It's been a problem for awhile and its only getting worse for them. Either they delete people for stuff that's stupid (going to college) or they burn them out. What's left are mostly power hungery self righteous company men.
Doubting Bro
JoinedPosts by Doubting Bro
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113
WTBTS Elder & Ministerial Servant Problems
by JW GoneBad ini attended a recent ministerial servant k m school on the east coast and the main school instructor mentioned among other things (part entitled: 'objective of the km school course') that the total number of ministerial servants is seriously less than it should be.
in times past the ratio of m ss to elders was much more than it is today.. in the u.s. apparently the total number of elders is 88,500+ as opposed to m ss 65,000. the numbers show & numbers don't lie: the society is running out of spiritual men.
the instructor stated that this is a new downward trend that has (in so many words) the society worried.. the next speaker (part entitled: 'why we must be spiritual men') added that in his years as a traveling servant the pool of m ss has always been much, much larger than it is today.
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Doubting Bro
I haven't tried Old Tom but it looks fantastic. I've been to the UK a few times and love being able to get good beer pretty much everywhere. We have tons of good beer here in the US (at least in many parts) but tons of bad beer too. You have to know where you're going to get a decent pint.
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With the latest Australian Special Talk, we now have a complete picture of the Organizational Plan
by WingCommander inper this australian talk, found here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/203281/1/latest-special-talk-in-australia id say we have now seen the future........ ah yes........the governing body is now starting to show their hand, to begin to show their future plans for this false-religion-cult of fear and oppression.
it has been said on here for the last few years now, that with the elimination/combination of the book study at the kingdom halls instead of at homes, the introduction of new rule books (keep yourself in god's love) and the new elder manual that a "tightening of the reigns" was beginning.
and so, just as the members of jwd and the internet have written, so it shall be done by the governing body overlords.
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Doubting Bro
cattails - I don't doubt for a minute that's what the CO said however it seems to contradict what the WTS has put in writing (not that it's so unusual). We don't have a list of publishers who are associated with various service groups posted where I attend, so I won't be able to check it here to see if it's a new directive or something this CO is doing on his own. Actually now that I think of it, the last 3 congregations I've attended also didn't have a list of service groups on the "information board".
Thanks for the information. I wonder though if that means the inactive person is actually not assigned to the service group or if they are but just not listed as a publisher in the service group. That would mean technically they wouldn't have to change the direction that I quoted yet could still inform the rest of the congregation who is inactive and who is not. Most are aware anyway.
I still don't think they're going to implement institutionalized shunning for inactive the way that it's done for DA or DF but rather leave it the way it is which means zealous JWs typically avoid socializing with fringe JWs.
Guess we'll have to wait and see.
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With the latest Australian Special Talk, we now have a complete picture of the Organizational Plan
by WingCommander inper this australian talk, found here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/203281/1/latest-special-talk-in-australia id say we have now seen the future........ ah yes........the governing body is now starting to show their hand, to begin to show their future plans for this false-religion-cult of fear and oppression.
it has been said on here for the last few years now, that with the elimination/combination of the book study at the kingdom halls instead of at homes, the introduction of new rule books (keep yourself in god's love) and the new elder manual that a "tightening of the reigns" was beginning.
and so, just as the members of jwd and the internet have written, so it shall be done by the governing body overlords.
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Doubting Bro
I don't see anything different in that talk. On the other thread, references were given that show the WTS believes that in order to live up to your dedication (to the WTS) that one must engage in the public "preaching" work. If you're inactive right now, you likely have no "privileges" with the exception of commenting. I've seen inactive ones or ones who rarely make any meetings being removed from the TMS without being told although that's probably not WTS procedure. As others have mentioned, I've also see inactive folks labeled as bad association and avoided at least on a social basis. Not shunning but probably more in line with how Paul wanted df'ing to be practiced. Marked if you will but without the official marking talk.
If the question is whether GB 2.0 will be more hard-lined, I think we'd really have to wait and see if they decide to appoint any additional members and who those members are. Also key would be whether the hard core guys such as Losch emerge as the new "boss".
I think it could easily go to a much more hardcore stance about certain things as GB 2.0 wishes to get back to their roots or go back to the good old days when JWs were fully engaged. I can see them thinking that's the answer. The other option would be to go a little more mainstream which has been discussed at length.
But in terms of considering one DA'ed because they're inactive, it really seems counterproductive and unnecessary. These folks are already treated poorly without official sanctions. So, what advantage would it be to place sanctions on these people?
By the way, if a person hits inactive status, per the "Shepherd the Flock of God" book, page 52, paragraphs 16 & 17, a short time inactive person (short time not defined but likely less than a year) may be assigned to work with an "experienced publisher" and reactivated without the Service Committee assigning a person to study with that person. A long time inactive person (not defined) will need to go through a process similar to what a person who is a first time publisher i.e. does the person meet the requirements set forth in the Organized to Do Jehovah's Will book, pags 79-81. And, someone would probably study with them (and get to count the time, yeah!)
