What has the WTS said about vegetarianism today. "As shown in the foregoing, the question of becoming a vegetarian—or remaining one—is strictly a matter for individual decision. But he must recognize it as only one way of eating. He should not criticize those who choose to eat meat, just as one who eats meat should not condemn a vegetarian. Eating meat or refraining from it does not make one a better person." The WTS dances around whether jws will be vegetarians in the "paradise on earth" and individual jws do making Isaiah 11:6-8 literal. About 1991, the WTS changed that that scripture was only describing a spiritual paradise when beastlike men would not be a danger to meek like humans. It was quite upsetting to many older jws. Some jws say that eating fish will be okay because fish don't feel pain, or that rugged jw hunters feel they will still be able to hunt, both were elders who did not like the idea they would have to give up hunting and fishing. It just shows how the WTS talks out of both sides of its mouth.
Posts by blondie
-
15And the lion shall eat straw like the ox
by Anony Mous inthe above verse is often quoted by jws both in general as a response to the idea of a deathless paradise and/or those promoting vegetarianism or veganism.. a letter in animal frontiers co-signed by nearly a thousand scientists is now warning that meat is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and livestock farming is too important to 'become the victim of zealotry'.. they stated the fact that most humans require the nutrients from eggs, meat and dairy and that plant based alternatives are at least 4x more expensive (which implies much higher energy consumption in the process) and not scalable and outright dangerous to global health to support a large population shift towards them.. they also called out several recent papers for misleading information and even called for the outright retraction of one that said meat substitutions are a viable alternative.. not sure what the modern jw view on this is, i know many people in the borg promoted it back in the day.
just goes to show that science does not support the notion of a global vegan diet..
-
-
-
12
Weasel Word Phrase--The Bible Does Not Say...but
by blondie inthe bible does not say—the weasel word phrase that bugs me the most.
note that though the wts says this, it then proceeds to add :.
after jesus’ birth, why did joseph and mary remain in bethlehem instead of returning home to nazareth?.
-
-
blondie
What is the purpose of weasel words?"Weasel words" are a colloquial term for words or phrases used to avoid being forthright. Weasel words are used when the speaker wants to make it seem like they've given a clear answer to a question or made a direct statement, when actually they've said something inconclusive or vague. In a religious (cult) context https://applygodsword.com/signs-of-a-cult-leader/
-
12
Weasel Word Phrase--The Bible Does Not Say...but
by blondie inthe bible does not say—the weasel word phrase that bugs me the most.
note that though the wts says this, it then proceeds to add :.
after jesus’ birth, why did joseph and mary remain in bethlehem instead of returning home to nazareth?.
-
-
blondie
Very good comments, everyone. You get the picture, but it is hard to leave for almost all of us, we all have a different moment that makes us finally really leave. I call it the "aha moment" and sometimes it takes several "aha moments" before we leave. It took 5 more years before I left after 3 "aha moments" at one circuit assembly. I told my then jw elder husband, I was leaving at the break on Sunday and I was taking the car home, and if didn't want to come with me, then he had to find a ride home. He came with me, smart him, he had had his fill of deceptive elders. I never went again to anything, meetings, assemblies or conventions, weddings or showers, funerals, someone's child first talk or adult first public talk, nada. I accepted no visits but was not mean about it, thanked for thinking of me but not a good time (they never call and make an appointment, just stop at a time convenient for them). I accepted no literature, no emails, no letters, no phone calls or texts. It has been 20 years, I knew it was the right decision when I got up Sunday morning, when I wanted to, read the newspaper as I drank my coffee and read the newspaper. Ate the breakfast my still jw husband but not for long as he planned a quiet as possible fading away. It was the best decision we ever made. I got up this morning, drank my coffee, had pancakes and strawberries. I went out and started planting the flower beds as my husband planted the garden. It all looks good. Try not to lose the momentum you have now, find non-jws and/or sources that will support you emotionally and financially with that decision. I feel returning is like returning to the vomit.
