Posts by Jeffro

11

Revising History

by no-zombie in

while i'm aware of wt books being revised without noting the differences on newer editions (the truth book is a classic example of this) ... is there evidence of the writing committee revising the online versions of wt articles, as compared to the printed editions?.

if there is a previous thread on this topic, just link it ... as these is no need to reinvent the wheel.. thanks.

Jeffro

The Watchtower—Public Edition, No. 2, 2021, page 7:

In three years, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in some 6.9 million deaths worldwide.

Not certain what the print version actually said, but this doesn't math.

(It would reasonably have been some time in 2023. The download page for the PDF says it was last modified on 20 December 2023. However, many of their online PDFs have that same last-modified date without changing any of the actual content, suggesting some unrelated technical change at that time. So it can't be determined exactly how or when the statement about the pandemic was modified unless someone has the original or intermediate versions.)

9

EMERGENCY ALERT!! UKRAINE LAUNCHES MORE NATO MISSILES INTO RUSSIA . . . WORLD WAR III IS HERE!!!

by Littleleslie in

emergency alert!!

ukraine launches more nato missiles into russia .

world war iii is here!!!

Jeffro

Because obscure YouTube channels are always the best sources of information. 🤦‍♂️

18

Shunning--newest directive

by stan livedeath in

so just what is the latest directive on shunning?.

asking for a family member.

Jeffro

Notformer:

You got me thinking. Did the WT coin the term themselves?

No. The term 'disfellowship' was first used as a verb in the 1830s. The term is used by various minor Protestant groups (which is what JWs are at their core), though the specific application of the term varies. For example, Christadelphians also practice what they call 'disfellowshipping', but it generally involves exclusion from their church services but not strictly mandated social shunning.

5

Watchtower Reader - Perhaps aka Watchtower Library Bethel Edition?

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

the spanish exjw forum) is closing soon.

(but that's a whole different topic).someone found an app called watchtower reader, i have the 2006 version in spanish, and it seems like it's a special edition of the wt library app that has much more than the regular wt library.. for example, it has:awakes up to 1960 (this is not even found in the english wt library).

wt up to 1960 (found up to 1950 in the wt library in english but only up to 1970 in spanish).organized to accomplish your ministry (2005).anyone here know or could get this in the english version and the latest they can find?

Jeffro

TonusOH:

Anyone know what the differences were between those editions?

There are some dialog definitions present in the resources that hint at some additional functionality. Not sure that helps much, so if there is anyone with first-hand experience using the additional modes, that would be more useful.

18

Shunning--newest directive

by stan livedeath in

so just what is the latest directive on shunning?.

asking for a family member.

Jeffro

Jehalapeno:

The major on paper change is that you can greet and talk to disfellowshipped people at the Kingdom Hall now.

Though there may be some latitude in what individual JWs might consider a suitable greeting at meetings, the official position allows only for briefly greeting and welcoming a removed person at the meeting, not extended conversation or socialising.

stan livedeath:

but has the cult relaxed the rules recently?

They have relaxed the rules slightly, but only in the context of people who want to return. The leadership still dictates that individuals who have been baptised, including minors, who express that they do not accept JW doctrines and/or authority (i.e. ‘apostates’) are still to be completely shunned.

5

Watchtower Reader - Perhaps aka Watchtower Library Bethel Edition?

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

the spanish exjw forum) is closing soon.

(but that's a whole different topic).someone found an app called watchtower reader, i have the 2006 version in spanish, and it seems like it's a special edition of the wt library app that has much more than the regular wt library.. for example, it has:awakes up to 1960 (this is not even found in the english wt library).

wt up to 1960 (found up to 1950 in the wt library in english but only up to 1970 in spanish).organized to accomplish your ministry (2005).anyone here know or could get this in the english version and the latest they can find?

Jeffro

ILoveTTATT2:

Does anyone know if there is an English version of the WT Library Bethel Edition?

Old thread, but this image exists in the graphics resources stored in WTLib.exe :)

As does this one:

But one would need the relevant accompanying databases to actually use those modes.

15

Dip Anyone?

by peacefulpete in

a quick comment regarding how subsequent gospel writers often felt an irresistible need to clarify or expand upon their sources.

in the last supper story, the gospel that came to be named after mark 14 has jesus declare that one of the twelve who eats with him from the same bowl will betray him.

17 and evening having come, he cometh with the twelve,18 and as they are reclining, and eating, jesus said, `verily i say to you -- one of you, who is eating with me -- shall deliver me up.

Jeffro

KOW:

They tend to decipher Jewish life that way because the New Testament is written using rhetoric and not genuine language.

Indeed. There’s a lot of retconning in the NT and even more in modern Christian interpretations thereof, particularly the glaring insertion of Jesus and Satan into OT themes where they were not actually present either directly or even implicitly. As such, Christian depictions of Jewish history and culture appear almost(?) as a parody.

It’s not even the case that modern Judaism is an exact representation of ancient Judaism, reflecting successive influences by Egyptian, Assyrian, Babylonian, Persian, Syrian and Greek cultures, a significant shift after the destruction of the Second Temple, and the advancement of understanding of the natural world in general.

15

Dip Anyone?

by peacefulpete in

a quick comment regarding how subsequent gospel writers often felt an irresistible need to clarify or expand upon their sources.

in the last supper story, the gospel that came to be named after mark 14 has jesus declare that one of the twelve who eats with him from the same bowl will betray him.

17 and evening having come, he cometh with the twelve,18 and as they are reclining, and eating, jesus said, `verily i say to you -- one of you, who is eating with me -- shall deliver me up.

Jeffro

It is of some interest that 'dipping the morsel' has some basis in actual customs, but the specific purpose of the custom is ancillary to the point that subsequent versions of the story were modified to account for perceived flaws in the narrative.

51

2024 year Highlights: JWs hit 9 million Publishers

by Sanchy in

jw
friends

watchtower put out some highlights for the 2024 service year:.

average publishers: 8,828,124. peak publishers: 9,043,460. a 43.2 percent increase in "those who returned to jehovah", meaning 65,816 were reinstated.

baptized: 296,267. memorial attendance: 21,119,442. missing stat: number of partakers .. womp womp.

Jeffro

Wow. 🙄 An artificial increase by appealing to lapsed members, and only needing to tick a box without reporting hours. And they fall for it.

This is just a (predictable) result of the fact that JWs count 'membership' in a manner that favours rate of growth.

60

Biden calls Trump supporters garbage

by moomanchu in

a comedian in a comedy sketch at a trunp rally joked that the island of puerto rico is a floating island of garbage.. what to do???

potus pappy joe to the rescue!!

he sounds the alarm, comes out swinging and calls trump supporters, actual people, garbage.. .

Jeffro

🤦‍♂️