darkspilver

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Posts by darkspilver

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  24

  September 11, 2017 Re: Global Assistance Arrangement for the 2018 Service Year

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  september 11, 2017 to all congregations in the united states re: global assistance arrangement for the 2018 service year.

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  darkspilver

  sir82: I suspect the extortion amount is less per head in other parts of the world.
  

  yeah, looking at previous year's - the British-per-publisher rate is about half the USA rate
  
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  24

  September 11, 2017 Re: Global Assistance Arrangement for the 2018 Service Year

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  september 11, 2017 to all congregations in the united states re: global assistance arrangement for the 2018 service year.

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  darkspilver

  Slidin Fast: The letter only refers to WT property, no genuine charitable help whatsoever.
  

  That's kinda the point - it's not meant to be for 'charity' - AFAIK by joining up with the GAA, congregations avoid having to pay for commercial insurances (which would cost more?)
  
  
  TO-57 Key Facts About the Global Assistance Arrangement
  

  What is the Global Assistance Arrangement:

  1. The Global Assistance Arrangement (GAA) is a means by which the organization sets aside funds to pay for expenses related to accidental loss. This includes property damage to Kingdom Halls, to Assembly Halls, and to branch facilities as well as liability claims against legal entities used by Jehovah’s Witnesses. The GAA will not be used to repair damage resulting from normal wear-and-tear or deterioration of property or for other maintenance needs.

  2. The GAA is not a commercial insurance program. The Risk Management Desk in the Accounting Department administers the operation of the GAA in the branch territory. This arrangement is used to make virtually all applicable loss payments. It may also be used to purchase commercial “excess” insurance to protect legal entities and properties from large claims or catastrophic losses or to purchase insurance coverage that is legally mandated. Since loss payments would involve the use of donated funds, it is important that priority be given to safety and maintenance so as to prevent loss whenever possible.

  PDF: https://jw.servehttp.com/en/document.php?is=TO-57-E_14.pdf
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  24

  September 11, 2017 Re: Global Assistance Arrangement for the 2018 Service Year

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  september 11, 2017 to all congregations in the united states re: global assistance arrangement for the 2018 service year.

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  darkspilver

  jwleaks: At the mandatory Watchtower published donation amount of US$14 per active publisher the GAA could raise cash reserves of US$116,773,748 (approx. $117 million) per year or US$977 per congregation per year.
  

  Proof? Because that seems to be very USA-centric ?

  I think the key word is 'could', because actually the majority of JWs actually DON'T live in the USA
  
  
  The GAA (including CO travel) for the 2017 Service Year was
  

  The USA rate was $14.00-per-publisher

  The UK rate was $3.69-per-pubisher
  

  Even excluding the CO travel part - the UK-per-publisher rate for the GAA is still less than half what the USA rate is.
  

  
  And here's my proof: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5710501243781120/2016-09-21-boe-re-global-assistance-arrangement-2017-service-year
  
  
  
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  57

  interesting EX-CO AMA ( Ask Me Anything) over on exjwreddit

  by Diogenesister in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  ex-circuit overseer here, ama.

  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/6usaky/excircuit_overseer_here_ama/.

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  darkspilver

  ENCORE???...... YES!
  

  Here goes......
  

  
  
  There's one thing I've never understood: How do missionaries go door to door in foreign countries?

  The first three months in my assignment are spent with mornings in the ministry and then 4 hours of Language class in the afternoon , usually taught by an older missionary. Our little class had me, another MTS grad and two couples from Gilead. After those three months I was conversational enough, though it took me two years to get fairly fluent.

  
  
  Tell us more about your time at Bethel! I know you can't get too specific, but I would love to know what your thoughts about Bethel were at the time and what they are now. Also comparing US Bethel to the Central American Bethel.
  In poor countries, is the standard of living at Bethel higher than on the outside? In other words is it more advantageous from a purely economical perspective to go to Bethel than to not?

