Posts by Bodhisattva

24

CO says 35% inactive

by target in

jw
friends

the co visiting a congregation in madison wisconsin told them that 35% are inactive.

i wonder if this is the pattern with most other congregations.

that was about what it was in the last congregation i was in.

Simon is correct they only count those who preach; specifically, they count them in the month previous to when they receive the report. The 35% who are irregular will most likely be jostled by the Congregation Secretary (or nowadays their Book Study Conductor, or whatever they are now called) until they submit a slip with a phantom hour or so for whatever months are missed. These hours - and more importantly, publishers - are counted for the monthly report that goes in after they arrive.

Now the reason this is important is that it makes a publisher appear twice or more in a given month. That is, the April peak may include Bro. Smith's time from February, March, and April, and count him as THREE PUBLISHERS! This was admitted a couple years ago during the CO visit at my old KH, I think during a regular meeting but possibly during a meeting with the Ministerial Servants and Elders. And if you know that the CO wants to see an April peak, when do you think the jostling will be the greatest?

So the Watchtower OWES its peaks to irregular publishers. But, because people are catching on to them, they are finally pushing publishers to report monthly, so that the peak months and the other months (along with the average) are not so vastly out of whack. Despite this, in recent years they have given more attention to these known faulty peaks even when everyone is starting to realize that only the averages even approach validity.

Bodhisattva

11

new blood cards not used

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

plasma) be given to me...," the june - 2001 version reads "i direct .

that no allogeneic blood transfusion (whole blood, red cells, white .

difference in the cards is the use of the word allogeneic in the june .

Bodhisattva

Can any post a scan of the new card with the word "allogeneic" on it? If so, even if you must obscure part of the card to protect your own identity, please post it. Until then critics can claim that they do not exist!

Now, since I believe these are really out there, and in case they actually get used and the borg allows autologous blood, I suspect they will do so in an obscure way. (This almost goes without saying.) Now, if they imply the allowance by using the word "allogeneic," which means genetically different, as opposed to actually using the word "autologous," which means from the same individual, then there are gaps...

The blood of identical twins is non-allogeneic!

Of course "non-allogeneic" can mean two things: Blood that is genetically identical, as one's own (autologous) or that from one's genetic twin. Or, it can mean blood that is not from the same species! This could explain the source of the new wording, since it is easier to argue that Hemopure is kosher because it is not human blood than to argue that hemoglobin, the very essence of blood, does not count as blood. If this is the case, then the focus would move to the Noachin commandment (which most Christians understand to outlaw murder) and the Apostolic decree (which most Christians understand to apply to food). The Mosaic Law references would all be dropped, which makes sense since the whole "pouring out" thing would prevent diagnosis of many diseases, much less pooling of blood to extract allowed fractions. If Noah's family was not told not to murder, will Nimrod be resurrected? This is all speculation, don't count on it too much, but it would be interesting to see how they refocus things if they all - implicitly or explicitly - autologous blood.

Bodhisattva

10

Qestions too US peopel

by happy man in

jw
friends

when we in sweden read about so much terribel things happend in us, for exampel all this killing and massakers,.

and scandals, as now in enron bussiness, i read that one boss killd himself, it is perhaps a new wartegate scandal.. then when i see all this movies widh a lot of killing and other terribel things, as been send all overer the word from hollywood,.

can you not understand that some peopel see this as a poison , , if i then look what us military done, inn irak, and other places, killing innocent peopel, i think you goverment show one face at home , and other face inn for exampel the 3 word.. if i say if your presidint shows upp to bee involvd inn this mess inn enron , what do you say, as talk so much of jw as bad peopel, .

Bodhisattva

Happy Man -

It seems you are arguing that the Watchtower religion has merit because it does not get involved in business or government corruption. What say you about the U.N. NGO membership issue? Have you ever seen a corrupt businessman or politician as slick as the Watchtower's representatives in twisting around a scandal?

I hope you someday know how good it feels to take an active part in your community by helping decide which politician, though inperfect, will do the best job working for the good of the people; or by helping someone in need of life-sustaining blood transfusions just by taking a few minutes to donate. I hope you someday know how enjoyable it is to get together with friends for a good meal on a holiday, however pagan its origins, or to show honor and appreciation for a friend on their birthday. Keep reading here, and you most likely will!

Bodhisattva

11

JWs & Personal Finance

by Valis in

jw
friends

perhaps this is not a widespread phenomenon, but have any of you considered the ramifications in regards to many jw families never saving for retirement or college funds, becues they thought the end was near, or college was a non-issue for so many of us?

just recently my parents never saved any money, becuase the promise of the end coming soon, but as old age creeps closer, i think some of the policy is revealing itself to be really bad advice.

i also wonder how long jws have to keep working after retirement age than the rest of the 'worldlies".

Bodhisattva

Perhaps this is not a widespread phenomenon...

Oh yes it is. Thast's okay, they've already blamed the rank-and-file with articles saying, "Look, the Society plans ahead" (the obvious implication that using the Society as your exempler demeans Jesus is lost on them) or 'Look at sister so-and-so who says "Live your spiritual life like Armageddon was coming tomorrow but your financial life like its not coming in your lifetime"' (the fact that elsewhere in the same magazine there is probably encouragement NOT to have a life separate from The Truth (TM) and the little detail about people shunning sister so-and-so for years because she worked outside the home when, with only six kids to feed and a window-washer husband, she presumably could have pioneered, are also lost).

