Posts by metatron

1

When 'Theocratic Order' =BrownNosing

by metatron in

jw
friends

one of the scriptures you never hear quoted is a thought from.

jude about "admiring personalities" for one's own benefit.. other translations speak about flattery - basically it betrays the.

same sickening, servile attitude that infests the organization.. the higher you go , the more of it you see - and, make no mistake.

metatron

One of the scriptures you never hear quoted is a thought from
Jude about "admiring personalities" for one's own benefit.
Other translations speak about flattery - basically it betrays the
same sickening, servile attitude that infests the organization.
The higher you go , the more of it you see - AND, make no mistake
about it- this mindless, obsequious frame of mind HURTS PEOPLE!
It not only retards the abilities and spiritual interests of those
who 'bow' before their 'betters', it causes REAL SUFFERING because
the isolated and uncaring leadership CAN ALWAYS COUNT ON THE BEATEN
'SHEEPLE' to abjectly comply.

Need a promotion at Bethel? How 'bout getting everybody to contribute
for a special gift for the floor overseer? Need some understanding
from the C.O.? How 'bout a $50 - better yet a couple hundred in his
palm? How 'bout taking him (with his special diet/allergic-to-
everything wife) to a nice restaurant? Fixing his car? Games of
golf? How many elders do you know that actually have the courage
to contradict or reprove one of these arrogant jerks, even in
private? (answer none: they're not elders anymore).

The congregation falls in line the same way. Brother Nobody may
give an excellent talk and be full of kindness, but get Brother
Sociopath (on his CO visit) and suddenly the meeting attendance
shoots up - and everyone nods their empty heads with every
utterance out of his mouth.

Anybody remember the brief (nanoseconds?) mistake the Society
made when the elder arrangement was new and they goofed by
saying that a C.O. was just another elder??!! Boy, they cleared
that one up quick! You can't maintain the HIERARCHY without
field commanders, can you?

I can't tell you how much suffering has gone on simply because
no one says "no", no one objects, no one quits, no one says
"screw this" and just walks away.

After a while, you begin to think that this is all JUST in the
end. You get tempted by the P.T. Barnum notion that "if God
didn't want us to fleece them, why did he make them sheep?"
You begin to wonder if most Witnesses deserve whatever they
endure because they've lain down in front of the wolf, the thief,
the spiritual predator - instead of fighting them off.

But if I really felt that way,
then I'd be no different from the wolf, the thief, the
spiritual predator..
And I don't want to be 'one' with them...

metatron

6

C.O. Location ?

by HoChiMin in

jw
friends

being from the new england area, where this c.o.

liked to kick ass, a few of my elder friends wanted to know whether anyone has heard of whatever happened to a circuit overseer by the name of terry angelacos.

had a reputation of really trying to get elders removed and then he'd gloat about it at the congregation meetings.

metatron

Wouldn't it be great to have someone say that you should
take counsel anyway, even if it's not true?

Logically, your immediate reply should be:

"OK, then you're a jackass"

metatron

28

Pasted from a jw board!

by claudia in

jw
friends

oh im going to puke, i did a copy and paste from aisnes db, all real jws.

the part where she says the awake and wt mags surpass a college education really sent me over the edge!.

"i have 5 children.

metatron

if they really believe this nonsense, there are plenty of
college equivalency exams available in the US (CLEP, DANTES,
GRE. etc.) I doubt the 'Awake' would be fitting study material
for any of them.

metatron

5

Gems from August 2001 KM

by comment in

jw
friends

what i loved about the majority of these quotes are the implications that an orthodox reader would be oblivious to.. you are "a theatrical spectacle"!

paragraph 5: "when you encounter opposition or think that your ministry is not getting results, remember that you are the center of universal attention.".

(but of course, don't forget psalm 8:4, in case you ever think you have any importance outside of going in field service.).

metatron

Hey comment, post the stats, please

Thanks,
metatron

19

WTBTS membership count prediction

by Skimmer in

jw
friends

some thoughts on statistical projections of the wtbts membership count:.

1) extrapolation (projection beyond known statistics) is hazardous for any measurement that does not derive from a simple model.

an accurate model of the wtbts membership count would have to include demographics for each of the countries, and this would have to combine population age distribution data, educational attainment data, economic data, current wtbts coverage, and (of course!

metatron

Sound too much like window dressing to me. Where's the beef?

I can only hope that some internal crisis develops in which
an immediate scapegoat is needed to save the much worshipped
organization. I have little doubt that , like any tyrannical
regime, they will need to blame past leaders for mistakes,
if reverses come about. After that, pragmatism -- maybe!

metatron

5

Would One Interpretation Change It All?

by metatron in

jw
friends

some watchtower interpretations are speculative,.

a very few are arguable,.

and many are just stupid and specious.. perhaps the most stupid and specious interpretation.

metatron

I understand your point. All I'm trying to do is point out
a little logic that could move them in the direction of reform.
It must be difficult when there's no one like a Boris Yeltsin
around who could seize the moment and remove the cloak of
legitimacy from the rulers of this mess.

metatron

18

Convention Summary

by Moxy in

jw
friends

as promised, here are my observations from the three convention days here in hamilton, ontario.

i hadnt expected to say much since many like lostmyreligion and bibleexaminer had already discussed it a lot.

actually i have quite a few things to say, hopeful meaningful things.. a few general observations: .

metatron

In summary, these conventions manifest the utterly
clueless nature of those in command. Whoever thinks
these isolated dimwits are some sort of Illuminati
Masterminds needs to get a reality check.

