Don't you know size doesn't reall matter? :)
Posts by zack
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36Why aren't congregations much bigger in size?
by JH in.
like that, they wouldn't need so many elders and ms. they would have plenty of brothers to read and pass the mic.. no where in the bible do they mention how big or small a congregation should be.
if ever one day they have a hard time forming enough ms and elders, wouldn't it be simpler to just make congregations larger?
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32
Torture at DC
by zack ina thought worth mentioning about the venue i attended was the lack of sufficient sanitary facilties.
attendance on sunday was almost 10k.
of these, half were males.
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zack
Just wanted to add, in days gone by there were more women than men and women with children and no husbands. That demographic has shifted. You see many couple s with no kids and many couples with multiple kids--- not just young couples, but couples in their thirties with a toddler or two in tow. Yes, women need more time in the restroom. Most venues were not designed with them in my mind since they do not make up the bulk of the sports dollar. These arenas are not designed for a 9 hour event where people eat at least two meals and are in attendance at the time of day most human beings need facilities. It is poor planning and lack of caring.
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32
Torture at DC
by zack ina thought worth mentioning about the venue i attended was the lack of sufficient sanitary facilties.
attendance on sunday was almost 10k.
of these, half were males.
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zack
The guilt trip over some in lands who do not even have AC or a dry roof just doesn't resonate with me anymore. The lowest standard, the lowest common denominator is NEVER the measure of love. One should never stoop to the lowest standard but try to elevate others and ourselves to the highest standard-- whether the standard be a moral one or a matrial one. Maybe if the org. spent as much money on providing transportation and decent meeting places as they do on literature we wouldn't hear of any more stories of someone crossing a crocodile infested river to get to a meeting. Why not build them a bridge OVER the river? Why not get them on a ferry? I guess they like these stories so they can be used to shame the rest of us who by no design of our own were born in a more prosperous land.
And yes, these little "areas" of privilege have always existed. I don't know if they think the rest of us are cattle-- they certainly treat us more like mushrooms.
Z
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32
Torture at DC
by zack ina thought worth mentioning about the venue i attended was the lack of sufficient sanitary facilties.
attendance on sunday was almost 10k.
of these, half were males.
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zack
A thought worth mentioning about the venue I attended was the lack of sufficient sanitary facilties.
Attendance on Sunday was almost 10k. Of these, half were males. They had 6 stalls for them all during the noon break, including 1 ADA stall. Many in attendance were elderly. Very few places for them to actually sit for 8 hrs.
The people in charge will tell you that it is a blessing to have such a place. That's because the ones in charge have there own offices at this venue with their own bathrooms and bring in food and coffee and eat and drink whenever they want throughout the session. It isn't being petty to expect that if you presume to be a sheperd and care for those who are hungry for God's Word that you should at least have a decent place to meet when congregating 10,000 people.
To not have sufficient restroom facilities for so many people not only displays a lack of ability to plan, but quite frankly, an unloving and indifferent attitude. The older ones I saw waiting in long lines to move their bowels and void their bladders had a look of quiet desperation on their faces. To have given so much and to have grown this old waiting on a man-made promise for so long only to be treated as disposable must truely hurt their heart. Their dignity and comfort was of little concern to those who pride themselves at the great job they do as administrators.
"Let them eat cake,"-- that is the attitude manifested by the actions of the few for the many. In this instance it's "let them stand in line or hold it til they get back home" --
By their fruits you will know them----
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35
Back from the DC
by jula71 infirst they should have changed "godly obedience" to "society obedience".
i have never heard obey the gb pushed so hard in all my years as i dub.
it was amazing.
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zack
The WT articles recently on the resurrection and the talk on the DC is a reluctant acknowledgement that many now living who have been promised never to have to die, will indeed die. The grumbling is about the fact that many now face old age without a retirment plan and very many without children-- since they were also encouraged not to have kids in this old system-- the very system wherein God told Noah to be fruitful and fill the Earth.
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DC 2005
by zack init was stressed time and again how the fds in the body of the gb are to be obeyed.
a speaker said the fds only gives suggestions/direction/guidance.
three minutes later he's saying that if we don't heed the "suggestions" offered by the gb, it is tantamount to disobeying almighty god.
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zack
It was stressed time and again how the FDS in the body of the GB are to be obeyed. A speaker said the FDS only gives suggestions/direction/guidance. Three minutes later he's saying that if we don't heed the "suggestions" offered by the GB, it is tantamount to disobeying Almighty God. I'm all for obeying God-- each of you has the free will to agree or disagree. But to say, very stridently I might add ( and perhaps it seemed more so this year because I was listening through the filter of opened ears) that the GB is equal to God was startling to me.
