Posts by Ultimate Reality

40

our KH (worth half a million ££) is to be sold

by quietlyleaving in

jw
friends

a local congregation is the owner.

(this hall occupies an area of 1000sq ft).

other khs to be sold too.... i don't know how many.

Ultimate Reality

In the U.S., our congregation had a "review" done on the articles of incorporation. This was initiated by the Legal Department through the C.O. As a result the dissolution clause was changed (through a rubber stamp vote of the congregation) so that upon dissolution the proceeds will go to the Society.

The Society has been doing this everywhere and as a result they now (or soon will) effectively control all KH assets. If the elders resist, guess what, they will be removed and replaced by more compliant men. And, no one in the congregation has the will to stand up to this. Donated money for construction and remodels, volunteer labor, loans with interest from the Society, donations to maintain the property and in the end, the asset ends up in the hands of the Society.

I think that is why they eliminated the Book Study and shortened the Public Talk by 15 minutes. Now you can have 1 Hall that easily handles 4 congregations.

21

Recent Annual Figures, 2009

by Joker10 in

jw
friends

peak publishersincreasepercent.

memorial attendanceincreasepercent.

australia.

Ultimate Reality

bohm:

Here's the post on the numbers:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/184119/1/48-165-New-Publishers-in-ONE-MONTH

21

Recent Annual Figures, 2009

by Joker10 in

jw
friends

peak publishersincreasepercent.

memorial attendanceincreasepercent.

australia.

Ultimate Reality

The U.S. numbers are cooked. According to the KM over 40,000 new publishers appeared in August.

112

the Watchtower, December 15, 2009 (PDF)

by possible-san in

well, the watchtower, december 15, 2009 (pdf) is downloadable now.. although i had stopped notifying of those pdf files here, am i good to notify you?.

.

http://bb2.atbb.jp/possible/.

Ultimate Reality

Yes, can you please post links on this site to the Watchtower PDF's? It is a most valuable contribution. Thank you.

15

48,165 New Publishers in ONE MONTH!!!

by Ultimate Reality in

jw
friends

the december 2009 okm (courtesy of iloowy) provides a new field service highlight: in august 2009 the u.s. reported publishers of 1,154,275; a new peak and an increase of 48,165 from the july 2009 report of 1,106,110.. .

fyi: 2008 peak publishers for the u.s. were 1,105,798. therefore, an increase of only 312 publishers from 2008 to july 2009. where did these 48,165 come from in one month?.

how are they manipulating these numbers?.

Ultimate Reality

So, the bulk of these are inactive ones turning in a report? But only 312 actual new publishers since 1 year previous (per the November KM)? This really does mean they are in a state of decay. The number dropping off as publishers and getting DF'd must be about to (or is) exceed the number of new publishers coming in. When we see the baptism statistics for 2009 we'll know more.

15

48,165 New Publishers in ONE MONTH!!!

by Ultimate Reality in

jw
friends

the december 2009 okm (courtesy of iloowy) provides a new field service highlight: in august 2009 the u.s. reported publishers of 1,154,275; a new peak and an increase of 48,165 from the july 2009 report of 1,106,110.. .

fyi: 2008 peak publishers for the u.s. were 1,105,798. therefore, an increase of only 312 publishers from 2008 to july 2009. where did these 48,165 come from in one month?.

how are they manipulating these numbers?.

Ultimate Reality

The December 2009 OKM (courtesy of Iloowy) provides a new Field Service Highlight: In August 2009 the U.S. reported publishers of 1,154,275; a new peak and an increase of 48,165 from the July 2009 report of 1,106,110.

FYI: 2008 Peak publishers for the U.S. were 1,105,798. Therefore, an increase of only 312 publishers from 2008 to July 2009. Where did these 48,165 come from in one month?

How are they manipulating these numbers?

Here is the quote from the Kingdom Ministry:

"The August 2009 report marked an important new milestone in theocratic progress for the United States branch. There were new peaks in Kingdom publishers in all three territories assigned to our branch. In the United States, the total of 1,154,275 publishers reporting is an increase of 48,165 over the previous peak of 1,106,110 set in July 2009. Truly, Jehovah 'is speeding up the work in its own time.' - Isaiah 60:22"

10

Two simple (stupid) questions about 607..

by bohm in

jw
friends

im researching the societys position on 607, and so far i got two questions i havent been able to find the answer to.

it is about the following scripture:.

in the third year of the kingship of je?hoia?kim the king of judah, neb?u?chad?nezzar the king of babylon came to jerusalem and proceeded to lay siege to it.

Ultimate Reality

I agree. The argument that Daniel and the other Hebrews were totally unknown to the King during their 3 year education does not match with the fact that court official was in fear of the King if he found out that the 3 Hebrews were not eating of the King's delicacies. The King must have 'checked up' on the boys during their education and during year 2 Daniel gave the interpretation.

If we really do follow the scriptures at their word, their was a deportation in 605 B.C.E. (using 'secular' chronology) under Nebuchadrezzar's first year as King and that is when Daniel was brought to Babylon. Otherwise, Daniel would be saying things he did not mean. If this 'second year' was after the destruction of the temple why didn't Daniel say so or why did he not say it was in the King's 20th year?

Here is an interesting chart (not that I endorse the whole site):

http://www.swartzentrover.com/cotor/bible/Timelines/690-570%20BC.htm

38

Do the celestial positions on BM 33478 help to prove Artaxerxes I's 20th year was 455 BCE? (For 'scholar')

by AnnOMaly in

this is a spin off from this thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/friends/182714/4/hubby-is-researching-607.

background.

for the past three years, carl jonsson has been critiquing rolf furuli's 'oslo' chronology in an interdisciplinary journal called chronology and catastrophism review.

Ultimate Reality

Don't feel bad for Scholar; he's just trying to provide comic relief for all of us. Not even he believes what he writes.

1

A couple of things from "Revelation: Four Views: A Parallel Commentary", Steve Gregg

by Doug Mason in

in his book, revelation: four views: a parallel commentary, steve gregg provides parallel readings from recognised historicist, preterist, futurist and spiritual commentaries for each passage of revelation.

makes interesting reading.. i noticed that one of the many commentaries gregg refers to is: the parousia: a critical inquiry into the new testament doctrine of our lords second coming by james stewart russell (published 1887).

i found that this book may be downloaded at a preterist site: http://www.preteristarchive.com/books/pdf/1878_russell_parousia_1st-ed.pdf.

Ultimate Reality

I have read J.S. Russell's book and have posted about it a few times. If you are looking for the opposite way of looking at Revelation (from the WTS and organized religion) with a very compelling perspective on the entire NT, I highly recommend it.

7

Witnesses and apostasy from the WT

by isaacaustin in

"apostates" are considered by the wt to be the worst kind of sinners, and summarily shunned at all costs.

while there is no scriptural basis for this when the seeming proof-texts are analyzed....fear and loyalty to the org always allow this to keep going on.

in the book of matthew, jesus was tempted by the satan the devil.

Ultimate Reality

Or, we could say that Jesus was the foremost apostate. He openly challenged the religious leaders and their doctrines. Apostates today follow Jesus' fine example!