Posts by unshackled

12

Does the WTBS still push private Bible reading as much as 10-20 yrs ago?

by unshackled in

friday at 4pm pacific is probably not the best time for this.

but what the hell...trying to kill the last hour of work here.. in my years as a dub and before i faded about 8 years ago i recall private bible reading was regularly encouraged by the org.. there was the weekly bible reading schedules to keep up on, remember it being repeated in publications the importance of reading your bible, and then the bethelite stories i heard where you were required to read the entire bible.. so, do they they still stress it as much as they used to?

they are increasingly placing the governing body as the ultimate authority, squeezing out jehovah and jesus, and stressing that you need the gb's publications to properly understand the bible.. based on that, wouldn't encouraging personal bible reading suggest you can understand it on your own and detract from their brain-numbing publications?.

unshackled

Free!!: Yes, that is what I would think they would do...combine their pubs with the bible. Congrats on not being to KH in a long time.

blondie: Thanks for the clarification. That is what I recall regarding rules for small groups. And yes, include that "poor single sister"...the spinster.

godrulz: That's an interesting thing to say the Dubs at the door, must get some confused looks.

Knowsnothing: I see what you're saying and guess that makes sense from that perspective. But on the flip side I see this...their control is tightening. All the WTs seem to say these days is:
- the GB is the ultimate authority. Obey, obey, obey.
- beware of apostates
- beware of internet, material possessions, entertainment, etc
- go in service, go in service, go in service....the end is any minute
- beware of education

If you only read the Bible you're not going to find any of that (mostly). So from a cult control perspective you'd think the publications would always be present.

Maybe I'm just not cult leader material and don't have a clue.
Don't matter, I'd much rather be a dictator governing over an island banana republic...El Presidente!

12

Am I missing something here

by therevealer in

this illustration is found on page 23 of the sept tower.

i see a guy with a wheelbarrow full of stuff who seems to be smiling, not sweating, while the others are all sweatiing and looking like they are ready to collapse.. .

unshackled

They're loving the marathon illustrations in that WT. Here's the bible times version...

What's wrong with the guy in second?

12

Does the WTBS still push private Bible reading as much as 10-20 yrs ago?

by unshackled in

friday at 4pm pacific is probably not the best time for this.

but what the hell...trying to kill the last hour of work here.. in my years as a dub and before i faded about 8 years ago i recall private bible reading was regularly encouraged by the org.. there was the weekly bible reading schedules to keep up on, remember it being repeated in publications the importance of reading your bible, and then the bethelite stories i heard where you were required to read the entire bible.. so, do they they still stress it as much as they used to?

they are increasingly placing the governing body as the ultimate authority, squeezing out jehovah and jesus, and stressing that you need the gb's publications to properly understand the bible.. based on that, wouldn't encouraging personal bible reading suggest you can understand it on your own and detract from their brain-numbing publications?.

unshackled

From what I hear they are pushing Bible reading in groups.

designs...so just the Bible then? Thought they always discouraged meeting in small groups to study the bible? Strange...maybe it's me but from a tightening the control aspect this seems counter-intuitive.

12

Am I missing something here

by therevealer in

this illustration is found on page 23 of the sept tower.

i see a guy with a wheelbarrow full of stuff who seems to be smiling, not sweating, while the others are all sweatiing and looking like they are ready to collapse.. .

unshackled

The dude with the wheelbarrow, his number should've been '75.

12

Does the WTBS still push private Bible reading as much as 10-20 yrs ago?

by unshackled in

friday at 4pm pacific is probably not the best time for this.

but what the hell...trying to kill the last hour of work here.. in my years as a dub and before i faded about 8 years ago i recall private bible reading was regularly encouraged by the org.. there was the weekly bible reading schedules to keep up on, remember it being repeated in publications the importance of reading your bible, and then the bethelite stories i heard where you were required to read the entire bible.. so, do they they still stress it as much as they used to?

they are increasingly placing the governing body as the ultimate authority, squeezing out jehovah and jesus, and stressing that you need the gb's publications to properly understand the bible.. based on that, wouldn't encouraging personal bible reading suggest you can understand it on your own and detract from their brain-numbing publications?.

unshackled

Free!!: Thanks...interesting. Do they encourage Bible reading alone without publications for Family Study Night?

They simply emphasize Bible reading along with their publications.

Knowsnothing: That I get...their pubs interpret the Bible the way they want. But if one reads the Bible without the pubs, then that is without their interpretation. From what I can determine...this would leave one left to possibly interpret on their own. Something they don't want.

One of the main tools of their mind control are the publications. That's why I don't get not ALWAYS pushing a publication along with reading the Bible.

12

Am I missing something here

by therevealer in

this illustration is found on page 23 of the sept tower.

i see a guy with a wheelbarrow full of stuff who seems to be smiling, not sweating, while the others are all sweatiing and looking like they are ready to collapse.. .

unshackled

He has a knee brace though.

