Posts by Balaamsass2

47

Retirement savings

by TxNVSue2023 in

what's the current jw stance on retirement savings?

i know it changed.

pre1975 it was an attitude of "don't worry about retirement, this system is ending soon".

My advice to any current JW would be the same that was given to me when I was 18 in 1973 by a former WT Branch overseer ( a relative that I ignored at the time)..:" Do as Watchtower does ...not as they say".." Watchtower has 5-year building plans, gathers large savings accounts and continually invests in real estate". At the time I thought he was joking or had a bad attitude...but now I understand he was trying to save me.

I would add to that advice..if you can't afford to attend College full-time...go to JC College or night school regularly. It is more pleasant than evening meetings, and Saturday field service, and unlike meetings and field service, it will expand your mind and add to your pocketbook book...long term. I have a friend who chipped away at getting a law degree by going to night school for years. It was slow...but attainable.

176

No more REPORTING field service!!!!!!!!!

by BoogerMan in

this is going to break the hearts of a lot of uber-jw's!

reddit has now removed the video link of samuel herd telling jw's they will no longer have to report time or placements - just tick a box which says "active.".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdshyx79rm&t=13s.

Balaamsass2

Persnickety.......BINGO..... we have a winner! lol. It is all about the $$$$$ SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!!! :)

"Don't they require individual online donations now via a personal login and electronic debit? Doesn't this constitute "monitoring and keeping track of someone's donation?"

My mom a JW since 1936..always told me: " Hun, ...Always... donate by check..cause you can write it off...and at least one MS and an Elder or Two have to notice you keep their lights on". lol.

Link Dislike Like

18

2023-S-147-October-Announcements And Reminders

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2023-s-147-october-announcements and reminders.. page 1. https://imgbox.com/vjct8rt3 .

page 2. https://imgbox.com/c0tbzgxy .

grandpa!.

Balaamsass2

Once again Thanks for the share!

"We have to get the next generation of janitors trained so they won't need college." :)

10

2023-Annual Meeting!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2023-annual meeting.. .

https://stream.jw.org/home .

atlantis!.

Balaamsass2

THANK YOU!! We love your shares.

176

No more REPORTING field service!!!!!!!!!

by BoogerMan in

this is going to break the hearts of a lot of uber-jw's!

reddit has now removed the video link of samuel herd telling jw's they will no longer have to report time or placements - just tick a box which says "active.".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akdshyx79rm&t=13s.

Balaamsass2

Problem #1. ATTENDANCE. After THREE YEARS of no in-person meetings, organized meetings for field service, no Conventions, etc. I would imagine most JW families came to enjoy sleeping in on weekends. Even once meetings started again who could keep up with all the required COVID boosters required to attend? (only 12% of my local population). :)

Problem #2. Loss of $$$$$$$$$$$ If "publishers" are not going to meetings and conventions....they tend to not put $$$$$ in the contribution boxes. If they are wandering onto ex-jw sites like this with all the extra time they have had for three years, they are even less likely to donate MONEY and time.

Problem #3. PR and bad press. September is the cutoff for the service year and the final tally begins. YIKES after three years of the above issues, I would imagine the numbers for the developed world looked dismal. Who would want to publicly report those numbers??? yuck. Cure? Just stop collecting bad data and reporting bad data.

SOLUTION: Copy what TV preachers and big Religions have done for years...make membership EASY and make people feel good. Simply ask them to donate monthly their $11 per head for "membership" and continue to sleep in. DONATE MORE $$$ per month...and you might make...ministerial servant or an Elder!

The governing body puts problems to rest...and can take a nice swim in the new Olympic pool, play tennis on the new courts....or give an all-expenses paid talk on a tropical island this winter. :)

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

Balaamsass2

High control group? YES.

CULT? Ask yourself....what other noncult groups carry Suicide Pact agreements in their wallets...for themselves AND CHILDREN? (Blood card).

Think about it.

12

Jehovah's Witnesses...loyal to God...or to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society ?

by Balaamsass in

this month is a month of testing for jehovah's witnesses.

individually, each must ask himself: to whom are you loyal?

no doubt in ancient isreal many attended the molech and calf worshiping festivals out of loyalty to the nation, the king, and perhaps in a mistaken belief to "jehovah".

