Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  17

  Victoria, Australia: Here is what JWs didn't do--fill out the "Working With Children" Application Form

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  here is a link to a .pdf version of the working with children (wwc) application form that steven unthank has put on his website.

  very important reading material to understand the wwc act and to see the questions asked to those who wanted to comply (or not to comply) with the act.

  the download link is: http://workingwithchildrencheck.wordpress.com/.

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  Doubting Bro

  I think his theory is that since all baptized JWs are "ordained ministers" and volunteers who go door to door to preach thus having direct contact with a child (or at least the possiblity of such contact) then everyone who goes in service should apply.

  That differs from other religious organizations whose members are not considered "ordained ministers" (WTS own description of baptized JWS) and who do not engage in preaching from door to door.

  The most recent instructions I saw was that the WTS wants their elders to comply. It's obvious from the link above that the law clearly applies to them and I could see where it would apply to MS as well since they could be placed in a position of oversight of a child (cleaning the hall, FS groups, etc). I know here in the US, the WTS has argued sucessfully that clergy privilege laws apply to JW elders so I don't see how legally you could say they aren't ministers.

  I think having all comply is probably a stretch. They'll likely argue that the rank and file go out strictly on their own accord and have no direct appointment from the WTS.

  I can't believe the Legal department hasn't already gotten the WTS to lay off the "ordained ministers" title applying to all JWs. I'll bet if Unthank wins, they'll drop it.
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  118

  What does your user name mean????

  by karter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anything ???.

  .

  karter ...i race go-karts.

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  Doubting Bro

  When I joined, I was having questions about the org. I always wondered why "Doubting" Thomas could get away with asking Jesus to prove who he was after the resurrection yet I couldn't ask for the same level of proof from an organization that was supposed to be just a group of God's servants. So, instead of using my real first name (because I'm scared of being outed) I replaced with my KH first name (Bro - brother).
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  122

  It's BACK - the 2011 Global Survey of JWs!!

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm pleased to announce that despite some considerable teething troubles (of which many of you will be aware!

  ), the 2011 survey of jws is back on the road!

  there is no need for any donations, so none will be asked for in any way, shape or form.

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  Doubting Bro

  Here's the thing that's most interesting to me. There is a "spiritually strong" congregation on the surface that is apostate. Granted, you're likely of that mindset if you've found the survey but stunning nonetheless:

  94 "active"

  9 elders, 17 MS, 9 reg pioneers and even 1 MTS grad

  How many congregations would love to have stats like that? Impressive indeed.

  What I pull away from this is that there may be a lot more folks like me ("active" but unbelieving) than I think.

  Very encouraging brother!!!
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  47

  2011 Annual meeting information needed!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  barbara anderson has already mentioned that she is swamped with emails.

  she also needs date information on the 2011 annual meeting.. many thanks!.

  nevada.

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  Doubting Bro

  Jah1914 - Thanks for your confirmation. I tend to discount anything that is mentioned on the 6 screens site but I guess even a blind squirrel finds a nut every so often. Your points are well taken and I agree that it's a savvy move from a monetary sense . Certainly the culture shock has knocked out many a missionary. And not having to take care of these folks once they graduate is a huge point. I can't recall how much they spend in taking care of "special full time servants" but I want to say its just above 100m per year (USD). That's a number they would love to shave down I'm sure. The consolidation of various Bethel branches is another example of trying to get that number to a more managable one.

  Question - did your friend indicate whether the WTS is going to be recalling the current missionaries and reassigning them to their home areas? That would be very interesting. Honestly, I don't see how they could not given the turnover rates that are being mentioned. Or perhaps they just slowly close down missionary homes once they lose critical mass in various countries? That way they don't have to announce anything.

  Sir82 - I was thinking the same thing. I really think their legal team is trying to figure out how to break the chain of liability before they get hammered. The sexual abuse suit that was settled what 2 years ago or so was likely the tip of the iceberg as far as those go. While the settlement wasn't huge, it caught their attention. You start paying out 800k per person to settle those and it can add up pretty quickly. Obviously nothing like the Catholic Church because they are so much smaller but significant nonetheless.

  I do think there's a psychological effect that they haven't considered when deciding to change Gilead and not churn out missionaries. Gilead used to be a point of pride for JWs. Having a special school devoted to producing missionaries while "other religions" sent out folks with much less training (like the LDS). Maybe not, but I just can see this causing a few to wonder that's going on.
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  47

  2011 Annual meeting information needed!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  barbara anderson has already mentioned that she is swamped with emails.

  she also needs date information on the 2011 annual meeting.. many thanks!.

  nevada.

