But aren't they shooting theirselves in the foot? Afterall, don't the majority of new baptisms come from young family members?
-BONEZZ
yes i thought rutherford's policy on kid's was dead and the society had wised up....until i read the new "witnesses only" watchtower study magazine...compare.. rutherford's last book "children" 1942 = p.281 "wait until after armagedon to bring children into the world...it is only afew years before the other sheep are gathered to the lord, until armagedon...those with infants during armagedon will have greater woe...it would be a far greater difficulty to care for them during the tribulation.".
watchtower 2008 april 15 p.19 {picture of a middle aged couple witnessing with question: why do some christian couples decide not to have children?
} paragraph 12 "single or childless for a noble purpose.....numerous couples have decided to remain childless....they often do so to remain freer to serve jehovah...they are willing to place kingdom interests above some of the privileges that go with marriage...jehovah will not forget their work, and the love they show for his name...there will be a great tribulation...doubtless, it will be a difficult time for all of us-adults and children alike.".
But aren't they shooting theirselves in the foot? Afterall, don't the majority of new baptisms come from young family members?
-BONEZZ
for those of you, newbies or perhaps others who haven't read steve hassan's book - " combatting cult mind control" here are some very important things to remember of how jehovah's witnesses and other " mind control" cults operate .
it may help you to understand some things to see how we were all faked out at one time in our lives.
hassan's book states , " in totalistic cults , the ideology is internalized as " the truth ", the only "map" of reality .
That there was something that broke that thought control
I think this is very true. Personal conflicts and difficulties that are sometimes poo-pooed (I like big words) or wrongly handled by elders can be the spark to jump start a persons critical thinking ability. Sometimes people just get fed up with all the internal gossip.
Also, as another poster mentioned about questioning...you can do it until you get baptized then it is verboten! My Ex used to ask me why I never got baptized even though I was born and raised in it and I would tell her that PART of the reason is I did not want to give up my right to question. She would tell me to get all of my questions answered...as if I would never have any questions once I got baptized. BUT I still felt they were more True than the other guys so I was still controlled and believed the majority of what they said.
The only thing that really broke their grip on me was the way the elders handled our troubled marriage and the "answers" I got from Brooklyn when I wrote them for help. It also opened my 50-year member parents eyes.
-BONEZZ
good morning:.
if an old thread regarding dr. brenda upton v. the wtb&ts had not been bumped up, i would never have come across this horrific but spellbinding information.
please consider these opening words:.
Back in the '90's we had a family friend who was a ministerial servant in a Sacramento cong. He was also a supervisor over several big supermarkets. We used to stay at his home while attending the conventions at Arco. During one of those visits he confided to us that he had hired many pioneers and worked around their schedules so they could get their hours in. He also said he would never hire another one. He said "all of them" lied on their timecards, were constantly late and he even caught two of them working together and checking out groceries at "pioneer prices"...illegally undercharging each other (this was before bar codes). He fired them but didn't prosecute because he didn't want to sully Jehovah's name.
I also know of a couple highly educated (high school+ lol) biz owners who hired nothing but JWs....however, they only hired the ones who were "slow", "inbred", "the ones nobody else will hire" ..those are quotes. Sounds all very good however they were screwing them big-time. They were in most cases getting less than minimum wage, no overtime and such. And since one of these guys was an elder, there was no complaining, and of course they would work holidays for no extra pay.
With that said, I believe there is a reason(s) behind and it stems back to the borg of course. A lot of people associated feel torn. The WTBS told us not to get a higher education...just work at menial jobs because Big A is almost here. How do you motivate a worker that believes the END is coming tomorrow? He doesn't care about getting promoted. He doesn't care about retirement plans. Why should he. I know because I felt all of this. And let's face it...as a Dubbie you see your workmates paying their dues, spending the overtime and getting promoted but you know in your heart that YOU know the Truth so you feel superior...However, a few years/decades of staying in the same cubicle and no End yet takes its toll. Life rolls on and your worldly workmates go on nice vacations, buy nicer cars, houses, etc.
From personal experience I speak. Even if you're above average intelligence and feel you should be recognized for this, how is any employer going to take a JW serious when they have to have sooo much time off...they don't get involved in any extracurricular activities, etc? The WTBS brainwashing of "the end is near" has its effect.
Sorry this turned into a rant but I have seen so many lives wasted or at least (in my case), delayed.
-BONEZZ
i don't mean this to be offensive to any catholics in any way and believe that they can have true salvation unlike the jw.
also, i know little about the in's and out's of practicing catholicism, as i have never had any interest in being one.
regardless i am always surprised when an ex-jw says that they have found the real truth in catholicism.
