done4good

Joined

• started 24 topics
• posted 1,841 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by done4good

• 
  19

  Some thoughts on the Brooklyn real estate website

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i took another look around the new website ( https://www.watchtowerbrooklynrealestate.com/ ).

  first they have two properties listed here 124 columbia and 85 jay street.

  these have to be worth a lot of money.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  JeffT, I agree with your OP.

  It is clear from an outsider's view, that the sweeping changes being made, (including that of the sale of a portfolio of premium NYC properties), is part of both a business strategy change, along with an even larger effort of rebranding. They cannot make money selling printed literature anymore, so an alternative finance source is being sought. The "product", (whatever they offer on their website or in the KH), is basically "free", while their business is to be financed by the perpetual investment in, and resale of properties over time. Time will tell if this actually works or not.

  The rebranding effort is about the product being offered. That has to be attractive enough to keep members in, and keep them donating to the "world wide work", (aka real estate fund). This is the tricky part, since unlike Google or another web service with broad reach and enormous amounts of advertising money as the financier, the WTS somehow needs to keep members' interest enough to want to donate. On the face of it, that does not appear to be a recipe for success. There are no historical examples of this being done quite this way to my recollection.

  d4g
  
• 
  21

  Changes and why

  by Formerbrother in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so far these are all the recent changes i know of, please add more if i have missed anything.. 1. all construction projects have either been stopped or reduced.. 2. all bethels are downsizing by at least 20% within one year of the announcement, and almost certainly more in years to come.. 3. remaining belelites will have to make their own food, do their own washing and cleaning.. no more laundry department, no more kitchen and waiters, no more housekeeping!.

  and you still only get 80 per month, but no rent or bills, and food will be provided in the family fridge but you have to prepare it yourself.. as to why, it has been said several times officially its not because of a lack of funds, but how could that possibly be the truth?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  LITS-But every JW I have spoken to is so EXCITED! "It's it just wonderful the way the faith-salve takes such good care of us with all the changes going on."

  Yes, but this exuberance is unsustainable, as it is all based on hyperbole, not substance. The GB, (or whoever it is), cannot just keep making changes without destabilizing things, eventually. In the business sense, no business would survive this level of constant change without reprieve.
  

  For the R&F, the novelty eventually wears off, and these folks eventually have to come back down to reality. That is where apathy sets in and it is only a matter of time before they begin to question it all.

  Either way, this is good, really.

  d4g
  
• 
  48

  Watchtower properties for sale website

  by NewYork44M in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is a great site in case anyone is interested in acquiring wt property in brooklyn heights.

  https://www.watchtowerbrooklynrealestate.com/.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  Sir82-Now that's weird.

  There's no mention on that site about how potential buyers are doomed to destruction by Jesus H. Christ flinging flaming hailstones at their heads "very soon now".

  You'd think something of such importance would be quite prominent on such a website.

  Yes, weird indeed. How many more sharks are there left to jump???

  Very telling. How much more obviously commercialized can this "religion" become?

  d4g
  
• 
  9

  The Burden of Being Right by Tim Minchen

  by cofty in

  1. social
  2. humour

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  So true.
  

  d4g
  
• 
  42

  How Many JWs Really Believe Everything They Are Told?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think that 80% of jws do not truly believe in what they are taught .

  the vast majority stay in because of family, friends, ignorance and a lack of caring about any of the facts regarding the "truth".

  many people are lazy.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  There might be some that believe 100%, (or close to it), but not the majority. Most learn techniques to deal with their cognitive dissonance very early in life, and things like starting businesses and getting an education are just some of things they do along those lines. Clearly those actions do indicate that deep down they really do not believe, however the psychological and social impact of allowing themselves to see that fact, is usually at too high of a cost to motivate them to action. The obvious cost being not only loss of friends and family, but even more importantly loss of self identity. Anyone who has been through this process knows what I am speaking of.

  The above is why it almost always takes some event in one's life to wake them up. An event such as a divorce, or some injustice by the elders tends to lower the "cost" of being brave enough to start questioning. The cost is lowered because social damage is almost always done to a person whom has experienced such an event. Sides are taken in the congregation, and the individual is often ostracized at some level. It simply becomes a matter of "I have nothing, (or very little), to lose by looking into my doubts".