  I stayed only occasionally at the local Branch since I lived mostly in a missionary home. In comparing the Central American Bethel to the local loving standard, it was WAY higher. Eating meat every day, nice rooms with a television. There was no air conditioning but it was cool in there. Some of the local Bethelites were so poor they lived in houses with dirt floors. So when they came to Bethel they used to spit on the floors in their rooms. Hey had to be taught not to do that. They also got a monthly stipend. They didn't get rich but it was a nicer life.
  There are a few very rich families in Central America that live in mansions and have maids and cooks and chauffeurs. A few of them are actually Witnesses. They would NEVER apply to Bethel. Too much work and no servants.

  
  
  What it's like to be a Circuit Overseer - Part 1

  I was in the circuit work from 1993 to 2000. Many things were different then, plus I served in a foreign country and I lived mostly in a missionary home. My comments are mine of course and other CO's may have completely different feelings about the circuit work. I did however interact with a lot of other CO's and DO's and hear their personal thoughts, which were often strikingly similar. There was always another CO or DO living in the missionary home where I lived, some were locals and some were missionaries as well. We would talk and compare notes every week. Also, while I vacationed here in the States, I would visit other CO's to get advice, we would talk for a long time. I enjoyed the camaraderie even though they were usually way older than me. We felt the same about a lot of things. I guess what I am trying to say is that a lot of CO's feel the same as I did, they just won't tell you, just as I wouldn't have told you back then.

  Anyway, for what it's worth, here is my take:

  Tuesday afternoon.

  Time to find the Kingdom Hall for that week and go over the records. It was always hot and sometimes I had a hard time finding the Hall. I would sit with the Secretary and go over the numbers. I would pull the last Circuit Overseers report and see what he wrote they needed to work on and I would ask the Secretary what they had done to apply the last CO's recommendations. I would see the percentage of meeting attendance versus publisher count. Usually it was over 100% on Sundays, a lot of non-publisher children were counted, and way less attendance during the week. I looked at the number of new publishers, newly baptized, how many were disfellowshipped and for what, who was deleted as elder or servant and why, who became inactive, what major problems were going on, etc. Mostly it was crunching numbers, though.

  I would also see who they wanted to recommend for elder and servant. And I would try and get the secretary to talk to me about congregation problems and matters while I did the numbers, so I wouldn't have to stay too long. There was always at least one disfellowshipping and a reproof or two and they would always tell me why. Fornication or adultery usually. I also looked at the pioneers publishers cards, at those who had become inactive and I would ask why that happened. I wouldn't go over every name, only those that stood out somehow. For example, I would see a publisher card of a brother age 21 who was putting in 30 hours a month and have a lot of placements and a Bible study. I would ask about him. Why wasn't he being recommended as a servant? Sometimes he was recently reproved or he had problems with his attitude or perhaps pornography or drinking or a worldly girlfriend or he misses a ton of meetings or he was in college. Yep, college was a valid reason not to recommend.

  Or another card would show someone whose hours had gone way down. Why? They were sick or had been offended or they were reproved or they seemed to be hiding something, they had suddenly started missing meetings. I would try to find out and schedule a visit with them. I would try to get a sense of the personality of the congregation and I learned early on to try to solve the problems early in the week. I tried to limit that initial Tuesday meeting to one hour.

  
  
  Did you feel you could really "know" individuals, say ones who were recommended, just by their hours or what other elders thought of them. Did you ever question the reasons given?
  

  I always looked for what I considered "humble" brothers. Those who followed "theocratic direction." In hindsight they were the ones who would not rock the boat and would be somewhat scared to "sin" so as not to lose their privileges. But at the time it seemed like the "humble"' ones who were "reaching out" would be the most likely to be recommended. Yes, they recommended brothers for crazy reasons. They had this thing that engaged brothers couldn't be Ministerial Servants because they would probably sin with their fiancée. Which was true that usually happened. I tried to point out that being engaged didn't disqualify them from appointment but the elders knew from experience that appointing engaged brothers was not usually a good idea.

  So, no, I never really knew the brothers I recommended even though I tried to work with them in service and the like.

  
  
  If an ex Bethelite had been inactive for about 10 years, what's the likelihood this comes up to the C.O.? Not DFd. No discipline. Just straight up faded.
  

  It depends on the following:

  Does this ex-Bethelite have regular contact with member of the congregation somehow, such as through his work?