-
46
Does the WTS have a clergy class (yes-no)
by blondie inwt 2021 october p.20 "in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.
although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept jesus’ clear teaching: “all of you are brothers.”".
ijbq article 92 point 6: in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.
-
-
blondie
LonglivetheRenegades, yes that is one of the points discussed in the legal case of child sexual abuse, if the elders share this with other elders, they do, and if they share the info with the headquarters in NY, they do, and then there is all the unofficial revealing of things by elders to other elders (should be only the elders on the judicial committee know the details), other elders in other congregations and "not saying the person's name) but giving so much detail the elders know who they are talking about, and the elders who tell their wives (children listening in on the phone or reading confidential info kept at an elder's home not securely), and wives who only tell their best friend, and that best friend tells her best friend (not the wife who told her), and of course those who want to be in the know and add info to the story to titillate other jws. Complicated, I wish they person would just get up on the stage and tell their story.
-
24
Petra--2023 PDF--Editions!
by Atlantis inpdf editions.
uk addendum to shepherd the flock.
english--elder manual.
-
-
blondie
I have read one the addendums that says if the BOE in the congregation feel they should keep the ZOOM choice of meeting attendance, they have to consult with the circuit overseer, shoving off the bad news off onto them. Also, if provided permission by the circuit overseer, the congregation has to pickup the cost of that service.
-
21
Canada Bethel (Georgetown) to begin renovations early 2017
by Richard_I ina letter was just read at my midweek meeting that georgetown (canada bethel) will have renovations done on it beginning spring 2017. the letter asked for publishers who are electricians/plumbers/etc.
and in good standing to apply to help out.
those helping out will be considered "part-time commuters" and will only be at the property for about 3 days a week and must reside outside of bethel and pay for all their own expenses.
-
-
blondie
Wow, hoser, I bet they try to blame it on COVID-19. I think some jws are disenchanted with the WTS and are voting with "their feet" or "wallet." I think the WTS is getting desperate since most jws have been affected by the financial challenges from COVID-19 pandemic regarding just providing the basics for themselves and their families. No so the Bethelites and especially the admin, food, housing, a stipend, donations from jws who want an in with the celebrity and higher ups in the WTS.
-
20
Curtailing zoom
by road to nowhere inco visit, so right from the horse's mouth ( or somewhere).
too many are staying on zoom, missing face to face encouragement.
look for the elders to implement changes.. also people at the door are so receptive and glad to see us.
-
-
blondie
Fisherman, I have thought this too. "But if you shut down zoom and force people to have to go in person to the kh, sadly you will lose a lot of people." That is why I don't think the WTS will "forbid" jws. In the bad old days, the WTS/through congregation elders, restricted people from tuning into the meetings on their phones. The people had to ask the elders, and then the elders had to check into whether those people had a "valid" reason for using the "privilege." If the person qualified, then they were given the password to sign on, but it was only good for a month. People who had the password, were told sternly not to share the password with anyone else. One elder told me his elderly jw mother, had to request it herself and be vetted, he could not share his password with her.
-
46
Does the WTS have a clergy class (yes-no)
by blondie inwt 2021 october p.20 "in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.
although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept jesus’ clear teaching: “all of you are brothers.”".
ijbq article 92 point 6: in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.
-
-
blondie
WT 2021 October p.20 "In contrast, true worshippers of Jehovah have no clergy. Although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept Jesus’ clear teaching: “All of you are brothers.”"
ijbq Article 92 point 6: In contrast, true worshippers of Jehovah have no clergy. Although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept Jesus’ clear teaching: “All of you are brothers.”
or WT 1994 8/15 p. 11 "In contrast, the Witnesses have no paid clergy"
No "paid clergy" isn't "no clergy" except in a quibbly legal way of looking at.
