Posts by Doubting Bro

11

In todays Atlantic secret JW Database

by Lets Think in

https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2019/03/the-secret-jehovahs-witness-database-of-child-molesters/584311/.

Doubting Bro

Well written article. Very powerful and if I were a PIMI JW, it would certainly give me pause.

79

Ending Bible Study

by Maria Nieves in

i have been studying with jehovah's witnesses for approximately two years.

initially, i liked the studies and felt that i was growing closer to god.

however, as the studies progressed, they seemed to become increasingly negative and i did not like what i was being taught.

Your JW teacher won't be treated poorly by the congregation because you quit the study. Everyone will say that Satan got to you but they won't blame the JW. I have never in the 40+ years I've been associated seen anyone treated poorly because a "worldly" (sorry, I don't mean that as an insult to you, just using the phrase JWs would use) person quit a study. Now, if you were the persons child, that would bring some impact but really so many born in JWs leave, even that wouldn't be that big of a deal.

You will lose their "friendship" but keep in mind, ALL relationships as a JW are conditional. But, it won't be the same as being disfellowshipped. They will still talk to you in efforts to recruit you again. But, I don't they duck you in public.

I'm happy you woke up before you got in too deep!

108

New Upcoming Changes - No More Publisher Record Cards & Reporting Hours

by thedepressedsoul in

publisher record cards and reporting hours will be going away.

.

coming soon.. made this post 4 years ago, it happened - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source.

Doubting Bro

I believe the tax was sales tax in California which then applied nationally since it was a Supreme Court case. But, all they would need to do is add the tax onto the cost just like any other commercial product.

108

New Upcoming Changes - No More Publisher Record Cards & Reporting Hours

by thedepressedsoul in

publisher record cards and reporting hours will be going away.

.

coming soon.. made this post 4 years ago, it happened - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source.

Doubting Bro

I 100% agree with SBF. The general public hasn't been the customer of the WTS publishing machine for decades. The customer probably since at least the 40s if not earlier has ALWAYS been rank & file JWs. Think about the magazines for example.

Family of 4 need a subscription or copy of the old WT rag which included articles "for the public" as well as study articles. Plus the pressure to also at least get a personal copy of Awake. So that's 16 mags per month (back when they did each semimonthly). That same family maybe placed say 8 each so 32. But, if you add in all the books bibles and other items that were rarely sold to the public (at least I rarely placed them but maybe I was just bad), the placements to the public were a small piece of the puzzle. And the least expensive item to produce as well as the item with the lowest cost tag.

Dropping the sale of the literature all of the sudden made their income variable and dependent on voluntary donations from JWs. Not many people I've seen have actually tried to get a donation from the public and those that ask often don't receive. And we know JWs are not that generous nor do many have a ton of disposable income (across the globe).

You go from knowing you're going to get a set amount based on past consumption to just hoping someone donates and you end up exactly where they are.

If they kept the sales portion and paid taxes, I really don't think the average JW would have reduced their standing orders. Maybe some would have, but I don't believe it would have been significant. Also, they would have still bought the higher margin (assuming) items such as books, bibles, videos, whatever. Likely at the same rate since you would only be adding a few percentage points to the overall cost.

The reason they had releases every year at the conventions was to sell books. It took them too long to realize they couldn't get the same returns so they cut down on the quality first (paperback books) then moved to online at the same time reducing the quantity. No sense in publishing items that you can't make money on.

I think it's pretty evident that JWs are not donating at the same rate that they previously purchased. So while some double dipping takes place, it's difficult to believe that it's significant. Certainly not what they expected but because they have no real business sense, their expectations were not grounded in reality.

I guess they could drop the requirement without the foresight of what it will do to morale. It's just odd to me that they would do that. I could see them doing other things to save money before stopping to micromanage people at the local level. I believe others have mentioned that the individual reports never go to the WTS, what is reported is the aggregate activity of each congregation (former secretary here).

12

Jehovah's Witness parents prevent blood transfusions for three children

by Not_Culty in

feb 26 2019 jehovah's witness parents prevent blood transfusions for three children.

the father said he was entitled to refuse to consent to the administering of a blood transfusion as he firmly believed that there were "medically acceptable alternatives that are as effective, if not more effective".. https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2019-02-26-jehovahs-witness-parents-prevent-blood-transfusions-for--three-children/.

