Posts by InterestedOne

14

Is there anything they can't spin?

by InterestedOne in

jw
friends

i've been finding that jw's use clever words to slip out of anything.

case in point, the shunning statement from the interview.

as another example, i tried to ask my study conductor the following: "if a person accepts a whole blood transfusion, will they be disfellowshipped?

InterestedOne

Thank you agonus. The spin itself is a glaring 'wrong.' If they undid that wrong & stopped spinning, the other wrongs would be more clear. They're messed-up either way. During my entire interaction with them, I have taken a relatively non-argumentative attitude because the very nature of their responses to my questions speaks volumes to me.

Thank you wasblind. The negative impact of their policies cannot be undone because they cannot go back in time. Plus they amplify their overall 'wrongness' by not apologizing. These realities cannot by spun in any way that I can imagine. Who knows maybe they can find a way, but it would take a sick genius to do so.

14

Is there anything they can't spin?

by InterestedOne in

jw
friends

i've been finding that jw's use clever words to slip out of anything.

case in point, the shunning statement from the interview.

as another example, i tried to ask my study conductor the following: "if a person accepts a whole blood transfusion, will they be disfellowshipped?

InterestedOne

To clarify, I mean anything in their -current- teaching. When I bring up past problems, they just say, "see how humble and flexible we are to change & be corrected?"

14

Is there anything they can't spin?

by InterestedOne in

jw
friends

i've been finding that jw's use clever words to slip out of anything.

case in point, the shunning statement from the interview.

as another example, i tried to ask my study conductor the following: "if a person accepts a whole blood transfusion, will they be disfellowshipped?

InterestedOne

I've been finding that JW's use clever words to slip out of anything. Case in point, the shunning statement from the interview. As another example, I tried to ask my study conductor the following: "if a person accepts a whole blood transfusion, will they be disfellowshipped?" He responded by saying disfellowshipping is a matter of the heart, and it is handled on a case by case basis by the elders, so he can't say who would be disfellowshipped in a hypothetical situation. His wife then chimed in saying, "we don't have a list of disfellowshipping offences." So, I was wondering, is there anything you can really point out to a JW that is just wrong, whether it's clearly a wrong Bible interpretation or if the Bible doesn't speak on it, is wrong logically, scientifically, emotionally, psychologically, etc.? Something that just doesn't make sense no matter how you slice it?

26

2011 Yearbook (2010 Grand Totals) Stats

by Inside Man in

jw
friends

here is a recap of last years service year.. 116 branches down from 118.

236 lands reporting same as last year.

107,210 total congregations up from last year total of 105,298.

InterestedOne

I just looked at the yearbook page 51. The wording at the bottom of the page is as follows:

"Worldwide, a total of 20,062 ordained ministers staff the branch facilities. All are members of the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants of Jehovah's Witnesses."

I see here that the term "ordained ministers" is not exclusive to these 20,062 people. The sentence merely says that they are ordained ministers, not that other JW's aren't. The distinction is that they are members of the Worldwide Order of Special Full-Time Servants. I'd still be curious as to what the process is for a person to become part of this Worldwide Order.

26

2011 Yearbook (2010 Grand Totals) Stats

by Inside Man in

jw
friends

here is a recap of last years service year.. 116 branches down from 118.

236 lands reporting same as last year.

107,210 total congregations up from last year total of 105,298.

InterestedOne

Where can I find the details of the ordination process? What makes the 20,000 or so people that the receive the title "ordained ministers" different from the rest of the JW's who are also called "ordained ministers?" It's confusing to use the same term for two different sets of people. Is this information publicly available? If not, why not? As far as I know, you can look up this information in other common religions to find out what the procedure is for a priest or pastor to become "ordained."

26

2011 Yearbook (2010 Grand Totals) Stats

by Inside Man in

jw
friends

here is a recap of last years service year.. 116 branches down from 118.

236 lands reporting same as last year.

107,210 total congregations up from last year total of 105,298.

InterestedOne

"Religious Order?" . . . "Ordained Ministers?" I would like to know more about this aspect of the JW org which claims to have no clergy/laity distinction.

26

2011 Yearbook (2010 Grand Totals) Stats

by Inside Man in

jw
friends

here is a recap of last years service year.. 116 branches down from 118.

236 lands reporting same as last year.

107,210 total congregations up from last year total of 105,298.

InterestedOne

What is an "ordained minister" in JW terms? I thought all baptized JW's were "ordained ministers."

18

Where would a JW marry a non-JW? A KH?

by InterestedOne in

am i correct that jw marrying a non-jw is frowned upon but not forbidden?

if it's not forbidden, would the elders do the marriage in the kh?

i know the jw is forbidden to attend a non-jw religious ceremony, so another church would be out.

InterestedOne

Yep, Justice of the Peace is the way to go. I have my JP, should I dust off my best Sermon

LOL Designs, no, not yet :) I was just wondering about what freedoms JW's have within the not-a-disfellowshipping-offence realm. I've had JW's say they're free to do what they want, but of course they are evasive about what the congregational consequences might be for various things. I wonder if a JW goes ahead and marries a non-JW against the warnings from the cong, if the cong does anything official to that person like forbid them to comment or something.

18

Where would a JW marry a non-JW? A KH?

by InterestedOne in

am i correct that jw marrying a non-jw is frowned upon but not forbidden?

if it's not forbidden, would the elders do the marriage in the kh?

i know the jw is forbidden to attend a non-jw religious ceremony, so another church would be out.

InterestedOne

Am I correct that JW marrying a non-JW is frowned upon but not forbidden? If it's not forbidden, would the elders do the marriage in the KH? I know the JW is forbidden to attend a non-JW religious ceremony, so another church would be out. If the elders wouldn't do it at the KH, where could it even be held? Is the only option (US) to go to the justice of the peace?

37

What is "the Kingdom"?

by Darth Eowyn in

i have been lurking for a couple of months and decided to join because i wanted to get further information.. i am not a jw, ex jw, or even considering becoming a jw.

i am a fairly devout, practicing catholic.

two weeks ago, a couple of jw publishers stopped by to discuss their schtick.

InterestedOne

Therefore, this thread is not the place to spout anti-Catholicism. It is off topic and in bad taste.

Sorry if I came across that way. Not my intention at all. My post was to point out that what she is hoping could be an educational dialogue with the JW's could easily degenerate into two different sets of propaganda & selective readings of history, along with them questioning her motives, etc. & it could get wearisome. I think there's also the danger in that scenario of a person getting worn down & possibly sucked in.

You're right. The thread is informational, and my post was drifting off topic. Sorry.