Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  11

  Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 10-18-09 WT Study (HOPE)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  unpublished documents, evidently written by isaac newton, that indicate he believed the world could end in 2060 ad.. (newton also had many other possible dates e.g 2034) [11].

  13:43) how did the true knowledge become.

  actually, until 1927 or so the wts taught that 1799 was the beginning of the "time of the end" not the 1914 the.

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  Doubting Bro

  Terrific research. Thanks for all your hard work!!
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  101

  Other Sheep will start taking the emblems.

  by hamsterbait in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  was at the kingdumb hell yesterday after a gap.. paragraph 11 planted the seed in the sheeples' heads for this.. remember last weeks study, where martha was quoted as saying: "i know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day.

  " (jo 11: 24) the term "last day" was explained as applying to the millennium, in the same way as "judgment day" for those receiving an earthly resurrection.. now for paragraph 11 - i noticed some bemused faces, as usually john 6 is avoided in articles discussing earthly resurrection:.

  " "the bread that i shall give is my flesh," he said.

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  Doubting Bro

  Exactly, no real change here.
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  57

  Rehab has been very interesting, but ended nightmarishly....

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys...oompa here.

  was i in rehab for alcohol addiction or jwd addiction!?!?

  !......no computers or cellphones allowed so i have been awol awhile..... ya, i finally made my self sick enough on booze to realize i was really sick and tired of being sick and tired....so checked myself into rehab without any planning at all and while wife was out of town on a family retreat...it was a a very desperate moment in my life, and i was extremely physically and emotionally sick....i was so desperate i took zero time to reseach where to go, but called an old school friend who said rehab had saved his life and he made the calls and actually took me and helped me check in to the place he went to 5 years ago.

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  Doubting Bro

  oompa - so glad that are ok and that you're getting help. Much strength to your fight to stay on the sobriety path!
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  30

  To all the newbies: How I've have adapted to life outside the Org

  by tooktheredpill in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i havent been active in the forum for some time, but i keep reading your comments every few weeks.

  ive noticed that there are many new members.

  welcome to jwd!!!

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  Doubting Bro

  Terrific update TTRP!! It's inspiring.
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  32

  Other Points From the Annual Meeting

  by jabberwock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i realize that the latest clarification of the generation teaching has been discussed quite a bit on this thread.. but i think that there are at least two other important points from the annual meeting that have been, for the most part, overlooked:.

  1. the weeds of matthew 13 are not the churches of christendom, but apostates.. 2. showing love to our neighbors involves more than just the preaching work.

  (thanks for mentioning this rubadub).

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  Doubting Bro

  HB - I didn't realize that. I thought it included the churchs.

  This just reinforces the fact that very few are actually well versed on every teaching from the WTS. I thought I knew most of the stuff yet that slipped right by me.

  Their takes are so confusing and contradictory at times that they can pretty much do what they want doctrinally as long as they don't drop the no hellfire, no eternal soul, no trinty and paradise on earth teachings. Beyond that, I think the average JW really doesn't care because its too complex.
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  16

  Could the GB Perceive Preaching As Worthless?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we're seeing a lot of changes that suggest that a drift in attitude may be occuring in regard to the "preaching" work.

  the latest info on having (real) love for your neighbor(i.e.

  charity) is just more of the same.. they cut literature, magazines - and distribution of magazines and pray, pray, pray and still the donations don't come in to allow them to do what they want.

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  Doubting Bro

  I think the original goal of service was to sell literature. Sure, they got recruits and that also lead to $$$ but even if they didn't get the recruits, they still had a steady flow of cash from the publishers who were buying the literature and then reselling, er, placing.

  After that horrible decision to drop the set pricing to avoid taxes, they are left with the same model of using fs to move literature but they rely on voluntary contributions (again mostly from publishers) to provide their profit margin. However, folks may be donating the same amount they used to pay (maybe, probably not) but that was what, 15 years ago? Then, add in the fact that most of the growth is coming from poorer countries with less funds to "voluntarily" contribute and you've got the current cash crunch.

  The control mechanism is obviously a huge part of fs and I think they later learned they could use it as a touchstone to measure everyone's worth to the corporation. The more hours you have, the more literature you sell, the more money the corporation makes. Top male salesmen could be promoted based on their production.

  But, if you don't have the motive to move literature since selling literature doesn't have an acceptable margin anymore, it seems like you'd want to come up with another control mechanism with either busy work or legit work (such as in the case of the RBC).

