Thank you.
It would really speak to the "dumbing down" if a song written for children actually becomes something of an anthem for them.
donuthole
JoinedPosts by donuthole
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91
one reason for the dumbing down of the org
by Magnum ina lot of us have said that theres been a dumbing down in jw land.
its just not like it used to be especially a few decades ago.
it seems to me that if jw are right and the end of the world is near, the spiritual food should get tastier and more nourishing as time goes on, but it's getting more and more bland and less nourishing.
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one reason for the dumbing down of the org
by Magnum ina lot of us have said that theres been a dumbing down in jw land.
its just not like it used to be especially a few decades ago.
it seems to me that if jw are right and the end of the world is near, the spiritual food should get tastier and more nourishing as time goes on, but it's getting more and more bland and less nourishing.
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donuthole
Vidiot - As crazy as it seems, I'm actually with you and believing that the GB is working toward a culling of the fence-sitters. I believe the template is Rutherford's presidency when his many reforms lead to the exodus of the majority of Bible Students leaving behind only Watchtower-loyalists. Lately I'm wondering if their insane instructions that don't seem reasonable or practical are field tests. (Such as instructing congregations in the Atlanta ara to go to assigned MARTA stations to ride public transporation to the convention.)
Freddy Franz has been mentioned as one of the last of the Watchtower's theological brain-trusts. It has been rumored that he may have been the ghostwriter for much of Rutherford's "rainbow".
It seems to me that people like Dunlap and Ray Franz should have been the next to carry the torch. But these men where kicked out during the apostacy scares of the 1980's. Having any kind of belief outside of established doctrine (even if not advocated) became the highest sin against Jehovah imaginable.As Freddy neared his end leftovers in the writing department didn't seem to be the wavemakers. They more or less stuck to the established doctrine, only making Band-Aid changes to fix expiring beliefs (generation numerous times), justify organization changes (nethinin helpers), or respond to outside pressure (non-military service).
The rank and file also dumbs down.
It used to be that publishers were trained to refute "false doctrine". Study publications like the "Live Forever" book used to go to lengths to tear down teaching like the immortality of the soul or the trinity. It was determined that JW's needed to only know how to teach their doctrine, so this material was moved to an appendix in the back of the "What Does the Bible Teach?" book. Now the GB is training JW's to use iPads to Witness using JW.ORG, which is basically a return to the phonograph/testimony card form of Witnessing during Rutheford's day. A monkey could do it.
In Russell's day congregation Bible study groups were open for discussion. This goes away with the qustion and answer style study. Still home book study groups offered a decent opportunity to go deeper into the source material. Home book study groups are abandoned in favor of covering the material in a condensed fasion at the Kingdom Hall. Conductors are encouraged to stick to the source material. Publisher comments are marginally reworded quotes directly from the assigned material.
Meanwhile you have this major anti-intellectual rhetoric coming from headquarters. A University education is only suitable if the degree is useful to the Watchtower, such as in the legal or architectural fields. Independent study of the Bible, and learning Biblical Greek or Hebrew, is even condemned. The rhetoric against apostacy intensifies to levels not seen since the early 80's. The GB assumes the role of the Faithful & Discreet Slave and sole channel for Bible truth. Having any belief out of variance with what is preached by the GB is apostacy.
"Listen, Obey, and Be Blessed" displaces "We're Jehovah's Witnesses" as the unofficial organizational anthem. -
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Another possible reason why GB demoted Pastor Russell from the FDS.
by donuthole inin barbara anderson's research for the proclaimers book she was tasked with identifying the faithful & discreet slave throughout history.
the idea was the watchtower could identify a line of kingdom proclaimers from the days of the apostles.
she was not able to do this with the established criteria, that the individual had to adhere to the basic doctrinal beliefs seperating jw's from "false religion".. it seems that governing body would now agree.
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donuthole
In Barbara Anderson's research for the Proclaimers Book she was tasked with identifying the Faithful & Discreet Slave throughout history. The idea was the Watchtower could identify a line of Kingdom Proclaimers from the days of the Apostles. She was not able to do this with the established criteria, that the individual had to adhere to the basic doctrinal beliefs seperating JW's from "false religion".