Balaamsass2

Hard to believe I started this post 11 years ago! At the time I was a relatively "NEW" POMO on the site and was trying to improve the group's SEO with keyword headings. Some of the headings actually made it onto the Google search. I actually thought it would help some JWs get out. The human mind is amazing in its ability to deceive itself. Humans are tribal and will ignore the obvious to remain in a "tribe" be it an extended family, political party, cult, or religion. Thanks for the memory "Newboy". :) When were you a NEWBOY? Farm or Brooklyn?

26

Can Elders Voluntarily Resign?

by NotFormer in

an elder with half a brain (and they must exist 🧐) is going to see the writing on the wall with the way the wt is manoeuvring them into taking the fall over csa cases.

can an elder in good standing step down with no consequences, official or social?.

Balaamsass2

I told the body I needed to spend more time with our teenagers. I kept my mouth shut about doubts, and half the body tried to keep me from stepping down. The day after I did, half the elders treated me like I was "marked". Quite strange, they wouldn't even call on me for a comment.

47

Retirement savings

by TxNVSue2023 in

what's the current jw stance on retirement savings?

i know it changed.

pre1975 it was an attitude of "don't worry about retirement, this system is ending soon".

Balaamsass2

Longhair gal Thanks for the pm.

As I said a therapist explained her behavior to me and helped me to grasp why an adult would resist the basic math of aging and saving money for retirement.

She was on the edge of schizophrenia with "magical thinking". MOST adults grow out of believing in Santa, the tooth fairy, Prince Charming, and imaginary friends. SOME never do. Life is a HUGE disappointment for these gullible people as they age, grow old, and eventually die. Their parents die...and no longer support them. Magic money on trees does not exist. Hospitals are not free. Watchtower appeals to people with magical thinking.

A big SKY DADDY does not provide free food shelter and clothing, and it is not safe to pet lions and tigers. A fruit basket lady will not bring you free tropical fruit while you lay forever on the grass overlooking a view in the Alps.

26

Is the USA gradually moving to a majority of citizens being non-religious

by Reasonfirst in

jw
friends

this is a topic discussed in a current article in the hongkong based asia times*.

find it at: https://asiatimes.com/2023/09/nones-still-no-match-for-us-christian-nationalism/.

the claim is made in the article, that near 30% of americans are non-believers, and that this number is increasing.

Balaamsass2

I have had this discussion with an old attorney friend from work. He studied to be a Catholic Priest for a while...but liked women too much. :) He identifies as Catholic but rarely attends church. Calls himself "Spiritual but not religious".

3#rd Gen and I moved to rural northern California 25 years ago from the San Francisco Bay Area. We have a LOT of former Assembly of God Pentecostals who have moved into our town. They (Bethel church) now comprise about 15% of the population. They have added some Hippie- Hindu practices (Kundalini tantric sex), "Prosperity gospel", NAR beliefs and rock music to their religion and seem to be growing. Combined with speaking in tongues, faith healing, and far-right political bent they are very different. They believe god will protect them from illness, yet have a militia.

I read that most Americans are becoming less religious.."Spiritual"....but not religious.

New York Times : America Is Losing Religious Faith

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/23/opinion/christianity-america-religion-secular.html?unlocked_article_code=Zlln1UZwlrnDMRn1EaWo96lnIud540AEeVEQg9Ds5b06R9Tr748cwh3TX0dVzqDUYzbTu6NZUppqFhjHHXFXw2jK7TFNPZgqABh1XWIY621ZgcaAcsVvIZjkF6ns2Ww6tiIGyzkCx1w_PJCIjigySMgHEMT0fuLXlxm4pUbk9GEnrjXSuYzlErlHSGcmsCDcT1zp1zPsvU7oc0WdNkWp3ArkTC9oec8APuBGA8F2qGd-eTyqtQ74EAM3BH4ZooIP9MB-PFe7g2GDMqVLhddBrtMWPden3DcnmBGWZBy87BcMytUnsNEeEVrQ0n2SFwWmjlqu094k_ByCTnjNgKMZLFnIyhz5zhhdrtibASAbXg&smid=url-s