Posts by TheListener

23

The folly of Watchtower's theodicy. Or, why would an all-powerful and all-wise God need to justify his sovereignty through suffering?

by Island Man in

watchtower says that evil and suffering exist at present to vindicate jehovah as being the only one qualified to govern; to bear witness to man's inability to govern himself independent of god and under satan's direction.

the claim is made that the questions raised by satan regarding god's motives as universal sovereign can only be answered by allowing humans to see the evil and suffering that results when man lives independent of god's protection and direction.. watchtower and jws seem to think that this is the best theodicy in the world.

but there are some serious flaws in it.. 1. such a theodicy suggests that all perfect and intelligent creation, up until the advent of adam and eve, did not know god and his ways well enough to be confident that his motives as universal sovereign are pure.

TheListener

I really like those points Island Man.

20

I need some advice

by SpunkedTeen in

jw
friends

i dont think ill be able to leave the organization,you see i have no close friends in or outside the jws and my entire family is part of the cult,if i leave my mom and the rest of my family will be heartbroken and i dont want to be the reason they are hurt.

im not particularly close to any of my family members but i still care for them.

i could really use some advice because i have no one else to turn too..

TheListener

Good luck SpunkedTeen. It's never easy but you were given really good advice here. If you feel like you are just too stressed out you should see if you can get some counseling or other professional advice. I think professionals can really help us work through tough situations while maintaining our sanity.

Good luck!

21

Did You Ever Hear a Non-Witness Opinion After They'd Attended Their first Meeting?

by snugglebunny in

i was about 12. i took a friend along to a meeting and he said he didn't mind learning stuff but it was a shame it was so boring.. i was about 14. i had my very own bible study and took him along.

he just kept whispering about the girls there that he fancied.. i was in my early 20's.

i took along a lady that i knew.

TheListener

Yes. I won't be specific about who but the response was that everyone seemed friendly but sort of fake and that the meeting material seemed very basic and they were surprised that all the answers (well most of them) were directly from the material or a very minor paraphrase of the material. All in all the person said it had the feel of a high control group (forget what term they used exactly but it wasn't cult). The individual never went back.

This was from someone my wife and I both know and that she took the the meeting one time. I don't know if the individual gave my wife the same feedback I got.

23

New Kingdom Halls

by panhandlegirl in

what's with all this new kingdom hall building?

just watched jw broadcasting about their master plan for building new kingdom halls.

sounds like a big deal.

TheListener

I know of one KH that was built last year but haven't heard of anything since. I do remember hearing back at that time that there were a couple more KHs to be constructed but haven't heard if they started or not.

77

GEOFFREY JACKSON TO APPEAR BEFORE ROYAL COMMISSION ON FRIDAY 14TH August!!!

by defender of truth in

the royal commissions public hearing into the jehovahs witnesses will recommence in sydney on friday 14 august 2015 at 11:00am.. it is anticipated that the hearing will hear from one witness, mr geoffrey jackson, a member of the governing body of jehovahs witnesses.. .

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www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-centre/media-releases/2015-08/public-hearing-into-the-jehovah%e2%80%99s-witnesses-to-rec.

TheListener

I wasn't able to hear the remainder of the hearing (after lunch). What was the gotcha moment?!

190

Geoffrey Jackson - Royal Commission Live Hearing Now!

by LostinJapan in

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https://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/case-study/636f01a5-50db-4b59-a35e-a24ae07fb0ad/case-study-29,-july-2015,-sydney.

TheListener

I think because so many JW rules are not written down it's easier for them to try and make themselves sound reasonable. That's why we can call BS on so much of what Jackson says because JW rules are not reasonable in practice.

18

Look out for a new congregation position for elders wives: Helper to the Elders

by Splash in

geoffrey jackson spent 20 minutes accepting the position that it is not scripturally prohibited for women to be used in the investigation process, although probably not the jc itself (he said he'd check the scriptures on that bit, but we can guess the outcome).. look out for the wives of elders jostling for and gaining these positions.

there will be no better opportunity for gossip mongers to raise their status in the congregation than being officially involved in the intimate private business of others in the congregation.. think of the power they will have in advising the elders on a jc if she thinks the victim is credible, with her opinion, bias and embellishments on the details.

i wouldn't fancy the chances of a victim who has previously fallen out with one of these 'helpers'.. whatever next, sisters handling microphones??!

TheListener

It would probably be limited to sexual abuse, as others have already said, and the Australian branch office. I don't think we would see this kind of change in the UK or US.

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