At one point in my zealous life, I observed that those
in highest command in Bethel really didn't seem all that
bright. I ascribed their collective success to the power
of holy spirit, since the element of human wisdom appeared
lacking.
I now realize that this image of endless success is
generated by propaganda, deceptions, fanatical efforts
and cover-ups. However lacking in intelligence they may be,
they're quite good at maintaining the image they've carved out
for themselves.

Live and learn

metatron

5

Would One Interpretation Change It All?

by metatron in

jw
friends

some watchtower interpretations are speculative,.

a very few are arguable,.

and many are just stupid and specious.. perhaps the most stupid and specious interpretation.

metatron

Some Watchtower interpretations are speculative,
a very few are arguable,
and many are just stupid and specious.

Perhaps the MOST stupid and specious interpretation
concerns the very scripture that supposedly gives these
spiritual parasites their authority:

Matt.24:45, concerning the identity of the 'faithful
and discreet slave'.

This sad, twisted text was a simple encouragement
directed at INDIVIDUALS to warn them against
becoming unfaithful and oppressing their fellows.
Instead, this text is interpreted in the worst 'code-word'
sort of fashion to refer to a nebulous group of
partaking gerontocrats living in Brooklyn/Paterson.
Luke 12:45 makes clear NO CLASS is involved, just
individual people who could turn bad.

Which brings us to the present mystery,
is there any chance that someone in authority
will expose this and change the current misrule?
Could a single Watchtower article pave the
way for committees to justify their assumption
of 'taking the lead'?
It would be easy to argue that non-belief in the
Trinity and immortality of the soul, along with
'taking the lead' in preaching, makes a person
faithful and discreet - ipso facto, they are a
faithful and discreet slave - Duh!

Perhaps this is not a matter of logic, at all,
but simply a matter of necessary...... brinksmanship.

metatron

19

WTBTS membership count prediction

by Skimmer in

jw
friends

some thoughts on statistical projections of the wtbts membership count:.

1) extrapolation (projection beyond known statistics) is hazardous for any measurement that does not derive from a simple model.

an accurate model of the wtbts membership count would have to include demographics for each of the countries, and this would have to combine population age distribution data, educational attainment data, economic data, current wtbts coverage, and (of course!

metatron

I wouldn't worry much about China - I know old timers in
Bethel (hello, Awake!) speculate about expansion there.
The government only wants religions that are utterly
compliant - they have beaten down the Falun Gong (sp?)
member by member and they seem pretty innocuous.

I'm afraid we put far too much emphasis on stupid doctrines
and failed predictions in trying to predict the Watchtower's
future. For every one person that left because of 1975
or the 'generation' issue there's probably ten that just
got fed up with the ennui and faded away. Humans, including
'born agains' and Witnesses can rationalize anything - and do!
On the other hand, a real good public scandal would do
wonders in waking up the zombies. Dropping meeting attendance
helps too, in getting people out of the mind control lock
step they've fallen into.

As to published stats, don't believe 'em. Yes, they are
dutifully reported and added, I agree, but "hours spent
in the ministry" is padded nonsense. Number baptized is
silly too, in Western lands especially, when you consider
how many Witness youth get df'd/in trouble shortly after
getting dunked. As hypocrisy deepens, the number reporting
as publishers also becomes more fake. Some Secretaries
will cajole people into reporting, "you must have talked
to SOMEBODY this month, so, that's an hour, right?".

Someday if a scandal does hit, you may get a real view
of just how many 'paper Witnesses'(like Rice Christians)
there are.

metatron

14

Will Anemic April Wake Up the Governing Body?

by metatron in

jw
friends

as many of you know, the society likes to dictate a maximum.

'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their.

sagging statistical averages.. for example, in august of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,.

metatron

As many of you know, the Society likes to dictate a maximum
'preaching' effort, once or twice a year to help even out their
sagging statistical averages.
For example, in August of 1998, they got 1,040,283 publishers,
after calling for such a single month's effort. Interestingly,
the number dropped the next month to 932,347. Amazing that over
a hundred thousand publishers vanished in one month, don't you think?

They called again, in March 2000, with the headline "Can We Make
April 2000 Our Best Month Ever?"

Evidently, the answer was no, because April 2000 showed 988,469
publishers.

This brings us up to the present, when, in February 2001, they again
called for a special effort in March and April 2001, hoping for
a new peak in everything (or anything?).
Well, in March they got 958,804 publishers and in April - 958,589.
They missed their aux goal by quite a bit. Not surprizingly,
both reports have no self glorifying footnotes to encourage
the rank and file("NEW PEAKS in....").

More than this, the loss of regular pioneers continues with 89,963
in March (compare 90,334 in Feb.) and 88,735 in April.

Doctor, the patient isn't responding!

They may still eake out a small increase in US publisher averages
this year, because of the Great Hispanic Migration into the Southwest.
("Viva la raza!")- compare Alaska and Canada. Yet, it should be
clear that something is wrong.

Should the sleepy, isolated Governing Body take action?
I hope they continue as they are, dreaming their dreams of being
Masters of the Universe, while the whole corrupt enterprize slips
out of their tired, bony fingers - letting the zombies run free.

metatron (you are getting sleepy...........sleepy...)