Posts by hybridous

51

PIMO elder

by Reservations in

jw
friends

i’m reservations, pimo elder.

i’m in no position to leave the organisation, maybe some people will see that as weak or whatever, but we have to all go down our own path in life.. i would like to be able to wake people up in my congregation, how do you think best to do this?

any ideas?.

hybridous

Great thread, all. I found this to be quite poignant...

I always see THOSE wanting to leaving the ORGANIZATION as being on a LONG QUEUE. You are on the QUEUE when it gets to your turn, you will either drop the resignation letter, fade, disfellowshipped or disassociate.

You enter the queue by deciding not to fight to maintain your status a JW in good standing, because you realize that it's not worth the effort. Or perhaps you're incapable of the indefinite...possibly infinite(?) effort required. Sometimes this calculus happens internally, and the person isn't even conscious of it.

To our PIMO Elder, if you can't leave, but for now must maintain...instead of trying to 'wake people up'...know what might be better, and actually achievable?

Just try to be that one great-guy Elder that despondent JWs need.

The guy who doesn't press Organizational hard-lines.

The guy who is just a kind, listening ear. Giving comfort when JWs feel like they can't give enough...(they can't!).

The guy who's not out looking for everything else that everyONE else is doing wrong.

The guy who sides with mercy when on a JC.

The guy who can make Organizational life a little more bearable. Surely, you can see the value in that...

You are striving to strike a very delicate balance. I wish you well...

18

Splane`s war rhetoric

by inbetween09 in

the last talk o the saturday convention of jw was already often the centre of discussion, with all the name calling, logical fallacies and fear mongering.

however, it was interesting, not just what and how splane adressed the matter, also what he actually had to admit.

1) he had to admit, that the org is actually loosing court battles, left and right.

hybridous

Yes the Watchtowerstupidly opened the door. They acknowledged they have an issue and since they can’t really talk about it, they want you to simply believe their version of truth and just realize the governments are going after them as they have been saying for years.

I wonder (& hope!) that this is a tactical blunder by the WT. What sense does it make to acknowledge a thing, but then implore the believers to not check things out? They may have been better off just pretending that there's nothing at all to discuss.

This idea that we shouldn't get to know the details...this garbage will work on a certain number of lost causes. But not everyone.

37

Love the don't use a gun for self defence by Gary Bro

by mickbobcat in

i just watched that stupid talk by gary while e bro on not using a gun for self defense but it went deeper.

i was that you don't defend yourself against violence.

well ain't that great from an asshat living in a gated and guarded compound.

hybridous

If it's wrong to USE a gun in self-defense, it's wrong to CALL Law Enforcement for protection, also...because they carry guns.

If it's wrong to do a thing, it would also be wrong to call someone else into a situation whereby they might be compelled to to that SAME WRONG THING!

A given situation either legitimately warrants defensive force, or it does not. The individuals involved do not particularly matter. There is no morality in refraining from an action just to let someone else do the same thing. God's 'righteous' laws don't waffle between individuals, do they?

Just more idiocy; more senseless puke from the Tower. All this IN-valuable Bible-education that renders adherents to be morally-questioning simple self-defense - the same stupidity that tolerates PEDOs in their midst...

Such valuable Bible-education. Yeah, miss me with that...

30

For Witnesses Who Want To Leave Fade, Disassociate or Get Disfellowshipped?

by minimus in

jw
friends

my opinion is if possible fading is the best way to go..

hybridous

Agree with the notion that 'fading' is a good option for many who are ready to get OUT!...

Opportunities for fading away only augment, as the WT blurs the strict lines on what it means to be a JW.

The WT has to know this. Therefore, we can reason they see it as an acceptable loss - to be managed as they transform to 'something' more sustainable...

This is good thing. It means more freedom for thousands of people...if they be so inclined to seize it.

50

What would happen if the Watchtower decided no more meeting at Kingdom Halls, only Zoom?

by pistolpete in

i’m seeing my hard core believing relatives slowly losing faith that the watchtower is the organization that “god” is using to represent him on earth.. just about all the churches in their area have opened up.. but not the watchtower.. this is having an affect on the faith of even the old timers.

now the only ones who are still holding the faith are the female jws and only those past 70 years of age.

even my old male jw relative past 70 are starting to say that it can’t be jehovah’s organization because the other churches are all open and god supposed organization who is supposed to preach the warning message is still closed with no open in sight.

hybridous

Many see the clock ticking and are wondering if the Big A will come in their lifetime.

They've been wondering this for decades...
now they're getting the answer...

It's the answer I figured out at 11 years old, realizing my relatives were detached from reality thanks to this...Amway religion.

This sucks for my people, but they deserve it...I wish they didn't.

I wish a lot of shit was different...

83

Do You Think Trump Will Make A Comeback?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you think he could get reinstated as president?

do you think trump will run again for president or do you think he will just be a force for the republican party behind the scenes?.

hybridous

I do NOT think DJT will run for POTUS again, however...

...feigning that he intends to may serve other interests...notably

1. The guy has a huge ego and enjoys attention, both good and bad. Having everyone kiss his a$$ might present him with too much gratification to ignore...

