Posts by Athanasius

12

The answer to the WT making more money

by horrible life in

jw
friends

advertisements and direct sales .

this is the answer to all the financial woes of the wt.

wanting more and more money from the rank and file, in these economic bad times, is like beating a dead horse.

Athanasius

Maybe the Watchtower should try this next year:

Wasn't it wonderful to learn at the 2009 Divine Illusion District Assemblies that all baptised JWs are now invited to partake of the emblems at the Memorial. To serve the needs of our brothers for the 2010 Memorial, the Society will make available special Watchtower Wine from Kingdom Farms; where each step of the winemaking process is supervised by a member of your Governing Body. The final product is blessed with a special prayer by our beloved Brother Jaracz. Watchtower Wine will be made available for a donation of $100.00 per two litre bottle. We suggest 10 bottles per 100 partakers.

Now some may reason that this expensive for red wine, but many brothers think nothing of spending $75.00 for a 3/4 litre bottle of French Champagne. Moreover, Watchtower wine is the only wine available that is blessed by your Governing Body. With this wonderful provision from Jehovah now available to all congregations of God's people, it would be improper to serve wine from worldly sources. Therefore, begining in January, each body of elders will need to ascertain the needs of their congregations and order accordingly.

Watchtower Matzos are also required for the Memorial. As with Watchtower Wine, every process of Matzo preparation and baking is closely supervised by a member of your Governing Body. Watchtower Matzos will be sent to your congregation for a $10.00 donation per box of 12. We suggest 10 boxes per 100 partakers.

113

BOE letter: "presiding overseer" becomes "coordinator of the body of elders

by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

here's the text of the letter:.

christian congregation of jehovah's witnesses.

to all bodies of elders.

Athanasius

I think the Watchtower Corporation is trying to create the illusion of decentralization to protect their assets from lawsuits. Right now the CO controls patronage, in that he can veto the BOE's recommendations for elders and Mini Servants. With the replacement of CO's with local "coordinating elders," BOE's will have more control over patronage. Since the local Coordinator will no doubt be an unpaid volunteer, it may become easy for the ambitious to grease his palm. Where the CO might have been more principled in these situations because of their direct ties to Watchtower Corporate headquarters, the local unpaid volunteer might not have the scruples to resist monetary compensation for his recommendations. Think of the havoc this will create for the rank and file. In the long run this scheme may backfire big time for the Watchtower Corporation.

10

Is the WTS. controlled by Satan the Devil in view of what its done ?

by Homerovah the Almighty in

Athanasius

Interesting question Homer. Back in the early 1970s when the Watchtower started the special tract work, it was Kingdom News something and we were required to distribute a tract to everyone in our congregation's territory in just two weeks. At the time I was young and didn't know the truth about the "Truth." Anyway I was out the the field service and I gave a tact to this older gentleman, and he starts thumbing through it and notes that it is printed by the Watchtower. So he says: "Watchtower! The Devil's warehouse." Then he gives the tract back to me. Ten years later, after reading Crisis of Conscience and other books exposing the JWs, I realized that the old guy was right.

4

Mormons and JWs the same organization?

by cameo-d in

david icke seems to think so.. http://www.cephas-library.com/jw/jw_jw_lds_same_origin.html.

i am just wondering what most of you all think.. do any of the ex-jws here believe any of this stuff?.

i saw through search that much has been mentioned about icke on this website, but a lot of it seems to have been from 2002, so i know some people here must be familiar with it.. i am not talking about the far flung lizard people.

Athanasius

I think that the legal departments of both religions work together when facing common issues. Whether in the future they sign a concordat to not compete for converts and to distribute each other's literature remains to be seen.

18

Great Pyramid is Jehovah's Witness. How so?

by cameo-d in

i read it in wiki.. the best i can make out is that these are the reasons:.

"patterned after the capstone of the great pyramid of egypt, symbolic of the christ".

and that russell made (superstitious) predictions based on measurements in the pyramid.. "russell had first published that the date 1874 was derived from a measurement of 3416 pyramid inches[105] which measurement was revised in the 1910 edition to 3,457 inches (87.8 m) to point to 1915.".

Athanasius

When Rutherford named his sect "Jehovah's Witnesses" he may have forgotten that Russell and Smyth had already given that name to the Great Pyramid. In STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES Volume 3 THY KINGDOM COME (1902 edition) page 320 Russell says: 'A few years after Prof. Smyth's return, came the suggestion that the Great Pyramid is Jehovah's "Witness," and that it is as important a witness to divine truth as to natural science.'

If the Great Pyramid is JEHOVAH'S WITNESS, then I guess that makes the JWs who today knock on doors fake Jehovah's Witnesses as they ignore this important segment of Russell's religious teaching.

15

"Do not destroy" your file after reinstatement ...

by compound complex in

jw
friends

karl adams, writing department overseer, wrote a letter to president knorr (november 18, 1971), questioning the keeping of voluminous files containing embarrassing information on disfellowshipped persons.

even after individuals were reinstated, their files were retained:.

"at the present time the names of even those reinstated are kept in the file, and bulky records are kept of their cases, labeled 'do no destroy.

Athanasius

The reason they don't destroy the records after reinstatement or after the death of a DFd person is should the person be resurrected after Armagedon the elders can check the records and restrict their privileges in the congregation. For example if a DFd brother is resurrected they wouldn't want to use him as a Watchtower reader, or to represent the congregation in prayer. Never mind that God saw fit to forgive the person by resurrecting him.

49

How Many Here Have Voted Since You've Left The Religion?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i know a few that have recently registered.

what about choo?

Athanasius

I've voted in every election since 1988.

132

What Is Your Present Status In The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

are you disfellowshipped?

disassociated?

a fader?

Athanasius

Back in 1989 a Judicial Committee determined that I had DAd because I hadn't attended meetings in years. They made the determination not me because I never sent them a letter or verbally expressed a desire to disassociate. Not that it mattered as I had already joined another church.

17

What would you say the Golden Age of the Watchtower Society was?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

my money is on the 70s even though i was too young to experience it, but from what others had said here it was a time when you could be proud to be a dub and have fun.

Athanasius

The 1970s was Watchtower Vatican II. Certainly a period of enlightenment in JW history. Had these reforms been allowed to continue the Watchtower would have in time become a gentler, kinder, religion.

39

Has Anybody Here Converted to Judaism?

by Robdar in

i've studied many religions since i left the jws.

i've flirted with a few and have actually thought about joining, but in the end i didn't because it didn't feel right--it didn't resonate with me.

in 2001, the year i discovered this forum, i started reading judaism 101 and really enjoyed it.

Athanasius

Hi Robyn, Back in 1989 I got engaged to a Jewish woman. She was Conservative so we kept Kosher, observed the Sabbath, and I took the Jewish Living classes that were conducted by her Rabbi. I didn't convert though. Being Episcopalian I was used to an individual relationship with God and more freedoms of choice that Conservative Judaism didn't allow. Judaism is more of a community faith. Also I wasn't enthusiastic about ritual circumcision, which would have been necessary for me to complete the conversion process. Perhaps if my fiancee had been Reform things would have been different. Actually we attended the Reform temple a few times, which I liked but she didn't. In Reform you only have to keep Kosher during High Holy Days and circumcision isn't required. My slowness in converting affected our relationship and we eventually separated. Though Judaism isn't for me this doesn't mean that things won't work out for you. I have several friends who converted and are very happy. Regarding the Mikvah this ritual is done in the nude. However, it is a private affair and you are in the pool by yourself, no one else is in the room. It is between you and God.