Posts by Coded Logic

4

Has anyone else seen this?

by Pete Zahut in

this video was posted on a coworkers facebook page (non -jw).

a former jw has started a cult in austrailia.

this may have already been posted here but worth watching if you haven't seen it.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvw0efmnqtm.

Coded Logic

It's scary how easily people can be programed. I find it extremely uncomfortable to watch.

71

BORG running low on $$$??

by fader77 in

dear brothers:.

re: personal literature supply.

reducing existing stock at the branch office before the revisions are released.

Where does all the money go?

by Coded Logic in

some recent posts on this site have really got me thinking.

the kingdom halls are all paid for by their congregations - as are the assemblies and the conventions (none of it comes out of the wtbts pocket).

every single assembly and convention i have ever been to there is always a surplus of money that is sent back to the society.

Some recent posts on this site have really got me thinking. The Kingdom Halls are all paid for by their congregations - as are the assemblies and the conventions (none of it comes out of the WTBTS pocket). Every single assembly and convention I have ever been to there is always a surplus of money that is sent back to the Society. And the Society has recently pilfered the savings from local KHs.

The WTBTS has also sold off 10s of millions of dollars of its properties (over a 100 million by some estimates). And they are spending a fraction on printing and distribution of literature compared to 10 or even 5 years ago. The have also closed dozens of branches, greatly decreased their salaried work force, and even gotten rid of District Overseers.

All of this makes me realize the Society has very little in overhead costs. All their properties have been paid off for decades. What are they doing with all the money in donations, savings, and property sales that they are accumulating?

This makes me think one of two possibilities is likely.

They are planning on making a huge purchase in the next year or two. Though what that purchase could be I have no idea.
They really thought the end was going to happen last decade and have made bad financial decisions (coupled with the recession) and are now desperately trying to dig themselves out of a hole.

Maybe just my optimism is getting the better of me, but is it just possible the WTBTS is in worse shape than any of us realize? Five years ago I don’t think any of us thought the WTBTS foot print would shrink as much as it has ove the past couple of years. Maybe the Society is closer to bankruptcy than any of us realize. If they were, it would be just like them to keep on acting like everything is just fine.

Anyone have any thoughts on this?

P.S. I know the WTBTS makes it seem like they finance building KHs in third world countries but, everything I've researched thus far, shows even those JWs have to cover their own KH construction costs. And their choice of construction materials often reflect this.

8

Witnesses are like a "typical male"... Always trying to "fix" things or "solve" everything.

by stuckinarut2 in

we all know the cliche that "men never really listen or sympathise, they just try to solve or fix things"?.

often people just need to vent or discuss issues..."get them off their chest".

i have noticed that jws are just like a thoughtless cliched man..... when speaking with people in the community, they don't really listen, they just look for a way to solve the issue!.

Coded Logic

Panacea:

1.) A solution or remedy for all difficulties or diseases.

2.) The ancient greek goddess of healing.

Even the Greeks came to realize that real world problems require real world solutions. And sitting around waiting for a God or a Goddess to fix everything is a recipe for disaster. Just look at the Zoroastrians . . . oh that's right, they're got wiped out.

46

Fudging the Numbers: Is the WTBTS in decline?

by Coded Logic in

it's no secret that the wtbts has a cash flow problem.

over the past three years they have closed 20 of their 116 branches.

they have sold off most of their properties in and around ny (including some kingdom halls), drastically reduced the # of printed pages for the watchtower and awake magazines, reduced the printing of books and other materials, increased the number of single page tract campagnes, installed cc machines at their assembly halls, and are now seizing of controll of property assets from local kingdom halls using renovation projects.

Coded Logic

Thanks for the correction on the number of peak publishers. Didn't realize I was looking at 2008 numbers.

You think that there are more baptized witnesses in a congregation than publishers? I remember a lot of teens and young adults being publishers.

74

Breaking News :Charity Commission takes Wathtower to Tribunal in Britain

by raymond frantz in

breaking news :charity commission takes watchtower to charity tribunal in britain.

two weeks ago we run an article about the abuse case in moston manchester congregation .it would seem that the coverage from the main local newspaper manchester evening news and two national newspapers has alarmed the charity commission the official regulator for charities in england and wales and now for the first time !

they opened an official investigation on both charities ,the local one ,moston congragation and the central one jehovah's witnesses of britain indicating that in their eyes these two are connected and liable for any misconduct .this is the time for a concentrated campaign from all of us to inform the charity commission why the watchtower should not be a called a charity .the article above has a link for the charity commission complaint page .follow it!.

