respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  6

  When JW's say, "the farther we get from Adam..." to explain Autism, illness etc. is it just denial?

  by Wasanelder Once in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am so sick of hearing jw's blame everything from autism to hangnails on our proxemity to the existence of no-navel-man adam.

  they thereby betray their own lack of personal responsibility for their poor physical and mental health on adam.

  just maybe a little more work to afford a doctor visit once in a while wouldn't hurt?

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  respectful_observer

  When JW's say, "the farther we get from Adam..."

  A little off topic from the OP, but this past week's WT study talked about Adam and Eve "died" the day they sinned...even though they lived until 900+ years old. Several commenters mentioned that they lived so long beacause they were "closer to perfection". While sitting there, it dawned on me that JWs apply reverse logic to Adam & Eve's situation compared to survivers of Armageddon:

  Adam & Even (and other early-Bible characters, Methusulah, etc.):

  Physical perfection: Near perfect, lived for nearly 1,000 years

  Mental/Behavioral perfection: Far from perfect. After all, Cain was the first birthed generation from perfection and committed murder.

  Post-Armageddon:

  Physical perfection: Survivors will slowly "grow" to physical perfection.

  Mental/Behavioral perfection: Apparently*, all survivors will immediately think/behave perfectly.
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  102

  Bill Cosby - too much smoke for no fire?

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  it seems like the list of people who are accusing him of rape and sexual assault is growing every day.

  i'm skeptical of single accusations but the number of people and the similar stories seem overwhelming now.. it's not a conviction but to the court of public opinion ... guilty?.

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  respectful_observer

  Random side note about Cosby. He has kept a home in rural Massachusetts for decades and a local brother in the Shelburne Falls congregation ran the house for years. Not sure if the brother still works for him, but I wonder if he's ever had to turn a blind eye to Cosby's behavior.
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  41

  What really woke me up: I started noticing most JWS are weirdos..

  by kneehighmiah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  thankfully my parents are converts so they aren't wierd.

  seemed pretty popular by all accounts.

  they are "popular" jws even now.

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  respectful_observer

  The organization actively discourages utilizing critical thinking skills. Self-regulated analysis, reasoning, and judgement are only permitted within the confines of the current version Watchtower doctrine. As soon as your self-regulated reasoning hits that wall, the person only has two choices: 1.) cross that boundary (enter "apostate territory"), or 2.) reject your own reasoning, dismissing it for the logic imposed by someone else that runs contrary to what you've reasoned for yourself.

  As a result, the WTS will naturally only attract and retain those who assign little value to, and do not often use, critical thinking skills. I'd argue that the demographic slice of the population which do not value or often use critical thinking skills will tend to have a higher percentage than average of those with less education, less awareness of social/bahavioral norms, etc.

  I began to recognize in my childhood, that almost every "study" that came to a meeting was a complete weirdo. When I shared that observation with one of the more intelligent elders in the hall one day out in service, he replied with a laugh and said: "Have you heard this joke before? 'How is the Truth like a crescent wrench? Because it fits all the nuts!'"

  How true it is!
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  35

  Overlap what???

  by dugout in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just out of the blue i asked my wife whos been a jw for some 30 odd years can she explain the overlapping doctrine.

  she said to me she never heard of this and said she will have to look it up.

  i thought oh s#^%!.

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  respectful_observer

  0% understand it, because it is beyond comprehension. It makes no sense whatsoever. It is like asking "who understands the concept of 2 + 2 = yellow?"

  If you hear a JW express confusion/lack of understanding of how you can scripturally support multiple generations actually being 1 (overlapping) generation, you could always say:

  "It's really quite simple...although they are seperate generations from a human perspective, from a Bible perspective, they are 1. Sort of like when Jesus said: 'I and the Father are one.'...seperate from a human perspective, but a single being from...oh wait, that's the Trinity! Nevermind! The using that logic to defend the Trinity Doctrine never made any sense!"
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  52

  Changed: Head coverings for sisters, w15 2/15 QFR

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  does a female kingdom publisher need to wear a head covering if she conducts a bible study in the presence of a male publisher?.

  in a questions from readers item published in the watchtower of july 15, 2002, it was stated that a sister should cover her head if she conducts a bible study in the presence of a male publisher, whether he is baptized or not.

  further consideration of the matter suggests that a modification to this direction is appropriate.. if the male publisher who accompanies the sister while she conducts an established bible study is baptized, the sister would certainly want to wear a head covering.

