how much longer do you think it will be til the borg implodes?.
with april's rediculous generation renewal, the hyped 2012, then the 100th aniversary of 1914 two years later, the continued increase and spread of internet use, the age of the gb, and the lackluster of the rank n file, i give it 8-10 years before the whole show collapses.. .
i was explaining to a mate yesterday about shunning, Russell and Rutherfords behavior and he said he cant see a religion like that lasting another 50 years.
But i tend to feel that whatever happens, they will remain. Even the split offs from russells day are still going. In the leadership takeover of russell i read somewhere about 3/4 left? And look at today! Even if they lost 50% in 2014 i cant see them disapearing for a long time ... unfortunatley.
Oz
okay, the disfellowshipping doctrine is inhumane, usually.
but, i remember a "brother" in jacksonville, florida, can't remember his name, i was 17 at the time, i think he was 18. this scumbag claimed to be a jehovah's witness.
we went to the same school.
In the case of a person like you talk about, disfellowshipping is a must. And so should calling the police.
At risk of being shot down, i will state my thoughts on disfellowshipping.
Here goes...
I have no problem with the practice in itself. Maybe i see it wrong but please here me out. I will use the example of a club for a particular brand of motor vehicle.
Neville buys a corvette and off he goes and also joins the local corvette club. The rules of the club state that to be a member, you must own at least one corvette. Some time later, Neville sells his corvette and buys a datsun. When it is found out, the club terminates his membership. No real problem though. His friends who have corvettes still talk to him and invite him to dinner, although they do tease him a bit about the car and hope he will buy another corvette one day...Neville just might.
The problem is the labelling and shunning. Now, lets assume the corvette club people will no longer even talk to Neville, some even cross the street to avoid him. Worse, he is labelled an Japotate for buying the Datsun. No longer can he have dinners with his friends, nor the company of his brother, a rabid corvette owner. The club and his brother hope that by shunning him, he will see the error in his choice of car and buy another corvette. Unfortunatley, neville is broke and could never afford to buy another corvette. Heartbroken he hangs himself.
Tell me nicely if you think i am wrong! Again, i see the shunning, labelling and underlying information control as the problem rather than the actual being removed, disfellowshipped, from the congregation.
Oz
fascinating discussion i had with a former dub on facebook.
we were in the same congregation years ago.
maybe you can relate.. she wrote:.
Thankyou for sharing. this is the sort of thing i need to talk to my kids about too.
oz
sometimes when we face difficult situations i feel the need to pray to god for help, and i know that plenty of times the sole act of praying makes you feel hope and have a better outcome of the situation.
you can call it suggestive or that you prepare a positive scenario by using faith.
the outcome is that regardless if there is someone who listens or not to your prayers oftentimes you feel better afterwards and have more positive attitude.. the problem is that i dont believe in god anymore.
i have not prayed nor felt the need to since the day i left them. I came to see it as no more benefit than talking to the ceiling. I can get the same results from talking to myself and reasoning over matters.
Thoughts determine what you want, actions determine what you get.
Oz
i got this email:.
knocking update january 2010. www.knocking.org.
knocking subject needs second bloodless liver transplant.
How many transplants can a person have? Eventually, liver number 3 will get attacked, as will 4,5 and 6 etc.
oz
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2452707.
edgard metelus, a jehovah's witness, took part in a prayer service in petionville with some 200 faithful, most of whom managed somehow to find presentable sunday clothes amid the chaos.
"we continue to pray for haiti and to thank the heavens, because without prayer there would have been even more victims," he said, as the group raised its voice in praise to god.. "even more victims without prayer"?????
I opologize for my insensitivity.
My fingers worked before my brain.
Oz
i'd like to think i look relaxed and cool.
but i'm aware that in reality i probably look like an idiot!
haha but by then i'm normaly too drunk to care.. does anyone have the same issue?.
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/story.html?id=2452707.
edgard metelus, a jehovah's witness, took part in a prayer service in petionville with some 200 faithful, most of whom managed somehow to find presentable sunday clothes amid the chaos.
"we continue to pray for haiti and to thank the heavens, because without prayer there would have been even more victims," he said, as the group raised its voice in praise to god.. "even more victims without prayer"?????
Edgard is an Idiot
edit: sorry that was not nice but i am losing patience and respect for these people...
oz
since when did the wbts or any congregations etc become registered charities?
just read the pdf on the 'charity' form the thread on mill hill disfellowshipping an d didn't want to hijack it with this question.. what in the name of god is going on here?????????????????????.
can somebody explain the why?
well slap me thrice and hand me to my mamma...
A freakin' tax dodge.
They have no conscience do they?
How though did they sell this to the congregations? i mean, surely they didn't tell them about the tax benifits to the WBTS?
Oz
Well, i guess they will act like the Israelites in the promised land... after the walls of jericho fell, in they went...
Joshua 6:21
And they went devoting all that was in the city, from man to woman, from young man to old man and to bull and sheep and ass, to destruction, by the edge of the sword.
