Posts by doinmypart

16

Are the magazines losing their appeal?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

do you think the mags are losing their appeal at the doors these days?.

i mean, if you have the internet and wanted to learn about a particular beetle, recipe or how to cook rice, you could look it up on the web right?.

if you wanted to learn about brightly colored birds and fish, you could go to google.com.

doinmypart

I don't read the mags. I haven't read the Awake in almost 3 years, I take a cursory glance at the WT and skim the cover articles & study articles for any new lite.

If I need to learn something I'll access the Internet, or purchase a book at the bookstore.

Speaking of the bookstore, since I've stopped reading the mags I've been able to expand my reading material a bit, mostly sci-fi fantasy, business/financial, and health. I'm slowly but surely trying to replace the Org's books on my bookshelf with something more meaningful. My wife who is a staunch JW has even helped clear some shelf space, I think she's just happy that I'm reading again. Now if I can only get my copy of CoC out from hiding and onto the shelf!

To answer the question, the mags have their appeal to my baby girl she likes to scribble in them.

dmp

10

Talk Radio?

by Honesty in

jw
friends

do any of you have experience using local talk radio shows to discuss wtbts issues?

doinmypart

I have, sort of. I'll PM you.

dmp

45

Internal Reaction to Monthly Awake

by ezekiel3 in

well the news is getting around within the congregations about the awake!

going to a monthly beginning 2006.. some reactions from active jws:.

one sister actually dances a jig.

doinmypart

I don't have any reactions to the monthly Awake, just a few thoughts as to why the WTS is taking this action.

The WTS is a publishing company. The WTS Company is dealing with higher production and distribution costs.

On the production side there are higher costs for paper. They're also lacking on human resources - they don't have the talent to continue to write articles that people want to read (not in this Internet/PDA/Cable TV era). Even with the new presses each issue takes time to prep & print. It also costs the WTS to store ink, paper, boxes, etc.

On the distribution side - The WTS ended subscriptions after postal rates increased a few years ago. The WTS now distributes magazines to the congregation in bulk via post office or UPS (a carrier in the U.S.). UPS rates increased in January 2005, and postal rates are expected to increase in 2006.

It is harder for the WTS to financially justify publishing rubbish that few want. Probably half the magazines sit in the R&F's house unplaced. I've talked to a few Congregation Secretaries and found that in several congregations (mine included) when the monthly field service report is calculated the number of magazines placed does not come close to the number of magazines the congregation receives. The WTS knows how many mags are shipped and how many are reported placed, and even those placement numbers are suspect.

Other publishing companies have advertisers that provide revenue. The WTS doesn't, instead they rely on the R&F. The R&F is wising up/tiring out/spending their money elsewhere. With the waters drying up and lawsuits on the horizon the WTS making changes. There are other places the WTS can spend "it's" money besides publications past their prime - real estate, loaning money for KH builds out on interest then having the local cong hand the deed to the building over to them.

dmp

55

Declining Meeting Attendance-CO visit

by TheListener in

so we have our circuit overseer this week.

we're getting the crap kicked out of us (figuratively) for our meeting attendance.

we have attendance in the 70% range for some of our meetings.

doinmypart

Meeting attendance numbers are suspect anyway. The attendants are told to count everyone even if they're not a publisher. So kids, studies, DF'd, sleeping babies, and the 4 people on the phone tie-in-at-home-sick-watching-the-game all get counted.

The WT hierarchy is so consumed with numbers. They've got to know the meeting attendance & field service numbers are bogus, but then too they have to keep up appearances.

dmp

15

KeM Skizzel

by IP_SEC in

there be a new kem skizzle coming up this year.

of course no recording dev is allowed.

can anyone recommend a cheap/inconspicuous digital device that i could use to record the proceedings with?

doinmypart

bttt - No need to keep this secret.

The previous KM School was recorded. If you are an elder reading this site, you probably have doubts/questions. Please record the program when you attend this Oct - Dec 2005. I plan on recording the program. Digital recorders aren't that expensive, you've probably donated more to the WT over the years.

I plan on recording from the opening remarks, which will probably be "Brothers no recording devices are allowed" to the concluding prayer.

These KM Schools are closed to the public and now that there aren't many BOE letters coming out of NY it is imperative that these meetings are recorded and made public. Everyone should know what directives come down from Service Committee, District Overseers, and Circuit Overseers.

dmp

52

My Elder Friend Got Announced As Being Deleted.....

by minimus in

jw
friends

for going to my kid's wedding.

he was told he was not "serious", had no "self-control" and "did not work well with the body".

doinmypart

For Joe Publisher it is a so called conscience matter (only if you want to be marked), but not for elders and ministerial servants.

