Here in the US when people work, they pay into Social Security and can collect as early as 63 at a lower amount than at 66 or 70 though. I worked for the state government who also matched what I paid into retirement. So no other investments. So I had retirement I could look forward to. I am now collecting both social security and retirement from state government retirement fund. Not buying Ferraris or traveling to Europe every year, but feel safe so far. The future is even more unsure now.
Posts by blondie
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7JWs in the news: UK Telegraph:"‘Jehovah’s Witnesses told me I would die at 15 – so I didn’t save for a pension’"
by Balaamsass2 in‘jehovah’s witnesses told me i would die at 15 – so i didn’t save for a pension’.
fame & fortune: award-winning author on religion, divorce and her dream car.
70. gift this article free.
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Green Handshakes - Taxable income in Australia
by Listener ini was doing some research on the taxable status of money being gifted to co’s and travelling missionaries and was surprised with what i found.
i had assumed that it was not taxable income in australia.. it is taxable income in australia and it‘s likely that the same rules apply in some other countries.. a registered religious institution only receives tax free status on donations because they have been endorsed by the australian tax office.
travelling overseas and missionaries are not in this category.. there’s a tax ruling that goes into great detail.
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blondie
LongHairGal: I knew these people personally, and the details. This employer had done this to all his jw employees, so lots of proof for me. I saw the documents from the IRS. I know many sad stories, about how jw employers treated their fellow believers this way. I vowed never to work for a jw employer, and I didn't.
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JULY 2025 STUDY WT How to Give Advice
by blondie ini scanned this article and i saw a theme throughout it.
when info like this shows up in the study wt, you can be sure the elders are doing it wrong and the wts hits directly on what it is.
older elders do it wrong and train by word and action the newer elders to do it wrong.
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blondie
NotFormer, not obliquely mentioned, 17 How might a similar situation arise today? Consider the matter of blood fractions. Each Christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions. c We may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry. (Rom. 14:4) If we were to copy what somebody else decided to do, we could weaken our own conscience. We can train and improve our conscience only by using it. (Heb. 5:14) So when should we ask a mature Christian for advice? After we have done our own research but still need help in understanding how Bible principles relate to our situation (and Endnote https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/enjoy-life-forever/section-3/lesson-39/#p37-p41 For a detailed discussion of this topic, see the Enjoy Life Forever! book, lesson 39 point 5 and the “Explore” section.". LInk to the WT Study article (yes it is one) https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-july-2025/Why-Seek-Advice/
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God’s wisdom in allowing bearded JWs July 25 Watchtower
by Listener inthe july 2025 watchtower has a paragraph that claims that it was the superior power and wisdom of jehovah that guided the gb into allowing jws to grow beards.. the study article is ‘can you still learn from basic bible teachings?’ under the subheading ‘jehovah is the creator’ paragraph 7 states-.
“ 7. what did rahela do to accept a change in direction?.
your answer.
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blondie
Phizzy, I know of a case about making rules about dress and grooming. I was in a circuit when one congregation body of elders that felt that having 2 piercings in each ear by sisters was allowed. Then another congregation body of elders, told the female congregation members, that they could have one. Well, of course a sister in the congregation with the one piercing rule, saw a sister in the other congregation with 2 piercings in each ear, and complained to her husband. Then the one BOE had a heated discussion with the other BOE and finally called the "service desk" in Brooklyn to determine which BOE was right. Headquarters told both BOEs that the body of elders in each congregation were responsible on determining directions on grooming and dress. So that was the official answer. Bad feelings still remained though. There has long been disagreement between congregations as to whether visiting speakers had to wear white shirts or not. WT 11/1/1989 p. 30 "We can illustrate this in the matter of dress. The Bible requirement—God’s requirement—is that a Christian’s clothing must be neat and clean, well-arranged and not betraying a lack of “modesty and soundness of mind.” Obviously, then, the elders in one congregation went “beyond the things that are written” a few years ago by requiring every public speaker in their congregation to wear a white shirt, even though pastel colors were generally acceptable in that country. Guest speakers who showed up with a colored shirt were asked to change into one of several white shirts kept in the Kingdom Hall for just such emergencies. How careful we have to be in order not to impose our personal taste on others!"
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WASHINGTON ST PASSES BILL MANDATING CLERGY REPORTING CHILD ABUSE
by blondie inhttps://www.thereflector.com/stories/washington-legislature-passes-bill-to-make-clergy-mandatory-reporters-of-child-abuse,378913 .