  Does this ex-Bethelite live in the territory and is known by the friends when they preach in that area?

  Does this ex-Bethelite make comments or posts or do something that could get him noticed by the CO?

  Does this ex-Bethelite have family members in that congregation that could talk to the CO so he could "help" him?

  When I was a new CO, I really went all out to find inactive ones. After a couple of years, I noticed that I hardly ever reactivated anyone. Seems they had their reasons to be inactive. Usually it seemed they were offended by something or someone and none of my scriptures about returning to Jehovah worked. So I didn't really try that hard after that to track them down. I might ask about someone if he was known and then became inactive but if he didn't have a lot of association with the friends and didn't identify himself as a Witness then I didn't bother. Now if he was openly living in sin in the territory and everyone knew about it then I would ask the elders if this person was "known" as a witness. If he was, then I would encourage them to form a judicial committee even if the guy wouldn't attend it. I wanted to "keep the organization clean" of those thought to be Witnesses in the community who were living in sin.

  
  
  Skipping ahead to that last Tuesday, approximately, what did you notice that tipped you off as this organization being rotten?
  Also, did you have any dealings with the HLC, or any anti-transfusion seminars, big wigs, etc?
  
  

  What really bothered me was the idea that "Holy Spirit" was appointing men. At first when I started in the circuit work I believed it. But so many elders and ministerial servants would be appointed and then deleted within a year or two. It always seemed like every adult male in the congregation had been appointed and deleted and appointed again, at least in the country I served in. We averaged two elders and three servants in each congregation and the number would always fluctuate. That bothered me. Plus it seemed that some of the good guys never got appointed unless they sucked up to the elders. That bothered me as well but didn't make me leave until I as an elder I was on the hot seat years later for bogus reasons. Sadly, for years before that I played the game thinking that even though we were "imperfect", God was using us.

  Yes I dealt with the HLC occasionally. They were appointed directly by the Branch in the country I served and were usually rich and influential. The Branch wanted brothers who could make an impression on doctors and so local elders who owned business and were prominent were usually chosen. They sometimes appeared on local television acting knowledgeable about blood. I went to those anti-transfusion seminars once or twice I didn't understand all the lingo. I accepted the idea that transfusions were dangerous and I ignored the hard questions.

  
  
  hat tip: https://redd.it/6zkzvt
  
  
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  24

  September 11, 2017 Re: Global Assistance Arrangement for the 2018 Service Year

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  september 11, 2017 to all congregations in the united states re: global assistance arrangement for the 2018 service year.

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  darkspilver

  exjwlemming: Let's do a little math here.
  

  

  notes

  + Ave publisher number used for the previous last available year (ie 2016 service year as in the 2017 yearbook for the 2018 figure)

  + GAA for 2016: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4867658067476480/_post/5188088850546688

  + GAA for 2017: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5710501243781120/_post/5645923642245120
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  10

  RC 2018

  by darkspilver in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  following on from last year's threadhttps://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5695993188188160/rc-2017here we go with the 2018 regional conventions!.....

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  darkspilver

  WT letters and application forms regarding 2018 Special Conventions:

  September 7, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: 2018 Special Conventions

  September 9, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS Re: 2018 Special Conventions—Instructions for Congregation Secretaries

  2018 Special Convention Application

  2018 Special Convention Applicant Instructions

  hat tip to wifibandit: https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5760262344802304/_post/5711738743816192
  
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  64

  Free to sin but still cannot bring myself to do it

  by sinboi in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  have da'd myself nearly 3 months ago.

  now i am part of this world but i feel myself the odd one out.

  something inside me is still blocking me to do the things i have been longing to do while i was still a jw, such as attending birthday parties, sex, etc.... just last nite, i was on the way to attend a birthday party.

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  darkspilver

  sinboi: Will I be able to get myself involve in bayonet fighting?
  

  redvip2000: Not to go on a tangent, but if the military in your country still engages in bayonet fighting, you might consider emigrating altogether.
  

  Oh...
  
