.

Maximus85: Try to learn. THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE END OF THE WORLD. GOD WILL PUT AN END TO THIS WICKED SYSTEM OF THINGS HEADED BY SATAN.
IN NOAH'S DAY, DID GOD DESTROY THE EARTH? NO! HE WIPED OUT THE WICKED SOULS. SAME WAY HE'LL DO THE NEXT CLEANING. THIS IS NOT TAUGHT IN CHURCHES, ALL YOU HEAR IS SALVATION AND PROSPERITY.

I've nothing to learn from you based on your misinformation here.

It's the end of the world [as we know it], according to your sect.

Stop talking about Noah, your Governing Body have nothing on Noah.

I see you do not dispute the false prophecies with the dates I have provided: you can't.

I also see that despite all the JW rantings about the Cathlic church, the JW organisation has a system in place that's firmly in favour of those who rape children, and some of your JW elders have taken advantage of that to serially rape children over many years: your organisation is being made to pay for it in the US. The trouble is: the same things are definitely going on in Nigeria; but who will stand up for the weak?

On this specific point of the sexual rape of children, the Catholic church have shown themselves to have a more Christian conscience: they compensate the victims, and then apologise publicly. Your JW sect has not at any time apologised in the same manner to those whose lives it has ruined.

And, you are a liar: you think it is only the JWs who believe this? The International Bible Students Association also does; their founding strictly preceeds the name of your group, adopted sometime in 1933

People: the Jehovah's Witnesses claim to be prophets of God. Now, imagine a prophet telling you this:

"If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in highschool and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!"

Those who were 20 years old when the JWs said this are now 63 years old. (See: Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15)

truthislight: i dont seem to know what you are saying, but its like you do have reasons, a lot of reason for being so particular and following all this detail that you seem to have about the JW.
can you please share with us what your motivating forces are?
Maybe if you do that i may be more incline to trust you and through away all the positive aspect about them and join your team.

You know why i am asking?
I just remembered that if Adam have considered the fact that all the good things that he had, his life, the wife, the fruits, the foods, the animals, etc etc, that they were given to him by God and that satan had not given to them anything absolutely nothing, he will have stuck with the one who had given him all he had and would not have made that big mistakes that cost him all he had and his children are still suffering.

So, i really wish to know the benefit of sticking with you.

The JW dont collect tith you know, they are not salaried you know, they dont drag with any body the things of this world you know? Their place of worship is humble, they are not cut out for the mansion like others do.

Am just wandering where they may have offended you in all this?
Have they exploited you?

Please explain the reason for the passion for this much hatred so i may understand and join you to do this your Good work.

Am waiting.

1) You're misinformed: ordinary JWs do not earn a salary. But a number fo people in their 'Bethel' centres earn salaries.

2) YOu want motivating forces?
(a) correctness
(b) dislike of deceit (
(c) dislike of making an apperance to be the only true Christians
(d) dislike of reaping where JWs have not sown
(e) dislike for the destruction of lives that JWs peddle as a religon
(f) dislike for a deceitful religion rubbishing all other Christians

3) I don't need you to join my team; I don't have a team

4) You're making a mistake about Adam: it is clear even from the bible that Adam knew all these things; he was not deceived, like Eve, his wife. Adam, according to the bible, made a conscious decision to do what he did. You have to be curious to want to know why; if you're not, too bad.

5) You're thoroughly mistaken about the JW organisation; you have fallen for their propaganda. The JWs were members of the United Nations DPI (where they enjoyed seveeral benefits for several years, including sticking to agreements to publicise the UN in their magazines), yet, they always claimed the UN is the wild beast in public. But once they were exposed as being deceitful, they withdrew their membership of the UN as an NGO. How is that being 'separate from the world'?

6) Yes, they don't collect tithes, but they collect 'donations'. Do you think their activities are funded by manna from heaven? No! They emply free labour to distribute their books, and they collect the excess funds and invest in properties. They also have shares in companies producing weapons of singular and mass destrcution; yet, they criticise war. Do you see the hypocrisy?

