Posts by hybridous

19

So many are waking up. Pandemic gave jws time to think.

by pistolpete in

this is not about stats, but "actual experiences" happening world wide in the organization.

there is about 156 comments of what some jws are seeing in their congregation.

feel free to read and come to your own conclusion on whether the watchtower organization is turning pimo but no one says anything in order to keep family relations.

hybridous

I always go back to thinking about the lateral enforcement as a very necessary part of the JW Cult.

JWs enforcing (judging/informing on others) the rules sideways helps the elders police the congregation.

And that requires JWs to be interacting with one another - before/after meeting, field service, etc.

Going online as a 'religion' certainly implies a substantial loss of that in-person interaction,

and consequently, a loss of lateral enforcement,

shifting that burden directly to elders

or nobody!

I just can't fathom how this cult can perpetuate without this mechanism.

JWs keep each other in-line, but it can't really be done over Zoom, can it?

8

New light and confessing to congregations.

by asp59 in

2017 - wt: the gb is neither inspired or infallible and can err in doctrine and organisational matters... clearly gb have received biblical information about things that been done wrong.

not from god directly, but letters received at headquarters.

if important new light about biblical matters have come to the gb attention, why are they not telling the congregations about that information?

hybridous

The fallacy of sunk costs

It's got to be hell to one day wake up - even just a sliver

...and know that you DON'T DARE explore your doubts

...as to how you've spent the best years of your life...

because you know that the more more you learn...

the worse you'll feel

It's best just to keep yer head down. Keep plowing forward.

Pretend you've explored these matters fully and to your own satisfaction.

Of course, all that

PRETENDING

comes with its own costs, too...

21

Enforced shunning violates free moral agency

by Yomama in

jw
friends

what do you think?.

hybridous

Government enforcement when you break their rules:

Armed men eventually show up at your house, attempt to take you into custody & put you in a cage. They might hurt or even kill you in the process if you resist.

WT 'enforcement' when you break their rules:

Self-important (and unarmed) men get on a stage and tell your social circle that God disapproves of you and they ought to stop talking to you (or else God might disapprove of THEM!)

And there we have it. These aren't even close to the same thing. Don't let JWs off the hook for adhering to WTs demands. WT doesn't have soldiers or police.

All WT has is their disapproval - and folks you might know who still care about that approval/disapproval.

Hold individual JWs responsible for their choices. They are, like you and I, people with agency.

The WT derives all of it so-called-power from their choices.

17

When it comes to "we must be ready to obey whether....it

by nowwhat? in

i believe the the organization will tell it's members to sign over their mortgages and savings to the organization.

because of the impending fall of the financial institutions and the organization is the only place where it will be safe.

this has to be the only scenario possible because obviously they won't do a jonestown and where could 8 million flee to?

hybridous

Think its a kh sell out on the way. Real big one. Hebrews 10:25 | Let us not give up Meeting Together, as Some are in The Habit of Doing, but let us Encourage one Another and All The More as You See The Day Approaching. Bible ( God) say meeting together. GB wanna sell khs.

Yeah, this has been my guess for a while.

The COVID + associated economic fallout presents a

Once-in-a-Generational opportunity for...whoever really runs this 'religion'...

This chance to sell off the properties cannot be allowed to go un-seized...

It wouldn't be like the WT to leave money on the table...would it?

I figure that the decision has already been made...now they're just trying to come down to exactly how much to keep...

How much do they really need to feed appearances? To keep the believers marching along, thinking it's all OK...? Maybe they keep a couple of regional 'flagship' KHs...sell the rest.

My suppositions...

19

So I was at a jw wedding and guess what!

by nowwhat? in

the major topic of conversation was that almost all do not want to go back to the meetings and field service!

and we are talking very zealous and active witnesses!

.

hybridous

I am delighted, but not surprised to hear of this.

It occurred to me that this Covid 'break' from the normal routine...

afforded to some JWs, perhaps for the first time in their lives...

a small respite, of sorts...?

I reckon that an average JW, after enjoying some of this 'break'...

would not be too eager to bear the WT burdens again...

