Posts by dozy

15

Was 2019 the last convention ever?

by joey jojo in

in a recent feel-good instagram post about the 2019 international convention, a jw remarked, "was it the last convention we will have?".

there is no doubt jw's feel they are truly special and that world events revolve around them directly.

there is also no doubt that whether we get a vaccine for covid or not, and at the moment, its looking very certain that we will, that the world will continue to spin and life will go on, regardless of the beliefs of the jw's.. once the pandemic is over i'm wondering if some jw's will realise that even though they lived through a notable period of time, life kept sailing on, and maybe they aren't that special after all?

dozy

I have a friend ( somewhat PIMO) who does some freelance software work for the Society in the UK & Germany and he says the hotel commission the Society gets from conventions is incredibly lucrative. He told me to think in terms of a minimum of 1 million hotel rooms - 3 nights - $100 per room 15%-20% commission - that's close on $60 million alone annually tax free- and every year the Society grows this as they further develop relationships with the big hotel chains like IHG & Hilton and the likes of Expedia.

Add to this all the additional international convention income - my sister went to Canada a couple of years ago and I was astonished how much she paid for flights and excursions. ( Check out this brochure from 2009 - prices have more than doubled since then. ) http://www.wegieltours-wcs.com/parjw/parisbrochurewegieltours.pdf The Society , with its big building programs continuing and with a lot of legal expenses and child abuse payouts simply can't afford to give all this up.

15

Was 2019 the last convention ever?

by joey jojo in

in a recent feel-good instagram post about the 2019 international convention, a jw remarked, "was it the last convention we will have?".

there is no doubt jw's feel they are truly special and that world events revolve around them directly.

there is also no doubt that whether we get a vaccine for covid or not, and at the moment, its looking very certain that we will, that the world will continue to spin and life will go on, regardless of the beliefs of the jw's.. once the pandemic is over i'm wondering if some jw's will realise that even though they lived through a notable period of time, life kept sailing on, and maybe they aren't that special after all?

dozy

The conventions , including the international ones , are huge money spinners for the Org and really motivational events. I just don't see them scrapping them ( as stadium events ) any time soon - they make money from double donations ( congregations paying in advance for the bookings and then JWs donating in person ) , commission on hotels , kickbacks from cities etc etc - its too much of a cash cow to let go. I think basically they have to plan 12/18 months ahead to book locations and they decided that 2021 was too uncertain. I see lots of businesses here scrapping major events as well in 2021 , or moving them tentatively to Sept / Oct "subject to change".

I think the Society will be back with in 2022 with a "special" convention program with some big international events - just to keep people interested.

12

Trade union membership

by Panka in

hi, i am currently supporting a jw colleague with some work problems and have advised them to join our trade union for official support.

am i right that jehovah 's witnesses can't vote or contribute to political funds, but they can join trade unions?

thanking anyone who can help me understand.

dozy

They are allowed to join trade unions - its a conscience matter. In the UK you have the right to opt out of a political levy that many left wing unions have so a JW would have to do that. https://www.cwu.org/about-the-cwu/cwu-in-politics/the-political-levy-and-our-political-fund/ I'm not sure what the situation is in other countries.

21

Cowardly Change of Policy in the UK

by Slidin Fast in

the britain branch has called a confidential meeting tonight with a controversial announcement.

the message is of such import that it was transmitted by word of mouth only, nothing in writing, ears only.

a decision made by the governing body of jehovah's witnesses and transmitted orally down the chain of command, a decision proving the leadership of this spirit lead body.. the gdpr laws in the uk have been interpreted by wt lawyers so that all record keeping relating to the public has been banned, telephone witnessing and letter writing also, forbidden.. now in a show of supreme bravado the publishers are to be informed that if they wish to, if they dare, they may write to people at their own risk.. bear in mind, nothing is in writing.

dozy

With GDPR and Data Protection , this is something of a minefield.

Possibly by prefacing the letter as being sent by "Hi - I am one of your neigbours" and addressing it to "The Householder" rather than a specific named individual then perhaps it might get around the legislation. Even writing to existing calls , such as magazine routes , is probably not OK as they haven't given implicit consent to marketing.

