Posts by cobweb

113

EU Court Ruling Against WT on Data-Protection

by cofty in

today's london times reports on the july ruling of the eu court that forces the organisation country to comply with data protection.. the action originated in finland but the ruling will affect every eu country.

the cult tried unsuccessfully to argue that the notes taken by jws in the door-to-door work were personal and not accessed by the congregation.

the court ruled that they are acting under the auspices of the congregation and therefore they must comply with data-protection laws.. keeping lists of do-not-calls also falls under this ruling.. why does the cult always feel that it is above the law?.

cobweb

I think the JWs will APPEAR to make it look like they are complying. But, we all know what that means.

Yes I agree you will probably still get enthusiastic witnesses surreptitiously writing down details of a good call. If there were fines in place for doing so though it would have to be discouraged at their service meetings. They would have to emphasise the importance of getting permission. This would perhaps be practiced in the service meeting - the new wording could be put into those videos they use now. They did something similar when the magazines went to being free with a donation. People had to get used to saying the new wording. That is quite a good example actually because many JW's refused to use the wording & simply gave the mags away without asking for donations. That could well happen here too, and JW's might not bother asking permission as they are told & write it down anyway.

If the new rules affect the taking of not at homes then that is very disruptive and can't be got around so easily. Its an entire formalised part of their ministry. It'll be interesting to see what happens.

12

Review: Apostasy

by neat blue dog in

stan's recent post about the apostasy movie reminded me that i had watched it last month, so i thought i'd write a review.

please note this will probably contain some spoilers so if you care about that sort of thing hold off on reading this.. first i want to say that this is probably one of the most if not the most accurate and reasonable cinematic portrayals of jws.

however here is a list of little inaccuracies: an outdated view that preaching to all the world can 'make' the end come, jesus briefly portrayed with long hair, judicial reinstatement meetings being called "guidance meetings", a normal weekly public talk being introduced as "the first in a series of talks he's prepared for us", applause at the end of a local needs part, and a jw saying of god "you need to earn his love, it's conditional" ( i know this is basically true in practice but they'd rarely say it out loud).

cobweb

Nice review. I agree there was the odd little thing that didn't quite sound natural to our well tuned ears but these were not important. With regard to pics of jesus with long hair, the songs & the broadcast, these all had to be approximated as they couldn't use the real thing due to copyright. Believing JW's may use the fact that the real pictures, songs aren't used to say its inaccurate but it has to be this way or they would be sued.

I believe the term 'guidance meetings' may be a regional thing as in an interview i think i heard the director say they were called that where he lived.

Its interesting that you say the mum reminds you of your mum. The director commented that he has been told this a lot.

138

JW org collapses

by I Faded Twice in

ok so this is a topic i've pondered and go back and forth on.. i can easily see a point where lawsuits cause massive deficits in the organization.

honestly i feel like we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in regards to lawsuits on child abuse.

to me it looks like the property sell offs are to be able to get ready for this.

cobweb

I'm not sure whether anyone is arguing they are thriving. Where once they prepared for expansion by building halls, now they sell them. Everything they do signals to me they expect contraction.

i think an inflection point has been reached. They hit their zenith and are headed down. The signals of decline are leading indicators of what is about to occur with a decline in membership.

It'll not be a dramatic collapse though. If it were for example, half the size (in the West) in 25 years that is not a collapse to me, but it is a pretty sizable decline nonetheless. Even that level of decline seems rather optimistic to me - i could see there being a third of the current membership gone in that timescale perhaps with those left being mostly quite aged - but still, I think it will feel like a shadow of itself.

The internet is making such a difference. It feels like where once JW's were confident and proactive, now they are defensive, reactive. The ex-jw community on the other hand are growing in their confidence and are increasingly empowered to speak out through social media to communicate the damaging realities of the JW religion.

13

The "Faithful And Discreet Slave Class" is it still a Doctrine / Belief ? of Jehovah`s Witnesses today ? 2018 ? or is it old light.

by smiddy3 in

i have listened to steven unthank`s podcast and found it very informative and interesting and thought i would ask this question for anyone who is still a practicing member either a pimo or a pomo who only goes along for a family member ,whether this doctrine is still a part of the religions teachings ,or whether it has been dropped altogether .. your replies are much appreciated ..

cobweb

Jwfacts covers the subject:

https://jwfacts.com/watchtower/faithful-discreet-slave.php

13

The "Faithful And Discreet Slave Class" is it still a Doctrine / Belief ? of Jehovah`s Witnesses today ? 2018 ? or is it old light.

by smiddy3 in

i have listened to steven unthank`s podcast and found it very informative and interesting and thought i would ask this question for anyone who is still a practicing member either a pimo or a pomo who only goes along for a family member ,whether this doctrine is still a part of the religions teachings ,or whether it has been dropped altogether .. your replies are much appreciated ..

cobweb

I think they really are faking it or are mentally disturbed people seeking attention.

