respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  8

  2016-03-11 US BOE Re: 2016 Bethel Visitors Information

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  march 11, 2016 to all congregations in the united states branch territory re: 2016 bethel visitors information

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  respectful_observer

  Patterson Bethel: The guided tour will describe the work being done at theocratic schools, such as the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead and the School for Branch Committee Members and Their Wives. You will also see displays describing the work done by departments, which include Art, Audio/Video Services, and Legal.
  
  

  Wallkill Bethel: The guided tour will enable you to see how Bible literature is printed, bound, and shipped to congregations in the United States, the Caribbean, and other parts of the world. A portion of this tour also includes the Bethel Home and an explanation of the production and processing of food for the United States Bethel family.

  It has been noted that when visiting Bethel, some brothers and sisters tend to be extremely casual in their dress. Such dress is not appropriate when visiting any of the Bethel homes.

  What a bunch of weirdos. Do either of those "tours" sound even slightly interesting? A tour describing a "school"? A tour describing how a pamphlet is printed and shipped? Fascinating. Oh, and make sure you wear a suit or dress to give it the proper dignity. Otherwise the forklifts and legal pads might get offended.
  
  
  
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  21

  My sister who is still in is going to Costa Rica as a missionary

  by time2keepmoving in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i left the organization in 2011 and never look back.

  i left behind my sister and her two daughters by mid 2015 both her daughters (both are in their early twenties) were disfellowshipped and left the organization.

  she has decided to go to costa rica as a missionary (i guess that's what they are still calling them, unless that has changed, been gone so long i don't know if they came up with a new term for it).

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  respectful_observer

  but it is not unheard of for JWs to just pack up and head to places like Costa Rica or Belize.

  I personally know several families that have done just that. It's interesting that when you go to visit and start hearing the background stories for all the other "need greaters" there, it becomes abundantly clear that a large portion of them have run away from really effed up situations in the States (e.g., fleeing from some child abuse scandal in the family, elders legally separated from their wives for 15 years, foreclosed home, etc.).
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  50

  Australia Branch to end magazine printing

  by no-zombie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just one week from the zone overseer's visit is the announcement that the magazine production by the australia branch will end in a few months.

  the task being transferred to the japan branch.

  while i'm not 100% certain, i understand that this effectively ends all major printing bar perhaps tracts, handbills and other loose items.

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  respectful_observer

  Downsize and sell assets now, move the money abroad and minimise funds available for any potential forced restitution as a result of the ARC.

  Good point. Isn't what they did in France years back during their tax case?
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  25

  Very Weird Experience During Recent Special Talk After Memorial

  by Tenacious in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hesitantly i attended this talk with my family and sat through it without batting an eye.. mentally i take myself out during the entire meeting some would describe this as daydreaming or zoning out.

  whatever the case may be, for some reason this particular speaker, whom i know of but not personally, got my attention the way he would say certain phrases.

  he cited some texts that directly advised the audience that faith in christ was the only way to salvation.

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  respectful_observer

  Has anyone else experienced the same or something similar?

  Yes, I personally know of an elder (the COBE) that had many of the same behaviors and speech you described. He eventually connected up with the anointedjw.org crowd and was summarily DF'd for apostasy. Rumor has it his wife is near to throwing in the towel as well.
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  49

  Last night's talk re sisters wearing head covering, puke making!

  by purrpurr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear sisters,.

  when you are fortunate enough to be in the presence of a jw penis you must take care to show the proper respect for it!

  doesn't matter if said penis is prepubescent!

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  respectful_observer

  I was fighting off an urge to stand up and start screaming! I wonder how many other sisters were too?

  Not the sister sitting in front of me. She was bobbing her head in agreement throughout the entire part, like she was trying to keep the beat to some horribly outdated music.

  And we all know what it means when something is heavily suggested don't we?

  The brother delivering the part in my hall is older than dirt and spent quite a bit of time on that line from the article. Oh, and he also spent 15 minutes on this part (as opposed to the 5 minutes allotted in the schedule); I wanted to beat my head against a wall.
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  34

  Banned from the second school!

  by purrpurr in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been told by a jw friend that when her hall recently had a refurb that big changes were made to the second school.. one, a large sign has been placed on the door telling people not to use it and to sit in the main hall itself.. two,that all the chairs which used to face the large windows looking into the main hall are now side on to the window facing the wall instead.. this is because "so many people were sitting out in there!

  people were finding all manner of exhuses to sit-in there and the brothers want us to all be together in the main hall!

  " she said.. of course i didn't tell her what i really thought of this but seriously?

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  respectful_observer

  "They roped off the back rows at my hall for a while."

  ......................

  They did this in my hall years ago as well, however there was a legitimate intent behind it. The back rows/sections were always first to be claimed, so when the inevitable single moms with flocks of young kids arrived 5 minutes after the meeting started, they'd have to do the "walk of shame" up to the second row from the front. Then they'd spend the rest of the meeting marching back and forth to the back changing diapers, calming crying babies, etc.

  The elders decided to rope off the back two rows for "late arrivals and those with small children". Ruffled some feathers at first, but the young struggling moms really appreciated it.
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  12

  BOE: 2016-03-21 Re: Donations to “Jehovah’s Witnesses of India”

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  march 21, 2016 to all bodies of elders in the united states branch territory re: donations to “jehovah’s witnesses of india”

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  respectful_observer

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXE_n2q08Yw

  
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  48

  Circuit Overseer Guidelines (tg-E) October 2015

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  circuit overseer guidelines (tg-e) october 2015. http://bit.ly/1utgizt.

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  respectful_observer

  Interesting point which confirmed my earlier suspicion that, although the Branch or GB no longer "appoints" elders/MS, the CO is still under the thumb of the Branch on this:

  Chapter 17.3: When the body of elders of a congregation has decided to recommend the appointment of one or more brothers in connection with the upcoming visit of the circuit overseer, the Congregation Service Committee will send him a completed Recommendations for Appointment of Elders and Ministerial Servants (S-62) form at least one month before his visit. The circuit overseer should immediately forward the form to the Service Department. Such recommendations should not be considered until clearance to proceed has been received from the branch office (BOLD is in original text). Even when clearance is received, this does not indicate that the branch office has endorsed the recommendations. It simply means that the circuit overseer may now give consideration to the recommendations during the upcoming visit. The branch office does not perform a check of the person’s age, marital status, previous appointments and deletions, or the like (emphasis mine).

  So the Branch doesn't "appoint" or "approve" appointments-- they "endorse". The Legal Department's fingerprints are all over this. Great way to insulate the Branch from claims they are legally/financially liable for elders' actions.

  I have no doubt that what the Branch IS checking is whether the brother is on the WTS "non-existent" accused child molester database.
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  18

  New Memorial Songs Were Very Good, IMO

  by RubaDub in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i guess we can agree to differ, but i personally found the new memorial songs (147, 149) to be very good, at least from a musical perspective.

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  rub a dub .

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  respectful_observer

  I thought the closing song (149) was reminiscent of the opening score from The West Wing:

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JivPEYjYd20

  I don't know...you be the judge:

  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/sing-to-jehovah-new-songs/149-grateful-for-the-ransom/
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  24

  How much is the Bethel allowance now? It used to be $14!

  by Maryo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am wondering how much the bethel "allowance" is now?

  it used to be $14!

  is it true they really sign a vow of proverty now?

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  respectful_observer

  Was just visiting some friends there a few weeks ago and they mentioned they currently get $130(ish) a month. I can't remember the exact figure, but it was right around that number.