Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  47

  LATEST BIG RUMOR: WTS calls a moratorium on ALL KH construction in US & Canada

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  based on an informal conversation this past weekend.... an elder with "connections" to the local rbc stated that he heard that the society was instituting a moratorium on all kingdom hall construction in the us and canada.

  any projects for which funding has already been arranged will continue, but as of now, no new kh construction loans are being approved by the society.. there are enough projects in the pipeline that rbcs will still be busy for the next year or 2, but after that....who knows?.

  my thoughts:.

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  Doubting Bro

  The Society used to charge 3% interest on loans, but about a year ago they stopped charging any interest at all. No explanation was given.

  I must have missed or forgotten about that one. I wonder if the interest created a tax liability? Hard to claim charitable status when you're charging interest. And, if you're not charging interest, then your actually losing money since I'm sure the WTS invests it's cash reserves and holds long term investments like stocks and bonds.

  One thing is for sure, it's ALWAYS about the money.

  US halls should finance their own remodels/builds. And when US congragations decide to do so, the local congregations will have no say in how the money is spent. RBC will contol the funds and ensure they are used for the project wisely.

  But if the congregation wants to over spend on fancy sound systems or decorative features, isn't it their money? I can tell you that in once recent example, the local BOE told the RBC to stuff it when it came to a renovation. We actually found a much better price with a local contractor. I have friends in other places that have similar stories.

  If the WTS wants to own the local KH, then they should. If not, then they should allow the locals to do what they want. I understand that if you're giving a low cost loan you get some right to tell folks how they can spend the money, i.e. - in order to qualify for the low cost loan, you must use the RBC. But, if the WTS stops financing they are going to have a tougher time controling how the locals. The only way you could do it would be to threaten to remove the local BOE.
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  33

  So, how many of you stayed single or childless for the sake of the Kingdom? And how many people in your Hall are single or childless for that reason?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my hall growing up, i remember 6 childless couples.

  some have died, some are still alive.. i stayed single for the kingdom, hope to change that.. presently in my congregation, there are 4 brothers over 30, two over 40, that are single for the kingdom.

  and about 10 single sisters over 25.. three of the five married elders have no children.

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  Doubting Bro

  In one of my old congregations, there's a baby boom going on. In most of these cases, all the couples have been married in excess of 10 years and are in their early to mid 30s. The childless couples I know either 1) had fertility issues but wanted kids. They're older (50s) and didn't have the medical help that we have now or 2) didn't want kids for reasons other than "the truth".

  Actually, most of the couples that I know that were remaining childless until the new system are now divorced.
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  216

  No One Should Be Made to Choose…..LIES from July 09 Awake

  by Hopscotch in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the following quote is taken from the article is it wrong to change your religion?

  in the july 2009 awake p29:

  no one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family.

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  Doubting Bro

  Wow - Every single person who left for doctrinal issues should show this article to their family. It took balls of steel to put that one in print! Do they not think that folks are going to read this????
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  34

  $6,600 Expenses For a One-Day Assembly At a Fully-Paid-Up Hall? WTF!

  by Room 215 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the wife just got back from a one-day special circuit meeting (or whatever they call it) at the regional assembly hall.

  it's got a capacity of about 1,200, fully paid for, staffed by volunteers and in use for less than eight hours.

  then the guy making the announcement tells the crowd that the one-day expenses for the gig was about $6,600 (?!!!)...

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  Doubting Bro

  There's a cost per assigned publisher + the circuit elders make a "donation" to the world wide work and to the kingdom hall fund. In my circuit, they actually gave the amounts from the last time and I realized that the actual cost for the facility was actually less than 1/2 of the total expenses. If I remember, the total expenses were around 6k but there was 2k given to the www and 2k given to the khf so I think the real expense was 2k.

  The WTS started putting pressure a few years ago on circuits to donate a set amount as opposed to just donating the surplus. This way, Momma can count on a steady cash flow.
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  78

  6/15 WT- GB More Powerful than Worldwide Anointed- Don't Judge Partaking

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  more of the latest from the june 15th " witness only " watchtower.

  under the article " the faithful steward and it's governing body " there were some very telling quotes which could indicate how the wt society is tightening the control of it's members - and trying to justify more partaking of the emblems at the memorial since the numbers partaking have gone up from about 8,000 to 10,000 since they no longer feel that the sealing of the anointed ended in 1935.. so first off, notice this quote indicating the importance of elevating the governing body over the rest of the anointed around the earth.

  paragraph 16 it states , " are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truths ?

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  Doubting Bro

  Ynot - Your comment about Paul is dead on. They love to talk about how Paul was used, but at the same time, they don't consider him a member of the 1st century "GB". Can you imagine what would happen if a CO or DO (the position I've most heard Paul compared to) were to go off on missions visiting local congregations and writing letters to them after he left giving them direction? He would be df'ed so fast their heads would spin!

