Reefton Jack

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Posts by Reefton Jack

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  32

  Elders....what sort of training do they get...how are they selected

  by insearchoftruth in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my wife who is studying with a jw, whenever i ask her a question she will respond, i don't know, i am still learning, you need to ask the elders about that..... she raises these gentlemen up on a pedestal....are there any special qualifications, what sort of training do they recieve, any background checks required??

  ?.

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  Reefton Jack

  How are they selected?
  
  (i) that all-important column on the monthly report slip entitled "Hours".
  
  AND
  
  (ii) being a member of the congregation's Inner Clique.
  
  Been there, done that!
  
  
  Jack.
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  32

  JWs and Domestic Violence

  by Amha·’aret in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember when i was in my early teens finding out about a jw brother who was hitting his jw wife.

  her parents were also witnesses and were disgusted with his behaviour (and rightly so).

  i was completely shocked at the time, thinking those kinds of things just didn't happen among a loving brotherhood.

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  Reefton Jack

  While I didn't exactly grow up in a peaceful home (i.e. my parents were not always in agreement!), my first introduction to domestic violence was when I started associating with the Witnesses.
  Hillbilly's comments accurately sum up the JW couple whom I lived with for a time:
  - she very definitely had a mind of her own.
  - the husband had been told that, as the "head" of the household, he was supposed to control her.
  - but, of course, the WTS could provide no meaningful guidance on how to do that.
  
  To say the least, things got rather lively!
  
  To cap it off, one of the elders remarked that the husband involved "needed to clobber her" in order to establish his authority over his wife.
  
  In retrospect, that should have sent out warning bells
  i.e. domestic violence occurring amongst "True Christians" when I had not observed it in "The World."
  
  Jack
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  23

  are jws qualified to teach the bible?

  by badboy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in the tract delivered saturday, it said that a neighbour qualified to teach the bible would come around if you wanted.. are they actually qualfiied?.

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  Reefton Jack

  The majority of JWs have never read the whole bible.
  - The closest they have come to doing so is the receiving of the conducted tour of the scriptures, as provided by the WTS.
  
  That, in turn, is the most that they are qualified to do
  i.e. taking someone else on a similar conducted tour of the bible.
  
  
  Jack.
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  63

  SICK JWS

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  were the majority of witnesses in your hall somehow sick?

  either physically, emotionally or mentally?.

  most jws i knew had some unexplainable ailment or 2. and a number suffered from depression!!

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  Reefton Jack

  It was estimated that 5% of those in the circuit I was in were suffering from Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. Interestingly, in the 14 years since I broke with the JWs, I have not encountered a single person suffering from CFS. Jack.
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  35

  WT: Dumbing down the message; no intellectuals allowed

  by Hiddenwindow in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  have you noticed that the most recent publications by the watch tower, and particularly the study articles of the watchtower magazine, contain less and less references to secular sources?

  there is not doubt that the society was always making efforts to provide us with a historical and quasi-intellectual perspective of the world.

  i am sure all of you can think of books by the watch tower that contained extensive information on history, biology, and even philosophy (insight, creation book, the bible -god's word or man's?

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  Reefton Jack

  We would not want to assume that just because a person is from a "Third World" country that they are automatically ignorant
  - and are therefore, by extension, guaranteed to flee the field at the first sight of any deep reading material.
  
  I lived and worked in a Third World Country off and on over a 17 year period.
  During that time, I worked with various electricians, fitters, instrument technicians and process control engineers who could at least hold their own up with anyone from anywhere else.
  Versatility was their trade mark; and because of that, they were often actually better than the average, run-of-the-mill
  "Sledgehammer Fitter" or "Cable-Puller" type electrician that you can encounter in countries that consider themselves to be "smarter."
  (In fact, I am in the process right now of poaching one of them to come and work for me in my present location!)
  
  
  Given the complete lack of scholarship in the WTS - a direct result of their downer on education - it should be of no surprise that their literature is superficial in style.
  
  
  
  
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  13

  did the "the end will likely happen" in 1975 teaching start in 1966???

  by oompa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  is the book mentioned below where it all started?....released in 1966 at dc......i don't think there was any mention of 1975 before this because no 6000 years timeline ending in 1975 had come out before to my knowledge......anybody?

  ?............oompa *** w66 10/15 pp.

  628-629 rejoicing over gods sons of liberty spiritual feast *** .

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  Reefton Jack

  I seem to recall that the 1963 "All Scriptures Inspired" book did throw in a caution about reading too much into 1975 being the 6000th anniversary of Adam's creation.
  (Sorry I cannot quote the exact words, or cite the correct page reference
  - all my WTS stuff went long ago, courtesy of a box of matches and several litres of kerosine!)
  
  The 1966 book, though, is the one that kicked off the 1975 fever/craziness or whatever.
  
  
  Jack.
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  32

  Giving Credit Where It's Due To Witnesses

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mom has had to go to a number of doctor's visits that have at times kept her waiting for 4 hours.

  many witnesses have responded to her needs by calling her and helping her out.

  i've thanked a few who have greatly assisted her.

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  Reefton Jack

  The trouble is, though, the JWs seem to think that they have the monopoly on this sort of thing
  (just as they seem to think that all other religions have the monopoly on failing to practice what they preach!)
  
  As Blondie pointed out, individuals such as those mentioned would have probably done the same even if they were'nt JWs.
  
  
  Jack.
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  45

  Even if its not the truth its still the best way of life!

  by mtsgrad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  complete the following:.

  even if its not the truth...... .

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  Reefton Jack

  Even if it's not the truth, "Jehovah's Organization" is a safe place to be.
  
  (Until there is a medical emergency, and you need a blood transfusion)
  
  
  Jack.
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  45

  #1 reason they go in service...be honest!..........

  by oompa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ya a beautiful fall day here....trees ablaze with color...and a slight drizzle...me sippin yummy coffee...wife crammin her bookstudy book, then off to meeting and service........god she dresses up a lot!....i fogot how much i did that.....i have about $2000,00 of suits getting dusty in my closet if anybody needs a 42 long btw......so i just asked myself and sooo wanted to ask my wife "why are you really going out in service today?

  ".......and there are many automatic jw answers:.

  1. jesus said we must go and make disciples, and it is the loving thing to do..........2. because the time is short and have to save as many as possible......3. because we love our neighbors ( but i cant frikin have them over for a grillout!).........

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  Reefton Jack

  Longhairgal is onto it.
  In the JW world, the sole indicator of a person's level of spirituality is the number in that column marked "Hours" on the Monthly Report slip.
  
  Jack.
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  26

  Did the WTS with all it's lies take away your interest in the Bible?

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  still interested .

  still read .

  still study .

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  Reefton Jack

  Much as I tried, I could never at any time understand what all the fuss about the bible was about.
  Certainly, after the bad experience of the Watchtower Madness, I would describe myself as being "Religioned Out."
  However, nothing I have seen in other religions before, during and after my time with the JWs has led me to change my mind about that.
  
  I did used to take the matter seriously, and really wanted it to be "The Truth."
  At one point, I thought that it would all make perfect sense if only a person read the bible intensely.
  (That was easy to do while living by yourself in an 8 ft x 10 ft hut in a construction camp).
  
  But, after having read the bible from cover to cover (like most JWs don't do), I cannot say that I felt in any way enlightened by it.
  
  I often compare myself with friends I had before I became a JW. They do not appear to be in any way disadvantaged for having never opened a bible - and I cannot see any advantage that I gained from having read the thing constantly for so many years.