Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 05-01-2011 WT Study (LAWLESNESS)

by blondie 24 Replies latest jw friends

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  Intel

  ....and gluttony! When did you read about eating too much? It is mentioned in the same bible line as drunkness and fornication...and yet, the SOC$ never addresses this. Eating too much will also cause mental problems and unfocused thinking....

  The bible & religion always bashed SEX and EROTIC but welcomed murder and death. F$#% these people...

  ....what is so wrong with naked bodies and sexual relations? At least that is something natural....murdering people seems to be more natural to lovely bible readers....

  ....now I have to go and watch some porn, to forget this horrible article...
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  DesirousOfChange

  It must be a BIG problem that renders elders and MS useless. I wonder how bad it has to be before they take any action?

  It has to be scandalous! It used to be that any elder or MS would be removed if they admitted or were found to look at porn. No more is that the case. Simple counsel from one or two elders can suffice and the appointed brother can continue to serve as long as it was only "soft-core" porn.

  WT 07/15/2006 pg 31 -- "not all viewing of pornography calls for a hearing before a judicial committee. For example, suppose a brother viewed so-called soft-core pornography on several occasions. He is ashamed, confesses to an elder, and is determined not to repeat this sin. The elder might well conclude that the brother’s conduct did not escalate to the point that he engaged in “uncleanness . . . with greediness”; nor did he display a brazen attitude, indicating loose conduct. Although no judicial action would be warranted, this type of uncleanness would call for strong Scriptural counsel and perhaps follow-up help from the elders."

  Then it goes on to describe HARD CORE PORN: "However, suppose a Christian has secretly viewed abhorrent, sexually degrading pornography for years and has done everything possible to conceal this sin. Such pornography might feature gang rape, bondage, sadistic torture, the brutalizing of women, or even child pornography. When others become aware of his conduct, he is deeply ashamed. He has not been brazen, but the elders may determine that he has ‘given himself over’ to this filthy habit and has practiced ‘uncleanness with greediness,’ that is, gross uncleanness. A judicial committee would be formed because gross uncleanness is involved. The wrongdoer would be disfellowshipped if he did not display godly repentance and the determination never to view pornography again. If he invited others to his home to view pornography—in effect, promoting it—he would give evidence of a brazen attitude characterizing loose conduct."

  Obviously, this leave it totally subjective to the elders who become aware of someone using porn. If they are in "the clique", then you can be sure it did not escalate to "uncleanness....with greediness". However, if you're on the sh!% list already, and the elders are gunning for you.............then you're OUT, you brazen ba$tard!
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  DavinciCodeBreaker

  Someone of the "elite class" commented at the WT today that they were at a special talk with the zone overseer and he went on to say that recently David Splane of the GB said that "nowhere in the bible does it say that we can associate with relatives pertaining to neccesary family business." So you can expect that in the days ahead they will continue to tighten the screws on disfellowshipping!
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  Band on the Run

  This is so well done, as usual. May I ask how much time it takes? I'd venture a guess that it consumes days.

  I forget the stilted style of the WT until I read these threads. It seems to me how the Society condemns behavior just as associating with family members but never applies a test that an ordinary Witness can use in a given situation. The WT accounts are very sketchy. How do Witnesses know whether their case is similar to the one in the WT or possesses facts that calls for a different solution? I don't think it would be that important if their default position was not completely avoiding any contact. God doesn't want us to avoid all contact or the Bible would say so. A margin is left for human discretion. A supremely assured person will assume they were doing what is right. A less confident,meek person will assume their conduct is never good enough.

  Maybe it was my family situation. Not one of us felt we would survive Armageddon. In my case, there were hard facts that I would not. My JW aunt, however, following the WT directives to the letter. She was so meek and pure. Her heart was so good. Yet she felt no grace. There was no salvation for her. She did her JW duties fully and voluntarily but always expected painful destruction. The mind control techniques must work. The Roman Catholic Church offers confession and repentence. With the Witnesses, I always felt decades of fealty could be wiped out by a few minutes caught off guard or unaware. There has to be a psychological dimension to this factor.

  If only Blondie's comments were a supplement accompanying the WT in my youth, my mind's burden would not be so heavy. I also wonder how the brothers accepted Blondie's obvious competence. It must have been comical.
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  aquagirl

  Well done! I did notice the topic of "wine' lasted way too long.They said it was a natural substance and Jesus was a winedrinker.Hey,um,weed is a natural substance too,and dosent require fermentization{sp?}and aging,so it should be extra fine stuuf,right?..The point about the "Twilight"series was just stu[id,and hastening the DF'D person to rejoin be not having his own family associate w/him?Yawn....
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  Crisis of Conscience

  Oh dear Blondie! How do you tolerate this nonsense?! An unbelievable load of crap in this study. Anyhow, thanks for your review.

  The DFing section particularly annoyed me. I already commented on it in another thread specifically addressing that subject. ( http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/209741/1/Todays-WT-Study-Stupidity-About-Dfing )

  But I will repost my thoughts below.

