respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  59

  Morning Woship: Kenneth Flodin targets "apostates"

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  video is entitled "beware of deceit" he uses the letter of jude to show that current day apostates are deceitful and that they use "trickery" to and "twist facts" to try to "grab our mind".

  warning: your head might explode.

  especially past the 5:30 mark.

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  respectful_observer

  Hmmm...taking partial quotes out of context. Yup, only apostates do that.
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  10

  Wife having lunch with her nosey Mother.

  by Darkknight757 in

  1. social
  2. family

  so my wife is really nervous about having lunch with her mother today.

  she is an über-dub who is always asking probing questions as to our spirituality.

  i think she knows that we are fading out.

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  respectful_observer

  So my wife is really nervous about having lunch with her mother today. She is an Über-Dub who is always asking probing questions as to our spirituality.
  I think she knows that we are fading out. She brings up all the classic horror stories of those who leave. She asks about our new hall. She always wants to talk about "the truth."

  Sounds exactly like my mom. A few things I've learned help:

  1. Fill the conversation. Rather than allow her to fill the conversation with probing questions, be proactive and fill the conversation yourself with lots of your own non-controversial questions about work, health, vacations, relatives, friends in her congregation you know. Basically keep her so busy answering all your questions about how Cousin Unemployed, or how old crazy Sister Fibromyalgia is doing, she can't ever find a firm foothold in the conversation to start picking away with those probing questions. DO NOT ask her about her Regional Convention, service, meeting, etc. (or anything WT related), since it will open the door for her to ask you the same question.

  2. Redirect. If she does manage to sneak in a statement to steer the conversation in that direction, form your reply in a way that ends the topic and changes the subject. Example:

  Mom: "I just loved that last symposium at the RC!"

  You: (with feigned interest) "Oh, that's great to hear. So glad you enjoyed it! That reminds me, how is Sister Chronic Fatigue Syndrome holding up these days?"

  3. Give closed end responses to questions and redirect (see #2 above). When asked any of the typical questions asked by parents trying to passive aggressively assess the spiritual health of their adult children (e.g., "what did you think of this week's WT study / yesterday's daily text / the JW broadcast from June?", "did you have any good return visits this week in service?, what did your congregation have for Local Needs this month?), give responses that directly and fully answer the question, but are vague. (e.g., "The WT study/text/broadcast was good as usual. By the way, that reminds me, how's Br. Chemical Sensitivity doing these days?"

  If all else fails...

  4. Stand your ground as an adult. If it's a question that's blatantly intrusive, call Mom on it. "Mom, I know you love me, but I'm a grown adult. I've never heard you let Grandma/Grandpa ask you those types of questions. They treat you like an independent, competent adult and I'm asking for the same courtesy. You've had your 18+ years to raise me. Trust me when I say you're a great mom and raised me well. Let's talk about something else; how are Brother and Sister Never Saved for Retirement?"
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  21

  Branch visit yesterday

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there was a special convention yesterday, a branch visit in ghana with david splane as the guest of honor..

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  respectful_observer

  Take it for what it is (unsubstantiated), but it's my understanding from more than one senior Bethel contact that it's the GB's standard policy to only ever fly Coach/Economy, even to the point of refusing frequent flyer upgrades, lest some lowly J-dub see them comfortably tucked into First as they slog their way back to the cheap seats.

  What was joked about when informed of this policy was that their wives aren't as recognizable, and therefore can get away with the free upgrades!
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  31

  Why JW's Rave So Much About Conventions

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "it was so beautiful, we are truly blessed!

  now, they also plaster these affirmations all over social media, "this is the best life", “so blessed”, “best convention”.. why the gushing?

  have you ever heard anyone say, “mmmm it was ok”?

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  respectful_observer

  I was once told I didn't post enough "spiritual" stuff by a family member because I never put a single picture up at a convention or out in recruiting work. Witnesses constantly having to prove to each other they aren't "falling out of the truth"...

  Completely agree 100%. I refuse to pose for, or post, any photos at the RC or CA. I've been asked more than once why I haven't been to the RC yet, simply because I hadn't posted anything online.

  I also refuse to wear a convention badge. When I've been challenged on it, my response is: "did you forget my name, or that I'm in your congregation?" "No." "Not a problem then!"
  
  
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  27

  If Jehovah hates magic, why is it ok to go to Magic theme parks such as Disneyland the Magic Kingdom and not be disfellowshipped for it?

  by Greybeard in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if jehovah hates magic, why is it ok to go to magic theme parks such as disney land the magic kingdom?

  i grew up a jw and we all went to disney land and magic mountain.

  if jehovah hates magic then why are these places not forbidden?

