Posts by Bungi Bill

57

40 years on - and still in Damage Control mode!

by Bungi Bill in

earlier this morning, i posted off to the the institute of engineers an application for membership as an "engineering associate":.

- today being just over 40 years since the congregation's retards elders made me abandon my apprenticeship.. (in this part of the world, the pre-1975 hype was taken to that level.

not being content to prevent young persons attending university, they went one step further and treated with hostility any youngster who would "tie up five years of their lives" by entering into an apprenticeship.

Bungi Bill

Once again, thanking everybody for their kind words of support.

Bill.

50

Newspaper article: 'Rise of ISIS and earthquakes are WARNINGS before ARMAGEDDON destroys Earth'

by AndersonsInfo in

http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/581439/rise-isis-earthquakes-warnings-before-armageddon-apocalypse-end-destroys-volcanoes-earth.

the "end" of mankind, which has been long predicted by jehovah's witnesses, could happen as soon as this year - according to latest announcement from the christian religion.. in the latest edition of jehovah's witnesses monthly publication watchtower, an article translated into 700 languages - urges people to join the religion or face certain death when god sends his forces from the heavens to "remove all world leaders," "exterminate his enemies" and "rid the world of satan".. critics have lambasted the warning of a coming armageddon as yet another "failed prediction" by the religion, which has previously delivered similar alerts such as a foretold apocalypse in 1975.. indeed, jehovah's witnesses have been warning people of the need to recognise jehovah or face certain death when the "end" comes for more than 100 years.. the christian-based religion was founded in the 1870s by charles taze russell in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, us, as an offshoot from the bible studies movement.. today, there are 8.2million jehovah's witness evangelists, while 19.9 million celebrated their annual memorial festival marking christ's death - worldwide in 2014.. followers do not believe in military service and will not accept blood transfusions.. in a new eight-page article, watchtower said jehovah's witness leaders are now "convinced" humans are in their "final days" before the armageddon.. they cite an increase in global armed conflict, such as the rise of the islamic state terror group, as well as natural disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes.. the lengthy article, written by an unnamed author, said: "will god let humans continue to dominate one another and threaten the future of mankind?

no, as we have seen, he will step in and bring an end to centuries of misery and oppression.

Bungi Bill

Bogeymen keep changing from era to era. Earlier, the articles ranted about "godless" communism and the precariousness of humankind from nuclear obliteration.

My wife and I were only reminded of that recently, while listening to a recording of Barry Mcguire's Eve of Destruction. The WTS /GB (or whatever else you want to call them) didn't exactly invent any these "bogeymen". However, they certainly played upon people's fears of such things.

For example, there were the statistics they once liked to bandy around, that equated the world's nuclear arsenal to the equivalent of so many plugs of gelignite:

- then decided that it would take one plug of "jelly" to kill one human being; and so therefore by dividing the total explosive blast of the world's nuclear arsenal by the total number of human beings, you could (and they did) determine its "overkill" factor.

Now they use the threat of terrorism to similarly try to frighten people.

Bill.

39

Are Elders experts on the Bible? Are they spirtually qualified men?

by John Aquila in

how many times have elders read their bible in its entirety?

these are the leaders that give counsel to married couples, to teenagers, to single girls and single boys on everything from marriage, education, sex, association, dress, and recreation..

how well do they know their bible?

Bungi Bill

I realize what I am about to say could be interpreted as an embittered old veteran, insisting that "These new guys aren't as good as we was". However, when the elder arrangement first came in (c.1972), I can recall ones who did have an extensive ( perhaps even impressive) knowledge of the bible.

Conversely, towards the end of my time with the JWs, the typical elder came over as well versed in WTS procedure - but rather lacking in knowledge about the bible, or even about their very own JW doctrine. There were times when one elder I was familiar with would direct questions about JW doctrine to me, who wasn't even a ministerial servant!

That the earlier breed of elder often had a sound biblical knowledge had little to do with the JWs. Most were converts, rather than "born ins". Also, they grew up during a time when practically everybody was a regular churchgoer, and most people actually took some interest in the Christian teachings, biblical doctrine etc. I would hazard to guess that at least a goodly part of their bible knowledge came from their time before "coming into the Truth." (Of course, how such persons managed to be sucked into the JW cult is quite another story!)

Bill

21

How do you feel when you see the Witnesses in the door to door work? Angry, Sad, or dumbfounded?

by John Aquila in

im here sitting and listening to youtube video songs and practicing on my guitar and checking out posts on jwn.

and one more thing, im seeing the spanish jws going door to door in my street.

they work my street every single week.

Bungi Bill

Primarily, I feel cynical.

The "pioneer shuffle" walk of the JWs gives them away long before they even get to open their book bags. Additionally, their body language speaks volumes about their general level of interest in the task at hand:

- just watch the reluctant way in which most of them edge towards somebody's front door, in a manner suggesting they would rather nobody answer it.

This general aura of reluctance always reminds me of a person on their way to a dentist's appointment!

Bill

25

Fornicate and keep quiet, is it possible for a Governing Body member?

by John Aquila in

do you think any of the members of the governing body have at one time in their lives committed an immoral sex act but never confessed?

remember leo greenlees.

fornication, adultery or something else?

Bungi Bill

Nothing at all would surprise me about any of that lot - and we all know how lenient the Holy Spirit is about turning a blind eye to that sort of thing, when it comes to making appointments!

Bill.

