Listener

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Posts by Listener

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  18

  Where's Simon?

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  anyone heard from him?

  he hasn't been active for over a week.

  probably on holiday but would be nice to know everything's okay 🤔 .

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  Listener

  They look so innocent.
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  27

  MANY DIFFICULT YEARS AHEAD : PER CHRISTENSEN

  by raymond frantz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://youtu.be/jsmbtv4nafi?si=ezj0dnudyjls4knc.

  there was a time they preached the great tribulation was a short period of time between the fall of babylon and jesus coming back to save them, now they realize there are difficult years ahead of us, watch this latest morning worship video by per christensen on this subject .

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  Listener

  Those 'difficult years' are sure to include Governmental issues the Watchtower will continue to face due to its hurtful and harmful policies.

  These 'difficult years' will also include more intense whining from the Governing Body about the need for more money.
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  10

  Olympic games/ jw.org keep on the watch

  by Gorb in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the main article on jw.org is about the succesfull olympic games 2024 in paris.. many withness watch all the sport episodes of the games, but jw.org comes with a sour story about the games and not reaching real peace.. again jw.org is on the wrong side of history a d doesn't feel the public anx jw opinion.

  the closing remarks of the ioc president bach, thaf the games will not reach peace but plant peace in the hart of people was a strong message.. the organization and message of the games is all that jw.org wants to, but can't.. very sad and narrow minded, as ever.

  gorby.

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  Listener

  Gorb - The closing remarks of the IOC president Bach, thaf the games will not reach peace but plant peace in the hart of people was a strong message.

  That makes the Watchtower's message look even more cultish and extremist. The Watchtower wants to appear as if they are the only ones that recognize complete, worldwide peace is not possible.

  It's much more positive to encourage peace than to preach it's not possible.
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  17

  Setting the record straight. CSA report in New Zealand

  by joe134cd in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  ok i just want to officially set the record straight about the report of csa in new zealand.

  i have a pimo relative who lives in nz.

  as far as public awareness, with regard to the jws, it was basically a big nothing burger.

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  Listener

  At least the Watchtower and every Bethel worker in Sydney know about it and they tried to hide it. They have exposed themselves.
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  65

  WT needs your kids uneducated: CO training video is Master Class in F.O.G. This is jaw-droppingly stupid. Beyond moronic, it's sub-moronic.

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  co training video: link to ex-jw reddit thread discussion.

  today is the first time i was made aware of this actual elder body video.

  it's training for how a co should handle elder's whose children decide to pursue further education.

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  Listener

  Bro Williams says "...They understand that it's a personal decision that you have to decide but it still does not mean that your freeness of speech is not affected. In fact, the freeness of speech of the entire body of elders as well as how successful we are as shepherds has been affected as well..."

  In other words, the JW has free will but their decision is questionable if the GB's instruction on higher education is not adhered to. Then as a follow on by making the wrong decision, the body of Elders qualifications are questionable.

  Any free will exercised is always questionable if it's not in line with the GB.

  Of course, it's not even up to the daughter to make her own decision since the father is supposed to have control over her and he is reminded of this.
  

  What is so crazy is that if the daughter was allowed to work full time at the local supermarket or one of the Elders businesses, the exact same arguments that they have presented in this training video applies 100%.
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  11

  Why the term "disfellowshipped " was removed

  by raymond frantz in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  https://youtu.be/ags07jlopcy?si=g9ra1jqksuuauyax.

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  Listener

  I'm surprised they haven't changed their 'About Us' on 'Do Jehovah's Witnesses shun those who used to belong to their religion?' It's found on JW.org, not in any publications.

  It still uses the term 'shun' and disfellowshipped. They have made changes to this a number of times in the past.

  It currently reads as -

  Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Shun Those Who Used to Belong to Their Religion?
  

  
  Those who were baptized as Jehovah’s Witnesses but no longer preach to others, perhaps even drifting away from association with fellow believers, are not shunned. In fact, we reach out to them and try to rekindle their spiritual interest.

  
  We do not automatically disfellowship someone who commits a serious sin. If, however, a baptized Witness makes a practice of breaking the Bible’s moral code and does not repent, he or she will be shunned or disfellowshipped. The Bible clearly states: “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”—1 Corinthians 5:13.

  
  What of a man who is disfellowshipped but whose wife and children are still Jehovah’s Witnesses? The religious ties he had with his family change, but blood ties remain. The marriage relationship and normal family affections and dealings continue. Disfellowshipped individuals may attend our religious services. If they wish, they may also receive spiritual counsel from congregation elders. The goal is to help each individual once more to qualify to be one of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  Disfellowshipped people who reject improper conduct and demonstrate a sincere desire to live by the Bible’s standards are always welcome to become Jehovah’s Witnesses again.
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  22

  The Rapture

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  when i was pioneering, i don't remember ever addressing the rapture question.

  does anyone know how a jw would respond to this verse?

  for the lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of god.

