Posts by Juan Viejo2

I get these kinds of emails all the time - they send them to me because they can't figure out how to send them to you.
Why is it so difficult to contact you by email? Why don't you have an automated Contact form on your website that will automatically forward inquiries to a sorting desk for follow-up?
I recently received another email inquiry through my website that asked for a JW Bible study. The couple was located in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. They certainly seemed legitimate. I tried to contact every Kingdom Hall around or near Arkadelphia. Some did not have phones listed. Other just rang or had an answering machine that would not take a message. What is that all about?
I edit several ex-JW websites. I get these kinds of emails all the time asking me to send WT literature, call and answer their WT questions, and arrange for Bible studies for them. Do you not see a problem with this? Why are they coming to me? Because they can't figure out how to contact your information desk by email.
JHSalem, Oregon
------------------------------------------------
Since I have been getting anywhere from 6-15 of these kinds of inquiries per month over the past year, my guess is that those sending these inquiries can't figure out how to email or call the Watchtower evenings or weekends. So they go to Google or Bing or ??? and look for "Jehovah's Witness" (and find my ex-jw.com link) or "Watchtower" (and find my WatchtowerWatch.com link) and hope that I can help them.
So much for the Watchtower's self-serving and self-congratulating entry into the world of the Web and the Internet. Can't even send them a simple email - even though they provide a [dead] link for that service.
That case in Arkadelphia, AR that I mentioned was interesting. I literally called every Kingdom Hall within 50 miles of the writers' address. I checked their address and name in Google and it was legit. I tried calling them for a couple of days, but only got an answering machine. But all of the Kingdom Halls listed on Google and on JW.org either did not answer or I got a "disconnected number" message from the Telco. I have JW relatives that live about 75 miles away in Arkansas, so I tried calling them. Jesus - what was I thinking. I even got one of them - and told them why I was calling - but they did nothing. So much for "preaching the good news."
Here is that exchange. Part of their message to me:
> can we help you?x I would like someone to contact me Connection to JWs?No
> connection. Just interested. i would like to
> have bible studys at my home xxx-xxx-xxxx call me , my address is XXX
> south XXth street apt 314 arkadelphia ark 71923 ,thanks

JH <[email protected]>

11/15/14

to XXXXXX

Dear Rxx and Mxxx,

Ex-JW.com is an ex-Jehovah's Witness website. I was raised a Jehovah's Witness and was very active in the religion as a young man. But I left decades ago and no longer belong to that religion.

In our opinion, studying to become a Jehovah's Witness would be a very poor choice on your part and could begin a long life of regret for you by joining a cult - but we certainly recognize that you have the right to make those choices for yourself.
Try this instead: https://www.jw.org/en/free-bible-study/

There are Kingdom Halls in Arkadelphia, Malvern, and Camden - but none will answer their phones. I also tried to contact the New York main offices but they do not answer their phones on the weekends.
I tried to call you - but got a busy signal ??? - so I don't know if the line was actually busy or if your service is not working at the moment.
I will try to refer you to a Jehovah's Witness relative of mine in Arkansas who can contact you and may be able to help find someone that can help you.
Again, I question whether this is the right thing for you to do, but I would be the last person to stop you from discovering the truth for yourselves. While you should keep an open mind, please don't take everything you hear or read as "gospel" until you've had time to investigate it completely. Whatever you choose to do - you have my blessing.
Jxxx HxxxSalem, OR
webmaster/editor Ex-JW.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------
I did get another email from these folks that thanked me for my efforts - but that they had still not been contacted by JWs.
Sad situation. What if Armageddon came next week and these people were destroyed because they could not (even with my help) get JWs to give them literature or conduct a "Bible" study with them.
JV

17

JW.org email and contact numbers

by Juan Viejo2 in

ok - here is your task for the day:.

go to jw.org and find their information email address.

then find their weekend support desk phone number.. there is a link at the bottom of many pages that says [ ] email link.

