Posts by Truth and Justice

I find all your points interesting. A point was made that if I have not been a part of the organization for decades, then why would I even care? First, it happens to involve a member of my family.

I would say that in my opinion over 70% of the people on this board are not in the organization, so why are they even reading any of these good posts on this forum. That being said, we are here and we care, because THE ORGANIZATION HAD A TREMENDOUS AFFECT ON OUR VERY LIVES. AND MOST OF US WOULD LIKE TO SEE CHANGE AND SOME JUSTICE. AND THE FRUITS OF THAT ARE STARTING TO SHOW.

10

I hope this is just a joke, because when reading this board, I thought this was'nt suppose to happen

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

hi to all the board, .

i am confused about something that i read on this board.

it was the subject about the building and development of new kingdom halls.

Truth and Justice

Hi to all the board,

I am confused about something that I read on this board. It was the subject about the building and Development of new kingdom halls. I had remembered reading that the Society had gotten up a sort of a Kingdom Hall Development Committee to survey and search out areas for the building of New Kingdom Halls in the US, and some other countries. I am not sure of when this had started, but I'm going to guess that it was around 2 years ago. If I remember correctly, it seemed like it was almost 4 or 5 months after, that the Society sends another letter saying they are going to discontinue any further searching and surveying of the Halls and on top of that they were going to discontinue all building projects, and put a halt to any projects going on except the one in Warwick which is basically done.

I say all this because my Mother and I do not attend meetings, and have been out for over 3 decades. A member of the family calls today to talk to my Mother to see how she is doing since our Father had passed away late in the summer. It was the first time my Mother said that the conversation was very good, he was relaxed and asked a lot of questions. In the conversation, my Mother asked him "Where are you calling me from? He says "I'm calling from the state of ______." (its a East coast state. He is heading back home to the South East part of the country. I'm trying to protect him from too much being said.) My Mom says "What were you doing in that state? He replies that he was at a committee that works on this development. The stunning part is that he tells my Mother he is in charge of all Research Development in the US and a broad.

Why this bothers me: I thought that the Society was not going to get involved in any more building projects and put a halt to all other projects as well.

Now the way it has been said, is that FUNDING HAS DRIED UP DRASTICALLY. Between Lawsuits, merging of kingdom halls, taking halls and selling them for profit for other means, discontinuing of amenities at bethel, no more Gilead school, selling of numerous properties, drastic cutting on publishing literature, Lawsuits on various issues especially the sex lawsuits in the US, the large one in Australia with the Royal Commission, upcoming Lawsuits with Britain, Canada, and Mexico. When I heard they were cutting back on Kingdom Hall building, I never recalled the Organization ever discontinuing the contribution boxes for the Worldwide work and Expansion.

I also heard it said that the Society, at the time they came up with the arrangement of searching out areas for building halls, KNEW that the arrangement was not going to work, that it became a PLOY to at least get people to contributing any kind of funds. (I don't know if that part is true)

Can anyone enlighten me on this, I try to go on what I know is the truth behind the scenes of the organization, and not on here say. I will say that I remember reading a letter that leaked out about the new building initiative, and then they reneged on it.

Thanks for any help!

Truth and Justice,

10

How many watchtowers do the witnesses receive each year?

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

my question is how many watchtower and awake magazines do the witnesses receive thru the year?

my mother and i stop going about 30 years ago, my sister does attend still, and she says that they will receive 3 watchtowers and 3 awakes a year.

is that true?

Truth and Justice

I read all of the replies, and appreciate it very much. I too remember getting those magazines in that brown paper and my Mother had it read in 1 hour. Now I read cooking magazines.

10

How many watchtowers do the witnesses receive each year?

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

my question is how many watchtower and awake magazines do the witnesses receive thru the year?

my mother and i stop going about 30 years ago, my sister does attend still, and she says that they will receive 3 watchtowers and 3 awakes a year.

is that true?

Truth and Justice

Thanks for your help on that

10

How many watchtowers do the witnesses receive each year?

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

my question is how many watchtower and awake magazines do the witnesses receive thru the year?

my mother and i stop going about 30 years ago, my sister does attend still, and she says that they will receive 3 watchtowers and 3 awakes a year.

is that true?

Truth and Justice

Hi to all!

My question is How many watchtower and awake magazines do the witnesses receive thru the year? My Mother and I stop going about 30 years ago, my sister does attend still, and she says that they will receive 3 watchtowers and 3 awakes a year. Is that true? Or is that for the new year?

I know from all my reading they have cut back an awful lot.

Thanks to all for any info you can give on this subject! I was tired of doing a search.

Truth and Justice

1

I thought of a new Theme for the 2017 Convention Year

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

i hope everyone is well and having a good weekend.

i have been quite busy with my work this year, but that should not be an excuse for me, although it is the best one i have.

i had briefly stopped by to see how everyone is doing, and it looks like everyone is hanging in there, although we're all such good actors.