7) No, I do not hate JWs (it is in fact irrelevant if I did); I know most ordinary JWs, the ones you see on the streets and the sort who come here to defend their faith are victims themselves: they have been indoctrinated, most of them have no real life outside their JW circles, and their religion steers them to isolaing themselves from people, they call this being 'separate from the world'. The harm being done is great. Also, JWs destroy faith in God for people who end up believing them: if you become a JW, you cannot leave the religion without some serious consequences; this is not Christianity, it is slavery. The problem is that most people do not know until they're deep in; many become trapped and cannot leave.

8') My interest is partly in studying high-control religious sects, how they operate, how they recruit members, how they rationalise when their prophecies fail, how they keep their members in, and what they do to those who don't anymore want to be members. JWs are one of the most dangerous. And I don't ever instruct people not to become JWS, no; I however want them to be fully informed of the meaning of what they want to do, and the consequences it will have on their lives. JWs do not fully inform their potential converts.

9) It is clear to me that someone like Maximus85 has limited knowledge of jis JW religion; either that, or, he is being exceptionally deceitful. These are not idle statements, I am able to provide documented evidence from JW literature that this is the case based on the responses by that fellow on this thread.

10) If you have any other direct questions, you can ask; if you are dissatisfied with any of the above or require further information, just ask.

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Nimshi: Maximus85: it is quite brave of you to come up here to defend your religion.
I have some questions for you.
1) Why is 1914 very important to your religion? BECAUSE IT MARK THE END OF THE SEVEN TIMES. BEGINNING FROM 607 BCE. Google the year Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. http://www.2001translation.com/587_or_607.htm IN 1914 JESUS CHRIST BECAME KING AND HE SENT SATAN AND HIS ANGELS AWAY FROM HEAVEN DOWN TO THE EARTH.

**** What link? See this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Jerusalem_(587_BC) And, for your information, it is bunk to refer to some nonsensical link as proof. I am now convinced you only repeat what your masters in Brooklyn tell you to say; you have no knowledge of the relevant issues.

2) What is the disposition of your religion to child abuse; 'child abuse' being the satinised expression for the (intimate) Molestation of children.
JESUS CHRIST ASKED US TO RESPECT THE LAW. ITS EVEN AGAINST THE COMMON LAW TO ABUSE CHILDREN, SEXUALLY OR DOMESTICALLY. AS A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST, WE SHOULD ACT IN HOLINESS AND LOVE.


- You are lying, or uninformed.
- The religion is a haven for those who rape children.
- Two months ago, one of your elders was convicted for this most detestable of crimes.
- Your organisation has been ordered to pay USD20million dollars to the victims.
- What is important about this case is this: the abused child was in one of your congregations.
- A few years ago, several cases against the JWs organisation led to millions of dollars awarded against the JWs.
- The JWs keep this silent; yet, the JW leaders have a list of up to 30,000 JW rapists of children in a database.
- The JW leaders refuse to release the database to the responsible governments.



3) What is the the disposition of your religion to the donation of human blood?
GOD TOLD NOAH CATEGORICALLY TO ABSTAIN FROM BLOOD. GENESIS 9:4,5. THIS IS A LAW OF GOD AND PUTTING ONES LIFE AHEAD OF GOD'S LAW IS FATAL. Read MARK 8:35,36.


--- Abstain! Yet, members of your religion accepts Haemoglobin factor VIII which is a product from human blood donated by others: you are reaping where you have not sown; this is neither Christian, nor moral.



