A Kinder, Gentler Jehovah Emerges at the 2012 DC?

by Socrateswannabe 30 Replies latest jw friends

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  LostGeneration

  to show us that Jehovah is ready to forgive past sins. Jehovah doesn't want us to beat ourselves up over past sins, but wants us to move forward

  What a load of bull. Yeah, maybe Jehovah is, but the Watchtower sure isn't, otherwise, why are there "restrictions on privileges" when you get reproved, or when you are reinstated. How is that forgiveness, its just another reminder that you are on "probation" you dirty, nasty, sinner. These idiots can't figure out why people keep beating themselves up? Uhhhhh, maybe because the elders/WTS keep beating the sheep every chance they get.

  Many times we are too self-critical, we over-estimate what Jehovah expects of us, and we feel guilty over past sins. We are reminded of Ps 38:4-10, where it says that Jehovah puts our sins so far away from himself that it is like from the sunrise to the sunset

  Ditto my previous comment.

  Jehovah knows our genetics and our circumstances and takes these things into consideration

  So the next time one of the actives here on the board end up in a JC, just tell them its genetics, and Jehovah knows it. I'm sure that will get you out of trouble. *sarcasm*

  You know what I think it really is, so many have been beat up at some point in their lives by a judicial committee or just an a$$hole elder. While they might believe the doctrine and the whole "God's Organization" teaching, they really do feel inadequate, so they might miss a lot of meetings and only put in a few hours of FS per month. All of this advice is just carefully worded "DO MORE" bullshit.
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  Chariklo

  Has a kinder, gentler Jehovah emerged?

  Gosh, Socrates, it almost sounds Christian!
• 

  JakeM2012

  Sabatious say's: "It's much like how a wife beater acts." " It's just more of the same of the psychological mind *&$# that the Watchtower has to offer."

  Well said, People hear what they want to hear and are resistant to big changes of attitude. The good cop, bad cop story.
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  Balaamsass

  A kinder more tolerant view of Child Molesters....THAT is why Kendrick is in good standing!!!! Now I get it!!
• 

  dozy

  My wife who was at the DC basically said the same.

  I think as other posters have said that there is something of a conflict at Brooklyn between the self righteous cultic JWs & the more decent , " Christian" ( if you like ) types. There always has been an element of "good cop , bad cop" in the teaching from the WTBTS.

  I wonder whether the much softer tone on homosexuality is because of concerns about bad publicity ( or maybe because there are so many gays in the "truth" ). This will alienate many of the older guys - I remember an elder who used to constantly go on at any opportunity in his answers & talks very graphically about " how disgusting it was etc etc ".
• 

  Heartofaboy

  Sounds like he had an 'inner battle' dozy
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  yadda yadda 2

  Could this be dropping a hint that some softening in the judicial disciplinary policy is on the horizon? Perhaps they feel the disfellowshipping policy in its current extreme version is keeping too many people from committing or returning. I very much doubt it though.
• 

  irondork

  Socrateswannabe: "Let it be known that we honor men and women of all sorts, regardless of their sexual orientation." The speaker said that the bible doesn't comment on genetic issues and so the organization likewise can make no comment on that aspect of the issue...

  LET IT BE KNOWN that this is a load of crap! Even if that statememnt were written on page one of every piece of WTS literature from now until the end of the overlapping generations, it would still be a load of crap. The truth of the situation that actually exists on the ground, in the halls, by elders and drones alike is a complete and utter disdain and disrespect for any GLBT person who is "out" and open about it. In-house shunning, jokes, laughter... don't be fooled by the statement above. It's like the U.S. Congress passing a Bill of Rights and then saying, "There! Problem Solved."

  The reality comes nowhere near the delusion.

  Also, in grand WTS tradition, there is no apology for the trail of blood and dead bodies left in the wake of their old, hard-line approach toward GLBT. That right there speaks to how disingenuous they are on this. It used to be that the bible clearly states that gay people chose to be gay. Quoting Romans 1:26,27 as evidence, "... for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature; and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female", "it is clear that these sodomites chose to be what they are!"

  The contradiction is appalling! In order to use that scripture to support an anti-gay position, the reader MUST conclude that homosexuality is a choice and not a biological or genetic disposition.

  Rather than see the scripture for what it is saying, i.e., talking about HETEROSEXUALS violating the sexuality they were designed with (study the customs of Romans at that time to understand why this counsel would be necessary), they have chosen what they want it to say, i.e. a blank statment that gay people chose to be gay.

  NOW, they want to tone down the message?

  They can't! It is a glaring contradiction! For them to say that the bible does not speak on genetic issues means they MUST abandon Romans 1 in their defence of a GOD HATES FAGS policy... the REAL policy that is practiced by Jehovah's Witnesses around the globe!!!
• 

  transhuman68

  It's much like how a wife beater acts. They beat you and then they have this warm touchy feely phase

  I'm with Sab on this.

  LOL, I haven't been to a meeting or assembly for 20 years, but this is how the WTS operates. The carrot; then the stick. Good cop, bad cop; it totally disorientates the average dub, until they don't know which way is 'up'.
• 

  blondie

  This is the "talking out of both sides of their mouth" technique. Remember than David committed more than one serious sin, adultery, murder, disobeying God and conducting a census, doing nothing about his daughter Tamar's rape by her half-brother Amnon.

  As to Manasseh, "one sin" but many children in the fire. If you kill 3 men is that one sin or 3?

  As to being too critical of oneself, it is based on talks from the platform to DO MORE, DO MORE, you are not doing enough, contact with the elders who tell you how you can improve as the elders pretend to be your friend by commending you in some unclear way and then dropping the crap on your head.

  I was told that if it is not in WT print it is not official...anything SAID at the convention does not count...I can remember some wild things said by the GB at a DC. Remember the DO Sinutko that said "STAY ALIVE IN 75" and then the WTS denied 1975 in print.