blondie

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Posts by blondie

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  8

  YouTube advice on “Types of People to Avoid”

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was doing some heavy duty binge watching on youtube.. there are lots of helpful topics including ‘how to declutter your home’, ‘things you shouldn’t tell people’ and several videos on ‘types of people you shouldn’t have in your life as well as types of behavior you shouldn’t tolerate’ (especially after a certain age).. what i got out of it (most i already knew but was nice to see it mentioned):.. first, you should live life authentically, especially at an older age.

  you should be free of other people’s opinions, judgments and expectations of you.

  you should be free of this as you have accumulated enough wisdom in life to know what serves you and that other people’s opinions do not define you; you should not be guilt tripped into doing favors or being exploited (financially or time wise) by anybody manipulative or irresponsible, etc… walking away is not ‘selfishness’ but ‘self care’.. it was mentioned in all of them to remove people from your life who are critical and fall into these negative categories whether they be family or other.. (the name of jehovah’s witnesses was nowhere mentioned - but i was struck by the fact that all these negative things appear in spades in the jw religion (and probably in some other religions as well).. watching all of this just reinforced what i knew for many years: ..the best thing i did was to ‘fade’ from the religion and get out of that environment!.

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  blondie

  I am on an ex-mormon discussion group now, and their comments about the church, mirror almost all said about the WTS. I feel right at home.
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  266

  Where is Tony?

  by Athanasius in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on february 22, 2023, anthony morris iii was officially removed from the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  a few months later it was revealed that the watchtower bought him a house in lumberton, north carolina.. however, and correct me if i am wrong, since leaving the gb nobody has reported seeing tony attending jw meetings or participating in field service.

  in fact nobody has reported seeing him anywhere, not even at a local liquor store.

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  blondie

  Mikejw, my family's friends in post-WW2 Germany, when asked why they didn't ask about missing neighbors, they said, people who asked questions disappeared.

  When asked why a German had not wondered what was happening in Dachau, he lived only 5 miles away, and could smell the smoke and the smell of burning bodies: He said "Although Karl had grown up in Munich, he had never been to the camp. "What did you know about it during the war?" I asked him. "Now you can get on a subway, but then it was very far away," he answered. "It was on the other side of the woods. We heard that something was going on there. But we didn't know what it was. We knew that it wasn't good. But we didn't ask questions then. It was too dangerous. We knew what happened to people who asked questions. "
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  85

  Reddit thread - ‘Organization Finally Suggesting to Plan for Retirement’

  by LongHairGal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this information is supposed to be in the upcoming march wt.

  (i don’t go on jw dot org).

  it would sound like they are hinting at a change in thinking.. in my opinion, any such change would be yet another slap in the face to faithful pimis along with those other recent changes.. there are so many heartfelt responses on that thread and a lot of justified anger.. don’t know what to say except that i’m so glad i never listened to the religion all those years ago.

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  blondie

  LHG: You reminded me of what Groucho Marx said: In 1959 Groucho himself told about resigning a club in his memoir “Groucho and Me”, but he presented a fictionalized version of the story in which the club was referred to as the Delaney Club:)

  The following morning I sent the club a wire stating, PLEASE ACCEPT MY RESIGNATION. I DON’T WANT TO BELONG TO ANY CLUB THAT WILL ACCEPT ME AS A MEMBER.
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  31

  Canada exploring changes to tax rules that exempt religious organizations

  by Scully in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.christianpost.com/news/evangelicals-oppose-removal-of-tax-status-in-canadian-proposal.html.

  the proposed change will revoke charitable status of canadian churches who have an anti-abortion position, and will not give tax exemptions to organizations whose sole claim is to promote religion, which is the basic claim for all jw related entities in canada.

  this will be interesting!.

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  blondie

  If it was DT, he would not step down.
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  26

  How are new Servants and Elders appointed?

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  now that we have the tick-a-box field service reporting method, how are brothers measured fit for an appointment as a ms or elder?

  has there been clarification in any of the recent elders schools or in meetings with the co?.