4) Who is the founder of your religion?
JESUS CHRIST IS THE FOUNDER OF TRUE CHRISTIANITY. TRUE CHRISTIANS FOLLOW CHRIST STEP BY STEP WITH THE AID OF THE BIBLE. COLOSSIANS 1:18


--- Hahahaha. So you're the true Christians? are you so ignorant about your religion.
--- Your founder is Charles Taze Russell, who was himself a follower of the 7th day Adventists
--- That is why all your religions' ideas about 1814, the end of the world, etc etc are direct lifts from the 7th day Adventis religion
--- Your founder Charles Taze Russell wrote books what are now agreed to be 'demon' inspired.


5) Who are the current leaders of your religion?
WE DO NOT HAVE "LEADERS" WE HAVE JUST A LEADER WHO IS JESUS CHRIST. WE DO HAVE BROTHERS WHO ARE ORGANIZING THE AFFAIRS OF THE CONGREGATIONS. WE ARE ALL EQUAL BEFORE GOD AND CHRIST.
INFACT, NO SPECIAL SEATS IN OUR MEETINGS.


--- Again, you betray your ignorance.
--- The leaders of your religion are the men called the Governing Body (GB)
--- They're located in Brooklyn; of course, they're almosts exclusively Caucasian men
--- They are the ones who the direct Channel to God; i.e. they have God's direct line
--- They are the intermediaries between JWs and God, since God communicates with them
--- No special seats in your meeting? Irrelevant fact. Can you attend the GB meeting? Of course not!


6) What is the belief of your religion regarding who will be saved at Armageddon?
JUST LIKE IN THE DAYS OF NOAH, JEHOVAH SAVED THOSE THAT HEED TO HIS COMMANDMENTS, THEREFORE, THOSE THAT RESPECTS GODS COMMANDMENTS, SERVING GOD WITH THEIR COMPLETE HEART WILL BE SAVED AT ARMAGEDDON.


--- Ah! You're answering exactly as your Brooklyn masters have asked you to.
--- If that's the case, then why do you people keep going out to tell people to convert to your sect?
--- Do you deny that you people teach that only you are thr eture Christians, and that all other Christians who're not JWs will be dead meat by Armaggeddon?
--- Surely, you teach that your religion teaches that your religion is the Ark; everyone not part of your religion will be killed
--- JWs believe they will inherit the earth, including the fine houses at VGC, Ikoyi and elsewhere.
--- It is not a joke that when you're out preaching (i.e. misleading the uninformed), your members point to houses, saying stuff like 'that will be mine after Armaggeddon; such is the delusion


7) Why do your leaders 'encourage' people who work in your missions not to have children?
ONCE AGAIN, WE DO NOT HAVE LEADERS. NOBODY IS ENCOURAGING FULL TIME MINISTERS NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN. ITS A PERSONAL DECISION. SO FAR IT WILL NOT SLOW THEM DOWN IN THEIR MINISTRY ASSIGNMENT.

--- JWs pretend not to have a leadership structure; this is a lie
--- You have leaders. You have elders; among the elders, you have a leading elder, or presiding overseer
--- Next to the elders, you have servants, which you call ministerial servants
--- Of course, all your GB, elders, servants, etc etc are all men; a p*enis is needed to be anything
--- You have 'circuit overseers', 'district overseers', etc etc
--- And, you 'encourage' your Bethel members not to have children (of course, why should they have children when the end will come soon?


8') On what dates has your religion predicted the end of the world?
THERE WAS A MISCONCEPTION IN 1925/75. EVEN THE HEAD OF THE CONGREGATION, JESUS THE SO OF GOD DOESN'T KNOW THE EXACT TIME, HOW CAN WE STATE A DATE? NOBODY KNOWS.


--- You're lying again.
--- Misconception? What does that mean?
--- JWs predicted the end of the word in
1914
1925
1975
2000
At the moment, your Brooklyn masters are indicating that 2014 has some significance.


Here is what your Brooklyn masters published more than 40 years ago:

Awake! 1969 May 22 p.15

"If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ... Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in highschool and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!"

You are false prophets, and your stock-in-trade is to deceive the weak and the uninformed to convert to your high-control sect.

