Quendi

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Posts by Quendi

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  124

  2012 Memorial Partakers--12,604!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

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  2012 memorial partakers total 12,604.....atlantis

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  Quendi

  The world report figures may prompt some “new light” changes as the Governing Body casts around for the approach it believes it should now take. I agree with those who say that more than likely, a major doctrinal revision is coming to the effect that the number of 144,000 given in the book of Revelation is not to be taken literally. That will be easy enough to do since the tribes listed in Revelation are not the same as the tribes which received land allotments in Canaan. So that will be an easy explanation to advance for the change.

  That will open the floodgates for more partakers and we’ll see their numbers skyrocket, but the Governing Body is no longer concerned about them anyway. They have taken the mantle of being the “faithful and discreet slave” exclusively to themselves as many of us foresaw. So it doesn’t matter how many profess to be anointed as they will not be admitted into the upper echelons of the WTS anyway.

  But we may see a change in the composition of the Governing Body itself. It is clear that new blood is needed there. I expect that “new light” will make it possible to say that a man need no longer to be of the anointed to serve on the Governing Body. As it is, those of the “other sheep” do most of the writing and doctrinal development. Why not take the next step and let them have places in the innermost sanctum of the WTS?

  Making these doctrinal changes might equip the organization to face the next several decades without the worry of facing a leadership crisis. “Other sheep” Witnesses can be selected to serve on the Governing Body without having to choose among the ‘mentally unstable’ newly-minted anointed for candidates. Plus, these new partakers can still be marginalized and ignored when it comes to their desire to have real input in the organization’s doctrinal and procedural developments. Thus, the internal difficulties the WTS now faces can be addressed and its energies can then be applied to the problem of stagnating growth and contraction in many lands.

  Quendi
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  68

  WTS says U.S. pubs increased .9% (less than 1%)for 2012

  by Gayle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2013 yearbook on jw.org.

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  Quendi

  These figures recall to my mind a passage from Luke’s Gospel. “But the angel said to [the shepherds]: ‘Have no fear, for look! I am declaring to you good news of a great joy that all the peoples will have.’ ” —Luke 2:10

  I quote the Gospel because to me these figures are indeed “good news of a great joy.” At last we may be seeing the beginning of the end for this execrable cult. I don’t expect some monumental collapse tomorrow or even in the near future, but I do believe we are seeing stagnation which will be followed shortly by a real contraction—at least in developed countries. It may take a while before the trend manifests itself in the developing world. It will be interesting to see what spin the WTS puts on these figures whenever they are discussed in a Watchtower Study meeting.

  I thought all along that Memorial partakers would top 12,000 this year and they have. I won’t be surprised to see the number crest over 13,000 next year. I think this shows that more Witnesses are growing unhappy with their lot and want something better so they are talking themselves into the belief that they are of the anointed. Of course, partakers still make up only a fraction of one percent of all Witnesses worldwide.

  Four months ago on another thread several of us said the Governing Body would soon claim to be the only members of the “faithful and discreet slave” class. That has now happened. The next development we anticipate will be the WTS declaring that the number 144,000 given in the book of Revelation is symbolic. Should that come to pass, I think we will see the number of partakers skyrocket.

  Quendi
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  26

  JW's on Christmas Day

  by Jim_TX in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife, my m-i-l and i were driving over to my wife's aunt's home on christmas day to celebrate christmas - which involved letting the aunt's great-great-grandkids open their presents, and eating an early supper (or late lunch).. we were on the way at around 10:30am to 11:00am to the house.

  about a couple of miles away, whilst driving through the neighborhood, i spotted a couple of middle-aged young women wearing skirts down to their ankles, and carrying large handbags (aka 'bookbags').

  they were between houses, and walking slowly... pioneer stroll?....

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  Quendi

  To my shame, I must admit to being one of those door-knockers on both Thanksgiving and Christmas. I suppose I was lucky because I never got an angry rebuff from the householders. Indeed, when I took part on Thanksgiving Day, I had some very interesting conversations with people. However, I did not make this a yearly custom. I went out on one Thanksgiving Day many years ago in Boulder, Colorado and a Christmas Day some years after that in Redondo Beach, California. The Christmas witnessing cured me once and for all and I made it a point to never disturb people during the holidays again. It is a rude and insensitive practice and should not be encouraged.

  Despite my own decision, I noted that congregation elders frequently announced that there would be field service from the hall on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day mornings. Some of the more zealous publishers and pioneers participated, but I noticed they seldom talked about their experiences and the receptions they got making me think that my decision to withdraw from the activity was the correct one.

  Quendi
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  70

  January 2013 warns parents to resist contact with df'd children again

  by stuckinlimbo in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  see page 15-16. full of "straw men" like:.

  * do not blame yourself it is the child that jehovah blames - parents do not care whose fault it is they just want their child not to be killed by god.

  * it is ok for parents to hope their df'd child returns - was anybody really asking if that was wrong?.

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  Quendi

  The more I read on topics and threads like this one, the happier I am that the gulf between me and this religion/cult is only growing wider and deeper.

