Posts by dothemath

9

One of the Most Obscene Phrases in Any Language; the Judicial Committee

by TMS in

a tribunal of religious, if not spiritual, men, whose decision can alter lives, disrupt, no, destroy, families, ruin young lives, create angst, pain, depression, hopelessness, sorrow, despair can be the job for three typically unqualified men known in jw land as the judicial committee.. my first judicial experience as a kid of 18 serving on the jc involved disfellowshipping an elderly sister for apostacy when she would not promise to quit frequenting a neighborhood christian science reading room for personal study.

my second big case involved a baptized 12 year old who allegedly stole a hot wheel from k-mart.

he admitted to nothing, answering every question with "i dunno" and was put on probation, the 60's equivalent of reproof.. in subsequent years, i "served" on committees judging accused adulterers, fornicators, thieves, gamblers, non-providers, taking up boxing, slanderers and yes, apostates, sitting also on so-called appeal committees as well.

dothemath

Most of the committees I was on (not nearly as many as you) the decision seemed to be made even before all the details were heard.

One person that was trying hard to be reinstated was told no, mainly because the main elder didn't like him. (It turned out he did him a favour, he's glad to be long gone)

There's no balance, some get away with almost anything and others get the book thrown at them.

The worst situation I heard of was an elder(quite prominent, used a lot at conventions) who was on judicial committees while he was in fact having an affair with a pioneer sister.

29

Help - I'm going to be conducting the watchtower study

by Saltheart Foamfollower in

it looks like i'm going to have to take the watchtower study for a while so i thought i'd seek help.. i wont be outing myself or stating anything too controversial, but so far i have come up with the following tactics : 1) ask questions which will get people thinking even if it is about something insignificant - developing a questioning mind is the key to discovering ttat as far as i am concerned.

2) highlight any extreme points so that some might realise they are extreme.

3) highlight any good points - helping others in need for example - just because it is the right thing to do.. if anyone has any general comments which could help, please post them here.

dothemath

Maybe when you come across new beliefs (they sometimes show up in the study) you could bring up what we used to believe.

Sometimes those doctrines were followed for many decades, like the "generation".

Good luck, I'm sure the audience will appreciate someone who isn't just a mindless drone, but is actually showing intelligence.

30

JW Broadcasting reeks of desperation

by oldskool in

again, i'm a decade removed from the faith.

i'm catching up now, and can't believe what i'm seeing.. i get that jw leadership faced a dilemma.

there is no intellectual apparatus within the faith.

dothemath

Your analysis is entirely correct. I've heard numerous conversations about how bizarre Lett is, even among what I thought were zealous brothers.

A lot of the older ones aren't pleased at all with the new format.

Theyre trying anything and everything to keep the numbers up, except now the big thing is the amount of donations.

9

Who are the Antitypical Pharisees today???

by James Mixon in

who do jw's believe are the pharisees????

do you know of any religious organization that.

put such a heavy burden on it's members.

dothemath

I think the organization has LOTS in common with the Pharisees of old. They added all kinds of rules, and are just the same in "giving a tenth of the dill.....but disregarded justice and mercy- Matt. 23:23

Today they use disfellowshipping as a weapon, just like the Pharisees. John 12: 42- many would have put faith in Jesus but wouldn't......so as not to be expelled from the synagogue"

19

Today's Text - Draw Close To God... (BUT HOW???)

by Divergent in

jw
friends

here's where i stand at the moment: i neither categorize myself as a theist, atheist, or agnostic.

i'm a freethinker and do not have a specific belief at the moment, unless something comes along which is 100% conclusive & convincing.

which brings us to tackling the elephant in the room, something that today's text has failed to do:.

dothemath

Maybe many people think they're worshipping God, but instead are worshipping Time. God has no beginning or end........but so does Time.

You look at a beautiful warerfall or canyon, appreciating a creator, but in reality it was eons of time.

