Posts by Listener

16

Running ahead of Jehovah can be done with a slow walk.

by donny in

a few days ago i read a post of someone who has recently awakened to what the watchtower bible and tract society really is.

in their comments, they stated that they had been accused of "running ahead of jehovah.".

"running ahead of jehovah" was a statement levied at me many times during my convoluted journey through that organization.

Listener

Relying on the wind to guide you isn't going to get you far very quickly and by a direct route.

Are they being directed by a sailboat or God's chariot?

7

Dutch branch refuses to meet with LGBT rights organization.

by Anders Andersen in

in the wake of the anti-gay cartoon, the coc (dutch lgbt rights organization) invited watchtower netherlands to discuss how watchtower is dealing with lgbt people in their ranks.

focus of the meeting would be on making sure lgbt jw feel safe and fully accepted.. today several newspapers are reporting that the branch declined the invitation, stating that they 'can't imagine lgbt jw feeling unsafe.

the branch won't talk to coc, but they might discuss internally with lgbt jw.'.

Listener

They are not prepared to co-operate with the higher authorities, they have to be forced through legal means.

30

JW Broadcasting reeks of desperation

by oldskool in

again, i'm a decade removed from the faith.

i'm catching up now, and can't believe what i'm seeing.. i get that jw leadership faced a dilemma.

there is no intellectual apparatus within the faith.

Listener

Thanks for your insightful assessment OldSkool and I do wonder if some, if not many of the 'old school', more thinking Elders are feeling the same.

When the monthly special video broadcasts were first introduced they said that they would be presented monthly by a GB member, a year or so later they have now decided that only every second broadcast will be presented by a GD member. No doubt, they've realised the damage it is causing. Also, they were showing their names and titles on the earlier videos and they've stopped that too.

69

All 2016 Convention videos in English and all Talk outlines for download

by Watchtower-Free in

all convention videos in english and all talk outlines for download.

http://avoidjw.org/2016-regional-convention/

Listener

What's even more scary about the Great Tribulation Movie is the focus on the attack on JWs, not the destruction of all evil in the World.

They've portrayed it to show that there is no protection for individual JWs, whether huddled in a group or not, they will be attacked. They will witness the attack, not only on themselves but their husband or wife and children.

Meeting in groups, keeping account of members, having secret door knocks, hiding in bunkers together provides no protection. The only comfort is being able to hold a meeting where you've still got to put your hand in the air if you want to say something and listen to everyone say how good they were pre GT as a JW.

This is what they had to say about the GT once upon a time- W 1977 1/15

But, really, if the “great tribulation” will be as devastating and destructive as the Scriptures indicate, is it possible for those serving God to look forward to its coming without fear and trepidation? We must keep in mind that there is a vast difference between the “great tribulation” that Jehovah God himself will bring upon Satan’s beastly organization and all those clinging to it, and the tribulation that Satan now brings upon Jehovah’s faithful witnesses in the form of persecution, bans, mob action and similar overt acts of violence....
The “great tribulation,” foretold in Matthew 24:21, 22, is, on the other hand, something altogether different from the trouble and persecution engineered and inflicted, both in the past and in the present, by the Devil upon God’s servants. The “great tribulation” is a tribulation from God that will befall the Devil’s entire crowd in vindication of Jehovah and all those on God’s side. Just as it is written at 2 Thessalonians 1:6: “It is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you.”
19 For these reasons God’s people have a deeper love and appreciation for Jehovah, and this, in turn, gives them a confidence free from any weakening or morbid fear. Awesome as the “great tribulation” may prove to be, these lovers of Jehovah are looking forward with eager anticipation to being eyewitnesses at that grand execution of divine judgment. (Ps. 89:7; Hab. 3:16, 18)

69

All 2016 Convention videos in English and all Talk outlines for download

by Watchtower-Free in

all convention videos in english and all talk outlines for download.

http://avoidjw.org/2016-regional-convention/

Listener

What an amazing job, thank you.

98

Beards - September 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

the issue of whether beards are acceptable or not is addressed in the september 2016 watchtower - well sort of.

it is as clear as mud as to whether they are allowed in places like australia, usa and britain.. 17. what are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?17 what about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard?

the mosaic law required men to wear a beard.

Listener

PurrPurr - I can't think of anywhere that beards would be frowned upon?

No, I can't either PurrPurr but it appears that in JW Land there are places where it would not just be frowned upon but found not to be irreprehensible

Watchtower Sept 2016 quote - In fact, having one may hinder a brother from bringing glory to God by his dress and grooming and his being irreprehensible.

