DesirousOfChange

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Posts by DesirousOfChange

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  39

  So, 60 Years Ago

  by titch in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  so, folks, 60 years ago, starting on september 1st, i believe, we, local witnesses in southern california, had the "privilege" of attending the "around the world assembly", at, of all places, the rose bowl, in pasadena.

  (i think that it was an 8-day assembly) i was 9 years old then, almost ready to start 4th grade.

  so, was anyone else, on this site, at that assembly?

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  DesirousOfChange

  JW Friend: "Doc, you don't want to miss the Regional Convention!"

  Doc: "I can assure you, I WILL NOT MISS IT!" [Under his breath -- "I sure haven't missed any of those meetings!"]
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  125

  Mandated Shunning is a Crime

  by Lee Marsh in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.

  shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.

  mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.

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  DesirousOfChange

  But don't try to get the government to help. Any help they offer is not going to make your life better. ~SIMON

  Most things the government touch go to sh!t. You cannot get past the bureaucracy. The old "too many cooks...." thing.

  So , if a member of someone's family does something that warrants shunning and their family doesn't shun would there be no comeback on them ? Or does that depend on individual Kingdom Halls and the elders ? Can people be punished for not shunning? ~jhine

  My experiences with the WT Service Dept was that elders are told to STAY OUT of anything dealing with association with FAMILY and they have a very broad definition of "family". (The case I questioned was regarding a DF "former" step-daughter who was homeless and a pioneer sister who was no longer married to the girl's biological father was offering to allow her into her home. "If they claim to be "family", then they ARE family".) IF it was to cause concerns (gossip) in the Cong, then her qualifications as a pioneer could come into question. (That would also apply to men serving as Elders or MS.)

  However, if there is no familial relationship, active members in good standing can be warned if they are found out to be associating regularly (BRAZENLY) with DF persons. (Business relationships may be exempt but hardline elders with a grudge could push that. Failure to cease association could result in the "wrongdoer" being "marked" or even DFd for "brazen conduct".

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  47

  Retirement savings

  by TxNVSue2023 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what's the current jw stance on retirement savings?

  i know it changed.

  pre1975 it was an attitude of "don't worry about retirement, this system is ending soon".

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  DesirousOfChange

  I overheard two elders discussing their strategy on their retirement/pension plans. One said he was fully vested in his current union pension plan, so he was seeking to join a different union trade and build a second pension for his retirement. This was over 10 years ago and that elder was not yet 40 years old.

  So much for "Armageddon is right around the corner".

  
  
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  32

  Sagely advice of a CO

  by Vidqun in

  1. social
  2. humour

  “a circuit overseer started out by saying that on this last round of the circuit, the one thing he noticed the most...is that everyone is physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually drained...and that cuts across all barriers and demographics within the truth.

  he then said that the one common thread that ran among nearly everyone was this: we feel guilty for feeling bad.

  he said because we are told to endure with joy, our minds can cause us to feel enormous guilt over feeling this way...and then, my dear brothers and sisters...he proceeded to blow our collective minds.. he asked us to turn to daniel 8:27….

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  DesirousOfChange

  Thank you for this post! It was very encouraging!! ~ Sue

  Sue got down-voted for this comment, but in fact, I think it IS very encouraging.......

  IT IS ENCOURAGING THAT CO'S MUST DELIVER THIS MESSAGE.

  WHY?

  Because the majority of JW's ARE TIRED. Tired of all the bullshit and tired of seeing that the promises of WT/JW are FAILING/FALSEHOODS.
  
  
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  11530

  It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

  by Newly Enlightened in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  original reddit post (removed).

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  DesirousOfChange

  "Let he that is standing take heed that he does not fall."

  I recall reading that somewhere. LE sure did sh!t in his nest.
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  28

  Could this be the end of JWs? What are the consequences if it is?

  by Teddnzo in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  multiple very serious allegations against tony and then huge efforts to remove him from all pictures and videos, have to admit it doesn’t look good.. once the pennsylvania investigation becomes public knowledge and front page news it will be very very hard for 8 million pimis.. is it possible that this could be the largest problem the branch has ever faced?

  larger than 1975, the overlapping generations or any other ‘test of faith’.

  many will feel heartbroken and betrayed.

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  DesirousOfChange

  I'd guess that at least 50% of my peers left the religion in one way or another. Faded (before that was a term), DFd, etc. and I think the rate is even higher among JWs from my children's generation (children of our peers).

  I am constantly surprised how many times one of my kids mentions that "he" or "so-and-so" is out when learning about former JW acquaintances from our Hall or Circuit. I'm thinking most families have at least some of their children who have left.
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  35

  Are Elders prepared to take the fall for WT/GB misdemeanor's / crime ??

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been thinking about this in relation to the directive given to elders to destroy any incriminating evidence they may have either on their pc`s ,e-mails , private notes in their possession, or notes in their witnessing bags ,etc.

  to do with child sexual abuse they may still have in their possession.. isn`t that encouraging the elders to interfere with the justice system ?.

  to break the law?.

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  DesirousOfChange

  I think most of them are not savvy enough to understand the potential consequences.
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  28

  Could this be the end of JWs? What are the consequences if it is?

  by Teddnzo in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  multiple very serious allegations against tony and then huge efforts to remove him from all pictures and videos, have to admit it doesn’t look good.. once the pennsylvania investigation becomes public knowledge and front page news it will be very very hard for 8 million pimis.. is it possible that this could be the largest problem the branch has ever faced?

  larger than 1975, the overlapping generations or any other ‘test of faith’.

  many will feel heartbroken and betrayed.

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  DesirousOfChange

  Once the Pennsylvania investigation becomes public knowledge and front page news it will be very very hard for 8 million PIMIs.

  Don't you know the "front page news" is part of Satan's system and it was long foretold that Satan would attack Jehover's People.
  
  
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  9

  Faded then apostate?

  by Teddnzo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if someone has faded so they are not known as a jw for a few years there is no need to be disfellowshiped or announced that they are no longer a jw.. so they wouldn’t need to be shunned the same way as if they did a hard exit like writing a letter or something.. so if evidence arose that such a faded person was sinning there still would be no need to announce that they were no longer a jw the same as if they were known as a jw.

  family members and members of the congregation would not shun them?.

  what would happen if such a faded person became apostate?

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  DesirousOfChange

  Years ago Publisher Record Cards were held for 8 years only. That is what identifies you as a member of a Congregation. Though I never saw it in print, general consensus was if you were "gone" (I don't think the term "faded" was applied yet), then you were considered a "man of the world" if something was reported -- as long as you were not identifying yourself as a JW.

  As I understand it today, your final Publisher Record Report is kept indefinitely. I believe the reason for that is -- "just in case" -- just in case they WANT to go after you. Generally speaking, if you have faded for several years, they will "let sleeping dogs lie" if you are not agitating things. KInda the idea of "don't go away mad, just go away". But if you become an agitator ie, shit disturber or persona non grata (ax murderer, etc), they can go pull up that record and formally oust you.
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  20

  Why do JW apostates tend to be activists against the religion?

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  j. arden writes.

  first of all an apostate is literally just someone who left.

  most jws are technically apostates from the religions they were raised in.

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  DesirousOfChange

  Because they wish to protect themselves from any further harm, as well as protect others before they suffer as much harm.

  It's like posting NO SWIMMING signs when sharks are found to present in the water.