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  blondie

  NotFormer, in my area there were "problem" congregations when there was in-fighting in 5 congregations. The CO tried to solve it by splitting a congregation into parts and separate the fighting elders. In one they sent in 2 elders for outside the state to take over the BOE, did not work. It was no secret that the others that transferred, did it so they could stop being elders more easily. Another elder went to the BOE and said he wanted to step down from being elder and the other elders told him he could not do it, they had to approve it. He had several responsible positions because other elders said they couldn't because their jobs kept them on the road too much. So this elder said that the BOE would look pretty foolish when the announced the beginning of the theocratic school and he did not get on the stage...they let him relinquish his positions. But he now not viewed by them as having a good standing. Didn't bother that elder. There are many more anecdotes, see I was the unappointed therapist to many elders (I could keep my mouth shut and had good ideas how to handle or how to leave gracefully). Even circuit overseers bounced ideas off me. Well, I"m glad those days are gone.
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  26

  How are new Servants and Elders appointed?

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  now that we have the tick-a-box field service reporting method, how are brothers measured fit for an appointment as a ms or elder?

  has there been clarification in any of the recent elders schools or in meetings with the co?.

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  blondie

  As to there not being enough "capable" brothers, sometimes there are capable brothers who used to be elders in another congregation, when transfer to another, even though previous BOE sends a letter of recommendation, that elder does not accept the appointment. At one time we had 4 elders transfer and did not accept reappointment. Big reason why they transferred. Asked several times over 5 years before the BOE realized it was never going to happen. Some jws don't realize how divided some BOEs and be that result in big fights, yelling even. 1 died since and the other 3 still won't let the BOE reappointment them.
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  26

  Age Appropriate Friends

  by Riley in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we have a 25 year guy in our hall who is also a pioneer (which means he lives off his parents money), who likes to spend a lot of time with a 16 year old girl in the hall.

  it is usually in a group setting but he seems to gravitate toward her.

  he even has her auxilary pioneering , which is something i don't think any student trying to make the grades needs.

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  blondie

  Remember how deceptive pedophiles can be, they might not even see themselves as pedophiles, just being "helpful." It is sad that being careful is necessary in any group claiming to be religious. Even the jw bible says to watch out for the "wolves in sheep clothing" in the congregation. Even a man showing interest in a young boy, fathers should be the guide in the family (if he is a 'secret' pedophile is another issue), not expect other adults outside the family take on that spiritual role to teach and guide his children (and single mothers as well). I speak from my own experience and helping others deal with the bad results of this. Since the WTS does not identify known pedophiles to the congregation, parents have no idea who is a danger. As well as elder bodies deciding that pedophile is repentant and is "forgiven."
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  4

  January 2025 Letter to the Elders

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i used to send my comments on these letters to atlantis, so i will share them here if that is okay, if not, i'll still do it.

  :) 1) medical matters: (technology has arrived) listing of hlc members is not online and updated regularly, but only elders have access, not for general circulation.

  (and in case the reader of the letter needs clarification) copies should not be made for publishers or on the information board (!).

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  blondie

  I used to send my comments on these letters to Atlantis, so I will share them here if that is okay, if not, I'll still do it. :) 1) Medical Matters: (Technology has arrived) Listing of HLC members is not online and updated regularly, but only elders have access, not for general circulation. (and in case the reader of the letter needs clarification) Copies should not be made for publishers or on the information board (!)

  2) Meeting times: guided by "elders manual" to know how to rotation of meeting times (I assume if 2 or more congregations in the same KH)

  3) Infirm regular pioneers (how do the determine who is "infirm" a note from the doctor? that means regular pioneers still have to report hours) Decision only after consulting with (a doctor?) the the circuit overseer (with a medical doctor license?)

  4) Security Plan: 2 elders to review (security experts?) Consider if there security situation in the local community (so what would that be since the elders are not security experts?) Increased crime or threats toward the congregation (what about crimes like child sexual abuse within the congregation?)

  5) Revised Talk Outlines: (why revisions, changes in vocabulary, like "removed" rather than "disfellowshipped" other updates in policies and doctrine?)

  6) Every letter has a reminder the make the mid-week announcements and post on information board. Does that mean that memory retention is failing among the elders?

  7) Disaster Preparedness (since Katrina (2006? and the failure of being able to contact or determine where members are) (Does the congregation really have local preparations, do the members know what they are?)

