steve2 I posted the link anonymously. I don't have a Facebook account. Can you PM me what you are referring to please? Thanks for looking out!
nmthinker
JoinedPosts by nmthinker
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41
Sheep and the Goats - The Light Gets Brighter
by nmthinker inperhaps some of you remember a new understanding of the sheep and the goats in the epic march 2015 wt study edition - specifically the article "loyally supporting christ's brothers".. while this article was studied many months ago, it was instrumental in helping me wake up.
during my study of the 2015 article i recalled that we had just revised our understanding of the sheep and the goats a few years ago and this caused me to research the real progression of the jw understanding of this parable.
i put the results of my research in an excel spreadsheet.. .
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Sheep and the Goats - The Light Gets Brighter
by nmthinker inperhaps some of you remember a new understanding of the sheep and the goats in the epic march 2015 wt study edition - specifically the article "loyally supporting christ's brothers".. while this article was studied many months ago, it was instrumental in helping me wake up.
during my study of the 2015 article i recalled that we had just revised our understanding of the sheep and the goats a few years ago and this caused me to research the real progression of the jw understanding of this parable.
i put the results of my research in an excel spreadsheet.. .
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nmthinker
Perhaps some of you remember a new understanding of the sheep and the goats in the epic March 2015 WT Study Edition - specifically the article "Loyally Supporting Christ's Brothers".
While this article was studied many months ago, it was instrumental in helping me wake up. During my study of the 2015 article I recalled that we had just revised our understanding of the sheep and the goats a few years ago and this caused me to research the real progression of the JW understanding of this parable. I put the results of my research in an Excel spreadsheet.
What was shocking about this new understanding is how the judging of the sheep and the goats pivoted from mankind as a whole to a focus exclusively on JW's. According to this new light, those who are sheep are those who support Christ's brothers, either by preaching or, as the illustration shows, engaging in building and maintaining kingdom halls. If you don't do this you will be judged a goat. Logically then, the parable cannot be directed to the world as a whole, as they do not even know who Christ's Brothers (the anointed) are and therefore, cannot be expected to loyally support them. This logic is omitted and covered over in typical WT doublespeak form. But the underlying message remained, 'listen obey and be blessed.'
This article typified the tightening of control over the flock by the newly self-appointed Faithful and discreet slave - the Governing Body. The rank and file can either obey the GB and their appointees, or risk being judged as a GOAT and destroyed forever. They discarded teachings as recent as 2013 to drive this point home!
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I just found out that my youngest brother committed suicide
by SnakesInTheTower inmy middle brother called me a couple of hours ago.
our youngest brother, josh, who was 38, was found by his friends in his apartment.
he hung himself.
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nmthinker
I'm sorry for your loss. Truly tragic. -
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Our assembly expenses were $16,900 for ONE DAY - Please share yours
by nmthinker in~2300 in attendance.
one day cost of $16,900!.
this was at romeoville, which was built ground up in the 90's and was fully paid for by the illinois circuits!.
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nmthinker
~2300 in attendance
One day cost of $16,900!
This was at Romeoville, which was built ground up in the 90's and was fully paid for by the Illinois Circuits!
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Assembly baptisms/attendance - keep 'em coming!
by freddo indon't forget to post your reported assembly and convention attendance and baptisms and whether they are higher or lower than customary (if you know).. here's some detail passed to me of the last circuit assembly held at surrey (uk) assembly hall.. attendance 922 baptisms 3 (half circuit).
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nmthinker
Perusing the stats in this thread and the reddit thread (which is gone for some reason) I think WTBS has GOT to be faking their baptized and increased numbers.
In the yearbook they consistently report about a ~3% baptismal rate where 2/3 of that number leave the org as deduced by the actual increase of average publishers. But the baptismal numbers I've seen here and in the reddit thread are consistently less than .5%, half a percent, many times less than .3%
I think they are making their numbers up. With the baptismal rates so low as evidenced at every convention and assembly they are likely losing numbers in the Unites States. Its almost guaranteed
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Forgiving Loans the Watchtower Way
by cofty inbank - thank you for maintaining your loan repayments for the past 3 years.
to show our appreciation we are forgiving the balance of your loan.
borrower - yeah!.
