I remember watching the news here in Japan a few years back when they
reported that a chartered bus in Spain had gone off the road and 23
of the passengers were killed. It had been chartered by the Jehovah`s
Witnesses who were apparently on their way to a convention. I wonder
what story was made up about that incident. Did they find apostate
literature in the cases of the 23 who died...?! More than likely that
incident was hushed and never made the rounds... JWD
Posts by JWD
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56Urban Legends!
by ISP inits amazing the extent these circulate in the wt world.
i am not so sure, but it develops a powerful folklore amongst jws....often with a moral at the end!
typically these circulate as experiences given in talks and are then adopted by the masses as truth.. for example, anyone hear the ul about the married couple where the wife had to have a routine blood check.
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JWD
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56
Urban Legends!
by ISP inits amazing the extent these circulate in the wt world.
i am not so sure, but it develops a powerful folklore amongst jws....often with a moral at the end!
typically these circulate as experiences given in talks and are then adopted by the masses as truth.. for example, anyone hear the ul about the married couple where the wife had to have a routine blood check.
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JWD
Here`s a couple ULs from this side of the world. Two pioneers were
doing field work in a closed country (China/former East Germany... where ever) when suddenly a bolt of lightening came down and struck
one of them dead. After the tragedy, the other one went back to where
they had been staying , gathered up his dead companions personal belongings and loe and behold, guess what he found in his things...
that`s right APOSTATE books!! Surprise?
Another one involves an actual incident where an opposer husband set
a KH on fire in Korea (actually happened. It was reported in the real
news, not the Awake mag.) Based on that incident, the UL that developed around it says that the husband was sent to prison and
ended up in a cell with a bro. who was there because he refused military service. The husband was sure that this bro. would hate
him when he found out what he`d done to the KH. But, instead the
brother was forgiving and kind. That attitude melted the husband`s
heart and he started a book study with the young bro. in prison and
became a Jehovah`s Witness. Now, doesn`t that have all the good
components of a great UL? JWD -
5
Where Did That Come From?
by JWD inever wonder where some of the wt `biblical` teachings came from?.
for example, where in the bible does it say that you should report.
time?
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JWD
I`ve always wondered why count TIME? Why not count actual conversations. Talking to closed doors never amounted to anything.
If the WT had to pay even a dime per hour, they would change the
time thing real fast. By the way, has anyone even sued the WT for
making people work with no pay? If it`s really volunteer, why is
the word `obligation` used for pioneers time norms? How does all
this square with the teaching in Matthew about making sure your
good works aren`t known by men? -
22
White man`s religion
by JWD ini was in the philippines some time ago.
the big religion there is a group called `iglesia ni cristo`(literally church of christ).
an indigenous group which sprung up around the turn of the century.. it has since become hugh(in the philippines).
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JWD
I`m sorry that this thread shifted courses and turned into a discussion on race. I guess I set myself up for it with the title I
threw on it. By the way, I`m white, my wife is Japanese (Okinawan
to be specific) and obviously our three children are mixed race
Asian/Americans. With CNN report that many major US cities now have
have less than half white populations,I`m slipping into the minority
and the rest of my family is gaining ground,so to speak. At any rate,
my original point wasn`t intended to be a discussion about race, rather the dynamics behind WT growth. One person posted something
about the WT being in 235 lands. I`d suggest he break out his calculater and see what the proportion of JWs is to the non-western
world. He would no doubt discover that in non-western lands, with
the possible exception of Japan, the number of JWs is relatively
small. As to why the WT had success here in Japan, there are a number
of factors. First of all the `American issue`comes into play. Japanese
like American `things`(Starbucks just opened their 200th shop here
in only a few years). Then there is the Sunday School issue.Meaning
after WWII many Christian churches put a great emphasis on Sunday
School.Kids who had good memories of Sun.School were later contacted
by JWs going door-to-door and thinking it to be another Christian
denomination started studying.Another factor is the breakdown in
families. Husbands gone from home and lonely wives looking for a
friend. They hooked up with the local pioneer who visited and be-friended them. (If you go to any KH here in Japan, you will find an
overwhelmingly high % of women. Also a high divorce rate). Despite
the rapid growth, the WT here is now in rapid decline. The general
population has a very negative image of JWs.JWs are considered to
be `narrow-minded homewreckers` .Too bad about the poor image.
