we seem to have had an influx of religiots - the people who want to tell us all about how we / the wts / whoever are wrong, wrong, wrong about everything and how right they are.
they obviously have special insight, or voices (probably voices, right?
) telling them the real truth.. as proof, there is inevitably a wall of random scripture references and quotes.. sorry, but we're not here for that.
Simon, I am amazed by this…
“ The site isn't here to host your bible diarrhea, so please don't bother - you're just going to be wasting your time.”
We are here to discuss the Jehovah’s Witnesses and their beliefs. That always means discussions and different opinions and , yes Bible and Scriptural discussion. If not then why are we here ?
If you don’t like us believers talking about it you would be better off starting a forum for atheists and right wing political types.
'the spokesperson also said that church elders are told to report any allegations of child sexual abuse to the authorities immediately, even if there is only one complainant.'.
https://www.lbc.co.uk/news/rebekah-vardy-sexually-abused-child-jehovahs-witnesses/.
is this true?
This is printed in the “Independent “ newspaper discussing the Vardy programme. ( as selected by Apple News app)
“ In a statement to the PA news agency, Jehovah’s Witnesses said: “Elders are directed to report an allegation of child sexual abuse to the police ‘even if there is only one complainant and no other corroborating evidence’.”
Well…. That is news to me. I thought here in UK they only did it if they believed a child was in further serious danger and only if directed by the Bethel …..
summary.
the subject of the `wagatha christie" trial investigates the inner workings of the jehovah's witnesses.
having grown up within the faith, she explains how the religion failed to support her through sexual abuse and shunned her as a child.
Stan makes a point,above, that it all adds to the negative publicity on the WTS.
However, I have absolutely zero respect for Rebekah Vardy and her self engineered celebrity status . I would not believe a word she says. My wife purchases a Sunday Mail newspaper ( yes , I know and have told her what a rag that paper is ) In that paper this week was an article by RV about the program which she kept reading out to me …..Frankly, it was a load of old nonsense that any experienced JW would refute. If this stuff is true it seemed more like bad parenting than much real complaint against the Society…
Don’t forget she lost a load of money in that court case ( Jamie must have been mad) She has to get some back somehow……
another topic based on a conversation with a friend living near warwick (i talked to him over the weekend).
he said that cong's in and around bethel, including his, are slowly starting to see an uptick with people attending in person his cong is pretty much 75%+ in person.
however there are many that still use zoom as a fall back.
We always use zoom, no camera, microphone off ...... read the paper, do useful jobs make sarky comments about the meeting
i will tell you the truth because i do not tell lies and am always honest.
in may 2006 i was diagnosed with bipolar.
my wife separated from me against my will.
I am sorry to hear of the loss of your family and your distress. Your comment
“ I didn't say much during the meeting because I was still in shock for what I had done. I think the elders thought I wasn't sorry and wasn't repentant so they disfellowshipped me.”
That reminded me of a case where a young sister did the same as you, a single action, she told my wife and I arranged a committee. I was not on it but it seemed a simple case that would be a reproof. She came to us in tears after the hearing having been d/f’d . We helped her draft an appeal letter and upshot was that the 2nd committee reversed the decision. I was not popular with the my own elders. I am sure though that she clammed up in fear and they miss read her. Elders are not usually insightful.
In this case I do feel that there is more from the past that impacted on their decision. But again, I am sorry for the situation you find yourself in
i find it extremely amusing how each year is passing without armageddon.
"for the year 2000, i visualize a world transformed into a beautiful paradise!
but i don't think that either the present world or its rulers will live to see that day.. we are living in the last days of the system of things.
Nowadays the teaching is all about cultivating patience, and by God , don’t they need it !
.....and replaced with voip by 2025. https://www.pmctelecom.co.uk/blog/are-landline-phones-being-phased-out-in-2025/.
just heard this on a radio station's advert..
Click bait. If you read the article it says
“You will still be able to have a “landline” telephone in your house, but rather than it being connected to the old PSTN network going forwards, it will now be plugged into your Broadband connection – directly into your router, via wi-fi or directly into a new wall socket. ”
it only took 23 years but on 9th of may 2023 echr came to conclusion that forbidding the "namelists" was not an action against religious freedom.
echr's judgments are binding in all eu states.. jehovah's witnesses v. finland (coe.int).
the news made headlines in finland as well.. finland did not violate jehovah's witnesses freedom of religion, european court rules | news | yle uutiset.
What a pointless and trivial case to take all the way to the Court of Human Rights!
i am relating this happening.
i shared some thoughts from the 1989 question from readers concerning christ being mediator between god and man ( the wt spinning that he isn't ) and also the paragraph in that same article that plainly says: clearly, then the new covenant is not a loose arrangement open to all mankind.
it is a carefully arranged legal provision involving god and anointed christians.
By “apostates” , they are probably thinking of the time when Ray Franz was still on the GB and may have had an influence. Now I do not know offhand the date of his departure from Bethel but I would guess that it was prior to 1989.
Still, it is a handy line to fall back on when someone points out an embarrassing quote from the past. Why allow truth to come into your argument ?
this made me chuckle.
a new song that they are encouraged to practice for the convention.. “ we know your day will come, sure as the rising sun.
no matter how long it takes , it will not be late” …………... it is based on habakkuk 2 , we discussed this in depth around 1973/1974.
Hi Bribie , thank you for your comment and I note what you say.
I agree that 50 years is like nothing to God, but we are humans and it is a hell of a long time to us. For example, to an old person 4or 5 years goes by and seems very little time at all. However,If you were speaking to a young child about something 5 years ahead you would not say it will be soon because to him it would be a lifetime away
Is it reasonable for God to use words like soon or shortly for things that are our lifetime ahead? I don’t think so. When speaking to humans he would use human terms .
Unlike many on here I still believe that God does not lie and that the Kingdom he spoke of will one day come. However, do not forget that the timescale predictions have come from the human reasoning of the Watchtower Society and not from God himself…
