Vidiot

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Posts by Vidiot

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  33

  Research question

  by JeffT in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm doing a little background research for a novel.

  what is the craziest thing you heard a witness say was demonized, and what did they do about it?.

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  Vidiot

  JeffT - "What is the craziest thing you heard a witness say was demonized?"

  The 80s Transformers cartoon.

  Seriously.

  On a related note, I lost count of how many times an uber-Witness labeled information they didn't like as "worldy wisdom".
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  13

  To The Australian Government .Have Jehovah`s Witnesses signed the Redress scheme ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  maybe i`m a just a bit more impatient than some ,but the govt.

  did say they will name and shame those who do not sign up to the redress scheme didn`t they ?

  and take away their special priveledges , etc.?.

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  Vidiot

  Sneaky buggers.
  

  At no point do they mention that technically, Jehovah's Witnesses don't actually have to be registered as a charity.

  The only real advantage to the Org being a charity is the tax-exemption it affords.

  The grudging acceptance of voluntary joining the scheme...

  ...i.e. showing their throat to agents of "Satan's World', tacitly admitting that the problem was real and their fault, and potentially undermining their authority in the eyes of the membership*...

  ...therefore suggests that they signed up not because they "respect and cooperate with the authorities", but because they want, nay, need said tax-exemption.

  Just how badly, I wonder?**

  

  *I freely admit that I actually thought the Org wouldn't budge on this for these reasons. Surprise, surprise.

  **A rhetorical question; I think a really strong argument could be made that at this point, they just might be fucked without it.
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  23

  DPA Blood ASAP

  by manicmama in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am in need of the current copy of the newest dpa blood card as some of the jw's in my mothers congregation are asking about if she signed the latest copy after she passed today.

  i am curious as to why they are asking about this specifically and not offering condolences on the loss of my mother.

  there has been some shady interactions leading to my mother requesting me to talk to certain elders to request that certain people not interact with her further.

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  Vidiot

  So, your mom dies...

  ...and instead of "our condolences" or even "are you okay?", the first thing her JW peers ask is - for all intents and purposes - "did she die loyal and obedient to the Org?"

  That's fucked up, man.

  What's next? "Did she leave the Org any money?"
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  21

  'Theocratic Careers' and the Covid Pandemic

  by eyeslice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the watchtower has always banged on about not pursuing worldly careers and that best career was 'theocratic service.

  but now i am wondering what line they will take.

  let's have look at the options;.

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  Vidiot

  Reservations - "I can’t imagine the mental gymnastics some of these folks are performing, and this time next year, after 2 years into it, I can’t wait to see the carnage."

  I think that would be the most schadenfreudy part... seeing the Org brought to its knees by virtually zero effort on our part.

  I mean, seriously... watching them fumble around, trying to desperately adapt to the 21st Century and keep their vital tax-exemption whilst maintaining the fiction of "God's Exclusive Earthly Organization"?

  Mental gymnastics and carnage, indeed.
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  21

  'Theocratic Careers' and the Covid Pandemic

  by eyeslice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the watchtower has always banged on about not pursuing worldly careers and that best career was 'theocratic service.

  but now i am wondering what line they will take.

  let's have look at the options;.

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  Vidiot

  Reservations - "As a current PIMO elder, I’ve seen first hand a monumental attitude shift with the publishers in my cong."

  It's like having a front-row seat to a slow-motion train wreck, I'm guessing.
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  11

  Canada: Jehovah’s Witnesses challenge constitutionality of B.C. privacy law

  by yalbmert99 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  once again, watchtower doesn't want to respect our human rights.

  https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/jehovahs-witnesses-challenge-constitutionality-of-b-c-privacy-law.

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  Vidiot

  I suspect that the real reason the Org wants needs to keep ministry/door-to-door records has do to with retaining it's "charity" status.

  They don't do soup kitchens, clothing drives, or the like, so "preaching the gospel" is their only real qualification; therefore, they need clear, unambiguous records in case they're ever audited by federal revenue agencies...

  ...because - if I'm right - the Org's financial survival has become dependent on its tax-exemption.
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  20

  Big Cull of Foreign Language Groups and Congregations

  by eyeslice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i overheard mrs eyeslice listening to '2021 governing body update 3' yesterday.

  apparently, they have started ditching foreign language groups and congregations as these weren't exactly roping anyone in.

  of course there is a positive spin on all this - '4,000 plus elders freed up to serve in local language congregations' and of course there has been immensely positive feedback from various branches about the benefits of this.. i suspect though there will be an awful lot of elders who were serving as king pins in these congregations who are going to have their noses put out by going back to local language congregations where they will barely be used.

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  Vidiot

  FFGhost - "...Protection of organization assets... Protection of organizational prestige... Maintenance or extension of power over adherents..."

  Yup. The second one is, IMO, the most important, though.

  These days, every decision the WTS makes... every decision... is crafted with the overarching goal of maintaining the illusion of "God's Exclusive Earthly Organization".

  Maintaining membership loyalty and discipline is a no-brainer, as long as the R&F subscribes to that fiction (what True Believer would dare leave that, after all?)...

  ...but more importantly, protecting the Society's assets - or, more accurately, staying fiscally solvent - is vital in maintaining the religion's continued functionality, and therefore - from their POV - cannot be allowed to be eroded (how could "God's Exclusive Earthly Organization" fail financially, after all?).

  It's the reason I think the WTS has been fighting so hard - and making such seemingly counterintuitive decisions - to keep its "charity" status... I suspect that the Org's business model has become almost completely dependent on its tax-exemption to stay in the black.

  Unfortunately for them...

  ...as we dive further and further into the 21st Century, it seems like it's becoming increasingly tricky to make the necessary adjustments that secular authorities require to keep said tax-exemption without undermining the Organizational fiction.
  
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  11

  Canada: Jehovah’s Witnesses challenge constitutionality of B.C. privacy law

  by yalbmert99 in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  once again, watchtower doesn't want to respect our human rights.

  https://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/jehovahs-witnesses-challenge-constitutionality-of-b-c-privacy-law.

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  Vidiot

  The Org has always liked having its cake and eating it, too.
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  35

  Over population

  by mickbobcat in

  1. social
  2. current

  so i see some very counter intuitive videos on how there is no over population issue.

  that the world will grow to about 11 billion and stop.

  well that would be the first time in human history that population just stopped.

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  Vidiot

  Wow.

  With magnanimity that big, you'll leave room for at least three people.

  Good on ya.

  
  
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  16

  Article in The Australian: Jehovah's Witnesses facing tax turmoil

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.theaustralian.com.au/.../64acd93d531eb6b7301d.... .

  sorry, the article is behind a paywall.

  however, here's a copy of it without the photo:.

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  Vidiot

  Don't kid yourself, Rocket...

  ...at this point, it's becoming pretty apparent that the Org doesn't give a rat's ass about their public image anymore. It's a lost cause.

  These days, virtually every decision is made towards...

  a) ...as you said, keeping their "charity" status to stay in the black, and...

  b) ...reinforcing the fiction of "God's Earthly Organization" in the eyes of the rank-and-file (trust me, the importance of this cannot be overstated, for a whole shit-ton of reasons).
  

  The real trick will be juggling the two...

  ...especially if certain public steps they need to take to keep their tax-exemption too deeply undermine the Organizational fiction.