The Bible does condemn "fornication" multiple times.
Balaamsass2
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass2
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42
Is there really a Bible rule against sex without marriage?
by Halcon inregarding the poster from jw headquarters, who claimed that the gb would eventually loosen the rules regarding sex.
the question is, is there really a bible rule explicitly prohibiting sex without marriage?
because this would be the only possible reason why loosening those rules would even come up in a discussion.
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42
Is there really a Bible rule against sex without marriage?
by Halcon inregarding the poster from jw headquarters, who claimed that the gb would eventually loosen the rules regarding sex.
the question is, is there really a bible rule explicitly prohibiting sex without marriage?
because this would be the only possible reason why loosening those rules would even come up in a discussion.
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Balaamsass2
If you go solely by the Bible...define marriage. And "approved".
Do concubines count? :) Is a small party and taking a gal to your tent...Marriage?
Abraham claimed he was God's best buddy...and God spoke to him personally. He had multiple sexual partners..ditto for David, and many other "faithful" friends of God.
In the San Francisco area we had some bisexual/gay JWs men in the 60s whose wives WTB&Ts said were not free to divorce and then remarry. Why? Because Watchtower said adultery required vaginal intercourse with a woman...anal and oral intercourse did not constitute adultery!!!!
That "changed" in the early 70s with the "new light" on Pornia which then included oral and anal sex.
Go figure. Holy Spirit was confused again.
There were some huge mass disfellowshipings at Bethel afterward. It became obvious why some of the guys on the service desk liked the previous definition of adultery and sex, it suited their predilection.
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Do COs and Branch Officials Have A Rulebook?
by NotFormer inelders have a rulebook.
do cos and their superiors have a similar written set of guidelines setting out everything they're supposed to be on top of?.
what prompted the question was a statement by jehovax that there is a new elders manual coming out due to the new changes.
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Balaamsass2
In addition to the ever-evolving "rule books", every congregation gets a constant flow of letters that go into a thick 3-ring binder, that has to be updated constantly. ( A real pain in the ass- that half the elder body doesn't/can't keep up with.)
Holy Spirit must be fickle or have dementia.....because it flip-flops constantly....and is obviously bad with money...because there is a constant shortage of it.
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JW Expanded Volunteer Activities?
by doinmypart ini think the gb needs to expand publishers' volunteer activities beyond door knocking.. gb has shifted away from door-knocking to more varied forms of witnessing and no longer counting time for publishers.
my prediction is that the gb will start encouraging jws to participate in broader community volunteer efforts: clean-up drives, food banks, senior citizen support, and other non-proselytizing activities.
this move could help them gain goodwill with government agencies and the public.. expanding volunteer activities could significantly shift how jws are perceived by the wider community.
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Balaamsass2
I agree that unless they can make some cold hard cash, the Borg is unlikely to encourage any mingling with "worldly" people.
They MIGHT copy the Catholics and open rest homes for elderly JWs and "favorably disposed "non-believers. In the USA rest homes have become a profitable business. $$
They MIGHT expand their disaster response efforts/insurance scams. Using JW quick build teams to respond to storm damage with free volunteer labor and charge insurance companies for the labor.$$
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/04/briefing/health-care.html?unlocked_article_code=1.fk0.BP12.mG_ioABa2H_W&smid=url-share
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Blue Ocean
by Freeorange inthere’s a term in the corporate / business world known as blue ocean strategy.
the basic gist of it is to stop wasting time in your small, dwindling pool of current customers when there’s a wide open ocean of untapped customers out there.
to achieve this leap is to adapt or transition to a more appealing package of your current business model to attract the masses.
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Balaamsass2
Having actually worked at Brooklyn Bethel, lived next to some GB 1.0 members, invited into the private rooms of GB members, and used the tunnel system I find some of this "research" far-fetched. :)
I think there is/was a pervasive fear of the outside World with many Bethelites...a little paranoid in my personal opinion. Many went a little overboard and were borderline "preppers" IMO. I have had many friends and family serve at Bethel since the 30s. I admit, Bethel IS full of some very strange people.
I think from the founding of WTB&T Society there has been an obsession with the occult/mysticism/hidden prophesies and making $$$, beginning with publishing, then Real Estate, and now internet streaming. Pure Religion is the perfect product...little or no investment, limitless financial return. = Off the chart internal rates of return.
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Balaamsass2
LOL. Third Gen and I got a doorbell ring and tract in the door Thursday. The rumpled couple had a baby stroller. They looked like a "Far-side" cartoon from Gary Larson. Frumpy disheveled outfits. No cheap suit, No jacket, no tie, shirt half tucked in. No beard, however. I didn't answer the door, I thought it was some sort of homeless pitch. :)
Is this the new JW look? After 60 years, I had gotten used to the tidy cheap suit uniform.
