Listener

Joined

• started 199 topics
• posted 4,914 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by Listener

• 
  9

  Watchtower Organizational Structure

  by Wild_Thing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone know of any diagrams online that show the current hierarchical structure of the watchtower compared to the previous hierarchical structures of the past.

  i know they have complicated it on purpose to try to protect themselves legally from lawsuits.

  i would like to try to understand their current structure compared with the past.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  Wikipedia is a good place to find some information.

  Try this link for a start-

  https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organizational_structure_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses
• 
  27

  Why the move to Warwick?

  by optimisticskeptic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've seen a lot of posts around and about warwick and the goings on there but was curious as to people's theories on why the move to warwick?

  granted there's the obvious point about all of the money from the sale of properties in brooklyn but for as massive as warwick is, the purchase of an apartment complex there, multiple sites and buildings i would be surprised if they had much left from all of the profits.

  so beyond a financial incentive why move?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  Hi and welcome Optimistikskeptic.
  
  I'm with Kairos on this. A lot of money was tied up in the Brooklyn properties and they were either owned by the Watchtower Corp of Pennsylvania or New York or both. Transferring those properties into another business entity was probably not an option for tax reasons and transparency but once they were sold transferring the money into a new corporate structure should not have posed much of a problem.
• 
  20

  Can JW's celebrate Hannukah?

  by Splash in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what's the official teaching on celebrating this jewish festival?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  This is from the 8th December, 1990 Awake,
  
  

  But what of the festival itself? Since it commemorates an important event in the history of God’s people, should it be commemorated by Christians?
  The apostle Paul explained at Colossians 2:14-17: “[God] blotted out the handwritten document against us . . . by nailing it to the torture stake. . . . Therefore let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a festival or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath; for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.” Just as a shadow cast by an approaching object can alert someone to its arrival, the Law covenant was able to alert people to the arrival of the Messiah, or Christ. However, once this handwritten document had served its purpose, it was blotted out by God.—Galatians 3:23-25.
  Thus, the Law covenant and all related festivals came to an end from God’s standpoint at Pentecost 33 C.E. Indeed, the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple by Roman armies in 70 C.E. soon underscored that fact. (Luke 19:41-44) So even though the rededication of the temple was an important event in the history of God’s ancient people, there is no reason for Christians to commemorate Hanukkah.

  
  
• 
  6

  The Indignities Of Cart Witnessing For A Corporation Losing Mega Bucks In Child Molestation Lawsuits

  by Brokeback Watchtower in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  first it's like wearing a big sign on one's forehead:.

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  It's amazing what you can get people to do, especially when done as a group.

  We we are yet to see any of the GB doing cart work.
• 
  39

  Russian Court authorizes seizure of outlawed sect children

  by cha ching in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nei6lvfl13q.

  interesting development in russia... according to this article on youtube, it appears that children that are subjected to being involved in banned social or religious groups can be removed from their parents..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  Fusing JW philosophy, it's not the fault of the Government if they have their children taken away, but their own fault for not obeying the laws. Just like it's the disfellowshipped persons fault for being shunned.

  This may deter parents from openly practicing, it could also cause the break up of some marriages.

  There are always circumstances where separation is warranted but I wouldn't trust Russia with knowing when.
• 
  15

  Leaked - Video tape inside Watchtower HQ of protest Nov 5, 2017

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i saw this on jw reddit and thought, okay that will just be one of the protesters videotaping near their security entrance but it's really from inside the hq's.

  i doubt the org.

  will be happy that this was taped and leaked.https://rutube.ru/video/2dbc8185062524a41ed8c9e2117ca39d/.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  I saw this on JW Reddit and thought, okay that will just be one of the protesters videotaping near their security entrance but it's really from inside the HQ's.
  
  I doubt the org. will be happy that this was taped and leaked.
  
  https://rutube.ru/video/2dbc8185062524a41ed8c9e2117ca39d/
  
  
  
• 
  4

  November broadcast

  by inbetween09 in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  anybody seen november 2017 broadcast ?

  i do not mean the hypocritical talks about accuracy, but the rather short talk at the end.

  the brother (sorry, forgot the name) addressed the issue of how apostates wrongly inform the media about the 2 witness rule.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  You are spot on Inbetween 09.
  
  There are some positives that we can take from this:
  
  - They could present no new light as to why they are sticking to their guns on the issue even though he confessed that apostates, news reporters and others have made an issue of this. They understand the repercussions, it has been made evident to them and they also understand why they are biblically incorrect. This makes it easier for us to explain where their thinking is wrong.
  