What struck me the most was the drama where Philetus tells Timothy that Paul promotes his own ideas over God's; that he's never been married yet presumes to give married folk advice; never had children, but becomes an expert on child rearing; had a solid education yet now tells the people to not pursue what he himself enjoyed--- it was like reading the criticisms on this board of the GB--- it was as if they were answering the very issues raised here, only through the character Paul in the drama. And higher education was so vehemently spoken against. At one time a speaker said that most JW's do not have a higher education and yet they are happy and succesful. His voice rose to invite applause. And right on cue, most applauded. What was telling to me was that many did not applaud. How can one be happy at remaining uneducated?
In three days time, JesusChrist, the central figure of the Scriptures, only got an honorable mention. There was little talk of love, of compassion, of charity, of hope, of brotherhood, of a common goal towards a common good. I heard no commendation. No thank you. No encouragement. There was nothing to touch the heart. No emotional connection. There was plenty of scripted talk devoid of warmth. Only three speakers seemed to talk to you. The rest were talking down at you as if they were holding the original clay tablets.
All these years I thought I was hearing everything. Only recently have I really learned to listen.
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Sins: How far back do you go?
by zack inif according to jw's one is cleansed of sins when one repents on the basis of jesus sacrifice, how far back do they/can they go in determining privileges, etc.
how long is a sin that is forgiven by god (according to them) held against you by men?
( wtbts).
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zack
If according to JW's one is cleansed of sins when one repents on the basis of Jesus sacrifice, how far back do they/can they go in determining privileges, etc. How long is a sin that is forgiven by God (according to them) held against you by men? ( WTBTS)
And when does bringing up a past wrong, even if true, constitute defamation if one has lived down a prior bad act? When is it slanderous?
Zack
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19
Watchtower says you're SELFISH!!!
by zack inlast week's wt study was on selfishness.
ostensibly, on living as a christian and being self sacrificing.
we know that you're going to college and we don't want you to.
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zack
Last week's WT Study was on selfishness. Ostensibly, on living as a Christian and being self sacrificing. What they were really saying is: We KNOW you can do more, and you're not. We KNOW that you're going to college and we don't want you to. We KNOW you can pioneer and you don't. We KNOW you can donate more $$$$ and you aren't. We know you're going on vacation instead of the conventions. And because we KNOW, you are all SELFISH!!! And we are telling you YOU ARE SELFISH!!
Nothing like beating the flock to get them motivated.
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21
National Average = Quotas
by zack inthe national average for publishers reporting feild service time in the untited states is just under 10 hours a month.
this has become the de facto standard for every member of the congregation.
if one fails to produce at the rate of others, he is "weak", his service is "divided", he puts the things of "this life" in "first place.".
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zack
The national average for publishers reporting feild service time in the Untited States is just under 10 hours a month.
This has become the de facto standard for every member of the congregation. If one fails to produce at the rate of others, he is "weak", his service is "divided", he puts the things of "this life" in "first place."
CO's and elder bodies use the national average as the barometer of a male JW's "zeal" for God. Whether he is recommended for privileges, or not, depends on which side of the ledger his "report" puts him on. This is so very anti-Christ, who measured the widow's two coins of small value, not on their worth relative to the contribution of someone else, but relative to her own situation, i.e., "all SHE had." The publications always talk about what one can reasonably do; when no one else is around, however, it is wholly another story.
The disconnect between what is published and what is practiced grows ever wider in this specific instance. How long before JW males discover that "reaching out" for the brass ring of the WTS is illusory, futile, and empty? Or have they already discovered that?
Zack
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50
Bethel wants lawyers!
by zack inat this week's service meeting it a letter was read to all congregations in usa:
bethel wants lawyers, lawyers specializing in tax law, and cpa's.
if you are in any of these professions you were supposed to talk to the po that evening.
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zack
At this week's Service Meeting it a letter was read to all congregations in USA:
Bethel wants lawyers, lawyers specializing in tax law, and CPA's. If you are in any of these professions you were supposed to talk to the PO that evening. You DID NOT NEED TO MEET ANY OF THE OTHER QUALIFICATIONS for Bethel service as long as you were a lawyer or CPA.
So, if one as a youth did not "remember his creator in the days of his young manhood" vis a vis the Watchtower, and instead went to college (4 years), law school (3 years), bar exam (6 months - 1 year) practice law ( 5- 10 years), now at the age of 35, 36, 37 ( too old for Bethel normally), thw Wathctower says he "can remember his Creator in the days of his Mature manhood."
But, if you pioneered out of high school, did not attend university and thus avoided all the independent and critical thinking, married at a young age-- and find yourself at 35, 36, 37 and wish to expand your service, SO SORRY-- YOU ARE TOO OLD AND WE DON"T YOU.
Was I the ONLY one at the meeting that thought this was just a little more than unjust?
Frankly, I think it is reprehensible how they stifle young, agile, and creative minds.
The lesson for young JW's?
If you want to go to Bethel, then go to college first. That way you'll be a sure thing.
Zack