Juan Viejo2

OK - here is your task for the day:

Go to JW.org and find their information email address.

Then find their weekend support desk phone number.

There is a link at the bottom of many pages that says [ ] Email Link. Depending upon which browser I am using, the link either just breaks or sends me to my Outlook draft page - but nothing shows up in the address line or in the information line at the bottom (where it shows the incoming page link).

Most email systems will route odd emails to a special email box set up for misaddressed emails or for those being sent to a box that has been closed. You send an email to XXXX@ex-jw.com or [email protected] and I will get it (not suggesting you do this - but that's how email should be routed to the email manager.)

So, hoping that the Watchtower was smart enough to have a similar system set up, I decided to send them an email to let them know that someone in Africa was craving their version of the Truth, but in braille.

Instead, this is what I got when I sent an email to [email protected] (emails and sender identity "xed out"):

------------------------------------------

Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:

[email protected]

Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the server for the recipient domain jw.org

by usmail017.us.jw.org

. [208.74.140.199].

The error that the other server returned was:
550 5.1.1 User unknown

-------------------------------

Here is the latest inquiries posted through my contact form on Ex-JW.com that I tried to forward to JW.org:

-----------------

Contact Ex-JW.com

Your Name

(Given or Pseudonym)

Email

exxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com

How can we help you?

I would like to suggest a book or video

Connection to JWs?

No connection. Just interested.

Website

http://

Message

hi I am a blind man, I and my family want some of your books and video please sent me braille books, but my wife is not blind and she too wants some of the books thank you.

From his second message:

Contact Ex-JW.com
Your Name	(Given or Pseudonym)
Email	exxxxxxxxxx@gmail.com
How can we help you?	I would like to suggest a book or video
Connection to JWs?	No connection. Just interested.
Website	http://
Message	hi I am Exxxxxxxx please sent me braille j w books for the blind and my family but I am the only blind person in the family. thank you this is the address Exxxxxxx Axxxxxxxxx P. O. Box 00 xxxxxxxxxxxxx, Ghana W / A

13

Does ANYONE use RSS anymore?

by nicolaou in

.

just wondering .

.

Juan Viejo2

Simon - does this site still have RSS or have you dropped it completely?

JV

9

Rutherford's Hostile Welcome in New Zealand

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

http://watchtowerdocuments.org/hostile-welcome-new-zealand/.

rutherfords hostile welcome in new zealand.

posted on december 23, 2014 by barbara on www.watchtowerdocuments.org.

Juan Viejo2

Barbara included Shazoolo's YT video in her article because it so clearly describes thoses days of Rutherford and bad prophecy...

JV

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQWARtRVQxs

32

What's with this "no windows in kingdom halls" thing?

by Trapped in JW land in

jw
friends

i hear many people on this forum say that kh's don't have windows.

but i have never been to one that didn't have windows.

is this only in a certain area or something?.

Juan Viejo2

In the USA each major city or counties have their own building codes. Each set of building codes may change over time as the City Manager or Mayor changes. So in the same city you may see older (pre-2000) KHs without windows and newer ones with windows.

Many years ago there most building codes required a fairly large numbers of windows to allow air (before adequate cooling and heating systems became affordable). Many of these windows were not large enough to allow anyone to climb in or out, but had some movable sections to allow fresh air in and odors out during cleaning.

The main reasons the Watchtower discourages windows is (1) extra cost, (2) cleaning requirements, (3) security, and (4) to reduce distractions for those trapped inside during meetings. It also improves sound distribution inside and reduces distracting sounds from outside the buildings.

I grew up in a Kingdom Hall that had large paned windows all the way down on one side and small (bathroom type) windows on the opposite side. I notice that a recent church that had bought the old building removed or plastered over the windows except for two small vertical panes on each side of the entry doors.

