Posts by oppostate

17

A Total Waste of Time "In The Field"

by OnTheWayOut in

so i am walking down the street in a spanish neighborhood and two men, obviously jw's, are standing between houses writing furiously on their tiny slips.

i am nearly a block away approaching and they just kept writing the whole time i walked up.

i finally arrive to pass them and they are still both writing.

oppostate

In Spanish speaking congregations in New England, we have to make a list of Spanish or Portuguese sounding names to call on. The Secretary and a helper draft up the lists and divide the names and addresses into territories. Call calling on non-listed households is very seldom called unless one knows for a fact that the householder is Latino or Spanish speaking.

Getting references from other Latinos in the community is one of the best ways of building lists of names. It used to be that phone books were the place to find Latinos. But not anymore, with the over abundance of mobile phones the land lines are dwindling.

Another way is to go to a Mexican Restaurant or other restaurant you know the kitchen crew is Latino, and make contact. Once you have a chance to make a visit on one of them you have a way in to get info on the whole group that works there and even other restaurants.

48

Why would anyone want to join jovie world?

by Doltologist in

i can understand why someone who was born of jovie parents would want to leave jovie world.

i can see why someone who had joined jovie world would want to leave.

after all, why would you want to stay in such an evil institution?.

oppostate

I prefer to call it JW religion, or JW organization. And, I still refer to "The Society" when talking to other JW's so that there's no doubt I'm referring to the HQ of JW's--most elders and rank & file now call this "The Branch."

For me the appeal was that they were under ban in the country I was living in under a dictator. Preaching work was illegal, and they were thrown in with other government undesirable religions, which were usually just called the "Protestants" (pronounced with a half raised lip as if smelling something foul).

The WT literature talked a lot about God and how He had a wonderful purpose for mankind. I was suckered in and swallowed their whole line, hook and sinker. I thought it was the Truth--I was convinced of it until tragic circumstances burst the dream bubble. Now I'm still in due to having family that is very faithful to the WT.

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

Maybe the young elder is using pre-common core new math!

He clearly stated $3,500 (thirty-five hundred dollars) not three hundred and fifty. He did call it our literature order, so that may be saying he also counted in the book and new Bible orders.

Also the long pause he gave in mid talk letting the figures set in may have been triggered by his own subconscious re-figuring the total amounts. Whatever the case, he came across as blaming publishers for not using the literature to best advantage and that if some feel short-changed they should blame those who have extras and let them accumulate at home gathering dust.

It is so surreal how the Truth of the WT becomes a separate reality. The figures mean nothing, the individual opinions mean nothing. Everything finds its meaning in whatever "The Branch" says it means.

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

@3rdgen.

It's hilarious for sure. Apparently this is a pattern that's been going on for the past three months and maybe the CO is the one that "busted" the elders' b@lls about it during his last visit.

Also as in the other thread: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/292580006/our-hall-asking-money

I believe the donation "pledge" slips amounted to a way much higher amount than it's ever been contributed locally. Instead of adjusting the amount to reality we were constantly reminded on mid-week meetings dealing with congregation accounts that we were not meeting our "budget amounts". Yet our pledged budget amounts should have been perceived as hopeful dreams rather than a realistic amount. So the last two weeks of May we had another "pledge" slip exercise.

When the number of pledges doesn't add up to the actual donations, and when the number of placed magazines is way over the amount of magazines received for the month, it follows that any reported numbers should be seen as mere high end hopeful estimations without foundation in accurate amounts.

If publishers don't tell the truth about how much they can contribute and how many magazines they've placed, can we trust the number of field service hours, book placements and studies are reported every month?

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

@Paul.

The strange thing is he didn't actually say what he seemed to be saying.

Basically, he said there's a shortage. We know. We all know. The elders are aware of the problem.

And then, by the way, if you catch my drift and you want to help instead of complain about running out then don't take so many or contribute more.

The idea that we haven't received the "full order" shipment goes nicely with the May video saying that the WT needs more contributions. This just seems, to me, to be a ploy to get the older folks to contribute even more.

24

Great photo...needs your captions!

by ToesUp in

.

oppostate

It's just parked for show to appear clean and tidy!

They actually force-feed their trash, their litteratrash on the millions of dubs around the world.

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

@berrygerry, yes, I also remember the guilt trip about contributing for WT Lib CD's and how much a retail CD cost, not just music CD's but especially the computer software retail CD's, and how this would give us an idea how much we should be contributing.

This young elder brother did say that "we aren't getting the full shipment and are running out, in fact we've run out of magazines before the end of each month for the last three months." Which kind of puts the responsibility pretty much on the amount short-shipped, not on the amount ordered.

It will be interesting to hear what's said at our "sister" congregation.

==============

@Quarterback.

Maybe there's an "Apostate!" somewhere who's been stealing large quantities of magazines when nobody's looking!

53

Apost8News: "Return to Jehovah" Official Literature Release Video - 2015 Convention Lowlight

by cappytan in

again, thanks to wifibandit and pixel for their work behind the scenes.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwzviu3jfko.

oppostate

3rdgen, I loved your Q&A session about this video! It was spot on!

One point worth my reminiscing about was the time when a CO used the story of the Japanese murderer who'd studied while in prison and was still executed despite his "full rehabilitation" thanks to studying WT publications.

The CO knew this story was a tear jerker, however, using it in the Assembly, local congregation visits, and even on visits to folks homes, it lost a lot of emotional coup, and we were somewhat desensitized to it by the end of his assignment.

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

Unfortunately, VI, the older dubs in this congregation have mostly been around since the early 1950's. They've survived a lot of "changes" and kept faithful to the WT.

We've seen many pass away in recent years due to advancing age and poorer health. These folks are survivors, they don't question much, they are mostly a good hearted bunch who live on little and yet they still give a lot more than they should.

I'm sure the CO/Branch knows well the contribution figures and the advanced age of most of the publishers. I'm sure the WT is already written in as a beneficiary in a lot of wills. In previous years there were a couple of cases where the dearly departed saved the monthly congregation expense reports to be in the black and then some.

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

oppostate

Excellent point cappytan! I wonder if he even remembers the time when there was a specific cost attached to the magazines. He must have been just a little guy back in 1990.

I wonder too if anyone confronted him about his figures. I just shrug my shoulders and will continue to request zero magazines, and place zero magazines. When I was asked if I was even going to order a study copy I told the magazine counter MS that I'd rather highlight on my tablet, and save some trees. ;-)

===========================

Paul, that's a good point too. Maybe it's just a local thing the elders in their wisdom and younger new leadership have decided to do (especially if the CO had something to tell them about the figures).

But, the other congregation isn't getting their full amount of magazines as before, either. If they get the "talk" maybe there's oversight of this coming from the Branch, or maybe if it's only local it could be the departing CO's last hurrah to get the old retired and hard-pressed for income local publishers to cough up more contributions.