  The British Army: Combat Infantryman's Course - PARA
  

  Weeks 9 to 11: Bayonet fighting
  http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24683.aspx
  

  
  The British Army: Combat Infantryman's Course - Foot Guards
  

  Weeks 21 and 22: Bayonet fighting
  http://www.army.mod.uk/training_education/24677.aspx
  
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  22

  The Children Act: The Movie - By Ian McEwan and directed by Richard Eyre

  by darkspilver in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  richard eyre's film adaptation of ian mcewan's book the childen act has it's world premiere at the toronto international film festival in september 2017. the children act.

  emma thompson and stanley tucci star in this adaptation of the novel by ian mcewan, about a high-court judge who finds personal and professional crises colliding when she is asked to rule in the case of a brilliant 18-year-old boy who is refusing the blood transfusion that would save his life.. adapted by booker prize–winning author ian mcewan from his own novel, this riveting drama stars two-time academy award winner emma thompson as a british high court judge tasked with making a decision that will speak to our most fraught questions regarding religious tolerance — and could mean life or death for an innocent young man.. judge fiona maye (emma thompson) is married to her work, which has become a problem for her husband, jack (stanley tucci), who announces that he wants to have an affair.

  treating the matter more as an annoyance than a life-altering crisis, fiona kicks jack out and focuses on her current case.

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  darkspilver

  Looks like a very positive review in the Portuguese newspaper Diário de Notícias - major article with picture that appeared on page 29 in today's (September 11, 2017) version of the PRINT newspaper.

  Also it seems that the film has a distribution deal for Portugal.
  

  FWIW the title of the film (and the book) is a reference to the 1989 UK Act of Parliament of the same name. I understand that in non-English territories it is being renamed. Thus in Portuguese it is: A Balada de Adam Henry / The Ballad of Adam Henry.
  
  
  Ian McEwan well served by Emma Thompson
  

  Diário de Notícias, Monday, September 11, 2017 (via Google Translate)

  An instant triumph. The Children Act is further evidence that Ian McEwan's prose generally provides good cinema. The film is leveraged by a sober and powerful interpretation of Emma Thompson, a judge facing a moral dilemma when she has to decide on a case where a family of Jehovah's Witnesses refuses to have their child treated by blood transfusion.
  

  READ FULL REVIEW: http://www.dn.pt/artes/interior/ian-mcewan-bem-servido-por-emma-thompson-8760491.html
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  10

  RC 2018

  by darkspilver in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  following on from last year's threadhttps://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5695993188188160/rc-2017here we go with the 2018 regional conventions!.....

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  darkspilver

  dozy: They've also pre-registered JW2019 , JW2020 & JW2021,org.... I guess Armaggeddon isn't coming any time soon. jw2022.org is available if anyone wants to reserve it - business opportunity for someone LOL.
  

  FAKE..... sorry
  
  The WT have registered 2019 and 2020,org
  
  But it appears that other people (non-WT) have already registed both 2021 and 2022 .org
  
  The WT registered the following domain names all at the same time - on July 30, 2015:
  

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2016.org

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2017.org

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2018.org

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2019.org

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2020.org

  Then, in a post on this forum two years ago (in 2015) under the title: "Proof that Armageddon will come in 2020 or 2021" -
  

  berrygerry: The Borg has also registered jw2017, jw2018, jw2019, and jw2020 (all .org)

  However, they have not reg'd jw2021. THEREFORE, the conclusion in the title.

  (a non-WT has reg'd jw2022,org) ( jw2021,org is presently available, wink-wink).

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/481980004/proof-that-armageddon-will-come-2020-2021

  And it appears that someone (not WT) took berrygerry's advice, because on October 1, 2015, the 2021 variation was registered:
  

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2021.org

  While someone else had already on September 18, 2015, registered the 2022 variation:
  

  http://whois.domaintools.com/jw2022.org
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  10

  RC 2018

  by darkspilver in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  following on from last year's threadhttps://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5695993188188160/rc-2017here we go with the 2018 regional conventions!.....

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  darkspilver

  The locations and months for the seven 2018 Special Conventions (AKA International Conventions) have been announced.

  www.jw2018.org

  Of course they wouldn't be special without a logo - see bottom of post......
  
