Posts by Half banana

14

Watchtower Rebranding

by Fred Franztone in

jw
friends

the wtbts has finally decided to join the rest of us in the 21st century and has begun rebranding.

they've dropped the iconic watchtower sign from their heaquarters, and it's only a matter of time till they drop the now embarrassing watchtower name completely; a name synonymous with failure on the one hand and concentration camps on the other.. the organisation will soon be known solely as jw.org, bringing them right up-to-date with the web 2.0 revolution of 15 years ago, and making them the only company still to use a full web address as their main identifier, very forward-thinking of them.. it's inevitable that they'll gradually rebrand everything.

what methods do you think they'll go with?

Half banana

The "Watchtower" brand was truly ugly and had to go. The name "Jehovah" is likewise unattractive so perhaps it too will have to be pushed overboard as the organisation struggles for survival in the future. Some New York PR guru will likely recommend something more palatable like 'God's True Congregation' when the "Jehovah" brand has been stained to a degree beyond which PR scrubbing will no longer get it clean.

The main thing for a doomsday cult to remain even partially credible is to keep renewing your image and cutting off your roots so that you are no longer associated with the perpetual failure of your earlier prophecies.

Observing this manoeuvre is also one way of spotting a doomsday cult.

13

The Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses of Namibia and legal problems

by TerryWalstrom in

the christian congregation of jehovah’s witnesses of namibia has asserted its right to be exempt as an "employer" for purposes of payment to those who work on its behalf, nor are they responsible (they claim) for filing any social security documents as to wages, hours worked, withholding, etc.in 2014, the congregation asked to be de-registered as such.____it didn't go so well.____on the 16 june 2014, authorities replied to the jw's request by confirming that the appellant is considered an employer in terms of the ss act and consequently should be registered with the employees’ compensation fund established by the employees’ compensation act, 1941, as well as having the order register its members with the maternity, sick leave and death benefit established by the ss act___a ping-pong protest and response commenced with multiple requests for clarification by the dubs and protestations and requests for appeal, etc.____authorities decided this matter was best handled by visiting the premises and investigating for themselves what goes on.____after the "visit" by authorities, nothing was offered by the dubs to change any minds.___the jw's continued to whine and protest and appeal, etc.____the authorities examined the congregation's appeal and made the following evaluation:== in the respondent’s listed grounds of opposition, it noted that the appeal filed by the appellant is not proper as it failed to complete the form 11 as contemplated in rule 17(2)(a) of the rules of this court==___jw's protested and appealed the appeal response which didn't appeal to them.___arguments continued until the following finding was released:the labour amendment act stipulates that:18 ‘for the purposes of this act or any other employment law, until the contrary is proved, an individual who works for or renders services to any other person, is presumed to be an employee of that other person, regardless of the form of the contract or the designation of the individual, if any one or more of the following factors is present:(list of factors attached)____blah-blah-blah-blahfinally:the ss act does not provide for de-registration of employers.

accordingly, logic follows that once an employer has been registered under this act, the obligations created in terms of this act ceases to exist only where the employer (who is a natural person) dies or becomes insolvent or is sequestrated or is liquidated or wound up (where an employer is a juristic person).

employees may be ‘de-registered’ under that employer in the event they die or their services have been terminated._______cut to the chase:accordingly, the appellant cannot pick and choose which laws should apply to them and which not.

Half banana

Yes Terry, here is where the folly lies, with the happy deluded JW, reading the Bible and thinking he or she is a "good-for-nothing slave".

You really have to be in a bad way mentally to imagine that this humiliating relationship in full time service to the JW org will benefit yourself. Certainly God doesn't give a fig, no pioneer or Bethelite has ever had his hope rewarded, the only beneficiaries of this servitude are the governors of that organisation.

Being a lifelong JW is always a lifelong disappointment.

The indications then are that JWs (the little ones) are masochists.