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blondie
drofoffyourkeylee, the WTS is currently fighting court cases determined to make them report these cases to the secular authorities. The WTS tries to hide behind the clergy-penitent policy: discussion between one clergy and member (like Catholic Church). The WTS has for a long time said they did not have a clergy "class" but have amended that to "paid clergy class" which is a legal trick. But it is not between one "elder" and the person, but 3 elders, shared with other elders, and a report sent to WT headquarters. Some cases are still pending in court in many countries. Even if found liable, the WTS just takes it up the legal chain as far as they can, probably paying for the legal fees from donations of individual jws. The government cannot "force" the WTS, but the WTS must be tried in court, evidence presented on both sides, and a decision made by the court has to liability. Progress is being made, not just about jws, but other religions that hide behind the clergy-penitent
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July 2025 WT Study Article comment on Advice/Blood
by blondie in17 how might a similar situation arise today?
consider the matter of blood fractions.
each christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions.
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blondie
17 How might a similar situation arise today? Consider the matter of blood fractions. Each Christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions. c We may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry. (Rom. 14:4) If we were to copy what somebody else decided to do, we could weaken our own conscience. We can train and improve our conscience only by using it. (Heb. 5:14) So when should we ask a mature Christian for advice? After we have done our own research but still need help in understanding how Bible principles relate to our situation (and Endnote https://www.jw.org/en/library/books/enjoy-life-forever/section-3/lesson-39/#p37-p41 For a detailed discussion of this topic, see the Enjoy Life Forever! book, lesson 39 point 5 and the “Explore” section.". LInk to the WT Study article (yes it is one) https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-july-2025/Why-Seek-Advice/
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Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
Ugotbekiddingme (sp) This must be a new thing for them to be a pest to DA 'd and Df'd ones. I hope I didn't say the WTS was encouraging their members to contact DA'd people. Those are people who have effectively, chosen themselves to separate themselves from the WTS and/or spoke out publicly against the WTS and are considered "apostates." If I remember, only elders can contact disassociated jws under special circumstances. As to df'd some accounts I have seen about the change about contacting jws, it might have included df'd ones, but only in the spiritual context, inviting to come back to the WTS, but not associating socially. I will check on that. But quite a few ex-jws or "inactive" like me, have been contacted by phone (cell), email, snail mail and perhaps with texts. A difference, before elders were directed by the WTS to make an annual call (of course unscheduled) on inactive and even df'd jws. There must be a link on here to an original post discussing this change.
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Inviting People to Meetings
by HereIam60 inthe current memorial invitation campaign got me thinking about the few times over the years that someone i invited to a meeting actually came: .
1) once when i was "new", i invited a friend to a sunday meeting.
neither of us drove, so the brother conducting my study picked us up.
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blondie
LV101, "but I observed there was a definite BIAS against people who were converts and not born-in Witnesses." 1) I have seen biases about born-in and converts. One is in the appointment of MS and elders, those born-in are considered more spiritual than converts and will be selected sooner, having learned WTS teachings from baby on up 2) if you have a non-jw father (supposed the spiritual head even not jw) and mother has to teach you, you are considered as spiritually contaminated, even after you choose to be baptized as a jw. I have seen many cases of both as I grew up up in several congregations. It is all across the organization so it has to originate from the "top."
"In addition, the congregation elders arrange to visit and offer help to disfellowshipped ones in the congregation territory who may have left their past practice of sin." (My husband was an elder and the elders were directed to do this after the circuit overseer's visit and before the next circuit overseer visit and report to him what happened then. Many elders made a show of this, "driving by" and determining from the street that the person is not-home. My husband would tell me some days that he and long-time elder had done this. My husband was not a jw growing up and thought this was bizarre).
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Jephthah's Daughter
by cantleave ini have read somewhere that jephthah's daughter did not really go into temple service but was a victim of ritual sacrifice.
the bible says that after weeping over her virginity that the maidens would visit her annually.
how could they visit her if she was killed?.
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blondie
The WTS interpretation of this story, is not the only way Christian religions interpret it. Four ways: 1. Perpetual Virgin: Many Christians believe Jephthah's vow was to dedicate his daughter as a perpetual virgin, a lifelong service to the Lord. 2. Literal Sacrifice: Some interpretations suggest that Jephthah did kill his daughter as part of his vow, but this is less widely accepted 3. Symbolic Dedication: Many scholars and theologians believe that Jephthah's vow was a symbolic act of dedication, not a literal sacrifice 4. Other Interpretations: Some see the story as a cautionary tale about the dangers of rash vows and the importance of careful consideration before making promise
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Jehovah’s Witnesses administrator confessed child abuse without substantial consequence, lawsuit says
by blondie inhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/apr/21/jehovahs-witnesses-child-sexual-abuse .
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