Posts by passwordprotected

125

JWs Not Allowed to Post on Websites?

by StandFirm in

this seems to be a favorite topic to bring up to any witnesses who post on any website where there are any opposers, either here or topix or anywhere.. so, here is the one and only place i will be discussing it.

who can prove that witnesses are specifically told not to post on websites about them?.

passwordprotected

A couple of things. First off, StandFirm is a tryer.

His blog (http://stayawake-standfirm.blogspot.com/) and his never-say-die atttitude to defending the Governing Body are what inspired me to start my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

In general he's fair, but at other times he's hugely blinkered and selective. But that's mind control. In my opinion he's earned his stripes when it comes to stepping out and standing firm in defence of the Society and the Governing Body.

His tone of argumentation, that you're witnessing, has been learned at Topix. So, don't expect him to curl up and die, do expect him to pick up on any perceived logical fallacy, etc. Yes, this will frustrate you, but he won't be as bad as reniaa or [insert weird JW apologist here].

Secondly, however, some of the reactions to his initial question have been sooooo JWN in their tone of puerile snickering. Grow up, people. You know who you are.

7

The Abuse - and Cover Up - of Children, With No Support from the Elders...

by passwordprotected in

...isn't unique to the watch tower society.. the trial took place in march 2008. prior to the trial, not knowing how the young man would plead, we asked pastor dh to come with pastor sw ready to give testimony on our childs behalf if needed.

pastor dh made it known to us they were not coming to the courthouse.

i explained to him if the young man pleaded not guilty, our child would then have to get up in front of the court and reveal the entire ordeal along with answering questions from the attorneys.

passwordprotected

I'm realising that the WTBTS and its problems with child abuse isn't unique. That could be why the mainstream media and governments don't make too much of a fuss about it.

7

The Abuse - and Cover Up - of Children, With No Support from the Elders...

by passwordprotected in

...isn't unique to the watch tower society.. the trial took place in march 2008. prior to the trial, not knowing how the young man would plead, we asked pastor dh to come with pastor sw ready to give testimony on our childs behalf if needed.

pastor dh made it known to us they were not coming to the courthouse.

i explained to him if the young man pleaded not guilty, our child would then have to get up in front of the court and reveal the entire ordeal along with answering questions from the attorneys.

passwordprotected

...isn't unique to the Watch Tower Society.

The trial took place in March 2008. Prior to the trial, not knowing how the young man would plead, we asked pastor DH to come with pastor SW ready to give testimony on our child’s behalf if needed. Pastor DH made it known to us they were not coming to the courthouse. I explained to him if the young man pleaded not guilty, our child would then have to get up in front of the court and reveal the entire ordeal along with answering questions from the attorneys. It didn’t matter, they still weren’t coming. His response to us was, “I have my church’s reputation to consider.”….[the pastors ultimately showed up after the threat of a subpoena].

This article explores the cover up of child abuse within the fairly large "reformed" (i.e. Calvinist) Sovereign Grace Ministries (link to Wikipedia article) church network. Watch for the similarities to how the Watch Tower Society deals with victims of abuse, especially the unco-operative attitude from the leaders.

In my experience of Christianity, "reformed" evangelical Christians (who often refer to themselves as Calvinists) are probably more arrogant than the Witnesses when it comes to believing they have "the truth". The disturbing part is that there's a heck of a lot more of them (65-70 million), and their influence is spreading. They make me sick.

32

As The Governing Body Tightens its Grip...

by passwordprotected in

two and a half years ago i predicted that the governing body was going to have to tighten its grip on the rank and file witnesses.. "it's time to get in the compound, brothers and sisters...." it's classic sleight of hand.

distract your audience.

pull off the trick.

passwordprotected

IMO the future noo light has to be big enough that they are already indicating to the r&f that they should be happy about any new changes they receive from GB which to me indicated they are preparing them for the future big changes in doctrine.

Yes, yes, yes, yes, you've hit the nail on the head.

Before I left I started noticing comments about obeying them even if it seems "unsafe" to do so. They need to bring in big changes to their eschatology, but before they do so they need to condition the drones to obey without question, even more so than usual.

