respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  4

  Behind the Scenes of Newsweek's "Bible Thumpers" Cover

  by Tahoe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  http://www.newsweek.com/behind-scenes-newsweeks-international-june-1-cover-art-960456.

  pretty neat story..

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  respectful_observer

  Wow...who knew. Apparently not everything is just Photoshop these days. Cool.
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  49

  Favourite Quirky / Low Budget / Non-Mainstream Movies

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  so the recent topic about film franchises got me thinking.

  sure, we all love the big budget, mainstream releases that are so successful they spawn never-ending (it sometimes seems) sequels.

  we could watch marvel and star-wars movies for the rest of our lives (and we might just ...).. but y'know what i love?

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  respectful_observer

  "The Spanish Prisoner" (Steve Martin plays the lead, but it's not a comedy). David Mamet, so the lines are all intentionally delivered a little "over-the-top". Quirky little caper film that keeps you guessing until the end.

  Not completely "low budget" but a cult (no pun intended) classic in my own mind: "Clue" (yes, based on the board game)

  Was considered crap quality when it came out, and didn't make any money. That movie gets funnier every time I watch it. The ensemble casting could not have been better (Tim Curry, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, etc.) the jokes could not have been more corny or better timed. In all honesty, I'm proud to say I could probably verbally follow along with every line of the movie. Many of those lines make regular appearances in my everyday banter. ("Split up?!" "One thing?" "I didn't do it!", etc....I could go on and on.)
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  138

  LEAKED: WHQ Accounts: 2016-2020 Budget

  by Fay Dehr in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 1 of 5] https://youtu.be/g08tw2v3b4s.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 2 of 5] https://youtu.be/rpceb5v0vbe.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 3 of 5] https://youtu.be/2xa08ukc_6i.

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  respectful_observer

  Having to "explain" in painful detail the basics of what a budget is and why its necessary as if they were speaking to children instead of finance departments of national organisations seems absurd in the highest degree! Obviously budgeting on that scale requires more skill than a simple household budget does, and they should be providing the training to each branch on how to manage complex budgets, not just speak to them like babies and tell them what a budget is.... no wonder they're in a financial mess.

  As someone pointed out on the parallel discussion on reddit, Seinfeld had a great skit back in the day how doctors condescend when explaining medicine...."the circle or the tube". That's basically the same approach these guys took with budgets:

  https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jEZ4jKeXxgE
  
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  138

  LEAKED: WHQ Accounts: 2016-2020 Budget

  by Fay Dehr in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 1 of 5] https://youtu.be/g08tw2v3b4s.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 2 of 5] https://youtu.be/rpceb5v0vbe.

  leaked: whq accounts: 2016-2020 budget [part 3 of 5] https://youtu.be/2xa08ukc_6i.

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  respectful_observer

  Side observation: Wasn't there a specific effort about 15 years ago (?) to separate the Governing Body's authority and the "business" side of things-- thereby protecting the GB from the $$$ and vice versa? It stood out to me that Alex (the host) made several references in his intro to the GB clearly leading the Organization's financial and budget process.

  It seems that if the WT ever made a future claim in court that the GB is simply an ecclesiastical authority with no authority over the legal corporations' finances and decision making processes, this video would clearly discredit that claim.
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  78

  So What Drastic Money Change is Next?

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  okay, they cheapened the product by getting rid of hardcover books.

  they reduced printing of mags.

  they drastically reduced the number of pieces of printed paper that members would "place" in people's hands in various ways, the biggest one being that they put them on a cart and don't encourage people to take them.they cut d.o.

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  respectful_observer

  I expect that congregations that are not donating enough each month will be given the amount that is expected to be received from them and thus could be based on a publisher head count just as are the circuit assembly costs.

  Yup, I've speculated on that exact scenario. It's simply too easy for them to roll this out as "nothing to see here...business as usual. Brothers, your congregation already commits to a pre-determined amount each month. At the Circuit level you already use a per-publisher calculation methodology; your congregation already uses a per-publisher donation calculation for CO insurance, disaster fund, etc., so nothing has really changed!"

  BAM!: Tithing-lite
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  51

  I just watched the final video from this years convention. OMG!!!

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am shaking all over right now.

  i think it's worse that the bunker video.. i used to think there was no way that these people would actually "drink the cool aid" if you get my drift, but seeing this video i am now not sure it could never happen.. having a wife who i love dearly trapped in this cult is really freaking me out right now...

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  respectful_observer

  Think about it brothers, because it could happen, we were told.

  Honestly, I think that's why the GB has started to embrace these fundy-style videos. For decades they've been claiming that at any moment "Peace and Security!" will be declared, the UN will turn on False Religion, etc. It must be immensely frustrating for the GB that world events and conditions just refuse to comply with their view of the end of the world and death of billions.

  How to scare Western JWs into believing the governments are about to turn on us , take our Bibles, etc., when there's absolutely zero events pointing that will happen? Make it up and put it in a video!
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  51

  I just watched the final video from this years convention. OMG!!!

  by NikL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am shaking all over right now.

  i think it's worse that the bunker video.. i used to think there was no way that these people would actually "drink the cool aid" if you get my drift, but seeing this video i am now not sure it could never happen.. having a wife who i love dearly trapped in this cult is really freaking me out right now...

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  respectful_observer

  He was among those encircling the JWs, weilding a stick and inexplicably sporting a headband.

  I think I see him in the back...

  
  
  
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  34

  Impact of GDPR on WT HQ and EU branches?

  by respectful_observer in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  curious if any of our eu-based members (especially those still in) have heard anything from official wt channels on how the organisation plans to be in compliance with gdpr ("general data protection regulations") by may 2018?

  it's my understanding that religious organisations must comply, and that religious data is treated a "protected" and therefore subject to some enhance requirements.. specifically, how will they comply with the following requirements:.

  you must disclose to the individual: what data you collect on them, why, and what you do with the data (including what other parties receive the data and what they do with it).

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  respectful_observer

  We’ve had 3 families in our hall not sign anything despite the elders naming and shaming them amongst themselves and then having all their privileges removed.

  Next up... a marking talk about "the dangers of not showing complete trust in the Governing Body 'Faithful and Discreet Slave'"?
  
  
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  32

  Scary Effectiveness of Assembly Videos

  by Captain Schmideo2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, i got to see the final day of this years regional convention.and i saw something that disturbs me.. the final, "summing up review" video.

  it disturbs me because it was so well done.

  (i wish i could remember the title of the song), to the strains of a solo vocalist singing in a fine "irish tenor", we see the actors from the previous videos of the last few days all assembling together in a clearing.

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  respectful_observer

  I'm a little disappointed they didn't have any rebellious headband-wearing hippies harassing them in the field...

  
  
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  27

  CO asked for everyone 20 years old & younger for a group photo

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there was a co visit in ohio a couple weeks ago.

  when he was finishing up his sunday talk he said that he would like if "all the children that are from this congregation, not if you're just visiting, but from this congregation to come on up on the stage right after the meeting because i want to get a picture of you.".

  i thought to myself, why?

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  respectful_observer

  I've heard the COs are told to keep their eyes open for photogenic kids that might be used by the WT art/video dept later. This is prob just a subtle way to do that, and then it gets sent into the branch with his congregation report.