Coded Logic

Don't you mean the misinterpretation of a 2,000 year old "un-holy" book?

46

Fudging the Numbers: Is the WTBTS in decline?

by Coded Logic in

it's no secret that the wtbts has a cash flow problem.

over the past three years they have closed 20 of their 116 branches.

they have sold off most of their properties in and around ny (including some kingdom halls), drastically reduced the # of printed pages for the watchtower and awake magazines, reduced the printing of books and other materials, increased the number of single page tract campagnes, installed cc machines at their assembly halls, and are now seizing of controll of property assets from local kingdom halls using renovation projects.

Coded Logic

The 7.5 million number is peak publishers which includes baptized JWs. As far as I know, they don't put out how many are baptized vs. just publishers. I would assume its pretty close to 50/50 though. 3.75 and 3.75.

16

My Wife Now Questions God

by Jon Preston in

well my wife and i have been through a roller coaster of life since i convinced her the dibs werent the truth.

the hardest tests have been lived but we are closer than ever now.

now recently shes read "the shack" nd watched some movies about god and just cant seem to inderstand why god would allow all of this suffering just to prove to satan that hes "the man" (or woman).

Coded Logic

With or without religion, good people can behave well and bad people can do evil; but for good people to do evil — that takes religion.

-Steven Weinberg

I would start by pointing out to her that morality exists independant of any God. Realizing there is no good reason to believe in a deity should no more affect her sense of morality than learning that unicorns aren't real. Morality deals with the results that our actions have on other sentient beings - namely humans. Causing harm is bad. Causing well being is good. Barring a serrious brian disorder like psychopathy, everyone understands and can relate to how other people feel and how our actions might influence them (look up Theory of Mind for more infromation on this).

The Golden Rule, treat people how you want to be treated, is most commenly associated with Jesus. Though he certainly wasn't the first person to say it. Isocrates had said it three-hundred years earlier. And Confucius a further two-hundred years before that. It's been part of every major civilization in history up to the present day. And its a concept we all intuitively understand.

But, more importantly, I would pose the following question to her: Which is more moral - doing something so that you can get a reward? - or doing something because you care about others?

Once a person considers the ramifications of this question it's very easy to see that religion gives people bad reasons to do good things - and often bad reasons to do bad things.

On the other hand, basic empathy gives people good reasons to do good things: Do good things for your family - because you love your family. Do good things for your friends - because you love your friends. Help those in need - because they are in need. Be good for goodness sake and help others for the positive effects it has on yourself and the people around you.

There is no need to choose between living well and doing well to others. For they are the same thing.

3

"The Only Way Those People Would Be In the New System Is if ISIS killed them!" Fifth JW To tell me that! Sam Harris Blog too

by BucketShopBill in

been out of commission due to some issues that i hope will get resolved and get my name out of the watchtower's registry.

oh how i am starting to believe this religion is demonic, i watched some videos and the watchtower's orgin has nothing to do with christianity but it trace's its source to demon worship and that's why they act so hateful against all members who speak out against their lie!

the twooth is what they believe!.

Coded Logic

Islam, at best, is a religion that doesn't play well with others. I don't see why it's such a big deal to acknowledge this simple fact.

39

What is a morally upright life?

by jgnat in

is it relative, or do all human societies and cultures hold at least some things to be good?.

i don't think right and true is "universal" other than what is right and true for people.

a dolphin or a praying mantis may have alien perceptions of what is "good".

Coded Logic

Thanks Jgnat for the link it was a great read. I hadn't realized there was so much hype going on around mirror neurons. Peer reviewed scientific articles are a good way to sort out opion from facts.

There's a great one on the link between mirror neurons and Theory of Mind by Zarinah K. Agnew called The human mirror system: A motor resonance theory

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=10&ved=0CH8QFjAJ&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.researchgate.net%2Fpublication%2F6292577_The_human_mirror_system_a_motor_resonance_theory_of_mind-reading%2Flinks%2F02e7e528e562fe4d56000000&ei=kgYZVPuZBYPloASN_IE4&usg=AFQjCNEI48ktr77PH6LYsyJlb_zoNW86eA&sig2=Fyq5qSm3RLDwovee8ZblCw&bvm=bv.75558745,d.cGU&cad=rja