Posts by careful

21

When JW's say they are 'In the truth'...

by Ron.W. in

where did this phrase 'in the truth' come from?.

it's been around as long as i can remember.

is it from the time they were promoting 'the truth shall make you free' book back in 1943?

careful

The term likely goes back to Russell and the 19th-century grass-roots Protestantism that he moved around in theologically, plenty of those Adventist types, dispensationalists, and other fundamentalists who were all caught up in the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. They liked the term "present truth," which is defined as "those scriptures of particular relevance to the present dispensation," (J. Gordon Melton, A Dictionary of Religious Bodies in the United States, 1977, p. 249).

From that, most likely under Freddie Franz's direction, it morphed simply into "the truth," connoting whatever doctrine he put forth, gobbled up so eagerly by the ever "faithful" rank and file with their obsession on "unity at all costs."

Presto: "the truth!" Those books you cite, Ron.W., just reflect this history.

4

Two-by-Two's (JW-like religion) leader arrested for CSA

by buzkid in

a secretive christian church that is extremely similar in beliefs to jw religion, and has a surprising global reach is at the center of an fbi investigation for csa.

the religious group goes by multiple names, such as "the truth" and "two-by-twos.

"as child sex abuse allegations aimed at the church continue to come to light, we are learning more about the organization.

careful

I'd read about this group a few months back when they were under suspicion. There are certain similarities but they have been under the radar far more than than the WTS due to being so small, clannish, and 'informal'. The WT organization because of the preaching work, public assemblies, fighting in the courts, etc. are more in the public eye.

13

jwfacts is gone?

by Rnadomchris83 in

was not sure on where to put this, so please move if need be.. i was just on there last night.

you are now redirected to a godaddy site stating that it has been taken.. did i miss something?.

thanks!.

careful

Back for me too!

13

jwfacts is gone?

by Rnadomchris83 in

was not sure on where to put this, so please move if need be.. i was just on there last night.

you are now redirected to a godaddy site stating that it has been taken.. did i miss something?.

thanks!.

careful

Here's what I got. Want to pay $120?

18

Child abuse calculations

by Anony Mous in

there are no real numbers for jws but they are a relatively small group.

compared to the number of catholics at least.. the australian commission gathered more than 5000 cases with over 1000 perpetrators that went completely unreported for the jws.

likewise they did the same for catholics and collected just under 4800 cases with 1880 perpetrators.

careful

The attorneys representing the church — Brad Patershall of Portland and Joel Taylor of Brewster, New York — did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Yes, they have not yet been told what to parrot from the GB and the legal department.

2

Any information about the special worldwide meeting update and a GB member visit in South Africa?

by iloowy.goowy in

does any one have any information about the special worldwide meeting update and a gb member visit in south africa yesterday?.

careful

So is the GB visit due to riding high on the number increases in certain African countries? That would seem to fit well with traditional WTS thinking. It would also deflect thinking away from the internal problems the org has.

4

Clergy Accountability Report Child Secual Abuse

by blondie in

jw
friends

there a group is fighting in the legal area to make clergy accountable to report child sexual abuse cases https://www.morningstar.com/news/pr-newswire/20250127ph04780/clergy-accountability-coalition-urges-support-as-legislature-renews-battle-over-clergy-reporting-bill-sb-5375-amid-fierce-catholic-pushback "if passed, sb 5375 would align washington with six other states—new hampshire, north carolina, oklahoma, rhode island, texas, and west virginia—that mandate clergy to report knowledge of child abuse, including information disclosed during private religious rites like confession.

washington is one of only five states where clergy are not required to report child abuse under any circumstances.

" for the past three years, the catholic church and catholic state lawmakers have fiercely opposed similar legislation, even as the church remains under investigation by the attorney general's office for clergy abuse and institutional concealment.

careful

The whole legal issue still boils down, at least in America, to whether the desire to report CSA trumps the clergy-penitent privilege. While various R&F groups and certain politicians want change in this respect, the fact is that the current US Supreme Court, as well now as the current executive branch, will continue to support the old view that the clergy-penitent privilege, well-ensconced in American jurisprudence, should win out. All branches of the American federal government now are controlled by conservatives who love tradition and hate change in things like this. When you add the clergy pressure from conservative Protestantism (in bed with Trump), the RC church with its emphasis on the sacredness of confession, and Orthodox Jewish rabbis, a legal change in the clergy-penitent privilege vs. mandatory reporting does not look likely.

Legal change outside of the US seems far more plausible.

32

Whatever Happened to Those who returned to JEHOVAH

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/3yylzu0bi_k?si=kku6r9szfenj3h9i.

whatever happened to those who came back to jehovah?

due to slow growth and the constant scrutiny from governments like norway in relation to their harsh disfellowshipping practices,last year in a move that no one expected the watchtower for the first time extended an olive branch to all those who left the organization or were disfellowshipped in the past.considering this practice was introduced over 60 years ago and with a rough estimate that around 100,000 leave jehovah’s witnesses every year the total number is in the several millions.so we should have expected millions to have accepted this invitation and rejoined the organization, the result though was an abysmal few thousands according to a recent jw update.. so now, for the first time, the latest watchtower study magazine for april 2025 gives us an inside view on how this reintegration is coming along, and it doesn't look good!.

careful

My experience from my congregation is of that of one sister that was disfellowshipped for adultery in the past and now lives with her now worldly husband, she was reinstated immediately after this new policy came into effect because one of the elders was a close friend of hers and she has never been to a meeting since, so basically she only got herself reinstated so she can see her family again.

In practical terms the issues here must be complex. If this sister is married to some worldly guy and had been out for years, then she must have taken up celebrating Xmas, Easter, birthdays, etc., as well as various other "worldly" customs. Is she suddenly going quit all those things just because she's been reinstated? Hardly likely. No wonder she doesn't attend and thus gather to herself all the social pressure from the diverse sisters who will pry into her personal life and report her unacceptable activities!

13