  Organized preaching will always have to be there in some form or fashion because besides refusing blood and not celebrating holidays, its the only thing most people know about JWs. You can't drop your signature trait. But, I do think they will change the methods to reduce the amount of literature moved by going to tracts or special campaigns.

  There are a bunch of different senarios that I can picture where you keep the preaching work but leave it to pioneers (similar to what the Mormons do) or have everyone participate in special campaigns 4 times of the year with the rest devoted to something else. You could still keep the control no matter what the activity.

  I don't think for one minute the GB would ever completely drop preaching. But, I do think something is going to have to change to reduce the amount of literature produced to improve profit margins.
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  32

  Other Points From the Annual Meeting

  by jabberwock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i realize that the latest clarification of the generation teaching has been discussed quite a bit on this thread.. but i think that there are at least two other important points from the annual meeting that have been, for the most part, overlooked:.

  1. the weeds of matthew 13 are not the churches of christendom, but apostates.. 2. showing love to our neighbors involves more than just the preaching work.

  (thanks for mentioning this rubadub).

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  Doubting Bro

  OTWO - I didn't think about that aspect but am in complete agreement. I have to believe that they are still making some money on literature or they wouldn't print it. But, I'm sure their margins have been drastically reduced and they need to find a new business model.

  I do think that more men would participate. Ever been to a KH clean-up day just before the memorial? It's usually held on a Sat morning. Every one I've ever been to has been 1)well attended, 2) everyone is in a good mood, 3) there's usually a nice social aspect to it with food, coffee and 4) there are always WAY more men present to do the handyman work & outdoor work than there EVER is for a Sat morning service group (with the exception of when the CO is in town). And, everyone can feel like they were doing God's work and not feel guilty about skipping service.

  It's a win-win but I think that's probably why the WTS won't do it. Although, I really never thought they would give up a meeting night either.

  This would be a nice fit if they wanted to Mormonize.
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  32

  Other Points From the Annual Meeting

  by jabberwock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i realize that the latest clarification of the generation teaching has been discussed quite a bit on this thread.. but i think that there are at least two other important points from the annual meeting that have been, for the most part, overlooked:.

  1. the weeds of matthew 13 are not the churches of christendom, but apostates.. 2. showing love to our neighbors involves more than just the preaching work.

  (thanks for mentioning this rubadub).

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  Doubting Bro

  sir82 - you crack me up! I agree that I have a hard time seeing that but I also had a hard time believing they would cut out the CBS. If they are getting pressure in a few western countries (I'm thinking the EU here and not the US) about demonstrating they deserve their tax exempt status, you can bet your last dollar they will do whatever it takes to keep that status.

  Remember how quickly dropped the set pricing on literature after Swaggert lost his court case?

  It is all about the Bengies baby!

  Now, there's no way in Hades they would even consider doing this without a real threat to the NFP status for the reasons you state above.
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  32

  Other Points From the Annual Meeting

  by jabberwock in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i realize that the latest clarification of the generation teaching has been discussed quite a bit on this thread.. but i think that there are at least two other important points from the annual meeting that have been, for the most part, overlooked:.

  1. the weeds of matthew 13 are not the churches of christendom, but apostates.. 2. showing love to our neighbors involves more than just the preaching work.

  (thanks for mentioning this rubadub).

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  Doubting Bro

  Regarding #2 - There was a recent WT "study" article that encouraged JWs to do good for others in practical ways. It was maybe 2 months ago or so (I don't remember the actual date). I can look through my (non-highlighted) WTs and see if I can find the quote.

  If they were to maybe change the definition of service/ministry to include doing good for others, my guess is that it would be entirely to help keep their not for profit, tax free, status. You could meet at the KH on Sat mornings and break up into groups that would work on specific projects and report time spent. I know a bunch of pioneers that work at RBCs that get to count that time towards their annual hourly requirement so the concept isn't that radical.

  I'd bet they'd actually get a lot more participation and those hours spent would actually benefit more than just the gas stations and coffee shops that current field service does.

  Regarding #1 - I agree this would be a drastic departure from their current interpertation of Matt 13 but really, when did that ever stop them???

  I see #1 as happening. #2 I think is the best idea they've come up with in years and therefore not one that will be implemented. If it is done, then at least the community would see some benefit.
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  148

  Notes From the Annual Meeting - Oct 3, 2009

  by daniel-p in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from a little bird... .

  interesting portions highlighted.

  notes from annual meeting (oct 3, 2009) .

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  Doubting Bro

  ynot - that is scary! Actually, I could totally see that happening!