by ExBethelitenowPIMA 42 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
just watched November broadcast very different order to the leaked AGM
Be good if someone did a deep dive on the difference and why the changes? I didn’t time the items but it should be easy to see if edited?
I hoped the first item which told us about new light would have been shown but no not uet
I took a look at the school in Jan, and the talks are way different. Going to be a huge change. I think it will make is completely rethink our talks and our min.
Interesting! What is the opinion of the rank and file and Joe Publisher?
Gorby
So basically, this new brochure is yet another replacement for the instruction/teaching book to be used in the Theocratic Ministry School/school/Apply Yourself/whateveritscalled item, that is being tinkered about with again.
What a confusing mess! They've changed this part and the accompanying 'instructions' so many times in recent years, it's a joke.
Let me see if I can remember them all.
Before the 2000s, we had the Theocratic Ministry School Guidebook, a small 192-page maroon-covered book which had been in use for about 20 years in the old TMS as I recall.
Then in about 2001 it was replaced with Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education ("the Benefit book" as it was usually called, which to any British people of a certain age, sounds like a payment book for getting government financial assistance!) - a large format book of 280+ pages.
Later, when they scrapped the official "School", they replaced that book with Apply Yourself to Reading and Teaching, a much cut-down (and dumbed down) booklet of only 24 pages and 20 topics, with lots of white space to pad out the text, which consisted of simplistic advice like:
"To determine what a person might be interested in, observe his or her activities or surroundings. Begin a conversation by asking a question or making a brief comment about those things."
Did the GB think that publishers enrolled on the 'school' had never talked to anyone before?
To be fair, both the original TMS Guidebook and the Benefit book actually had good, varied and fairly in-depth advice on presentation, speaking and so on. But that all went out of the window once the original Theocratic Ministry School was scrapped in favour of the current arrangement that noone really knows how to refer to (most Witnesses, including elders and even the one assigned to 'oversee' the arrangement still call it the "school", even though the Org has clearly steered away from that word, probably out of fear of liability).
I'm pretty sure there was something else printed in between too, but I might be getting mixed up with when the org switched from hardback books to cheap, paperback versions and took the chance to revise and rewrite some of the content in their (ever-changing) publications.
And now... tadaaa! Yet another publication for guidance on how to talk to others.
Strangely, Jesus didn't need to produce a handbook for the disciples on how to sound genuine and convincing in speaking about their faith. And he certainly didn't need to keep changing and reprinting his advice every few years!
Thanks Journeyman, I lost this from my memories.
It must be hard to be an active witness these days.
G.
"most Witnesses, including elders and even the one assigned to 'oversee' the arrangement still call it the "school", even though the Org has clearly steered away from that word, probably out of fear of liability"
It always comes down to money or liability, with the WT. They love ordering people about, even unto the death, as in the case of blood transfusions, but they refuse to accept responsibility for those orders, so they lie about it. And then they refer to themselves as "The Truth"! 🙄
What a confusing mess! They've changed this part and the accompanying 'instructions' so many times in recent years, it's a joke.
That’s for sure!
I left the so-called “Truth TM “around thirty years ago and I’m sure that if I were to visit my local Kingdom Hall now for a meeting, I would hardly recognise it and probably would feel like any ‘newly interested person’ excepting that I had the benefit of experience, knowing that, as the song goes, “it ain’t necessarily so “.
I have learned a lot these past thirty years. One thing I see clearly is that the christian belief is based on what we read in the Gospels and the Epistles.
Nowhere is further revelation or ‘correction’ or ‘new light’ mentioned.
It is what it is.
instead the Witchtower subjects their sychophantic believers to an ever-changing smorgasbord of beliefs and formats.
Looking over the current format for their mid-week meeting, I find it’s structure is confusing.
I’m sure the mind-numbed attendees cope with it but how does it “build up” the faith of the fellowship?
Cheers,
Ozzie 🍷(of the “truth shall set you free class”)
Ozzie 🍷(of the “truth shall set you free class”)
My old dad bought "The truth shall make you free", "The kingdom is at at hand" and another book which I cannot remember. Three books for 5/- or 25p in "modern" money. This was in the mid 1940's.
For the Ministry School "Theocratic Aid for Kingdom Publishers" was used until "Qualified to be Ministers" was released in 1955. I remember using this until the 1980's when it was replaced by "Benefit from Theocratic Ministry School education" and so the downhill trend turned into freefall.
Modern JW's wouldn't know where to start with such texts.
George
I've always found the weekday meeting confusing - stopped doing student talks years ago because of illhealth. I remember being so stressed beforehand, oh dear.
Really enjoyed the November broadcast and am over the moon I no longer have to remember to count time, rv's and placements. Ordered a hard copy of the new brochure - will make introductions less rigid.
ozziepost:
I have learned a lot these past thirty years. One thing I see clearly is that the christian belief is based on what we read in the Gospels and the Epistles.
Nowhere is further revelation or ‘correction’ or ‘new light’ mentioned.
It is what it is.
instead the Witchtower subjects their sychophantic believers to an ever-changing smorgasbord of beliefs and formats.
So agree with this! 👍👍👍
OK, I just watched at (1.5 speed) the AGM part 1 as posted at jw.org.
It has undoubtedly been edited, though if significant parts were edited out it is not readily apparent.
My takeaways:
There was lengthy discussion of tithing in Israel, with a buildup to the extent that I almost thought they were going to suggest 10% donation or something like that. But no, they left donations voluntary. I predict they may return to the subject in future years. Loesch just went on and on about it; surely there will be a followup sometime.
They made a distinction of different requirements from regular Israelites (giving the 10% tithe) and Nazirites, who are compared to present pioneers and special servants. This seemed to be their justification for requiring pioneers, etc to continue to report hours, while regular publishers simply check a box.
They released a 32 page brochure, something about starting conversations instead of prepared statements/sermons.
If they talked about the changes to the mid-week meeting structure I missed it. Maybe it will be in Part 2, which will be on jw.org in January sometime.