Truth and Justice

Hi Everyone,

I hope everyone is well and having a good weekend. I have been quite busy with my work this year, but that should not be an excuse for me, although it is the best one I have. I had briefly stopped by to see how everyone is doing, and it looks like everyone is hanging in there, although we're all such good actors. While I was checking things out, I believe "Wifi Bandit" was the one that brought up about this years new convention theme: "Don't give up!"

so, I told my folks about this years theme, and we all thought that it was strange to not have a scriptural theme, because that is what they had always used every year. After thinking about it for a couple days, my folks and I have seen a dramatic shift from 30 years ago, there isn't the numbers, the enthusiasm, the financial support for all the Halls. People are not happy, but are looking for any escape they can find to comfort them when they are so depressed. But I will talk on this particular subject on another thread.

Along with the many new ideas that people have come up with for a 2017 Convention Theme, and some of them were pretty good, my Father has come up with a good suggestion for them. He says there new Theme for the year should be "Make the Watchtower Great Again! He said it has kind of a Trump ring to it, when Pres-Elect Trump campaigned with the slogan "Make America Great Again!"

Putting all humor aside, I think the writing is on the wall, they realize it, and they know it is not looking good, no matter how well they try to spin it. They can say all they want that "well, Jehovah is refining his organization." The only refining going on is people have had enough and they realize that "His Spirit" is no longer with them. They will only continue to have a downward spiral ahead of them. My folks and I have been out for over 30 years, and it has been earth-shattering to see what has happen to millions of people with the continual changes in rules, procedures, and policies, and the drastic changes where many are being forced to travel 25-50 miles to merge with another kingdom Hall because of their Hall being taken to be sold, (or the lack of not having enough attendance) and the inconveniences put on the older ones and little children. But they're told its because of a "refining of Jehovah's work."

My personal opinion is this, they're flocking to the internet to find out what's really happening. And as they search around, they cant believe what there eyes are seeing, they began to say to themselves things like: "this is unbelievable, or you have got to be kidding, or honey, look at this."

Then, and only then, your mind will then realize why all the downward spiral, the numerous lawsuits being waged against them, and the continual need to ask for more money. (I think someone on this site said there was at least 4 or 5 different Contribution boxes, if I'm not mistaken) They still want your money even though they're not going to build those extra kingdom halls they were talking about doing, so very sad.

All I can say is that my heart is with all of you, and I realize many of you are in very difficult circumstances to change things, but keep hope strong, as I do for my own siblings.

May the Good Lord take a liking to you, Truth and Justice

5

questions about some doctrinal issues

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

first, a good evening to all on this forum,.

i have been busy with my work, and so i don't come on here much.

but because of winter, i will stop in on occasion and share some interesting insights.

Truth and Justice

First, a good evening to all on this forum,

I have been busy with my work, and so i don't come on here much. But because of winter, I will stop in on occasion and share some interesting insights. I just need to find some information on a topic, because I will be visiting my sister and want to discuss this with her.

The topic is about the "good Samaritan in the bible. And being out of the organization for over 30 years, I find there is a different understanding about the subject. I have always had the understanding that when you help your neighbor who is stuck in a ditch because of a snow storm, and you pull the young man out, your a good Samaritan. If the young woman is beaten up by gang of bad people, and leave her laying there bleeding, and so you pick her up and take her to the hospital, then you're a good samaritan.

So, has there been a change as far as who you would help? So much of what has been a JW doctrine or belief, all of a sudden has been changed to accommodate a new idea or agenda to more or less tighten the reigns of the witnesses. If someone has some info, I would really appreciate it.

Anyway, hope everyone is doing well, and I'm looking forward to sharing some interesting thoughts.

As I like to say, as one of my favorite western hero has always said, "May the Good Lord take a liking to you!"

7

In regards to memorial, what I am going to do

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

wow!

what a list of new friends we have on this forum, i don't know if i'll ever be able to keep up, but that's ok.. i wanted to dive in to the post to talk about the memorial.

i do not have any intentions of going, even if i was invited.

Truth and Justice

Hi to everyone!

Wow! What a list of new friends we have on this forum, I don't know if I'll ever be able to keep up, but that's Ok.

I wanted to dive in to the post to talk about the Memorial. I do not have any intentions of going, even if I was invited. I have not gone to one in about 30 years, and with all that I have learned and read, as well as the information we can get on the internet, I certainly can not allow my conscience to view it as acceptable for me. Now, by that last sentence, I am only saying that about myself, with a deep respect for others views. I do believe in my heart that Christ's death is significant for me and that without it life seems empty and meaningless to me. So, what am I going to do?

