here are some things i never really believed the jw taught...i just didn't really examine it closely.
i shelved it, so to speak, thinking no one is perfect and they know more than me...if i ever thought about it at all.. i never believed that only jws would be spared at armageddon.
i never believed the where in james, you went to the elders to confess being spiritually sick-always thought that referred to a real illness.
Yes, for a long time I used to shelve issues about the faith. I would tell myself that they know better than me so…. It must be ok. I suppose the truth of it was that I was so locked into it socially and with family that I did not dare to rock the boat.
However, eventually yo get to the point when you do dare to think the unthinkable and really question the beliefs . Then it all falls apart.
Groupthink is what it is. Well.. they like to call themselves sheep.!
have you guys noticed, this year 2023 no more public edition magazines...i wonder how they are gonna spin that fact.
The demise of the public mags is astounding… back in the day Saturday morning magazine work was a really big deal . Every month there was a special Saturday where we had a big push and the KHall would be full of us all going out.. Everyone did mag work , if nothing else . I can remember offering “two for ten pence” old money, and people paid.
We had fun in those days , never thought it would come to this..
take for example revelation 21: 10. .
“….and he showed me the holy city jerusalem coming down out of heaven from god.
here john sees something happening, action.
If he came in 1914 , we would not be still living the way we do 109 years later . How much time has to pass before they admit that the 1914 date is wrong?
basic blood questions for jehovah's witnesses.
where does the bible outlaw blood transfusions?
(acts 15:29 gen.9:4) .
A while back, there was a regional meeting for all the area HLC members at the hall. On Saturday night the chairman did a meeting for the congregation.
Most of it was as expected with “experiences” but I will not forget that he drew that chart on the blackboard with allowed fractions below the line. With great gravitas he said “ The Governing Body” have decided that this we may take if you wish”
So that’s it , the GB decided, not God or Jesus . They are following what Jesus called “commands of men”…
the theme of the in person convention this year is "exercise patience".
looking at the convention map, they are really using their assembly halls and they are using smaller civic centers or city arena.
no more huge stadiums.. are they not expecting a great crowd?
The novelty souvenir market is in full swing already by the JW owned businesses after a fast buck…. Talk about turning the house of God into “ a den of robbers “
maybe this has been discussed in the past and i wasn't here... what do you think?
are the gb members knowingly pulling a con, or do they have delusions of grandeur?
i will go out on a limb here to say that i think they are con artist.
I can’t speak for the GB but I have known a good many people who wholeheartedly believe what they know as “The Truth” . It doesn’t matter what evidence is pointed out to them because they”lLet God be found true though every man be a liar” . They’ed Say “ Jehovah will clear that up in his time” and carry on. The belief that “The Truth “ is true is stronger than the most basic science fact . They would believe the moon was made of cheese rather than doubt their faith.
As for those at the top , I recall Ray Franz writing that they had little time to do basic personal study . So take a belief like the 1914 date they believe it because it is accepted and would never go back to open mindedly reconsider it . They have spent so many years in the institution that they cannot think outside the box and I can imagine that in the higher parts of Warwick, the power of “ group-think” is immense.
https://www.fox43.com/article/news/crime/sexual-abuse-of-children-jehovahs-witness-pennsylvania/521-1d54cc2e-3ec6-4d20-b67a-fc3c5e8f2580.
https://www.attorneygeneral.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/2023-02-07-presentment-2_7_23.pdf.
Shocking accounts… I find this strange in the Matos case, the girl was 15:
” The elders noted that Matos'sconduct indicated there was a romantic interest, and that they would approve of it fi certain conditions were met. Those conditions required the presence of a chaperone and the commitmentto eventually marry. J.R. described this as "normal" within the community despite the age difference “
…..
Either the elders were complete numpties or there is something off with that statement. The Society has disapproved of and warned against teenage dating and courtship for as long as I remember ( even though we still did it on the quiet) . For the elders to sanction this they we’re going against “theocratic instruction “
they were positioned in a walk way and i had to go right pass them.
i tried to keep walking but my legs went straight to them like they had a mind of their own.. they pointed to john 17:3 on how to get saved.
1 peter 3:18. .
“They said that they already answered my question and that I was making them feel uncomfortable.“
Is that really the best they could say? Dear me , pardon that we should ever make them uncomfortable!
My Mrs would have jumped at what you said , and kept talking for an hour ….. they don’t know what they are doing these days…
barb.
anderson posted this link,on face book, see how far down j.w org is !.
https://today.yougov.com/topics/society/articles-reports/2022/12/23/americans-views-religious-groups-yougov-poll?fbclid=iwar0-i-ju-nmskoh2yvbnfacipc_vptwmjzrsjn58if3jxicq41vv2ke0lu0.
So the American public thinks less of JWs than it does of Islam and fundamentalist (polygamous?) Morgan’s . That is saying something after all that has been seen.
However, the dubs would probably be pleased and say that it was foretold that true Christians would be unpopular and they would probably say that people are still flocking in….. erm, well ? .?
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
Poor Louise, No doubt she was influenced by the WT book “ Children “ in 1941. It was written asa dialogue between a young couple explaining their faith. In the end they make this decision.
”Ar- mageddon js surely near, and during that time the Lord will clean off the earth every- thing that offends and is disagreeable. Then, by His grace, we shall begin our life with a greater vision and prolonged joy. Now we see by faith the great THEOCRAUY, and we are wholly and unreservedly committed to that righteous government. From now on we shall have our heart devotion fixed on THE THEOCBACY, knowing that soon we shall journey for ever together in the earth. Our hope is that within a few years our marriage may be consummated and, by the Lord’s grace, we shall have sweet children that will be an honor to the Lord. We can well defer our marriage until lasting peace comes to
the earth. Now we must add nothing to our burdens, but be free and equipped to serve the Lord. When THE THEOCRACY is in full sway it will not be burdensome to have a family. Then we may often walk through these broad fields, amidst the beautiful for- ests and environments, and will walk with our beloved children by our side and tell them all we have learned from the Lord,”
...
So the advice is to stay single because the end is SO close... that was 82 years ago ...
