all this recent new light etc has everyone talking but none of it is that unusual here in ireland.
i've been df'd for 15 years, my parents started talking to me again when i had my first child nearly 13 years ago now.
last year my sister in law started talking to me again also, at the one meeting i attended last year quite a few people chatted to me and said hello.. i'm just wondering if all this is only a big deal in the usa or is this neck of the woods just particularly rebellious anyway?
15 years ago we had elders with full beards in the cong,
Yes I'm in the UK and I knew JWs in good standing with very full beards....and not particularly neat, either.
70s converts. In Europe/UK Jws attracted a lot of hippy types back then
Phizzy I understand how naturally different things would be in Ireland, i have a good number of relatives there, love the place and the people.
Me too. Going to Ireland always feels like coming home. And I'm English lol.
the latest study edition mentions hypothetical scenarios of jws who are no longer serving at bethel or no longer elders, etc.
and says we shouldn't speculate, as defaming them could border on slander.. we could unintentionally defame someone by spreading negative information.
..... would it be proper to speculate on the reasons why these adjustments were made and to share that opinion with others?.
Around here , I note the the dubs I know never know who the members of the GB are anyway.
I know, many in the UK couldn't identify them at all. But I'd guess you may be more likely to find inquisitiveness about Tony Morris in and around Bethel/New York/ the Warwick area, where JWs are more familiar with member's of the Governing body and Bethelites in general??
uh oh, looks like the mega thread gave up the ghost, so while i investigate / fix it just continue the discussion here .... it's been a long 9 years lloyd evans / john cedars.
If the new relaxed rules don’t apply to fornication or apostasy, then what’s left? Doesn’t that account for 90%+ of cases?
Exactly. I suppose it will allow the odd boozy elder with DUI's (drink driving ban) back into the fold, but like you say it won't account for 90% of cases.
It looks like the GB may be the ones who will "bring down the Tower," leaving Lloyd out in the cold.
That's exactly what I was thinking. It might mean a bump in interest for him right now but in the medium to long term there'll be no reason to maintain such a high level of scrutiny on the future more mainstream Watchtower organisation.
during lett’s announcement that beards are now allowed he elaborated at some length how brothers ought to feel and react to the change in policy.
he warned brothers not to resent not being able to grow beards earlier if they had wished to do so.
he also warned brothers who supported the old policy not to allow themselves to wonder what the point of doing so was now that it has changed.
I have to be honest, beards may look good.....but really who wants to kiss someone with a beard? It's scratchy as hell😬
so, just got off a very emotional, but positive call with my father.. this past weekend, he wanted to give me a call, but i was out of town at a wedding, so he said he'd call me later in the week.. he texted me the governing body update video with the recent changes and said, "i thought you might be interested in some of the changes that were just announced.".
i'm tired of self-censorship, so i decided to reply as truthfully and respectfully as i could.. my reply to him:.
it's interesting.
Hear hear!!
Happy for you my Savoury dude!! It's heartening to hear about these opening salvos between once estranged family members.
I don't know if the Norwegian activists were the direct cause of these changes ...but there's a bloody good chance the GB viewed the way the case was headed - and the eventual outcome - as confirmation from Jehovah that they need to listen to "those in authority placed there by God" !!
i was really excited about all the wonderful news related to these changes.
i disassociated back in 2019 and my parents have not spoken with me since then.
my brother who never got baptized kind of serves as a liaison between me and my parents as they will not contact me directly.
Just to say they won't be fine with "greeting" a child molester, as they did single it out as one of the particularly egregious sins for which you can be DF - ie child abuse - where there'll be no change in the current situation of sunning DF ones.
Also....I'm so sorry your parents are being too pig headed to grab this opportunity to reunite with you. It must hurt.
there's been a lot of discussion about the changes in the org.
you might think all this would shake things up, especially for the older or super dedicated jws.
but remember when gb decided all the khs and the bank accounts needed to be transferred/managed from the top?
OP I agree Watchtowers land grabbing of kingdom halls etc was an outrageous stunt that should have caused massive outcry.
The fact it didn't has more to do with the fact so much of that sort of thing is kept from ordinary JWs. I mean to this day many of them have no idea of how that all worked. Elders were the only ones it affected and they either stepped down and/or left quietly for fear of loosing family, or stayed on because they enjoy the prestige.
title: jesus' perception of himself: a nuanced view of equality in a patriarchal society.
introduction:.
the perception of jesus christ's divinity has been a subject of theological debate for centuries.
Although I agree with you about AI answers, Pete, it does make an interesting point about viewing Jesus words through the lense of cultural norms of the time.
Like Boogieman I'd also like to know where the translation of "no miracle I can show" comes from, too. It does sound possible.
i am sure we were all shocked at the governing body update #2 with the unusual and impulsive changes set forth.. i am an insider at whq, and when i was on reddit and in communication with avoidjw i explained to the best of my ability that the approach on disfellowshipping was going to change based on the new light at the 2023 agm, that the jubilee rumor was false, and there were going to be changes on how jws approached disfellowshipping in response to the norway situation if it didn't turn out in watchtower's favor.
the decision came because of a legal blow to watchtower, not because "holy spirit" wad directing a faithful slave, who is going to become the "evil slave", more explanation on this soon.. everything i stated came true.
i left reddit exjw community due to the immature and mentally unstable nature there, and yet as has been the case my words came true.
Blues I am sorry, but I just don’t but Redsetter2’s list of expected changes. All that about sex being tolerated ...... no it does not ring true .
But wasn't he saying anything up until sex (ie the kind you can get pregnant by) is a conscience thing? DF all these engaged or otherwise together young couples who have not had pre marital sex is beyond absurd. As someone else mentioned, at what point do you draw the line if not actual penetrative sex?? For some couples its been enough to touch a breAst during A hug and kiss. Trying to police lines in such an area gets you in to silly territory. Once they've accepted their faith prohibits pre marital sex, people have to take responsibility for their own conscience up until that point their faith prohibits. The GB clearly réalise the current policy is both impractical, uncomfortable for elders and loosing them young members.
i am sure we were all shocked at the governing body update #2 with the unusual and impulsive changes set forth.. i am an insider at whq, and when i was on reddit and in communication with avoidjw i explained to the best of my ability that the approach on disfellowshipping was going to change based on the new light at the 2023 agm, that the jubilee rumor was false, and there were going to be changes on how jws approached disfellowshipping in response to the norway situation if it didn't turn out in watchtower's favor.
the decision came because of a legal blow to watchtower, not because "holy spirit" wad directing a faithful slave, who is going to become the "evil slave", more explanation on this soon.. everything i stated came true.
i left reddit exjw community due to the immature and mentally unstable nature there, and yet as has been the case my words came true.
Hard to believe smoking or drugs will ever be conscience issues
I actually think this makes sense.
I think what redsetter2 is trying to convey is that problems with drink or drugs will be treated as they always should have been as a medical issue where by the person needs help, care and support from family, elders and substance abuse teams. DF and shunning a person in this state is just about the worst thing you could do and will likely result in worsening addiction and even suicide.