I plan to spend some time with my folks, and we will celebrate it privately, by reading some of the passages concerning his death. Our thoughts are, like scripture, and I'm paraphrasing "where there are two or more gathered in my name, there my spirit is." No need for extra literature to explain the importance of the event, only the scriptures. In the book by Ray Franz, ("Crisis of Conscience") it also was an issue of contention with the society because of individuals having their own private meeting in their own home. It is nobody's business what you do when it comes to reading or discussing the scriptures in your own home. From what I have read and learned, it apparently has been done by many. And of course, it is definitely not being announced everywhere.

I also want to express a concern or an emotion that I have, and maybe you have had this feeling, it's actually very simple. I have a friend that is getting married to a wonderful woman. He sends out 200 invitations inviting them to his wedding and to the reception. So, I show up and attend the wedding, and then I go up the street to the reception. While I'm there, cake and beverages, and I'm talking the good beverages, are being passed out to the Bride and Groom, and the entourage of the couple, as well as the parents. BUT NOBODY else, not me, or the guests or anyone else get to have cake or beverages, we just get to watch them enjoying the cake and beverages. So how can I be a part of something if I don't get to enjoy the benefits of the reception. And that's how I felt when I went to memorial. I would sit for an hour and watch 2 or 3 people out of 80 partake of the emblems, and yet I always felt that Jesus was telling me to "keep doing this in remembrance of me." From what I know, I find out that I am not alone in that feeling. So in conclusion, I don't care about there rules, and it is in my heart what I feel. I also found it interesting when I was reading on this subject a couple years ago, that there are quite a number of people that when they went to the memorial, they would go to an individuals house and have another private memorial.

Anyway, this is just my own point of view, and whatever you decide to do, make it a great day!

Happy Trails to all! Truth and Justice

19

You must not say Gee, Gee wiz, or Golly

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

before i start my subject post, i like to extend a warm welcome to all the new members that have joined the site.

i just can't keep up with all the new names.

nice to see all of you here.. i haven't posted anything in a while because of work, scheduling and everything else, but i do have some interesting thoughts that i would like to share with all of you in the coming months.

Truth and Justice

Before I start my subject post, I like to extend a warm welcome to all the new members that have joined the site. I just can't keep up with all the new names. Nice to see all of you here.

I haven't posted anything in a while because of work, scheduling and everything else, but I do have some interesting thoughts that I would like to share with all of you in the coming months. So, to start off with something light-harded, I have always had a feeling about the over bearing hand, the many rules and regulations that must be followed. As I grew up, my parents always instilled in us that we should use our conscience, because its a way to guide us as Christians or good people.

Then as time went along as little kids that we were, (if my memory serves me right, this was in the late 1970's) I was playing games with my siblings, and for some reason, I blurted out the word "Gee", well, that didn't go well with my Mom. She said, "Hey, didn't you learn anything at the meeting, you are not to say words like "Gee, Golly, or Gee-Wiz, because those words are the derivative of the expression "G-d dam." I said "Mom, I'm not swearing, and I would never use the Lord's name in vane." She says, "I know, but we're told not to say those things."

For those of you who don't remember, or those of you that were to young, this was brought out on a Thursday night for the Ministry school. It was the "Instruction talk that was 15 minutes long, taken from the book "The Theocratic School Guide" book. I don't recall the page numbers, but, there you have it.

To shorten the story, my parents and I have been out for a very long time. A lot of years went by, and I reminded my parents of the incident. My Mother says, "I really don't know what the big deal was, it's just rules and regulations as usual." So I was telling my folks, that even Television shows like "The Andy Griffith Show," and the "Leave it to Beaver" show used words like Gee, or Golly. And during that time error, when people had decency, the average person knew that the shows of that type never for a moment meant swearing towards God. You can see why Wally always said to Beaver when he was in trouble, "Gee Beave", because he was always in a jam.

I also recall a long time ago when I went to an assembly on a Saturday, and that evening, the movie that was showing was entitled "Indiana Jones", well, what do you know, the speaker the next day said, and I am paraphrasing, "Brothers, we want to be spotless and unblemished, not being enticed by the worlds ways, and seeing a movie such as "Indiana Jones", would not be acceptable in God's eyes. And I say to myself, "Gee", whoops, I didn't mean to say that.

So, I ask myself, why can't I use my own conscience to decide right from wrong. My thoughts are somebody gets ticked off that (Brother Feeble) is doing something that seems objectionable to them, they go to the elders, the elders go to the CO, then he calls Headquarters, and they say, OK, we'll discuss it in the board room and come up with a study article in the magazine. (And all this because of one person!)

So all I can say is "Gee", "Golly", why can't I use my own conscience?

Take care, everyone! And may the Good Lord take a liking to you! as Roy Rogers use to say.