Posts by Incognito

74

The Watchtower's Real Crisis

by JeffT in

jw
friends

when discussing the watchtowers financial problems, i've generally been of the opinion that they probably are not in a real financial crisis.

i've come to believe that money may be something of an issue, but its wrapped up in a much larger problem.

this came to me this morning when reading about the annual meeting.. i think the society's leadership is just plain out of ideas.

Incognito

Jeff,

I agree with your thinking.

WT is a manufacturer currently without a product to offer. I'm not necessarily talking about paper magazines and books but more about information to be printed or published electronically.

WT previously had Fred Franz to spout out an abundance of new doctrine. JWs were excited to receive new books and new understanding every year.

Apple doesn't release a new iPhone every year because the existing model isn't selling or isn't reliable. A new model is released so that existing iPhone users will become excited and buy a new phone to replace the phone they only just purchased last year or the year before.

Without new original doctrinal ideas, WT has nothing to excite existing JWs.

32

Interesting conversation with JW friend

by Jules Saturn in

i was withh a friend of mine who is a jw still and for whatever reason we started talking the bible.

i asked him about lazarus and how is that when he died he paid the price of sin, but then jesus resurrected him.

and i asked him "where is lazarus today?

Incognito

it couldn't be possible, for me anyways, for angels (spiritual superior beings) to find attractiveness and lust in humans because those are human traits. - Jules

In humans, attraction is largely influenced by hormones.

If angels which are supposedly genderless spirit creatures, lusted after human woman, does this then imply that angels are equipped with hormones?

Even if an angel could lust after a female human and equip itself with a sex organ, how could that angel produce sperm that is somewhat compatible with the human female's egg so as to result in giant hybrid offspring? When humans have sex with another species, a hybrid species is not produced.

23

Can Today's JW Logically Explain Their Beliefs?

by minimus in

jw
friends

when i was a jw, i relished explaining my beliefs and why we had the truth!

lol.

todays witness has no clue , in my opinion..

Incognito

Since any changes to doctrine as dictated by the GB is not to be questioned and is to be followed immediately, do individual JWs have beliefs?

If a long standing belief that a JW holds to be true for 50 years is suddenly changed, then each JW is expected to 'adjust' his/her understanding and therefore his/her 'belief'.

It seems JWs as a group have few beliefs except:

the GB is chosen by Jehovah as his earthly representative and spokesman, to lead his organization on earth
the GB is not to be doubted or questioned

86

JW Rumor: End of the Traveling Overseer

by Edison Trent in

a friend of mine has contacts to a family with several circuit overseers and special pioneers.

they have good connections to bethel.. he told me that the latest rumor from bethel states that the cos should be abolished in their present form.

they have also recently begun to take cos back to bethel.. over the same channel i have already heard of the car fleet program and that the dos should be abolished.. has anyone else already heard of it?

Incognito

Edison Trent stated in the OP: "He told me that the latest rumor from Bethel states that the COs should be abolished in their present form."

I think in their present form is key. That doesn't imply there will not be CO's, only that there will likely be changes to the usual methods of doing things and possibly the authority or responsibility of a CO.

Maybe the position will be given a new title. Maybe there will be 4 annual visits of fewer congregations, or maybe unannounced visits to catch elders off-guard and see what really goes-on.

As some have speculated, perhaps retired local area elders will be 'trained' to assume the position for a short while (forced retirement @ 70), while not receiving any financial compensation from WT. Maybe they will mostly act as observers and auditors of congregation affairs, reporting back to WT.

WT always want control and the CO position provides the control link in whatever new form it takes on. I don't expect the entire position will be eliminated although it may appear radically different than anyone is accustomed to.

192

Question for SBF

by Fisherman in

slimboyfat, it appears that wts is going, gone digital.

can you show your view what is wts next move after they are completely gone from kings county and settled in warwick?

- this thread is your if you want it..

Incognito

For the Memorial the same principles apply. - DarkS

Except for anyone listening-in via telephone or watching live video, wouldn't have opportunity to be offered the emblems.