11

September 2016 Watchtower Clothing including Tight Pants

by Listener in

tony morris iii finally got his way and there is now a current article dealing with appropriate clothing for today's christian.

funny thing is that it actually an embarrassment to him and i'll explain why later.

it mentions 'tight' three times in the article.. you saw a lot of casual clothing, especially when it was hot,” reported a dutch newspaper regarding a meeting of church leaders.

Listener

Tony Morris III finally got his way and there is now a current article dealing with appropriate clothing for today's Christian. Funny thing is that it's actually an embarrassment to him and I'll explain why later.

It mentions 'tight' three times in the article.

YOU saw a lot of casual clothing, especially when it was hot,” reported a Dutch newspaper regarding a meeting of church leaders. “That is not the case at the convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses. . . . Boys and men wear a jacket and tie, while the girls’ and women’s skirt length is...

In the first paragraph the clowns proudly boast that they are the only ones stupid enough to wear formal clothing in gatherings when exposed to hot weather and aren't sensible enough to dress accordingly.

How grateful we are that Jehovah does not burden us with detailed lists of regulations about our dress and grooming. Instead, he has permitted us to exercise our free will and make sensible personal decisions, which should be guided by sound Scriptural principles.

Here they acknowledge that dress choices are a personal choice guided by Scriptural principles but throughout the whole article they go beyond scripture and impose their own ideas.

The Law showed Jehovah’s strong feelings against clothing that does not make clear the distinction between male and female—what has been described in our day as unisex fashion. (ReadDeuteronomy 22:5.) From God’s stated direction about clothing, we clearly see that God is not pleased with styles of dress that feminize men, that make women look like men, or that make it hard to see the difference between men and women.

Now even unisex fashion is unacceptable even though it's been around for decades. I believe that women's pants were considered to be one of the first unisex clothing. Pant's, a shirt and jacket is so common today. Of course they wouldn't see this as unisex because it is accepted widely.

They use a scripture from Deuteronomy to apply the rule even though true Christians today are not under this law. The law was there for a reason, not simply because God could not determine whether they were females or males. We may have lost a full appreciation of why it was made law because we don't understand many of the customs or situations back then. There is some thought that the reason for this law was connected with disguises and the worship of different idols in other nations depending upon whether a person was male or female.

Read 1 Corinthians 10:31. When we attend assemblies and conventions, our dress needs to be appropriate and modest rather than reflect the extreme styles that may be common in the world. Even as we check in and out of a hotel, as well as when we enjoy leisure time before and after convention sessions, we want to avoid an appearance that is overly casual or slovenly. Thus we will be proud to identify ourselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses. Yes, and we will feel free to give a witness as we have an opportunity.

On their list is the requirement to wear neat clothes all the time when attending assemblies, including at the Hotel and during personal leisure time. This is basically law and possibly the clearest instruction in the whole of the article. This demonstrates how much control and authority they have over their followers and basically treats them like they personally own them during the times they are attending assemblies, meetings and field service.

Read Philippians 2:4. Why do Christians need to consider how their attire affects fellow worshippers? One reason is that God’s people work hard to apply the Bible’s admonition: “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are on the earth as respects sexual immorality, uncleanness, uncontrolled sexual passion.” (Col. 3:2, 5) We would not want to make it difficult for fellow believers to heed that counsel. Brothers and sisters who have given up a sexually loose lifestyle may still be fighting sinful leanings. (1 Cor. 6:9, 10) We would not want to make their fight harder, would we?
10 When we are around our spiritual brothers and sisters, our manner of dress should help to make the congregation a haven of moral chastity. That is so whether we are together at a meeting or in an informal setting. We have the freedom to choose what to wear. Still, all of us have a responsibility to wear clothes that make it easier for others to remain chaste and to maintain God’s standards of holiness in thought, word, and conduct. (1 Pet. 1:15, 16) True love “does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests.”—1 Cor. 13:4, 5.

Here they tell us that what we wear can influence the sexual desires of others. I can't help but think about Anthony Morris' rant about tight pants, especially in regards to constant referrals to them being connected with homosexuality. It's no wonder that Anthony Morris the III has such a problem with tight pants. The above revelation in this magazine should be causing him a great deal of embarrassment.

Also, when relaxing at the beach or at a swimming pool, the style of swimwear we use should be modest.

The only modest swimwear that I've seen dates back to the 1920s or is worn by Muslim women. If they were really serious about modesty, Western standards in swimwear would not be appropriate full stop.

Our choice of clothing should not make people conclude anything other than that we are worshippers of Jehovah.

This comment in the final paragraph is way over the top. A man in a suit looks like a.....ummmm....man in a suit.