I am certainly not as deep into religious studies as many of you and have never been. But whenever I had doubts about certain JDub beliefs I was told that the defining experience was "LOVE" among a group...that's how you knew the "approved" group. Well since i have been disassociated I have had much contact with Catholics. Myoffice was located next to a Catholic Ladies Relief office where I witnessed many good-hearted people donate many hours of their time to giving food to needy families. The WTBS would poo-poo that of course but have they, as a billion dollar corporation, made Jesus's or Jehovah's name venerated by ignoring the hunger and needs of those less fortunate.
I also live next to a Cistercian Monastary...again this group is so UN-LIKE the WTBS it is enormous. At anytime of the day from their opening to their closing, I can walk onto their property without asking permission and go almost anywhere I want without being followed or hounded, except of course the cloistered areas where the monks actually live and sleep. They have a library, stocked with books for loan or sale...and no one is there monitoring it. There's a little box for donations if your see something you like or want. When was the last time you walked around headquarters in New York unaccompanied? The Dubs think the worst (suspicion & paranoia) of everyone. You have to prove your loyalty. The Catholics seem to think the best of everyone. You would have to prove you're not a good person. The monks are very welcoming and hospitable. Yes, most of them talk and are gracious even to the most crude individuals who show up there. It is a true representation of Love. (The fact that they own and operate a terfific little winery has had no effect on my comments...it's just a bonus)
Plus I have a Catholic aunt who has never shunned us even though my father had many hot Dub/debates with her.
That's my experience with those "nasty", much-hated-by-the-WTBS Catholics.
Catholics - 3
JW's - 0
-BONEZZ
an open letter to the governing body of jehovahs witnesses.
dear sirs -.
most likely you and your pundits follow carefully this site and others like it on the internet.
Jeff...
A fantastic letter but alas...an exercise in futility. How could "God's mouthpiece" ever admit fallibility? (I'm in "F"-mode today)
-BONEZZ
the wts has sent a letter to all convention overseers expressing their increasing concern at sisters "directing brothers" at district conventions.. with immediate effect (ie for dc 2008), sisters are no longer to be used as volunteers in parking and security / watchman departments.
any sisters volunteering in other departments (eg toilet cleaning) must be subordinate & follow the direction of appointed brothers.
this move will put a huge burden on the dcs in my area - nearly half the volunteers for parking are sisters and there aren't enough volunteers as it is.
Da ghost of da Judge appeared to the members of the GB and handed down this earthquaking announcement.
-BONEZZ
"receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the lord's provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before armageddon.
" (the watchtower, 9/15/41, page 288.
this quote from the watchtower concerns the release of judge rutherford's book children in 1941.. now, calling the book "the lord's provided instrument" sounds to me to be saying the book was inspired, just like the books in the bible.. apparently at that time, the jws considered judge rutherford as their direct communication channel with jehovah himself!.
"Receiving the gift, the marching children clasped it to them, not a toy or plaything for idle pleasure, but the Lord's provided instrument for most effective work in the remaining months before Armageddon." (The Watchtower, 9/15/41, page 288.)
Hmmm...the remaining 70 months or so. Sure glad he didn't say remaining years. Armageddon may not come until the 23rd century.
That's a great pic of him VM44. He reminds me of W.C. Fields. In fact they had a lot in common (forgive me if the resemblance has already been pointed out in another thread).
A woman drove me to drink and I didn't even have the decency to thank her. - W.C Fields
Anyone who hates children and animals can't be all bad. - W. C. Fields
Children should neither be seen or heard from - ever again. - W.C. Fields
Marry an outdoors woman. Then if you throw her out into the yard on a cold night, she can still survive. - W.C. Fields
-BONEZZ
with all the real estate property going up for sale in brooklyn, it got me thinking about the underground tunnels under some of the properties.
i remember going through these tunnels on the many times i visited my friends there.
i don't however, remember which building those tunnels were under.
Has anyone checked these tunnels for Rutherfords secret stash of "Old Light Bourbon?"
-BONEZZ
In the old days they could have blamed it on "too many pudding cups" causing cramps in the baptismal pool.
-BONEZZ
BSO homicide detectives said preliminary indications are that the man accidentally drowned.
Baptisms seem to be getting a little agressive. Future baptismal candidates will be required to sign a release of liabilty. I can see it now...WTBS attorneys standing next to the pool with a clipboard and pen.
BONEZZ