It seems that Governing Body would now agree. The most recent change in understanding regarding the Faithful & Discreet Slave moved the appointment until 1919.
This means that Charles Russell is no longer part of the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class. Why? It seems that Russell no longer fits the criteria the current GB is using for the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class.
The current teaching is that the governing body is synonymous with the Faithful & Discreet Slave Class. There was no governing body in Russell's day. A Board of Directors was selected after Russell's death to take the lead of the Society's affairs. The Watchtower considers this to be the first "governing body" and also the first "faithful slave".
It is another way of self-validating the Governing Body as Jehovah's chosen channel. -
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jw.org getting out of hand
by Gorbatchov init seems the watchtower staff have made a runaway train with the introduction of the mark jw.org.. the combination of using a gadget driven platform and the fact that the common jw is low educated and easely influenced.
by new occurrings in their religion makes the situation getting out of hand.. proof: gb members wearing jw.org buttons during their speech, gifts with jw.org are given away, umbrellas with the jw.org are available.
jw.org is more important then god, his son and the gospel.. it's the gadget and the jw.org mark that counts.. i am so happy my grandparents are not confronted with these idiots.. it's a runaway train heading to the end of the track.. gorby .
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JW.ORG to be the fulfillment of Matthew 24:14
by donuthole inthe organization is shifting away from printed literature in favor of their new jw.org website.
the website contains content that is not printed in literature.
kiosks, trolleys, and storefronts are being used to showcase the website.
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donuthole
The Organization is shifting away from printed literature in favor of their new JW.ORG website. The website contains content that is not printed in literature. Kiosks, trolleys, and storefronts are being used to showcase the website. Publishers are being trained how to use an electronic tablet in their preaching activity. The JW.ORG logo is replacing the Watchtower symbol in common use, and there are reports about it appearing on Kingdom Hall signage. There is corporate downsizing as the printing operations are scaled back. (Note: This shift from printed publication to digital content is not unique to Jehovah's Witnesses. It is merely a trend that is seen throughout the publishing industry.)
I'm going to place on my tinfoil turbin and make some predictions for 2014.
1.) August 2014 - Special tract campaign to advertise, advertise, advertise JW.ORG
2.) September 2014 - Service Year Ends
3.) October 2014 - Historic annual meeting on the 100 year anniverary of Jesus enthronement as King. The GB showcases the various ways that Jehovah has used the Org to preach the good news in fulfillment of Matthew 24:14. Next the GB talks about how JW.ORG is being used, detailing some of the features of the website. Some favorable reports are read. Statistics are shared on how many people look at the website every day and from which parts of the globe. All this leads up to the GB proclaiming that that Matthew 24:14 has been fulfilled by Jehovah's Witnesses. Every person living has the opportunity to learn "the Truth", whether or not a JW calls at their door. (A possible tie to Luke 19:40 is used.)What comes next?
1.) "Preaching Work" is heavily modified with door-to-door being discontinued or limited to special tract campaigns. No offering of literature door-to-door outside of special campaigns. (The door-to-door work may continue in developing lands with little Internet pentetration and viable external growth.)
2.) A continued scaling back of printing. The Awake! and public editions of the Watchtower will no longer be printed. Tracts will be maintained, but with more focus on JW.ORG.
3.) JW's encouraged to reach out for positions manning booths, stores, trolleys featuring a limited selection of literature with the focus being on JW.ORG. This will become the new "pioneering".
4.) The designation "publisher" will cease to exist and no longer be synonymous with membership in the religion. All in the territory who identify as one of Jehovah's Witnesses will be considred one by the local body of elders. This will include formely "inactive ones". This will include children, even infants. A record "increase" will follow and used to prove Jehovah's blessing.Unlike the Governing Body I'm not infallable and these predictions may be false. :-)
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one reason for the dumbing down of the org
by Magnum ina lot of us have said that theres been a dumbing down in jw land.
its just not like it used to be especially a few decades ago.
it seems to me that if jw are right and the end of the world is near, the spiritual food should get tastier and more nourishing as time goes on, but it's getting more and more bland and less nourishing.
