should we refer watchtower as to a online religion now?
i mean we could discuss if they ever return to kingdom hall's in the future.
if most of them haven't been sold.
The dubs want to go back to meetings… I hear rumours that it will happen here (UK) soon and then I hear denials by others. Whatever, I do believe that it is under constant review but no decision yet ..
It will happen though, and a return to “the Ministry “
am iiii off topic remarks at the anual meeting, are online at broadcasting.. he says in the early 70s he did not believe the end was near, and told his sons not to believe jw's who stating the end is near because the system could go on to 2020.. g..
We discussed this a little while back when the video was leaked.
O K , it is one thing to say this now, but whatever he told his family, he would not have said that openly at the time. I bet he was on the platform stressing The nearness Of the end along with the rest.
Today it is easy to say “ I always thought it could last this long “ ...... but they still say it’s coming soon!
NB . Seeing his old photo there, it’s hard to believe he has become what he is today
the watchtower—study edition | november 2021. study article 47. how strong will your faith be?.
16 note the example of geydi, a sister from guatemala.
her husband, edi, was murdered as they were returning home from a congregation meeting.
Konagirl , I am sorry for your loss and I hope that you are coping better now.
For some people I think that to “keep calm and carry on “ is a grief coping mechanism. A sister I knew when we lived away lost her husband in an accident. It was noticeable how she seemed to just carry on as normal, smiling and chatting.... at meetings of course.
I met a woman in “the ministry “ once who had evidently been a regular call for someone. She said she had now been put off JWs because this sister called one day and calmly said her own son had been killed that morning,on his bike , but that it was all o k because she knew she would see him again in the resurrection........
This woman sad she was shocked and could not understand how anyone could be so blasé about such a thing. I agreed with her and said the poor sister must have been hit by it later but I did not understand either.. I do think that some people need to cling onto routines and strong beliefs at times of tragedy....
the watchtower—study edition | november 2021. study article 47. how strong will your faith be?.
16 note the example of geydi, a sister from guatemala.
her husband, edi, was murdered as they were returning home from a congregation meeting.
I see a lot of negative speculation in this thread , not based on facts. In the example given , the bereaved widow finds support and comfort in her faith. This could be said of any Christian Church and has been widely attested by many people. She also found support from her friends and social network, again a common experience
I do not like the article though for other reasons. It states categorically that “ Jehovah will see to your material needs” . Oh yes? If you lose your business but have good friends they may be able to help but that is hardly the hand of God.
All in all an article to say , whatever happens just keep on serving with the WT and you will be fine…..
We shall see .
the scripture saying: "...one day is with the lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
" (2. peter 3:8) is often used both by jehovah's witnesses and others, to show that a day can literally mean a thousand years in the eyes of god.
this is then used especially for the creation story, and for the fall of adam and eve.
Like many things, this is something the WT used to talk about a lot and use it to discuss the age of Adam , the creative days and so on. Now it is almost never mentioned and those time periods have been quietly dropped. I am sure you are right when you say
“When I just read that scripture as-is, it simply tells me that God is 'outside of time'; time does not apply to him.”
there is another way to fellowship with your loved ones after disagreeing with the wt besides getting reinstated.
all you have to do is fling yourself off a boat and start drowning, says watchtower:.
"suppose, then, a member of a christian congregation boating on a lake were to see another boat containing a disfellowshiped person capsize, throwing the disfellowshiped one into the water where he struggled to stay afloat.
This is the article That I referred to in a recent post about the changing nature of the attitude towards the d/f’d. Times have changed and the pendulum has swung back to much stricter attitude today. Notice this part :
“As to disfellowshiped family members (not minor sons or daughters) living outside the home, each family must decide to what extent they will have association with such ones. This is not something that the congregational elders can decide for them. What the elders are concerned with is that "leaven" is not reintroduced into the congregation through spiritual fellowship “
I know some older dubs who still cling to this opinion if they had to deal with it. However, if you quoted this article I am sure that it would be disregarded as old light and that things have moved ahead
original reddit post (removed).
As Ex JW’s we are a totally disparate bunch of people and I have never seen anyone claim that we adhere to a strict code of morals as the JWs do. We only expect statements to truthful and accurate.
HOWEVER, there are limits and I have no reason to disbelieve these allegations. I have never paid him any money , only watched some videos. I agree with others that the man is done with, after this.
I only hope that those who supplied him with information can find another channel to get their info out.
update some upstanding jw are experiencing social isolation isnt that what df and da people feel?reap sow karma..
“We must acknowledge they worst of the situation before us. The shunning works only because those who shun value the WTs approval over their relationships. “
O k I get what you are saying, it is like the old song that “It’s the Universal soldier who really is to blame....without him Hitler would have stood alone”.
However, I can feel some sympathy, we were once members who practiced shunning, because we thought it was the right thing to do. They are duped . As Ray Franz said .. “ we are victims of victims “
japan had huge publisher growth till the year 1998.. 1998 - 222,912 publishers 3802 congregations.. 6 years passed.. 2004 - 217,555 publishers (-5,357) 3,164 congs.
what was the reason?
"this generation of 1914" failed doctrine or the internet..
Looking at the 2021 report..for Japan Average Publishers were 212,911. They have 2959 congregations.
I can remember when Japan was held as the shining example. They had so many Pioneers, and the growth was extraordinary. We were told they never missed meetings and always were sat attentively before the opening song....
It got so that it became a congregation joke, we would groan if they mentioned Japan “ Oh no ,not them again “
How art the mighty fallen.
by patrick haeck any comments on article?.
“Good post. I really don’t see HOW anybody can stop people from shunning.“”
The WT could modify it in one simple article. I remember back in the 70s when the attitude toward the d/f’d was different. Articles gave examples of , say you spot a d/f’d sister whose car had broken down, they say it would not be showing neighbour love to refuse to help , as we would to anybody. They said then that it was a withdrawal of spiritual fellowship . I know at that time some level of family contact was practiced but no attempt to “ bring them back”
That did not last. The pendulum swung back and now they are stricter than ever before…