2. If DJT looms front & center, it will draw the focus of the Democratic Party away from DeSantis while his campaign gains traction.

If none of this is true, I hope he doesn't run - because I'm sick of his BS, but if he did I'd still vote for him over Biden/Harris.

53

Did you think this was it for the Watchtower-(Covid)- Well-They are coming back with even greater ZEAL!

by pistolpete in

so you all probably heard that the awake magazine is back, .

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/?contentlanguagefilter=en&pubfilter=g&yearfilter=.

and one of my jw relatives said they were told by some elders that meetings and field service will resume before the end of the year.. they said this covid virus was a test, like when the romans breached jerusalem and retreated, only to come back later and sack jerusalem.

hybridous

There is simply no better substitute for face to face interaction.

Yes, the WT cult especially relies upon lateral/horizontal enforcement of the rules of JW life. The circular firing squad keeps everyone in line, even when the elders can't/won't.

For some wretched unfortunates (my mother!), other members of the actual physical congregation are the only social outlet. It's either socializing at the KH after meetings, or nothing at all!

Online religion means a drastic departure from what it means to be a JW, and opens the door to a litany of potential distractions for the believer.

Once, our motto for WT was 'mainstream or die!'

Now, I'm wondering - why not both?!

What will probably be the deciding factor is if they can motivate jws over a tv screen as well as they can manipulate them in person.

Yes, that will play a large role in their decision making - but standing in the way is the need for $$$! The screen propaganda can be effective, but IMO, not as much as sitting in a room with 80-100 other JWs. The goofy GB are easier to ignore when you don't see everyone else bending the knee.

These 2 prominent WT concerns - $$$ vs CONTROL! - are now squaring off right before us. I'm keenly interested to see how/where the balance is struck...or if one dominates the other, entirely.

The chosen path forward could really fracture the ORG - and we should all be so lucky to see it happen.

53

Did you think this was it for the Watchtower-(Covid)- Well-They are coming back with even greater ZEAL!

by pistolpete in

so you all probably heard that the awake magazine is back, .

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/?contentlanguagefilter=en&pubfilter=g&yearfilter=.

and one of my jw relatives said they were told by some elders that meetings and field service will resume before the end of the year.. they said this covid virus was a test, like when the romans breached jerusalem and retreated, only to come back later and sack jerusalem.

hybridous

Seriously, though, I really do think that Covid has been a huge boon in helping the Org "manage the decline".

Absolutely! COVID serves a real-life, independently verifiable crisis - relatable to folks both within the religion, and without!

WT didn't have to march out another half-baked prophetic interpretation to sell the brothers and sisters on why WT CORP is taking on water. COVID is a real thing, disrupting all facets of life.

It gives the WT far-reaching cover for explaining the faltering organization. They will, of course, outrun their cover - as we know, the WT ORG's problems have nothing to do with COVID.

I am strongly suspecting another aggressive round of KH/property liquidation. They simply can't pass up the opportunity to glean this capital under cover of the COVID excuse.

53

Did you think this was it for the Watchtower-(Covid)- Well-They are coming back with even greater ZEAL!

by pistolpete in

so you all probably heard that the awake magazine is back, .

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/?contentlanguagefilter=en&pubfilter=g&yearfilter=.

and one of my jw relatives said they were told by some elders that meetings and field service will resume before the end of the year.. they said this covid virus was a test, like when the romans breached jerusalem and retreated, only to come back later and sack jerusalem.

hybridous

a recent CO visit where the direction was to lighten up on asking people to have their cameras on when in a Zoom meeting....

This is a sizeable chuck of JWs content to 'mail-it-in', and WT itself is leaving to door open such - knowing full well what that sizeable chunk is apt to do.

To me, this doesn't signal a zealous resumption of operations. Actually, its quite the opposite.

So very much of the JW life is lateral enforcement of the rules via the circular firing-squad of JW association.

Where does this leverage go when the WT goes internet-heavy (only?!). A couple of assemblies every year won't substitute for KH attendance, but I'm glad that the WT is stupid enough to think it might.

53

Did you think this was it for the Watchtower-(Covid)- Well-They are coming back with even greater ZEAL!

by pistolpete in

so you all probably heard that the awake magazine is back, .

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/?contentlanguagefilter=en&pubfilter=g&yearfilter=.

and one of my jw relatives said they were told by some elders that meetings and field service will resume before the end of the year.. they said this covid virus was a test, like when the romans breached jerusalem and retreated, only to come back later and sack jerusalem.

hybridous

The last 10 to 15 years door to door has been pathetic. No one wants to do it. It’s driving around putting in time gossiping about brother not reaching out and sister got herself an education.

Yes, this dynamic is what's driving my opinion.

The COVID break may serve as an opportunity for WT Corporate, but I think it might've served as a derailing for the 'religion'.

Given the COVID-inspired break from KH attendance and formal field service, did the lack of field service make JWs miss that activity...?

...or perhaps stumble upon the clue of how much more comfortable life is...without it?

So much easier to stand by a literature cart and talk to NOBODY!

Are there really any JWs left who think this 'religion' is worth advertising?