thinking sometimes about my youth days and the stories my grandfather told me about our jw congregation.
do you recognize that your congregation was full of somehowe strange folks, very low educated, poor and simple?.
the po was an elder with some distance, with some personality acting intelligent and following the rules strict.. there was always a kind of scandal.
Congregation had its full share of eccentrics … nutty people with hearts of gold. You could not help liking them….
Apart from childhood when the overseer was anointed, rather like an old fashioned vicar, the elders were ordinary men , unschooled but decent men , often builders , with unusual amounts of management ability… It was better in the old days !
the hospital liaison committee (hlc) for jehovah’s witnesses does not pressure members to refuse blood transfusions.
rather, their role is to support jehovah’s witnesses in adhering to their pre-existing religious beliefs, which include a strict prohibition against accepting blood transfusions based on their interpretation of biblical scriptures.. jehovah’s witnesses are well-informed about their stance on blood from an early age, and refusing blood is a deeply ingrained religious conviction, not something imposed during a medical crisis.
the hlc’s purpose is to provide assistance in accessing bloodless treatment options, facilitating communication with healthcare providers, and helping ensure that the patient’s choices are respected.. while the hlc strongly supports adherence to the beliefs of jehovah’s witnesses, the ultimate decision remains with the individual.
I am sure that the official line is that the HLC are not there to force anyone…… but all the HLC reps are experienced elders who are themselves committed to ‘ no blood’ . The mere fact that they are there , giving spiritual support and encouragement is a powerful reason to keep the patient committed to the ‘right’ thing to do.
i didn’t get the covid vaccine, but i admit, i was scared as shit i made the wrong decision because there was so much confusion out there.
practically all my family and most of my friends took the vaccine because everyone was depending on those in charge to speak the truth.
now a lot of them are sick, and they can't figure out why.
All I know is that I took the vaccine, Pfizer , and all the boosters. I had no ill effects and I did not catch Covid. I know others who declined it who did catch Covid…
The rest is all hearsay to me.
perhaps we could post the pictures the wt have presented in their literature that depict their version of paradise here for comment/discussion:.
from: spirits of the dead—can they help you or harm you?
do they really exist?.
perhaps we could post the pictures the wt have presented in their literature that depict their version of paradise here for comment/discussion:.
from: spirits of the dead—can they help you or harm you?
do they really exist?.
The words “ material riches” spring to mind whenever they show their view of the New World. Everyone has a big house and plenty of everything, even mod cons seem to be available with no comments as to how they are produced . They seem to wear shop. bought clothes and a video of a couple of years back showed. a fancy sailing yacht- all without any industry to produce it …
What about the Spiritual Paradise? The never mention that these days.
https://youtu.be/jsmbtv4nafi?si=ezj0dnudyjls4knc.
there was a time they preached the great tribulation was a short period of time between the fall of babylon and jesus coming back to save them, now they realize there are difficult years ahead of us, watch this latest morning worship video by per christensen on this subject .
“Difficult years ahead” - Was it a slip of the tongue, a simple lifting of the phrase about apostles , or was he deliberately saying that the end is years away? . ?
Whatever, if you asked they would say “ We don’t know “ !
We have seen a downplaying of the “ brink of the end” statements lately. In my view they are settling into a more mainstream Christianity with less of the fire and brimstone ltalk
mark jones writes:.
if they were spied upon and it was reported to the elders they’d be “invited” to a judicial committee whereupon they’d be cross examined in a locked backroom by three men acting as judge and jury to decide if they are guilty.. .
if the elders decide that they are guilty, they’ll then decide if the person is sorry.
It all depends… on your B of E, who you are .. I mean do they like you or are you a pain to them already?
Now sister pioneer could get away with it by talking herself out of it, ie “ I only popped into see my neighbour and she pressed a drink and a gift into my hand”
The unpopular sister would get the book thrown at her.
Of course if the B of E were up to date, as I see it , they would readily accept the words “ I am sorry “
the last assembly i attended was over 10 years ago.
the monotone speakers, boring talks, uncomfortable seats, long prayers and nodding off after the lunch break did me in.
i survived the morning sessions, but the afternoon sessions were brutal.
I have fond memories of Twickenham, London in the old days … sessions that lasted into the dark evening, there were speakers that could make your hair stand on end ….. and it all seemed so exciting ! ( ok , I was a total believer in those days )
Now it is all bland , like a plate of cold porridge.
Now older age has stopped us attending and thankfully, my wife feels the same and could not go anyway .. She is thankful for Zoom.
i started doubting the organization when i was 15. i spent the next 12 years doing in-depth research involving numerous emails with bible scholars and scientists.
i finally left the organisation 3 years ago.
technically i was never actually a jw as i was never baptised, so i’m not being shunned.
No … it is the numerology that is “mad”.
Franky , trying to make sense of something that has no sense is a waste of time. The Witnesses hardly ever talk about this kind of stuff anymore and it is only old timers like us that are aware of it ..
i was asking why jws won't sing any church hymns even if they were doctrinally correct.
jws asked me in response if i would sing any of their songs.. dan watkins wrote .
its a hilarious misunderstanding, if it does not come from the watchtower bible and tract society, then it is effectively considered as coming from satan.
How would I rate them?
Musical dross . !