Realize that most "Christian" churches, both classic and more modern, use glass windows as decorative displays that only let a small amount of sunlight in at certain times of the day. But in some USA communities, local building codes require a certain number of windows that will allow for entry and egress for fire and police and other emergency personnel. But if they don't have windows then the doors must be made of wood or other material that will allow fire department drills or axes to easily cut through in case someone is trapped inside or emergency personnel must enter for other reasons.

The bottom line is local building codes prevail, but the Watchtower would have no windows except in their highrise office buildings (view!) if they could.

JV

68

If Your JW Parent Died Would YOU Go To The Kingdom Hall For The Talk?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i would like your thoughts, please..

Juan Viejo2

I went to the funerals of both of my parents and my father's second wife - all JWs till death. Two of the funerals were held in a mortuary chapel, and the last one (my father's) in the local Kingdom Hall. I was beyond pissed at every one of them. I travel 1800 miles for each one and my father and mother got about 45 seconds of recognition. It was nice to know that they had three children and were faithful JWs for over 40 years. I won't bore you with the details because I've described the events and my reactions before on this forum. When I tell others about those events I have to wash my mouth out with soap afterwards.

I've decided that if, and when, my sister, her husband, or my niece or her husband pass away (should they precede me) I simply will not go. I will not submit to that kind of torture and another wasted trip ever again. For what? To hear the same freakin' funeral talk that is nothing more than what you would say to a stranger while going door to door.

I think of all the wonderful JWs who lived good lives, provided for their families, never committed a crime, always paid their taxes, and did their best to serve God - and they get a funeral talk that you could read on the back of a WT handbill? Some of them served most of their lives and were faithful to the end (or else they wouldn't get a KH funeral).

Paul Grundy wrote an article several years ago for one of my websites, InsidetheWatchtower.com. His experience was very similar to mine. Paul allowed me to attach the outline of the JW funeral talk that was being used at the time. Now that the WT scripts nearly every word for every talk, this may have changed in recent years, but you will be able to see exactly what I describe. I suggest that you might want to make a copy and take it along to the next JW funeral you attend and see just how close the speaker sticks to the outline.

Link to article: http://insidethewatchtower.com/doctrine/attending-my-father%E2%80%99s-funeral/

Link to funeral talk outline: http://jehovah.net.au/books/Watchtower-Funeral-Discourse.pdf (be sure to read the very last paragraph on this outline!)

JV

18

where was this quote made?

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

my parents and i are discussing a quote that was made many years ago.

we know for a fact that it was made.

i have exhausted all of my resources to find it, and so i come here to this fine group to ask you about this quote.. the subject is about money.

Juan Viejo2

BBonds - December 5, 2014 BOE

"...ample evidence that Jehovah is speeding up the work...the recent adjustments to Kingdom Hall and Assembly Hall construction and financing..."

"As loyal Kingdom subjects, we continue to show our support [giving donations] for Kingdom activities with all our heart..."

"...each Israelite man gave a gift 'in proportion to the blessing that Jehovah' had given him..."

"...Jehovah treasures such a giving spirit!"

Mo money! Mo money! Mo money!

JV

18

where was this quote made?

by Truth and Justice in

jw
friends

my parents and i are discussing a quote that was made many years ago.

we know for a fact that it was made.

i have exhausted all of my resources to find it, and so i come here to this fine group to ask you about this quote.. the subject is about money.

Juan Viejo2

Truth and Justice -

I am looking for that very quote myself for an article I am writing. I'm sure someone will find it for you very soon. In the meantime, here is an excellent article that covers the subject extensively and well..

http://www.jwfiles.com/wt_honesty/donations.htm

JV

8

Anybody near Los Angeles California?

by hardtobeme in

is there anyone here currently living near la?

if so, can you send me a message?.

i wish i can meet others like me, that have woken up.. thanks!.

Juan Viejo2

There is a meetup group in south Los Angeles (Downey).

http://exjwslosangeles.org

Good folks and still relatively active. Well worth investigating.

JV