Franklin Massey

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Posts by Franklin Massey

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  23

  Yet another July 15th 2011 WT thread...use caution--deconstruction at work

  by sd-7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i figured i'd start off by just examining the language used in the july 15th, 2011 watchtower, page 15-16, paragraphs 4-7.. apostates are like:.

  1. ravenous wolves.

  9. their own ideas.

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  Franklin Massey

  Getting ready for the weekend. BTTT
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  24

  Stressful Session with Uber-Zealous Parents--The Mermaid needs a hug!

  by Cadellin in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  okay, for those of you who don't know, i was raised jw by really great though uber-zealous parents.

  i'm now an adult and have been inactive for about two years due a bunch of reasons, the primary one (or at least the one that got the ball rolling) being the pathological intellectual dishonesty of the wt in how it handles secular quotes and citations.

  anyway, my parents are aware of all that and have left the issue alone for about the last year.

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  Franklin Massey

  Cadellin, I've had similar experiences with JW friends and family. It's largely based on perspective. In your example, the facts of the situation are: you went to college, developed better critical thinking and analysis skills, sharpened your mind, and learned the value of being skeptical. Your perspective on this is that it was a good experience because these basic skills will serve you well in your life. Your parent's perspective is that it was a bad experience because the Society was right: college corrupts the mind with "so-called" critical thinking and creates skeptics, not believers. Same situation, two ways of looking at it.

  I've been in the middle of intense debates with JWs about various issues and suddenly realized, we agree on the facts, we're syaing the same things, it's just the application (perspective) that causes the division. What something means to me and what it means to a JW are two very different things.

  So now, I just play dumb and try to avoid these types of discussions.

  Oh, I almost forgot...*hugs*
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  83

  Common Misconceptions Re: Evolution

  by cantleave in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this is another cut and paste, but i make no apology (unless it has been posted on here already), as it is very informative.

  evolution is one of the best supported, most elegant, and most powerful theories in all of science.

  as it stands, it is the best explanation that we have for the diversity of life on earth.

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  Franklin Massey

  marking
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  322

  WT Nov. 1, 2011 (public) - When Was Ancient Jerusalem Destroyed - Part 2

  by AnnOMaly in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  out now.. yes, yes, yessssss!

  on p. 26-27 they talk about how the lunar positions on vat 4956 fit 588/7 bce!!!.

  "clearly, much of the astronomical data in vat 4956 fits the year 588 b.c.e.

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  Franklin Massey

  Marking.

  Alleymom...wow.
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  62

  WE CAN DO THIS....if you think the idea is as good as I do!

  by Terry in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have long had an idea that i think is a very powerful tool in reaching even hard-nosed jw's.. .

  it would consist only of actual photographic scans of various documents, articles, photographs such as these from marvin shilmer's blog: (see next panel).

  there would be no extraneous non-official text whatsoever.. it would be published the size of an old life magazine and sent anonymously to jw's at their homes.. the cover would clearly contain the words: "all contents originally published by watchtower bible &tract society".

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  Franklin Massey

  Jesus Christ! I've never seen the letter that Bangalore posted. Proof that JWs are already living in their own little government.
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  33

  "The organization has never disappointed us..."

  by Franklin Massey in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the simplified english edition of the july 15th, 2011 watchtower, in an article that warns jws about apostate influences, the following quote is given as a reason to stick close to the watchtower organization:.

  "the organization has never disappointed us and always gives us an abundance of pure waters of truth from god's word.".

  a scan of the page can be found here: http://www.jwfacts.com/images/watchtower-2011-jul-15-p12-apostates.jpg.

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  Franklin Massey

  unshackled, OUCH. Is there a thread that discusses that issue of AWAKE!? Were blood fractions really an issue in those cases? I would look it up myself but I don't have a the WT Library CD. I used to keep one with me here at work but I threw it away in a moment of anger.
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  33

  "The organization has never disappointed us..."

  by Franklin Massey in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the simplified english edition of the july 15th, 2011 watchtower, in an article that warns jws about apostate influences, the following quote is given as a reason to stick close to the watchtower organization:.