  Locations

  Georgia - Tbilisi - July 2018

  Norway - Oslo - July 2018

  Papua New Guinea - Port Moresby - July 2018

  Sri Lanka - Colombo - July 2018

  Ukraine - Lviv - July 2018

  Mozambique - Maputo - September 2018

  Peru - Lima - November 2018
  
  
  Basic Eligibility Requirements

  + You attend a congregation that has been invited by the local branch office. Or, someone in an eligible congregation has invited you to join their travel group. Your congregation secretary can provide further details on these arrangements.

  + You are exemplary in every respect, including dress and grooming.

  + You are able to travel without the physical assistance of others. Standing and walking for long periods of time should not pose a health risk.

  + You can stay in one of the designated hotels for a minimum of seven nights.

  
  All applicants should meet one of the following requirements, as of January 1, 2018

  + 19 years of age or older and serve as elders, as ministerial servants, or in some form of full-time service.

  + Baptized for 20 years or longer. The baptized mates of such ones may apply as well.

  + Baptized and unbaptized minor children between the ages of 12 and 19 years and are still living at home may accompany their baptized parent(s).

  + Baptized adult children still living at home may accompany their baptized parent(s).

  
  Submitting Your Application

  + If more than one member of a family is applying, a separate application is needed for each person in the family.

  + Applications should be submitted to the secretary and you will receive an e-mail message when they have been entered into jw-org asking you to verify the submitted e-mail address.

  + Please submit your application by the due date announced to your congregation.

  + It is not necessary to contact the branch office to determine if you have been selected. If selected to attend you will be notified via e-mail, and more information related to the specific convention for which you have been approved will be provided, including the specific dates. If you have a question about your status, ask your congregation secretary. If he informs you that your “Status Summary” on jw-org indicates “Applied,” you have not yet been selected.

  
  Travel Groups

  + Effort will be made to accommodate the requests of those who wish to attend the same convention with family members or friends. However, the size of the group will be limited to no more than eight persons. One member of the group should be designated to serve as the group contact before applications are submitted. Generally, a brother will serve as the contact. However, if a group is comprised of sisters only, one of them may act as the group contact. To be linked together, each applicant must use the same travel group identification.

  + To obtain a group ID, the group contact should request one from the congregation secretary as soon as possible. He must provide his e-mail address to the secretary in order to receive a group ID. The secretary will obtain a unique number from jw-org and provide it to the group contact. The group contact must provide the group ID to the other members in his group for them to include on their respective applications. Using the same number will be the only way to link applicants wishing to travel together. This includes friends as well as all family members (even a marriage mate and others in the same household). Also, all members in a group must stay in the same hotel and have the same preferences for activities.

  
  Convention Arrangements

  + You will benefit, not only from the spiritual association during the three-day convention, but also by spending three additional days with the local brothers either before or after the convention so that there may be “an interchange of encouragement by one another’s faith.” (Rom 1:12) Therefore, you will spend at least seven nights in the convention city.

  + The host branch office will provide you an Approved Hotel List at the time of your selection. You will be required to make your own reservation directly with one of the hotels listed on the jw2018.org website

  + The host branch office will create an itinerary for your group based on your activity preferences. This will include field service, attending a gathering with local brothers and possibly visiting places of local interest.

  + Travel agencies can be used for auxiliary tours before or after the seven days spent in the convention city.

  + No plans should be made until you have been selected as a delegate.

  Reminders

  + Airfare, hotel stays, meals, and other costs can be expensive. Heed Jesus’ advice at Luke 14:28 to “calculate the expense.”

  + Please make sure all in your group have up to date passports and understand any specific travel requirements before you travel.

  + Only individuals who are selected by the branch office as delegates should plan to attend one of the special conventions. Problems arise when individuals who are not delegates attend these events due to the limited amount of space at each convention location.

  + Applications should be submitted by the date specified by the congregation secretary.

  + You may invite someone from within your own branch territory to join your travel group if they attend a congregation that is not invited and they meet the requirements mentioned above.

  + Single persons may apply if they either have prearranged a roommate of the same gender or agree to pay the single-supplement price for a single occupancy hotel room.

  + Individuals who are engaged and will be married before the convention can apply as a group, similar to a married couple.