  - He presented an argument against apostate claims. Although he misrepresented what apostates have an issue with, it demonstrates a willingness to try to address their complaints. By doing so, it inadvertently gives permission for a JW to consider the argument.
  
  Hopefully, it represents their next stage of dealing with issues rather than just having JWs stick their heads in the sand, it indicates that approach was not working.

  ---
• 
  78

  Work Christmas functions: Being a Bible Student (unbaptized)

  by rulehayl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all,i have been studying with the witnesses for more than 6 months and regularly attend both midweek & weekend meetings, and i am nearly at the end of the "bible teach" book.

  my boss is adamant i attend team christmas functions.

  she knows about my studying and potential baptism next year, and has suggested that i attend and just not participate in activities like kris kringle.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  Rulehayl, you need to be aware that you are not following any biblical instruction here in regards to Birthdays, rather you are following the ideas of 7 men in New York who are imposing their conscience on yours.
  
  What is your reason for not celebrating Birthdays and how did you come to that conclusion?
• 
  78

  Work Christmas functions: Being a Bible Student (unbaptized)

  by rulehayl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all,i have been studying with the witnesses for more than 6 months and regularly attend both midweek & weekend meetings, and i am nearly at the end of the "bible teach" book.

  my boss is adamant i attend team christmas functions.

  she knows about my studying and potential baptism next year, and has suggested that i attend and just not participate in activities like kris kringle.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  My boss is adamant I attend team Christmas functions.

  
  It's likely your Boss is encouraging friendship between your team members. This is well known to help create a better working environment for everyone. Standing on the outside or apart from 'worldly' people does the opposite.
• 
  5

  Confusion with 'Message of Judgement'

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there has been some discussion regarding the change in the jws message so i thought i would have a listen to the recent annual meeting to try to get an idea as to why the jws are not clear on the matter, once again.

  it's strange that the annual meeting hasn't been put on jw org tv to date.it looks like the confusion stems from a talk given by tight pants tony and i've written out a part of that talk.

  his talk was titled 'making our blows count'.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Listener

  There has been some discussion regarding the change in the JWs message so I thought I would have a listen to the recent annual meeting to try to get an idea as to why the JWs are not clear on the matter, once again. It's strange that the Annual Meeting hasn't been put on JW org Tv to date.
  
  It looks like the confusion stems from a talk given by Tight Pants Tony and I've written out a part of that talk.
  
  His talk was titled 'making our blows count'. Throughout, he talks about 'hard hitting blows' which does nothing to conjure up thoughts of a Christians duty in spreading the good news.

  ---

  Times running out. God's made that very clear to us. We need to help people come into the Truth. ...This is a time for decision. We're looking for people who will act on what they learn. That's where our blows will be effective. People have to act upon it and if you're not seeing that, just keep searching. Let the Angels and Jehovah's spirit take you to rightly disposed ones.
  
  And something we forget, umm, our work is twofold. We can forget that sometimes. We're searching and bringing in the rightly disposed and the others, were praising and honoring Jehovah by (gibberish) because they're hearing about Jehovah's judgement day.
  
  So, it's twofold, it's a warning work. You can go a whole morning and you can have what you thought was an ineffective day, you placed no literature but you praised God because they're still thinking about it. Jehovah's Witnesses and their efforts to preach in that territory. So, gotta keep that in mind.
  
  So that's one problem, here's problem two, that we wanna address.... We have so many tools...it can be overwhelming and confusing.

  
  The Watchtower July, 2015 says this about the Great Tribulation
  
  

  This will not be the time to preach the “good news of the Kingdom.” That time will have passed. The time for “the end” will have come! (Matt. 24:14) No doubt God’s people will proclaim a hard-hitting judgment message. This may well involve a declaration announcing that Satan’s wicked world is about to come to its complete end. The Bible likens this message to hailstones when it says: “Great hailstones, each about the weight of a talent, fell from heaven on the people, and the people blasphemed God because of the plague of hail, for the plague was unusually great.”—Rev. 16:21.
  

  
  The facts are that they have always stated that they are preaching a hard hitting message, so nothing is really any different but through the trickery of their speech many JWs jump to the conclusion that Armageddon is imminent. Everything remains the same.
  
  Still, Morris' speech makes it sound as if they are in some sort of transitional period where they are preaching both the Good News to those 'rightly disposed' and proclaiming a hard hitting message of judgement to others and doing it with less publications because people will just remember their message long after they're gone.
  
  The part I have quoted from A Morris starts around 3.16

  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0_6GweYEpU&t=11839s