Where's Cedars when we need him most? Didn't I read data that suggests that congregation numbers are decreasing perhaps because of consolidation?
Len
has anyone heard quiet rumblings of new light on the meaning of the 144,000?
to look for 144,000 congregations of jehovah's people as there are now almost 112,000 congregations?
has anyone heard this?.
Where's Cedars when we need him most? Didn't I read data that suggests that congregation numbers are decreasing perhaps because of consolidation?
Len
you don't even have to read between the lines, they say it straight out on their website.
" in many countries, more and more people obtain information online.".
who'd a thunk it .
Terry: What sort of liability does the Society have should a JW get into a an assault or murder as a representative at some civilian's door?
Legal nipped much of that in the bud many years ago. Not long ago someone posted a quotation from (I think) the elder's manual that the rank and file JWs are not sanctioned by Watchtower as "representatives". Only circuit overseers and higher rank are honored with that term.
Len
according to the latest printed light on the 1260 days, this prophetic period ended on june 21, 1918, when rutherford and the directors were sentenced to prison.
the beginning of the 1260 days is said to be december 1914. .
however, if we use a simple tool, like excel, and subtract 1260 days from june 21, 1918, we get january 8th, 1915. .
These charts may be useful, if not humorous. Len.
considering the recent major doctrinal changes in relation to the generation and to the faithful and discreet slave which other doctrines do you think they will have to change?.
generation changea time and too many of the anointed dying.
f&dsa anointed growing in number so necessary to blow that out of the water by completely centralising power in the gb.
The one doctrine that absolutely must stay is the New Light doctrine. This is the alibi foundation for changes to all the rest.
Other religions change a teaching -- take Catholics on eating meat on Friday, remember that one? Ooohh -- what a contradiction. We'd tell the householder that one day Catholics were in Purgatory for eating meat on Friday, next day they weren't.
Same with Mormons. One day multiple marriages are okay, next day they're not. Contradiction. Of course, we always neglected to acknowledge to these householders that Mormons had abandoned their teaching some 50 years before Jehovah's Witnesses began disfellowshipping (1947) for that same practice.
It's obvious that JWs believe that they have a world patent on the New Light doctrine -- that they're the only ones entitled to alibi their way out of changes to their teachings.
As for me, I love it when they knock on my door nowadays. I always get a chance to divulge the fact that I studied with them many years ago. Not a lie -- I simply don't expose the fact that I then became a MS, an elder, developed a bothered conscience that resulted in disfellowshipping.
Their inevitable question -- "Why did you stop studying?" -- is the perfect lead to my introduction to The Great Watchtower Contradiction, an 11 minute read designed for new ones but which poses questions on topics that the most seasoned JW would cringe at.
Contradiction contains a table handout that you can snip for purse or billfold. I always keep my billfold handy.
Len
i thought the world was ending on the 21st of december last year!.
where are these guys?.
well i know, just like jw's, they'll come up with a convincing spin around the issue.. anyways, happy new year everybody, good to be here again.. .
Yes, some Mayans may have interpreted those numbers as dates, not entirely unthinkable. Recall Charles Taze Russell and Watchtower pyramidology. They only dropped their teaching circa 1927.
Then, some Mayans may have interpreted those numbers as stock prices -- as follows:
i haven't been to a meeting (other than some cousins' weddings) for well over twenty years.
i've always wondered what the fds was going to do with the "generations" thing once pretty much everybody who had been alive in 1914 is gone.
i get that they've come up with some "new light" about this topic, but when i ask my mom (who's still in) i only get "well, the new understanding is complicated...".
i'm on my second package in some 3 months.
the first one's in the junkpile, hallmark, don't remember the version number.. this one, print artist platinum 23, looked so promising.
made 3 or 4 greeting cards with it.
I'm on my second package in some 3 months. The first one's in the junkpile, Hallmark, don't remember the version number.
This one, Print Artist Platinum 23, looked so promising. Made 3 or 4 greeting cards with it. Then, one thing or another went wrong. Copying, pasting, font, printing troubles.
I'm using Windows 7 32 bit OS.
How are you getting along with yours?
Len
i have a question about the implications of the new light regarding the f&ds.
sorry if it sounds complicated, i'm not good at explaining things.. .
if the f&ds is now just the few brothers who get together to dispense the food at the proper time, and the f&ds will be appointed over all of christ's belongings, then does that mean they will be appointed above the rest of the 144,000 when they go to heaven?
Do you think it's reasonable to assume that the 7 ( or 8 I guess now ) members serving on the Governing Body today in this 21st century would be appointed OVER the Apostle Paul, John, or other 1st century Bible writers that allegedly were inspired by God to write the Holy Scriptures ? Does that SOUND reasonable to you ?
Hi Flipper
Yes, it's reasonable. The crew today is far more advanced than the old crew. Think email, Facebook, electricity, indoor plumbing, Obamacare. Need I say more?
i have a question about the implications of the new light regarding the f&ds.
sorry if it sounds complicated, i'm not good at explaining things.. .
if the f&ds is now just the few brothers who get together to dispense the food at the proper time, and the f&ds will be appointed over all of christ's belongings, then does that mean they will be appointed above the rest of the 144,000 when they go to heaven?
Because if the rest of the 144,00 are no longer actually the F&DS, then they can't be appointed over Christ's belongings
Hmmm ... that smells of a contradiction and we all know that's not possible since Watchtower has stated that they do not do that. Contradictions are reserved for false religious groups.
Len
this is too important to bury within an old thread.
that thread hashed over several items of interest which you may want to read by way of a refresher: .
is gail bethea-jackson truly a doctor as the watchtower site claims?
Thanks Blondie for that link to Danny Haszard's capture of the Watchtower video -- the one they, of course, pulled -- after Danny and others copied it.
Thanks Data-Dog for that brief description of what may have gone through the minds of the GB during that time frame.
What should not be overlooked when you view the video is the text in that (I think) third paragraph to the left of the video viewing screen. Watchtower, in that text, introduces the speaker as "Dr. Gail Bethea Jackson ...". That, of course, is the lie that they obviously needed to sweep under the rug. In her letter to me (see the full copy on page 1 of this thread) she stated:
"I am not [a] Dr. I am a licensed clinical social worker who specializes in the field of victimization."
...
"Mr. Miller, I am not a Witness, and I did this as a favor to a former colleague and friend who is a Witness. I am really feeling misrepresented and betrayed. They [Watchtower site page] have a number on the bottom of the segment to their media department, and I not only will be contacting them tomorrow; but I have also contacted an attorney regarding what I can do about having it pulled."
"Thank you so much for contacting me, and please feel free to write or call me if I can be of assistance to you further."
To exacerbate their dishonesty, Watchtower never acknowledged this error to their flock. It's been five years. They have acknowedged some errors within their publications in the past using the publisher's errata technique -- but not for this web site publication.
Len Miller