Posts by TheEdge

24

Issues with claiming to be TFDS

by Check_Your_Premises in

i submit the following for your thoughts and comments.

making the claim.

the single most significant problem i have with the jw doctrine, is that they claim that god chose them to be his earthly organization, to the exclusion of all others.

TheEdge

Welcome, Check_Your_Premises. I agree with you here - a lot of people think they are ''special'' in some sort of way, and I don't suppose the JW are any different, so claiming to be members of the FDS (could) just be a ''personality flaw''.

As to God manifesting himself - gosh, they'd be laughed at and (possibly) sectioned.....I mean what is the reaction to people who claim to see things (eg, UFOs and ghosts)?

And then there are rational people who have hallucinated but KNOW that's all it is (eg, due to sleep deprivation - which is quite bizarre). That person knows there is a logical explanation - but one of the above may see it as God KEEPING them awake to feed them visions!

21

WHY DO PRISONERS DISCOVER "RELIGION"?

by Mary in

jw
friends

why is it that a number of people who commit the most henious of crimes, suddenly become "born again christians"--usually while sitting on death row?

do they think this somehow absolves them of what they did?

i remember when karla fay tucker was interviewed shortly before her execution (in texas) a few years ago.

TheEdge

Karla Fay Tucker

Now THERE'S a name I wouldn't like to try and say after a few beers, lol......

....same here it seems - Now we have the Yorkshire Ripper, but prior to him was Myra Hindley who professed to have found God / Jesus.

1 ) Guilt - perhaps some are genuine and feel remorse.

2) Fear - Now society has caught them and handed out its maximum penalty, there's only God's judgement left - with no benefit of a jury or being able to lie in Court!

3) Boredom - with limited activities available, and perhaps one of the few highlights now being the prison library, I imagine prisoners get more time to ponder.

4) Parole - by showing remorse, to hopefully get early release.

5) Influence - With only the same human contact daily, and therefore just common experiences, any 'outside' experience would ''over-arouse'' the inmate. ie, a visit from ANY religious organisation would break the mundane cycle of prison interaction.

Am not quite sure what order I would put these in though.

49

Mother in law told off for speaking to her daughter

by chuckyy in

my wife and i disassociated 3 months ago and my wifes mother is still a jw....but.....she still sees us regularly.

today, a 'clipboard' elder went down to see her.

he has been her book study overseer for a year and has never once gone to see her even though her husband is dying.

TheEdge

Good for your Mother-In-Law!!!

17

If shunning was stopped?????

by chuckyy in

.

if shunning was stopped as a result of society policy change, do you think that there would be a significant exodus out of the organization????.

chukky

TheEdge

do you think that there would be a significant exodus out of the organization????

Definitely - think of all the ''JWs'' who remain in order to keep their families OR who have worked hard to be reinstated JUST to be able to be accepted by their families....

On the other hand - if shunning was to stopped, think of all the disgruntled ''better than thou'' JWs who would have one little hobby taken away....lol

12

What are the WTS leaders planning?

by doinmypart in

jw
friends

what are the wts' long term (5+ years) and short term (up to 2 years) plans?.

the leaders know the end isn't right around the corner despite what they tell the r&f.

otherwise they would not have built patterson and purchased new presses.. the leaders are faced with mounting problems: declining statistics in developed countries, the internet, lawsuits, etc.

TheEdge

I think they should be planning a big Birthday bash for Carey Barber

19

Just had two elders stop by

by Puternut in

jw
friends

i just finished a visit with two elders.

i had actually contacted the head quarters and wanted to see how fast i can get a response from them.

i was impressed, from the time of my request to them in my house... two weeks.

TheEdge

I think what you've done is a good thing - especially considering how your words may be viewed (as a disfellowshipped person).

I, PERSONALLY (if 100% sure of the facts), would warn EVERY mother in the Congregation that those 2 Elders attend, because as a mother myself, I would want to know!!!

8

The 2004 Statistics -

by AK - Jeff in

i know i saw a thread on this but can't find it - sorry.. i counted 63 countries with 0% or negative growth reported.

that is fully 26.8% of all countries in the report.

there could be more since 29 countries are listed in the 'other countries' line - some of those could be negative also, but they are all clumped and so impossible to know.. baptisms were 262,000. but growth was only about 124,000.

TheEdge

Look at the bound volumes of the Watchtower and then examine closely the original magazines and see for yourself that the WTBTS has revised them as they see fit and then attempt to destroy or suppress the originals.

I occassionally look at the Quotes.Watchtower site which I am really grateful for as I don't have access to old publications, as I imagine many don't - but the society has re-hashed its former publications to try and iron out ~~false prophesies~~ any embarrassments? Surely that's deceptive?

As for the 2004 statistics, I haven't seen a yearbook in many years, and I vaguely remember the reporting of both ''active'' and ''inactive'' publishers - and I was wondering if many of US are boosting THEIR numbers by still being counted as the latter?

Thanks for putting things nicely in a nutshell Honesty :)

73

UN Scandal - does anyone know the reason they joined to start with?

by AK - Jeff in

like most on this board, i know the story, have seen the un press release, ect.

but can someone comment on two questions for me?.

who caught them with their hands in the cookie jar?

TheEdge

I can't read this post anymore - this is REALLY winding me up (does it show? lol) -I mean hypocricy AND lies!

http://home.comcast.net/~sonofcomfort/wsb/html/view.cgi-photo.html--SiteID-1379249.html

Sorry - this wouldn't cut and paste so you'll have to make do with the web address - I find it hard that the Society have sent out different excuses when questioned upon this - basically, this letter states :-

"...YEARS later, UNBEKNOWN to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses, the UN published criteria for Association.........After learning of the situation our membership as NGO was withdrawn and the ID card of the writer was returned".

SO, previously they were yearly agreeing to something that didn't exist??

73

UN Scandal - does anyone know the reason they joined to start with?

by AK - Jeff in

like most on this board, i know the story, have seen the un press release, ect.

but can someone comment on two questions for me?.

who caught them with their hands in the cookie jar?

TheEdge

f) The NGO should have a satisfactory record of collaboration with UN Information Centres/Services or other parts of the UN System prior to association;

........just looking at the criteria and this struck me too....

AND I still would like to know what was SO important, what was achieved, that it was worth lying and compromising for?!

8

Looking for numbers of ex-Dubs...

by upside/down in

jw
friends

i know there's 6 milllion dubs.

but how many living ex-dubs are out there?

estimate da'd, df'd, faded, raised never baptized, unbelieving (not opposed) mates, children etc.

TheEdge

How do THEY count the numbers? As I recall, they used to count inactive publishers (I assume 'faded').....does that mean a lot of US are boosting their numbers?