26

What on earth have the JW org got to offer?

by Half banana in

what on earth have jw org got to offer?.

one hundred and thirty six years this july of the worlds most published and least read magazine: the inglorious watchtower.

nothing in it which is original has been of any use to mankind.

Bungi Bill

What on earth have the JW org got to offer? (Italics mine)

Once, while engaged in " Field Circus" activities, I had an altercation with somebody of the " Born Again" persuasion who actually challenged me with that very question. His charge was - to quote him word for word - " All you people can offer is a ' Pie in the Sky' ". Forty one years have gone by since he and I had that conversation, yet I can still remember it like yesterday. Of course, I arced up about that very suggestion and concocted some (totally unconvincing!) story to counter what he just said.

This person was quite correct, though. The JW religion does offer nothing to people but an elusive "Pie in the Sky" (which for 136 years has always going to be realised "soon"! )

So, David Armstrong, wherever you are now, you were at least right about that point!

Bill

37

How Much Do Circuit Overseers Make Under the Table, and is it Taxable?

by Tazemanian-devil in

i was thinking about green handshakes, and i knew my wife and i personally would try to slide at least $100 each c.o visit to the c.o.

if we were low on cash, we'd never hand him less than $20.

how many of such handshakes does he receive in a weeks time?

Bungi Bill

It must vary by quite a wide margin, depending on the circuit. The circuit in which I lived in during the early 1990s was in (definitely!) a low socio-economic area. This, combined with the economic recession of those years ensured that the CO's pickings were very small indeed. He would not have received too many $100 donations - in fact, if somebody had slipped him a $100 note, he would have just about fallen dead with shock!

Bill.

27

How Some Climb Up So Quickly?!!

by Sofia Lose in

our current co has not been in the org all that long, less than 10 years, and already quite a respected overseer.

i know of a few married couples in the spanish congs that are doing everything right, you know, with the theocratic schooling, the pioneering, etc., and... nothing!.

how do some seem to reach certain posts so damn quick, while others cannot make it?!

Bungi Bill

It's what you know abut who you know :smile:

It could certainly help if you had a bit of "dirt" on the right people, J. Edgar Hoover style!

Bill.

65

Armageddon in 1975 'probability' or 'possibility'? Irrefutable Proof the Watchtower Said 1975 Was "Game Over!"

by PhilsWager2 in

it's hard to know where to put this link to a polish book some of you older members probably read, while our newer members are seeking answers to questions the watchtower vehemently deny's!

do i put this under "jw scandals" or "jw beliefs"?

for decades without the internet many of us did not have access to all the publications written by early watchtower writers because access was hard, only men like raymond franz jr(god rest his brave soul) had the golden key for entering the library of all publications jws made.. can some of the older members remember people who sold their homes and others who bought things in the summer or fall of 1974 knowing they won't be paying for their purchases because jehovah will destroy all the creditors records when he kills them!

Bungi Bill

While I would agree there is no smoking gun that just says the world is ending in 1975,

The thought, though, was left hanging there - not once - but many, many times during the years 1966-1975. From that, it is obvious what the WTS wanted its readers to think:

- i.e. that 1975 was going to be the year that saw "this system" end.

That their publications presented 1975 as a "probability" rather than a mere "possibility" was even admitted to in the Kingdom Proclaimers book, that came out in the early 1990s.

Examples in writing are not hard to find. To cite just two of many:

The one that kicked it all off Life Everlasting in Freedom of the Sons of God" (1966), which actually used the expression "appropriate" to describe the system ending in 1975.
That 1968 magazine article entitled "Why are you looking forward to 1975?"

Particularly with that 1968 magazine article, even Blind Freddie (no relation to Mad Freddie!) could see the conclusion that the WTS wanted its readers to draw. And it worked! That is indeed what nearly all readers of those articles concluded.

This is just what was written during those years leading up to 1975. What was spoken from the platform (at the Kingdom Hall, Circuit and District Assemblies, opening of new branch facilities etc) was often much more pointed. Some of that has been preserved in tape recordings, such as Charles Sunutko's infamous 1967 "Stay Alive until 1975" diatribe.

So even if there is no actual, official, written statement to be found in which the WTS said outright in so many words that the end of the system would definitely happen in 1975, it certainly did nothing to discourage that idea, either:

- somebody here on this post has used the term "threw gasoline" onto the situation. That would have to be the very kindest thing that could be said about the WTS's conduct over this matter during those years 1966 -1975. (Never mind that their 1963 All Scriptures Inspired publication cautioned against speculation about this date. By three years later, that had become "Old Light" - to be replaced by "New Shyte"!)

Bill (who was an avid reader of everything the WTS printed over the years 1966 -1994)

65

Armageddon in 1975 'probability' or 'possibility'? Irrefutable Proof the Watchtower Said 1975 Was "Game Over!"

by PhilsWager2 in

it's hard to know where to put this link to a polish book some of you older members probably read, while our newer members are seeking answers to questions the watchtower vehemently deny's!

do i put this under "jw scandals" or "jw beliefs"?

for decades without the internet many of us did not have access to all the publications written by early watchtower writers because access was hard, only men like raymond franz jr(god rest his brave soul) had the golden key for entering the library of all publications jws made.. can some of the older members remember people who sold their homes and others who bought things in the summer or fall of 1974 knowing they won't be paying for their purchases because jehovah will destroy all the creditors records when he kills them!

Bungi Bill

My analysis of WTS teaching assumes 4026 to be the date of Adam's creation.

More about that word you just used ("ASSUME")

- It makes an

ASS

out of U

and ME

If you at all know what is good for you, never assume anything!

Bill.