Incognito

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Posts by Incognito

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  27

  My husband and I told our families we want to disassociate

  by erinee in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well, these stories are always fun, right?

  let me share mine.. my husband and have been pimo for 2 years.

  inactive for one year.

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  Incognito

  Welcome to the forum.

  ALL our family said they would shun us for the rest of their life, no matter what. Even if we have kids in the future ...
  ... they want us to just be inactive so they can keep talking to us.

  They wish to blame you for their actions instead of accepting responsibility for their own choices.

  No one is holding a gun to their heads to force them to shun you, but they gladly comply with the dictates of a cult run by men. For a group that claims to be bible based, the most loving and the chosen people of the 'god of love', it does not take much for them to ignore Jesus examples. They quickly discard family relationships if they are told by men that they 'may be' (not assured) rewarded for doing so.

  We haven't done our research.

  They have not done their research, but they are only reaffirming their belief that the cult they are members of, could never do such things. As they are too afraid to research for themselves, they accuse any one that states info that is negative or contrary cult teachings, to have fallen for false stories and half truths that have no basis in fact.

  I recall a scripture that states to keep making sure of all things and hold onto that which is fine (proven), but JWs commonly ignore that scripture.

  While your families accuse you of breaking your vows, were any of them members of other religions before becoming JWs? If so, did they not break their vows to God?
  
  While there is no one course of action that is suitable for everyone, most PIMO and inactive (ex-)JWs remain such to maintain relationships with their families who may not know their true status. As your opinions are now known to your families, there should be no fear that your families will learn of your life choices so that may lessen your fear (looking over your shoulder) in just remaining inactive.
  
  
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  38

  How Many Here Remember Hearing Details from the Platform on Why a Person was Reproved or DF'd ???

  by RubaDub in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just had this flashback when commenting on another thread about how they used to announce reproof or dfing from the platform.

  at least in our congregation, it was a dramatic event (this is what i can remember from back in the mid-late 60's or early 70's when i was a kid).. at the end of the service meeting, just before singing the final song, the brother would announce, "we have a letter that must be read.

  the "congregation servant" (my grandfather or later my father) would then slowly walk from the back of the kh to the platform.

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  Incognito

  The specific reason for each Df'ing had been announced in the '60s, and then the reason was changed to only 'Conduct Unbecoming a Christian'. When that change happened, resulted in much speculation in the remaining congregation that the change was necessary because of law suits.

  I recall when the announcement was again changed to 'first name, last name is no longer a Jehovah's Witness' that was again met with speculation with regard to the reason why the change was necessary.

  As the Public Talk and WT study was considered a public meeting, Df'ing and other private congregation announcements were normally reserved for the weeknight Service Meeting, but I can recall one occasion where a Df'ing was announced on a Sunday, which the congregation found more shocking than the Df'ing itself.
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  19

  Article: What Is The Clergy-Penitent Privilege And How Can It Protect Sex Offenders?

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.oxygen.com/the-witnesses/crime-news/how-clergy-penitent-privilege-may-protect-sex-offenders.

  how clergy-penitent privilege may protect sex offenders | crime news.

  it’s a practice that is centuries old: confessing one’s sins to a trusted clergy member.

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  Incognito

  Whether or not there is merit in the practice, a confessional is used by an individual to acknowledge and confess sin(s) they themselves have committed, to a single priest/minister, as a means to request absolution of the sin by God.

  If the confessor and minister are known to each other, they may recognize each other's voice, but the practice is often performed anonymously and is to remain confidential between those two individuals only.

  1) WT continually attempt to claim confidentiality of confession when a congregation member reports they are a victim of a crime. As a victim is not confessing a sin they themself committed (although elders often place blame on the victim), a report does not fit within the meaning or purpose of a religious 'confession'.

  2) Once a JW Elder or Elders share details of a claimed 'confession' with the branch, legal dept, or other Elders that were not actually present when the 'confession' was given, then the sacred seal of confession is broken as it is no longer confidential between the confessor and their chosen religious representative(s).
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  58

  Kh's will be gone in 5 years! Here's how it will work

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  besides the media center they are going to build in n.y. it's been noted they are also building one and a studio in australia.

  there is no way donations can cover these massive projects.

  so the money will have to come from the sale of the remaining halls.

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  Incognito

  LHG,

  None of us know anything but are only speculating on what might/could happen.
  

  Perhaps congregations will become virtual, continuing to be scheduled at specific times, with each attendee to login and be listed onscreen (similar to a webinar). The speaker and those making comments could be shown using their camera to everyone else in attendance. That may address your face-to-face concern.

  While there have been various ideas given that some are quick to dismiss and claim could never happen, consider how many changes have been made over the past 15+ years, many of which were speculation but dismissed as not possible by members of this forum, before each was eventually announced/implemented.
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  58

  Kh's will be gone in 5 years! Here's how it will work

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  besides the media center they are going to build in n.y. it's been noted they are also building one and a studio in australia.

  there is no way donations can cover these massive projects.

  so the money will have to come from the sale of the remaining halls.