35

Personal Grudges and Judicial Committees: is There a Link?

by passwordprotected in

i've received a submitted article for publication on my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

this is from the introduction:.

i have an issue i would like raise.

passwordprotected

What about the supposedly liberal stance on education? Has that gotten more liberal or more hardline?

35

Personal Grudges and Judicial Committees: is There a Link?

by passwordprotected in

i've received a submitted article for publication on my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

this is from the introduction:.

i have an issue i would like raise.

passwordprotected

35

Personal Grudges and Judicial Committees: is There a Link?

by passwordprotected in

i've received a submitted article for publication on my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

this is from the introduction:.

i have an issue i would like raise.

passwordprotected

Talking about dress and grooming, gotta love these guys... I wonder where The Governing Body gets its ideas from;

35

Personal Grudges and Judicial Committees: is There a Link?

by passwordprotected in

i've received a submitted article for publication on my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

this is from the introduction:.

i have an issue i would like raise.

passwordprotected

Let's be pragmatic for a minute, and use a 5 year timescale.

Who of us, while we were active JWs 5 years ago, would have thought that the WTBTS would publish revisions to the 1935 theology and the "generation" theology, which itself was tweaked twice in quick succession, which would severly readjust their eschatology?

Who of us, while we were active JWs 5 years ago, would have thought that the WTBTS would abolish the home group arrangement, and all but outlaw (via the September 2007 KM Question Box) private group Bible study?

The Watch Tower Society, under the direction of The Governing Body, does whatever it needs to do to protect its assets. And its assets are money and property. That means they will absolutely make sure their butt is covered legally. That also means they need a hard core acolyte following that only ever farts when they're allowed to.

Faders do not fall in line with that.

The WTBTS will only get more hardline. They need to run a tighter ship.

Perhaps this needs to move to a new thread?

32

As The Governing Body Tightens its Grip...

by passwordprotected in

two and a half years ago i predicted that the governing body was going to have to tighten its grip on the rank and file witnesses.. "it's time to get in the compound, brothers and sisters...." it's classic sleight of hand.

distract your audience.

pull off the trick.

passwordprotected

@Black Sheep

You raise a good point. However, do JWs place the same important on 1914 as they did back, say, in the 1980s or 90s? During my exit an elder told me 1914 was merely the end of the Gentile Times, nothing more.

Really? Is that all 1914 was?

35

Personal Grudges and Judicial Committees: is There a Link?

by passwordprotected in

i've received a submitted article for publication on my blog (http://thegoverningbody.org).

this is from the introduction:.

i have an issue i would like raise.

passwordprotected

Having listened to all the material posted I think Matthew's fate was sealed the moment he accused Ronnie Hunter of slander. Matthew refused to play the role of the cowed Witness in the face of the elders interfering with his family but took them on at their own rhetorical game. Faced with the claim that they had acted improperly Ronnie Hunter decided Matthew simply had to go in order to uphold his own righteousness and he did everything in his power to accomplish that end.

You're probably right re. Ron's involvement. I know for a fact that my parents had been pestering the elders in Matt's congregation to get something done about him (and cardboard ninja). They'd been gathering evidence against him based on his on-going friendship with my wife and I, as alluded to in the recordings; they'd gone on holiday with us, a holiday that had originally been planned with one of the elders on the original judicial committee.

That being said, Matt had moved house and hadn't been to a meeting for around 6 months. They actively pursued him very quickly after his 25th December encounter with Ron in the Bishopbriggs Kingdom Hall.

Ron likes to play Mr Meek and Mild, but it should be apparent to even the most pro-JW listeners that the guy had an agenda and could barely contain his ire at Matt's audacious questioning. Notice how, when seemingly backed into a corner regarding his own allged slander, he started asking Matt theological questions. Matt's replies gave Ron the ammunition to relaunch their investigation against him.

That's where the lack of ethics come in;

Ron was one of two elders who had "shepherded" Matt and his wife
information disclosed by the couple at these visits where re-visited by Ron during his confrontation with Matt
Ron became the chief accuser against Matt
Ron was the chief witness to the accusations against Matt
the other witness to the accusations was the other elder who had "shepherded" them