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  respectful_observer

  Speaking of magic and Disney, I found it especially ironic to discover that one of the heads of the animation department at Bethel has a smaller version of this sculpture of the Magic Brooms from the Sorcerer's Apprentice prominently displayed in his office
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  29

  Help - I'm going to be conducting the watchtower study

  by Saltheart Foamfollower in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it looks like i'm going to have to take the watchtower study for a while so i thought i'd seek help.. i wont be outing myself or stating anything too controversial, but so far i have come up with the following tactics : 1) ask questions which will get people thinking even if it is about something insignificant - developing a questioning mind is the key to discovering ttat as far as i am concerned.

  2) highlight any extreme points so that some might realise they are extreme.

  3) highlight any good points - helping others in need for example - just because it is the right thing to do.. if anyone has any general comments which could help, please post them here.

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  respectful_observer

  Whenever the study article uses the term "faithful and discreet slave", "the slave", "the faithful slave", or similar, replace it with "the Governing Body" when you verbalize the discussion with the congregation.

  All (non-awake) J-dubs are very comfortable following the direction/teaching of "the faithful and discreet slave", but I've noticed some get a little uneasy when you talk about following the direction of "the Governing Body". It's a subtle shift, but it suddenly sounds like we're being directed to follow the teachings of men without question. Most J-dubs won't even notice or care, but I guarantee a few in the audience will get a little uneasy if you start talking about "the Governing Body-this", and "the Governing Body-that" all the time...and it will be all the time, because the phrase "the faithful and discreet slave" is used in virtually every single WT study.
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  17

  Can anyone allay my suspicions?

  by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  can you allay my suspicions of wt associated activity?.

  during the last 3 to 4 co visits, i noticed a predeliction on the part of the ladt few co's for taking photos at fs meetings and photos of cong at end of visit.

  i'm beginning to suspect that such is not because the co's have a newly found socially engaging disposition (being cool).

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  respectful_observer

  I was still very much in when we we're asked to pose for a family pic by the CO wife including our names. And at the next meeting we got the pic back with a text below stipulating who it came from, etc. I thought back then (4-5 years ago) that it was nice yet very strange. Something just didn't feel right. I guess intuition.

  Yes, at my last CO visit, the CO and his wife handed out goodie bags to all the kids and asked for a pic of all the children (we have a LOT in our hall).

  It could very well be that the CO and his wife are tasked with the additional duty of serving as scouting out potential actors/models for the WT art and video departments. (Keep your eye out for photogenic families, kids, etc., snap some innocent group pics, and include in your congregation report back to HQ with their names and spiritual status.)

  I know first-hand they've plucked kids straight out of Bethel tour groups to use in video productions that day (after confirming their families spiritual "health", of course) when they're desperate.
  
  
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  71

  2016 Regional Convention - Sunday Morning synopsis

  by Jehalapeno in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  via reddit.

  here are the morning program highlights.

  will update for the afternoon once it's all over.

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  respectful_observer

  And time to start speculating about how the world's indifference to JWs will suddenly decide to attack them.

  Bingo! JWs make up less than 1% of the population. Quite simply, very few people have any real awareness of their existence, their beliefs, etc. Why would the rest of the world suddenly start caring about what microscopic pacifist group who doesn't even vote?
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  9

  STORY OF MY LIFE

  by COLLINS in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hi my friends on the board i have decided to write a story of my life after all my various questions that i have been asking all this while.

  you are really true friends because you always provide all the answers to my questions which i really appreciate.

  this is my story.. i was born in the year 1997 on the 13th of november.

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  respectful_observer

  I was born in the year 1997 on the 13th of November. I am a born-in jw right from birth. I was baptized in the year 2008 on the 8th of March and I was judicially reproved in the same year I was baptized.

  Apologies if I'm doing the math wrong, but you were baptized at 10 or 11 years old, and also judicially reproved at 11 years old?
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  234

  New ANTI-GAY video for Kids on jw.org

  by ttdtt in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/family/children/become-jehovahs-friend/videos/one-man-one-woman-marriage/.

  disgusting!.

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  respectful_observer

  @1:55 "...people can change!" I'm sure LGBT would all agree with that statement.

  And what would she tell her classmate? The paradise, the animals (everyone gets a pet panda), and the resurrection. Hmmmm....nothing about God killing her moms first? I wonder why not?