Comments You Will Not Hear at the WT Study (11/12 GOD'S PURPOSE)

by WT Comments 17 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  WT Comments

  Soliciting your comments as well!
  Please take a moment to post a comment, even if brief. Share your experience and keep the topic active.
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  Chameleon

  I haven't read any of this yet, but I was waiting for it.

  Thanks.
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  Gopher

  Thanks again, V.

  This was a cultish indoctrination lesson, if ever I've seen one from the Watchtower Society.

  Right away they tell you that you cannot have purpose in life unless you've joined their Theocratic Misery School! I thought they'd save this kind of nonsense for their members-only issues starting in 2008.

  Then the whole rest of the article was saying your only real purpose in life is to be a Watchtower servant. DO MORE DO MORE DO MORE! Now let's have a happy song and prayer!

  One change -- your quote at the end came from the 1969 Awake, instead of 1968. Here's what it said. Link: http://www.jwfacts.com/index_files/1975.htm

  "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. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914, Jesus foretold: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur."-Matt. 24:34. 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!" Awake!1969 May 22 p.15
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  V

  Sharp eye Gopher.

  By the bye, this picture of Rutherford's Cadillac was found where?

  The Awake! January 8, 2003. The gall of these folks astound me.
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  SnakesInTheTower

  first off, thank you to whomever is picking these WTs apart. It means I dont have too. And I usually dont read WT comments all the way through anymore because I am burnt out on WT anything. I havent been to a WT study in months. Havent read the magazines in a couple and did not read this. Yet, this one caught my attention for several reasons Problem is, "it is deja vu all over again" (Yogi Berra?).

  Compare what paragraph 9 says:

  For example, suppose that we called on a few homes and found no one who seemed interested in our message. After we leave, the householders might talk about our call for hours or days, even where no one opened the door to us! We do not expect that everyone who hears the good news will respond favorably, but some will. (Matthew 13:19-23) Others may respond later when conditions in the world or in their life change. In any case, by doing what we can in the public ministry, we are doing God's work. We are "God's fellow workers." -1 Corinthians 3:9.

  with the email I received today from a former JW friend via email (apparently I am still on his email spam list for JW stories)

  Wednesday, February 23, 2005
  Comments made by Brother Lett at morning worship today.
  
  The comments were about the work we have of bearing witness of the truth. He went on to say that we should not be discouraged by not at homes or non-interested people. He mentioned that even if 80% of the people are not at homes and 20% are not interested, we still have many reasons to be joyful. Mainly, we are pleasing Jehovah. Also, we are fulfilling our responsibility to bear witness to others, we are proving that Satan the Devil is a liar and we are helping the angels determine the condition of people's hearts. Brother Lett then gave a very encouraging example/illustration of a typical day in service. At the first door we knock at, a woman peeks through the window, sees it's us and doesn't open the door. We mark it as a not at home, but the angels mark it as something else. They can see the condition of the woman's heart. The second door we knock at, no one is home since the husband and wife are both at work, but we leave a tract. At night, when the couple gets home and sees the track, a conversation begins. "Those witnesses were at our house today. They sure are persistent." The angels are watching and make note of it. The third door we knock at, no one answers. This is because the woman at the first house called her friend at the third house and warned her that we were coming. She says, "boy, those witnesses sure are persistent. They just don't give up." We mark it as not at home, but the angels mark it as something else. We knock at the fourth house and no one is home. But the lady across the street sees us. The witnesses had knocked at her door last week, but she didn't listen. She says, "Those witnesses sure are persistent,but very well dressed. Even their children are well behaved. Maybe I should listen to them the next time they knock at my door." Again, the angels make note of it. We knock at the fifth house and again no one is home. But a garbage truck passes by. The driver tells his co-worker, "There go those witnesses again. The co-worker asks, aren't they the ones that don't accept blood transfusions?. Yes, the driver replies. But look how well dressed and well behaved their children are. I wish my children were the same." The angels make note of it. So on just these 5 houses, there may have been 5 not at homes, but look how many conditions/reactions of the heart the angels were able to observe. Now imagine how many conditions/reactions of the heart the angels observe all around the world. This teaches us to continue making every effort to be active in the ministry and never become discouraged by not at homes or non-interested people. Finally, Brother Lett mentioned that even if all of us became regular pioneers and just 1 person in the entire world responded to the truth and got baptized, it would be all worth it. But that is not the case. Everyday, hundreds of people are baptized all over the world.
  
  Hope you enjoyed brother Lett's comments as much as I did.

  (puking a little in my mouth at that last line) The more things change, the more they stay the same. Its recirculated s#it. Same drivel as 2 years ago (notice the date of the story!), different arena (literally). I have personally heard Lett say crap like that to a smaller group of brothers. Rubber faced idiot (if you have met him, you know that description fits).

  Second observation from WT Comments:

  Yes, don't ask why every Assembly and Convention tacks an extra $5,000-10,000 to the "operating costs." When "housing costs are high" and "employment can be hard to find," happily remember that the elders vote without you to assume your contribution.

