Posts by trebor

29

"You are so Focussed on The Past that you can't see the Blessings in front of your Eyes!"

by BluesBrother in

jw
friends

that statement has been made to me recently - i think it is a sound-bite from the new dvd about jerusalem's fall.. hmm.. i need to reflect on a reply .

several thoughts come to mind but it has to be constructive and form a reasoned argument rather than a smart answer.. what blessings?

are we unreasonably obsessed with the past?

trebor

The entire religion constantly refers to the past in both the Watchtower Study and as examples for them. What the comment is really implying is to stop looking at the "recent" past or better yet anything "negative about the organization" from the past.

So how far back should we look? What are the start and end points of where reflection in the past about the organization is appropriate? What things do we include or leave out?

Would not an honest look and objective view include their entire past and all things both pro and con Jehovah's Witnesses?

I would also ask how that comment is not applicable to any other religious organization. Cannot any member of any religion make the same exact statement? It does not make that religion any better or "truer" than another.

It is selective attention to the past or-and living in an Orwellian world. You are going to have a hard (and probably wasted) time trying to reason with them.

162

No more 3-day DCs starting in 2013?

by respectful_observer in

apologies if there is another recent thread on this, but i have heard from 4 different people in 3 different geographic areas (including someone who does advance work for the dcs), that beginning in 2013 the three day dc program will be replaced by a second two-day circuit assembly.

some people were passing the info along like a secret, others seemed to think that everyone already knew.. if everyone in j-dub land is already talking about this, how is it not all over this forum??.

anyway, can anyone confirm or deny?.

trebor

Lately it seems they make some rather sudden & abrupt shifts. A recent KM mentioned how Gilead school still had the purpose of "training missionaries", and they had to send out a letter to the BOEs to correct it when that part of the KM was considered in a service meeting.
Remember there is a bit (or a bit more than a bit) of rancor between the writing & service departments. It would not surprise me in the writing dept. was the last to know of proposed changes for next year, after they had sent the final content of the new brochure to printing.

Good points. I will hold off though until something more "official"...

I still remember how certain the 'no more CO and/or DO' rumors were...lol.

162

No more 3-day DCs starting in 2013?

by respectful_observer in

apologies if there is another recent thread on this, but i have heard from 4 different people in 3 different geographic areas (including someone who does advance work for the dcs), that beginning in 2013 the three day dc program will be replaced by a second two-day circuit assembly.

some people were passing the info along like a secret, others seemed to think that everyone already knew.. if everyone in j-dub land is already talking about this, how is it not all over this forum??.

anyway, can anyone confirm or deny?.

trebor

Highly doubtful in light of the new brochure ('Who's doing Jehovah's Will Today' or something like that?) their pushing, it specifically mentioned three day district assemblies, no?

EDIT: Looked over the brochure, "Who Are Doing Jehovah's Will Today?" - Page 11 - "Why Do We Attend Large Assemblies?"

First paragraph mentions "three-day district convention"...

This is a brand new release, very doubtful the planning has become that horrible (At least not yet).

20

yesterday @ congregation part 2

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

it was an inspirational evening at the meeting yesterday evening.

there was a nice comments @ congregational bible study (former bookstudy) about listening and obying the slave.

"if we are told to go left, we are going left, if we are told to go right, we are going right".. the comment was welcomed by the book study elder of course.

trebor

The December 15, 2008 Watchtower on page 28 states:

“Our coming to know “the truth” – the entire body of Christian teachings that has become part of the Bible – and adhering to it are essential for salvation.”

“The truth” refers to all the teachings and doctrines of the Watchtower Society. Of course, the Watchtower Society instructions to Jehovah’s Witnesses include the notion that their teachings encompass “the entire body of Christian teachings”.

Respecting the statement quoted above not only is the Watchtower Society claiming that following their teachings are essential for salvation, additionally “the entire body of Christian teachings” such as information and doctrine found in the Watchtower magazine, has become part of the Bible

57

Rick Fearons wife Inez passed away

by mouthy in

jw
friends

did anyone hear that rick fearons wife inez passed away???

?.

trebor

Rick, I am so sorry to read about the passing of your wife.

You have my deepest, most sincere condolences and may you find comfort and peace during this most difficult time.

30

How important are birthdays?

by Disillusioned Lost-Lamb in

jw
friends

extremely, cause it's mine!.

go shorty it's my birthday.

gonna party like it's my birthday.

trebor

Happy Birthday!