Anyway, as far as Japan is concerned, if the WT came from any other
country than America, it wouldn`t have gotten this far here. JWD -
57
Your best caption please.
by nicolaou inwe all know how this works, just give us your best caption for this pic' .
[why do i get the feeling that 'gutter' will crop up more than once?].
nic'.
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JWD
Lady, before I had my sex change operation, I looked just like you!
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5
Where Did That Come From?
by JWD inever wonder where some of the wt `biblical` teachings came from?.
for example, where in the bible does it say that you should report.
time?
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JWD
Ever wonder where some of the WT `biblical` teachings came from?
For example, where in the Bible does it say that you should report
time? More specifically, that you can start counting time from the
point at which you approach the first person(or door)? How about
birthday cake... one sister`s daughter brought home a round cake
which she suspected was B-day cake.Fearing breaking Jehovah`s law
the sister cut the cake into square pieces and then declared it was
no longer B-day cake and therefore; safe to eat!! How about the 5
meetings. Sure the Bible talks about gathering together, but where
does it say FIVE MEETINGS. If 5 is good , why not six, how bout 7?
Why do grade school boys have to wear neckties? Where does the Bible
talk about the length of sister`s dresses? (One sister here in Japan
was warned for having a very bright colored car! I guess it wasn`t
theocratic. Probably, made somebody stumble!?) Recently, there was
a ruling about wearing black clothing to funerals. Supposedly,it
might give someone the idea that the bro. was involved in ancestor
worship (never mind that Japanese wear black to graduations and weddings as well). The list is endless. What motivates a group to
constantly be thinking up new rules...and then claiming they got
them from the Bible? Reminds me of `Corban`. JWD -
22
White man`s religion
by JWD ini was in the philippines some time ago.
the big religion there is a group called `iglesia ni cristo`(literally church of christ).
an indigenous group which sprung up around the turn of the century.. it has since become hugh(in the philippines).
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JWD
I was in the Philippines some time ago. The big religion there is a group called `Iglesia Ni Cristo`(Literally Church of Christ). It`s
an indigenous group which sprung up around the turn of the century.
It has since become hugh(In the Philippines). Anyone who`s been to the Philippines will know what I mean when I say IT`S EVERYWHERE. We were driving down a road which runs down the middle of Luzon Island and there were literally Iglesia Ni Cristo churches every couple of miles. The interesting thing is that group`s teachings share many of the distinctives of the WT teachings. 1914 is a very important date in
their escatology which has the end of the world coming just around the
corner.For the most part, however, it has remained a local religion.
(There are a few churches outside of the Philippines, but no large
numbers) On the other hand the Watchtower has reached around the
world. Why the difference? The answer, I believe, lies in where it
started...America. The rest of the world loves America, eats up
Hollywood and wears Nikes. Even those who hate the US often do so out
of jealousy.(Don`t get me wrong,I`m not a blind patriot by any means.
My wife is Japanese and I`ve lived in Japan for 16 years.Long enough
to see many problems with America) At any rate,the irony of the WT`s
spread lies in the fact that it is still basically a white man`s
religion. Everyone knows about the old WT mag. articles which claimed
that if people of color studied the truth their skin would turn
white. It was a given that everyone in the paradise earth would be
white (Jehovah`s favorite color...?).Looking at older WT publications,
it`s rare to find a non-white illustration or photo.Until very recently all GB members were white (i.e.Proclaimers book).Looking at
the JW world-wide population it is obvious that the overwhelming
majority of JWs come from `western countries` (I realize that many
bros. in America are not necessarily caucasion).For being God`s one
true org. on earth it certainly doesn`t represent an even cross
section of the world population. Where are all the bros. in China?
Or Bangledesh? ,etc. Why doesn`t the GB include bros. from Africa?
