Posts by Heaven

Economic downturns may play a significant role in influencing or acting as a catalyst to many disorders and behaviours including anxiety attacks and hoarding behaviour. In our present world, survival depends mainly on your monetary wealth and the ability to acquire it.

Many who went through "The Great Depression", which lasted for about 10 years from 1929 to 1939, had/have this hoarding trait. I have seen this within my own family (JW and non-JW). A number of my friends and colleagues (non-JW) concur. There have been a number of economic 'bears' since that time including:

1) The 1973 Oil Crisis

2) The 1979 Energy Crisis

3) The Early 1980s Recession, classified as 'severe'

4) "Black Monday", stock market crash bigger than the 1929 crash, October 1987

5) The Early to Mid 1990s Recession

6) The 2000 "Tech/.com" Crash

7) The 2008 "Great Recession" we are currently experiencing

Our economic reality is that over the last 30+ years, in each decade, we have experienced some sort of turbulent event(s), which usually equates to the majority of people losing economic wealth. The terminology used by the economists, bankers, governments, corporations, and press all influence the thought patterns of people.

In economic 'bear' markets, we see terms on reports and in the media such as 'recession', 'downturn', 'downsize', 'Crisis', 'Black Monday', 'Crash', 'decline', 'job loss', 'uncertainty', 'bankruptcy', 'collapse', 'LEAN initiatives', and even 'negative growth' .

The economy is just one aspect of a multi-faceted bombardment of negativity coming into peoples' psyches. Add to this the local and world events over the last 30+ years, the genetic mutation/manipulation occurring to ourselves and our food, the advent of bio-toxins and other chemicals entering our cellular structures, and you have a lovely formula to start behavioural issues occurring. The JWs have additional bombardment from their own doctrines which definitely parallel the same negativism.

"Fear is the mind-killer" (Paul Atreides from the 1984 movie 'Dune')

13

Kangaroo's on the road

by Mattieu in

jw
friends

hi all, driving to work this morning (tuesday), traffic had to stop to let a mob of kangaroos bounce acrooss the road.

they were the lucky ones, every day on my trip to work i see at least one dead kangaroo that has been hit by a car/truck.. as the suburbs push further out of melbourne, the kanagroo's become more desperate for food/water, hence it's normal to see them in our estate.

at my local golf course, you have to play around the kanagaroo's as they are so used to humans they do not flinch if you are next to them.

Heaven

had to stop to let a mob of kangaroos bounce acrooss the road.

Awwww... Roos!!! (look out for those feet... and fists?)

Ok, animals (and other wildlife) to avoid while driving in my neck of the woods (located somewhere in Ontario, Canada):

Raccoons, Deer, Coyotes, Skunks, Porcupines, Squirrels, Chipmunks, Dogs, Cats, Ground Hogs, Muskrat, Beaver, Turtles, Cat on Craigslist ( ) Possoms, Rabbits, Horses (usually with riders), Canadian Geese and their goslings, Ducks, and Seagulls. I think that's about it.

21

What is the WTS financial position?

by Roddy in

i know this may seen an obvious question but i'm wondering if their downward financial situation is accelerating in the last five years.. we know of the large real estate sell-offs in brooklyn and their large bethel layoffs -- things they never report on in their publications.

pushing more and more of the traveling overseer expenses to the local circuit and congregations.

how they have taken a lot of shortcuts with regards their printing operations.

Heaven

The WTS can look to corporate North America for its "Strategies for Financial Growth":

1) Have WTS leaders acquire Black Belt certification in LEAN management efficiency paradigms and programs. Design a customized strategy to eliminate waste and improve the value flow and implement it.

2) Off-shore to an 'emerging' or third world country (currently: Brazil, Russia, India, China (aka BRIC); additionally, Vietnam). Arrange with said country that for every $1 you spend there, you get $1.12 (or more) back from the power elite/government as 'incentive to remain'. Expenses are exponentially cheaper there than in N.A.

3) Close down declining geographies. Offer positions within the organization to persons willing to move to the 'emerging' or third world country you are off-shoring to. This will ensure a smooth transition as you have experienced people implementing the project. Some moving expenses may be covered at the discretion of the organization.

4) Setup 'work camps' so that 'employees' live where they work. This is Win-Win! since it:

a) eliminates many expenses for 'employees' as ownership of a multitude of items is no longer necessary

b) reduces the organization's expenses further as the need to pay employees anything close to a dignifying wage is eliminated.

Do you see any similarities with what corporate North America is doing today and with what the WTS is also doing (and has already done in the past)?

27

Your Favorite Music Videos?

by Yizuman in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhsda9_hsla.

that female backdrop singers, the one in the white dress, that's deborah jo billingsly.

the cool gypsy look is really just the southern belle coming through.

Heaven

"Closer To Fine" - Indigo Girls

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RY1Bl4nfpdA

27

Your Favorite Music Videos?

by Yizuman in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhsda9_hsla.

that female backdrop singers, the one in the white dress, that's deborah jo billingsly.

the cool gypsy look is really just the southern belle coming through.

Heaven

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTA_Hu3Ulmk

27

Your Favorite Music Videos?

by Yizuman in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhsda9_hsla.

that female backdrop singers, the one in the white dress, that's deborah jo billingsly.

the cool gypsy look is really just the southern belle coming through.

Heaven

"Closer To The Heart" - Rush

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_QWktuJLhc&feature=related

19

Counting Time: Is it Scriptural?

by cameo-d in

what is the purpose of punching jehovah's timecard?.

doesn't wt psychologically imply that jehovah "owes" them paradise because they have "worked" for it?.

it seems there is a scripture somewhere about "love does not keep an accounting".. perhaps one of you can find the scriptural incidence.. .

Heaven

Gary... I'd be interested in seeing that list as well!

I personally haven't found any Scriptural support for it. I did recently asked my MS father:

"Why do you report your FS time and what makes up that time?" He hesitated for a bit so I asked in a different fashion:

"Like, for example, is travel time included in the definition of service hours or is it just the actual time engaged handing the magazine at the door and speaking to the person?"

There was a silence for a while and then he said "Well, I, yes, I do include my travel time." (This tells me that when he comes to see me and drops off magazines, he codes at least 4 hours! )

I then told him of the story I read here about the one JW family that puts a Watchtower mag. on their dashboard while driving around on vacation and counts their entire vacation as service time. He had no response to that.

Is there a definition of what constitutes the service hours? Because my father, who has been dedicated for over 20 years, does not know.

I believe Ray Franz also addresses this in his book "In Search Of Christian Freedom".

20

Why does the Watchtower Society always choose harsh legalism over love

by yadda yadda 2 in

jw
friends

one of the most disturbing aspects of the organisation for me is that the watchtower leaders prefer legalistic, harsh, pharasaical interpretations on a range of doctrines/policies that have the potential to severely harm peoples lives, when there are more loving and reasonable positions/interpretations that could easily be adopted by the governing body without feeling they were betraying the scriptures.. for example:.

1. blood transfusions a clear no-no scripturally, a gross sin worthy of disfellowshipment (harsh, pharasaical legalistic approach) - or - it's debateable and we can't be sure.

dogmatism not appropriate in matters of life or death.

Heaven

It serves their agenda which has very little, if anything, to do with Love.

One more reason I never joined.