15

Interesting conversation re: sexual abuse issue

by Doubting Bro in

i may be outing myself so i'm changing some minor detail but i wanted to relate a recent conversation over the sexual abuse issue.

i was at a party, er, gathering this weekend and there were several folks that i haven't talked to in awhile there.

so, i sat down at a table with several other guys and the conversation went like this:.

trebor

Maybe I'm just paranoid but I think this is a much bigger problem than a fringe cult

Of course child abuse is greater than a fringe cult or/and greater than the issue found within the Jehovah's Witnesses organization. The issue is not whether the Watchtower Society can eliminate or stop child abuse but what they do to prevent and report it. Clearly, their top priority is giving the appearance of innocence and protection of the organization (assets), rather than the safety of children.

The Conti case, if you review the court transcripts shows the Legal Department advised elders not to report the incident to legal authorities.

That is morally disgusting and reprehensible regardless of whether it is within the state’s “legal requirement”.

Bottom line, trust no one.

Bottom line is the organization of Jehovah's Witnesses at best is just like any other religious organization. The problem is that is not their claim. They claim to be the only true religious organization that has God's backing. They preach peace and security within their hallowed walls, Kingdom Halls filled with righteous, trustworthy people living within a spiritual paradise....What the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses has allowed is a paradise for pedophiles where they can hide and flourish.

16

Caleb's mother usurping husband's headship by correcting son without him

by blondie in

jw
friends

i am not going to watch the video...i get my dose of wt bs each week as it is.

but where was caleb's dad in all of this.

was he not a jw too?

trebor

I believe possibly that the mother was focused on exclusively to perhaps appeal to single parent mothers or/and women who have children where the father is not in the organization. I believe the intent was to make the video more appealing to them to see the mother alone dealing with a child. You can have quite a number of single parent children with just a mother or the father being a "non-believer". I believe it is an indirect appeal to them on a more subconscious level without pushing it too much for it still to work for the "traditional" family arrangement as well.

I could be giving them too much credit, but I think it plays a part.

I think it also, whether intended or not, makes the message of the video go down all the easier for those mothers who are single parents. They are happy to have something from "Jehovah's Organization" showing them in charge and dealing with the child, so they best follow to the letter the Society's message to them. It works to both make them feel special by being 'helped' by the Society, while making them also feel singled out and guilty to ensure they are bringing up their child in the "mental regulating of Jehovah"...

Yes, I almost threw-up even just typing that last statement.

31

My email to my mother - sorry a bit long

by darthweef in

jw
friends

hello - i am new here .. just joined a couple of days ago, and have enjoyed the bit of lurking that i have done.

a breif history, i was raised as a jw, was active until i was 36, and was a regular pioneer for 7 years and a ministerial servant for 5 years, and was one when i left.

my reasons for leaving are not important at this point, but i have spent the last year or so researching the flood and more extensively the theory of evolution.. i have finally decided to broach the topic with my mother since after all this time, the last of my jw friends and my brother and sister have all decided that they should shun me now, and i want to make a last ditch effort to convey to my mother that i didn't leave the organization so i could do lines of coke off a cheap hooker, but because i actually believe that this is not the truth.. i'd love some feedback on the email and what you think the possibility of it actually breaking through the "permafrost" created by the society.

trebor

darthweef , welcome and that was well written. Try to not take it too much to heart when a likely scenario will be she will either not read it at all, only read parts, or read what she wants to read into what you are writing. To many Jehovah's Witnesses the ultimate explanation to everything is down to Jehovah is good, Satan is bad. If it is good, it is from Jehovah. If it is bad, it is from Satan.

No matter what facts you present, they can simply be explained as Satan is manipulating (whatever) to make it appear that way. If it doesn't make sense, then you just wait on Jehovah.

From those two thoughts alone, you have mental walls that will never fall unless the person is ready (if ever) to open up their minds to logic and (real) truth.

47

If you never have used the internet, would you have returned to the borg or stay in the organization?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

if i have never used the internet, i would probably return to the borg by now.

.

trebor

No. The Watchtower Society's very own CD-ROM library did themselves in for me; very briefly:

Researching blood/medical advice.

Came across cannibalistic view on Organ Transplants and the flip-flop on it being okay. http://savedfromthewatchtower.blogspot.com/2008/11/in-questions-from-readers-section-in.html

Further health/medical digging, came across the Society's stance of women and rape. http://savedfromthewatchtower.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-would-watchtower-society-have.html

That was enough for me to know they weren't "it" any longer.

It being God's sole channel of communication of truth.

The internet just made finding other things out about them easier, but the organization shot itself in the foot plenty without the internet.