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Is this true?
by BoogerMan in"the watch tower society does not file any publicly accessible financial figures.".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/watch_tower_bible_and_tract_society_of_pennsylvania.
if so, are american charities totally free from scrutiny by the authorities & donors?.
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Balaamsass2
There are laws about it...but little to no enforcement. Most public filings from USA Religions appear to be bogus...especially Watchtower. "Theocratic strategy" AKA: Lies. -
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ARTICLE: Jehovah’s Witnesses investing more than $50M on Woodbury project
by AndersonsInfo inhttps://libn.com/2024/03/04/jehovahs-witnesses-investing-more-than-50m-on-woodbury-project/.
long island business news.
march 4, 2024. the christian congregation of jehovah’s witnesses, which bought the former geico property in woodbury for $27 million in dec. 2022, plans to spend at least another $23 million to build an assembly hall and two support buildings on about half of the site.
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Balaamsass2
I had a relative who was a CO and Branch Overseer years ago.
He advised me years ago to copy what Watchtower does...not what they say... I asked what he meant... he replied..."they plan real estate investments and projects years into the future." "They have hundreds of Bethelites remodeling...not pioneering." That was 40 years ago...I should have listened to him....not Watchtower.
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New light on shunning?
by Mikejw inone theory why tony was booted out was because he was a stickler for not changing the shunning doctrine.
he actually said the words we will never ever change it.. they are slowly deleting all of tony’s videos and now losing court cases and losing government hand outs in places like norway.. it’s looking very likely they will release new light on shunning policy after losing this latest one in norway.. .
what are the odds they coincidentally get new light from jehovah and lighten up their shunning policy ?.
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Balaamsass2
It does appear GB 3.0 is trying to head off trouble at the pass.
Today's "confidential" (lol :) ) letter to all Elders (Thank you Atlantis) is to be read after the GB online announcements. Regarding disfellowshipping for adults...and children. #1. "..6. When meeting with a Christian who has become involved in serious wrongdoing, the goal of the committee is to ‘lead the sinner to repentance.’ (Rom. 2:4) The committee may decide that it would be appropriate to meet more than once with the wrongdoer in order to reach his heart. Meeting with him more than once will allow time for the individual to grasp the gravity of his wrongdoing and its effect on his relationship with Jehovah, and most important, to repent and ask Jehovah for his forgiveness. (Ps. 51:1-4; Prov. 28:13) Meeting with him more than once will also allow the committee to try to reach the individual’s heart by means of the Scriptures. 7. By skillful use of the Scriptures, the committee should try to reach the wrongdoer’s heart and lead him to repentance. If through your efforts Jehovah gives the individual repentance, this is a cause for rejoicing. (Luke 15:7; 2 Tim. 2:25; 2 Pet. 3:9) In such cases, appropriate restrictions will be temporarily imposed. If the wrongdoing is widely known or likely to become known, a brief announcement of the reproof can be made to the congregation. Restrictions should be viewed as temporary and should be removed without delay as the individual makes a spiritual recovery. Of course, with certain kinds of wrongdoing—such as child abuse, apostasy, and scheming to end a marriage—restrictions will need to be in place much longer. (sfl chap. 12 pars. 10-12; chap. 14 pars. 22-24) Whatever the case, the elders will also provide shepherding so that the individual can keep making straight paths for his feet."
Boom...it appears the old: "tell us".. "How many times you did the nasty?"..."for how long?"..."did you enjoy it?...etc. etc.." So this was repeated unrepentant sin over a period over time?.... is.... over.
#2. Now PARENTS are to be included during a minor's judicial investigation..with only 2 elders...attempting to CHANGE the minor's attitude and behavior...rather than trying to gain sufficient evidence to boot them. Multiple meetings can be held this way.
With 2/3 of self-described "JWS" "inactive or former" per the PEW studies, no doubt GB 3.0 thinks more ex-dubs will return...and donate again. $$$$$$$$$ ??
interesting
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Forget 1914, the 1975 generation are now passing away!
by nowwhat? inwe still have quite a few elderly here that came in as young families in the late 1960's-early 70's because soon, yes very soon they would enter the new system and never grow old.
it's now one year away from 50 years since 1975. just in the last couple years i've seen them come down with alzheimer's, cancer, brain tumors, becoming invalid etc.
the children of them that are now around 60 are just so distraught at seeing their parents deteriorate.
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