Yet the WTS claims confidentiality under the clergy-penitent basis as to reporting child abuse cases to secular authorities identifying themselves as "clergy." "In 2020 the Ivy Hill Jehovah’s Witnesses congregation in Philadelphia asked a Commonwealth Court to officially rule elders have clergy-penitent privilege. The court denied the request, leaving the elders’ status undefined."https://casetext.com/case/ivy-hill-congregation-of-jehovahs-witnesses-v-pa-dept-of-human-servs
So which is true can both be true? -
What has the WTS said about the beasts of Revelation?
by blondie inthere are 2 wild beasts mentioned in revelation, the scarlet-colored wild beast which is the image of “the wild beast or currently the un (previously the league of nations).” i will note that it is hard to search for this information in the wol and there has been dramatic decrease of the mention of the un since 1990 (watchtower online library) the wild beast= wt 2012 6/15 p.18 “the wild beast, satan’s earthly political setup, will be goaded into an attack on god’s kingdom.”.
scarlet-colored wild beast=image of the wild beast= league of nations=un.
revelation book chapter 28 p. 195 “since world war ii, the image of the wild beast—now manifested as the united nations organization—has already killed in a literal way.
-
blondie
There are 2 wild beasts mentioned in Revelation, the scarlet-colored wild beast which is the image of “the wild beast OR currently the UN (previously the League of Nations).” I will note that it is hard to search for this information in the WOL and there has been dramatic decrease of the mention of the UN since 1990 (Watchtower Online Library) THE WILD BEAST= WT 2012 6/15 p.18 “the wild beast, Satan’s earthly political setup, will be goaded into an attack on God’s Kingdom.”
SCARLET-COLORED WILD BEAST=IMAGE OF THE WILD BEAST= LEAGUE OF NATIONS=UN
Revelation book chapter 28 p. 195 “Since World War II, the image of the wild beast—now manifested as the United Nations organization—has already killed in a literal way.
1954--This scarlet-colored wild beast represents a combination of nations, as the League of Nations was and the United Nations is.
2012 WT 6/15 p. 18 “This organization appeared after World War I and was known as the League of Nations. It disappeared with the onset of World War II. During that war, God’s people declared that according to the prophecy in Revelation, the image of the wild beast would ascend again. And rise it did—as the United Nations.
2022 May WT study article p. 10: “the image of the wild beast” and is described as “an eighth king.” This “king” is spoken of as coming into existence, then going out of existence, and later reappearing. How well this description fits the United Nations organization, which promotes the interests of the worldwide political system! It existed first as the League of Nations. Then it went out of existence during World War II. It later emerged again in its present-day form.
WILD BEAST (NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH THE IMAGE OF THE WILD BEAST OR SOMETIMES REFERRED TO THE SCARLET-COLORED WILD BEAST)==LEAGUE OF NATIONS, THEN UN, THEN
WILD BEAST=SATAN’S EARTHLY POLITICAL SET UP
WT 2012 6/15 p.18 “the wild beast, Satan’s earthly political setup, will be goaded into an attack on God’s Kingdom.”
WT 1988 1/1 P. 16 “And a third warns against worship of “the wild beast,” Satan’s political system of things.”
IJWBQ ARTICE 74 “According to the last book in the Bible, 666 is the number, or name, of the wild beast with seven heads and ten horns that comes out of the sea. (Revelation 13:1, 17, 18) This beast is a symbol of the worldwide political system, which rules over “every tribe and people and tongue and nation.”
7 HEADS
1) EGYPT
2) ASSYRIA
3) BABYLON
4) MEDO-PERSIA
5) GREECE
6) ROME
7) BRITAIN & US
More information on why the WTS has mentioned the UN far less often since 1990 and has been complimentary check this out. https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/united-nations-association.php
-
29
Revelation book
by Gorb indo you remember the jw.org book of revelation and how many times we had to study it?
in retrospect, all those hours turned out to be for nothing, the explanation of the prophecies is now completely outdated..
-
-
blondie
PON
I do think that being "naked" would get one in trouble and maybe under a full moon because more likely others might see you. But pogo-sticking would probably get a pass unless some over-righteous jw complains to the elders, who are wusses and will give into that jw with the outrageous idea to "keep the peace." :)