  Let me share a little story from my personal experience 5 years ago (sweeping the curtain aside so you can see the inner workings)

  I was attending the "business" rubber stamp meeting of the circuit elders in the spring of 2002. It was held in the literature depot below the MTS classroom in an outbuilding of the assembly hall. All the elders were standing, because as all but the newbie elders knew, all the decisions had already been made. Often, veteran elders did not even show up because of this. One of the "expenses" up for resolution and approval "rubber stamp" was a $1,000 dollar contribution each to 3 different congregations in the circuit who were having trouble with expenses, including in one case, a congo that had trouble making its loan payment to the Society. It was "resolved" extorted that a donation be made to "assist our less fortunate brothers in the circuit". A few of us thinking elders were scratching our heads, but overall, the drones just sat there with that "deer in the headlights" look and robotically raised their hands to approve $3,000 worth of the circuit's money for this! The circuit did not find out about the "resolution" until their next assembly, many months away.

  Now I know from my "special" Borg training that only "expenses related to the assembly, donations to the assembly hall (separate from what was charged to the circuit by the assembly hall), CO and DO expenses, and donations to WWW, KHBF, and Disaster Fund (at the time)" were permitted... In other words...no donations to benefit congos ...Little did the assembly overseer and the elders know, but one of the MTS instructors (Illingsworth if I recall...a DO who had also worked in Service for a time) was listening to the whole meeting from upstairs (the door to the depot had been left open to the upstairs). After the meeting, I went upstairs and looked at Paul and said: "Did you hear that?" He said, "yes Brother {Snakes}, I did." I asked: "Was that expense donation appropriate?" I could tell he was mad. He told me no. Apparently he said something to someone because I heard later on that, although the donation was made to the congos, (yes means yes, blah blah), but some circuit elders got reamed by him and instructor Manera that same weekend. It never happened again.

  Third observation:

  The actual costs of running a Kingdom Hall are minimal. Most halls have multiple congregations so the cost per publisher is even less. But, somehow, there are always about $10-15 per publisher monthly charge. (Oh, you thought it was all willing contributions? Check with your Accounts Servant.)

  The last two congos I was in did major renovations this last summer..unnecessary really, there was lots of life in what they had. One congo did the whole thing without going to the Society First National Bank of Watchtower for a KHBF payday loan. The other congo did get a loan, though they had a major downpayment. You mentioned "Actual costs". I was an accounts servant at one point years ago, and I often had to go to the elders to shake them down to meet expenses. This was never mentioned directly to the congregation. Local Needs parts was the elders version of the mob shakedown of the R&F.

  Another thing...regarding the "WT regimen". I did all of those things and more, especially when I was a young MS and pioneer. And guess what? I was broke, driving piece of crap cars, and I had no social life outside of the Borg whatsoever...something that 15 years later I am trying to rectify.

  The comments regarding the bethel layoffs...here's the deal. Back in the mid 90's, the Society was building new residence buildings in Walkill. I was a temp construction worker. One of the areas I worked was the top floor, which was to be an infirmary. It was the entire floor if I recall. They had so many older ones sucking resources that they had to expand their infirmary capacity. So what the Society is doing is cutting its flow of future infirmary residents. They bring in the young bucks (mostly brothers) age 19-25, work their little a$$es off..let them stay until 30...then "encourage" them to take up MTS, Gilead (if married), or other special "privileges" in the field in the name of supporting the congregations. Really, it was just a way to shuffle financial burden to the local congregations.

  Think about it-- its brilliant. Pretty soon, with some necessary "overseer" exceptions (such as the GB/Nephilim executives), there will be 2 groups at Bethel: (1) a constant turn over of 19-30 year olds doing the heavy lifting...and (2) an ever decreasing population of elderly Bethelites because as they die off, there are no elderly Bethelites behind them....because they were all sent home before they could become a financial/medical burden to the Society. Correct me if I am wrong, but I seem to remember a Bethelite had to have 15 years before they could get "special consideration" if suddenly they became incapacitated or whatever.. and stay at Bethel as "infirm". So the Borg sends them home before that happens...they took a page out of corporate America. And the more laborers they cut, the less support staff they need...and the layoffs become exponential....to a point that they get to the bare bones of what they have to have to run the empty buildings in Brooklyn and the Watchtower Education Center Resort at Patterson and the Publishing Plant at Walkill.

  sighhhhh... I guess I can get off my soap box now. lol. Caymans were soooooo relaxing.

  Snakes ()
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  bobld

  Thanks for the review.I can just hear those poor dim-wit jw slaves says boy the end must be really,really close.Look what the gb/fbs are telling us,go from door to door..go from door to door.They got the ear to the grd and know what is going on,they have god's holy ghost.Do not these stupid jw slaves read past wt/a.It's the same old shit.I guess poor little brain can't comprehend.We better do what the fds/gd tells us.stupid little jw's.

  What I do with my life is my business.I could give a rats ass as to what god thinks.When I'am done at least someone can say boy he lived a good full life

  Bob
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  WTWizard

  "Modestly accept that you cannot possibly do it all..."

