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doinmypart
JoinedPosts by doinmypart
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34
Favorite Comedy Shows
by sandy ini just had surgery(gall bladder) this past week.
i am fine, thanks.
anyways, it hurts when laugh.
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10
Gas prices & JW Conventions/Field Service
by doinmypart inwith gas prices forecasted to reach $2.50 in the u.s. do you think this will impact the district conventions this summer?i hope that either fewer will travel to the conventions,and those that do attend will donate less money to the wts.. and what about field service?
i realize hard-core jws will continue in the "ministry", but in my area we have a lot of driving territory.
not many are willing to drive, they prefer to stay close to the kh and work shorter periods rather than spend a lot of money filling up their gas tanks.. in other countries where gas prices are higher than u.s. prices perhaps people are used to it, but do you think it has a bearing on jw activity?
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doinmypart
Mamacat - the conventions are three days this year.
STP - Whenever I sit down and budget travel & lodging for the DC I end up thinking about how that money & time could be better spent on a fun get-away trip. At least I'm fortunate enough to be able to take the family on a couple of real vacations throughout the year.
Blondie - Those experiences about JWs walking hundreds of miles to a DC always get me. I guess the Writing Dept. wants to guilt JWs in more affluent areas into doing/giving more. They don't care if the R&F has to pay more for gas. They still expect them to donate to the local branch.
Anyone reading this and still an active JW, you should know that the funds donated at District Conventions are forwarded directly to the Society. Unlike the Circuit Assemblies (where money stays in the circuit, unless the circuit elders send it to Society), the District Convention is nothing more than a BIG FUND RAISING EVENT for the Society!
Walter - You're correct, the gas & wear on vehicles is more expensive than the mags. The WTS knows this, which is why they have transferred this expense from their ledgers onto the publishers. They are nothing but a Publishing Company finding a cheaper way to do business.
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Gas prices & JW Conventions/Field Service
by doinmypart inwith gas prices forecasted to reach $2.50 in the u.s. do you think this will impact the district conventions this summer?i hope that either fewer will travel to the conventions,and those that do attend will donate less money to the wts.. and what about field service?
i realize hard-core jws will continue in the "ministry", but in my area we have a lot of driving territory.
not many are willing to drive, they prefer to stay close to the kh and work shorter periods rather than spend a lot of money filling up their gas tanks.. in other countries where gas prices are higher than u.s. prices perhaps people are used to it, but do you think it has a bearing on jw activity?
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doinmypart
With gas prices forecasted to reach $2.50 in the U.S. do you think this will impact the District Conventions this summer?
- I hope that either fewer will travel to the Conventions,
- and those that do attend will donate less money to the WTS.
And what about field service? I realize hard-core JWs will continue in the "ministry", but in my area we have a lot of driving territory. Not many are willing to drive, they prefer to stay close to the KH and work shorter periods rather than spend a lot of money filling up their gas tanks.
In other countries where gas prices are higher than U.S. prices perhaps people are used to it, but do you think it has a bearing on JW activity?
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Letter from Bethel
by observer indear brothers, .
almost hundred years ago first publishers representing the truth of bible came to west coast of finland and that marked the beginning of emphatic preaching of good news of kingdom in this country.
first and second generation of publishers did meritoriously their part in that work.
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doinmypart
Excellent news!
It just goes to show that the WTS Leadership doesn't have a clue.
I remember a couple of years ago the CO asked the BOE what did we think was contributing to lower hours & meeting attendance. The elders were towing the company line saying, "The friends don't have the proper appreciation" and so on. I told the CO the friends are tired, it is difficult to maintain a JW schedule while working, taking care of family, etc. The CO wrote this down in his report to Society, but replied something to the affect of getting another job if it interferes with meetings.
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Religious frustration...? Or just plain Murder...?
by Rabbit inthe following story sent chills down my spine.
people do go 'crazy' in all kinds of stressful situations, they go into a homocidal 'mode' for who knows what reasons.
it's just when it happens in a church...a place that is supposed to be there for the "peace and happiness" of the members...?
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doinmypart
I'm surprised this hasn't happened yet in a JW Congregation.
- The elders intruding into someone's personal life,
- or a Judicial Committee disfellowshipping a person,
- or a person who loses his or her family to the Org due to shunning or blood policy,
- or a person slaving for 30+ years always told to do more, the end is right around the corner, and now they are reaping unfulfilled dreams & a wasted life
There are just too many scenarios with the WTS that can push a person to do something like this.
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April 1st Question From Readers Justifies "Bribery" and "Tipping"At Times!
by minimus ini don't have the magazine but i read it at my mother's yesterday.
the gist of the article is that some christian's consciences might allow them to give a "gift" or payment to an official to speed up some paperwork or get them to look at something that they might otherwise ignore because they weren't "tipped"!
.......i wonder if this has anything to do with the dumbo thing going on in brooklyn (crooklyn).....
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doinmypart
w05 4/1 p 29 Question From Readers
Should a Christian give a government employee a tip or a gift for his services, or would that be viewed as bribery?
Wherever they live, Christians seek to exercise practical wisdom in dealing with local situations, remembering that what is acceptable and legal in one land may be totally unacceptable and illegal in another. (Proverbs 2:6-9) Of course, a Christian should always bear in mind that anyone who wants to be "a guest in [Jehovah's] tent" must shun bribery. - Psalm 15:1, 5; Proverbs 17:23.
