So sorry to hear this, Rich. I have no adequate words...This will take time to process. Whatever you do, don't think that reacting or not reacting a certain way means you are doing something wrong. There is no "right" way to handle this...
Jason
done4good
JoinedPosts by done4good
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113
I just found out that my youngest brother committed suicide
by SnakesInTheTower inmy middle brother called me a couple of hours ago.
our youngest brother, josh, who was 38, was found by his friends in his apartment.
he hung himself.
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done4good
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63
Why does the Watchtower leadership slap its own defenders in the face?
by slimboyfat intake the case of rolf furuli.
i don't think there has been a specific thread on the hebrew verbs u-turn in the nwt, and how the society has responded to the work of perhaps their brightest and ablest defender in their history.
so here goes.. rolf furuli has defended jws on multiple fronts in many different settings, on issues ranging from chronology, mental health, doctrines, bible translation and the blood issue.
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done4good
WT is an authoritarian system. Academics are anathema to authoritarianism.
Fred Franz was a pseudo-academic, however was also one of the organization's authoritarian leaders. When he died, no one filled that vacuum, and the organization lost the ability to counter any academic arguments made against their theology. Authoritarian leaders don't accept being challenged, and also don't accept outside "help" from those whom they fear are more intelligent/better educated than they are. They are well aware that at some point these strong supporters could turn on them, once enough academic "digging" is performed.
This is not difficult to understand. If someone performs enough research, it is not difficult at all to not only disprove JW theology, but also see that the origins of Christianity, Judaism, etc., all evolved from polytheistic, pagan religious systems. The WT leaders know this. Authoritarian leaders are propagandists, not interested in truth or the pursuit of it at all. Furuli may/may not be a true academic in the pursuit of fact finding, (he may be little more than just another self-proclaimed "expert", looking to have his ego stroked), but either way, he presents risk to an organization dependent on its authoritarian structure, simply because he is an outsider, and an educated one.
d4g
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9
Dating a Religious Person - Thoughts?
by Garrett inhello my dear friends :).
i am here once again because you guys are pretty much the most awesome peeps ever.. i have a new dilemma that i'd like your opinions on.
as most of you know, i'm an agnostic.
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done4good
If she is actually "religious" in the overt sense, I would say stay away. Religious folks at that extreme will eventually need to chose between you and their faith at some point, to some degree or another. However...
In my experience with Catholicism, very few are like that. My wife's family is Catholic, (she herself is agnostic), and they are very accepting of the fact that neither of us are believers, (including a BIL who is a former Vatican priest). I really don't know of any modern Catholics that have such a polarized worldview. They tend to view most of their religious rites more as family tradition, than actual requirements to be "saved".
All religion is toxic, but this one in modern context, is a good deal less than most.
d4g
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One reason behind the slow steady decline of JWs
by AllTimeJeff inhello first of all to those that remember me.
i'm doing well, 10 years since my missionary trip to cameroon.
i've met a couple of goals.
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done4good
ATJ - Who you knew and how you portrayed yourself was more important than who you really were.
Is that not the JW way?
Good to see you stop in, ATJ.
d4g
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REFUGEES: when the LAMB lies down with the LION
by Terry inrefugees: the lamb lies down with the lions.___________________________________________.
on this continent, the native peoples welcomed the early european settlers and nursed them through the winter.
they shared and they traded.
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done4good
I simply don't understand how rational citizens can be made again and again to BELIEVE politics solves more problems than it creates.
Terry, this point in of itself really is another grayscale issue. Politics in of itself certainly solves nothing. Politics are an unfortunate side effect of power and leadership. I don't think one needs to go to the extreme of being a non-voter or completely politically neutral, (these things really bring their own problems to society), just as I don't think being partisan in ideology is good for society.Government is a framework for a certain level of social order. It is necessary, or else you are simply left with anarchy. Not everyone can be a volunteer, not everyone can be a philanthropist. No one is a hero because they refuse to participate in the processes we have to work with, either. We need government, and the inherent politics that come with it to have any semblance of stability in society.
d4g
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REFUGEES: when the LAMB lies down with the LION
by Terry inrefugees: the lamb lies down with the lions.___________________________________________.
on this continent, the native peoples welcomed the early european settlers and nursed them through the winter.
they shared and they traded.
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done4good
Nature is survival. Religion is not natural. Belief is immune from rational discourse. Absolute certainty that YOUR GOD is the only true god--well friends--that is the most potentially disruptive force within nature.
There could not be a more spot on statement. It bears repeating.
d4g
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We were shown how to google jw-org last night
by StarTrekAngel inso last night i went to the meeting with my family.
had not gone in 2 weeks.
as usual i sat down reading the bible.
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done4good
Exactly why they will lose the information war in the end.
d4g
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Correlation decline JW numbers and JW broadcasting?
by Gorbatchov ini read some impressive figures here about the decline of the jw numbers in 2015.. could there be a correlation between this decline and the start of jw broadcasting?.
hence, that there would be an negative impact because the gb is standing so nearby, you can experience the idiot reasoning of their doctrines sitting in your own living room?.
the lett effect?
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done4good
Spot on OEJ. Good post.
d4g
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Correlation decline JW numbers and JW broadcasting?
by Gorbatchov ini read some impressive figures here about the decline of the jw numbers in 2015.. could there be a correlation between this decline and the start of jw broadcasting?.
hence, that there would be an negative impact because the gb is standing so nearby, you can experience the idiot reasoning of their doctrines sitting in your own living room?.
the lett effect?
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done4good
"We love this teaching"
WTF???
How about...
"We love this coffee cup"
"We love this requisition process"
"We love this new instant replay rule change in baseball"
How silly and petty.
That statement speaks volumes. I would like to know specifically where/when it was said.
d4g
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Gas prices today & the book study
by LevelThePlayingField inwe all remember, one of the main reasons for removing the bookstudy was the high gas prices, well, have you looked at the gas prices today?
nationwide, the lowest is about $1.65, the highest is about $2.67.
isn't that right about the same gas prices as when they cancelled the bookstudy in the first place?
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done4good
The announcement to eliminate the book study was made in 2008. At the time, gas prices were a convenient excuse since gas was $4/Gal./US.
Of course that was bullshit, since prices quickly receded to about $2/Gal./US by the time the book study was actually discontinued.
I have stated consistently that the elimination of the book study was a turning point for the organization, and was done for one reason and one reason only, money. Less meetings per week = less need for KHs and allows for their sale and subsequent cash flow upstream. It is that simple.
d4g