with all the recent efforts by the society to stifle publication of their recent boe letter i have been re-reading it and thinking again about some of the consequences of what this letter really means.. i've had some thoughts so am just throwing them out there to see what the rest of you might think.. firstly, i have absolutely no truck with the core issue regarding the lack of disclosure to the authorities when child abuse is suspected or alledged.
although there are very good reasons for the biblical precedant regarding two or more witnesses this really cannot be forced to apply to this issue.
in the time of the mosaic law, the "elders" were the top level of authority - they were the police, judge and jury - responsible for civil, criminal and spiritual matters.
I know in Canada there is this law about the "Privacy Act". I don't know how far reaching it goes as regards a JC and reporting to cong when a pedo is now in the congregation. Are they permitted to verbalize the previous actions of this person to the congregation? or will they be brought up on legal charges if his/her previous actions are told to the congregation?
Anybody know??
i am amazed by the speed with which jwfacts has been able to update the graphs on his website.. please check out his statistics page on the link below.... http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/statistics.php.
i have also published an article with my own analysis of the 2012 report which you are welcome to read through.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/2012-service-year-report-available-on-jw-org-but-what-do-the-numbers-really-show.
if anyone can think of how i can improve my article in any way, please let me know!.
Remember how the society says, if you were a member of a church prior to becoming a witness, you should write them a letter advising them you are now one of Jehovahs Witnesses....... sorry -- associates (remember - only JW's are of the anointed) we are not really JW's according to earlier statements years ago - we are Jonadabs, helpers or associates of the anointed. This letter would show we no longer believe in their false teachings so the question now is: if we find ourselves drifting away and fading to the point we are invisible, and if we wrote the society and told them we no longer believe in their teachings, would they truly deduct those members from the total worldwide average pub reports? No - as it would look defeatist and the mass would become dispondent if the truth is not growing, showing blessings being poured out.
Also too - the harrassment would start to make sure you, your family, acquaintances would become df'd -- yet never count the number in their lack of growth figure.
A little off topic but cobaltcupcake mentioned the disassociation..
Again Cedars, good work
as listed in 2013 yearbook.. yes, most countries have increases in congregations.
most of the countries that have less congregations than last year, show 1 or 2 less.
however, poland shows a dramatic 327 congregations less, from 1,814 (2011) to 1,487. netherlands, 25 less congregations.
Cobalt cupcake:
Yes its true.. it has been mentioned off the platform and in the KM that if you are d to d witnessing and a woman answers the door, we are to ask if the man of the house is home, and then if he does come to the door, and you speak with him and it looks like an RV, then you are to turn the call over to a brother to follow up, a sister can not make the follow up call...
In no way would I ask a woman that question, sexist or what? I dont think she would like being passed over for her man/hubby/partner. etc..
i know exactly what happened... he thinks i'm going to die at the big a and wants to be with someone he can live forever with.... we have two girls, ages 3 and 1... i really thought we'd make it despite the religion, now i really don't think so... not sure what to do... .
Cognac
So sorry to hear of this -- if you have been supporting him - I may be wrong.. and if he files for divorce, do you have to pay alimony to keep him in the style he is accustomed to?? Get a lawyer, if he moves out, is that abandonment and will that stop him from filing for alimony.
Do you have to sign divorce papers or can he get a unscriptural divorce without your signature? COntact a lawyer and see what your rights are... as far as him seeing his daughters, tell him to move around the block and he can have them visit him as you look for work... and send a letter to the hall to the elders and advise them not to give him any counsel or there will be a lawsuit, I am just nasty.. also get legal cousel re the children and his rights to have them to take them to the hall, etc. holidays, vacations out of state, support - he should pay half their expenses... get a lawyer.. I think I have said enough on that score.. plus if you have a mortgage, bills, etc. he should be in for at least half of those as well.. make a list and present it to him, it might jolt him back to reality when he has to support two households...
I would not give him the satisfaction of confronting the other woman - makes him feel he is being fought over.... it will get more difficult as you are now laid off and will have to be home around him and dont allow your fears and frustrations to overflow around the kids.. Send them to their room to play or sleep and turn the tv on when there is to be an argument, if you can hold yourself back long enough.
I have not read all the comments but all I can say is that it will get better and the weight will lift off your shoulders when he is gone, you have your life, do you have parents, siblings, friends, that can help you with the children? Talk to someone and then decide what the best solution is.
As far as him having someone at the Big A - thats a joke, is he crazy? Does he think he is going to go thru with his new chickie? Jesus condemned even looking at a woman with lust in his heart, so what scripture is your husband looking at that he can squirm out of this one? If he is using the Bible as a reference, he doesn't know it very well and it is only an excuse for what he wants to do..
TL
yet another graph i'm afraid!.
this one you should find interesting.
it shows the average number of witnesses as a percentage of the global population is increasing, although at nowhere near the rate it was in the 90s.
