It's a kindness really, if you think of it. Barely anyone ever approaches or engages in conversation, so you're stuck talking to only one other person your entire "shift". This way you at least get four other people to shoot the shit with.
respectful_observer
JoinedPosts by respectful_observer
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7
A new way to boost hours
by neat blue dog init seems that metro witnesses have beeen directed to now have a total of 5 people at each location, as well as 'encouraged' to witness on their lunch breaks, (thus being able to count their time all the way through).
these 2 things should help boost the yearly hours..
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January 19, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN WALES Re: Prerecorded Memorial and Special Talk 2017 - Welsh
by wifibandit injanuary 19, 2017 to all bodies of elders in wales re: prerecorded memorial and special talk 2017 - welsh.
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Is it possible to decline preaching in the carts?
by Skepsis inhi folks,.
i have a difficult dilemma.
since i'm not pioneering any more, i'm reducing my hours wasted at that artifact known as cart or trolley.
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respectful_observer
Don't show up. Decline to transport yourself to the location of the cart.
Once the elders see you as irresponsible, they'll pick someone else to to cart-witness.
Bingo! This.
Even an MS can start demonstrating a lack of responsibility. It may even help you in the future when you start your fade.
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Pseudo history in Watchtower today 😂
by Gorbatchov ingorby went to the kh for family reasons today.. and landed right away middle in a pseudo history watchtower article.
just that aspect of the jw belief he is so sensative about.. so 1918 and 1919 are changed with one mark of a pencil.
the argument of change was in the past the argument of the doctrine.
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respectful_observer
The question arrises: most of JW's (including myself) have been told over and over what happened in 1918 en 1919. Year after year, book after book, they instructed us what to think. Even with the exact dates for example in the Revelation books. If you didn't believe these events; you could be kicked out for being apostate and "knowing it better then the brothers".
I couldn't believe it sitting there. He went on and on saying how logical this new understanding was. He actually had the audience laughing aloud, guffawing even, at how "silly" (yes, an exact quote) it was to believe that 1918-19 represented Babylonish capitivity, that it didn't make any sense whatsoever.
It took every ounce of strength I had not to stand up, throw my iPad toward the stage and say, "Look at yourselves! You're openly laughing and knee slapping at how ridiculous and illogical this teaching was! A teaching we've held dear for decades; a teaching that, if I had rejected and instead proposed what we're studying today six months ago, I would have been labeled an apostate and disfellowshipped!"
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Kingdom Hall Master Plan. - letter - Consolidation.
by Lostandfound injust seen reference to a recent letter read to congregations about this, anyone got more info please?.
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respectful_observer
I read the same thing here somewhere on the forum that a letter was read to the congregation this week?
This could be referencing my post to this thread:
https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6310981636456448/elders-getting-burnt-up?page=5&size=10
It was a letter from the branch read at our meeting this week. I wanted to snap a quick pic to post here for inquiring minds, but it just didn't work out. I will try next week.
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Elders getting burnt up.
by biblexaminer inthe elders in this area are getting burned out.
i have overheard comments that demonstrate this, but in my dealings with them, i clearly see it.
they can't keep it straight.
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respectful_observer
From what I've seen, those who have been recently appointed fall into 1 of 2 categories:
1. They've achieved nothing of note in their "real lives"-- they have dead-end, low paying jobs, and can barely afford to put food on their families' tables or provide a comfortable home they could be proud of. It's the only "marker" of success in their lives. It's the one chance they'll ever get in their lives to play the role of boss-- put on a cheap suit, a tacky pocket handkerchief, and tell other people what to do.
2. Those who actually have a brain in their heads, who became MS's because they were willing to step up and help getting lots of the little stuff done. The whole time they say "...but there is NO WAY I'll ever be an elder. I'll decline when they ask me." But then when the time comes, the pressure comes hard and they just can't say no.
They just read the letter at our hall this past weekend informing us of the new Kingdom Hall Master Plan arrangement (consolidate and sell all the really valuable KHs). The majority of the letter talked about efficient use of the KHs and following directions willingly, but then it had a very out-of-place paragraph about a great need for brothers to step up and reach out to be an MS and/or elder and that if you don't want to, you need to pray about it (or some such blather). Clearly this is a problem that is just getting worse.
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2017 Yearbook released
by bohm ini saw this on reddit:.
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/5mlgsm/2017_yearbook_of_jehovahs_witnesses/.
overall the numbers are better than last year (1.8% growth compared to 1.5% last year -- as i predicted ;-) ) with an increase in all major figures including 1300 more congregations (i assume this is not physical kingdom halls?).
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respectful_observer
This sounds extremely concerning if correct. I can grasp what "inquiries" consist of, but "plain persecution" has me baffled. Can you provide an example of such "persecution"? I am not being facetious in my request.
I'm not sure if it's "persecution" per se, but there have been a number in halls in that area whose views and beliefs on partaking are "known" to the elders there. They've consisted of long serving CoBE, regular convention speakers, those who have professed being anointed for decades (even when they were in positions of significance in Bethel), among others. Most have been smart and played the game well because they actually know the rules, so they haven't been DF'd.
One of them who was DF'd is now one of the key writers on anointedjw.org. I thought I saw his first-hand account of his JC posted here a while back, but maybe not. I can definitely confirm that there are others who agree with their logic, but would never publicly join them. Definitely a known issue in the area, though.
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Finally, after almost 3 years, they want to visit with me
by StarTrekAngel inso i ended up going to the meeting yesterday.
i have been absent for almost 2 months.
my wife was also absent as long but mostly out of chance.
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respectful_observer
It seems to me that if they want a social visit they should invite you to their home - they're the ones that want it, so they should be the ones to have to go to the trouble of preparing the home for guests, handling entertainment, etc. It's not a purely social visit - if it were then mr elder would be fine with hosting - it's because he's doing this as a part of his duties that he's looking for a way to reduce the load on himself by inviting himself to your house.
My own personal thought is, instead of hosting them at your home at their request (very odd indeed), I would willingly accept their invitation to connect on a social basis but do so at a neutral location like a restaurant.
I'd respond to them, lettting them know you're looking forward to getting together, but it's too hectic at your place. To "keep it simple" let's just meet at Restaurant Bar & Grill for a nice dinner (and drinks, of course). It will set a reasonable time limit on the conversation, and meeting in a public place will force them to tone down the "cult speak" and any temptation to start asking you personal questions on your spirituality, etc.
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You wake up one morning and see
by A Believer inthe un has banned religion.
what are you're thoughts?.
also changes to it seem to be on the way.... http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/12/trump-vows-israel-vote-161224040133216.html.
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respectful_observer
Ha! Highly unlikely. You think Trump voters got wound up over immigration and feared that Obama was going to steal their guns? Try taking their Bibles and see what happens.
Even if the UN tried, let's face it-- it's the UN. The biggest, most bloated, least effective bureaucratic body on the planet. How many countries blatently ignore UN mandates left and right? The UN banning religion would have as much success as if it tried to ban McDonalds.
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Mexico branch......Now closing!!!
by krismalone ina circuit overseer friend of mine serving in latin america called me today to say hi.
i asked him what's new and he dropped the news that they have received notification that the branch in mexico will be closing!!
this branch also called the central american branch (although located in mexico) oversees all of mexico's 800,000+ publishers plus all 7 countries of central america of over 100,000 publishers.
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respectful_observer
Interesting. If this turns out to be true, I wonder if the circuit overseers will stop rotating to new geographies every few years...thinking of the old "city overseer" role. If that were the case, being a CO would be similar to the role a bishop fills in Catholic Archdiocese. Basically the head elder of 10-20 congregations.
