I think this article was geared toward the illegal immigration issue that is causing allot of commotion in the US right now . Most likely suspects obviously are the ones that speak foreign languages or dress differently than the rest . The old , "let's try not to think of the negative , but consider the positive", kinda article. I also don't know how many articles they've printed about back biting to which seems to have no results anyway. If you are not brown nosing the elders for some "privilege" or another they don't really care who says what .IMO
Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-25-08 WT Study (VIEW)
by blondie 15 Replies latest jw friends
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Billy the Ex-Bethelite
Thanks Blondie, and previous commentors ! Truly an example of the ongoing double-speak in the Washtowel, in this case "don't judge" after plenty of articles on "judge", try and guess when to apply each. Don't worry, anything you do will be wrong somehow.
2. As time passes, however, we might begin to look at our brothers through the distorted lens of imperfection. Our imperfection could cause us to magnify the faults of our brothers instead of looking at their overall spiritual qualities. Simply put, we forget to view them as Jehovah views them. If this happens to us, it is time to give attention to our view and bring it into line with Jehovah's clear view.-Ex. 33: 13.
look at our brothers through the distorted lens of imperfection: gossipers, pedophiles, adulterers, wife and/or child beaters, liars.....
How could such faults be "magnified"? How would God view them?
Do the elders lie to the rank and file? Why does the WTS send a different version of their letters to the elders and another to be read to the congregation? WTS reasoning?
*** w07 2/1 p. 6 Why Be Truthful? ***
Every lie is an untruth, but not every untruth is a lie.
Technically, Blondie, Satan tells "lies", the GB, FDS, COs, DOs, and elders tell "untruths". If you thoroughly reread that craptastic Washtowel article, you'll clearly come to understand that although "lies" and "untruths" appear to be the same to the 'worldlings', they're completely different to honest hearted individuals.
However, quotes like that are all in the interpretation. Since that article came out, I haven't had to "lie" about getting 9+ hrs in FS , I've been "untruthing" about my FS time and placements. So that makes "untruthing" okay in Hojovah's clear view. It's not a "lie", really.
3. As recorded at 1 Corinthians 12:2-26, the apostle Paul compared the congregation of anointed Christians to a body with "many members."
(1 Corinthians 12:14-18) 14 For the body, indeed, is not one member, but many. 15 If the foot should say: "Because I am not a hand, I am no part of the body," it is not for this reason no part of the body. 16 And if the ear should say: "Because I am not an eye, I am no part of the body," it is not for this reason no part of the body. 17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the [sense of] hearing be? If it were all hearing, where would the smelling be? 18 But now God has set the members in the body, each one of them, just as he pleased.
Indeed, there are many 'body parts' in the JW congregations. Unfortunately, the vast majority of those body parts are
assholesrectums. And, of course, most of the other body parts are noses right beside the rectums. There are a few foot parts, but they're jammed in the mouth parts. And the hand parts are covering the eye parts. That about sums up the 'body parts'. Obviously, this "body" is not well designed, not getting much done, and not going anywhere.9. To illustrate, think of a house that is rundown-the gutters are falling off, windows are broken, and ceiling panels are water damaged. Most people might look at that house and conclude that it should be torn down; it is an eyesore. But someone who has a completely different view might come along. He may be able to look beyond the surface problems and see that the structure is sound and that the house can be restored. He buys the house and with some work fixes the surface defects and improves its appearance. Thereafter, passersby comment on what a delightful home it is. Can we be like this person who worked to fix up or restore the house?
This illustration applies well to the "spiritual paradise". Obviously with this article to 'stop judging and ignore the problems until Jehoebber fixes them', the "spiritual paradise" is in serious disrepair. Okay 'friends', lets just slap some whitewash over this shack so that it looks really good to passersby, especially for the foreigners that haven't seen what a wreck the place really has been. Trouble is, the next rain and the roof resumes leaking, rot and mold resume, and the stinkhole is right back to what it was before, and worse.
Can You Answer?How can we imitate Jehovah's view of people when we are in the ministry?
Hmmm, Jehovah's view, "You suckers better swallow this crap or you're gonna die with 6 billion other non-JWs!!!"
