Posts by Ding

25

Being embarrassed by a JW when you were a JW

by punkofnice in

i was out on the ministry(tm) in the 1980's when i was pie-on-earring.

i was only a lowly publisher(tm) being coached by a rather odd elder(tm).. one of the publications(tm) had recently mentioned japan and the growth(tm) of jws there.. the elder(tm), brother(tm) i was with offered the magazines(tm) to the householder(tm).. then he stated, 'there are (gave the reported numbers at the time.

i can't remember the number he stated), jehovah's witnesses(tm) in japan.'.

Ding

The most embarrassing thing I encountered was a foot-in-the-door JW who wouldn't take "no" or "not interested" for an answer.

One time he wouldn't leave until the householder threatened to pick him up and throw him off the porch.

32

The Hubris of the Governing Body

by cofty in

it's difficult to comprehend how arrogant the members of the governing body must be to sanction much of the content that appears in their literature.

they identify themselves as the 'faithful and discreet slave' - that alone requires an astonishing degree of pride.

but what is even more amazing - arguably to the level of insanity - is the way they then use that phrase to elevate themselves above the rest of the organisation.

Ding

I'm reminded of the recent video in which a GB member (I think it was Lett) said something like, "Since Jehovah and Jesus trust the faithful and discreet slave, shouldn't we?"

What he really meant was, "Aren't you ashamed that you don't trust us as much as Jehovah and Jesus do? How disgusted they must be with you!"

32

The Hubris of the Governing Body

by cofty in

it's difficult to comprehend how arrogant the members of the governing body must be to sanction much of the content that appears in their literature.

they identify themselves as the 'faithful and discreet slave' - that alone requires an astonishing degree of pride.

but what is even more amazing - arguably to the level of insanity - is the way they then use that phrase to elevate themselves above the rest of the organisation.

Ding

Well said, Cofty.

The use of the third person / first person pronouns in the literature disguises the grandiose nature of the hubris of the top leadership.

Unfortunately, JWs can't see that.

I'm not sure the GB even see it themselves.

I seem to recall that in Crisis of Conscience, Ray Franz said that GB members view the organization as having a separate existence from them as its leaders.

If so, the GB see claims such as the ones Cofty quoted as coming from "Jehovah's organization" or "the faithful and discreet slave," not from themselves as individuals.

If that's true, their self-delusion insulates them from responsibility for the claims they are constantly making and blinds them to their own hubris and arrogance.

It's as if the man behind the curtain really doesn't realize that he is the Wizard of Oz.

No, no.

He's just a humble servant of the Wizard, pulling levers and talking into the microphone.

6

The history of JW CONSCIENCE put in perspective (Brothers sent to prison: misled?)

by Terry in

jw
friends

conscience and war.

clash of certainties.

in 1616, the catholic church was absolutely certain the words of the holy bible were true concerning the planet earth and its place in the universe; especially in regards to this scripture "...the world is firmly established, it cannot be moved.

Ding

I know two former JWs who each spent 5 years in prison not only for refusing to be drafted but also because the GB wouldn't allow them to accept alternative service except as a sentence.

They weren't allowed to tell the judge that they would accept the alternative service in lieu of a felony conviction.

It makes no sense to allow JWs to do alternative service as a sentence but not directly in lieu of military service, except that Rutherford hated the government and wouldn't let JWs agree to anything.

He served time, so he made many other JWs serve time as well.

94

New GB

by XBEHERE in

jw
friends

gage fleegle.

jeffrey winder.

anyone know them?

Ding

It's a good thing they cancelled the 1935 cutoff date for anointing...

3

WT History Regarding Vaccination

by Ding in

for those who don't know wt history regarding vaccinations, in the february 4, 1931 edition of the golden age, p. 293, the organization decreed, "vaccination is a direct violation of the everlasting covenant that god made with noah after the flood.".

because of this jws and their children often faked vaccinations for school authorities and the like.

of course, this created serious problems for jws' health.. it also caused legal trouble for jws who were caught disobeying compulsory vaccination laws.

Ding

For those who don't know WT history regarding vaccinations, in the February 4, 1931 edition of The Golden Age, p. 293, the organization decreed, "Vaccination is a direct violation of the everlasting covenant that God made with Noah after the flood."

