ran across an interesting article commenting on the capitalist imperitive of endless growth.
in a world controlled by mega-corporations - whose amoral and self-interested philosophy is growth uber alles - we are bombarded daily with propaganda about the blessings of growth, even as we experience its opposite.
unless we, the people, regain control of our corporate oligarchy and re-define economics to generate balance, the world will continue to degenerate under a self-defeating, for-profit, ethic of growth-to-ruin.. .
Another reason why I've come to the conclusion that the WTS is headed for eventual extinction; its "business model" requires ever-increasing financial growth to survive.
With donations leveling off in the developed world and a decline in the wind, its revenue intake is becoming increasingly insufficient to support third-world membership growth.
It's becoming an unsustainable design.
there have been several threads about music the last few days, so i decided to start another.. this song absolutely makes me tear up every time i hear it.. .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cq_3byxasmm.
Lonestar's "I'm Already There" always puts a lump in my throat.
a new article for those who are interested.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/patterson-on-the-line-watchtower-claims-that-paying-cash-bond-would-cause-immediate-irreparable-harm-and-hardship.
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cedars.
I just had the oddest image come to mind:
Conti and her lawyers accepting the Patterson bond, then winning the appeal.
After the deed is transferred to her name, she sells it to another religious organization...
...for a buck.
a new article for those who are interested.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/patterson-on-the-line-watchtower-claims-that-paying-cash-bond-would-cause-immediate-irreparable-harm-and-hardship.
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cedars.
ziddina - "In my experience, the Watchtower Society will use "Theocratic Warfare" to protect their assets. So, it would be natural for them to scream "Poverty!" and "Financial Hardship!", no matter what they were asked to pay."
Not the wisest tactic in the Information Age...
a new article for those who are interested.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/patterson-on-the-line-watchtower-claims-that-paying-cash-bond-would-cause-immediate-irreparable-harm-and-hardship.
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cedars.
Tylinbrando - "...why all the posturing by the WBTS?"
Because they refuse to accept that due to their policies, they could be in the wrong.
Because they are certain that - as God's chosen representatives - they cannot possibly fail...
and/or
...because they think that if they lose, they can appear (to the faithful R&F) like unfairly treated victims.
Because they hate "Satan's World", and being forced to change their ways by "Satan's World" is grating.
Because when building an empire (no matter how small or imagined), collateral damage is viewed as acceptable, and they don't like to be shown otherwise.
Because, like all conservative/authoritarians, they view humanity as fundamentally and irreperably bad, and as such, they are unable to believe that implementing progressive reforms could actually work to their benefit, either inside or outside the Org.
it bothers me, was it childs or macready?
was it either?
anybody remember when it was at theaters, did the ending generate conversation?.
Loved it.
Interesting point, according to Dark Horse comics' sequel, Childs was infected. Carpenter loved the comic and all but endorsed it as canon; in fact, he stated that if he ever helmed a sequel, he'd simply adapt the comic.
BTW, when you guys refer to the "remake", are you talking about the 1982 film, or the 2011 prequel?
i was always curious about what they had to say.
(i guess i was an apostate in the making)..
I only ever saw one guy who'd picket outside the local assembly hall every weekend. He never looked crazy, just bedraggled, 'cause it always seemed to be raining on assembly days.
I actually felt kinda sorry for him for always being all alone in the wet.
I never thought he was "demonized", though (just maybe misguided); and I was aware by that time that some people did and do fall through the cracks in the WTS and often felt severely hurt by the experience, so I didn't feel overly inclined to judge.
can a skillful lawyer use this information in court as evidence of lack of fullfillment of fuduciary duty on thier part since they claim to be the only true religion and obedience is a life and death matter.. just saying could not the governing body just be falling into a trap of thier own making and not even be consciously realizing it?
and maybe consciously and unconsciously thier legal team is pushing them that way conspiracy theorys could take many turns on that one.. how about conspiracies that operate in the collective unconscious level, conspirering against them unconscious to them making themselve thier own worst enemy..
frankiespeakin - "I was having a brain fart."
It's not so bad once you get used to it.
long time lurker, first time poster.. .
i'm an ms (accounts servant) in a large congregation in canada.
over the last several years i've faught a hard-won battle to rid my mind of all religous and supernatural beleifs.
I don't need to be.
I'm content with being vaguely theistic/deistic/agnostic.
i've been giving some thought recently to what's going on in the minds of the individual governing body members, and what makes them tick.
the process of listening to their talks for my "getting to know you" youtube video series, though draining, has been very enlightening.
i now feel i know some of their individual personalities a little better than i did previously.. then there has been the tumultuous events of 2012. it's been interesting to note the way the governing body has responded to some of these issues, and how in most cases their responses have been woefully inadequate or even counter-productive as regards their long-term interests.. for example:.
King Solomon - "Yeah, that's because the WTBTS hasn't increased their liability; they've actually decreased their risk exposure at the front end by requiring elders to notify them of suspected predators."
'Kay, I think I get it.
They're distancing themselves (legally) from individual congos and BOEs so if/when more shit hits the fan, they think they'll be futher removed from any pedo-related JC screwups, right?
If that's the case, I don't get something... how does that jive with the fact that they've already been "requiring elders to notify them of suspected predators"?
They allegedly have a database of names, dates, and locations, not to mention their passive and anonymous payphone "reporting" policy, the WTS's direct ownership of almost all the KHs, and the increased top-down emphasis on their own authority over all things WT/JW?
Do they think they can acquire more control whilst somehow bearing less accountability?