B the X -
aligot ripounsous
...or question why others are making such an effort to preach to people from another country
I just found a discrepancy between the English and the French versions of this passage. Whereas the English version seems to be understood as meaning that we should not wonder what motives draw some JWs to learn a foreign language so as to preach to foreigners, the French versions reads "...ni mettre en doute l'utilité de prêcher à des personnes originaires d'un pays étranger". That sentence means that we shouldn't doubt the usefulness of such preaching , which is not quite the same thing. As I don't think that translators didn't see the difference, it implies that branches have a certain degree of freedom as to adapting the text to the local surrounding. Is it that the original text was less acceptable to the French readers because it carries the idea that JWs can be suspicious (oh dear..) as to others' motives and, consequently, that American JWs are more used to JWs being suspicious ? Unless I didn't get the right meaning of the English version.
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blondie
Actually, WTWizard, I remembered the rundown house illustration a different way, that it was not fixable, comparing it to "this system of things" that it can only be torn down and destroyed.
*** yb00 p. 128 Britain ***Brother Swingle had compared careers in the world to ‘polishing the brass on a sinking ship.’
*** w97 11/1 pp. 4-5 World Unity—How Will It Come About? ***LIKE a run-down building that has been badly vandalized by uncaring tenants, the present world system is fit for only one thing—demolition and replacement.
Thanks OTWO for the additional insights. There is a foreign language congregation in this area and I saw the patterns. I even saw some leave with the excuse that their child was having problems with Spanish and not fitting in the social aspect of the KH. I still see negative comments about foreign language congregations: "There in the US why don't they learn English?" is the most frequent one.
Good points, Gopher. I have never seen anyone df'd or punished for gossip/slander. Probably because the biggest gossipers are the elders, their wives, and the pioneers.
*** w89 10/15 p. 14 par. 20 Guard Against Harmful Gossip! ***Slander can lead to expulsion from God’s organization; a slanderer may be disfellowshipped, perhaps as an unrepentant liar. However, such action is not to be taken against those guilty of light gossip. Elders should weigh matters prayerfully, drawing a sharp distinction between mere gossip and vicious slander. To be disfellowshipped, the wrongdoer would have to be a malicious, unrepentant slanderer. Elders are not authorized to disfellowship anyone for trivial gossip that is motivated by human interest but that is not false or malicious. Matters must not be magnified beyond proper proportions, and there must be witnesses with substantial testimony to prove that slander is unquestionably involved. (1 Timothy 5:19)
Every time an attempt was made the elders pooh-poohed it saying that it was "malicious." The only time I ever say elders get angry was when they were at the receiving end.
Yes, aligot, I have seen this pattern too.
I noticed that in my area, mainly young sisters do that, when it becomes obvious that they won't find a husband in their original congregation. They are ideal preys to guys who stay illegally in the country and will try marriage as a means of regularization.
I have seen young, single sisters also go to "where the need is great" to find husbands. In the cases where they were "successful" it has proved to have a eventual negative outcome.
Hi DNCall,
From my experience, the net effect of an article like this is to stoke the negative feelings of those in the congregation who cry "racism" and those who feel left out of congregation cliques. This is but one example of the many ways in which the Society works against itself.
The WTS focuses the blame on the victim of racism rather than having the "racist" adjust, and fails to give concrete examples. Between the experiences of the jws that right these articles and the input from the CO and DO reports, you know they have juicy events that have prompted this article. But the WTS does not want to be specific, leaving the local jws little to base any corrective efforts. It ends up always being a problem in some other congregation, not the one they are in.
Perhaps keyser. I think God only favored the Jews because of his promise to Abraham and probably regretted it. The favor to the Jews as a nation did end after they rejected Jesus.
Hi, bronzefist,
I stopped worrying about the opinion of the elders. Unless you are trying to get reinstated, it is pointless and don't see why I'd want to be part of a group that treats people like that. I would and have just let it go and consider the source. There is no point in looking for honesty in that group.
R&R, so true, they hide what they are, from humans that is. Supposedly they believe that God sees all things but they are more like this scripture.