And you people are not special in any way; you learned your tactics from the 7th day adventists, and most of what you believe come from them.

truthislight: JW dont and never mention specific dates.

Never knew that you can be this deceitful.

Actually, you're the one being possibly deceitful; either that or you're uninformed, or that you've been indoctrinated to believe a lie so much so that you cannot tell the difference between the lie and the truth. JWs have not mentioned specific dates (not in the sense of Date/Month/Year), but they have mentioned Years (a safer bet for a gambling sect).

The JW religion has predicted dates for the end of the world. The last date (the one that caused many people to leave your date-crashing organisation) was 1975. JW chronology led to 1975 as the end of 6,000 years, which JW chronology equated to being the beginning fo the rest of God (going by that most foolish notion that 1000 years = 1 day).

The JW religion predicted the end in 1914; and I have that challenge pending: let any JW show us anything the JW organisation wrote about 1914 before 1914 that was correct; and for every one such 'fact', we will supply two falsehoods.

The JW religion also predicted the end in 1925. The JWs also predicted the end of the world as the end of the last century.

Speculation about the meaning of 'generation' has led to the JW religion 'indicating' other dates as the end of the world. As we speak - right at the moment - the leaders of the JW religion in the US are encouraging young men and women no to expect to get old in 'this system of things'. They said the same things in the 60s. Many people are being misled to abandon their futures and stake it on the predictions of the men from Brooklyn.

This is one dangerous religion; many of the followers don't know it.

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ope_emi: I have recieved visits the same way, well that what they do though(not all of them).

And as for there magazine, they are very EDUCATIVE, Kudos to AWAKE.

Oracle: They come to my place sometimes for their home Bible study, i listen to them and sometimes agree with their teachings
However, i don't totallly accept all their doctrines, but one thing i'll tell you i use is their awake magazines. i read those magazines.

1) Awake! is usually only educative, but for the rlatively uninformed. Anyone who's got a functional Internet connection need not be uninformed if they could read and are inquisitive.

2) Be careful not to be seduced by JWs; it may be ok to have discussions with them in your own home; but once you start attending their 'meetings', and they love-bomb you, and then 'encourage' you to get baptised, you will then willingly sign almost all your fundamental rights away (JWs will give you a small piece of paper to sign when you get baptised; this is the most important step for the JW organisation; it is a most damaging step for your liberty).

Discussion is good; just be careful.

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Maximus85: I have asked eight questions above, and offered that you answer according to your own priority list of thise questions.

I am not surprised at your boast that you JWs are 'trained teachers'; when the same doctrine is drummed into faithfuls at several meetings every week, and the 'groupspeak' is elevated to real discussion, plus the illusion of an in-house school, it is easy to make JWs feel special. Of course, they go out to unsuspecting people, claiming to 'preach', yet, it is clear that everything you say must be sanctioned from a certain country (you know which). Your religion is dangerous, even though you may not know it. And I hint/warn you in advance that attempting to answer any four of the questions I have posed in detail will unmask your religion for what it is.

Someone up here asked why the hatred the JWs have for the Catholics; you responded with 'you need proof'; this is cheeky. Just type 'Catholic' into your WT CD, and find the relevant quotes. What is surprising is that the Jehovah's Witnesses are hypocrites of the worst kind in the matters in which they criticise the Catholic church the most: child abuse and idolatory.

OLAADEGBU: I thank you for your response to my post to you: my words were a bit harsh; but you show yourself a better fellow with your response. I apologise for the harsh words, and of course: I welcome the questions you're asking of this religious sect claiming to be the only true Christians.

Re: the first post

. . . all those things you wrote about Prophet Moh'd happened before Islam became powerful; that is, at the beginning of his founding of his religion

It is important not to forget this; it means everything.

While Islam was in its infancy, it was expedient to be calm and assume a posture of timidity.

Things changed once Islam started to gain ascendancy

As I added: the small battles between Christians and Muslims here are needless; both are foreign religions with their own tribal gods.