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  Incognito

  WT are masters of double-speak so home groups could be 'suggested' without saying so directly, which then allows plausible deniability as to each group being an official requirement.

  I think by not officially sanctioning 'home groups' will work to WT's benefit as they may then claim JW associates took it upon themselves to meet in small groups. As WT does not require such and as meetings are held in private homes which WT has no control over, then it has no liability for member actions occurring in a facility which WT does not own or control.

  Many of the liability issues that have arisen have not necessarily been due to where an abuse occured, but more due to WT's lacking policies and how WT's agents (Elders) handled the situation once the matter was reported to them.

  I anticipate to remain a JW in good standing, each family or individual JW will require a subscription to access WT's member areas. Again, double-speak will not use the word 'subscription' to convey a 'donation' so as to not create a taxable situation.

  Perhaps WT will create an app or require its own browser or a browser plugin to access member pages. As videos and online information may be accessible 24/7, then individual JWs can access the relevant pages at their leisure. I expect each login and page visit duration will be recorded, while a list of questions will need to be answered at the end of each section to qualify as 'attendance'.

  Since seeing other fellow believers acts to boost moral, group mentality and something to look forward to, maybe member only 'special assembly days' at WT owned assembly halls will become more frequent, perhaps 3-4 year. Of course, those functions will continue to generate additional donations due to overblown costs reported to attendees.

  Those assigned will continually change to make it difficult for attendees to recognize who is missung (no longer a believer).

  While JW member numbers will likely decline, I anticipate WT knows 25%+ of current attendees do not believe and are not contributing financially, so there will be no great loss if they loose them to retain the fully indoctrinated (and contributing) members.
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  5

  My thoughts about Watchtower fully owned "independent" lawyer firm / Dutch case

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  friends,.

  of course we have the vampire story, but this is what i'm thinking of now:.

  in the current dutch jw.org law cases about child abuse and religion rights the jw.org is represented by shane brady, partner of w. glen how & associaties.

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  Incognito

  Although operated from the Canadian Branch address, the law firm is registered independently as an LLP (Limited Liability Partnership). The law firm could claim it merely rents office space from WT and so it is only a tenant.

  Even if actually owned and operated by WT in the background and the various lawyers and staff are considered and are 'paid' as bethelites, the fact that it is operated as an independent law firm, I anticipate, will qualify its clients to claim and be awarded legal costs from the losing party when its clients are successful in court.
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  28

  How many here believe the WTS really has has 8.5 million followers / 8.5. million members

  by Hotpepper in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i think it's closer to 5 million with all the selling of kingdom hells and branch bethel's all over the world.

  it's even hard to get a hard copy of the lastest craptower or afake mag now in new york city..

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  Incognito

  How many congregations have been discussed on this forum that have been amalgamated over the past 5 years? Do WT yearly reports truly represent the decrease in the number of congregations that were observed as being dissolved?

  If reported congregation numbers are not accurate, what makes you believe the number turning in field service reports will be?

  Even so, it's easy for the Report Elder hounder to call to convince a non-reporting publisher into claiming at least 15 minutes of preaching activity when they didn't do any.

  Elder: 'Think hard. You don't want to become inactive. You must have spoken about The Truth to someone in the past month'

  Pub: 'Weeelllll ... yah, I guess you're right. Put me down for 1 hour'

  Elder: 'Great! Take care'

  A person answering a census will often indicate the religion they were born into, even as they may not have been active in that or any religion for 50 years.
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  31

  Watch Tower's Popularity

  by dydeonwl in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  watchtower has been named as world's most published and circulated magazine in us.

  amazing.

  source:.

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  Incognito

  I guess all of those stacks of undistributed magazines my parents had in their basement did some good after all, even if they only were used to support WT's circulation claims.

  No doubt the JWs who purchased Bound Volumes every year also increased the circulation numbers, even as those books were for members only and were a repurchase (before the donation arrangement) of the same magazines those members had already purchased through the previous year, many of which were sitting in stacks in their basements.
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  15

  Why Are There So Many International Words to Poop and Pee?

  by RubaDub in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here, in the us, we go to the "bathroom".

  am i taking a bath?

  we either poop or pee.. when we go to canada, we go to the "washroom".

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  Incognito

  Along a similar line, why are two people having sex referred to as 'sleeping together'? There is usually no sleeping involved.

  With regard to going to the 'Washroom', I hope you do at least wash your hands after you poop or pee.
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  72

  Not invited to congregation “get togethers”. They finally said it

  by solomon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we don’t get many invitations to congregational social gatherings.

  we don’t attend midweek meetings and miss about 1/3 of sunday meetings.

  we go in service at least once a month.

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  Incognito

  Family and money is involved. It’s complicated. That’s why we don’t leave the cult.
  

  So, how long do you remain unsettled, unhappy and waiting for something to happen that other people decide and control?

  Life is short. Live your life on your own terms, before the opportunity passes you by.