Awhile back I was in a car group for service with a long-time elder. I brought up a biblical topic. He said, "Bonafide, what are you, stuck in the 90's? No one gets into that stuff anymore."
BF
BonaFide
JoinedPosts by BonaFide
-
27
So I went to dinner with a big group of Witnesses last night - No Biblical discussion or WT talk of any kind
by BonaFide inthere were 20 in the group from 3 congregations.
it was kind of a "special talk" special meal with the speaker and his wife.. no one, i mean no one, not the elders there, nor the pioneers, talked about anything "spiritual.
" everything was about work, entertainment, personalities in the congregation, and music.
-
-
-
27
So I went to dinner with a big group of Witnesses last night - No Biblical discussion or WT talk of any kind
by BonaFide inthere were 20 in the group from 3 congregations.
it was kind of a "special talk" special meal with the speaker and his wife.. no one, i mean no one, not the elders there, nor the pioneers, talked about anything "spiritual.
" everything was about work, entertainment, personalities in the congregation, and music.
-
-
BonaFide
I think it might even be more than just boring to talk about WT stuff now. Years ago there was an excitement about the teachings and new light. Now no one knows exactly what is the new light, and some of it doesnt seem to make sense, so everyone just avoids talking about it.
Its a social thing now. Talk about the WT stuff at the meetings, then go on with your life outside the KH.
BF
-
27
So I went to dinner with a big group of Witnesses last night - No Biblical discussion or WT talk of any kind
by BonaFide inthere were 20 in the group from 3 congregations.
it was kind of a "special talk" special meal with the speaker and his wife.. no one, i mean no one, not the elders there, nor the pioneers, talked about anything "spiritual.
" everything was about work, entertainment, personalities in the congregation, and music.
-
-
BonaFide
There were 20 in the group from 3 congregations. It was kind of a "special talk" special meal with the speaker and his wife.
No one, I mean no one, not the elders there, nor the pioneers, talked about anything "spiritual." Everything was about work, entertainment, personalities in the congregation, and music. That's it. No one said anything about the talk other than it was "good."
Wow, what a difference from a few years ago.
BF
-
37
Is it possible that the WT society will soon collapse like a house of cards?
by BonaFide inthe recent internet phenomenon seems to be that 1. some news story breaks, and then 2. people start talking about it and twittering and forwarding emails about it.
and then it multiplies and multiplies until finally, 3. the whole world is talking about it.
the same with the madoff scheme.
-
-
BonaFide
I can see what all of you are saying. There are always suckers. But don't you agree that to a large extent, more and more people are more CYNICAL recently? Everyone seems to be cynical about sports stars because of steroid use, government officials who are corrupt, money scams. Now add that to the fact that so many more people, EVEN IN THE LAST FEW MONTHS, are going on the Internet to check stuff out.
To me, it seems like something big is about to blow in the next few months.
BF
-
37
Is it possible that the WT society will soon collapse like a house of cards?
by BonaFide inthe recent internet phenomenon seems to be that 1. some news story breaks, and then 2. people start talking about it and twittering and forwarding emails about it.
and then it multiplies and multiplies until finally, 3. the whole world is talking about it.
the same with the madoff scheme.
-
-
BonaFide
The math, which we all know, is NOT 1 + 1 = 2. 2 + 1 = 3.
The math is 1 Witness comes on here. Assume he tells one person. Then another Witness. Then they tell someone, That's 4 Witnesses. Then those Witnesses tell someone. That's 8 Witnesses.
Anyway, to get to 500 million people is only 30 steps.
Wishful thinking?
BF
-
69
Can't speak with me, unless they need something
by Stan Conroy inafter many, many years outside of the jw world, my elderly parents finally decided to give me an ultimatum.
i either rejoin the jw's or they will never speak with me again.
apparently my brother is going to get the same choice.
-
-
BonaFide
Your family believes they are doing the right thing. They really feel that you owe them since they are "in the truth" and you are not.
BF
-
37
Is it possible that the WT society will soon collapse like a house of cards?
by BonaFide inthe recent internet phenomenon seems to be that 1. some news story breaks, and then 2. people start talking about it and twittering and forwarding emails about it.
and then it multiplies and multiplies until finally, 3. the whole world is talking about it.
the same with the madoff scheme.
