I had an old High School friend who is PIMO call me a couple of Sundays ago. He told me was enjoying a cocktail on the deck and throwing a ball for the dog..... while logged in (dark) on Zoom..."Attending" the meeting.....lol.
Balaamsass2
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass2
-
48
Even with recent changes it’s a struggle to get people to attend
by hoser inthe kingdom hall is still empty.
even with amalgamation of 2 congregations.
the elders are handling the microphones and there was only one comment from zoom at the watchtower.
-
-
-
-
-
Balaamsass2
Since a cornerstone belief of Watchtower management is "Theocratic Strategy" (Lying), why would any member expect the truth? If the accounts reports before and during conventions are manipulated, why would the annual report be accurate?
-
20
Privacy commissioner orders North Okanagan Jehovah's Witnesses to hand over private records
by yalbmert99 inin b.c.
, canada, a victory for ex-jws.
https://infotel.ca/newsitem/privacy-commissioner-orders-north-okanagan-jehovahs-witnesses-to-hand-over-private-records/it92596.
-
-
Balaamsass2
B.C. Jehovah's Witnesses lose court battle over disclosing records on 2 ex-members
Documents about break with the church must be turned over to privacy commissioner, judge says.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/bc-jehovahs-witness-privacy-battle-1.7079252
My favorite quote :) "The Jehovah's Witnesses had also argued that if the documents were disclosed, they might be published more widely "for the purposes of mocking either the petitioners or elders, causing unnecessary embarrassment."
Might? lol!
LET THE MOCKING BEGIN!!!!
-
33
Hotels for convention
by ElderBerry ina department in bethel wants to try to make money from regional conventions by asking local hotels if they will give a special rate and a coupon code to give to jws.. .
they should just keep it simple and not be greedy for dishonest gain.. .
this year some convention sites the hotels said no thank you i think the jws are going to book with us anyway.
-
-
Balaamsass2
$$$$ Watchtower is always trying to make a buck. Poor single parents are steered to Hotels that pay Watchtower an agent's commission, even if JWs have to drive 20 miles more versus very close hotels that refuses to participate giving Watchtower kickbacks.
"Typical Commissions: The standard commission rate for hotel bookings falls in the range of 8% to 15% of the total room cost. This means that for every dollar the client spends on accommodation, a travel agent may earn anywhere from 8 to 15 cents as a commission."
-
47
Does becoming (or remaining) one of Jehovah's Witnesses result in Poverty? Pew Research results differ from Watchtower claims.
by Balaamsass2 in"raised in the truth" during the 50s, 60s,and 70s i repeatedly read and heard from the platform how reading the magazines weekly "was the equivalent of a college education" and how many had turned their family economic situation around by being "trustworthy" and giving up expensive bad habits most "worldly people" had.
sounded good.. what is the reality?
how does avoiding higher education, and then spending up to 20 hours a week getting ready for, commuting, and then participating in meetings and field service affect family finances?.
-
-
Balaamsass2
The initial story had a link explaining the rankings' strong connection to education. I think it is an important read to understand Watchtower's " indiscrete slaves" crime against young and old JWs' future long-term prospects.
-
47
Does becoming (or remaining) one of Jehovah's Witnesses result in Poverty? Pew Research results differ from Watchtower claims.
by Balaamsass2 in"raised in the truth" during the 50s, 60s,and 70s i repeatedly read and heard from the platform how reading the magazines weekly "was the equivalent of a college education" and how many had turned their family economic situation around by being "trustworthy" and giving up expensive bad habits most "worldly people" had.
sounded good.. what is the reality?
how does avoiding higher education, and then spending up to 20 hours a week getting ready for, commuting, and then participating in meetings and field service affect family finances?.
-
-
Balaamsass2
This weekend's Wall Street Journal ran a story about seniors trying to live 100% on Social Security. It was the 2nd most read story of the paper this weekend. Just think of ALL THE HOURS JWs spent every week at meetings, service, talk prep., Elders meetings, preparing for all the above, dressing up for all the above, and then traveling to and from all the above! I added it all up years ago. It averaged 20 hours a week! 52 weeks per year PLUS travel time and costs of Conventions and assemblies. Over 1,000 hours per year. If that 1000 hours were spent on a minimum wage job flipping burgers in California it would amount to an additional $15,500. per year of income ($155,000. every 10 years). Imagine if that 1,000 hours per year were spent on a college degree...for just 4-6 years of one's life......
