Posts by FatFreek 2005

14

Congress Investigating AARP's Tax Exempt Status. Why not the WTBTS?

by ABibleStudent in

while researching tax exempt status of organizations in the usa for my next legislative letter writing campaign against the wtbts, i found this letter from charles w. boustany, jr, oversight subcommittee - chairman to douglas h. shulman, commissioner - internal revenue service, which was dated october 6, 2011. it just made me wonder if aarp's tax exempt status could be in jeopardy because of its business practises, why can't the wtbts' business practise of extracting donations from jws through building and selling khs be questioned?.

i'm trying to discover if now is a good time to raise eliminating tax exemptions for organizations that are dangerous cults, and to think of several different ideas in which to ask congressman and senators to investigate the wtbts in specific and cults in general.. what do you think?.

peace be with you and everyone, who you love,.

FatFreek 2005

Hi Robert,

why can't the WTBTS' business practise of extracting donations from JWs through building and selling KHs be questioned?

That, from your original post, interests me in view of many dirty experiences related on this forum -- along with the recent Menlo Park incident that hit the fan.

Our own Juan Viejo2 has a huge amount of time investment with that case, extracting every bit of news possible for his web site.

Kingdom Hall ownership, how the brothers pay for them yet relinquish ownership to headquarters upon completion (or payoff) has always baffled me. The whole thing stinks and appears ripe for data harvesting, for someone to publicly, and clearly, recap on this forum all the nuts and bolts of exactly what happens and why.

Len Miller

34

WT Library 2011

by Haelcer in

new watchtower library 2011 in english is available here:.

.

http://www.filestube.com/46b7d96d595f742503eb/go.html.

FatFreek 2005

I am number 272 to look at your generous post but am surprised to be the first to offer a simple word of thanks.

Len

37

The LEGAL mindset of Jehovah's Governing authority (Plenary Power)

by Terry in

a lot of the glaring distortions of common sense inherent in jehovah's witness mainstream thought flowed from the erratic legalist mindset of.

judge joe rutherford.. rutherford served for awhile as a prosecutor in a district attorney's office.. his view of "getting the job done" consisted of hammering away at an "enemy" with a litany of bullet points.. his theological mindset was hardly any different!.

look at the legal terms that seeped in to jw everyday parlance.. .

FatFreek 2005

what book was that scanned by?

The link to that image is http://www.jwfacts.com/images/life-everlasting-1975-chart.jpg.

I suspect that Terry got it from jwfact.com based on that URL. The book, based on the tail end of that URL, is probably " 1966 Life Everlasting In Freedom of the Sons of God 416 pages, produced in full-sized and pocket-sized hardcover editions [li]"

Len

37

The LEGAL mindset of Jehovah's Governing authority (Plenary Power)

by Terry in

a lot of the glaring distortions of common sense inherent in jehovah's witness mainstream thought flowed from the erratic legalist mindset of.

judge joe rutherford.. rutherford served for awhile as a prosecutor in a district attorney's office.. his view of "getting the job done" consisted of hammering away at an "enemy" with a litany of bullet points.. his theological mindset was hardly any different!.

look at the legal terms that seeped in to jw everyday parlance.. .

FatFreek 2005

Hi Terry,

That chart link didn't show anything for me. Is this what you wanted? Len.

15

Little known "interview" with BOTH Russell and Rutherford

by Terry in

in depth interview with c.t.russell and joseph franklin rutherford *.

q: how do you wish to be called; mr.russell...dr.russell, pastor russell?.

russell: for many years i served as a pastor although i never darkened the doorway of an institution of theology for purposes of obtaining certification in the mindset of christendom.. rutherford: you can call me judge or you can call me joe as long as you call me for supper!

FatFreek 2005

Way to go, Terry.

37

Hello Everyone :-)

by new one in

jw
friends

i've only recently joined but i've been lurking for well over a year.

i'll just start with a bit of my story so you'll have a better idea on were i'm coming from, i've read that much of most of your posts that i feel i already know you all anyway lol.. i'm 32 years old now and for most of my life i've had jw's around me at times, my mom used to study on and off with them all through my child hood alough she never took the plunge i'm not sure why because even to this day she say's she holds the same beliefs but somethings held her back so there's doubt somewhere!.

anyway, having had the magazines around me for most my life i'd read them from time to time,but, when i reached about 17 years old i discovered nightclubs, alcohol and, well you know the rest ;-).. fast forward to my early 20's and i'd had a failed attempt at setting up my own business, my parents had split up after 25 years together and long story short i had a nervous breakdown.

FatFreek 2005

Hi new one. You are proof that very often our gut feel can be trusted. It also didn't hurt that you did your own internet research -- which that elder obviously didn't like.

