BlackSwan of Memphis

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Posts by BlackSwan of Memphis

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  28

  "Are you the plumber?"

  by Jourles in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've been debating whether or not to post this story simply because the org knows who i am (post history from pre-'05 will tell you all you need to know), and i'm not sure if they would give my parents shit if they knew what transpired earlier this summer.

  but you know what, i don't care what they do, because my mom is dying of stage iv cancer and i feel this needs to be heard by anyone struggling with the loss of contact from their relatives.. for those who are not familiar with my background, i became a small thorn in the side of the wts while i was still in.

  i'm not big on being deceived, and for me, the org crossed my personal 'red line' when it came to blood and the child abuse issue.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  I'm so sorry about your mom, Jourles.

  😞

  It's difficult to know exactly how to handle each situation. And while I can say good job, I don't think that's quite necessary.

  I'm glad you have found the victories.

  💜
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  70

  The Reasons for Cart Witnessing

  by Simon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  whatever we think of it, you have to admit that it's quite "genius".. the door to door ministry as done in western developed countries where the jw quirky religion has probably reached their saturation level was a complete and utter waste of time in terms of the effort expended to recruit people.. at the same time, it was rarely something that anyone enjoyed which led to people being labelled as inactive, being pressured to doing more and maybe ultimately deciding jwism wasn't for them and leaving.. there was also the issue that many jws are actually pretty bad at knowing and articulating their beliefs so were pretty incapable of getting any meaningful message across.. they solved all this with the cart witnessing.

  the real point isn't to recruit, it's to make life easier for jws.

  now they can stand and chat with their friend, have a coffee, not talk to anyone or make eye contact and still act as a walking billboard for jw.org.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  I've seen them in downtown Ann Arbor and in a little town south of that (Saline). I've been thinking of getting my own cart.....

  
  
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  16

  MICHIGAN PEOPLE!!!...Multi-millionaire witness Pat Patterson.....

  by integ in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone heard of this guy?.

  he built up an insurance agency in michigan, and sold it for over 10 million dollars.. apparently, at his big office in novi, michigan, he only hires witnesses and they are all making big bucks.. i know an agent who was going to work for him in another state (they do business in 10 states i think), but declined to sign up when he found out the organization was owned and operated by witnesses.. he said: "that explains the ridiculously low commissions they pay their agents".

  they sell alot of life insurance.. why would this witness owned agency push life insurance if the end is so near???.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  I realize this is an ancient discussion but for good reasons I'm wondering what the latest is on Patterson and his company?
• 
  32

  What JW Beliefs Did You Find Difficult To Explain?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there are a lot.

  anything blood related was difficult to reasonably prove from a witness perspective.. 1914 was another one.

  what can you add to the list?

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  1914

  It was ridiculous.
• 
  23

  Any other teenagers on here?

  by BlackWolf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm 16 and it seems like most the people on this forum are adults.

  i would think since most teenagers have tablets/smartphones there would be more on here but maybe not?

  it would be nice to meet some other young people.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Sent you a message.
  I'M not (heh) but my daughter is, and she homeschools (we're quite the non-religious sort over here) and has watched the ups and downs of the religion :)
  
  
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  23

  So are the GB now saying that they are NOT the "faithful and discreet slave"?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so can someone clarify this please?.

  the claim has been made that the gb is the faithful and discreet slave.

  especially was this highlighted during the agm (when the silver bible was released).. but are they now saying that this "appointment" isn't happening until the "great tribulation"?.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  ya know, I was thinking about it...
  HOW do the followers eat it up?
  Well, how did I? How did any of us?
  And then you get to thinking about the Jesus Camp type stuff. Or if you're a True Blood fan Fellowship of the Sun, the way they raise the emotions of the people, they get them stirred. It's not logical. Never has been. Never will be. It's emotional.
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  23

  So are the GB now saying that they are NOT the "faithful and discreet slave"?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so can someone clarify this please?.

  the claim has been made that the gb is the faithful and discreet slave.

  especially was this highlighted during the agm (when the silver bible was released).. but are they now saying that this "appointment" isn't happening until the "great tribulation"?.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  ttdtt
  I thought it was just a JW thing for the longest time, when I started exploring Evanglicalism (aka Kirk Cameron ) and found they were just as nuts I shuddered.
  Part of me, in reading what the JW's are up to makes me wonder if they're riding on the trails of the Evangelicals. Their end times, UN, Anti-Liberal everything because it's Anti-American dammit and the US of A is a GOD given country (read Kingdom Coming if you haven't yet) lays the perfect groundwork for people looking for something else and at just the right time as the nations seem to be hating on "God's people more and more" and the end is nigh because dammit gays ( )

  The anti-UN stuff within that group of people (which seems to be growing?) (or maybe just getting noisier) is just as crazy.
  
  ftr that was not an Anti-Republican rant, i have had awesome discussions with Republicans that did not revolve around God and they're just as dismayed as others as to the religiousness of it. :/
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  23

  So are the GB now saying that they are NOT the "faithful and discreet slave"?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so can someone clarify this please?.

  the claim has been made that the gb is the faithful and discreet slave.

  especially was this highlighted during the agm (when the silver bible was released).. but are they now saying that this "appointment" isn't happening until the "great tribulation"?.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Ah well there ya go.
  I am pretty amazed with you guys that have this stuff ready to pull up. It's funny, I don't even have a clue how to get to the online crap as fast y'all.
  If they weren't just putting up these ridiculous videos on the conventions re the people in the basement/bunkers AND The message changing AND talking about the Great Tribulation right on the heels of their little FDS change, it would be different and I probably wouldn't even notice.
  It seems almost like it's been perfectly scripted. Kwim?
  Have to wonder how far back they've been plotting this crap.
  They're clever little snots.
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  42

  DESTROYING the Governing Body’s claim of authority

  by TerryWalstrom in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  destroying the governing body’s claim of authority.

  begin at the beginning.

  what source authority did early christians have?.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Great research. Lots there to read.
  Never knew that about Maria Russell.
  
  I think it's rather amazing the way that the Organization rips on the Catholic Church but so remarkably resembles them.
  
  
  
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  23

  So are the GB now saying that they are NOT the "faithful and discreet slave"?

  by stuckinarut2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so can someone clarify this please?.

  the claim has been made that the gb is the faithful and discreet slave.

  especially was this highlighted during the agm (when the silver bible was released).. but are they now saying that this "appointment" isn't happening until the "great tribulation"?.

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  BlackSwan of Memphis

  Yeah, wow, that's even better.
  Wow, that's like Russell/Rutherford all over again.
  Leading from heaven.
  Have to wonder if one dies then can the rest say "we're receiving heavenly direction from our appointed slave?"|
  eta
  Not too distant future can be 10 years. I'm just thinking that it's going to be relatively soon (not a couple generations from now).
  eta.a
  I'm just calling it the way I'm seeing it. The more I read (watch?) the more it just jumps out. But who the hell knows what's in their weenie brains?