  And, guess what happens if you acknowledge this by not doing more than you are capable of doing? Yup, you will be getting a visit or call from Brother Hounder. All this would be possible only if it were not necessary to make a living or maintain a dwelling. They seem to take antimaterialism to the extreme, which is far from balanced. You have a leaky roof. Windows need to be sealed better. The heating/cooling system needs work. Your house needs painting. There is work to do to clean, repair, and maintain things.

  So Brother Hounder suggests dispensing with these things altogether. Where is that going to leave you? You cannot live on the streets and keep that suit presentable. Even that car is going to need work done--they wear out, they break, and they eventually rust. Besides, you need money to put in the Worldwide Pedophile Defense Fund box at the back of the Kingdumb Hell. All this takes time that means you are not going to be as able to participate in theocraptic activities.

  Maybe angels without material needs can follow this schedule. Maybe Jehovah Himself could follow it. But that doesn't mean that people with other needs are going to be able to follow it.

  Then, what happens when a person gets sick? I have seen people with flus that last more than two weeks. I saw a person with a tooth abscess that lasted more than 6 weeks, bladder infections that keep coming back, the "come-back" flu, and other problems that keep them from fulfilling the schedule. Of course, they point to the person with Marfan's syndrome, the iron lung, and the other weird diseases and disabilities that managed to carry out the schedule. So, Brother Hounder is going after you if you use these flus and bladder infections as excuses.
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  blondie

  PP 1,2

  An account of a strenuous mission, but who volunteers to help move jws locally, who helps older jws get to the pharmacy and the doctor, who makes sure they have good food and their laundry is done and the house is clean?

  PP 3

  True Christians--only jws....is doing God's will loving people or being in the TMS and hawking WTS publications, to be baptized in the name of a human organization?

  PP4

  Joining other language congregations; how many ever progress to any fluency or is it a change to a better social situation?

  PP5, 6

  You know that Guoming is not living in the US and it congregations where going without means having only 26" LCD rather than a 56" one. Excessive time in recreation...watching football, baseball, basketball, hockey, NASCAR racing, all taking up many hours of the jw men I know in the US.

  PP 7

  Not exhaust ourselves, balance, beyond our limits...limits set by the BOE in one on one conversations and "encouraging" talks from the platform as they themselves speak but their actions do not follow.

  PP 11

  As Christians...only jws

  Do jws preach about the kingdom or the destruction of this system. Positive things or negative things?

  PP12

  As a dedicated servant of God (not a follower of Christ) always look to him (not Jesus) and his organization (what proof is there that in 1919 the WTS was free of pagan contaminants, such as the cross, birthdays, Christmas, pyramidology chronology, the presence of Jesus was in 1874, etc.?

  PP15

  longtime servants of Jehovah (not longtime followers of Jesus Christ?)

  PP16

  Why squander your precious life on the fantasy world of the WTS organization?

  (Matthew 8:22) 22 Jesus said to him: "Keep following me, and let the dead bury their dead."

  (Matthew 9:9) 9 Next, while passing along from there, Jesus caught sight of a man named Matthew seated at the tax office, and he said to him: "Be my follower." Thereupon he did rise up and follow him.

  (Matthew 16:24) 24 Then Jesus said to his disciples: "If anyone wants to come after me, let him disown himself and pick up his torture stake and continually follow me.

  (Matthew 19:21) 21 Jesus said to him: "If you want to be perfect, go sell your belongings and give to the poor and you will have treasure in heaven, and come be my follower."

  (Matthew 19:28) 28 Jesus said to them: "Truly I say to YOU, In the re-creation, when the Son of man sits down upon his glorious throne, YOU who have followed me will also yourselves sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
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  RULES & REGULATIONS

  Q7) Why do we need to be balanced in doing God's work?

  7) Pursuing God's purpose merits our whole-souled effort. We should never be self-sparing or lazy in doing so. (Hebrews 6: 11, 12) Still, Jehovah does not want us to drive ourselves to exhaustion–physically, mentally, or emotionally. Modestly acknowledging that we cannot accomplish God's work in our own strength glorifies him and also shows balance on our part. (1 Peter 4:11) Jehovah promises to give us the necessary strength to do his will, but we must not push ourselves beyond our limits, trying to do things he does not expect of us. (2 Corinthians 4:7) To keep on serving God without wearing ourselves out, we need to budget our energies.

  Jehovah does not want me to drive myself to exhaustion. What about you........WTS?

  Are you worried that you make everyone attend meetings 3 days a week?

  Don't young children need to be in bed on week nights at a reasonable time?

  Don't you put a burden on your suggested mandatory 10 hours a month in field service?

  Don't you make everyone travel for summer conventions listening to your useless and repetive information?

  Isn't your whole operation just about rules and regulations that drive everyone to exhaustion?

  Thank you WT COMMENTS !
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  jgnat

  Hey, great to see you commenting again, blondie! I'm skipping out this week, but I enjoy the comments from everybody. I've ranted and raved before about the lack of charity from the "brothers".

  WHERE in the bible does it suggest that SPIRITUAL helps are superior to PHYSICAL? One cannot have the first without the other. Otherwise it smacks of....hypocrisy!