Joe Grundy

Joined

• started 102 topics
• posted 1,216 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Joe Grundy

• 
  16

  My life as a fundamentalist

  by joey jojo in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  as a born-in jw, i never considered myself to be a fundamentalist.

  i always thought we were enlightened, progressive and not 'stuck in darkness' like all the other religions.. i was totally wrong.. as far as fundamentalists go, jw's are probably right up there amongst the front-runners.

  no, they do not stone people to death or go on religion-fuelled violent rampages but that's not what i'm talking about.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Excellent OP, IMO. And appertains to all fundies (of all religions), not just dubs.
  
• 
  35

  lf the paradise earth is real would you want to live there?

  by atomant in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  l know l would.anyone that says no is kidding themselves.just imagine going up to the hole of a cobra and patting it on the head like a pet.or running like a deer through the woods.who knows we might grows wings and be able to fly as well.food for thought.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  To be honest, living in a world where unatural relationships with animals are encouraged holds little attraction for me, but each to his own. I can foresee problems when someone wants to pet someone else's panda, though.
  
• 
  23

  Interesting article about the evidence of the Jewish Exodus

  by cappytan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the reality is that there is no evidence whatsoever that the jews were ever enslaved in egypt.

  yes, there's the story contained within the bible itself, but that's not a remotely historically admissible source.

  i'm talking about real proof; archeological evidence, state records and primary sources.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  I've linked to this before - it's worth watching.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5RfScpEcZ8
  
• 
  35

  Judgment handed down by Court of Appeal in legal challenge to Charity Commission inquiry opened in 2014

  by OrphanCrow in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this is good news.

  the wt have lost in their attempt to stop the uk charity commission's inquiry into their affairs.

  however, the wt is still digging in their heels about turning documents over to the charity commission.https://www.gov.uk/government/news/court-of-appeal-gives-judgment-in-court-case-by-jehovahs-witness-charityjudgment handed down by court of appeal in legal challenge to charity commission inquiry opened in 2014.today, the court of appeal handed down its judgment regarding the commission’s statutory inquiry, opened in 2014, into the watch tower bible and tract society of britain (the leading jehovah’s witness charity in the uk).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  "It encourages people who have been affected by safeguarding in congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses in England and Wales to make contact with the inquiry lead investigator Jonathan Sanders at [email protected]."

  I'd just like to repeat this bit of the quote in OP for emphasis.
  
• 
  56

  Hello, fairly new, studying for around 7 months, just thought I would introduce myself.

  by Conanthebeliever in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hello everyone, i hope you are all ok. .

  my name is conan, i am 25, and from the uk.

  i have some brain damage, so i apologise in advance if my syntax is off or i go a long way around explaining things.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  Dear Conan

  Welcome. I never was a JW. Finding out for yourself is always the best way.

  Try going onto youtube and searching 'Australia Royal Commission'. This is an enquiry into institutional abuse. There you will find (I think it's case study 29) jw elders and hierarchy giving evidence, including Jackson of their Governing Body in NY (finally forced to appear after much shenanigans).

  These are the people who run the jw org with an iron fist.

  Lots of fake smiles in the KH - IMHO you can and will do better elsewhere.

  Best wishes.
  
• 
  15

  "Reproach on Jehovah's name"

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the longer i am away from the cult, the more very childish and downright silly it seems in many many ways.. just another example of the childlike way they do not think things through is their obsession with "not bringing reproach on jehovah's name", that concept was used to stop jw's doing all sorts of stuff, a lot of it quite normal.. but the worst aspect of this concept is that they cover up the evil within their org any way they can.. yet they only have to look back on all the cover-ups of the past, by other religions, by politicians etc etc to see that an open acknowledgement and an open dealing with the situation at the time is far better.. cover-ups get exposed in the end, and leave you looking far worse than if dealt with honestly..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  "Yet they only have to look back on all the cover-ups of the past, by other religions, by Politicians etc etc to see that an open acknowledgement and an open dealing with the situation at the time is far better.

  Cover-ups get exposed in the end, and leave you looking far worse than if dealt with honestly."

  I think you're absolutely right on this.

  I keep banging on about the ARC hearings, but that's because I think that they are so important. Impartial, courteous, clinical, informed, forensic - and absolutely devastating IMHO to the jw org.

