I think the reluctance of financial disclosure in the Watchtower Society goes back to Russell's time. He hid his assets in the Watchtower and several other corporations he formed. It was said he did this so as to avoid support payments to his wife. Only a very few individuals at the very top knew that financial status of the organization in the U.S.A. This still remains a policy of the leaders. However, financial disclosure is a requirement in many other countries where the Watchtower operates. And this information is available to the public.
Posts by Pahpa
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10Where do the funds go?....Ministry Watch.com
by restrangled ini watched a special on 20/20 friday night.
the above website checks into all religious corporations and where the money goes.. they rate each religious charity on how they spend their money and if they will even answer.. interestingly enough jw's are not listed, but many of the televangelists have been exposed and suddenly sold off personal assests or altered the way they do business.. i would love to see the wtbts questioned but don't have enough time to research on how to get this done.. anyone else up for contacting this outfit?
has anyone else heard of this?
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The image in Daniels dream...what does it mean now?
by uuus2b1 ini am new here, so i know i missed this being discussed in earlier threads......anyway i remember how prominently the image in daniels dream was being portrayed in public talks and books...especially when russia was a world power.
since the breakup of that country, what is the new explanation for the 'gog of magag'.
also the feet of the image that was of part clay and stone or something like that, symbolized unrest by democratically ruled nations.
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Pahpa
The only interpretation that is valid is Daniel's. The identity of the head of gold is clear. It represented the King of Babylon. Thereafter, Daniel reveals that successive "kingdoms" would follow down to the feet and toes of the image which would exist when the kingdom of God would destroy all those kingdoms.
Many commentaries have noted the kingdoms that followed the Babylonian kingdom. (Medo-Persian, Greece, Rome) So, this interpretation is not an exclusive Watchtower teaching.
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Reusing the Watchtower and Awake in field real reason.
by 5go ini have wonder why would the society ask people to bring their older ( like 1970's) watchtowers and other publications to be placed.
then it hit me i wonder if the po has a list of ones to thrash when spotted.
old russel, rutherford, and pre 1975 trash.
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Pahpa
Years ago, I can remember the "specials" we had on the old booklets that were cleared from the inventory of the Kingdom Hall. Some of them had outdated material as far as "new light" was concerned. And I was always a bit reluctant to distribute what I knew had wrong information and always curious why the Watchtower would recommend such a practice. Of course, in retrospect it was a sound business practice...but a poor ethical one. I must agree that money was always the "bottom line."
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The CATHOLIC doctrine of the Faithful and Discreet Slave??? Yes!!
by Terry inmajesterium (sacred tradition) is a technical theological term used in some christian traditions, primarily in the roman catholic and eastern orthodox traditions, to refer to the fundamental basis of church dogma.
the term refers to the "deposit of faith" that these churches hold was communicated by jesus christ to his first followers, and which they hold has been passed down (latin tradere, to hand over or hand down) through succeeding generations.
the church as a community, therefore, was the initial receiver, and has remained the guardian and codifier, of sacred tradition.
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Pahpa
I disagree with the statement that the Catholic church predates the Bible. One could only accept that hypothesis if one accepts the church's doctrine of "apostolic succession." And most historians date the start of the church at a much later time when the "popes" began to assert their primacy. We should not confuse the church in Rome during the apostles' time with what later became a grab at supremacy over the other Christian churches. We should not forget that the various books of the Christian Scriptures were well circulated and accepted as authentic by many Christian churches well before a council was formed to decide which ones were to be included in the collection we now call the New Testament. It was this fact that helped in making the decision of the authenticity of the various books by the members of the council.
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The CATHOLIC doctrine of the Faithful and Discreet Slave??? Yes!!
by Terry inmajesterium (sacred tradition) is a technical theological term used in some christian traditions, primarily in the roman catholic and eastern orthodox traditions, to refer to the fundamental basis of church dogma.
the term refers to the "deposit of faith" that these churches hold was communicated by jesus christ to his first followers, and which they hold has been passed down (latin tradere, to hand over or hand down) through succeeding generations.
the church as a community, therefore, was the initial receiver, and has remained the guardian and codifier, of sacred tradition.
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Pahpa
A Paduan
History proves how the Catholic church used every method within its powerful authority to subject people and to repress knowledge of the Bible. Any one who oppossed the church was a "heretic." It was the Protestant reformation that forced the changes in the church so that it began to produce the Bible in the vernacular. But even then, Catholics were instructed that only their priests could interpret the Scriptures.
This abuse of its authority and its claim of exclusiveness as God's organization is what we see as a similarity between the Catholic church and the Watchtower Society.
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Scripted Comments Only at WT Study - ?
by compound complex indear friends,.
i learned yesterday that a local co stated in his talk that comments at the wt study are to be from the page and nothing beyond, per brooklyn.
i wasn't there - this may be merely anecdotal and i cannot verify it at present.
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Pahpa
I remember a similar transition when the "outlines" for public talks became manuscripts instead. In the old days, the outlines were considered just a guide for the subject. Some of the most interesting talks I ever heard at the Kingdom Hall were those that "brothers" researched and added interesting points not covered by those outlines. But this was soon discouraged. I guess the Watchtower feared competition from those "brothers" who had ability and skills.
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Matt 24:14 NOT fulfilled
by Zico ini had my special assembly day today.
(yay!
) i actually missed most of it because i went for some long walks :) but i was present during the last talk, which was given by a speaker from bethel.
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Pahpa
Zico
Did the speaker really use the word "seminary?"
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"Faithful" and "Discreet" ???
by AuldSoul inmain entry: faithful.
function: adjective.
1 obsolete : full of faith.
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Pahpa
The Watchtower leaders better fit the description of the "wicked servant" who says to himself "My master is staying away a long time, and he then begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards." (Mt. 24:48,49)
Not only were Russell and Rutherford disappointed that they weren't raptured to be with Christ, but they set in motion the policies that eventually evolved into treating their "fellow servants" with contempt and cruelty. It seems that this circumstance always follows the disappointment of Christ's anticipated return. Look how the Society treated former members after the failure of the 1975 fiasco.
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Broken Heart
by jillbedford inmy almost 17 year old daughter left to stay with her dad last thursday.
this is the second time she has left due to my strict rules, like 10p school day curfue, get to school on time, keep your grades above a c. she has not kept to my rules, so as a consequence i told her this last wednesday night she has lost driving priviledges of the car i gave her on her 16th birthday.
she said she was leaving to live with her dad.
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Pahpa
Jill,
I'm a computer dummy! Will you please tell me how to IM you? Pahpa
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Broken Heart
by jillbedford inmy almost 17 year old daughter left to stay with her dad last thursday.
this is the second time she has left due to my strict rules, like 10p school day curfue, get to school on time, keep your grades above a c. she has not kept to my rules, so as a consequence i told her this last wednesday night she has lost driving priviledges of the car i gave her on her 16th birthday.
she said she was leaving to live with her dad.
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Pahpa
Jill,
Imagine my surprise to see your name and latest experience here on the Forum. We are very sorry to read about these developments. But we were aware of the move of C to her father since B is still in touch with her. I will be writing to you soon to fill you in on more details.
By the way, Gramma had her 96th birthday this month.