just heard today from my parents that a member of the canadian bethel said that there is a 1% increase in publishers from last year.
they made such a big deal of it but when you consider that this increase is mostly from jdub's that have been raised in it and are now starting to publish it is not such a big deal.
i was also told that they mentioned about the dangers of the internet and also about all the lawsuites that the "apostates" are bringing against the organization.
Considering the resurgence of religion after 9 /11, considering the new 15 minute time-counting rule, and considering the 1.5 % population increase, I don't see how the Society could be very encouraged at all by a 1% increase in their numbers. A minimum of 3 or 4% was hoped for, I would think. 1% is kind of pathetic. I wonder when the figures will be in for the U. S. I'll bet they won't be much better.
David
this is what was found on amazon.com they sell this book freely and just read the ill reviews!!!!
this book openly invites pedophiles!
boycott amazon and make them take responsiblity for offering this book for sale.
I notice that in the 3 hours since I first posted on this, the sales ranking has shot up to 216. It must be enjoying awesome sales. And that is why Amazon won't stop selling it anytime soon. Whether your name is IBM or the WTBS or Amazom.com, there's only one thing that matters, and that's money. Oh sure, eventually, in the name of public decency and morality, they'll pull it off the shelves. But not until it's sales ranking falls way back into the 1000's and they've made about all the money that they can make on it. Really sad.
David
this is what was found on amazon.com they sell this book freely and just read the ill reviews!!!!
this book openly invites pedophiles!
boycott amazon and make them take responsiblity for offering this book for sale.
Here's an interesting perspective for everyone to think about. I did a little research on Amazon and found the following statistics :
A Stephen King book titled "3 Complete Novels" has a sales ranking of 14,722
"Crisis of Conscience" has a sales ranking of 16,395
"Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" has a sales ranking of 2,182
This Man / boy love book has a sales ranking of 301
I just don't know what to say.
David
Edited by - david_10 on 28 September 2002 6:59:38
at the risk of being called a "troll" again , i will share just one of the items discussed at the co's and do's emergency meeting.
so as not to be doubted, this is to be covered at most/all of the co's and do's visits over the next 6 months in the uk.
the society is concerned about the level of waste and expense caused by excess wt and awakes being ordered by the brothers and sisters which are then not put into the hands of the public.
Hello Running Man. Perhaps the word "bill' is not quite accurate. Maybe "reminder" or "request" would be more appropriate. What you say makes a lot of sense, because, in this area, my always reliable sources have told me that the last two circut overseer visits have included some pretty harsh tirades that the brothers aren't supporting the kingdom work and paying for their share of the literature. However, as I'm informed, when the guilt is troweled on thick enough, the brothers always come through and cough it up. But that may not be the case in other areas. Wouldn't that be great? Nothing brings a big corporation down like interrupted cash flow.
I also was the account servant for many years, although this preceded the donation arrangement; and what Blondie says pretty much describes the the old way of doing it. It was extremely efficient. They expected their money in full and on-time every month, no if's and's or but's, and I was always a little puzzled that the Society rather resembled the IRS with all of their rules and often ruthless collection tactics. However, I never put it all together and recognized it for what it actually was : that is, pure unmitigated greed. But again, like Blondie says, maybe the boomerang effect is catching up with them.
David
at the risk of being called a "troll" again , i will share just one of the items discussed at the co's and do's emergency meeting.
so as not to be doubted, this is to be covered at most/all of the co's and do's visits over the next 6 months in the uk.
the society is concerned about the level of waste and expense caused by excess wt and awakes being ordered by the brothers and sisters which are then not put into the hands of the public.
Thanks, Klaus, for the thoughts and input, but it still doesn't make any sense to me. I'm aware of the fact that the Society went to a donation arrangement over 10 years ago, but the the terms "donation" and "sales" and "placements" are used loosely and interchangeably. The Society insists on the term "donation" because it maximizes their tax loopholes, but I see it as a distinction without a difference. No matter what happens to the magazines, Brooklyn expects the R & F to pay for them. If "donations" run low, the congregation will eventually get a bill and the brothers are going to have to pay up and the Society gets paid. No matter what. So that gets me back to the original query : Why is the Society expressing concern about unplaced literature? I honestly think that the Society doesn't care whether the literature is placed to the public or if some burdened down witness finally has to start sneaking the piles of stacked-up literature to the trash. They SAY that they're concerned about waste so as to further plant the notion in the R & F that the literature is something precious and valuable and priceless so that they get them out in service more and get the publisher and hour count jacked up. That's the only thing that makes sense to me.
David
at the risk of being called a "troll" again , i will share just one of the items discussed at the co's and do's emergency meeting.
so as not to be doubted, this is to be covered at most/all of the co's and do's visits over the next 6 months in the uk.
the society is concerned about the level of waste and expense caused by excess wt and awakes being ordered by the brothers and sisters which are then not put into the hands of the public.
