Posts by Jeffro

10

Inaccuracies regarding pagan origins

by AEnEm in

easter and christmas have pagan origins.

many of us were told that since birth.

the evidence?

Jeffro

Yahweh, originally part of Canaanite pantheon

Exodus from Egypt adapted from Cushite myth

Cherubs in Ezekiel adapted from Assyrian mythology

Creation and flood myths adapted from Babylonian and earlier Sumerian myths

The devil as a specific character (rather than ‘satan’ as a generic concept of opposition) from Persian religion

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about a tree contains elements adapted from a Babylonian legend about Nabonidus

The ‘Word’/logos from Greek philosophy

But Christmas and Easter are apparently a bridge too far. 🤦‍♂️🤣

47

Norway

by St George of England in

so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

Jeffro

A lot of focus has been put on JWs’ treatment of minors in regard to disfellowshipping, but the actual case in Norway is just as much about the policy of shunning of any former members who wish to leave the denomination. This is especially relevant to ‘apostates’, though individuals who are disfellowshipped for any reason are still shunned, with only a slightly relaxed policy that only really amounts to additional emotional coercion to ‘return’.

The policy, along with pressure from the organisation, to shun ‘apostates’ is also quite separate to the rights of individuals to stop talking to someone as an individual choice. But it is by design that members are officially not allowed to talk to dissenters, and making shunning a ‘conscience matter’ would defeat the purpose of the ‘arrangement’.

47

Norway

by St George of England in

so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

Jeffro

It’s always odd when people vote down a comment but give no indication why. 🤣

47

Norway

by St George of England in

so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

Jeffro

But they have doubled down on shunning 'apostates', which violates Freedom of Religion rights including the right to change religion. So I don't see their appeal going too well, but it depends on who has the best lawyers to some extent.

22

The "10 Year Plan" - What is the realistic outcome?

by redsetter2 in

as there has been some discussion calling bs on this topic, .

i will paste the text from my 10 year plan post and i will critically evaluate how i feel things will turn out.

i will add bold italics my thoughts.. the governing body has a 10-year marketing plan to remodel the organization to become closer to a mainstream christian religion.

Jeffro

redsetter2:

The Governing Body has a 10-year marketing plan to remodel the Organization to become closer to a mainstream Christian religion.

This "plan" has not been initiated by the Governing Body, it has been provided to them as a recommendation by the Legal department, Service Committee, Teaching and Writing Committees

It makes sense that this supposed '10 year plan' is really just recommendations from marketing/legal. As such, there's no guarantee that any would necessarily be implemented. Some are likely, and some are very unlikely.

8

Anyone Have a Photo of The Current 9 Member Governing Body?

by Vanderhoven7 in

governing body members.

kenneth eugene cook, jr. (2018).

gage fleegle (2023).

Jeffro

44

Thoughts on Likely Upcoming Changes in the Org.

by Phizzy in

i am thinking that the "ten year plan" that some have spoken of is the most likely scenario.

the org.

has to both attract new members and retain as many existing ones as possible.. so i think they will let the recent changes "bed in" for a while, maybe a year ?

Jeffro

I think much of the ‘ten year plan’ is based more on speculation rather than actual plans. That said, there does seem to be a general tendency toward the mainstream with recent changes.

I do suspect there will be a continuation of the doctrinal changes. It is unrealistic nonsense to believe that all other religions will be destroyed leaving only JWs, so there will probably be a shift towards emphasising the ‘spiritual paradise’, and that other religions are ‘already spiritually destroyed’.

I don’t see them dropping 1914 any time soon but if they do, it will likely be detrimental to their membership numbers. I also don’t see them starting to allow Christmas or Easter soon. But I wouldn’t be too surprised if birthdays are made a ‘conscience matter’.

13

Progress on the NWT Study Bible

by slimboyfat in

the society has been working on the nwt study bible since the revised nwt was released in 2013. so far they done the nt up to philemon.

that makes about 17% of the entire bible including the hebrew/aramaic scriptures.

at that rate the study edition of the whole nwt will be completed sometime around the year 2077. .

Jeffro

See also NWT study notes for Acts 19:2. 🤣

13

Progress on the NWT Study Bible

by slimboyfat in

the society has been working on the nwt study bible since the revised nwt was released in 2013. so far they done the nt up to philemon.

that makes about 17% of the entire bible including the hebrew/aramaic scriptures.

at that rate the study edition of the whole nwt will be completed sometime around the year 2077. .

Jeffro

Pronger1:

The great tribulation Jesus speaks of is the events leading up to the destruction of the temple.

Indeed. (Except for the part that Jesus said it. The words were attributed to Jesus later, and it’s impossible to know what if anything attributed to Jesus in the Bible is actually what he said.) The ‘great tribulation’ refers to the period from 66CE to 70CE.

But in JW land, they ignore the actual context and say the great tribulation is still yet to happen, but that Jesus’ presence has already begun.

The Bible directly contradicts the JW order of events. So they just ignore those verses, even in their ‘study’ Bible.

45

consequences for going against the direction.

by jehovaxx in

there are no serious consequences for doubting the gb.

there are no consequences for going against the direction.

we can now celebrate anything.. what will happen if you take blood, celebrate xmas and birthdays ect?.

Jeffro

jehovaxx:

The new direction is if the person says they are repentant then that is enough.

You’ve said this a few times, but it sounds like your interpretation of some circuit overseer’s interpretation. (And the constant use of the phrase ‘the direction’ or ‘the new direction’ sounds a bit culty.) Where is it actually stated in any official document from the Watch Tower Society?