former jw timothy kline wrote an excellent article in 2002 that examines from a scriptural perspective the watchtower society's "two witnesses" requirement applicable to child abuse allegations (called "part 1" but there appears to be no further parts).
the article shows there are certainly alternative interpretations available to the watchtower society that would allow them to easily adjust this flawed aspect of their policy while still adhering to scriptural principles.
16 but if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.
Under Jaracz’s (alleged) influence, the “two-witness rule” was essentially weaponized to keep a serious problem that threatened the Org’s legitimacy and authority (in the immediate wake of the apostate witch-hunts of the late 70s and early 80s) under wraps…
…and because of that decision, the problem has become widespread, institutionalized, and endemic.
i was out on the ministry(tm) in the 1980's when i was pie-on-earring.
i was only a lowly publisher(tm) being coached by a rather odd elder(tm).. one of the publications(tm) had recently mentioned japan and the growth(tm) of jws there.. the elder(tm), brother(tm) i was with offered the magazines(tm) to the householder(tm).. then he stated, 'there are (gave the reported numbers at the time.
i can't remember the number he stated), jehovah's witnesses(tm) in japan.'.
Lost count.
Eventually, I learned to just roll my eyes and move on.
i remember back in the 80s almost every awake and watchtower magazine, think all, hade an article about how bad and evil catholic church was.
what happened to all the bashing?
was it because people in catholic countries got offended?
Ten bucks says they’re scared of the Vatican lawyers.
at a recent xjw conference, software engineer fred williams spoke on the subject of information that is found in nature.
it is a fascinating topic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvpveyf5cic .
Sea Breeze - “… At a recent XJW conference, software engineer Fred Williams spoke on the subject of Information that is found in nature...”
We all view the world around us through the lenses of our own experience.
A software engineer will, quite naturally, see data wherever he looks.
everytime a publisher moves congregations they have a confidential letter of introduction sent from one body of elders to the other .
this letter contains some very very sensitive information like if they had sexual problems or mental health problems or if they self harmed etc.
most people don’t know but they can request or insist on seeing this information through a freedom of information request .
I kept moving around without telling ‘em, so I myself haven’t a goddamn clue where my records are. 😁
2022 grand totals.
branches of jehovah’s witnesses: 86. .
number of lands reporting: 239. .
Interesting…
…we seem to have reached a point where almost no one here posts a positive - from the Org’s POV - forecast for its current or future status…
…and the two or three who do never seem to give any particularly compelling arguments as to why.
The general consensus really does seem to be that the WTS’s future does not look bright.
I could be wrong.
pasting this page for hebrews 10:10 https://biblehub.com/parallel/hebrews/10-10.htm.
it speaks of jesus sacrifice for all ( as in all peoples ) or is it for all time?
( one time only).
For all time. Always.
a very recent case i mentioned briefly in another thread might be of interest to many here.
a mormon found through the internet that her church leadership had deliberately misled members regarding the origin of the book of mormon and engaged in historical revisioning.
she sued for damages for the lifelong tithing she had been deceived into giving.
If you’re dishonest in your efforts to claim the moral high ground, you automatically forfeit the moral high ground.
i personally have only attended a handful of meetings at kingdom halls.
i did not enjoy any of them nor was i impressed by anything that was conveyed.
perhaps others did not find them boring as i did.. nadia viotto has this to say about her experience.
The last one I took my 90-plus-year-old mom to, the Governing-Body-WT-Organization cheerleading felt like it’d been dialed up to 11.
about three years ago , there was a son of an elder in my hall ( and i use the term " my hall " in a very loose term ) who committed suicide.
the guy was real asshole but not one deserves something like that.
i read his sons obit online.
They used to condemn suicide as self-murder, until they - allegedly - finally started acknowledging that you can’t always fully understand or judge any individual’s mental or emotional state.
Probably started hearing rumours that too many of the more vulnerable rank-and-filers might be suffering suicidal depression explicitly due to the particulars of the WT ideology, lifestyle, and belief system, and wanted to avoid any blowback.