13

The Christian Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses of Namibia and legal problems

by TerryWalstrom in

the christian congregation of jehovah’s witnesses of namibia has asserted its right to be exempt as an "employer" for purposes of payment to those who work on its behalf, nor are they responsible (they claim) for filing any social security documents as to wages, hours worked, withholding, etc.in 2014, the congregation asked to be de-registered as such.____it didn't go so well.____on the 16 june 2014, authorities replied to the jw's request by confirming that the appellant is considered an employer in terms of the ss act and consequently should be registered with the employees’ compensation fund established by the employees’ compensation act, 1941, as well as having the order register its members with the maternity, sick leave and death benefit established by the ss act___a ping-pong protest and response commenced with multiple requests for clarification by the dubs and protestations and requests for appeal, etc.____authorities decided this matter was best handled by visiting the premises and investigating for themselves what goes on.____after the "visit" by authorities, nothing was offered by the dubs to change any minds.___the jw's continued to whine and protest and appeal, etc.____the authorities examined the congregation's appeal and made the following evaluation:== in the respondent’s listed grounds of opposition, it noted that the appeal filed by the appellant is not proper as it failed to complete the form 11 as contemplated in rule 17(2)(a) of the rules of this court==___jw's protested and appealed the appeal response which didn't appeal to them.___arguments continued until the following finding was released:the labour amendment act stipulates that:18 ‘for the purposes of this act or any other employment law, until the contrary is proved, an individual who works for or renders services to any other person, is presumed to be an employee of that other person, regardless of the form of the contract or the designation of the individual, if any one or more of the following factors is present:(list of factors attached)____blah-blah-blah-blahfinally:the ss act does not provide for de-registration of employers.

accordingly, logic follows that once an employer has been registered under this act, the obligations created in terms of this act ceases to exist only where the employer (who is a natural person) dies or becomes insolvent or is sequestrated or is liquidated or wound up (where an employer is a juristic person).

employees may be ‘de-registered’ under that employer in the event they die or their services have been terminated._______cut to the chase:accordingly, the appellant cannot pick and choose which laws should apply to them and which not.

Half banana

I was in Namibia last year and found a desert land with a small population and an infant democracy. A lot of their political troubles are now behind them and there is a discernable sense of progress especially as there is unity and equality amongst the disparate races.

I really hope that the Namibian government stick to their guns and don't yield to the grasping commercialism of the JW governing body. These places in Africa can more easily spot the injustice of the rich (US JW HQ) depriving their slavish workers of a realistic income and social benefits. Funny how they get away with it in the rest of the world. Perhaps the tide is beginning to turn?

23

Moses, Soloman spoke to the entire assembly of Israel...How???

by James Mixon in

moses spoke to the entire assembly deuteronomy 31:3, leviticus19:2 and exodus 16:9 no sound amplification, we must remember he was speaking to 2 million people.

solomon in 2 chronicles spoke to thousands maybe millions, so how the hell did folks a mile away hear..you need a sound system for 200 folks in a close building in the kh.... moses, solomon and others had a great set of vocal cords.....

Half banana

Fictional characters at fictional events doing impossible things. . . like you can in FICTION.

61

2017 Service Year Report Worldwide - INDIVIDUALLY LISTED LANDS and COUNTRIES

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

now available:.

2017 service year report worldwide: table with individually listed lands and countries.

.

Half banana

To the extent that the figures are true, they confirm the trend that the JW religion in Europe and the developed world which was stagnating, is now moving towards decline.

Poland leading the field here with a loss of 1896 members. Britain, Germany, Finland, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Japan also in decline. France had a small gain.

The USA is now at the point of stagnation and I suggest that we can expect a Mexican wave in the future as lands which are Catholic and who have supplied members for the JW org in the past should also be heading for stagnation with Italy showing the way having gained only a few newbies and lost 21 kh's.

As we have discussed before Central and South America and war-torn Central Africa are bucking the trend for the moment as is India but for the richer and educated West, the heyday of JW religion was in the past.