Of course Jehovah's Witnesses don't have to worry about that. Why look, many Kingdom Halls are adding apartments for retired District and Circuit Overseers (who have served for a certain length of time, of course). What's that? What about the rest? They can go f*ck themselves.

Bodhisattva

10

Ex JW Homelessness

by Celtic in

jw
friends

does anyone know of any former witnesses who upon being disfellowshipped etc were also faced with the prospect of homelessness, if so, would you please let me know, or, if you know of someone in this impending situation, also please let me know below.. kind regards.

mark

Bodhisattva

In the congregation where I grew up lived a family with four kids whose mother was tremendously stict. I remember hearing a lot of illustrations about springs compressed too tightly when it came to this family. All the kids are a little off. The sister was about 21 when she was df'd and kicked out. These kids were not prepared to move out of the nest at that age. She ended up sleeping in the shop where she worked for months. My best friend, who this sister conducted a study with when she was in junior high, was glad when I came out of the borg. To paraphrase my friend, "any group who can treat a family member like that doesn't have the truth."

When the question next comes up whether it would be better to get rid of disfellowshipping or blood restrictions, I think that the latter should go first, in that blood policy can kill you. The Watchtower religion is irrecoverable, beyond any redemption. And disfellowshipping is killing it. Amen.

Bodhisattva

8

WT CD ROM

by TR in

jw
friends

just wondering if someone here has the cd, and if they'll burn it for me or get me a copy.

i'll pay all expenses.

email me if you like.. thanks,.

Bodhisattva

TR -

email me

23

College

by mikepence in

jw
friends

i am thinking about starting to take some courses, working toward my degree.

i would appreciate some feedback.. on the one hand, i have made a successful career for myself as a highly paid computer professional, working for a variety of prominent companies here in the usa over the last 12 years.

this, in spite of not going to college for reasons that you all understand.. to date, the only companies that cared that i did not have a degree, once i had a few years experience, were companies that worked with universities and higher education products.

Bodhisattva

Hey Mike -

Check how early you would have to declare. If "philology" (love of learning) is your thing, it might be good to tool around with individual Useful Courses for a while. For me, two courses per semester, usually 3 credits apiece, is manageable. It does mean a 10-year stint, but I can't seriously recommend summer courses to catch up - too compressed when you have a life. I'm at a point where I have freshman credits overall, but am taking CS courses with senior CS majors because I have focused on CS (and perhaps not enough on the core stuff).

The best courses I've taken so far to help validate what a crock the whole Witness / religion-is-the-key thing have been Ancient Civilization (History 101) and Philosophy 101. As for freshman computer courses (those for CS majors), don't be too quick to CLEP-test out. It gives you another perspective on the process, and its what your subordinates experienced.

Call me at home or on the cell.

Bodhisattva

51

Sum everything up with just one sentence???

by Celtic in

jw
friends

what you got to say, in a nutshell?.

peace.

celtic

Bodhisattva

I think I've killed another thread. Getting a complex. Forgot the one I posted here a few days ago:

The idea that there is one people in possession of the truth, one answer to the world's ills or one solution to humanity's needs has done untold harm throughout history.
-- Kofi Annan

51

Sum everything up with just one sentence???

by Celtic in

jw
friends

what you got to say, in a nutshell?.

peace.

celtic

Bodhisattva

I have a few candidates in my Pocket PC:

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves, and cannot long retain it." - Lincoln

"Do not do to others what you would not have done to yourself." - Hillel

"Those who simply cease to be involved are no shunned." - jw-media.org

'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hatred. Hatred leads to suffering.' - Yoda

"The creator of the dolphins has fins." - me

"me" being,
Bodhisattva

6

Newspaper to ex-churchgoers: "Get a Life!...

by Preston in

jw
friends

i read this article in the scottsdale tribune today.

i thought some of it was worthwhile, some of it biased.

this person obviously doesn't know anyone that had to make the difficult step of leaving a high-control religious group like the mormons.

Bodhisattva

I think this writer has tapped into something by being oblivious to the difference between a non-member and an ex-member. Every high-school angst movie or TV show I now of is more interesting for its depiction of someone going through the struggle of exiting the In Crowd, and not just people who were never in, angst-ridden as we are.

The experience is different, which should be obvious without saying. But it is much like the experience I had talking to a co-worker Friday: "But I'm sure the Jehovah's Witnesses can't be that bad," sums up his comprehension of my situation. What could I do, insist on how weak and subservient I was? Of course there will be a lack of understanding.

Usama Bin Ladin's mom says she disagrees with some views of her son, but she loves him and can't believe he would do what he is accused of, of even say what others can clearly see and hear him saying on tape. My mom sat across a from me in a restaurant and said she loves me, even if she doesn't agree with some of the things I do. I couldn't ask what things, I immediately realized that she has to think I do bad things, rather than just having views with which she disagrees. Perhaps she doesn't like that I have given blood to save strangers. Perhaps she doesn't like that I have gambled, on two occasions more than a year apart, blowing 1 1/2 day's wages in a few hours. I never told her I did these aweful things, and I never asked what bad things she thinks I did. Usama's mom doesn't believe he did things he admits to. Mine thinks I've done bad things just because I don't believe in the Watchtower. Mr. Schuster, like my co-worker, has no idea.

Bodhisattva