The directive for elders and ministerial servants not attending weddings was given in 2003 during the 6-month CO meeting w/Elders. Actually the direction was twofold:
1) an Elder can not conduct the wedding talk if a JW is marrying a non-JW, and
2) any appointed brother that attends can be deleted.

Of course I don't have that letter since it was read by the CO. Many of the CO letters have been stricter over the past 3 or 4 years. At the last CO & DO meeting w/Elders at the Circuit Assembly Elders were told we have been mistakenly shown mercy on judicial committees and not to be quick to reinstate someone DF.

13

Change in application to Luke 21:28?

by FairMind in

luke 21:28 tells us that christians living during the time of the fulfillment of the prophecies showing that the end of this system was near were to hold their heads erect as their deliverance was near.

or at least this is the way the wts has always explained this scriptural passage.

last night, our visiting co mentioned in that this is no longer the way we interpret this scripture and that our past understanding was incorrect.

doinmypart

Blondie is correct. I checked the 2003 CD and nothing has changed. Quote from w97 4/1

At some point after the ?great tribulation? begins, but before Jehovah executes his judgment upon the rest of this world, supernatural events will occur...At that particular time, the prophecy of Luke 21:28 applies...God?s enemies will be trembling with fear because they will know that the supernatural events taking place come from Jehovah. But Jehovah?s servants will rejoice because they will know that their deliverance is getting near.

Prior to 1994 (and the 1995 Generation fiasco) the Org taught that Luke 21:28 applied to then present times as JWs dealt with distressing conditions. Since 1994 the Org teaches this is a future thing. Either the CO was talking about the 1994 change that some may not have picked up on, or there is in fact new lite in the works.

3

Fox's 24 and similarities with JWs

by doinmypart in

if you live outside the u.s. and haven't seen season 4 this post contains spoilers.. do you watch fox's 24 with kiefer sutherland?

the first two seasons were excellent; seasons 3 & 4 are still entertaining, but not quite believable.

that aside i noticed some similarities in recent shows.. the muslim immigrant parents forbid their teenage son from dating an american girl.

doinmypart

Pink

Your reply reminded me of an Awake article dealing with tolerance.This is from Jan 8, 1999 Awake back when the Org was in bed with the UN:

The UN publication Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief lists ignorance and lack of understanding as being ?among the most important root causes of intolerance and discrimination in the matter of religion and belief.? ... ?Education may be the prime means of combating discrimination and intolerance,? ... ?education for tolerance should aim at countering influences that lead to fear and exclusion of others, and should help young people to develop capacities for independent judgement, critical thinking and ethical reasoning.?

This article stayed with me because I was surprised the Writing department would put something like this in an article when they hypocritically don't follow the advice.

3

Fox's 24 and similarities with JWs

by doinmypart in

if you live outside the u.s. and haven't seen season 4 this post contains spoilers.. do you watch fox's 24 with kiefer sutherland?

the first two seasons were excellent; seasons 3 & 4 are still entertaining, but not quite believable.

that aside i noticed some similarities in recent shows.. the muslim immigrant parents forbid their teenage son from dating an american girl.

doinmypart

If you live outside the U.S. and haven't seen Season 4 this post contains spoilers.

Do you watch Fox's 24 with Kiefer Sutherland? The first two seasons were excellent; seasons 3 & 4 are still entertaining, but not quite believable. That aside I noticed some similarities in recent shows.

The Muslim Immigrant parents forbid their teenage son from dating an American girl. The teenage son has been living a double-life and secretly dating the American girl. The parents find out and kill the girl. The father thinks that living in America has changed his son, and now his son no longer believes in "the cause". Because of this the father sends his son off to be killed. The mother is torn over her husband's decision since this is their son, their flesh & blood.

In JW world: JW parents forbid teenager from dating "worldly" person or even dating at all. Teenager lives double-life secretly dating or doing something else forbidden by WT. Parents think going to school/participating in extra-curricular activities will change child, 1 Cor. 15:33. When the child stops believing in the "cause/truth", the child is DF/shunned/viewed as dead. One parent may staunchly uphold disfellowshipping, while the other parent is torn because this is their child.

Every time I watch the show with my wife and the subject matter deals with this family it is hard for me to keep from pointing out the similarities to my wife. But I keep them to myself, after all I don't want to ruin a quiet evening at home.

dmp

45

Special announcment 20 march fore JW ?

by happy man in

someone informed me today that in two months time there will be a "special announcement" to all congregations.

everyone must be present at the kingdom hall for it.

my elders already know what it is, but won't tell me.

doinmypart

Mark is correct. The OM book is being replaced, the new book is Organized To Do Jehovah's Will. The book will be released on Sunday March 20, 2005.

Here is a topic I started a few weeks ago. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/82455/1.ashx