besty

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Posts by besty

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  19

  Is the WTS planning on going mainstream?

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  been thinking with all the changes announced and more yet to be announced by all accounts, is the wts planning a major shift into mainstream religion?.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/2876143/post.ashx#2876143.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/1.ashx.

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  besty

  This made them bankrupt, they had to sell colleges and airplanes as the membership desolved into many groups.

  007 - it depends what the funding structure was of this church - for example if it was tithing, then yes a significant drop in membership would be a problem.

  Correct me if I'm wrong but my guess is that the WTS finances are not dependent at all on the membership. As has been stated before IMHO the JW religion is potentially a loss-leading front for the main business of financial instruments and property. So the core drivers of revenue are not the membership any more.

  Add to that the downsizing at Bethel, the move to upstate, the sell off in Brooklyn and you have an org that is following some sort of strategy here - these are not random events.
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  19

  Is the WTS planning on going mainstream?

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  been thinking with all the changes announced and more yet to be announced by all accounts, is the wts planning a major shift into mainstream religion?.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/2876143/post.ashx#2876143.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/1.ashx.

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  besty

  A big change I think was signalled in their flip flop over Romans 13. The governements are now seen as part of God's arrangement.

  Read the old blue school brochure and notice how it was all geared up to how different Jehovah's Witnesses are and how they will not conform or compromise. Then compare that with the much more teacher friendly updated version where the emphasis is very much on how normal and eager to fit in Jehovah's Witnesses are despite their differences. I think that is once instance that signals a general change in attitude.

  Another thing is how they changed from not cooperating with outside historians of the holocaust in researching Jehovah's Witnesses in the Nazi period in the 1980s, to actively engaging with the scholarly community in the 1990s.

  Anothe thing is they began to seek recognition as a religious body under public la in Germany, a status that did not bother them before.

  Broadly agree SBF

  It seems the WTS has worked out that politicking and lobbying if you like, is a more powerful way to work your own agenda than doing it all from outside the corridors of power and influence.

  From a doctrinal standpoint though I think they may be working towards some significant 'new' ideas - yes/no?

  One recent WT article referred to following instructions even if not sure of the reasons its more important to be obedient. For me (apart from the obvious cult overtones) this sounds like an article they may refer back to when introducing something significant that the rank and file may find difficult to digest.
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  75

  my wee mum is not long for this world

  by ninja in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  she has lost over 7 stone due to her cancer and is finding it almost impossible to eat now.....see the difference in a couple of years .. ......she has been giving all her belongings away too recently

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  besty

  So sorry to hear that Ninj. Although if she was suffering a lot it can be a relief when they pass away, like my Dad with terminal cancer - at the end death is a blessing for them and us.

  When the time is right for you it might be an idea to get hold of this book.

  http://www.amazon.com/Tibetan-Book-Living-Dying-International/dp/0062508342
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  19

  Is the WTS planning on going mainstream?

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  been thinking with all the changes announced and more yet to be announced by all accounts, is the wts planning a major shift into mainstream religion?.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/2876143/post.ashx#2876143.

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/1.ashx.

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• 

  besty

  Been thinking with all the changes announced and more yet to be announced by all accounts, is the WTS planning a major shift into mainstream religion?

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/2876143/post.ashx#2876143
  
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/150690/1.ashx
  
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/153895/1.ashx
  
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/147479/1.ashx
  
  and anything from http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/member/24550/topics/default.ashx

  For me the two big changes would be shunning (disfellowshipping still practiced of course) and blood.

  Stop shunning ex-members and make blood a conscience matter and lot of the cult overtones disappear IMHO. The rest of their beliefs can stay a bit left field without too much trouble.
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  17

  The WTS will go more mainstream re 1914 in the decade after 2014

  by yadda yadda 2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  with the deaths of theodore jaracz and john barr imminent and likely to coincide with the fast approaching 100 year 'anniversary' of jesus "invisible presence" as king since 1914, there will be some broad-sweeping changes to the society's 1914 creed.

  in the last decade or so we seen a fairly consistent trend of the society being prepared to fiddle with and drop certain date-based interpretations.

  this has been the result of the march of time simply painting them into a corner and revealing more of these old esoteric date-based prophecies to be false or in need of major adjustment.