  I would almost go as far as saying that unless some faith dislodging event does take place in one's life, it is almost impossible to leave on one's own volition 100%. It may not necessarily be a personal matter, (such as a divorce or JC), but any one thing that causes enough discomfort, is what is required to leave at a bare minimum. I doubt anyone leaves that is psychologically and socially content, no matter how intelligent or how much they really don't believe deep down. It is not necessarily a matter of laziness, but rather, (existential), fear.
  

  d4g
  
• 
  25

  Is the JW Broadcasting having good results for the Org?

  by thewalker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when speaking with brothers, i can see they really like the jw.org site more than magazines and books.

  i can imagine them publishing more and more articles and news as it's more dynamic and creates a sense of alert with brothers looking for new articles to read instead of the boring monthly magazines.. but when it comes to the jw broadcasting, it's something different.

  even elders admit they aren't watching the monthly broadcastings.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  Not much to add other than this is one of most cognitive dissonance inducing moves the organization has made in a long time, perhaps ever. It is no wonder that the diehards will not watch it. It can only hurt their perception of the GB, and the organization as a whole.

  A message to the GB, keep doing this:

  1. Asking for money.

  2. Finding clever ways to take people's money.

  3. Showing yourselves as frequently as possible on the broadcasts. Your sycophants just love your beaming faces.

  4. Continue to show how out of touch you are with real world concerns.

  This will be the WT's undoing. It is already happening.

  d4g
  
• 
  49

  Dont Give Them More Power Than They Deserve

  by Tech49 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a new montra that was recently adopted by the wife and i is this:.

  dont give them more power than they deserve.. here's why i say that, and i point this to those of you still in the congregation, still trying to decide what you want to do.. recently, our family had a little family reunion gathering of sorts, and we were in the company of some extended family that were either df or da, to varying degrees.

  we made it very clear, to any and all in attendance, that we wanted to be respectful and kind, despite any previous perceptions about our "status".... and that our feelings on a lot of things had "softened", and "changed" over the last 2 years.. i am being purposefully slightly vague, but i think you get the point.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  Reminds me of a situation that arose about six months after I stopped attending in 2006. Not a single call to check where I was, how I was doing, etc., in that six month period. Until...

  I received a phone call from the PO, (one of maybe two times ever he called my cell), and I let it go to VM. I checked the VM, and it said something to the effect of, "the brothers heard about some things you are doing and wanted to speak with you...". This was an obvious invitation to a JC, supposedly because I was living with my girlfriend at the time. I blew the call off.

  Then three weeks later I receive a second call from this same asshat. I let it go to VM again. This time something to the effect of "we know where you live, you live in (an improperly pronounced town), and we want to send your records to the congregation there". This was another pitiful attempt to get me to confess something to them. I ignored them this second time and never heard back.

  The simplest and most effective thing you can do is simply ignore them. That takes all of their power away, and not a goddamn thing they can do about it.

  d4g
  
• 
  41

  Sheep and the Goats - The Light Gets Brighter

  by nmthinker in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  perhaps some of you remember a new understanding of the sheep and the goats in the epic march 2015 wt study edition - specifically the article "loyally supporting christ's brothers".. while this article was studied many months ago, it was instrumental in helping me wake up.

  during my study of the 2015 article i recalled that we had just revised our understanding of the sheep and the goats a few years ago and this caused me to research the real progression of the jw understanding of this parable.

  i put the results of my research in an excel spreadsheet.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  Only in WT land is being a sheeple considered a good thing.

  d4g
  
• 
  47

  Are we participants in this forum because of bouts of "loneliness"?

  by Wonderment in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i wonder how many of us here hold on to this meeting place out of "loneliness.

  could it be that we harbor feelings of "abandonment" and "loneliness" from being left cold and dry by the wt people and our families?

  perhaps we do have a need to reach out to people with similar experiences.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  Loneliness, no. Catharsis, yes, currently.

  In the past it was research, (when I started here over 9 years ago), and support. I was off the forum for several years between 2009 and late 2013 or so, and had little need for this type of exchange during that period. About two years ago certain life changes forced me to express my thoughts with respect to relationships with JWs, as I was deeply hurt by an old JW friend "just following orders" that decided to shun me. That experience taught me empathy however, and I try to offer such to those far less fortunate than myself, with respect to being an ex-JW, which is another reason I continue to contribute here.

  I have a wonderful family, a good education and career, and a good second lease on life overall. Nothing to be lonely about.
  

  d4g
  
• 
  113

  I just found out that my youngest brother committed suicide

  by SnakesInTheTower in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my 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.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  done4good

  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