Now why would the WTS publish 2 pages of information in their brand new elders book that reinforces the standing procedure (page 50, paragraph 12) that states an inactive person should be assigned to a service group (change in terminology from book study group) only to scrap it before many elders have even seen the book or been through the KM school? It just doesn't make sense.
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Baby Girl Graduating From Uni ...
by snowbird in... summa cum laude, this here saturday.
she was #2 in her high school graduating class of 750 in 2007.. so proud!
syl.
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Doubting Bro
Congratulations on a fantastic accomplishment.
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2010 Partakers number is out!!!
by Hairyhegoat inhey here we go!!!.
they will need to buy some more crackers and cheap wine for next year now.
what are the borg going to concocked now to cover there ass with the number of morons going up again at the memorial 2010 ?.
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Doubting Bro
mmxiv - you'd still be closer than the other WT prophesies!! You're hired.
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How many registered sex offenders in territory
by just n from bethel ini just had a thought.
is there any provision for service overseers/territory servants to keep the territories updated with registered sex offenders?
i'm not talking about jws that are registered and attending - i'm referring to all the sex offenders registered in the congregation territory.
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Doubting Bro
LITS - that's insane on so many different levels.
Edited to add - that's an insane situation and those parents that allow their young children to take doors without an adult and the elders that allow the pedos to go door to door are equally stupid.
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How many registered sex offenders in territory
by just n from bethel ini just had a thought.
is there any provision for service overseers/territory servants to keep the territories updated with registered sex offenders?
i'm not talking about jws that are registered and attending - i'm referring to all the sex offenders registered in the congregation territory.
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Doubting Bro
When I was secretary, I used to look them up every year and list them as brothers only - do not call. Everyone thought it was a good idea but I'm not sure if they're still doing it in that congregation. I don't think there was any specific direction at the time, I just did it on my own.
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Change and Challenges Facing the Watchtower
by eric356 insome of you may have seen my previous thread of almost the same title.
i've thought a bit more and formatted my thoughts into a longer essay.
change and challenges facing the watchtower.
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Doubting Bro
Eric,
Nicely done. You may want to touch on dfing and how that has stifled creative thought and the crisis of leadership. As the case with any top-down driven organization, those in the lower rungs may have many ideas that could lead to sucessful changes however these ideas are ignored and those that persist are often threatened with dfing. Dfing and the resulting extreme shunning also keeps marginal JWs from leaving which helps prop up their statistics. The poor treatment of ex members has also contributed to anti-JW websites and literature which has an effect on recruiting in developed countries.
It's interesting because I think some of these issues are similar to what the LDS faced. They took a different route by encouraging education, making their preaching (which is still one of the identifying brand marks of the LDS) something that is done for a limited duration for members, and engaging in lots of charitable activities. They are doing well financially, have strong retention rates and IMO most importantly for a religion, still keep a very high level of control on their members. They have kept almost all of their wacky doctrine and are not considered a mainstream religion especially by the majority of Christians.
Your thoughts on preaching and publishing are spot on. I had a visit from a couple of Mormons not long ago and I didn't realize they don't actually carry the BOM door to door anymore. They handed out a tract with an 800 number and e-mail address (I think, can't remember for sure on that piece) that you could contact if you wanted a copy. I bet that they have figured out that its much cheaper to mail out the books that publish a bunch that may end up sitting in some missionary's closet unused.
Overall, I agree with your conculsion that they will be around for a long time absent any black swan sort of event. They are just too big and too wealthy (look at all that NYC real estate they still own) to collapse anytime soon.
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Unbelievable WT Oct 15/2010 2nd study article
by bobld in"our viewpoint may be distorted or limited" par 16 "mosaic law-he(god) did not enforce his own law"wtf.. so the gb/fds will tell us their distorted viewpoint.they say law given to imperfect judges who could not read hearts.yet the gb/fds says they can by their pharisaic laws and rules ie child abuse/shunning/etc.. why did god give the mosaic law if they could not read hearts.oh it was ok for the israelites to kill some people for adultery/murder but not david because they could not read his heart.wtf does it matter if he was sorry and repentent were not the others just as sorry and repentent.. b.
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Doubting Bro
A loving God wouldn't allow an innocent man to suffer. The adultry wasn't nearly as bad as the murder. Couldn't God have told Uriah that he should sleep with his wife as David had originally planned to cover up the pregency? Why did poor Uriah have to die?
And the census took so many lives, as if those innocent people meant nothing.
It is very difficult for many to reconcile the God of the Old Testament with Jesus message of love and peace.
BTW - I thought of Blondie when the David example was used right away. It's almost as if the WT writer directed it to her!