respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  11

  HQ move; a good thing?

  by Half banana in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the new jw hq is to be in warwick and no longer that bleak architectural fixture on the brooklyn skyline.

  actually it makes more sense after all, upstate new york is a more suitable place to have a unicorn ranch than in a city.

  but it is just as easy to produce a drizzle of fairy dust out in the country as it had been in ny.

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  respectful_observer

  Actually it makes more sense after all, upstate New York is a more suitable place to have a unicorn ranch than in a city.

  Funniest thing I've read all day! I just might start referring to it as that. Or maybe as the Pet Panda Palace?

  
  

  
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  11

  Witnesses Repair 60-Year-Old Dam in Warwick

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in this propaganda piece they continue to obsess over this damn dam!.

  .

  http://imgur.com/a/icmez.

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  respectful_observer

  I've seen several Bethelites refer to that lake as "Big Blue" on social media lately.
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  27

  Will the UN turn on Religion?

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as all witnesses know, the opening gambit of the great tribulation will occur when the united nations turns on organized religion to devastate them and leave them naked of people and resources.

  however, as jehovah's judgement day has been spoken of as being "imminent", the question that can be fairly asked ... 'is the united nations organization actually in a position to act as god's destroyer of false religion?

  while i have no doubt that most within that organization had in the past tried to make the lives of the desperate better, the united nations has unfortunately now become a weak and underfunded political eunuch.

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  respectful_observer

  Will the UN turn on Religion?

  No.

  But that won't stop the WTS from saying it has. My prediction is that in the next 10 years, the WTS will slowly start sowing the seeds to make the claim that the Great Tribulation has indeed already begun. They'll cite some vague series of UN statements that appear to de-legitimize organized religion, then point to their "waters" figuratively "drying up" (money). They'll then claim that only God's people (JWs) have the spiritual vision to see that these things have already started taking place. They'll back this up by claiming only JWs recognized Jesus' return in 1914/19, and that the rest of the world could only see and acknowledge its effect (WWI, etc.), but never--even through today-- truly understood how those events fulfilled Bible prophecy.

  Uber-dubs will lose their minds with the news the GT has indeed begun (invisibly), and the GB/WT would then have the means to keep millions on-the-hook for an event that does not have a defined time period attached to it (the GT could literally last for decades, and only the GB and JWs would have the "spiritual insight" to ever recognize it was even occurring. The "last days" JWs have lived under for 100 years would simply be replaced with living during the GT).
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  44

  The 1914 doctrine: How long it will last?

  by opusdei1972 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  one hundred years have passed and the society still supports this lie, which of course, is the basis of their other lies, like that of the unfaithful and not discreet slave appointed in 1919. however, i wonder, what will happen after 50 years, when the overlapped generation will pass?.

  and if you want, what will happen with this religion in 2100?, could it survive with the same lie??

  ?.

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  respectful_observer

  I think the only thing that would truly bring the 1914 doctrine to rest would be for the Jehovah's Witnesses as a culture to become more educated than they are. I am talking formally and informally educated. It doesn't take a college degree to read about and understand when Jerusalem was destroyed. Without 607 BCE, their 1914 doctrine crumbles to dust.

  I'm not sure even that would help. I saw the Dead Sea Scrolls touring exhibit with what I consider to be some of the better educated critical thinkers I've encountered in the JWs (all professionals with degrees). Throughout the exhibit, plaques everywhere referenced Jerusalem's destruction in 587. Not a single person even noticed; when I finally pointed it out, there was a collective shrug followed by "...at least we have the right date", or "So? I don't see why that really matters at all?"
  
  
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  25

  RC 2017 Rumors

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  source: http://www.extj.com/showthread.php?28321-asamblea-regional-2017 (for a more literal translation) here is the gist, edited for formatting/chronological order/correct minor errors:.

  regional convention 2017 rumors.

  theme: the bible and the divine name.. 3 dramas and 2 dramatic bible readings.. .

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  respectful_observer

  Where we are presented with a family that has 2 children. One is a regular pioneer, and the other is a businessman but not a witness. The drama will be based on valuing the Bible.