(Ezekiel
8:12)12 And he proceeded to say to me: "Have you seen, O son of man, what the elderly ones of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each one in the inner rooms of his showpiece? For they are saying, ‘Jehovah is not seeing us. Jehovah has left the land.’"Hey SirNose,
I see that sentence as a reinforcement of the "3 years statute of limitations" when dealing with sin. So if the elder diddled a kid 3 years ago and is still being "blessed," apparently God doesn't mind at all!
As long as no rank and file know what they have done, then the elders can appoint them. Not much different from the Catholic Church is still doing, not removing the priests who are known to have molested. "Apologies" aside, the Catholic Church is still fighting the abused members and supporting the abusers. Remember the elders are told that they are "the mighty men" "gifts in men" and have more holy spirit than the rank and file. An elder is worth more to the WTS than a lowly member.
Hi Heathen, yes, immigration issues play a large part. Remember too that without the increase in these foreign language congregations, there would be no or negative numbers.
Thanks, Billy for the extensive comments. I really think that the rank and file are not being obedient to the elders and it is causing problems. The elders have always been the ones to enforce WT policy. Even the CO is not able to effectively enforce policy. The CO before this one had to remove 10 long-time elders who were resisting the unloving directives. It made the other elders hop to and be more obedient. One elder had been an elder for 50 years, PO, city overseer, and substitute CO. Now he occasionally goes to the meetings and while everyone misses his more balanced approach, they know saying anything will lead to their removal. Where is the love!
Yes, aligot, freedom and as in translation, people's personal feelings come through, perhaps without a definite motive. It is hard just to "interpret" in the same language. Remember that in the 1980's some at Bethel were accused of "adapting" the WT articles.
Good comments everyone. I learn more from you than any WT rag.
Love, Blondie
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Mary
5. Jesus was keenly aware that imperfect humans often have a tendency to be judgmental. He counseled: "Stop judging that you may not be judged." (Matt. 7: 1) Notice that Jesus did not say: "Do not judge"; he said: "Stop judging."
I do believe that this sentence highlights, better than almost anything I've ever read in the literature, of how utterly brainwashed the rank and file are.
What the hell is the difference between "Do not judge" and "Stop judging"??? If you tell your child "do not snack before dinner", is that any different than "stop snacking before dinner"??? The only difference is that the former is a warning not to start, while the latter is a warning that you better stop doing what you're doing.
He knew that many of his listeners were already in the habit of being critical of others. Could it be that we have developed such a habit? If we have that tendency, we ought to work hard to change, so that we are not adversely judged.
Golly! You mean there's no more Judicial Committees being set up for spiritual executions??!!
Really, who are we to judge someone whom Jehovah is using in an appointed position or to say that he should not be part of the congregation? A brother may have some shortcomings, but if Jehovah continues to accept him, would it be proper for us to reject him? (John 6:44)
Ah typical double standards. In other words, the lowly publisher isn't allowed to complain about an MS, or an elder, even if they're a child molestor because that would mean we were 'forgetting our place', yet this same person would be allowed to sit in judgement on us if we had a bit too much to drink one night, or did something super-evil, like say....celebrate a birthday or Christmas.
Do we really believe that Jehovah is leading his congregated people and that if adjustments need to be made, he will take action in his due time?-Read Romans 14:1-4.
Another nauseating, meaningless statement with a not-so-hidden veiled threat: You openly complain about anything that goes on in the congregation, and you're history. And what happens if someone doesn't believe that Jehovah is "leading" the congregation?? Ya....the end result is the same.
Here's my two thumbs down for this study article:
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OUTLAW
Blondie..I`m back..And..I loved your thread..Brilliant as always.....The never ending WBT$ tale,of the "JW`s against the World!".....It`s the WBT$,pitting the JW`s against the rest of the World in every story.....And..JW`s eat it up..LOL!!..Never realizing they are just one more business the WBT$ owns..WBTS has stock in Harley Davidson,Johnson and Johnson,Microsoft and tobacco giant Phillip Morriss just to name a few.....My favorite is the Rand Cam engine corp..They make engines that deliver bombs to their target,for the military.....I own 500 shares in Rand Cam..The WBT$ owns 50% of Rand Cam.....The WBT$ sucks at religion..But..They make great engines for delivering bombs!..LOL!!.....
...OUTLAW
...OUTLAW