  PP - I would imagine your conduct is more worthy of being put on a pedestal than the GBs!
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  19

  The "faithful and discreet slave class" - Past, Present and Future

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  iv) believe that jesus christ is mediator for "the faithful and discreet slave".

  today, that "slave" is represented by the governing body of jehovah's witnesses.

  5. elders.

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  Doubting Bro

  BTTT - Nice summary, love the quotes.
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  78

  6/15 WT- GB More Powerful than Worldwide Anointed- Don't Judge Partaking

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  more of the latest from the june 15th " witness only " watchtower.

  under the article " the faithful steward and it's governing body " there were some very telling quotes which could indicate how the wt society is tightening the control of it's members - and trying to justify more partaking of the emblems at the memorial since the numbers partaking have gone up from about 8,000 to 10,000 since they no longer feel that the sealing of the anointed ended in 1935.. so first off, notice this quote indicating the importance of elevating the governing body over the rest of the anointed around the earth.

  paragraph 16 it states , " are all these anointed ones throughout the earth part of a global network that is somehow involved in revealing new spiritual truths ?

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  Doubting Bro

  PP - Ever since them dropping the idea that the "heavenly calling" ceased in 1935, I've been of the opinion that they are going to change their view on the 144k being a literal number since that's the only literal number they use out of a book that they say is highly symbolic. I don't think that would upset too many JWs. Even having everyone participate and separating the kingdom covenant from the new covenant - in other words have the symbolic 144k still the only ones going to heaven but have the partaking of the emblems just as expression of Jesus ransom.

  As you point out, this would solve both the problem of the increase in the "annointed" and serve to solidify their position. I think they may actually be worried that a charasmatic "newly annointed" person who is very popular in a local area could actually try to form a break off group. Stranger things have happened.
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  102

  Accidental Instantaneous Sex

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the litter-ature over the years has teachings that imply jehovah's special people are all on the verge of having unplanned sex on a moment's notice, with anyone, at any time.. you must have a chaperone if you are to be alone with someone of the opposite sex, even briefly.. this applies to people of any ages.

  you could be a 99-year-old raisin whose flagpole hasn't risen since rutherford was living in beth sarim, but you still shouldn't be alone with a pimply 16-year-old shy obese virgin who still plays with barbie dolls.

  she's a seductress!

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  Doubting Bro

  I deeply resent Reniaa's accusation that I am an animal that can not control my sexual urges. I've been married around 15 years and have NEVER even thought about cheating on my wife. Why? Not because I have to be monitored every second. As a matter of fact, I've traveled on business with female workmates and been alone in places with women that are not my wife.

  I don't cheat on my wife because I love her.

  Plus, I thought this thread was about not being alone with a member of the opposite sex not about "turning a blind eye to immorality". You always seem to change the subject.

  This is yet another example of the Pharisaical attitude of the WTS. We're too imperfect to follow Jesus' simple command so you have to set up a "hedge around the law".

  P.S. - The main reason elders are not allowed to go on sheparding calls alone is to protect the WTS from lawsuits surrounding accusations of abuse as well as provide the 2 witnesses needed for any JC action if a confession is made.
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  27

  Was There A Cover Up About The "Air Force One" Plane In NYC Yesterday?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some are saying that having a "photo-op" makes no sense and the fact that the mayor of nyc knew nothing about it raises eyebrows.. what do you think?.

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  Doubting Bro

  The photo op excuse seems a bit unbelievable to me. If they want a picture of Air Force One in front of Lady Liberty, there's this really cool software called Photo Shop. Why waste tax payers money for not only the plane but the fighters that were beside it. Also, all the manuvering seemed like evasive actions.

  My guess is that it was some sort of training exercise. But, to choose to do it over NYC was really stupid. Whoever was responsible for it and the panic that enviably would follow should be fired immediately.
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  27

  So I went to dinner with a big group of Witnesses last night - No Biblical discussion or WT talk of any kind

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there were 20 in the group from 3 congregations.

  it was kind of a "special talk" special meal with the speaker and his wife.. no one, i mean no one, not the elders there, nor the pioneers, talked about anything "spiritual.

  " everything was about work, entertainment, personalities in the congregation, and music.

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  Doubting Bro

  UC - exactly. I think its great that so many JWs don't take "the truth" nearly as seriously as they used to. Clearly the under 40 generations do not place the same level of committment to the WTS as the older generations did. I can't count the number of times we were counseled either from the platform or from the KM/WT on how our conversations should be spritually upbuilding. For example, when I was younger, I don't recall very much gossip in service. Now (at least in my experience) the topics of conversation have little to nothing to do about WT teachings or the Bible.

  Not sure how an observation of discussions is either positive or negative. It is what it is.