OnTheWayOut

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Posts by OnTheWayOut

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  16

  Is the Bible of extraterrestrial origin?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  highly illuminating video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkhdyhmolmw.

  i thought these bible cryptologists were all nuts.

  this guy changed my mind..

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  OnTheWayOut

  Once he said there are 66 books in an "integrated message," I stopped.
  
  The Bible is not an integrated message even if you limit it to the Protestant Bible and it certainly would be too much of a stretch to say it is integrated if you put the apocrypha in there.
  
  The Bible is the interpretation of whichever group is pushing its agenda, including which books to include.
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  14

  The Truth about the Truth

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if jw wants to know the truth about the truth, what will you talk about first?

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  OnTheWayOut

  People have to be ready to listen. I would try discussing "the generation" that will not pass away and start with saying, "Do you really accept the 'overlapping generation' ?"
  
  For decades, the 'generation' was people old enough to understand what happened in 1914, so they would at least have had to have been older children. When the time was about to expire, the 'generation' was tweaked to be anyone born by 1914 and they pretended it was always that way. When the time was getting close to expiration in 1995, they released it to an unknown variable. When the members didn't see enough urgency in that, they restored the 'generation' to a connection with 1914 and created the 'overlapping generation.' Can you explain that? (That 'overlapping generation' includes the life span of people that knew people born prior to 1914. They indicate the first part would be people old enough to understand things in 1914, and the second part (overlap) would include people who significantly knew that first part, but we all know it will be stretched to say the first part had to be born by 1914 and the overlap could have barely lived at the same time.)
  
  I doubt many would let me say any of that without running away or interrupting constantly.
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  9

  Can a person order a free bible through the JWs?

  by jwundubbed in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i was researching the easiest bible to read (which the jw bible is not) and the best way to buy one online at low cost and it got me thinking.

  the jw.org is doing videos and has a website.

  have they joined the order-online phenomenon that is going on in the world today?

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  OnTheWayOut

  Back in the day, you requested a Bible and a slip of paper went from HQ to a congregation to send a JW to your door.

  After COVID19, it will probably go back to that. I am certain they won't mail you anything.
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  12

  Did You Feel Special Because You Were An Elder or Friend or Family Of?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for many families, they received the golden ticket once a family member became an elder.

  the glory and admiration of being an elder seeped right thru to all the elder’s connections.

  if you got into some trouble, having an elder friend or relative could give you the stay out of jail card.

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  OnTheWayOut

  I was an adult convert appointed fairly young. I just thought an elder was what Jehovah wanted me to be. I was so gung-ho.

  I did notice right away that elders family members got in less trouble, it was often hushed up. I was invited to ALL gatherings. I knew why.
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  41

  KH's Still All Closed- How Bad is WT doing Financially?

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  most churches are back to in-person worship.

  not jehovah's witnesses.

  is watchtower still managing to fleece the flocks as the sheeple no longer get literature, no longer go to the kh, no longer walk past the donation box?

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  OnTheWayOut

  Very interesting thoughts here. I will say in rebuttal to some, that no matter how much people are donating electronically, it cannot possibly match what they raked in at conventions and assemblies in cash and checks. Even if I am wrong, it can't last. Children attending Zoom will leave faster than ever before.
  
  Watchtower is dying slowly, but I think it is already picking up speed going downhill.
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  22

  Did You Think The Capitol Riot Was Worse Than What Happened On 9/11?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my lifetime 9/11 was the worst thing that i can recall.

  the effect it had was incredibly horrible!

  almost everyone seemed to know someone that was either directly or indirectly affected by this diabolical act.

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  OnTheWayOut

  Minimize or maximize. True, it could very well be for the opposite effect for shock value in headlines. It's still apples and oranges.
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  30

  For Witnesses Who Want To Leave Fade, Disassociate or Get Disfellowshipped?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my opinion is if possible fading is the best way to go..

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  OnTheWayOut

  It's pretty well covered here already. Different folks have different reasons for choosing different paths.
  If someone chooses to fade and it doesn't work for various reasons (usually family asking too much), they can still just exit. But if you just walk away and lose contact with family, it is very difficult to get that back.
  
  While I am a huge advocate of fading, if I had young children being indoctrinated, I would look for a path that allows them to be free to pursue education, after-school sports or music, celebrate holidays, enjoy a normal life. That path typically involves a clean break and maybe a disassociation letter.
  
  But each person needs to decide what to do.
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  24

  Anyone get the feeling that the cult is really in trouble.

  by mickbobcat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so all the bs and hyperbole aside, to me it really looks like the cult is in trouble.

  shrinking member, selling halls.

  the move to televangelism is really strange to me.

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  OnTheWayOut

  Watchtower found itself alongside of newspapers and print magazines. They are able to make a product that nobody is reading nowadays. Still, they would not care if money kept coming in. I personally believe that this giant printing corporation is not making much money on print. Further reductions in the Watchtower and Awake mags is enough evidence for me. I would bet that they are only printing enough material for the pioneer supporters of Watchtower Corporation to feel justified in continuing to support the corporation.
  
  BUT,
  Scientology finds itself with hundreds of thousands of members instead of the 4.5 million or so that they want people to believe they have. They are property rich. with such a low membership, the leader lives a richer lifestyle than the leaders of Watchtower. For over a hundred years, the GB had one goal in mind- protect and expand the corporation. But it might be possible that since GB 2.0 was filled with idiotic yes-men, they may be abandoning that effort to embrace a cult-leader lifestyle over expansion of the cult. If they shake out members that were not really contributing to their wealth, then they can sell their Kingdom Halls.
  
  I am confident that when the presses get old, they won't be replaced. They will have a similar print system to desktop publishers and will have computers print softbound Bibles on demand.
  
  All this spells a slow death for Watchtower. But I am glad that it is faster than I expected because of lawsuits and because young people have too much internet ability to discover the real truth and they leave. If the leaders would take the money that's left and run away, I would help them pack.
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  19

  Do You Support Cubans Protesting Against Communism?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some people have thrown their support for the government while others show support for the rebels.

  what’s your opinion?.

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  OnTheWayOut

  Cuba has been a dictatorship since communism took over. Cuba has many Soviet-era automobiles and many newer Asian-import vehicles, particularly buses and trucks. In 2015, the Cuban government opened the first public wi-fi hotspots in 35 public locations. It also reduced prices and increased speeds for internet access at state-run cybercafes. Less than 18 months later, nearly 40% of the population was on the internet. So that is so recent. As time has eroded the dictatorship and some Cubans have tasted a tiny bit of what the rest of the world is like, they fully realize that they have virtually no freedom to disagree with their government nor change their government. They probably found out that many poor people in backwards countries have more freedom than they do, or a better ability to acquire modern technology.

  Cuba embraces a black market society where commerce takes care of people in ways that the government has failed. So, if the people finally are able to stand up in protest to such a failed government, of course I support them.
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  22

  Did You Think The Capitol Riot Was Worse Than What Happened On 9/11?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my lifetime 9/11 was the worst thing that i can recall.

  the effect it had was incredibly horrible!

  almost everyone seemed to know someone that was either directly or indirectly affected by this diabolical act.

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  OnTheWayOut

  "Did You Think The Capitol Riot Was Worse Than What Happened On 9/11?"

  That is apples and oranges. One was an act of outsiders while the other was an act of citizens.
  I think that what happened with the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami was far worse than both of the above events. World Wars and plagues of history were far worse.
  
  Whoever originated this thought of comparing these was probably attempting to minimize the Capitol Riot.