OLAADEGBU: It is apparent you have little experience in dealing with Jehovah's Witnesses.

Hint #1: By jumping from topic to topic, you offer the JW an easy way to muddle things up (I don't claim the JW would do this deliberately).

. . .

Maximus85: [b] Jerusalem was a symbol of God's rulership. 1 Chronicles 29:23. In 607 B.C.E, The Babylonians conquered Jerusalem and the representation of God's throne on earth was interupted. 2 King 25:1-26. But this interruption will not last forever. Ezekiel fortold in Ezekiel 21:26-27 about the last king of Jerusalem, Zedekiah " remove the turban, and lift off the crown....it will certainly become no one's until he comes who has the legal right, and i must give it to him. So the one who has the legal right to the Davidic crown is Jesus Christ. Luke 1:32,33.

Therefore the interuption ends when Jesus became King.
So how long will the throne remain empty? It was shown to King Nebuchadnezzar in a dream. Daniel 4:10-16. He saw an immense tree chopped down. Its stump could not grow because it was banded with iron and copper. An angel declared: "LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER IT" In the Bible, trees are sometimes used to represent rulership. Read Ezekiel 17:22-24; 31:2-5. Chopping down the tree represents the interuption of God's throne (Jerusalem) but it will last for SEVEN TIMES. So how long is this time?
Revelation 12:6,14 states that three and a half times equals "a thousand two hundred and sixty days"(1260days) three and a half times times 2 equals 7times that is 1260 X 2 =2520days. But this interuption didn't end in just 2520days. Numbers 14:24 and Ezekiel 4:6 speak of a day for a year, so the 7times is 2520years.
The 2520years started in the 10th month of 607 B.C.E, when Jerusalem was captured by Babylon.
From October 607 B.C.E to December 1 C.E IS 606 years and 4months. Remember B.C.E was counted backward.
From January, 1 C.E to October 1914 is 1913 years and 8months. Lets add 606yrs, 4months to 1913yrs,8months=2520years.
Meaning the 7times ended in October 1914. Jesus became King. Read Daniel 7:13,14.
Instantly war broke out in heaven, Jesus sent Satan and his demon down to the earth, and woe to the earth. Read Revelation 12:7, 9, 12.
October 1914, the first world war confirming satan's presence and rage on earth.
See how accurate it is?[/b]

Maximu85: no, it is not accurate. There are several problems with your response. I will get to them in another post. For now, I have this:

1) Why 607 BCE? When did your religion come upon this date as the start date? (This is not a rhetorical question, I ask so that you would respond).

2) I have a challenge from you (I confess to having leaned this challenge from a friend who had studied your religion in detail): could you tell us anything - anything - your religion wrote before 1914 about 1914 that was correct? For every one thing you write in response to this question, I will supply two falsehoods peddled by the JWs; fair deal?
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Maximus85: it is quite brave of you to come up here to defend your religion.

I have some questions for you.

1) Why is 1914 very important to your religion?

2) What is the disposition of your religion to child abuse; 'child abuse' being the satinised expression for the (sexual) rape of children.

3) What is the the disposition of your religion to the donation of human blood?

4) Who is the founder of your religion?

5) Who are the current leaders of your religion?

6) What is the belief of your religion regarding who will be saved at Armageddon?

7) Why do your leaders 'encourage' people who work in your missions not to have children?

8') On what dates has your religion predicted the end of the world?

I have more questions, but I give you the liberty to start with any of the ones above, according to your own priority list (I inform you in advance that this latitude to start with what you think is important has a purpose; may your God, Jehovah, be with you as you answer these questions, and my his Holy Spirit assist you in good measure).

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You may be misreading Bakare.

He's smarter than the conclusion of the original post; it is unlikely his true message would be that simplistic.

Hint: 'inferiority'; think about that. And perhaps, a new meaning of his words may emerge.

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Reyginus: Am disappointed in some atheist trying to derail this thread.Why must you participate in the celebration of what you dont believe in?