Or Asia? Or South America for that matter? Here in Japan bros. and
sisters are leaving the org. en-mass. Up til recently, however, the
WT had great growth here. Why? Because it was from America. I dare
say if Bethel hdqs. was in south-east Asia the result would have
been very different. Makes you wonder, if Jesus was really a JW why
wasn`t he born in a more influential place like...say Rome? Which
reminds me...what color was Jesus? Or David? Or Abraham? JWD -
115
Randall Watters exposed
by StiLLinTruth inhello again friends!.
well it was time again for me to take my weekly dose of apostate faeces and see what it tastes like.
decided to check out randy watters this time (we all love him here) and his little testimony on freeminds.org, titled "what happened at bethel in 1980?
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JWD
Still In the...
Reading your little piece blasting Randall Watters, by the way, ever
met the guy. I have... Anyway, your writing gave me falshbacks of a
one-year novice who I talked to here in Japan. I sat and opened up the
Bible while he thumbed through the `Reasoning` book spouting Bible
verses and telling me many of the same things you wrote about. It`s
amazing how even here in a foreign country the robotic speech patterns
and utter dependance on WT literature is identical to the States. Anyway, after I finished talking to this guy he mailed me a letter
(by special delivery since Armageddon is just around the corner and he needed to hurry. That was 9 years ago...) In the letter he warned
me about the danger of knowing so much Scripture and yet not being in
the `TRUTH`. He encouraged me to repent and come to the WT for salvation (Much like Noah`s ark...). Since then I`ve continued to read my Bible, have a happy marriage and three well adjusted children. The brother who sent me a letter,sounding very similar to
your rantings,has been married and divorced, become a marginal alcholholic and had an emotional breakdown. I can see the TRUTH did
wonders for his life. How is your personal life going...? JWD -
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Strewth Sheila, It's OK To Have A Grope Ain't It?
by Englishman incan someone please tell me exactly what constitutes a df'ing offence?.
i recently read a post where someone said that they were df'd for committing "adultery in the heart", someone else for gambling, someone else for smoking etc etc.
it's all very puzzling, back in the 60's the wtbts had a down on "petting and necking" but it wasn't df'able.
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JWD
It`s probably the same letter as was refered to earlier, but here in
Japan a recent letter to the elders stated that masturbating while
looking at pornography ON THE INTERNET was a DFing offence. Here in
Japan porn is a real problem with many of the bros. and has been
available in many forms for many years.It is ironic therefore; that
the recent letter specifically tied it to the internet. It smells of
an angle to put the fear into the bros. to keep them off the internet
altogether. Other DFing offences have included going to a protestant
church, talking to an apostate, reading Ray Franz`s book (now out in
Japanese), smoking etc. There is definitely a lack of consistency
however in how people are dealt with. For example one sister was
DFed for immorality,but only after she had met with a former JW. One
the other hand her younger bro. smokes and is sleeping with a sister,
but he has been left alone. He`s simply treated as a `weaker bro.`.
Perhaps he`s not viewed as being as `dangerous` as the older sister.
Or maybe it`s that bros. are so much in the minority that the org.
will bend over backwards to keep them in while sisters are more dispensable. A couple people I know were DFed despite the fact that
they sent in letters of resignation. I gues it makes the org. look
more `RIGHT` if they do the kicking out rather than the person doing
the leaving. JWD -
71
My Identity!
by qwerty inthat got you to read this!
what country are you from?.
i find it encouraging to see where different posters are from in the world, especially for me, if you are from the uk or europe.
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JWD
I`m in Japan. Have been for quite a few years.Seen alot of crazy stuff
over here.Living in Japan and watching WT robots acting,talking and
dressing like their American counterparts really makes them look odd.
Some people call it `modeling`.The unconscious wholesale imitation of
the person (or persons) which you percieve to be spiritually on a higher level than yourself. So, we have Japanese people walking around
looking like something from off the pages of a WT magazine.Very unnatural to say the least. Aside from being unnatural, the org. has
succeeded in breaking up lots of families. Earned a pretty bad name for themselves among the Japanese population at large. JWD