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  Listener

  The teaching changed in 2015 W 7/15

  We do not use the word “rapture” here to describe this event because of its connection to Christendom’s false teaching. However, the faithful anointed still on earth will be gathered together instantly.

  https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/402015523?q=rapture&p=par
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  20

  Greeting a person(who was removed from the congregation) at the Kingdom Hall now becomes a matter of conscience

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the watchtower—study edition | august 2024. help for those who are removed from the congregation.

  14 does what we have considered mean that we would completely ignore a person who has been removed from the congregation?

  not necessarily.

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  Listener

  If they are still sinning why are they allowed to return to the meeting when the Bible specifically says to remove them? They need to be reinstating someone before they attend a meeting but that doesn't suit the GB.

  In the article they distinguish between an apostate and other sinners, using the 'no greeting' rule towards apostates. If a JW is to use their bible trained conscience as to whether they should greet someone removed then they need to know whether they are an apostate or not.
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  11

  2024-07-July-S-147 Announcements!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2024-07-july-s-147 announcements!.

  https://pdfhost.io/v/96mkpxpq1_untitled_1 .

  grandpa!.

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  Listener

  Why do they continue to create situations where children can be put in danger?

  They claimed at the ARC that they

  'do not sponsor or operate ...or any other activities which seperate children from their parents'

  The July newsletter states

  'The Governing body is pleased to inform you that exemplary, unbaptized male publishers may also be used to care for some congregation tasks that are appropriate for their age and circumstances. For example, and exemplary male publisher in his early teens or younger may be used to handle microphones and operate the sound and video equipment if permission has been granted by his parent or guardian.'

  Young teenagers and those younger than 13 are going to require a bit of training in those tasks and they obviously don't expect the parents to that training. There is no suggestion that parents be present during it either.

  This newsletter is a keeper for court cases/enquiries where the Watchtower claim their are no activities which draw youngster away from parents.

  Damn them for not leaving things for mature sisters to do or were they already having problems with fresh brothers instructing females to do or supervise them in these jobs?
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  19

  So a JW can date an unbelieving person...

  by silentbuddha in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  but the entire congregation is not to be informed or mark the person.

  the only repercussions are that the individual who is aware of it can decide to "mark" them and not go to the local club or bar with the individual, but they are still obligated to go door to door in the ministry with them, and even speak to them at the kn as if nothing is wrong and not feel obligated to tell anyone else?

  this is crazy.. so they are also basically saying that a person can carry on a romantic (but none sexual) relationship with an unbeliever and still go out in service and participate in meetings?

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  Listener

  This affected me immensely.

  My father, an Elder told me I had to attend a JC, nobody told me why until I was at the JC. I had started meeting a guy after work for half an hour. A JW taxi driver from another congregation, who I didn’t know and had never spoken to, had reported the meeting.

  At the JC I was told I would be publicly marked. There were no questions, just reprisal. I asked where this policy came from and was told they had received a letter from the Branch only the month before. Apparently it was in an old Watchtower but I had not read it and they didn’t mention it. I asked to see the letter. I remember vividly the total silence and the funny looks all three of the Elders had until one piped up and said that the letters were only for the Elders to view.

  I was shocked and deflated. I had no idea there were secret instructions to the Elders or that I could be hauled in front of three men at any time for who knows what. It left my head spinning and I didn’t want to have anything to do with them. My father wouldn’t talk to me at all. I couldn’t live at home like this, it was not a home any more. I had to leave. Not one jw from the congregation reached out until later, after it was discovered that I was living with someone. An Elder called me at work and asked that I attend a JC. I asked that he leave me alone.

  At 19 and having been cocooned in a cult all my life I was too young to be virtually on my own.

  The Elders had been tough on me at the JC because this was my second one and the first had been a train wreck which would have left them embarrassed and humiliated (and had been very difficult for me). All from no fault of my own, other than maybe being an Elders daughter. So the Elders went all out even though they couldn’t df and it was a sin for which they could only mark me for. But they didn’t even ask if I would stop seeing the bloke or when the marking would be lifted. I was in the dark about what they were doing.

  The Elder that had called me at work and whom was a close friend of my father, had said in the conversation that I should come back and prove the Elders (on my JC) wrong. I still find that distasteful today because I thought he was more spiritual than the others yet putting a challenge like that is not shepherding or Christian.

  Although I am not disfellowshipped, I would still be marked.

  I doubt any of this would have happened under the new arrangement but I don’t know when I would have woken up either.