Methinks Jehovah is driving his chariot with the handbrake on.

76

Hi, all...I'm a faithful JW who is sick of lies about us

by James Donalds in

i was baptized 30 years ago and have been in the faith for over 35 years.. our organization isn't perfect.

but i'm sick to death of seeing stereotypes about us.

we are not mindless automatons.

Half banana

I know of other JWs who smoke cigars and clandestinely lead a normal life outside the kh but they do not believe that JWs are the sole possessors of truth. There is a rising tide of unbelievers in the kingdom halls.

If you are sick of the 'lies' why then do you read them? Why not be a good JW and devote your life to doing exactly what the GB tell you?

On the other hand if you believe the JW set of doctrines then it is hard to see yourself as outsiders see you, or those who have awoken from the naive delusion that God is going to murder all those who don't believe in him.

Think honestly why JWs have the reputation they are accused of. We were there once!

52

What Made You Decide To Finally Leave The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

was there one certain event or was it more a cumulative thing?.

Half banana

As a JW I was a natural sceptic but I overlooked many of the inconsistencies (how generous of me!) and put them down to limited information and human error. For goodness sake that was a mistake-- if it comes from God it should be perfect hey?

It took me four years from realizing all was not well with the JW religion to my final and sweet departure walking out of the middle of a meeting knowing I was at least mentally a free man. It cost me my marriage and the reason I am still here on this site is mainly because two of my three kids remain under the JW spell.

Like many of you, it was not one thing but an accumulation of teachings and methods which did not chime with reason. I didn't feel that I was getting anywhere in my life, just routine meetings and WT talks for the brain-dead. I never believed in 1975, I didn't believe in 1914 as being marked by God and I didn't believe in a literal Devil. After reading a bit of philosophy and psychology I awoke to the realization that there was no God either.

From that moment on the organisation appeared to me as an increasingly controlling, life-stealing cult and if there was a final straw it was to escape the saccharine mind-numbing language which the Watchtower uses to keep its victims in subservience. I wanted to shout them down from my seat but that would only make matters worse. I saw the uninformed brothers spouting the party line to get salvation at a never to arrive paradise and I felt sorry for them. The wretched talk of "Fine brothers and sisters who give up material gain to pioneer". Meaning how Big J will reward those who promote the WTBT Society! Fine spiritual rewards for those who love Big J", meaning you must have unthinking loyalty to the GB. Yuck! it was intolerable.

Escaping was freedom at a price-- but it was worth it.

315

Flat earth vs round earth

by Jrjw in

my brother has been talking about the earth being flat and some big conspiracy going on to make people beieve otherwise.

what are people's thoughts on this?.

Half banana

Your bro should try and get an education........

22

Do you have a place to get away from it all?

by compound complex in

jw
friends

is your retreat .

an actual location, or simply a quiet place in your mind?.

i attended a concert on sunday, a featured piece having been commissioned by a composer who lives in the city but retreats to an island in the puget sound (usa) to write his music.

Half banana

JP, I wonder if your mammoth was actually a mastodon as the distribution of the former was mainly further north?

The mammoth had a distinct high crown bump on the top of the head whereas the mastodon had a flat head.

21

2005 Big Announcement (Disappointment)

by Fred Franztone in

jw
friends

i remember around 2005, there was an announcement made from the platform that in a few weeks time we would have to remain at the end of the sunday meeting for a big announcement, directly from the society.. i remember all the murmuring, people thought maybe this was going to be related to armageddon.

everyone was excited, people were speculating.

only the po in each congregation had any idea what was going on, and they were frequently pestered for information, but sworn to secrecy, which only hyped things up even more.. then the meeting came, anticipation was in the air, the announcement started, you could hear a pin drop.

Half banana

Put all these disappointments in the context of all of their promises; every last prediction of the Watchtower and JW organisation has led only to disappointment. Never have they come up with the goods--they never deliver--they are completely USELESS!

Why on earth do people remain in this religion?