Doubting Bro

Agreed. Adults should have complete freedom to choose their treatment method even if that method isn't the best choice. They should also be able to choose to refuse treatment. Kids on the other hand should be given the best available treatment with statically the highest chance of success.

13

"Dog bites religious books on South Florida beach, but his owner gets put in the doghouse"

by ShirleyW in

jw
friends

the thing that stands out about this story is and i italicized below is, the jw said he had a permit, which i really, really, really, have a strong feeling that this is the biggest lie told on the planet, dubs just set those damn carts down wherever they please, step back about five feet from them and start looking at their phones are gossiping with their pioneer partner about everyone else in the cong while getting their hours in.. man's best friend also proved to be his best accomplice in the case of a marathon man and his french bulldog butterbean.edgar wallis jones, 59, was walking his dog on sombrero beach feb. 6 at 11:30 a.m. jones approached a jehovah's witness who had a cart filled with religious literature set up near a pavilion.he told the man that he was not allowed on city or state property with religious books.

the victim responded that he had a permit and that they were free.jones said if the literature was free, he would take all of it.

he grabbed the cart while butterbean began chewing on some of the books.

Doubting Bro

Was the cart there legally? The perp brings up a good point. I'm assuming the cops investigated that aspect of it?

108

New Upcoming Changes - No More Publisher Record Cards & Reporting Hours

by thedepressedsoul in

publisher record cards and reporting hours will be going away.

.

coming soon.. made this post 4 years ago, it happened - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source.

Doubting Bro

Interesting. I wonder if the various privacy laws have created a situation where they don't want to keep all that personal data? If they dumped it completely, it would be a massive culture change and would likely cut FS activity even more than it already is down. Also, it would create difficultly in assessing how to appoint elders & MS. Plus, to the many women who have nothing to reach out for in terms of prestige within the organization, if you take away the pioneer designation, you demoralized your best performers with one decision.

I don't doubt your information nor your source TDS, I just can't figure out how they can possibly think dropping the collection of FS reports would be a good idea. It would impact so many things.

85

''Special Letter'' to be Read In Canada Week of Feb 3,2019

by Beth Sarim in

i have just been informed that there is a 'special letter' to be read at the meetings week of feb 3,2019 in canada.

anybody heard of this!!

just a heads-up!

Doubting Bro

I think it had to do with a bunch of congregations being merged in Montreal.

46

Halls closing

by iknowthetruth in

jw
friends

in my city philadelphia they closed many kingdom halls.

my hall was desolved and most of the publishers were added to a congregation that only had 50 publishers.

.

Doubting Bro

I was at a "gathering" (ugh) the other week with folks from a variety of different congregations in the area (eastern US) and the combining of congregations was a major topic of discussion. Nearly everyone was impacted in one way or another. My parents live in a rural area and their hall is getting shut down and sold and they will now have at a minimum 40 minute drive each way. They are getting up in age and are concerned about driving at night in the winter. I told them they should dial into those mid-week meetings but my dad is an elder and has a part every week.

Seeing the impact on them first hand makes me change my mind about how much this bothers folks. I guess because I'm not really connected anymore, I could care less what hall I have to attend. Of course, I don't go to that many meetings anymore so its not a bother to me. But to faithful old ones, they feel like they are being abandoned. Thing is, my parents even express it but just shrug their shoulders and follow direction. Yet, you can see the discouragement in their faces.

Nice job GB. Keep kicking the only people who care about you.

85

''Special Letter'' to be Read In Canada Week of Feb 3,2019

by Beth Sarim in

i have just been informed that there is a 'special letter' to be read at the meetings week of feb 3,2019 in canada.

anybody heard of this!!

just a heads-up!

Doubting Bro

Sorry but I'm not buying the whole watching if you don't have a lapel card. There definitely is an increase in attendants but saying there are more attendants than attendees is complete hyperbole. I find it a little weird that they open the doors for you in the morning and greet most people walking in but it's pretty easy to simile and return a greeting. And, I would imagine they are doing that to see if someone is acting suspiciously. Keep in mind that for RCs, there is a campaign to invite the public. Now, I can't recall a time seeing someone from the public actually come in from an invitation but I guess it's happened. So, it's really hard to say you have to have a badge then turn around and invite the public.

The only time I EVER wore a badge was when I had an assignment and was forced to. Never once have I had anyone say anything to me. Of course, I looked like I belonged in terms of dress, having a bag, etc. But still.....