Cedars:
Is there a way I can copy the graphs? I have highlited them and tried to copy but it wont work.. is there a secret ? and by the way, lots of work for you but much appreciated..
Thanks
TL
as listed in 2013 yearbook.. yes, most countries have increases in congregations.
most of the countries that have less congregations than last year, show 1 or 2 less.
however, poland shows a dramatic 327 congregations less, from 1,814 (2011) to 1,487. netherlands, 25 less congregations.
Since branches are decreasing, kingdom halls and assembly halls being sold off and congregations combining due to declining pubs at the
meetings, older, sicker elders and ms servants who are not being replaced as there are no younger brothers wanting the responsibility (hence
the call at the assemblies for them to step up), financially strapped pubs are not contributing as they once did, older ones dying off and no support
monetarily from them anymore, no younger ones want to help with hall renos anymore, those that are on the RBC are tired out and pay for all their own expenses to "git er done"...
No wonder the women cant do a D to D call on a male - the males are to take over the call -- they will try to draw men in from the world to cover off the elder/ms shortages being experienced, like that will happen... they let males in the congregations walk out the door because they dont follow up spiritually to find out what the problem is and dont listen to the problems when they hear them , so males walk out and mostly with their families and there goes all those thousands of hours it takes to bring ONE person into the truth!!!
So the "prudent" thing to do is keep the pub numbers static but combine the congregations to have more elders and ms to take over from those who can't do it anymore.. plus of course, sell of their halls and keep the money at head office...
remember the Book study reasoning - gas is so high this is a blessing not to have to go out that one night - well when congregations combine, who travels more and from what distance??
I am in but can you tell how happy I am?
.
2012 memorial partakers total 12,604.....atlantis
But the other sheep are not Jehovahs Witnesses -- they are classed as Jonadabs -- only the anointed - stated in 1931 -- were termed as Jehovahs Witnesses, 1935 saw the other sheep as Jonadabs - those assisting the "anointed".. Am I wrong?
TL
i've just started munching through the figures for 2012 in the new 2013 yearbook, now available on jw.org.. i thought you might be interested to see which countries saw "negative growth" over 2012.. these are as follows.... .
*sudan is so dramatically reduced because south sudan is now independent and the society has adjusted the publisher figures accordingly.. .
countries added.
the numbers for those newly baptized has moved little from year to year, although the "worldwide numbers" have increased - most of the "newly baptized" are born ins -- pounding the pavement doesn't figure in too greatly now... the hours are recorded but the baptized from the field is just not being realized.
Out of theose baptized at the convention this summer, one was from the" world" rest were kids of Jw's - I am sure one was 10 - only 5 were baptized.... also -- four were dis f'd and one placed on public reproof -- so poof -- no growth
TL
good day everyone,.
i'm a born in jehovah's hostage, and am still a hostage until i can wake my family up (wishful thinking i know).
i'll formally introduce myself later.. for now i have some burning concerns about the service meeting part for the week of december 24, 2012.
I have a ten inch tablet -- no 3 or 4 g internet connection unless I tether my cell to the tablet -- which will cost me on my cell phone..otherwise it means I have to buy a Galaxy or Iphone and pay about 70.00 a month or a dongle and again, get I net connection..... just to do door to door... me thinks not
and ask to use someones computer when we are at a door!! no way.... and yes, they are cutting their nose off to spite their face -- the other web sites are profuse and as Cedars has shown, there will be a lot of people - in the truth or contacted, will get an eyeful...
and ask everyone to get on line!! -- 40 percent of people in our cong dont know how to use a tv remote with all the jigs on that, let alone turn on a computer and wind their way to the JW web site.. I was going to ask when are they setting up classes for folks, but didn't think it would go anywhere, but we were warned by an ex elder to be very carefull when looking for the societys site..there is a lot "of trash" out there, to quote
TL
PS- to the society -- good luck
aguest, jehovah-jirah, lars58, rick fearon, finkle, or another scholars on jwn.
what reason does the governing body have for telling.
seven million jehovah's witnesses, "jesus is not your man dude!
Even tho these "Governing Body" members have been "sealed" WITH A "FIRST" SEALING, , they don't get approved until they die a loyal death. Then there is the second
sealing, by that time -according to current lore, they are supposed to be in heaven. If you are a mediator, are you not one who speaks on behalf
of someone as to their loyalties too? Like a lawyer? Bringing two sides together like the union and the workers? Isn't that the majority of
mankind since Jesus gave his life for THE WORLD OF MANKIND! Didn't Jesus say, "if you have faith and call on my name" ?? You can see today how
difficult this will become as laws and governments crack down on religion more and more - so they ( 144,000) will have their work cut out for
them if indeed this is a literal number as opposed to the great crowd as the sands of the sea. There are a lot of good people out there and Jesus is the judge of all.
I have trouble with their interpretation of the New Covenant format as per the society.