The very next study he turned up with the Cd Rom and "Encouraged" me to use that to do my research as the Internet was full of bitter ex Jw's and nothing could be trusted.

Ha! That's a good one. Hey -- if you still have that Watchtower Library CD (I hope you hung on to it) you may want to check out THE GREAT WATCHTOWER CONTRADICTION, a free online essay which has some 20 (very embarrasing) quotations from that CD. It's an 11 minute read and next time someone calls you'll even be better prepared.

Len

32

Can you be a JW in good standing and NOT go door to door?

by Terry in

the 2nd president of the watchtower bible and tract society, j.f.rutherford was criticised by some elders in the (then) independant congregations for urging members to go door to door while neglecting to do so himself.

rutherford responded:.

frequently some elder says: the president of the society does not go from house to house selling books.

FatFreek 2005

I know a few JWs who barely go D2d yet they always have a report. IF i was an active witness today i'm pretty sure i could get away with not going door to door at all and still report.

I know of witnesses who "claim" to write letters and place phone calls. Others use the informal witnessing excuse. Others simply go to field service but have already arranged to go with someone they know who hates it as much. So when they go out, they spend the entire time having coffee.

Good observation.

And, how about today -- the internet age? I suspect that many (such as Mankelli) report gobs of time yet don't ever leave their shadow on a doorstep. They paste huge clumps of Watchtower text with little to none of their own commentary, thinking that new bLight will speak for itself.

Len

32

Can you be a JW in good standing and NOT go door to door?

by Terry in

the 2nd president of the watchtower bible and tract society, j.f.rutherford was criticised by some elders in the (then) independant congregations for urging members to go door to door while neglecting to do so himself.

rutherford responded:.

frequently some elder says: the president of the society does not go from house to house selling books.

FatFreek 2005

Good post, Terry.

Remember reading about Rutherford's Children, the book? The one that was a bit optimistic about Armageddon being only months away?

Note the following following 1941 Watchtower quote, having to do with ministry hours back then -- by the same Rutherford who did zero hours in door-to-door.

SUNDAY, AUGUST 10, "CHILDREN’S DAY" ...

... I am going to have handed to every

one of you 15,000 children one of these books as a gracious gift.

I ask that you first study it faithfully. Ask someone else to sit

with you under the shade of a tree and study that which leads

to life and endless blessings .... It is your privilege between

now and before the day school opens to spend 6 hours a day

in taking the book Children to others." The parents should encourage

their children to do this very thing, if they would have

them live. The Watchtower, 1941, p. 287

Len Miller

7

One at a Time

by arko_n9ne in

i live with my wife and her two brothers.

her two brothers are witnesses, though one seems to have "faded" but denies it whole-heartedly.

regardless of position, they stick to their guns, well, the wts's guns, about everything.. unless you've read my other posts, you wont know their names, so i'll refer to them as 28 and 31, for the sake of time.. to understand my passion, you need to understand the audacity of my experience with these two.. a lil bit about me-.

FatFreek 2005

Thanks for that, Arko. I'm considering putting it to a short Youtube video with brief references along with the charts, then a final link to the main essay.

You seem to have extreme creativity and I look forward to hearing more of your stories here.

Len

7

One at a Time

by arko_n9ne in

i live with my wife and her two brothers.

her two brothers are witnesses, though one seems to have "faded" but denies it whole-heartedly.

regardless of position, they stick to their guns, well, the wts's guns, about everything.. unless you've read my other posts, you wont know their names, so i'll refer to them as 28 and 31, for the sake of time.. to understand my passion, you need to understand the audacity of my experience with these two.. a lil bit about me-.

FatFreek 2005

Hi arko_n9ne and welcome to the board. It sounds like you've picked up quite a bit about Watchtower in a brief time. Congratulations that you've avoided the magic step -- baptism. In your position you're relatively immune from Watchtower's punitive actions no matter what. As to 28 and 29, you haven't won them over yet. Arguing doctrine is usually futile for those in a cult.

You chose one thing, non-doctinal -- the U.N. thingy. That was good but they've now learned a bit of wiggle room on that based on their evasive replies.

Here's one you may try, THE GREAT WATCHTOWER CONTRADICTION. While it's especially for new ones who are exploring the Watchtower, old hands will find some startling facts about their teaching history, all quotes substantiated from their Watchtower Library CD. It's only an 11 minute read and it may hit 28 and 29 like a ton of bricks.

Winning over these former best friends by showing them that Watchtower can't possibly be a group chosen by God may be more successful than ratting them out for behavior that apparently doesn't directly affect you. If they ever learn the source (you) thanks to the local gossip mill, you're toast with them. Good luck to you.

By the way, you express yourself very well and we look forward to more of your experiences.

Len