  Even if everyone of the pitiful shower knew that they couldn't do or admit anything for fear of the GB, Jackson was handed a golden opportunity to 'fess up, agree to changes,and project a new and more wholesome image. What did he do? Smugly obfuscate, dodge the questions and generally sit like a fat superior slug (my personal view). Was he also in fear of the rest of the GB? I can visualise him returning to the bosom of the GB, much back-slapping, and 'well done Geoff, we showed those worldlies!' before sitting down to draft their written response which was, IMHO, cringe-worthy.

  There is some excuse (being charitable) for most of the jw 'worthies' who gave evidence. Generally uneducated, used to being surrounded by those who are discouraged from challenging their authority, This particularly applies to Jackson. IIRC he was baptised at 15 and a gung-ho jw thereafter. So uneducated, inexperienced, naieve and especially in recent years surrounded by sychophants. But no excuse for him, really, because he should know his limitations.

  One of the bits I most 'enjoyed' (maybe not the right word) was the evidence of the Oz branch lawyer, Toole. All other jw witnesses were only significant/qualified within the organisation (which as Shania Twain said 'don't impress me much') but here was (apparently) a ('worldly') qualified and experienced lawyer who could be expected to engage with SC Assisting Stewart on equal terms. It didn't work out like that and ARC reported him to the Law Society (or its equivalent) - he could be struck off.

  VAG have a problem world-wide with their vehicles and reputation. It is interesting to compare their response with that of the jws.

  If you're up to your neck in shit, sometimes it's best to stop digging the hole and put your hands up. This may not apply if you're 'waiting on jehovah' to pull you out and hose you down.
  
• 
  25

  Another Galling WT Study

  by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  january 2016 watchtower (study edition).

  be determined to “let your brotherly love continue”!.

  this article was easy to read.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  18. How can we strengthen our brotherly love for our elders? 18 “Remember those who are taking the lead.” (Read Hebrews 13:7, 17.) When we think about the hard work that our elders do for us—all without financial reward—our brotherly love and feelings of appreciation for them are strengthened. Never would we want them to lose their joy or to sigh because of something we do. Rather, by our obedience and submission, we “give them extraordinary consideration in love because of their work.”—1 Thess. 5:13.

  I never was a JW, so take this comment for what it's worth.

  Even discounting the 'jwspeak' language used (which frequently jars with me and - I'm sure - a lot of 'normal' people) this reads like something you might expect to find in a North Korea press release exhorting the populace not to grumble about rations being reduced again. Shades of '1984'.

  My personal experience of elders is limited to two men who admitted to being such in (separate) visits to my door. They were, to be honest, less than impressive - not just because they didn't display much engagement, joy, charisma, etc., but because they weren't very good at doing what they were there for, i.e. selling the org. I can't imagine that many people they spoke to were tempted 'in' by their demeanour.

  I watched the ARC proceedings. Apart from the evidence obtained, I found watching the jw hierarchy in action very telling. Here on display were all the 'ranks' from local elders through to GB. It was a fairly pitiful display, I thought. If I came across someone tempted to join the jws, I'd recommend they watch the ARC videos and ask the question 'Are you sure that these are the sort of people to whom you want to submit many aspects of your life?'.

  (As a side comment: the ARC sessions reminded me a great deal of my time as a cop, especially on the Fraud Squad, interviewing suspects - and later watching them giving evidence in court disastrously trying to defend or explain their actions. It rarely ended well for them.)
  
• 
  12

  The soldiers on guard at Jesus tomb didn't become believers, why in the hell not?

  by James Mixon in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  you are on guard at jesus sealed tomb.

  all of a sudden a great earthquake occurs and an angel.

  wearing a dazzling outfit descends from above like lightning and this angel single handedly rolls away.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  This is worth watching: 19:00 on deals with burial (or not) of crucifixion victims.

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZegjCgfiIsk
  
• 
  79

  What's a word that describes the way Witnesses behave as a group?

  by paul from cleveland in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i can't recall the word that describes a group that keeps to itself like the witnesses do.

  i thought it was "insular" but i don't think that's the one i'm looking for after reading the definition.

  i remember an elder using the word "clannish" and that has the proper definition but it reminds me of a group of elves.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  'Reclusive' would seem to fit esp. in view of religious connotation.
  
• 
  22

  We may have interbred with Neanderthals earlier than previously thought.

  by cappytan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it is now thought that we have been interbreeding with neanderthals as early as 100,000 years ago.. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35595661.

  craziest thing i just realized: some women still breed with neanderthals up to this day.

  rihanna and chris brown anyone?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Joe Grundy

  "You're not from Kent are you Joe? That's where she's from "

  No, West Wales. Maybe she or her sister were on holiday.