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Pledge for Global Assistance Arrangement - $15 per publisher!
by nmthinker inlast night our congregation read a letter for the global assistance arrangement combined with the traveling overseer assistance arrangement.
the "recommended" amount was $15 per publisher, which was well over $1000 for our hall.. it seemed steep.
our congregation does not have this type of money.
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nmthinker
ThinkerBelle - The letter basically admits that the funds can be used for anything. There is no separate fund, it all goes into one big slush account. -
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Pledge for Global Assistance Arrangement - $15 per publisher!
by nmthinker inlast night our congregation read a letter for the global assistance arrangement combined with the traveling overseer assistance arrangement.
the "recommended" amount was $15 per publisher, which was well over $1000 for our hall.. it seemed steep.
our congregation does not have this type of money.
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nmthinker
Last night our congregation read a letter for the Global Assistance Arrangement combined with the Traveling Overseer Assistance arrangement. The "recommended" amount was $15 per publisher, which was well over $1000 for our hall.
It seemed steep. Our congregation does not have this type of money. I would be surprised if we had that amount in the bank and would be able to send it right away. Strangely our latest finance report is not posted on the board.
Also we have separate pledges after the circuit overseer visit is done. Something doesn't add up.
The final bit of irony is that there is a special fund for taking care of unexpected events that affect the kingdom hall BUILDINGS. Meanwhile they are firing people all over the world without giving them any compensation! Where is the "orphans and widows" fund?
Pathetic, really. I will never give WTBS another dime of my money. I'll be giving it to orphans and widows, the needy of my family and the congregation.
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need input: My wife is at it again...this time about the faithful and discreet slave
by goingthruthemotions inso you all know that i go with my wife to the meeting to protect the kids from the drival and pacify her.
tonight we are sitting there and she points to mathew and says something about the faithful and discreet slave and she said eplain this.
so breaking away from what i was reading in the meeting..." in search of christian freedom by franz"...i said.
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nmthinker
When I try to reason with my wife she becomes visibly agitated and lashes out. One night we watched the faithful slave is not 1900 years old video. She doesn't understand doctrine even though she is a regular pioneer. She asked for more explanation so I detailed the reason for the talk and why is was necessary for them to bring this up (post 2013).
Within 20 minutes we had an extremely heated argument on an unrelated subject. I won't go into details but it struck me how absolutely off the rails she went. I couldn't make sense of what what going on in her head. It was like a switch clicked in her brain and she became mentally unstable. My wife has never shown any symptoms of mental illness. She is an extremely smart and capable woman.
Anotjer time I shared how the way the elders deal with child abusers could lead to cases where know child abusers were in the hall unknown to other families. The discussion started calmly but within 10 minutes she basically exploded and was shouting every vile thing at me. What made this especially remarkable was that I had just shared with her something I hadn't told another person before (except my therapist) that I had been touched inappropriately by a MS (study instructor) when I was between 10-12 and that the brother is now a coordinator at his congregation. I was asking for her advice and support is how to handle the situation and confront the brother. When I turned the discussion towards the org's policies she shut down and became very agitated.
I'm convinced this is the cognitive dissonance which we hear so much about. I believe it is physically painful for her and causes her to act very erratically.
If your wife is listening to you that's step 1. But it sounds like she is experiencing cognitive dissonance, which is painful for her and causes her to lash out. Im waiting for the opportunity to talk to my wife when she is in her genuine self, away from meetings and indoctrination. It will probably be when we are on vacation next.
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Do you believe Jehovah's Witnesses' Governing Body is the "faithful slave"?
by Marvin Shilmer inthis question is known to be posed by jws to other jws as an acid test of loyalty.
i'm not the first to notice what i'm about to point out and comment accordingly, but today i felt compelled to add a short article on my blog highlighting the new language that governing body member geoffrey jackson supplies as a response.
a person who honestly hesitates to respond with a robust "yes!
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nmthinker
I am not sure what the author wanted the reader to understand when reading that.
Doesn't that seem WEIRD to you?
the wts has made public that there is nothing special about the HS that God gives the FDS, it is the same HS experienced by all JW. JW understand and believe it.
Riiiiight - thats why they instruct mothers to shun their children if they believe anything besides the "healthful teaching" - which itself is defined by the Governing body. No special privilege claimed there!