Because of this JWs and their children often faked vaccinations for school authorities and the like. Of course, this created serious problems for JWs' health.

It also caused legal trouble for JWs who were caught disobeying compulsory vaccination laws. Not only that, but the organization itself got in trouble for requiring JWs to disobey those laws.

So on December 15, 1952, in a rare moment of candor, the organization revealed that the lawyers decided it was time for new light:

"The matter of vaccination is one for the individual that has to face it to decide for himself. Each individual has to take the consequences for whatever position and action he takes toward a case of compulsory vaccination, doing so according to his own conscience and his appreciation of what is for good health and the interests of advancing God’s work. And our Society cannot afford to be drawn into the affair legally or take the responsibility for the way the case turns out. After consideration of the matter, it does not appear to us to be in violation of the everlasting covenant made with Noah, as set down in Genesis 9:4, nor contrary to God’s related commandment at Leviticus 17:10-14… Hence all objection to vaccination on Scriptural ground appears to be lacking."

Notice, no apology to you if you or a child contracted polio as a result of obeying the WT.

Now it's come full circle. If a JW uses his or her own judgment and doesn't get vaccinations and boosters against COVID, they are in serious trouble with the organization itself.

If anyone still wonders if the Watchtower has been chosen by Jehovah to speak for him and with his authority, this complete turnaround regarding vaccinations should supply the answer.

27

How did you find Jehovah's Witness meetings?

by Vanderhoven7 in

i personally have only attended a handful of meetings at kingdom halls.

i did not enjoy any of them nor was i impressed by anything that was conveyed.

perhaps others did not find them boring as i did.. nadia viotto has this to say about her experience.

Ding

When I first attended as a study, I found them interesting because they were so different.

By the second meeting I was bored by the mindless repetition.

Watchtower studies were the worst because the study conductors asked leading questions and everyone just parroted the corresponding paragraph (any other answer being unacceptable).

It was somewhat fun watching little kids get excited when they gave the "right" answers, but it was also frightening watching both children and adults get brainwashed by the mindless, repetitive parroting.

11

Salvation: Faith alone OR works?

by JW Answers in

jehovah's witnesses run to the book of james staying that faith without works is dead.

they completely ignore the teachings of paul and hold onto james.

.. it would appear that there is a contradiction between james' teaching and paul's teaching, yet the bible tells us to rightly divide the word of truth.

Ding

I think part of the trouble comes with cherry picking proof texts instead of trying to do the hard work of trying to reconcile all the things the Bible says on a topic.

Throughout its history, the WT leadership seems to figure out what they want to believe first and then hunt through the Bible to find some text they can use to support them.

Of course, we all are prone to do that, but the WT are masters at that type of proof texting.

Think of how often the literature cites passages which, in context, have nothing whatever to do with the point they are advancing.

That's much easier than examining all the related passages and trying to see how one might limit or explain the other.

76

Front row seats watching the collapse of watchtower

by Indoubtbigtime in

i’m a pimo ministerial servant and i won’t fade because i want to keep my front row seats watching what happens next few years.. my predictions are that this current governing body will slowly die off and the current younger helpers will be the next gb.

they will eventually have new light that they were wrong about 1914 and the overlapping generations.. the new light will be something on the lines of the last days are now because of king of north king of south pushing each other etc etc.

they will do their very best to burry old literature and try to change the past trying to make it sound like they were right all along just as they have done for 150 years now.

Ding

You don't have to stay in to watch how the GB membership changes and what the new ones do.

9

JW.org missing the point of the last supper

by neat blue dog in

of course most christians partake in different ways at different intervals (the bible never says strictly annual) but obviously the main point is christ's flesh and blood.

for jws the main attraction is the organization's sales pitch and in the new 2023 memorial invitation they pretty much admit it, quote:.

the main feature of the memorial is a talk.

Ding

The WT makes it seems as if it's a sacrifice for the anointed to go to Heaven instead of petting lions and having picnics on a paradise earth.

Think of how many JWs say, "I wouldn't want to go to Heaven. What would I do there?"