The Paul Gillies conversion to remnant status gives credence to the former. Many claiming to be anointed will genuinely believe it, no doubt but after Paul Gillies I have to think the GB hold a very cynical view of the whole thing. They know exactly what Gillies is doing and why. They want him in their club and taking part in the emblems is like an initiation right to gain entry. The coordination of it is very revealing.

138

JW org collapses

by I Faded Twice in

ok so this is a topic i've pondered and go back and forth on.. i can easily see a point where lawsuits cause massive deficits in the organization.

honestly i feel like we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in regards to lawsuits on child abuse.

to me it looks like the property sell offs are to be able to get ready for this.

cobweb

I apologise for the mistake & not crediting you Shepherdless. It was indeed your very well researched threads that i was recalling. Your threads had a lot of impact on the subject for me.

138

JW org collapses

by I Faded Twice in

ok so this is a topic i've pondered and go back and forth on.. i can easily see a point where lawsuits cause massive deficits in the organization.

honestly i feel like we are seeing the tip of the iceberg in regards to lawsuits on child abuse.

to me it looks like the property sell offs are to be able to get ready for this.

cobweb

I seem to recollect seeing on one of slim's collapse threads some demographic data showing jw members by age range. With so few JW's coming in from the preaching work in the West, i find the demographics more convincing when it comes to organisational decline. I recall there was a bubble there which indicated a pretty sharp average age jump at some point, past child bearing age & with less & less young child bearing families there is less kids born. This is a more realistic perspective on the manner in which religions wither away.

I think the JW's will re-organise as they have been doing to make their money stretch. They won't just fold up. But the cut backs will no doubt have a psychological effect on members because these sense the expansion is over & the glory days are behind them. This is surely taking place already & it leads to apathy which makes people leave at a faster rate.

Many adherants will never leave no matter what & so it will just be a matter of waiting for them to die - watching that demographic bubble slowly move down to the end and drop away.

23

Here's another subtle reverse-witnessing topic:

by neat blue dog in

jw
friends

the next time a jw brings up a natural disaster or severe weather event as proof of the last days, and they preface it by reciting a fact they heard on the news like, (just for the sake of example) 'it's the worst earthquake in 70 years' or 'the worst plague in 200' years', (you get the picture), then simply reply: "oh, so that means that ____ years ago there was one that was worse, right?".

i did this twice.

both times got the same response:.

cobweb

Makes me laugh when the news item says something like its the hottest day for 10 years. OK so what?

Fair enough. But what if it was the hottest day ever recorded the next day and then the next, and the next. After a while surely it would start to freak you out?

The years with the highest recorded world temperature (since 1880) 17 of those years have been in this century. Its not evidence for the last days of course but its surely grounds for some conclusions to form.

10

latest jw community podcast has THE best interview

by cobweb in

jw
friends

no really, its golden stuff.

i just listened to it and it contains an amazing interview with an australian activist who i only vaguely have heard of called steven unthank.

he is one of the best guests i've heard on that show, competing with the governing body helper they interviewed once.

cobweb

No really, its golden stuff. I just listened to it and it contains an amazing interview with an Australian activist who i only vaguely have heard of called Steven Unthank. He is one of the best guests i've heard on that show, competing with the governing body helper they interviewed once. The whole thing is about how he has been taking the religion to court in Australia and the impact that has had on the organisation policy. Maybe you have heard of this guy already and know his story but i hadn't and I found his account pretty incredible. They also mention Paul Gillies at the end and his convenient conversion to the anointed class recently which has been a topic of discussion here in last few days.

If you've got a spare 90 minutes have a listen, its quality stuff.

https://pca.st/HA6N

JW Community Podcast S6E17

How The Faithful and Discreet Slave Were Killed

Lara and Louise interview the most effective activist you have never heard of. Find out how he killed off the Faithful and Discreet Slave, how he got Jehovah's Witnesses included in the Australian Royal Commission, and how he got Watchtower to swear under oath in a court case that he was not an apostate and how the web

49

The rise and rise of Paul Gillies?

by JWB in

jw
friends

the rise and rise of paul gillies?.

here are a view details about the 57-year-old paul stuart gillies.. .

2011: appointed as a director of international bible students association (ibsa) on 2 november having resigned as a director of watch tower bible and tract society of britain on the same day.

cobweb

slim: tim hooper posted the youtube video of him on bbc news on the first page of this thread.