  I find it interesting that DFing is a punishment for a crime committed by an unrepentant person. People in the real world are also punished for crimes.

  But isn't it weird, that even as imperfect as "worldly" people are, they are still willing to offer their help to a convict?

  For example, while a convict serves their term, they are given rights. Family is often able to visit with them as well as friends, even if it is on a limited basis. Also, some sort of rehab is offered during the sentence term, and perhaps even after, to help the person avoid the errors in the future (assuming they will be released, and yet regardless of that, they still have rights) and so that they can be better equipped to be readmitted into society. Again, I state, imperfect people do that.

  And yet, in the congregation, full of imperfect people, where most "crimes" don't even come close to deserving literal jail time, upon conviction, you lose EVERYTHING. No friends, no family, no contact. And while "serving the term of your conviction", there is no rehab offered by those that did the convicting, nor are others encouraged or allowed to help. The rehab is only offered after the convicted "comes back to Jehovah".

  SO, who has it wrong? Imperfect, caring, concerned individuals, or "Jehovah's organization"? I'll take number 1 for $500, please, Alex.

  It's definitely noticeable now the direction the society wants to take on this subject. Sickening.

  CoC
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  Borgia

  Quote

  why no practical tips for other “sufferers”?

  Unquote

  They made a very 'practical' tip: tell the elders, the 'most difficult' thing to do.

  @Mary: Thanks for the song. It's got stuck in my head, now.

  Cheers

  Borgia
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  WTWizard

  This is about vilifying little tiny infractions. Listening to "bad" music, getting involved with entertainment occult (reading your horoscope), and porn are supposed to be the end of the world--along with associating with disfellowshipped people. They wish to cleanse the congregation of such little tiny infractions.

  However, they seem to do nothing about whoppers. What about the pedophiles that molest children in the name of a hounding call, and then silence the victims? And the super whoppers--when they kill and/or eat a baby, I would definitely classify that as a "super whopper". However, nothing gets done about this. Instead, they hide such major offenses. If they are busted, they will play down the nature of the offense or claim (falsely) that the person was inactive, disfellowshipped, or not baptized at the time of the incident (when they were in good standing). Usually, the hounders know about such super whopper offenses--yet they do nothing about it! They are too busy going after people looking at porn, masturbating, or listening to "bad" songs.
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  BluesBrother

  This is a classic of bad taste, bad writing and bad advice...and the worst thing is that it is dressed up to be "Jehovah's right to set standards of conduct" P19.

  Almost all of it could be refuted but when it asked "Have I chosen to be entertained by films,TV , books or comics that feature uncanny practices?".................They dismiss at one stroke so much of classic literature eg Shakespeare's "The Tempest", Tolkein's "Lord of The Rings", a good many operas . The last time I read the Bible it featured "the supernatural, mystical acts" which is my dictionary's definition of "occult". Do not forget children's fairy stories...I would have liked to have heard their comments about the vampire picture , could have been priceless !

  We come to music...Mary has made a brilliant comment about the Kingdom Songbook, and there are others too . Dubs are supposed to "read the lyrics of certain songs to somebody"..So they avoid Doris Day "Move over darling, make love to me". The only good thing is that the WT has been saying this for decades, and the dubs totally ignore it, so I am sure that they will again.

  Shunning the disfellowshipped.....Heartless, cold and cruel , not only to the one who has gone but to the faithful sister who is conscience bound to cut off her only son who wants to be there as a comfort in her old age. The congregation still expects him to take responsibility for her, of course . They are never going to cough up for her care !

  It says "Such loyalty (to the congregation's edict) makes Jehovah's heart glad!".......Bah !
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  JW GoneBad

  DavinciCodeBreaker wrote regarding what GB member David Splane stated re: disfellowshipped ones: 'So you can expect that in the days ahead they will continue to tighten the screws on disfellowshipping'!

  Did anyone notice the words 'associate regularly' in par 15 and the words 'maintained regular contact' in par 19? As though perhaps there is a softening being alluded to by using these words with regard to shunning!

  Par 15 reads in part 'Would I choose to associate regularly with someone......' The emhasis being placed on the word .....regularly.

  Par 19 reads in part ......'Do you think that this person would have been helped to come to such a conclusion had members of the congregation, including her family, maintained regular contact with her while she was disfellowshipped?' The emphasis being placed on the word ....regular.

  Instead of tightening the screws is the WTBTS perhaps changing and lightening up on its' long held evil and cold stand toward disfellowshipped ones?

  Is the following expression going by way of the dinosaurs....."A simple 'Hello' to someone can be the first step that develops into a converstion and maybe even a friendship"?

  Is it possible that GB member David Splane didn't read/study this weeks' lesson on perhaps how it is now OKAY to have irregular (as opposed to regular) association with disfellowshipped ones?

  Any thoughts?