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  besty

  The Watchtower's biggest enemy is time...or more exactly, the passing of time. People can only be kept on the edge of their seats for so long before they begin to get restless... and start questioning.

  This is true and it translates into churn - turnover of members - and something the WTS is well aware of.

  If x people leave every year all the WTS is concerned with is recruiting (x+1), thus showing net growth.

  The KH's should have revolving doors.
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  36

  "Playing Chess is evil, not for Witnesses" -Awake 1973

  by Witness 007 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  awake 73 3/22 p.12 "....the spirit of competition between players can lead to unpleasant circumstances, as the new york times reported: most families manage to keep the conflicts that arise in games to the chess board.

  but in some homes tensions linger long past checkmate.

  chess has been a game of war since it was originated 1,400 years ago....the games connections with war are obvious...a play-substitute for the art of war.

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  besty

  My brother and I were both on the high school chess team. My Dad was counselled by the local janitor elder about us playing so we had to stop for a while. That would be around 1982.

  The same elder used to give entire Public Talks by reading huge chunks out of the bound volumes. It was a standing joke when he had the talk to see how many volumes he would have on the podium. His personal best was six volumes. I kid you not. Of course for someone with his limited brain power it was a struggle to remember the order he was supposed to be using the volumes in so he would waste a good 5 minutes out of the 45 fighting with 2 stacks of volumes. LOL
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  18

  Excerpts from new book-THE SOCIOPATH NEXT DOOR. Must read for XJWs

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  sociopathic behavior--very interesting topic recently started on "friends" by "frankiespeakin.

  " some months ago, one poster said the watchtower is a sociopathic organization.

  when i read the new book, the sociopath next door, by martha stout, ph.

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  besty

  On the other hand, education can sometimes level the perceived legitimacy of an authority figure, and thereby limit unquestioning obedience. With education and knowledge, the individual man be able to hold on to the perception of him- or herself as a legitimate authority. P. 64, par 1.

  I posted on the possible basis for the WTS anti-education policy here

  The more I read about this the more convinced I am that the WTS leaders are reading the same stuff.
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  26

  UK Charity (NSCFC) Extends Support and Advice for XJWs or JWs

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  http://www.gibfocus.gildetails_comments.php?id=413 .

  letter to editor: national charity launches support and advice for existing or ex jehovah's witnesses in the u.k. .

  by mike ellis chairman: nscfc .

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  besty

  Great news Barb - we're in the middle of just such a family breakup where JW family members are shunning our two boys aged 3 and 1,

  Hopefully the Charity Commission will eventually take notice that significant harm is being caused by this religion. Perhaps any contacts we have within NSCFC can raise this possibility. The CC may take more notice of a well established member organisation.
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  16

  Rangers v Zenit St P - any predictions

  by besty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'll start - sir walter 2 wee dutch dickski 1. all goals scored from open play in normal time.. any advance?.

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  besty

  I had a dream a few nights back and it was true - Rangers won 2-1 in normal time, all goals from open play.
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  53

  Notice to all JW's - You must now call the Yorkshire Ripper your 'Brother'!

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  .

  i'll post more as i get it but according to the 'mail on sunday' this serial killing monster has "become one of jehovah's witnesses".. sick.. .

  see http://www.execulink.com/~kbrannen/

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  besty

  Not sure if Peter Sutcliffe is still claiming to be a JW but he is claiming he is back to normal after killing 13 women.

  http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1954408/Yorkshire-ripper-launches-freedom-bid.html

  And therefore he could be coming to a Kingdom Hall near you.