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  Doubting Bro

  Gayle,

  I agree, it's always about the money. But, having missionaries in 3rd world countries bringing in recruits does keep the numbers up and provides encouragement to the rank and file JWs in the mature JW countries where growth is almost at a stand-still.

  I saw Terry's post that was cut and pasted from that 6 screens site that mentioned the same thing and I'm now very suspicious that they're making this change at all. If "Johnny the Bethelite" claims it, it must be false!!
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  47

  2011 Annual meeting information needed!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  barbara anderson has already mentioned that she is swamped with emails.

  she also needs date information on the 2011 annual meeting.. many thanks!.

  nevada.

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  Doubting Bro

  Wow, this is quite a change. So, if I'm reading this correctly, Gillead will be used not to train missionaries but to have folks provide support to local congregations? Sort of like the MTS was used for? It's really strange because I thought the School for Couples was basically going to be used for that. School for Single Brothers was the direct replacement for MTS right?

  I wonder if this is somehow tied to the long rumored replacement of the CO position?

  Given the amount of growth from nations where they send Gillead trained missionaries, this makes no sense whatsoever. It almost sounds like they're de-emphasizing the door to door work, but that makes even less sense because DTD is about the only thing JWs are known for (maybe no holidays and possibly no blood are the other things). Plus using it to keep JWs busy and as a guage for "spirituality" is very valuable .

  I'm sure the GAM notes will be out soon enough but this is very interesting.
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  59

  I Called the Headquarters About the "Slaughter of Apostates" Quote

  by DT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in case you haven't heard, the november 15, 2011 watchtower, page 5 made this comment.

  "today, no servant of jehovah uses physical force against opponents of pureworship.

  "vengeance is mine," god says.

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  Doubting Bro

  Marking for later.

  BTW - what did the cat do in the picture posted to be destroyed? It's owners were "worldly" so it gets destroyed? Collateral damage? Community responsibility? LOL
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  78

  Do you sense that the Watchtower will implode?

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  since leaving the organization 8 years ago, there have been more significant changes in the actual, physical activities of the organization than occurred in all the 40 plus years i was 'in'.

  bethel closings.

  bethel layoffs.

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  Doubting Bro

  I'm with the slow decline crowd. I think number reported will still go up a little but their average age is getting older and older by the day. They have pressures on many fronts that have been brought out (low youth retention, not enough men to take low level leadership positions, reactionary changes to doctrine, apathy among members, media issues). But, historically, they've been able to overcome such things.

  I believe they have enough wealth to withstand the slow shrinkage. Combining congregations and selling the KHs is going to keep the cash flow going for quite awhile. I don't believe they're losing money on literature because if they were, they'd stop.

  Short of a black swan event, they will follow the path of many non-mainstream religions before them and slowly fade to the outer fringe. But, I don't think it will happen in my lifetime (I'm in my early 40s).
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  36

  New Literature Arrangement

  by Quarterback in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  just recently the org has changed the literature distribution to the congregation members.. the changes are:.

  1) publishers are to pick-up their mag's weekly in preparation for what they think they will use that week.

  2) group conductors shall now distribute the study article of the wt, and the km.. wonder why they have changed this?.

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  Doubting Bro

  Sweet Pea - they're called service groups now. They still meet in publisher homes for Sat service like they did when there was a CBS. Each publisher is assigned to a group and the elder does the same thing he did (cleaning assignments, KMs & WTs, feeding speaker, etc) before just doesn't conduct a CBS.

  CoC - They're distributing them in the same way they distribute KMs(at least they're supposed to). I generally receive ours at the same time (KM is placed inside the WT with our names on them).

  I agree with man oh man, it's not to keep the Kool-Aid version private (they post it on their website) but rather to save money. I still believe there will be a time in the not too distant future when they will combine the KM with the WT "study" version. They could save a ton of paper doing that. As it is, they struggle to fill up the 4 pages and sometimes have huge print to take up space.
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  27

  City Overseers discontinued immediately 9/16/11

  by Gayle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  letter dated 09/16/11 to all boes about city overseers being discontinued effective immediately.. this is from a very reliable jw anonymous source.. .

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  Doubting Bro

  I'll bet Circuit Overseers all over the world are jumping for joy! In my limited experience, the City Overseer (at least in my area) had much better connections with Bethel than the CO did and any CO that would go up against him on an issue would be overruled.

  The city overseer I knew would also work with the local assembly hall and was generally a coordinator between the local circuits. There was nothing that he did that the District Overseer couldn't do.

  Maybe it's part of the rumored realignment of the DO/CO job?

  To me it's similar to when they got rid of Bethel Elders a few years ago. What did they really do anyway, right? So why not eliminate the position. It's one less thing for local elders to fight over.