The CO's visit

by OrangeBlossom 31 Replies latest jw friends

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  OrangeBlossom

  This past week was the visit of our circuit overseer. I know what you are thinking so before I post some of his comments that I personally found interesting, I only went to keep peace in the family and not give rise to suspicion about my true feelings. So with that said, here are some things that grabbed my attention.

  1) His talk Thursday nite was about being Successful and how the world's view of success is far different than the organizations. He was quite proud that many in the org are not highly educated, heck some can't even read. I kept thinking of Maximus' post on the society view of college. The CO was quite concerned, as well as the GB, that many young people upon graduating from high school have chosen to go to work or college and not pioneer. He further brought out that of the few young ones that do go into the pioneer work, most are girls. Parents of boys were strongly encouraged to place pioneering as the goal after finishing high school. "We should not encourage our children to be financially secure, but financially responsible."

  2) The society is very concerned about the number missing from the meetings. In fact, our CO said that in our circuit, there is an average of 2 to 10 publishers that have "left the truth" each time he goes back to a congregation. He visits approximately 20 congregations twice a year, so a minimum of 2(pubs) times 20 (congs) times 2 (visits per year) adds up to approximately anywhere from 80 (minimum) to 200 (maximum) people leaving the borg a year in our circuit alone.

  3) His final talk was geared toward those in the congregation called "passive attenders" and how if they had ANY doubts in their minds that this was not God's organization, they had better do whatever it takes to prove to themselves that Jehovah is using the FDS as his channel. He mentioned that more than once. BYW, I guess I am a passive attender, since I never participate and occasionally attend.

  Overall, I got the sense that the GB is trying to reach those who have had contact with "apostates." I feel like there is going to be a real push to weed out such ones in the very near future. They have to know that there are many that do not believe that it's the truth anymore but are hanging on so that they do not lose family and friends.
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  Amazing

  HI Orange: Thanks for the CO update. I find it fascinating that sometime back the Society softened on education, then sends ion the COs to backpeddle. This is typical. I recall when they softened for a while on the probelms with depression. Then a CO came to our Hall and said that when the Society show a little compassion, the sisters take advantage and start a 'depression fad.' So he said to my face, 'from now on its no more Mr. Nice Guy.' I smiled and continued to read Crisis of Conscience in private. - Amazing
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  TR

  Hey Orange,

  I appreciate you and others who still attend. I helps the hard core apostates keep in touch with the pulse, or lack thereof, on the WTS mindset.

  Yes, I would expect there to be councel in any way, shape or form, to continue the brainwashing.

  TR

  "I have sworn upon the altar of God, eternal hostility against every
  form of tyranny over the mind of man." --Thomas Jefferson*
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  Eusebius Hieronymus

  How'd you like to be a thinking CO and have to peddle that drivel, outlines given to them to be followed carefully by "the Society," now the Christian Congregation, Legal/Service? Originating with the "faithful slave," of course.

  Elders, check the letterhead on your invitations to KM School and on policy letters that used to come from "the Society."

  They are going to lose even more than the 23,000 men who have been part of the elder exodus over the last three years. Whoever said the organization is going to become a "flat earth" society has got it about right.

  Jerry
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  peterstride

  If the WTS had the truth and nothing but the truth, they wouldn't be afraid of others reading whatever material they wanted to read, since they would see right through it, and prove in their minds that the WTS was the truth.

  But the moment any religious cult orders its members not to read anything that contradicts them, warning bells should be going off.

  The WTS is loosing its grip on members, and they know it. In their desperation, I'm afraid, they will go to drastic means to hold on to whatever members they have.

  Just my opinion,

  Peter Stride
  Toronto, Canada
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  AngelofMuZiC

  Well, that is definately very interesting!!! I have been waiting to hear some new news. My mother is still in, but won't discuss anything from the hall with me, being as she's 'not allowed to'. I guess they feel the heat on their backs now, huh? Thanx for the great post.
  My Regards,
  Joanne
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  Sam Beli

  Dear Orange,

  You said: “His talk Thursday nite was about being Successful and how the world's view of success is far different than the organizations.”

  Did his remarks come across like they sound here? That is, that JWs should be concerned about the “organization’s” view rather than God’s view, or the Bible’s view.

  Later you said: “The society is very concerned about the number missing from the meetings.”

  Sometime back they said that JWs should get away from the expression “the society says.” Are they going right back to their old ways?

  Regards,

  Sam Beli
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  ozziepost

  G'day Orange for the report, and also Amazing, Peter, Joanne, Sam, Jerry and TR for the observations.

  I understand how you feel Orange when you're sitting in the meeting, yet knowing and understanding what you you know now. A mix of unease and anger I've found.

  So often there's a softer position taken in the Watchtower but this is revoked ('clarified') by oral instructions from travelling overseers. So nothing will be in print for public access. The education position is a case in point. At the time that The Watchtower study article dealing with further education was being studied in congregations around the world, Brooklyn sent instructions to Branch Office Service Departments countermanding the more liberal position and instructing Service Departments that nothing had changed.

  "What a tangled web we weave when we set out to deceive."

  Cheers,
  Ozzie

  "So often, the unpolished
  the disjointed
  Is on its way to the truth
  Ahead of the finished
  the polished."
  Ken Walsh, Sometimes I Weep
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  OrangeBlossom

  To Sam Bell,

  "Did his remarks come across like they sound here? That is, that JWs should be concerned about the “organization’s” view rather than God’s view, or the Bible’s view."

  Yes, that was another thing I picked up on, many times he used the term "organization" in place of Jehovah, or the Bible. However, he did make sure everyone understood that Jehovah was "using" the FDS to feed us. And speaking of the FDS, he never made reference to the GB feeding us, it was always the FDS class providing the spiritual food at the proper time. What a load of crap!

  "Sometime back they said that JWs should get away from the expression “the society says.” Are they going right back to their old ways?"

  I apologize for that one, he probably did not use the term, "the society", I was born and raised into this religion and old habits are hard to break. That was my rendering. Sorry for the confusion.
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  BERNARD

  I'm glad you posted that info you must have a strong stomach to sit up there just to please family to keep the peace. My wife and kids still go because my motherinlaw is still hardcore jw. I went one time to keep the peace but I felt like i was in the twilight zone and da'd myself since the society and bethel elders could not answer my question on numerous topics. The main reason I da'd myself mainly because my mother in law was a pest now she can't come over like she use too and be a pest she means well but I mean better, my wife family are jws and i can do with out them,my side of the famoly isnot and glad im smiling again and to my old self. Don't get me wrong I do love my jws in laws like an old stink crusty stained underwear pulled out of a sewer a little bit won't forget about my wife "your included darling" would hate to leave her out BUT my happiness is first. lol

  THE REAL TRUTH STANDS THE TEST OF TIME, IT WILL NOT CHANGE, IF IT DOES ITS A LIE.The sun will rise, The sun will set,AN EXAMPLE of The real TRUTH nobody can change.