Belief in God isn't needed to have a valid biblical definition of him; just an understanding of the relevant language, and a means of expression.

Now, one thing is certain: the bible God (Yahweh/Jehovah) is a tribal god of the Jews. This is a most important point. Once that is understood, the rest of his behaviour in the bible could be grasped, up to and including that of Jesus the Christ, who became the face of the Jewish god.

Mr. Ibrahim Babangida calling someone - anyone - senseless and misguided??

Wonders.

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You're right.

But what's special? Why would the GTBank systems especially attract crackers?

In any case: whenever customers suffer - for any reason - then the bank isn't doing well enough.

In this case, the problem isn't that the IT system 'upgrade' failed, but also that many (not most, not all) GTBank officers couldn't handle the pressure. And the ban failed to inform beforehand that they were to implement an upgrade that could impact services . . .

Ajanlekoko wrote: When is it right to assist such persons, and when is it not right to assist?

I'd say when you're willing and can. That's not much help, but that's what it boils down to for me. I would assist even the worst student if I could. But given as I do not have unlimited resources, I will have to evaluate the level of assistance on a case-by-case basis. I would (and have!) done an odd job or two to assist a brilliant and/or hardworking/diligent non-nuclear family member, just because they showed promise. I don't think this is especially noble; I would hope most people would do the same. When it's family, non-objective criteria gain entrance into the mix. You have yourself noted that you would do that for a child of yours; some may feel that responsibility even to a distant relative, blood/water/thickness and all that . . .

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What would you have?

A Pastor who prays for the rogues?

Or one unable to speak truth to power?

Bakare is doing God's work. It's a dirty job, and someone must do it; he is.

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No, I don't; that's why I'd asked.

When I opened my GTBank account, First Bank did not have these capabilities.

Things have certainly improved, so I seek the experience of neutral clients; it's one thing to have the services, but it's another for the services to function as intended. In the case of GTBank, the last two weeks have been disappointing . . .

You wrote: " I think it's not a matter of being rich, or if the funds are available or not."

-- Apparently, it is, and for many sponsors. The reasons to me are clear: the 'average' student you describe stands a better chance of doing well (this is non-scientific observation) outside the country than in Nigeria; what's usually needed is opportunity. Many of the average native students I know are seldom any much better than the 'average' Nigerian graduate with the determination to succeed.

The real question is the legitimacy of such requests. I mean, you may believe that the way out for you is to study abroad, while I may not share that view, especially where you are concerned. In that kind of situation, must I be compelled by the African support culture to indulge your request?

-- That's responded to. . . Anyone could make any request; in fact, it's usually better to ask than not to ask at all. No trouble ought to be made for anyone who refuses to meet the request.

In fact, people who graduated in Nigeria with an excellent grade like a first class would not necessarily require family sponsorship or assistance to get ahead. Such persons can probably find employment in Nigeria easily, as well as scholarships or study opportunities outside Nigeria. So what are we trying to justify here, exactly?

-- Perhaps sometimes true, but not always true. There was a time (I do not know of now, I expect things to have become worse) when very good students couldn't obtain any scholarships abroad. And even with better conditions, the number of scholarships could hardly meet the demand for those willing to study.

The main point is that family members do not malign a no-show sponsor. But yes: assisting even average students when one has the means is noble; if not for the fact that they have anything special, but for the sake of education itself. Surely, a little better education would - in and of itself - be good, no?

I now suspect you have an extreme view on this specific issue: should one not support (free scholarship, loan, etc) even a poor student who's shown an interest in education abroad when one has the means and is willing? Why would this not be appropriate for a relative given the conditions stated here?

Ajanlekoko: interesting post!

Perhaps education is the only viable/legitimate reason for such persons to 'travel abroad'?
And/or the well-off relative happy to do this sees it as a means of letting people 'leave him/her - the well-to-do relative that is - alone'?

