ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
I have heard this said before and I am curious as to what you think the worldly organization might be who is “pulling the puppet strings”?
maybe this has been discussed in the past and i wasn't here... what do you think?
are the gb members knowingly pulling a con, or do they have delusions of grandeur?
i will go out on a limb here to say that i think they are con artist.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
I have heard this said before and I am curious as to what you think the worldly organization might be who is “pulling the puppet strings”?
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
LOSTINTHEFOG1999:
Yes, remember hearing this stupid phrase from Witnesses - whether it had to do with learning an instrument, indulging in a hobby or even traveling.
They forget themselves though because if everything is to be ‘destroyed’ at Armageddon - there will be nothing to see if they want to travel (unless they just want to see the mountains or ocean). Nothing cultural should be left standing afterwards. Right? Will the Eiffel Tower or the pyramids be standing?
But aside from all that, they are squandering their lives and their present time with their daydreaming about what they will do in never-neverland. I agree that some of these things can be pursued now.
Another thing I noticed when I was there is that JWs are not mindful that the clock on the wall is ticking.. While they are sitting in their many meetings listening to B.S. and engaged in the showiness of the ministry they are getting older and their youth is slipping away.
the theme of the in person convention this year is "exercise patience".
looking at the convention map, they are really using their assembly halls and they are using smaller civic centers or city arena.
no more huge stadiums.. are they not expecting a great crowd?
HIDDLESWIFE:
So many older Witnesses are tired of waiting.
Too many of them thought the Covid pandemic was ‘it’. Many were seriously disappointed that it was not the End they had hoped for. This means they have to endure living in ‘this system’ getting older.
A lot of these people never expected to get ‘old’.. They expected to be delivered into the ‘new system’ by now and not have to be dealing with sickness, etc.. Also, don’t forget too many did not prepare financially for a retirement they were told they’d never see! I remember hearing this years ago by a JW who did my taxes and noticed I contributed to a retirement plan.
These JWs are resentful for several reasons. So this convention probably is about damage control.
there is going to be a hole new system of blood cards this march .
the congregation won’t hold any information as they did before from march it will be all put on the pub.
i think it’s to do with vaccines and they are worried now they got everyone vaxed and they want to distance themselves from medical responsibilities and say own personal decisions.
INDOUBTBIGTIME:
So you don’t want any vaccinated blood? 🤣
With millions of people being vaccinated it would be unavoidable at some point for there not to be some vaccinated blood in the blood supply.
isn’t it about time they released the report for the service year?
or have they stopped publishing it?
did they released selected figures at the annual meeting as they usually do, such as the memorial attendance or record number of pioneers?
BLOTTY:
It appears to me you are unaware of how damaging this religion can be to many people - especially born-ins.. Just because you were fine doesn’t mean everyone else is.
MAGNUM:
Yes, I know your story and am sorry for everything that happened and how your potential was taken from you as you describe. I wonder if in your case some of those older JWs preaching poverty were already collecting their pensions! I noticed this. They themselves were in the workforce - but yet they were preaching poverty and knocking careers to young people there such as myself.. Thankfully, I didn’t listen.
I cringe when I think about this. My heart goes out to you and others.
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
DIOGENESISTER:
Yes, I agree with you about how it’s tragic if somebody denies themselves marriage and family for this awful religion. Is it the worst thing?.. If you’re very needy and can’t put food on the table, etc. (basic survival) that’s certainly the worst.
But, to be needy because you didn’t get the decent job, in addition to giving up marriage and family is certainly the worst. That’s two major negatives.
Even though I hate the religion because of how I was treated because I wouldn’t give up my full time job, I especially despised them because they tried to isolate me from my family.
I remember having a rude awakening one Thanksgiving years ago!.. Here I was like a moron denying myself a decent meal and the company of people who really cared about me. For what? So, I could look at four walls alone? Meanwhile, all the JWs were nowhere to be found.
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
DISILLUSIONED JW:
Just curious: are you still a JW and doing this? If everybody on the planet stopped what they were doing and took this literally - nothing would get done.
Fields wouldn’t be planted, bread wouldn’t get baked, grapes wouldn’t be made into wine, fish wouldn’t be caught, fine garments wouldn’t be woven, structures wouldn’t get built, etc.. The business of life would come to a standstill. So, was Jesus advocating that everybody should become irresponsible bums?? I know it sounds like it to some people, but I don’t believe it. When the person said to him that he had to go bury his father, Jesus had said to him “let the dead bury their dead”. He was implying that somebody had to be around to do this - and so on. I don’t take this or anything in the bible literally and apply it to the modern world. Others can believe what they want.
Thankfully, I’m not in the religion anymore. But, I just loved it when people who already made their living and were collecting their pensions were pushing this mentality of poverty on young people there!.. If I had listened to this I wouldn’t be retired today.
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
DISILLUSIONED JW:
But people (men) back then had their occupations. I don’t know if this means ‘they didn’t put the kingdom first’. Maybe in their minds they did and used every opportunity they had to preach.
Also, I don’t think there is any comparison with the situation of the ancient world and the modern day one. If JWs or anybody else today wants to use the excuse of ancient bible writings to keep themselves in a full time ministry - let them knock themselves out.
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
DISILLUSIONED JW:
I see what you mean about the bible itself also being to blame for people being urged to wait expectantly.
I don’t think though that the early bible writers meant that people shouldn’t live their lives. That seems to be something that more modern day religions have adopted - along with trying to micromanage people like we see the JW religion trying to do - either having suggested that people remain single or don’t have children or telling people not to get college/careers, etc.
study article 19. how can we strengthen our faith in jehovah’s promise of a new world?.
17 many servants of jehovah have applied jehovah’s counsel to “keep in expectation”—even for decades.
louise, for example, began serving jehovah in 1939. she says: “at that time, i thought armageddon would come before i finished high school.
RULES & REGULATIONS:
I wonder what ‘Louise’s’ situation is? What’s printed in your post doesn’t mention anything. - If she’s comfortable financially like some Witnesses are (maybe she inherited $) then she’s coasting along and probably enjoys some socializing with other older JWs
Like FOOLEDNOMORE says, The sunk cost fallacy also figures into this and if older persons are fairly content they would see no reason to ever leave the religion. But for younger people who have to make their way in life, that’s a different story.