I am not so sure that “it has never been easier to count time” . For some maybe but I know devout believing Witnesses who cannot bring themselves to write a letter . Whenever I did it in my dub days I found it incredibly boring and the notion that I was just counting time killed any motivation. Those Witnesses, older ones , admit they have slipped into inactivity. It remains to be seen if they can be reactivated in the future.
BluesBrother
JoinedPosts by BluesBrother
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25
Annual service report - yet another analysis - big trouble for the WTS
by FFGhost inthere's already been a couple of threads on the 2021 report with insightful comments, but i'm vain enough to want to start my own topic with some additional thoughts..... as others on the other thread noted, it's useful to compare the 2021 numbers not only to 2020 but also 2019 (the last non-pandemic report).. there are some really troubling (if you're a wt headquarters guy) news in the latest report.. 1) baptisms plummet.
2021 - 171,393. baptisms dropped 20% in 2020, and 30% more in 2021. the total drop from 2019 to 2021 is an amazing 44%.. one could argue that without in-person assemblies and conventions you'd expect baptisms to drop.
but....if someone really wants to get baptized, jws will find a way.
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The Watchtowers
by BluesBrother inedit .. i messed up the title, on this touchscreen tablet and now i can’t edit it !
the title should be “ the watchtower’s (sort of) apology for 1975 ….. sorry.
january 1st 1976, i remember that day when i heard a radio disc jockey gleefully announce that the world had not ended as jehovah’s witnesses had said it would .
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BluesBrother
Edit .. I messed up the title, on this touchscreen tablet and now I can’t edit it !
The title should be “ The Watchtower’s (sort of) Apology for 1975 ….. sorry.
January 1st 1976, I remember that day when I heard a radio disc jockey gleefully announce that the world had not ended as Jehovah’s Witnesses had said it would . Without doubt the Watchtower Society had egg on it’s face in the early part of 1976.
As for us, we simply repeated that we had never set a definite day, but a time period and we were certain that it would come, any time now……… but weeks turned into months and months became years and even the most vocal of our number were not talking about ‘75 anymore.
Then in 1980 the Society printed this article. The title “ Choosing The Best Way Of Life” did not betray the impact of the admission that lay within .
Watchtower March 15 1980. Par 4 - 7
“Those who have tried to keep God’s judgment time “close in mind” have, on more than one occasion throughout history, become overly eager for that day’s arrival, in their own minds trying to rush the arrival of the desired events……..
In modern times such eagerness, commendable in itself, has led to attempts at setting dates for the desired liberation from the suffering and troubles that are the lot of persons throughout the earth. With the appearance of the book Life Everlasting —in Freedom of the Sons of God, and its comments as to how appropriate it would be for the millennial reign of Christ to parallel the seventh millennium of man’s existence, considerable expectation was aroused regarding the year 1975. There were statements made then, and thereafter, stressing that this was only a possibility. Unfortunately, however, along with such cautionary information, there were other statements published that implied that such realization of hopes by that year was more of a probability than a mere possibility. It is to be regretted that these latter statements apparently overshadowed the cautionary ones and contributed to a buildup of the expectation already initiated.“……..
In its issue of July 15th 1976 The Watchtower commenting on the inadvisability of setting our sights on a certain date, stated: “If anyone has been disappointed through not following this line of thought, he should now concentrate on adjusting his viewpoint, seeing that it was not the word of God that failed or deceived him and brought disappointment, but that his own understanding was based on wrong premises.” In saying “anyone,” The Watchtower included all disappointed ones of Jehovah’s Witnesses, hence including persons having to do with the publication of the information that contributed to the buildup of hopes centred on that date…Nevertheless, there is no reason for us to be shaken in faith in God’s promises. ”
(End of quote)
So there we had it , in our minds the Society had apologised for leading us up the garden path . As believers what else could we do but “keep calm and carry on” , so we did…… for years and years
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We are now around 25 years past the point when Armageddon was to arrive as PROMISED!
by nowwhat? inabsolute worst case scenario, the last of the generation that saw the events of 1914 would have died off would be in the mid to late 1990's!
so we were told in the 1980's!
so now we 3/4 of another generation past that!.