I expect that there will be ample opportunity to minimize KH attendance via 'Zoom' (if not dodge it completely)...

Same with FS. Why knock on doors, when letter writing (and cart-sitting) are apparently acceptable alternatives for YHVH?

The Tower may do it's damnedest to re-compress that spring. It won't be easy.

86

The "Trinity" is not Biblical.

by Revealed in

simple.. you cannot find the word there (or many of the comical variations such as: a triune godhead, the triunity, co-equal god beings, godhead, a hypostaic union, divine essences, divine natures, a god-the-son, a god-the-ghost, hypostasis, homoousios, perichoresis , a godman, omnipresence, incarnation, a god who is a sacred mystery, a god 'in three persons', dual natures, a reincarnate god, a first person of the trinity, a second person of the trinity, a third person of the trinity, godness, a tri-unity or a multipersonal god), or any of the so-mentioned aspects.. jehovah identified himself (not 'themselves") as on one god, as did jesus and all the prophets.

.

so, come, let us know of the simple twists of the clergy!.

hybridous

They are...apostates...

So...that's it, then?

What exactly 'makes' an apostate?

Erroneous doctrine?

Listening to Traditions of Men over Scripture?

Bad logic when reading the Bible?

How do you know the difference between 'apostates' and someone who is merely, in-good-faith, mistaken?

12

Removing GB arragment.

by asp59 in

you think they abouth to remove gb arragment?

more and more with gb talks, they seem to be saying goodbye to congregations.

maeby its part of downsize.

hybridous

The gb are the figureheads, the face, they are the equivalent of the Catholic pope to the organization
Whether they are just puppets are another matter. It used to be "the society" says... Now it's the "gb have approved..."" the r&f look to them for answers. Not the bible. So why would they get rid of them
This is an astute observation and good comment. It explain why any of these GB bozos are interchangeable - should anyone think about stepping out of line...they know the ORG will have a replacement POPE-figure on deck by the EOB on that day.

Also, these frauds provide great coverage and liability shield for whoever is really setting policy and making organizational decisions.
Think about it...

They don't OWN anything. They don't control the organizational assets. Yet, they somehow 'control' it all?
Nahh...they're salesmen. Selling the 'God's Organization' myth to whatever gullible JWs are still too entrenched and can't/won't wake up to the scam being played...
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2

Anyone from the Rochester New York area?

by EXJWNY in

hello everyone,.

i am a pomo exjw in the rochester (new york) area who attended the monroe, irondequoit and ellison park congregations.

if anyone attended these congregations or is from the area, feel free to drop me a message..

hybridous

Hello EXJWNY - you have a PM!

18

Tax on Unrealized Capital Gains!

by Simon in

so janet yellen, the us treasury secretary, thinks taxing unrealized capital gains would be a way for them to fund their runaway spending.. first, they claimed that the real cost of their nonsense spending was $0, so they were lying then or are lying now ("why not both?!").

second, they claimed that money printing doesn't affect inflation, so why not just print the money instead?.

third, the "for billionaires" is to get the feeble minded masses on board, those that live on benefits and vote democrat for more "free money", but the irs monitoring of $600 bank accounts is also apparently to target the ultra-wealthy as well.

hybridous

They couldn't do much more damage if they set out specifically to destroy the economy, so you start to wonder - is that the real plan? What is the final outcome that they are aiming for because it isn't economic stability and a healthy economy.

It seems that the political class has declared, more-or-less...open war on the productive middle-classes. The poor are only needed for votes every few years, and to perpetuate the endless social maladies that supposedly necessitate the strong arm of government in the first place. I wish I had other conclusions to arrive at, but this one fits the known facts at hand. I can no longer in good faith presume stupidity and incompetence. This reeks of malevolence.

7

How many of your relatives have left the borg after you?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

any takers?

hybridous

NONE -

It's been quite the disappointment for me.

Sometimes, folks who have been in the cult for years and devoted to it - they do eventually leave...and they say not to give up hope.

I waffle between getting free of expectations and continuing to labor under some vague 'hope'.