The conventions in my area are still held at rented areanas. The closest Assembly Hall is in use something like 50 weekends a year, so it would be impossible to also use it for 8 weeks of DCs held here at 5,000+ a piece.
respectful_observer
JoinedPosts by respectful_observer
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38
No more big District Conventions?
by serenitynow! inso i went to the hall today for a funeral and took a look at the bulletin board.
i was surprised to see a letter stating the dc for michigan would be held at the local assembly hall instead of the big convention center in ohio where it had been held the past few years.
have you all heard about this?.
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Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 04-07-2013 WT Study (HERITAGE)
by blondie in2 in his word, god has preserved for the use of.
18 jehovah has preserved spiritual.
gods written word contains the truth.
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respectful_observer
5 That privilege became part of our spiritual legacy at our convention in Columbus, Ohio, U.S.A., in 1931. The letters “JW” appeared on the printed program. One sister said: “Speculations were made as to what JW stood for—Just Wait, Just Watch, and the correct one.”
The person sitting next to me at the meeting nudged me and pointed with their pen at "...Just Wait..." and whispered "Maybe they should switch it to 'Just Wait'; it's what they keep telling us to do at every assembly and convention." We both had a good snicker over that one.
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We are all under the influence of Satan, that,s why we can,t see the truth.
by jam inhave you been told that and if so what did you say.
blinded by the devil until we come back to jehovah organization.
we will never see the light.
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respectful_observer
I would ask "how exactly is Satan influencing me?"
I find it puzzling that, on the one hand, JWs run are told over and over not to let Satan and the demons influence are thoughts and actions, or that "Satan tempts you when you are weak", yet on the flip side they say that Satan and the demons cannot read our minds, but only see our actions.
If he can't read people's minds, then how is he tempting/influencing anyone. Unless he's physically possessing someone ( ) then he can't, right? If Satan can only break the Spirit/Physical World barrier (e.g., moving objects), but can't break the Spirit/Mind barrier, then how in the heck are Satan are the demons influencing people?? I have yet been able to have a J-dub provide an answer to this.
For someone to claim that Satan can't read our thoughts, but somehow influences people mentally...
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North Korea War and J-Dubs
by nolongerconfused in...expect all the rank and file/wt to use this tension to hype up their doomed message.... haven't been to the meetings for 6 months now...any talk of this at your local dingdom hall for active ones?.
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respectful_observer
Whenever a JW makes a statement like "conditions have never been worse!" or "with world events lately, this system doesn't have any time left", I like to say, in a very sypathetic tone: "Really? I always think about how bad it was during WWII...hundreds of millions dead, a World War, nuclear weapons being used on civilians, millions being executed in concentration camps. Imagine what the Witnesses thought about how close Armageddon was back then!"
That usually shuts them up pretty quick.
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North Korea War and J-Dubs
by nolongerconfused in...expect all the rank and file/wt to use this tension to hype up their doomed message.... haven't been to the meetings for 6 months now...any talk of this at your local dingdom hall for active ones?.
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respectful_observer
I haven't heard anything myself, but ever since the "NuLight" of the USSR being the "King of the North" burned out, I often thought that a re-ignition of the Korean War would result in China (a rising communist near-super power) backing NORTH Korean interests, and the U.S. ("Anglo-American World Power") backing SOUTH Korea.
Result?
J-dubs running around, apoplectic, hair-on-fire: "AAAHHH!!! We finally know who the King of the North is!!! This is it! Here comes the Great Tribulation!!"
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McDonald's Cashier Job Requires Bachelor's Degree
by VM44 inmcdonald's job listing.
crew (cashiers).
contract type : full time.
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respectful_observer
A JW friend of mine (who thinks the WTS stance on 4-year degrees is stupid) just sent this to me a few minutes ago with the subject line: "The society is officially screwed"
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If this is true then expect the GB to get even crazier!!!!
by DATA-DOG inhttps://www.anointedjw.org/memorial_experiences_2013.html .
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respectful_observer
I was skeptical before I even clicked on the link and continue to be skeptical of the more dramatic accounts. However, one particular account provided a location and certain details of that particular Memorial that would fit with one that I attended. Of course I can't say which one.
Although if I'm sure several hundred people partook in NV, I'll eventually here about through J-dub channels.
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12-year-old thread: JWS/WTS REACHES CRITICAL MASS - A NON-EVENT!
by steve2 ina few days ago, there was renewed interest in a 12-year-old thread which, among other points, argued the watchtower's days were numbered.
several current posters expressed the view that the wts has not been impacted by any "critical mass" and that it speaks to the immunity of the watchtower to any such "critical mass" event.
i thought the topic warranted a renewal for wider consideration - with the "benefit" of "12-years" hindsight - so have duplicated one of my responses: .
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respectful_observer
I know quite a few active JWs who openly argue that the door-to-door work is incredibly inefficient and ineffective. They're loathe to waste their Saturday mornings, but have ZERO desire to do street work or participate in the fancy new booth/cart/table approach. Whenever it comes up, the typical response is "There is NO WAY you could get me to stand next to one of those things all morning. But I bet the pioneers will make good use of it!"
More and more of the friends seem to hear certain things from the platform at CAs/DCs/SADs and say..."I can understand why they say have to say that, but in the real world..."
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local memorial attendance
by outsmartthesystem inso i have a friend that is still "in" because of his elderly parents.
he attended the memorial and reported back to me what i thought was encouraging.
we have two congregations in the city i live in.
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respectful_observer
Thanks Gayle. There don't seem to be two consecutive years of decline it attendance, but we'll have to wait nearly a full year to find out what happened this time around.
R_O
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12-year-old thread: JWS/WTS REACHES CRITICAL MASS - A NON-EVENT!
by steve2 ina few days ago, there was renewed interest in a 12-year-old thread which, among other points, argued the watchtower's days were numbered.
several current posters expressed the view that the wts has not been impacted by any "critical mass" and that it speaks to the immunity of the watchtower to any such "critical mass" event.
i thought the topic warranted a renewal for wider consideration - with the "benefit" of "12-years" hindsight - so have duplicated one of my responses: .
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respectful_observer
Breathless sensationalizing comes and goes on this forum almost as reliably as it does at Watchtower conventions.
I would definitely agree with that observation. Although it's not a barometer for the global organization, I seem to be encountering more and more situations where active JWs make statements and disclosures that make my jaw drop.
A few recent samples:
Long-time pioneer (in repsonse to a discussion of the GB/FDS change): "Well it's not like I believe everything I read in the Watchtower anyway. Does anyone?"
Long-time elder (in response to the recent CA that picked on people saving in a 401K): "Why does the Society want every Witness to be stupid and poor?"
Not a quote, but a CoBE I know well "partook" this year for the first time, as did a young MS in the same hall. It turns out they both participate in a weekly Skype "family" study with brothers from around the world. All three people in that hall (barely 70 pubs) who participate in that weekly call/study partook this year. The CoBE also disclosed that he'd been partaking privately at home for years.
A LONG-TIME elder who has been moved by the WTS many times over many decades in several countries and continents: "Well let's just say I wouldn't be surprised if the current 'understanding' of 1914 changed. Sr. LONG-TIME elder and I have felt that other explanantions make a lot more sense."
I've spoken to quite a few active JWs and many of them feel that "something" has felt very different in the last few years and that all these changes are just tremors to something that will negatively affect the organization in a broader long-term way.