Since the offering and passing of the proper emblems is such an important component to the ceremony, can those not there truly be considered to be in attendance?

28

Baptism statistics from CO

by neat blue dog in

just went to the assembly yesterday and during the final talk the circuit overseer said:.

'sure, there are some adults baptised here and there, but do you want to know something wonderful?

the vast majority of those getting baptized are teens and preteens!

Incognito

Dropping the reports would be painful. But publishing declines would be painful too. What to do? - SBF

Those are two separate activities. Just because reports are submitted, does not necessarily mean they will be published.

I suspect any future claims from the platform of tremendous growth, will be without further details such as location or actual numbers.

35

Leah Remini Scientology series might tackle Jehovah's Witnesses in season 3

by jp1692 in

i've seen comments by some on leah's expose on scientology: aftermath.

she actually won an emmy for this show.

rumor is that she might take on jehovah's witnesses in season 3. .

Incognito

If the show does get produced, hopefully Leah will involve Steven Hassan more than she did during the Scientology series. I could see Hassan reviewing similarities in cult behaviour.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

Incognito

Fish:. Once again, you miss the point.

The discussion isn't about trespassing on WT property. It is regarding repeating the message that WT representatives speak or publish in literature, so as to anyalize, make sense of or criticise that information.

Watchtower claims Jehovah commanded JWs to preach so as to spread his message throughout the entire earth. WTBTS is the organization God created to convey his word and to support the preaching work. I believe it was Fred Franz who claimed that Jehovah is the editor of Watchtower publications.

Since WT information supposedly originates and is edited by Jehovah, does WT then have the right to claim copywrite on that information? It seems that anyone quoting, distributing or posting that information online, even if only to criticise, is actually assisting to spread God's message.

34

Waking up to TTATT: Blessing or Curse?

by Jules Saturn in

if you take the red pill, you'll have knowledge, you'll be awakened, aware of reality, you'll have freedom.. if you take the blue pill, you stay in your bubble, wearing rose colored glasses, and feel security in an illusion.. taking the red pill isn't something that's easy to do.

to accept that everything around you is an illusion built up on lies or half truths.

but hey, it might feel good to be aware and break free from this illusion.

Incognito

As I type this, it has been a year since my doubts on the Org began to grow and I began researching and researching. - Jules Saturn

As you didn't take any Red pill before this, what caused the initial doubts which grew until you started researching?

Even if you had squashed those initial doubts and proceeded to carry-on as a JW, at what point and how often in your life would those doubts surface again? Even if squashed numerous times, the doubts would probably eventually become so strong that they could no longer be ignored.

I think it's best that your doubts occurred early and you didn't ignore them.

If you carried-on as a JW, married a JW and had children, not only could you experience the same awakening and issues with your family and friends in another 10, 20 or 30 years, but also experience similar conflict with your wife and children.

I suspect by putting things off, you'd likely be depressed for not realizing the real truth 10, 20 or 30 years sooner when the doubts first arose, and for wasting a substantial portion of your life within a cult.

21

What is the latest trend in jw land

by bola in

jw
friends

i want to know the latest trend in jw land.

after i have disassociated from jw land last year, now my father has forced me to write a reinstatement letter.

and i will soon be reinstated back very soon because those cult elders will meet with me.

Incognito

And I will soon be reinstated back very soon because those cult elders will meet with me.

Just because the elders agree to meet with you, does not in itself signify you will be reinstated very soon or at all.

Since you disassociated yourself, then you voluntarily 'turned against Jah' and his 'Org' which is considered worse than any disfellowshipping offense.

Depending on how you DA'd, who your JW relatives are, if you prove yourself worthy by not missing meetings while behaving as expected of any DF'd member, and after repeated grovelling on your part, the elders may eventually decide to reinstate you. It could take 6 months, 1 year or a few years, if at all.

They typically like to make examples of those who turn away from the org, which often means humiliation and long delays before they even consider reinstatement.