Posts by Jourles

39

How did you choose your avatar or board name?

by new boy in

jw
friends

new boy.

it is what they call new guys at bethel.

its a way the guys, who have been there awile (like over a year) to put you down.................if you are a new boy you don't know how the organization really works.. one of my favorite new boy stories is about lyman swingle gb.. lunch in the 124 lower dining room 1973. lyman swingle table head said to a new black bethelite........"boy would you pass me the potatos?

Jourles

Decided to use the electrical term of Joules, but then thought that was kind of generic. So I really screwed it up and thought "why not just make up an original word/name?" Hence, the "R" appeared in the middle - and now no one knows how to pronounce it. (hint: just use joules)

The avatar has changed only three times over the last 6-7 years. The latest one is of me playing in a volleyball tournament on Lake Michigan. If I ever change it again, it will likely stay associated with vb. VB is my religion nowadays.

36

What JW 'belief' offends you the most?

by jambon1 in

jw
friends

?

Jourles

Uhhh.....blood.

43

That's it, we've had ENOUGH and we are MOVING!

by Schism in

jw
friends

i know this question has been asked before, but i can't find the old post about this.

i am looking for another area of the us to move to.

edit: please be aware, i am ranting right now, but nothing here is exaggerated.

Jourles

I have traveled and lived in many places across the US. CO is nice. But it highly depends on what you are willing to pay and put up with. The four seasons in CO is tough to find though(you have winter, a short spring - also called "mud season" in the higher elevations, medium summer, and a short fall). I would rule out Denver. Housing costs have gone up quite a bit - almost comparable to living in the high country(near the ski areas). Traffic sucks in Denver too. CA is probably out just due to home prices. If your husband is in the medical field, I know that Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids and Lansing Michigan are three prime spots for those in the field. GR and Lansing are affordable, with Ann Arbor being the higher of the three. Ann Arbor has the University of Michigan and Lansing has Michigan State University. Both towns are very culturally diverse(due to the colleges). We have a solid 4 seasons here as well. The state is beautiful, especially as you go further north. Home prices are near the lower end of the national average. You can buy a much larger home for less money if that is what you are looking to do. The only "hoods" I can think of are found in the core of Flint and Detroit proper. People are very friendly.

Like I said, I've lived in many different places and traveled to many, many more. I am proud to call MI home now.

<----- **oh, and my avatar pic was taken from the beach on Lake Michigan --- clean water you can swim in!)**

75

Believer, Agnostic or Atheist?

by lfcviking in

jw
friends

i am curious, what amount people on this board from their experiences of being a baptised & active jw and their subsequent exit from the jw org (for whatever reason or reasons) are now either agnostic, atheist or do some actually still believe in god?.

your honest answers please.. lfcv.

Jourles

My personal "religious" mantra is:

I prefer to keep my options open.

So I guess that would put me in the agnostic camp.

93

Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean

by Jourles in

i've had this thought for quite a while and wonder if fits with the recent talk about the wts claiming that matt.

24:14 has been fulfilled.

my thought was this --- in the wake of the recent cutbacks at bethel, scaling back of literature, and other cost cutting measures, could the wts be preparing the r&f for the complete or massive reduction of literature that would normally be placed with "householders?

Jourles

MONEY MONEY MONEY, it is a business descision not a scriptural one.

Err, it is a business decision masked as a scriptural one...

93

Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean

by Jourles in

i've had this thought for quite a while and wonder if fits with the recent talk about the wts claiming that matt.

24:14 has been fulfilled.

my thought was this --- in the wake of the recent cutbacks at bethel, scaling back of literature, and other cost cutting measures, could the wts be preparing the r&f for the complete or massive reduction of literature that would normally be placed with "householders?