What is bribery? According to The World Book Encyclopedia, "bribery means giving or offering something of value to a...person in a position of public trust, who in return violates his or her duty or the law in order to benefit the giver." Thus, regardless of where on lives, it is bribery to give money or a gift to a judge or a police officer to pervert justice or to an inspector to turn a blind eye to a defect or a violation. It is also bribery to use a gift to receive preferential treatment, such as getting moved forward on a waiting list or bypassing others in line. Such a course would also betray a lack of love. - Matthew 7:12; 22:39.
But is it bribery to give a gift or a tip to, say, a public servant in order to obtain a legitimate service or to avoid unfair treatment? For example, in some lands officials may be unwilling to enroll children in school, admit a person into a hospital, or stamp immigration documents until they receive a tip. Or they may procrastinate in processing applications to renew licenses and permits.
Tipping practices and the general attitude toward them vary from one place to another. Where such payments are customary or expected, some Christians may feel that within the law, they are not violating Bible principles when they tip an official to perform his duty. In some lands people may even view such payments as a gift to supplement a public employee's otherwise low income. Keep in mind that there is a difference between extending a gift for a legitimate service and offering a bribe for an unlawful favor.
On the other hand, when making legitimate requests, some of Jehovah's Witnesses have declined to give tips to inspectors, customs officials, or others even where such gift-giving is routine. Because the Witnesses are known locally both for taking this conscientious stand and for their honesty, they sometimes receive treatment that most people get only through a payment. - Proverbs 10:9; Matthew 5:16.
In summary, each servant of Jehovah must decide for himself whether he will extend a tip to receive a legitimate service or to avoid unfair treatment. Above all, he should pursue a course that leaves him with a good conscience, that brings no reproach on Jehovah's name, and that does not stumble others. - Matthew 6:9; 1 Corinthians 10:31-33; 2 Corinthians 6:3; 1 Timothy 1:5.
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doinmypart
Yes.
We have an MTS-grad elder that tries to run the KH like a mini-Bethel. This elder is righteous over much, and cold to the congregation members. The PO is indecisive, so the MTS-grad in effect runs the congregation via the PO. This causes so many conflicts with a couple of other brothers jockeying for position. On this body a grown man has cried during a BOE meeting, another has walked out of a BOE meeting, and we've had meetings that lasted over 3 hours because we couldn't come to agreement on the items discussed.
Even when the circuit elders meet Saturday evening of the Circuit Assembly, our circuit had some disagreements on how to use "surplus" circuit funds. Really quite messy.
A few more things, but I can't say...don't want to disclose too much information.
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Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?
by AlmostAtheist ingina and i were talking about this last night.
do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?
is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.
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doinmypart
The Judicial Committee arrangement is a joke. None of the men sitting in judgment can read hearts; the Pay Attn. manual trumps the Bible, and the elders' personal opinion/judgment trumps both.
After the elders hear the evidence, they ask the person to step out. While Brother Sinner is sweating and pacing the floor, the elders are simply reviewing their notes and reading a few paragraphs in the manual. At some point the chairman asks the other 2 or 3 brothers do they think Brother Sinner was repentant.
That's it, no special effects from on high. Some elders probably already have their minds made up before the committee meets depending on the circumstances. I've seen brothers reach decisions within a few minutes, and then discuss weekend plans in order to s-t-r-e-t-c-h the time out.
It is really sad to think about. All of us are the same, we're no better than the next person, but for a few minutes on a Friday night some unfortunate person is meeting before 3 or 4 men who they believe has the power to determine their eternal salvation.
This quasi-religious publishing company makes me sick.
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Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?
by AlmostAtheist ingina and i were talking about this last night.
do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?
is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.
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doinmypart
cindykp
Those 3 elders should NOT have served on your comm. In the Pay Attn book (elder's manual) one of the last pages in section 5, says elders that may have a bias should not serve on comm. At one of our BOE meetings with CO it was mentioned this would include relatives.
You could have appealed, stating the brothers were biased. I wonder if the CO noticed that when he visited the congregation?
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Current/former elders -- Ever on Judicial Committee while on your way out?
by AlmostAtheist ingina and i were talking about this last night.
do any of you that are currently serving as elders ever serve on jc's?
is it something you can opt out of and still be an elder?.
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doinmypart
The BOE I serve with are are a strict, "old school" bunch. Like confusedjw I used to volunteer to serve on Committees because I wanted to make sure congregaton members wouldn't have too difficult a time in the back room. I serve with brothers that like to ask detailed questions of an intimate nature. At one Committee meeting one of the Elders started with the questions (what were you wearing, did you let him...) by the 2nd question I interuppted the Elder, asked the sister to step out for a moment to compose herself, and I tore into the Elder. It really pissed me off. The Elders I serve with feel it is necessary to shame a person and strip them of their dignity, then maybe they won't mar the good name of Jehovah's people again.
Back to your question, I don't guess I can say I'm on my way out - at least not yet. But over the last couple of years I've managed to only serve on one Committee, and in that case the person told us earlier he didn't want to be a JW anymore, it was simply a formality.
Actually the other elders probably breath a sigh of relief when I don't sit on committees because they can do what they want. I still feel sorry for the congregation members that are brought before the Kangaroo Courts, but I hope that they can see from their mistreatment that if they are DF, then being out is the best place for them.
It is a tough spot to be in...be kind to a person & they possibly end up staying in the same Organization I'm trying to get out of...I just can't do it. Thankfully, in these couple of years 2 people have been DF and 3 publically reproved. The DF seem to be doing just fine outside the Org, and 2 of the reproved people have moved to a larger city close by and no longer associating.