Of course Time doesn't care about you, just as it didn't when 100,000+ people were wiped out in the tsunami.

I guess I must be an agnostic now, but I can't really know?

1

Conversation with an ex-bethelite

by dothemath in

i ran into a young brother a while ago who had just been let go from bethel and was now back out west.. i was curious about his perspective on what it was like there (especially after reading some of the horror stories on this site).

actually he absolutely loved it there, and would go back if he could (seemed sincere).. i guess some enjoy the institutional life more than others.

he has had to go back to work, and isn't pioneering, so maybe reality is setting in.. was just wondering if any others had info on how the ex-bethelites are doing..

dothemath

I ran into a young brother a while ago who had just been let go from Bethel and was now back out west.

I was curious about his perspective on what it was like there (especially after reading some of the horror stories on this site)

Actually he absolutely loved it there, and would go back if he could (seemed sincere).

I guess some enjoy the institutional life more than others. (I'm sure I would not)

He has had to go back to work, and isn't pioneering, so maybe reality is setting in.

Was just wondering if any others had info on how the ex-bethelites are doing.

2

April 25, 2016 Re: JW Broadcasting Available on Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV

by wifibandit in

april 25, 2016 to all congregations re: jw broadcasting available on apple tv and amazon fire tv.

uk version.

us version.

dothemath

I don't get the big deal about this. You could always watch the broadcast on Apple TV. Just like going to any website.

8

2016-03-11 US BOE Re: 2016 Bethel Visitors Information

by wifibandit in

march 11, 2016 to all congregations in the united states branch territory re: 2016 bethel visitors information

dothemath

Thanks for all the letters from headquarters! Glad I never wasted my time (or money) going there.

21

Suppose I ought to introduce myself.....

by Andy Dufresne in

jw
friends

i've left a couple of semi-"humorous" remarks, but not yet said a proper hello....but firstly thank you, to all, for this site and all its comments.i have been lurking on this site for 4-5 years, awake for 5-6 years and seriously fading for the last 4 years.

i am now "out" and widely considered "out" by the congregation but due being very cautious and playing a very long game, (and having a wife who understand the repercussions of blowing the whistle on the few viewpoints i have discussed with her) i have not been df'd of da'd.

this forum has been a crutch and guide as well as helping me wake - and the humour many on here use has been a welcome relief.

dothemath

Hi and welcome! This site has been fascinating to me, and I think many on here study the bible more than most witnesses.

i personally think the "handwriting is on the wall" for the Borg but it will be a long decline.

congrats on the successful fade!

23

Happy Pi Day

by dothemath in

tomorrow is march 14 (3.14), so its known as pi day, to honour the all-important constant.. incidentally, the bible has been criticized by mathematicians because the scriptures give a very poor value of pi.. the scripture is based on 1kings 7: 23 and reads as follows:.

"and he proceeded to make the molten sea ten cubits from its one brim to its other brim, circular all around; and its height was five cubits, and it took a line of thirty cubits to circle all around it".

now that shape is actually mathematically impossible to construct, because if the diameter is 10 cubits, the circumference would have to be 31.4159 cubits.

dothemath

Tomorrow is March 14 (3.14), so its known as Pi day, to honour the all-important constant.

Incidentally, the Bible has been criticized by mathematicians because the scriptures give a very poor value of Pi.

The scripture is based on 1Kings 7: 23 and reads as follows:

"and he proceeded to make the molten sea ten cubits from its one brim to its other brim, circular all around; and its height was five cubits, and it took a line of thirty cubits to circle all around it"

Now that shape is actually mathematically impossible to construct, because if the diameter is 10 cubits, the circumference would have to be 31.4159 cubits. (circumference = pi x diameter)

Other nations did come up with fairly close approximations of the value of pi, but it was Archimedes who really nailed it in the 3rd century bc.

Just another item in the Bible that doesn't add up I guess.

Anyway, its a fascinating constant, and I hope you enjoy "Pi day tomorrow"!