I just wonder how concerned the Society is at the lack of ministry. So much for "the stones will cry out" - the covid pandemic has resulted in virtually an international complete halt.

39

2020-08-25 Food Distribution Program! (as of 2020-08-26)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2020-08-25 food distribution program.

those on the email list have already received this letter.

if you would like a copy, reply below and i'll meet you at your pm box with a link.petra!.

dozy

I would like it please & can you please add me to the list of regulars! Thanks , Dozzzzzzzy

26

Was It Designed? (My head hurts)

by Cadellin in

i know i shouldn't--i tell myself this over and over--but i can't help peeking at these silly articles.

and then i see this and my head really starts hurting: so the gannet, if you don't know (and why would you?

) is a seabird that feeds on fish.

dozy

The problem with these kind of articles is that following this logic , it also follows that God has designed all creation - including the really nasty ones. So did God design the covid 19 virus with its specially designed spike to allow it to attach onto human cells? Or the guinea worm that grows inside a human up to a metre and then agonisingly breaks out when a metre long to propagate itself?

30

2020-08-14 Announcement! (as of 2020-08-15)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2 documents.

2020-08-14 announcement.

one in english and one in german.. .

dozy

please send a copy please....

23

The “simplified” congregation donation arrangement

by slimboyfat in

did anyone else experience a nostalgic throwback to the 1990s when the latest watchtower announcements presented their demand for increased donations from congregations as a “simplified” arrangement?

5. adjustment to resolved congregation donations: in the past, the congregation was presented with multiple resolutions to donate funds to the branch office in support of vari- ous activities cared for by the organization.

this arrangement has been simplified.

dozy

I think the expression has its roots in the scripture "Keep your eye simple". In reality , it has become something of a corporate style buzzword.

24

What Is The Position Of Witnesses For People Who Are Inactive And Don’t Want To Be Bothered By Anyone?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i used to have some close friends simply pay me a friendly visit or call to see how i was doing.. i am curious as to whether or not the society instructed witnesses to no longer check on inactive ones and treat them as marked or disfellowshipped..

dozy

I think the elders still are requested to contact all inactive ones in their area before Memorials. Whether they bother - I don't know. It depends on the bodies of elders - many are too busy / lazy to make much of an effort.

I left over 10 years ago - faded , not DFd - and I haven't been contacted by JWs since then , either door-to door or a "shepherding" request. The few JWs that I know still say hi if I see them around the town but the personnel in my old congregation has changed considerably since I left ( and reduced by about a third in attendance. )

I think probably the elders make a distinction , either consciously or sub-consciously between those who are "weak" ( those who perhaps still believe it is the truth & drift around on the very edge of the organisation ) and those who clearly have seen through the hypocrisy and have formally walked away.

23

Transparency in Field Service Hours

by Earnest in

i notice that in the recent instructions for new regular pioneers (2020-08-s-236-e) it lists a number of assignments for which a pioneer can be credited (up to 75) hours in a month.. these include:construction oversight, assembly hall oversight, assembly oversight, and convention oversight, as well as serving as temporary volunteers at bethel, commuter bethelites, remote volunteers, bethel consultants, hospital liaison committee members, patient visitation group members, disaster relief committee members, local design/construction department field representatives and maintenance trainers, and so forth.

approved assignments also include assisting with kingdom hall construction when such is done at the request of the branch office or its representatives overseeing the project, assisting with pre and post-assembly or convention work, assisting with work at assembly halls, conducting or participating in congregation meetings held in prison, as well as attendance at a theocratic school or class .

when i was pioneering and doing pre and post-assembly work i was told i could include the time spent working in my monthly report, which i did.

dozy

The credits were a "godsend" to many pioneers , particularly those who always struggled to get their time in.

A relative of mine worked several days a week on a big Assembly Hall refurbishment for a couple of years and basically did hardly any ministry other than an occasional token hour on a Saturday morning , yet kept his pioneer status. When I asked him why he didn't just come off the pioneer list and go back on when the refurb had finished, he got quite agitated. The label of pioneer clearly meant a lot to him.