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BluesBrother
25 years late? Come on , it was originally expected in 1914 which makes it 108 years late. There is only so long that you can keep waiting for the bus before you give up and start walking…🤔
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BluesBrother
Brilliant film ,very prophetic .. The great Charlton Heston.
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1975 and so on.
by zachias inyes i was there.. when we were all told.. 1975 is the time.
i was new to the jw thing but i knew then "that no man knoweth the day nor the hour....".. https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5647286362177536/1975-on.
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BluesBrother
“Only mindless idiots would believe in the GB opinions...”
I guess then that we were all mindless idiots. But when you have been taught from a young age to expect the end of world system,and when the leaders drop hints that it is the time .... then you believe that “ this is it ! They must know something “
I guess it is because you want to believe...you have been prepped for such an announcement
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God of WT - a kindly killer?
by Smiles inthis wt doctrine includes the wrathful mass execution of individual children, babies and disabled belonging to the billions of non-jws... extremist?
"during the war of armageddon, jehovah will execute people, not in a cold, clinical manner, but in a “great rage.” (read ezekiel 38:18.
) he will direct the explosive force of his anger, not against one army or one nation, but against countless individuals living across the globe.
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BluesBrother
This doctrine of the slaughter of the non Watchtower believers always bugged me and finally was one that made me see the truth about “The Truth”
Many of them deny it , don’t seem to see that part of their teaching, but it is definitely there . I could no longer stomach it.
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2021 Service Year Report of Jehovah’s Witnesses Worldwide
by Joker5 in2021 grand totals.
branches of jehovah’s witnesses: 87. .
number of lands reporting: 239. .
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BluesBrother
The figures this year and last year are somewhat academic since covid has stopped their public ministry and “attendance “ means simply having your I pad tuned to the zoom app, whether they are watching or not . I have it on good faith that some turn it on ,with camera and microphone off, then read the Sunday newspaper.
I know of ones that have been pressured to write one letter a month and the cong will arrange to send it somewhere… another publisher….
It will be interesting when covid is finally over ,to see who actually turns up for meetings and is prepared to go back out “ on the work”
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Love one another intensely...avoid partiality
by RULES & REGULATIONS inthe watchtower—study edition | march 2020. study article 13. love one another intensely.
if we have intense “love for the whole association of brothers,” we will avoid being partial.
7 jesus urged us to keep treating others the way we want to be treated.
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BluesBrother
Isn’t this just human nature? A sociologist may be able to explain the dynamics of a group interaction and why one is left out of a conversation.
In the picture given it is sad when an old guy is ignored but could he be partly responsible? Would he want to see what the others are showing each other on their phone?
It is true that an outgoing warm hearted person would look out for him but maybe next week there will be an article about taking the initiative yourself to talk to others .
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Do Jehovah's Witnesses shun non-believers and those who leave the faith?
by Vanderhoven7 ingraeme hammond writes:.
in his 2002 book that examined the behaviour and practices of jehovah’s witnesses, english sociologist andrew holden devoted an entire chapter to the trauma and friction experienced by those who choose to leave the jehovah’s witness religion.
“those who do eventually break free,” he concluded, “are seldom allowed a dignified exit.”.
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BluesBrother
If you have a reason to keep the lines of communication open it is not too difficult to do the slow fade. At least in my case , the elders could not have cared less.
Admittedly it should not be necessary. One ought to be able to leave , even join another church if you want to without censure, but it is not impossible to escape. I accept that I make compromises but this is to continue living with a devout JW wife. However I am lucky that she is not your textbook Witness and tolerates me as I am . Actually we get on better than we ever did in the days when I served the Borg .
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Former Elder, Pioneer and WT Writer Earns 9 Science Degrees - Jerry Bergman, Ph.D., BiologyJerry Bergman, Ph.D., Biology
by Sea Breeze injerry bergman, ph.d., biology.
biography.
jerry bergman has taught biology, genetics, chemistry, biochemistry, anthropology, geology, and microbiology at northwest state college in archbold oh for over 25 years.
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BluesBrother
That was an amazing read, well worth taking the time to carefully take it all in. What an amazing man , academic, and artisan… Perhaps I am impressed because his conclusions are similar to my own. I accept that many will disagree but I am happy to agree to differ.
I am glad that this was posted and I have bookmarked his bio.