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  respectful_observer

  "Alternatively, she could ask the brother to conduct the study if he is qualified and able to do so."

  Wait, so this brother has qualified as "an ordained minister" through his dedication and public baptism, yet may not be "qualified and able" to conduct a bible study? How exactly does that work?
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  8

  JWs, Rules, Laws and the Zone Meeting

  by TheListener in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my takeaway from the zone visit and the reaction of some dubs i know and some i've read on here is this:.

  dubs don't care what their actual religious beliefs are or how they change but they do seem to care a lot about having any specific counsel discussed from the platform.. .

  i guess this makes them a lot like everyone else, and maybe now we know what the wts achilles heel may be.. .

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  respectful_observer

  skeeter1,

  ToMoIII just saw your post and has announced that all JW women must dispose of their breeches and only ride side saddle from this day forward.

  
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  34

  Over 1,000,000 in attendance and you are worried about tight pants?

  by Separation of Powers in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you know, rarely in the history of the org has a group this large congregated to hear from "mother.

  " they incessantly speak of the huge group that met at yankee stadium in 1958...the over 250,000 that congregated to be instructed by jehovah.

  but over the weekend, there were over 1,000,000 people excited to hear some type of direction, some type of encouragement, something to help them hang on "just a little longer.".

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  respectful_observer

  The men of Jehovah's Witnesses addressing the concerns of the women:

  "At least we aren't the Muslims."

  Haha...are you sure about that? I recall seeing a photo of a sign somewhere in the Middle East (Saudi Arabia, Dubai...one of those), that specifically articulates that leggings do not qualify as pants. I couldn't find it, but I did find this gem:

  Iran Parliament says leggings are not pants

  http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/tr/originals/2014/06/iran-parliament-debates-womens-leggings.html#
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  34

  Over 1,000,000 in attendance and you are worried about tight pants?

  by Separation of Powers in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you know, rarely in the history of the org has a group this large congregated to hear from "mother.

  " they incessantly speak of the huge group that met at yankee stadium in 1958...the over 250,000 that congregated to be instructed by jehovah.

  but over the weekend, there were over 1,000,000 people excited to hear some type of direction, some type of encouragement, something to help them hang on "just a little longer.".

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  respectful_observer

  Posted this on another thread, but since there are so many "Tight Pants" threads today, thought I'd make sure everyone got the benefit of a meme that's making its rounds on JW social media this a.m.

  
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  443

  Zone Visit: An Announcement That Will "Test Your Faith"

  by breakfast of champions in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this is the scuttlebutt in one of the "bethel congregations" by us.. no details as to exactly what this "faith-testing" announcement might be.. anyone else hear any of this pre-zone visit hype?.

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  respectful_observer

  This meme is now making the rounds on Instagram/FB/etc.

  
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  102

  It is official they're selling off Kingdom Halls in Britain

  by raymond frantz in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i posted here a week ago some disturbing news for congregations being consolidated in britain.

  my goodness that was nothing !

  a letter was read today from bethel addressed to all congregations in britain that can only be described as the biggest news for years.the main points:.

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  respectful_observer

  Maybe they wouldn't need to replace or renovate so many Kingdom Halls if they actually built them to last and stopped decorating them in styles that quickly go out of favor. How often have you walked by or into and old church and thought "Ewww...this is so dated." Yet that has gone through my mind everytime I've stepped into any KH more than 5 years old.

  In my area there is a congregation that recently sent in almost $2 million dollars to the WTS it had saved toward a badly needed renovation. (It's an old hall in a very wealthy area.) Now those local friends are getting very nervous that instead of renovating this historic (and very valuable) property, the WTS will force them to sell it for millions, see all that cash flow to NY, and force the friends to build a hall the next town over for $500,000. In the end, the WTS would probably net $3-4 million from that one congregation.