  "the organization has never disappointed us and always gives us an abundance of pure waters of truth from god's word.".

  a scan of the page can be found here: http://www.jwfacts.com/images/watchtower-2011-jul-15-p12-apostates.jpg.

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  Franklin Massey

  In the simplified English edition of the July 15th, 2011 Watchtower, in an article that warns JWs about apostate influences, the following quote is given as a reason to stick close to the Watchtower Organization:

  "The organization has never disappointed us and always gives us an abundance of pure waters of truth from God's Word."

  A scan of the page can be found here: http://www.jwfacts.com/images/watchtower-2011-jul-15-p12-apostates.jpg

  What are the implications of a statement like this? Given the doctrinal changes and false predictions of the Watchtower Society, some level of disappointment is to be expected among the JWs. At the very least, many JWs fully expected Armageddon to have arrived by now, as they were instructed to believe by their leaders. But here, those very leaders who made promises they couldn't keep, tell their followers that the organization - not God, not Jesus, but a group of men - has NEVER disappointed them.

  How are those who have been rightly disappointed going to feel about this statement? Likely, they will feel that the disappointment is all their fault (1975, anyone?). Why? Because the Governing Body says that no one has ever been disappointed. If God's chosen representatives say they have never done anything to disappoint, then it must be true...right? So the rank and file begin to doubt themselves. They feel guilty. That guilt gives the leaders of the Watchtower Society a powerful edge.

  Sometimes I soften a bit and think, "These guys are just doing what they think is best. They don't mean any harm. They aren't intentionally manipulating their followers. They're just trying to keep them on the straight and narrow." Then I read an article like this one and realize the deplorable level of control and manipulation that is being exercised over the JWs.

  I have been disappointed with this religion. I have every right to be disappointed. I refuse to be tricked into thinking that there has been no reason for me to ever be disappointed. How about you?
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  69

  WT Society Alters their History as " The Party " did in George Orwell's 1984

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  finally my wife and i got around to reading george orwell's " 1984 " .

  as many of you know who have read the book that " the party " or " big brother " as the ruling power in the book is called ; constantly changes records of it's past dealings so as to deceive the public about any false forecasts they may have mistakenly made ; in an effort to put forth a positive image of itself it destroys past embarrassing records or paperwork which would expose the " party " as a failure.

  much the way the wt society has altered their history to deceive the public and their own members.. notice this quote from george orwell's " 1984 " on pg.

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  Franklin Massey

  I don't think that many have read it but the terms "1984" and "Big Brother" are synonymous with conspiracy and control. I've mentioned the book before and received negative reactions by those who assumed (correctly) that I was suggesting some strange business going on behind the scenes.
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  69

  WT Society Alters their History as " The Party " did in George Orwell's 1984

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  finally my wife and i got around to reading george orwell's " 1984 " .

  as many of you know who have read the book that " the party " or " big brother " as the ruling power in the book is called ; constantly changes records of it's past dealings so as to deceive the public about any false forecasts they may have mistakenly made ; in an effort to put forth a positive image of itself it destroys past embarrassing records or paperwork which would expose the " party " as a failure.

  much the way the wt society has altered their history to deceive the public and their own members.. notice this quote from george orwell's " 1984 " on pg.

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  Franklin Massey

  I've always noticed 1984-ish behavior within the JWs since the first time I read the book as a teenager.

  Some advice: Don't mention 1984 in relation to the Watchtower around any devout JWs.
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  15

  Exposing the WT Affair with the UN - 9/11/11 Call to Action!

  by Timothy Riches in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  although many ex-jehovah's witnesses know about the watchtower's secret 10 year affair with the united nations, the vast majority of jehovah's witnesses do not know.

  on sunday september 11, 2011, we plan to let them know about it!

  there was never a formal disclosure to jehovah's witnesses at meetings or in wt literature or letters telling the jw's about the affair.

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  Franklin Massey

  Here in the US, 9/11 might not be the best day to go about doing this, especially if one of the goals is to attract media attention. Poor form if you ask me.