-
47
Does becoming (or remaining) one of Jehovah's Witnesses result in Poverty? Pew Research results differ from Watchtower claims.
by Balaamsass2 in"raised in the truth" during the 50s, 60s,and 70s i repeatedly read and heard from the platform how reading the magazines weekly "was the equivalent of a college education" and how many had turned their family economic situation around by being "trustworthy" and giving up expensive bad habits most "worldly people" had.
sounded good.. what is the reality?
how does avoiding higher education, and then spending up to 20 hours a week getting ready for, commuting, and then participating in meetings and field service affect family finances?.
-
-
Balaamsass2
Hi Stuck! 3rd Gen and I are home with Colds. :) "Balaamsass2, it’s been a while since I dropped into this forum and was happy to see a friend. I have had the the same experience. All my old peeps in the org are now old and their kids aren’t sticking. I hope you and the wife are well!
-
22
Join JW's or DIE - soon!!!
by BoogerMan inw72 10/1 p. 607 - "they (jw's) know that soon now all who are not true worshipers of jehovah (jw's) will be destroyed.".
how quickly half a century passes by!
2 peter 3:8 - "...one day is with jehovah jw.borg as a thousand years and a thousand years as one day.
-
-
-
47
Does becoming (or remaining) one of Jehovah's Witnesses result in Poverty? Pew Research results differ from Watchtower claims.
by Balaamsass2 in"raised in the truth" during the 50s, 60s,and 70s i repeatedly read and heard from the platform how reading the magazines weekly "was the equivalent of a college education" and how many had turned their family economic situation around by being "trustworthy" and giving up expensive bad habits most "worldly people" had.
sounded good.. what is the reality?
how does avoiding higher education, and then spending up to 20 hours a week getting ready for, commuting, and then participating in meetings and field service affect family finances?.
-
-
Balaamsass2
Around the first of every new year, I check the FACEBOOK pages of JWS, whom I have known for many years.
This year I looked at many over 65 former regular Pioneers with FB accounts. The depression and poor living conditions stood out. Cross-referencing addresses shown online on sources like "White Pages" and other search engines, very few owned homes or even rented apartments in decent neighborhoods. A sad way to spend the twilight of life.
Another thing struck me...the extreme poverty lifestyle must have affected their children. Not one "extreme JW" I knew, had JW children or grandchildren who stuck with Watchtower. Most of their children and grandchildren had photos prominently displaying Christmas trees, birthdays, and 4th of July celebrations. Perhaps they did not want to emulate the grinding poverty and sacrifice of their JW parents.
Sad
-
109
Why disfellowship must be eliminated for the survival of the WT itself
by TheScientist inthis topic i digress about why the watchtower relaxing the rules of disfellowship is essential for its survival.
many things i'm going to say are not my ideas, some are, the point is, i'm condensing everything in a logical and concise way.. the first thing we have to keep in mind is that the wt's main objective in instituting disfellowship has always been not to lose members because of the damage that a dissident could do, or to avoid gaining new members because of the bad reputation of a confessed sinner in the his/her region.
in the end, the more active members, the more money to the coffers.. in this case of disfellowship due to apostasy, to avoid any spark, texts were sought out of context that even prohibited saying "hi".
-
-
Balaamsass2
Time will tell.
As far as the math...there is no real-world math. Watchtower uses numbers as a "theocratic strategy". As a past Cong Secretary, Watchtower did not count as "members" those who didn't report ONE full hour, and "low hour" publishers (under 6) got shepherding calls and didn't get "privileges" or Service meeting parts. However, every irregular or recently "inactive" publisher I knew would have considered themselves a full-fledged JW if polled in a census or interviewed by PEW. The "new light" simply makes it easier for Watchtower to show less shrinkage.
After the 1975 debacle, Knorr's death, Fred Franz's blindness, the Ray Franz debacle at Bethel, and the Time Magazine story, Ted Jaracz became a huge influence on the GB. He instituted APOSTATE WITCHHUNTS and pushed the "sin" label and two Witness rule for child molesters. He also pushed for less/no "unofficial" JW gatherings, less humor at meetings, and no Cong picnics! To me, it was like the Spanish Inquisition.
No one calls the elders when they have a FIRE they dial 911 or the Fire Department. Watchtower should simply tell elders to treat all crimes the same. STAY OUT OF ALL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS and the $$ liability attached to them. Unless a JW is preaching "apostasy"... Publicly...just stay out of it. Stop the inquisitions. Save Disfellowshipping for serious stuff that threatens members or brings public dishonor to the church, LIKE RAPE, and domestic violence...(which they currently hide).