  8) Attendant Training (Training!)(Attendants not required to be baptized?) New attendants need train only) What is appropriate training?)

  9) Revised Talk Outlines (Evidently item #5 was not sufficient) Ensure that any (MS) who deliver pubic talks..using latest version,

  10) Medical Information Documents Review (elders manual) need for "each" elder knowhow to find the documents, familiar with content, "alert" to provide documents to publishers !

  11) Information for Expectant Mothers, Information for Patients Requiring Surgery of Chemotherapy, Information for Parents Whose Child Requires Medical Treatment, (more info that in the past, I'm sure the Legal Department is behind this)

  12) (Meeting times changes...uploaded to the WTS website immediately, so the elders need to be told this?) (Congregation contacts are no on JW.org and non-jws can access or jws traveling who want to attend meetings in the area (haha)

  13) Review of Congregation Records (yes the WTS now has records retention guidelines, (Yes, not saving them for years and years after the person has even died or in a file cabinet is some elders personal office)

  14) Durable POA and ID Card (yes ID card) sufficient supplies (for the increase of baptized jws? Changes in the cards?)

  Letter for Congregations (yes not all the info for the elders is shared with the congregation)

  1) Minimum age to assist construction projects, maintenance projects, or disaster relief...adjusted age from 17 to 18 (Legal reason I'm sure, and) age adjusted to: 15-17 years of age, baptized or unbaptized (exemplary) publishers if accompanied by parent or legal guardian (Legal reason, what happens if minor is injured on site, and no parent or guardian present?)

  2) Encourage dear young ones (haha) privilege..develop a spirit of responsibility...

  Well, that is what I see when reading this. Changes, changes, many for legal reasons (like it is now "removed" not "disfellowshipping) I am not surprised that the ordinary jws have not time to read their bibles.
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  26

  Age Appropriate Friends

  by Riley in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we have a 25 year guy in our hall who is also a pioneer (which means he lives off his parents money), who likes to spend a lot of time with a 16 year old girl in the hall.

  it is usually in a group setting but he seems to gravitate toward her.

  he even has her auxilary pioneering , which is something i don't think any student trying to make the grades needs.

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  blondie

  A recipe for child sexual abuse!
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  4

  In the Year 2525

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gb7pohqumwg in the year 2525 i. ii the year 2525, if man is still alive .

  if woman can survive, they may find.

  in the year 3535ain't gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lieeverything you think, do and sayis in the pill you took todayin the year 4545you ain't gonna need your teeth, won't need your eyesyou won't find a thing to chewnobody's gonna look at youin the year 5555your arms hangin' limp at your sidesyour legs got nothin' to dosome machine's doin' that for youin the year 6565you won't need no husband, won't need no wifeyou'll pick your son, pick your daughter toofrom the bottom of a long glass tube.

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  blondie

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gb7poHQuMWg In the year 2525 I

  iI the year 2525, if man is still alive

  If woman can survive, they may find

  In the year 3535
  Ain't gonna need to tell the truth, tell no lie
  Everything you think, do and say
  Is in the pill you took today
  In the year 4545
  You ain't gonna need your teeth, won't need your eyes
  You won't find a thing to chew
  Nobody's gonna look at you
  In the year 5555
  Your arms hangin' limp at your sides
  Your legs got nothin' to do
  Some machine's doin' that for you
  In the year 6565
  You won't need no husband, won't need no wife
  You'll pick your son, pick your daughter too
  From the bottom of a long glass tube

  In the year 7510
  If God's a coming, He oughta make it by then
  Maybe He'll look around Himself and say
  Guess it's time for the judgment day
  In the year 8510
  God is gonna shake His mighty head
  He'll either say I'm pleased where man has been
  Or tear it down, and start again

  In the year 9595
  I'm kinda wonderin' if man is gonna be alive
  He's taken everything this old earth can give
  And he ain't put back nothing

  Now it's been ten thousand years
  Man has cried a billion tears
  For what, he never knew, now man's reign is through
  But through eternal night, the twinkling of starlight
  So very far away, maybe it's only yesterday

  In the year 2525, if man is still alive
  If woman can survive, they may find