Jourles

or they are going to have to accept the fact that these non-authorized statements are going to be readily available to people all over the world as fast as they spew out of the mouths of the Bethel heavies

The thing is, they know most of the jw's have internet access and email. They also know that there are quite a few in the audience that have recording devices. Combine the two and you have an instant viral email chain that will spread across the world if any statements of worthy note are made. I think that is part of their plan - whatever plan that may be.

Just imagine back to when you were a witness. Didn't everyone want to know ahead of time what was going to be said at the assemblies or which publications were going to be released?(it's part of that "I know something you don't know" mentality) With this sort of audio clip going viral, jw's that have received it will be asking all of their friends if they have heard "the latest." Some will spill it and others will make their friends wait for the assembly. The anticipation of hearing it with their own ears, in person, will get them all excited.

93

Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean

by Jourles in

i've had this thought for quite a while and wonder if fits with the recent talk about the wts claiming that matt.

24:14 has been fulfilled.

my thought was this --- in the wake of the recent cutbacks at bethel, scaling back of literature, and other cost cutting measures, could the wts be preparing the r&f for the complete or massive reduction of literature that would normally be placed with "householders?

Jourles

1975 had very limited printed exposure - most of the hoopla came from this very kind of "Bethel Elder Gas Leakage" during special events or assemblies.

The big difference between 1975 and 2007 is $$$. 1975 was during the hey days of growth. 1975 was used for growth. They must realize that growth has all but plateaued now. So if donations are down, publisher growth is at the very minimum, and the cost of printing literature isn't being recouped, what does that leave them with to do?

They can try and raise donation levels - they've been at this for a long time; it doesn't seem to be working.
Boost publisher ranks - people are not as receptive as they used to be(too materialistic and they want an education); plus the internet is exposing their little scheme.
Cut literature expenses - stop printing so damn much; say Matt. 24:14 has been fulfilled

93

Society's claim of Matt. 24:14 being fulfilled - What it could really mean

by Jourles in

i've had this thought for quite a while and wonder if fits with the recent talk about the wts claiming that matt.

24:14 has been fulfilled.

my thought was this --- in the wake of the recent cutbacks at bethel, scaling back of literature, and other cost cutting measures, could the wts be preparing the r&f for the complete or massive reduction of literature that would normally be placed with "householders?

Jourles

It sounds like the world-wide tract campaign was all part of a carefully contrived plot to make the claim that the scripture at Matt 24:14 has been fulfilled.

That does make sense. I can even imagine them printing in a book 20 years from now illustrating how that tract ended the fulfillment of Matt 24:14. The same way the conventions in the 30's were compared to the trumpet blasts in Revelation.

38

Do you sense the need to defeat or destroy the Watchtower lessening? I do.

by nicolaou in

jw
friends

despite all the shunning crap - or perhaps because of it - i feel less inclined to take positive action against the watchtower these days.

perhaps it's just a temporary malaise or maybe it's that the organisation i looked up to for so long now seems small, petty and trivial and frankly i just don't want to waste my time and energy on it.. what do you think..

Jourles

Perhaps it's just a temporary malaise or maybe it's that the organisation I looked up to for so long now seems small, petty and trivial and frankly I just don't want to waste my time and energy on it.

I guess for some people, it could be a grudge that will never go away. For others like myself, when you still have your entire family involved in it, those nasty odors will always be around. I would rather do *something* about it rather than kick back and take it up the @ss from my relatives. If they bring something up, they started it. They better be prepared for the whirlwind.

43

Is the watchtower in the red or planning for something ?

by 5go in

it does but doesn't seem to be in trouble monetarialy.. what is going on.

are they ok but seeing the writing on the wall with lawsuit or something else.. or, are they broke and just hiding it..

Jourles

Not to mention that by paying taxes it would have created a nightmare of unimaginable proportions from the kh's to bethel just in paperwork alone. I cannot begin to fathom how the WTS could have untangled that mess. They would had to have had an accountant in every hall.

That CA supreme court case screwed them big time. Probably more so than any other lawsuit could ever do.