I have myself wondered about this: why should a student who graduated with a poor result, has no abiding interest in academics, has shown no academic promise. . . expect sponsorship for an expensive second degree? If the funds are there, then why not? But to require a relative to bend-over backwards? The decision ultimately rests with the sponsor. I'd do it for a student with a poor result if there are extenuating circumstances, even for the 'average' fellow you described if - IF - the funds are available. But having relatives malign one for this is ridiculous.

I like your idea of a loan. A similar offer was made to a fellow who had wanted to be sponsored abroad for studies. Even though the loan was interest-free, our study-abroad fellow didn't appreciate it and suddenly developed a reduced interest in the studies. Telling, isn't it?

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Having banked with GTBank for over a decade, we have been let down. Perhaps this is temporary for the bank, but the events of the last two weeks have been very costly to us. Are there any viable alternatives to GTBank? The minimum required:

1) Full online banking capabilities:
- intra-bank transfers, online
- inter-bank transfers, online
- FX transfers from outside Nigeria into the Nigerian bank account
- FX exchange into Naira online (direct sale to the bank), online
- Receipts for transactions, online

GTBank provides all these services; the bank has been excellent. But in view of the last two weeks, it is clear it's a poor strategy to have just one bank within Nigeria, and we're paying for it. . .

Any suggestions, please?
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"The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4:10-11).

Sounds like a common ritual; devotees falling down, prostrating themselves, worshipping a deity, and praising the deity no end for everything. The desire to feel good is a constant need of tribal gods.

Crown Him with many crowns, The lamb upon His throne
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns All music but its own!
Awake my soul and sing Of Him who died for thee
And hail Him as thy matchless King Through all eternity.

Many crowns; why? Isn't one enough? What's the sense in one wearing many crowns? Many heads, then?

"Only A Fool Says In His Heart That There Is No God"

- No such person exists.

- We tend to say things with the lips, not with the heart.

- That quote was from a time when Middle Easterners believed people thought with their hearts.

- Had your quote said 'only a full thinks in his brain that there is no God', perhaps we could pay some attention.

- Note: your quote refers only to the male; what of females?

- And, what's the definition of a fool? David Oyedepo says with his mouth that there is God, yet, he's a confirmed purveyor of f.oolishness; he recently just said he would 'slap again', and that his ministry is to slap. He also called himself a Baba witch or something. He's embarassing God; perhaps God thinks he's a f.ool?

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'Atheist organisation'??

Why?

There're already any number of humanist organisations in Nigeria.

Search for Leo Igwe, for instance, and you'd find a lot of leads.

It sounds somewhat defeatist to have an 'atheist organisaions'; people who have no belief in a deity woul rather gather round a positive theme (somehting Leo Igwe, for instance, has done).

Joagbaje? That zero-thought, all-feel, all-guts, no-evidence-in-consideration poster?

Bravo! You get what you deserve: best poster, best politicians, 'best' schools too.

Joagbaje is in urgent need of a basic course in logical thinking and evidence evaluation.

Yet, in the Nigerian fashion, I congratulate you!

Sometime before the end of the year, I might even take out a full page advertorial in the Guardian to congratulate you on this important milestone in your Christian life.

Gadols: no NEPA at the internet café today?

You've earned the title of idol worshipper; that means whatever it is you worship, whatever deity it is, or any human, including Mr. Do-You-Know-Who-You're-Talking-To, is an 'idol'.

And as suggested above: when will you tender an apology?

Don't be like your tin god; he's not a good model for you.
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Nothing new.

Islam isn't just a religion; it is also an ideology.

Muslims must dominate wherever they are; watch Muslims wherever their populations reach anything near 10%; they begin to make demands and do receive concessions.

Nigeria is one exception, and that's mainly because of the hsitorical development of Islam in the South.

Islam is Jihad; Jihad is Islam; to believe otherwise is to be fooled.

So, this man has said nothing new. Just to reinforce the obvious.