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donuthole
The Daniel book and the two-volume Isaiah's Prophecy books seemed to close out the era of studying the "deeper things". We studied those books as I was waking up and on the way out. I recall the publishers grumbling about how hard it was to understand.
The turning point came when they released the book on the minor-prophets. It was a different take that moved away from psuedo-intellectual examination of history, types, and antitypes. Instead, it focused on applying the writings of the minor prophets to things like meeting attendence, dress, personal study, education, entertainment, materialism ... basically the hot topics the organization always harps on.
Another way this is manifested is in how new light is introduced. Now the GB doesn't go to great lengths to explain changes. Like when "overlapping generations" was roled out it in a couple of paragraphs as what Jesus "evidently meant". There was very little proof offered compared to the past. With "listen, obey, and be blessed" becoming their new anthem, the GB seems to want people that can just accept whatever they teach without question.
As a side-note, I recently picked up an Awake! "magazine" at the laundry mat and was shocked to see how the quality of writing has dropped in the last decade. The "articles" reminded me of Power Point presentations, with just simply worded bullet points. -
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The new phonograph
by Pistoff inway back in 20's or 30's, (someone correct me if i have the time frame wrong), the wt's strategy for witnessing was to give each publisher (or have them buy one) a phonograph to set on the householder's steps so they could play one of the judge's speeches.. flash forward and there was a testimony card that publishers handed to the householder, introducing them.. this gave way to the current model of the publisher being informed and able to discuss a subject with the householder.. .
that seems to be giving way to the new approach being used by the wt: the website.. the wt realizes that slick content is more impressive that a publisher talking, one who can't or won't keep up with the insane doctrinal changes.. publishing books and magazines is taking the back seat; the wt and awake have less than half the content they used to, and are published half as often.. the wt's trolley cart method involves not getting into discussions with people, but using an ipad to play them a video.. .
the past is the future!.
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New video release at district convention. Do Jws live like this?
by solomon ini just got back from the district convention and watched the new video.
can't remember what it is called but the main family live in a million dollar home and there teenage daughter drives a red convertable sports car.
probably worth about 50000$.
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donuthole
I'm from the Midwest and agree that the houses/lifestyles presented in newer JW videos would have been foreign to our congregation in the 80's/90's. Back then, if you had a large home and a nice car you were seen as materialistic and/or spiritually week. I can remember when a pioneer-elder who made some money off a telephone-service pyramid scheme got a used luxury car. He felt the need to defend it as getting an unbelievable deal and promote how useful it was in field service. The only other person in our congregation that lived in a nicer house (which looks nothing like what is presented in these videos) was because she had a college-level job and an unbelieving husband.
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What words has the WT redefined?
by Splash inthese days, virtually every public talk speaker thinks it's interesting and intellectual to include a dictionary definition of some word.
often the word is in common use and needs no explanation, such as 'exercise', or 'knowledge', or whatever.. now contrast that to all of the words that the wt has it's own meaning for, and referencing a dictionary for the common understanding of it would be viewed unfavourably.. words like 'generation' or 'men' (as in jesus is mediator between god and 'men' - 1tim 2:5-6).. what words have the wt redefined that you know about?
- i'd like to compile a list if possible.. splash.
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donuthole
The Slave is really the Master
The Truth means present teaching, potentially false and ever subject to change
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This is a CASTING CALL . . . for a scene in my book
by Terry inattention!.
i'm in my final re-write of the monorails of mars novel.. as you may know, the book is a sci-fi allegory concerning mind control by the watch tower.. .
i have a scene in nikola tesla's laboratory in which he is about to attempt an exchange between mars and earth.. the volunteers--instead of actually traveling physically from one planet to the other will instead swap minds.. need i say--it will go wrong?!.
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donuthole
I'll play along -- D'Anthony Mathenia. I can return the favor in the next Paradise Earth, if you'd like. ;-)