I was trying to figure out exactly what is in that wheelbarrow. I see: flat panel TV, computer monitor, guitar (?!), golf club....then other tech gadgets. Can't make it all out.

Guitars are bad. Another reason to not want to be in the Noo System.

12

Does the WTBS still push private Bible reading as much as 10-20 yrs ago?

by unshackled in

friday at 4pm pacific is probably not the best time for this.

but what the hell...trying to kill the last hour of work here.. in my years as a dub and before i faded about 8 years ago i recall private bible reading was regularly encouraged by the org.. there was the weekly bible reading schedules to keep up on, remember it being repeated in publications the importance of reading your bible, and then the bethelite stories i heard where you were required to read the entire bible.. so, do they they still stress it as much as they used to?

they are increasingly placing the governing body as the ultimate authority, squeezing out jehovah and jesus, and stressing that you need the gb's publications to properly understand the bible.. based on that, wouldn't encouraging personal bible reading suggest you can understand it on your own and detract from their brain-numbing publications?.

unshackled

Friday at 4pm pacific is probably not the best time for this. But what the hell…trying to kill the last hour of work here.

In my years as a Dub and before I faded about 8 years ago I recall private Bible reading was regularly encouraged by the Org.

There was the weekly Bible reading schedules to keep up on, remember it being repeated in publications the importance of reading your Bible, and then the Bethelite stories I heard where you were required to read the entire Bible.

So, do they they still stress it as much as they used to?

They are increasingly placing the Governing Body as the ultimate authority, squeezing out Jehovah and Jesus, and stressing that you need the GB's publications to properly understand the Bible.

Based on that, wouldn't encouraging personal Bible reading suggest you can understand it on your own and detract from their brain-numbing publications?

9

Examples of Rhetorical Fallacy in the Watchtower

by leavingwt in

jw
friends

from the excellent website, jw facts, here are a few examples of rhetorical fallacies within the watchtower.

red herringa red herring is the introduction of irrelevant material into a discussion to divert attention away from the points being made.a common witness retort to a difficult question is "where else would we go?

" this is a red herring as it diverts attention from answering the issue at hand.

unshackled

It's amazing how blatant their use of logical fallacies is. Of course, I had no clue back when I was JW...just lapped it up. Since joining this site I can't read anything by the WTBS without sirens going off with all their intellectual dishonesty.

Have learned a lot thanks to the shared knowledge on JWN.

9

Examples of Rhetorical Fallacy in the Watchtower

by leavingwt in

jw
friends

from the excellent website, jw facts, here are a few examples of rhetorical fallacies within the watchtower.

red herringa red herring is the introduction of irrelevant material into a discussion to divert attention away from the points being made.a common witness retort to a difficult question is "where else would we go?

" this is a red herring as it diverts attention from answering the issue at hand.

unshackled

Good stuff, leavingwt. If you don't mind I'll add my own, having just looked at the latest public Aug. 1 Watchtower. This jumped out at me.

From the article titled "Should Children Learn about God?", this from a paragraph on page 3:

"What about the idea that children should grow up before learning about God and religion? That view ignores this fact: A child’s mind is like an empty bucket waiting to be filled. Really, parents face a choice; either fill that “bucket” at home with the moral principles and beliefs that they feel are appropriate or allow the rainstorm of ideas outside the home to fill the child’s mind and heart."

Think this is called a false dilemma. The question is should children grow up before learing about religion? They present that children's minds are like empty buckets. Then offer 2 choices:
- parents fill that bucket with their moral principles and beliefs
- or...the outside world will fill that bucket with a rainstorm of ideas

The false dilemma is that IF you don't teach them your religion as a child, the only other alternative is to let the outside world teach them whatever they want.

Teaching your child your religion is NOT the only other alternative. Why can't a parent NOT be religious but STILL have decent morals and principles to pass on? They offer the misleading assumption that ONLY religion is moral.

Of course, they don't leave it at that any religion will do. At the end of the articles they state you need to know what to teach your children about the bible. And to do so, contact Jehovah's Witnesses.

27

Okay, further on Jean-Claude. This is disgusting, basically telling witnesses "give up your job, ignore your families needs if it conflicts with meetings"

by therevealer in

jw
friends

7 jean-claude, in the central african.

republic, is a married elder with.

three children.

unshackled

The manager told him: "If you are fortunate
enough to have a job, you must forget
all other things, including your wife,
your children, and your problems. You
must devote your life to nothing but
your work. Make your choice: your religion
or your work.

Yep, this is fictional BS. Seriously, what employer would actually include "you must forget your wife, your children"? And caring for your wife and children equates to....."Make your choice: your religion or your work"? Since when was caring for your family a religion?

The only thing that makes me more sick over these blatant lies is that I have family that laps it up like a thirsty puppy.