It seems that I've been hearing quite a bit lately about the Society's concern over wasted materials, but, for the life of me, I can't figure out why they are so worried. I wonder if they aren't just saying that for the sake of appearances. Maybe I'm really missing something that should be obvious, but this is how I have it figured : The WTBS is a publishing corporation and they make their money by selling books and magazines primarily to the congregations and publishers. Why does the Society care whether the magazines are re-sold to the public or if they are used to wrap fish and go in the trash. Either way, they get paid, and it seems to me that they they would just want to sell books and magazines regardless of where they wind up. Just my thought-----maybe someone could clarify.
David
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when i went to the assemblies, i would see people picketing, holding signs up, etc.
you would have "security" to look out for green bibles, and keep opostates out.. i never looked at them with hatred, never really gave it much thought at all.. i am curious if anyone here has participated in protesting the assemblies, and what were the reactions?
Garybuss------Your assessment and description of the witness mentality is a masterpiece, and I agree with everything that you said. That is, everything except the last sentence. I just don't think that picketing is going to have the desired effect, and probably is going to do the exact opposite. It certainly did in my case, anyway and I never harbored a secret respect for protesters. All I saw were the rude arrogant pests (simular to what LB experienced) and even though I was having a terrible inner struggle, I just thought : "See there----the Society is right. There's just nothing that the world has to offer." The typical "Where - Else - Can - We - Go" syndrome. So instead of looking for answers, I stayed with it and kept a lid on my thoughts. But your description of witness life was beautiful creepy, especially the part about the obsessive and compulsive behavior and sitting through those wretched meetings and dreaming about a time that I wouldn't have to. Even now, just thinking about it makes me shiver.
David
Edited by - david_10 on 21 September 2002 8:2:53
last night, my wife zazu, had a stroke.
she is in the hospital, and will be there for a least a week.
she can still think clearly and converse.
Hello Carl. I've never formally introduced myself, but you were one of the first posters who impressed me when I found this board and I always enjoy reading you. I'm very sorry to hear about your wife and I hope she makes a full recovery. Best wishes to her.
David
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when i went to the assemblies, i would see people picketing, holding signs up, etc.
you would have "security" to look out for green bibles, and keep opostates out.. i never looked at them with hatred, never really gave it much thought at all.. i am curious if anyone here has participated in protesting the assemblies, and what were the reactions?
In my opinion, picketing does more harm than good. When I was active, there was no way that I would have given a protestor the time of day. The picketing only feeds the persecution complex that the Society breeds into the flock and drives the JW's deeper inside. I can honestly say that those in - your - face opposers, combined with bad apostate reading material, delayed my exit from the Organization by at least 10 years. I have never heard of anyone who suddenly had their eyes opened by being accosted by protesters at an assembly or by finding a flyer under their windshield wiper or any of the other tricks that over-zealous apostates use, and I doubt that there is anyone. I think that the best thing to do is leave the Dubs alone and let them figure it out for themselves. Most never will, but that's the only way that I could have done it, and that's the only way everyone I know who has left the Organization has done it. I would be interested to know if anyone has had a different experience, though.
David
when i left the religion, i walked away and did not get df'ed or da myself.
in doing so, my wife left the religion at the same time.
in our life we have been very nonwitness in our life.
I left the Organization some 15 years ago, and I've never been bothered at all. I did the slow fade, and when I left I had no enemies or problems with any of the brothers. If asked why I was "discouraged", I did not confide in anyone-----not even close friends or family members. So....... I've been left alone. However, I can think of at least half-a-dozen others who tried to fade and weren't so lucky. In some cases, even after several years, the elders tracked them down and hounded them until they could disfellowship them. And these were the same elders who chose not to bother me. At least they haven't bothered me so far. Basically, the elders can do anything they want and if you've ever given them a reason, even through the most trivial slight, they can and will come after you. There is no time limit. But, I would also point out that the half-a-dozen that I mentioned are a relatively small percentage compared to the 60 or 70 that I know of who have left and never been bothered.
(((((Marilyn))))) My heart goes out to you, but Prisca is right-----you made a mistake by confiding your honest feelings to the brothers. My advice to anyone who is wanting to leave yet not get disfellowshipped is to KEEP YOUR MOUTH SHUT. This can't be emphasized enough. Do not say anything that can be carried back to the elders. Things that have been said years ago, even to trusted friends or family members, have a funny way of coming back to haunt you.
As far as suing the bastards is concerned, I don't think that the threat of that will deter too many of them; after all, what with jehovah's holy spirit upon them, their arrogance knows no bounds. Plus, very few of them have any money, and money is the only reason to bring a civil lawsuit and the only way that you can get a lawyer interested. Even if you win, there's nothing to collect. On this note, I might mention that my brother is trying to fade and he is being pestered relentlessly by the elders. They don't like him and he's made a few enemies, you see........Anyway he talked to his lawyer (the best in town), and was told that legal precedent definitely favors the defendants in this situation. He compared the Borg to a private club that sets its own rules for membership and the members either accept the rules, or they can leave and suffer the formal consequences. To make the short story even shorter........the lawyer would not accept it on the contingency plan; my brother would have to pay for it out of his own pocket. He was advised to forget it and get on with his life.
Be careful out there, everyone. It's a jungle.
David