  Quendi
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  12

  My new ebook Paradise Earth: Day Zero is out.

  by donuthole in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hello friends.

  i'm excited to announce that the ebook version of my new novel paradise earth: day zero is now available at amazon, barnes & noble, and kobo.

  a print copy is in the works and will follow.. i also did a couple of interviews for ak morgen and curiosity quills.

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  Quendi

  I’m looking forward to reading this. The reader’s review on the Amazon website has piqued my interest. Congratulations on the publication of this novel, donuthole, and I wish you continued success as a writer. As this is the first installment of a trilogy, I am eager to see how you will develop the theme, plot and characters in subsequent installments.

  Quendi
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  116

  God gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites - What does the bible REALLY teach?

  by irondork in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  that is why god gave them up to disgraceful sexual appetites, for both their females changed the natural use of themselves into one contrary to nature;and likewise even the males left the natural use of the female and became violently inflamed in their lust toward one another, males with males, working what is obscene and receiving in themselves the full recompense, which was due for their error.

  romans 1:26,27.

  (excerpts from: homosexianity by r. d. weekly for the sake of familiarity, scripture quotations appearing in the book were replaced with the new world translation) http://www.amazon.com/homosexianity-letting-devastating-scripture-orientation/dp/1442163062/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=utf8&qid=1356175321&sr=1-1&keywords=homosexianity.

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  Quendi

  Thanks for sharing this, irondork. I appreciate the research you have done. The WTS has always quoted Romans 1: 27, 28 in a blanket condemnation of homosexuality and that convinced me for many years that my own nature was “deviant” and “sinful.” Like you, however, I began to look at the passage in context, and that was when I realized that the apostle Paul was discussing idolatry and some of its effects.

  Naturally, no fundamentalist sect will agree with the understanding we and others have. They will insist that these passages make an unqualified condemnation of same-sex relations. However, it is good to know that alternative understandings are possible, especially when readers look at this passage exegetically. Biblical exegesis is something many fundamentalists do not embrace. They prefer the method of isolating different scriptures and then giving them the interpretation they prefer. It is no wonder that this leads to a religion that is rigid, unyielding and unloving.

  Quendi
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  13

  The website rating service WOT is being used to sandbag TTATT sites

  by RayPublisher in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i recently sent an email about this to a couple dozen of my contacts.

  (it is included below) has anyone else encountered this problem with wot?.

  .. wot (web of trust) is an excellent plug-in that i have used with google chrome for quite some time, but have noticed that many of the sites run by dissidents and former jws to expose the lies and hypocrisy of the wt automatically have "dangerous" reputations according to wot, and my browser will actually pop up a warning not to visit the site when trying to go there.

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  Quendi

  bookmarked
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  22

  The sin of Sodom and Gomorrah- What does the bible REALLY teach?

  by irondork in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as with most doctrines, the belief that the bible condemns homosexuality is multi-layered and allegedly supported by several scriptures.

  when he raised his eyes he got to see the man, the traveler, in the public square of the city.

  let me bring them out, please, and you rape them and do to them what is good in your eyes.

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  Quendi

  bookmarked
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  95

  What was it about Bethel that woke you up?

  by cognisonance in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one the how many exbethelites thread it was mentioned that some think one either leaves down the path towards apostasy or as a 100% true believer.

  i'm curious what experiences did you face at bethel that woke you up (or started to at least)?.

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  Quendi

  Bethel means “House of God”, but everything I have read on this thread makes me believe that “House of Horrors” would be a more appropriate name for the institution. It seems that the bad experiences weren’t confined to the world headquarters in New York but were to be had at other locations in the world. That points to a sick culture that has nothing to do with God’s spirit.

  Quendi
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  95

  What was it about Bethel that woke you up?

  by cognisonance in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one the how many exbethelites thread it was mentioned that some think one either leaves down the path towards apostasy or as a 100% true believer.

  i'm curious what experiences did you face at bethel that woke you up (or started to at least)?.

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  Quendi

  I’ve been lurking for a while but I wanted to chip in on this thread. Bethel service was held up as a worthwhile goal for me when I was getting started as a Witness. Everyone told me I would be a great fit and should do all the right things so that I would eventually get “invited” to work there.

  Even though I was quite young, only twenty years old, I knew this was a very big decision. So before committing myself to anything I attended the Bethel meeting at the district convention the summer after I got baptized. Am I ever glad I did! The Bethelite who gave the presentation lacked the kind of warmth and enthusiasm I was looking for. He stated things in a matter-of-fact voice and made it sound as though you had to be an über-Witness to even be considered for a posting there. I decided right then that it wasn’t the kind of place I would like.

  As the years went by, I met others who were either ex-Bethelites or were working there. I’m sorry to say that many of the ones I knew were not the kind of people I would ever have wanted as a friend. There were exceptions, of course, but most of my encounters with men who had Bethel experience left a bad taste in my mouth. Reading this thread has helped me to understand why many were that way. An environment as oppressive and joyless as exists in these Bethel homes will have a negative impact on those steeped in it.

  Quendi