-
-
BonaFide
The recent Internet phenomenon seems to be that 1. Some news story breaks, and then 2. People start talking about it and Twittering and forwarding emails about it. And then it multiplies and multiplies until finally, 3. The whole world is talking about it
The same with the Madoff scheme. Once the ball got really going, and everyone started to talk, that was it, the snowball effect and Madoff was doomed. Same with the Catholic church and the Pedophile priests, once the story got legs, then it was all over the Internet, and the church had to do something, the pope got involved, front page of the newspaper every day, etc.
Even other news stories grow like that. In the past few days the Swine Flu stories are really starting to hit. The same with the Susan Boyle story, seems like some things now quickly become "Worldwide News."
So could it happen that the newbies on this forum start to multiply, and multiply, and multiply, and then within a few weeks ALL THE WITNESSES ARE TALKING ABOUT THE WT, and then the general public gets ahold of this much like Scientology and Tom Cruise a couple of years ago, and then the WT is forced to make statements about the Child Molestation Two Witnesses policy, or shunning, or blood fractions, and then because of the Internet, within a few days or weeks EVERYONE is talking about it, and the WT has to make statements, which are analyzed and found to be ridiculous and cult-like, and BAM, the whole WT comes CRASHING DOWN.
Possible? Probable? Or is a slow death more likely? Or no death at all?
What you say?
BF
-
22
Bethel reductions in Europe
by Lost-In-Translation inperhaps this has been discussed before, but at the extjforo.com (the spanish ex-witness website) there has been a lot of discussion of the governing body's decision to either close or severely reduce bethel homes in europe - in particular spain.
there was even a letter sent to all congregations in spain explaining the situation.
bethalites are being asked to leave - they are not even getting other assignments.
-
-
BonaFide
I knew a Spain Bethelite once, I think he told me that there were about 1000 in the Bethel Family there.
Interesting.
BF
-
33
Tell us about the offbeat people you have had in your congregation
by BonaFide inwe had a brother once in my sisters' hall who would preach downtown with old watchtowers and awakes, i mean like 15 year old magazines, and he would sell them above cost.
even after the donation system went info effect, he would still sell them.
the elders tried to talk to him about it, but he could never really have a normal conversation.
-
-
BonaFide
Great stories everyone! I thought my congregations had the monopoly on unusual Witnesses. Guess not.
I remembered another one. This particular elder used to love to meet with those that had difficulties - ON THE PLATFORM AFTER THE MEETING. He would take the person onto the platform, and the poor person would have to sit up there and talk about their problems with everyone sort of watching them. I was the C.O., so when I saw this for myself, I tried to talk to that elder, but he had friends at the Branch, so I couldnt do much. He claimed that this showed the elders were always helping. He was the same elder that constantly INTERRUPTED the WT reader in the middle of the paragraph so he could say, "Watch this point! See that?" The congregation was pretty tense.
BF
-
33
Tell us about the offbeat people you have had in your congregation
by BonaFide inwe had a brother once in my sisters' hall who would preach downtown with old watchtowers and awakes, i mean like 15 year old magazines, and he would sell them above cost.
even after the donation system went info effect, he would still sell them.
the elders tried to talk to him about it, but he could never really have a normal conversation.
-
-
BonaFide
We had a brother once in my sisters' Hall who would preach downtown with OLD Watchtowers and Awakes, I mean like 15 year old magazines, and he would SELL THEM ABOVE COST. Even after the donation system went info effect, he would still sell them. The elders tried to talk to him about it, but he could never really have a normal conversation. He was a nice guy, though.
Another bro in my Hall when I was a teenager used to carry the Large-Print Bible, the Aid book, and the Concordance (big maroon book, remember?) in the field service every day. He had a huge bookbag. He called the three books the "Three Witness Bearers" And he used to try to get us to read Isaiah chapter 58:1 which says, "Call out full-throated!" He said Fred Franz used to yell it out loud, so he tried to get us young ones to scream out that verse. It was pretty weird, kinda fun though.
One time another brother always gave weird, unrelated comments at the WT study. So the conductor started to avoid calling on him. One Sunday a younger elder was conducting. He refused to give this brother a comment, so he got up and sat in the very front row. He raised his hand on every question. Finally on the last paragraph, when the conductor ignored him again, he yelled out, "Pick me, you jerk."
Crazy.
So what about your congregation. Any unusual personalities?
BF