respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  36

  Memorial campaign with videos??

  by BeautifulMind in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  good morning from the east coast.

  i have a question.

  a friend of mine texted me and one of the things she said was that they were getting a lot of great responses with the campaign because they are showing the video.

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  respectful_observer

  In all the years of handing out memorial invitations, I can think of zero people that ever just showed up off the street because of the invite. The other people attending were always family members of JWs or inactive ones.

  As with all "new" forms of activity, it is for the purpose of keeping those IN occupied and distracted...NOT about those outside....

  I'd love to see the data. I suspect if you looked at a bar chart of memorial attendance over the last 30 years, I suspect you'd see ZERO impact on that chart since the invitation work started.
  
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  17

  Elders & Ex Elders, did knowing sins of congregation members change how you treated them?

  by Wasanelder Once in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  when you found out all the sins of fellow witnesses did it effect how you treated them?

  it was shocking when i found out the range of bs these people did to each other.

  i don't mean sexual abuse, i mean fraud, theft, infidelity and more.

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  respectful_observer

  Not as an elder, but as a child of an elder, it had an impact. My father never shared any details with us, or even pointed to certain individuals; instead, very early on my parents decide to limit who and how we (me and my siblings) could associate with our peers in the hall. When we were young he saw and heard stuff as an elder that led him and my mom to decide that most of our association with other J-dubs had to be at our house, under their supervision, and that sleepovers only led to trouble-- hence they were verboten for us. Result: virtually zero friends.
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  36

  Memorial campaign with videos??

  by BeautifulMind in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  good morning from the east coast.

  i have a question.

  a friend of mine texted me and one of the things she said was that they were getting a lot of great responses with the campaign because they are showing the video.

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  respectful_observer

  Video showing is now part of what we HAVE to report monthly.

  Thanks for the reminder! I'll be sure to include the views from this thread on my report for March!
  
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  36

  Memorial campaign with videos??

  by BeautifulMind in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  good morning from the east coast.

  i have a question.

  a friend of mine texted me and one of the things she said was that they were getting a lot of great responses with the campaign because they are showing the video.

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  respectful_observer

  Guessing this is the video:

  https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/memorial/remember-jesus-death/
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  18

  A frothy question ABOUT DEMONS

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  have you ever been to a circus and seen a "clown car"?.

  the little "bug" volkswagon drives out and clowns get out.

  lots and lots and lots and lots of clowns!.

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  respectful_observer

  Why have TWO ARMAGEDDONS?

  Don't forget the third one...after the end of the 1,000 year reign in the "Paradise". Gotta take care of those headband-wearing hippies once and for all.

  
  
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  34

  Seven Trumpets of Revelation

  by Zico in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i read on here that the society teaches that the seven trumpets of revelation are representative of seven conventions held in america in the 1920. is this actually true?

  is it old light?

  i asked some witnesses but they all gave me a look like i was weird and said it couldn't be right, and i can't check the watchtower library as i can't get it on my computer (apparently the society doesn't think mac users are worthy of the 'good news') i mean... it would be a bit...odd, wouldn't it?

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  respectful_observer

  The 7 trumpets being the 7 conventions were originally interpreted by Rutherford as the 7 books released, which all could purchase for the right price. But when I had in my teens read that in the revelation book, at 14 years old, I knew something was fishy there.

  I too recall thinking how improbable it was that one of prophecies in Revelation was fulfilled by a single talk/resolution at a single convention in the 1920s. That same question came back into my mind back in 2003 at the DC when they read off that very awkward 10 point resolution:

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/55148/10-point-resolution-adopted-2003-district-conventions?page=1&size=20

  I still remember sitting at the desk of the Cleaning Department while the thousands in the arena answered back with a verbal "aye", thinking 2 things:

  1. The (non-JW) convention center employees who are hearing this must think we're a bat shit crazy cult, and

  2. 10 years from now are they going to try to claim that this resolution fulfilled some Bible prophecy?
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  44

  This is Just getting Ridiculous and out of hand with the Borg

  by MrsR-Awaken in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  saw this on reddit it was posted by user morgan_sparlock .

  to me honestly this would of been prohibited 10 years ago, but now every dub is obsessed with this website, it's everywhere even a damn iphone cover... ooh they don't approve of idolatry ooh no they don't accept cross veneration thats bullshit to me!!!

  its getting to a point that they are venerating this website (company logo) it's their version of the cross.

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  respectful_observer

  Well they've already mandated that Kingdom Halls slap the logo on the exterior. Maybe next they'll "recommend" that all J-dubs do the same to their homes. It would be the JW-version of the mezuzah!

  
  
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  63

  A great suggestion from a current Bethelite on the chopping block

  by Gilbeath Haaraloth in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a very close friend of mine has gotten his letter.

  although he was planning to leave willingly, he told me that he can't help but feel a sense of being stabbed in the back by a bunch of self righteous traitors.

  he gave tours for years, always telling the visitors "this is the best way of life, i would never change anything here and i'll never regret making this decision to come here.

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  respectful_observer

  Everyone's so feisty on this thread!

  My favorite quote from David:
  

  People react to criticism in different ways, and my way is to definitely come out fighting.

  The mood of this thread's a little icy for me...gonna grab my skates and take off.

  

  Edit: Quote is from David Beckham
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  50

  2016-2-17-Destroy Previous S-77 Forms!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  these numbers and letters:--gbr659967--are the only identifying markson this boe..the "informant" who sent it said:.

  "this letter came through the congregation inbox and so hasn't got theusual identifying information.

  the name of the file is probably thebest way to identify it.

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  respectful_observer

  • S-77 is df-ing form isn't it? Wonder what they've changed. Less information required?
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  • I too would be interested in seeing the old and new S-77s side-by-side to understand what the changes are.
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  51

  I lied to the elders

  by atacrossroads in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i stopped attending meetings all together in january 2015. before that my attendance was irregular at best.

  my husband followed suit a few months ago after months of research, agony, and indecision on his part.

  from the very beginning i laid low and did not share with anyone what i found out about the witnesses because i did not want to be df'd.

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  respectful_observer

  Personally I converted from CofE, my parents were disappointed because they thought (rightly) that jws were a cult, but they continued to support me and my jw husband emotionally for over 20 years. My husband converted from Catholicism, again his family were confused, disappointed, but they continue to love, support and communicate with him to this day.

  My parents were ranting one day about not speaking to someone who they consider apostate (this person is, but was smart enough to fade years ago). I reminded them both that, by definition, they were apostates from Catholicism, having written formal letters of disassociation. I then asked them how they would feel if both of their families had completely cut them off, refusing to even speak with them. It was comical to see them make excuse after excuse that "it was different because we have 'the Truth'".