98

Beards - September 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

the issue of whether beards are acceptable or not is addressed in the september 2016 watchtower - well sort of.

it is as clear as mud as to whether they are allowed in places like australia, usa and britain.. 17. what are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?17 what about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard?

the mosaic law required men to wear a beard.

Listener

There is another mention in relation to customs in the article and they state -

Of course, some clothing that is appropriate in one place may not be appropriate in another. Hence, Jehovah’s people throughout the world take local customs into account so as not to cause offense.

There are a number of things JWs do that are not local customs and cause offense. One of them is knocking on people's doors at 9.30am on the weekend. Another is their practice of shunning. Beards are not one of them.

98

Beards - September 2016 Watchtower

by Listener in

the issue of whether beards are acceptable or not is addressed in the september 2016 watchtower - well sort of.

it is as clear as mud as to whether they are allowed in places like australia, usa and britain.. 17. what are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?17 what about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard?

the mosaic law required men to wear a beard.

Listener

The issue of whether beards are acceptable or not is addressed in the September 2016 Watchtower - well sort of. It is as clear as mud as to whether they are allowed in places like Australia, USA and Britain.

17. What are some factors that may affect whether a brother wears a beard?
17 What about the propriety of brothers wearing a beard? The Mosaic Law required men to wear a beard. However, Christians are not under the Mosaic Law, nor are they obliged to observe it. (Lev. 19:27; 21:5;Gal. 3:24, 25) In some cultures, a neatly trimmed beard may be acceptable and respectable, and it may not detract at all from the Kingdom message. In fact, some appointed brothers have beards. Even so, some brothers might decide not to wear a beard. (1 Cor. 8:9,13; 10:32) In other cultures or localities, beards are not the custom and are not considered acceptable for Christian ministers. In fact, having one may hinder a brother from bringing glory to God by his dress and grooming and his being irreprehensible.—Rom. 15:1-3;1 Tim. 3:2, 7.

Funny how they say on one hand that even though the Mosaic law made it a requirement for men to have beards they say this about a different matter only a few paragraphs earlier. Here they say that the law must be followed

The Law showed Jehovah’s strong feelings against clothing that does not make clear the distinction between male and female—what has been described in our day as unisex fashion. (ReadDeuteronomy 22:5.) From God’s stated direction about clothing, we clearly see that God is not pleased with styles of dress that feminize men, that make women look like men, or that make it hard to see the difference between men and women.

This following statement seems to be the qualifier as to whether beards are acceptable or not.

In other cultures or localities, beards are not the custom and are not considered acceptable for Christian ministers.

I don't know of any culture or locality that does not generally accept men having beards, it may not be a widely practiced custom but it doesn't need to be done by the majority to be a custom. I wonder when it became important for Christians to even follow local customs?

As for it not being considered acceptable for Christian ministers in certain areas, this is just nonsense. It is a self created, unspoken idea that has evolved from Rutherfords time that makes Elders consider it to be unacceptable. They are basically sanctioning locally made rules.

Although it gives the impression (from the scriptures quoted) that those Brothers with 'titles' are being singled out, all Brothers are considered to be Christian ministers. So if the local Elders don't consider it to be acceptable then that's the law.

So much for their earlier comments made in Para 4

We do not need detailed lists saying which styles of dress are acceptable and which are objectionable. Rather, we are guided by Scriptural principles that allow room for personal preferences.

I think there will be a lot of fall out from this as the GB have been far from clear.

48

JW Video Armageddon to occur before 2040

by Listener in

sorry i thought it was a new morning worship video but it is 6 months old and has already been discussed on here.. it is presented by gb helper k flodin and about this generation.

the delusion and hypocrisy runs deep.. he reminds the cult members not to speculate because they aren't supposed to know the day or the hour.

then he proceeds to speculate that armageddon will occur before 2040.. https://tv.jw.org/#en/video/vodprogramsevents/pub-jwbmw_201511_3_video.

Listener

His expression when he spoke about the year 2040 is priceless, talk about fake. These guys know exactly what the are doing. The purpose of his talk was to make it seem that Armageddon was coming any day.

The idea that an annointed person is selected around the age of 40 is just ridiculous, particularly when a person baptised prior to the 1930s was considered anointed on baptism, meaning even a 9 year old could be anointed. But that is the mindset they are trying to create and I've got a pretty good idea why. It is more than likely that most of the GB members had a flash of light when they were 40 or older and saw the possibility of getting a GB position. They rarely speak about the time when they had this flash and even discourage it.

I love this new teaching because it so simply exposes them for the fakes that they are.