  Reminds me of a statement from this month's broadcast where he asks us to imagine parents who have two children-- one a regular pioneer and the other who never accepted "the Truth", but who has been successful in business and is therefore able to help his parents financially. The pioneer son feels bad because he can't help his parents the way his brother can and he senses his parents show more appreciation to that son and brag about him more. I wonder if that was coincidence or sowing the seeds for next summer.
  
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  81

  Elders and Attendants sing, clap and turn backs on Street Preacher after Duluth RC.

  by ToesUp in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  very strange behavior by the attendants and elders after the duluth, ga, rc.

  on the first link the attendants start to exit the arena, then line up and turn their backs on the street preachers.

  (around the 6:00 mark).. elders and attendants after duluth rc.

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  respectful_observer

  The orange lanyards are simply what all the "Attendant" ID badges are now held in, rather than the little paper card that went behind your Convention badge. No surprise, but the RC Administration managed to even over-engineer that process at my RC this year. They caused a huge back-up on the first day, making each attendant show his ID, write down his name, home cong, home address, etc., just to get the stupid lanyard, for fear that someone may forget to return his at the end of the RC. After almost an hour, someone with half a brain finally realized these things cost about $0.02 a piece, and it was no big deal if someone kept one.

  As for the protesters, we had a similar one at our RC this year from a local Baptist church. I knew that it was the same guy who showed up for each RC weekend at that facility, but only on Fridays. Of course not everyone knew that, so after he wasn't there on Saturday everyone was patting themselves on the back thinking their being shuttled out behind a wall of attendants on the sidewalk somehow scared him away. More likely was that he actually had something better to do with his Saturdays and Sundays than hang out at a convention center in a suit.
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  34

  How delusional is Tony Morris actually?

  by Festus in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  anthony morris iii was representing gb in international convention in helsinki, finland.

  in his final talk he mentioned that at the fight of armageddon jesus will fight together with the 144 000. he then reminds the audience that one angel destroyed 185000 assyrians.

  so what are "144 000 immortal creatures together with jesus going to do".

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  respectful_observer

  Stealth
  

  20 hours ago

  Tony longs for the day that he can smell the burnt remains from the flesh of human hotdogs!

  Stealth, I was there to hear that talk from Tony! He was positively gleeful describing the opportunity to watch from the rooftop in Brooklyn to see the skyline of Manhattan in flames.

  Just a couple of years ago I was also at a convention where afternoon thunderstorms came through, the thunder and rain on the metal roof making it difficult to hear the speaker at times. Tony, in all his "humbleness", said (not an exact quote): "Unfortunately I can't do anything about this storm...well not quite yet anyway...hehehehe." He DEFINITELY is fully embracing all the powers he believes he'll have soon.
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  17

  Dressed up five days ahead of special assembly in Puerto Rico!!

  by never a jw in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  an hour ago i went to bid good bye my two brothers in law and their wives (all elders/elderettes).

  they were invited to the special assembly in puerto rico this coming weekend.

  they are boarding the plane in about three hours (leaves at 1:00 am pacific.

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  respectful_observer

  They are going to ridiculous lengths to save a badly damaged image.

  I'd argue, "WHAT image?" The older I get, the more I understand that the vast majority of people barely realize JWs even exist.

  I think pale.emperor hit the nail on the head:

  NO ONE ever asks what the badge is for, they just assume (quite rightly) we're a bunch of weirdo's with GOD and JEHOVAH pinned to our chests.

  
  
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  21

  Appointed men must be exemplary in heeding the warnings given by the faithful slave Governing Body when it comes to higher education.

  by oppostate in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

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  respectful_observer

  Good ol' Scott Henry. He's given many a talk from that stage at the Natick AH.

  I'm aware of a very strong, faithful pioneer MS who, after meeting with Br. Henry, decided to drop out of his PhD program with less than 1 year to go. Of course he was appointed an elder shortly thereafter. Rather than teaching or doing research with his PhD, he now has non-permanent job teaching low-level math.
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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.