aristeas

Joined

• started 9 topics
• posted 100 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by aristeas

• 
  15

  Question for ex-Bethelites or others in the know: GB members & Bible studies

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at a recent circuit event, one of the carefully scripted interviews was with a young lady who had recently moved from nyc.

  she has been baptized as a jw for about one year.. she made a point, and the interviewer re-emphasized, that her bible study had been conducted by geoffrey jackson (gb member) and later by mark noumair (gilead instructor).. it seems the primary reason for the interview was name-dropping, with perhaps the idea that even "prominent bethelites" conduct bible studies "just like we are supposed to".

  the young lady rambled on about being "grateful for their patience" or some such.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Just an experience and observation. When I was new and was pioneering in one cong. where the territory was extremely productive, I sometimes had so many newbies studying with me that I had to sit between 2 studying familes at KH meetings and get other friends to take some of my other students duirng meetings. The elders were upset and the one really in control suggested I turn over some of my students to them. Since they rarely went door-to-door, I told him to find his own students by going out in service like I did! He sure didn't like that, but maybe there was some custom of turning over such students that I was unaware of. Perhaps such was at work here this Behtel case, tho as I became more 'organizaitonal' and climbed the congo ladder, I think I would have heard of it . . .

  For what it's worth . . .

  Also, perhaps they are eager to distance themselves from the practices of JFR who never went out in the service/ministry.
• 
  24

  Does anyone know about the 2010 songbook?

  by aristeas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only recently found out that there was a new songbook 'released' last year.

  i came in under the old pink flexi-cover one.

  then in 1984 that oversized 225 song brown one came out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  John

  YES, please. I'd love to have a pdf of it.

  Thx very much!
• 
  24

  Harold Camping suffers a stroke

  by moshe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  could this be a message from god?

  a california broadcaster who wrongly forecast the return of jesus last month is now hospitalized after suffering a stroke.. harold camping, 89, of oakland, calif.-based family radio was reportedly taken by ambulance thursday night from his home in alameda, calif.. "he had a stroke, it was on his right side," a neighbor of camping's told the oakland tribune, noting that she and her husband helped and comforted camping's wife, shirley, as the event took place.. "his speech appears to be a little bit slurred but otherwise he's ok," the neighbor said, after her husband spoke with shirley yesterday.

  "(shirley) said he was doing good ... and the only thing that's affected is his speech.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Uhh, maybe the fact that he's 89 might have something to do with it?????
• 
  9

  JW blood donors.

  by bigmac in

  1. jw
  2. friends
  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Something to think about: the big O uses a passage in Deut. (?) that says an Israelite could sell unbled meat to a Gentile to justify a witness MD giving a blood transfusion to a non-JW. It mght have interesting implications for this question. I'll have to look up that passage later.
• 
  35

  Do you know of any witnesses that went to Jail/Prison? What did they do?

  by Iamallcool in

  1. jw
  2. friends
  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  I knew one bro. who served some years in a fed. prison for non-military service during Viet Nam. He served his time, got out, had kids, served as an elder, and then abandoned his wife and family for some young woman. He was DF'd right away and I don't believe he ever came back. I don't know if the state ever got him for child support either.
• 
  8

  'The Great Submission', Masculinity, and Future Elders

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i will, in this post attempt to filter my thoughts thru the prism of political correctness and thereby cause no offense to anybody.

  if i fail, i ask that the "jury disregard those comments" ( laughable if a judge says it because it underlines what was said).. since the watchtower allows nothing but ( a veneer) of male domination, it faces a bleak future because of the decline of masculinity in general society.

  they abhor the idea of any 'sunday school' or more and so are not training young men to be fathers, husbands or just men generally.. i once went to a 'get together' - so called because the term 'party' might create offense - and noticed young brothers together with (hot) young sisters..................................................discussing shoes !!!!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  M

  Your thoughts are worth pondering. Two things you said were esp. noteworthy:

  1. This first one was REALLY FUNNY!

  'I also note that many young men - in the 'truth' or not - seem to have a devoted attachment to their I-phones ( or equivalent) to a degree unmatched by any such devotion to a real girlfriend.'

  2. The second tragically true, largely b/c they just want obedient automatons:

  'Since the Watchtower allows nothing but ( a veneer) of Male Domination, it faces a bleak future because of the decline of masculinity in general society. They ... are not training young men to be fathers, husbands or just men generally.'

  luna's comment below is right on too:

  'It all seems to vary from congregation to congregation. Frankly, it seems that they ask the impossible of elders anyhow. These guys are supposed to make all the decisions and run the show, give all the talks, councel and discipline the wayward, set a good example in everything from field service to their family life and squash any females who try to step up to take on any authority...many extra hours of meetings and talks and duties and pressure with very little compensation.'

  Thx for all these observations...so much to think about here!
• 
  24

  Does anyone know about the 2010 songbook?

  by aristeas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i only recently found out that there was a new songbook 'released' last year.

  i came in under the old pink flexi-cover one.

  then in 1984 that oversized 225 song brown one came out.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  I only recently found out that there was a new songbook 'released' last year. I came in under the old pink flexi-cover one. Then in 1984 that oversized 225 song brown one came out. Two of the songs said people can 'earn' God's favor. That bothered me given that biblical grace = unmerited favor/undeserved kindness. Does anyone know of a site where the new songbook is available or can answer some simple questions about it?

  I've heard it is smaller and I wonder which songs have been taken out.

  Thx.
• 
  62

  How To Leave Jehovah's Witnesses Easily and Painlessly

  by Daniel Metz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have just thought of a way to leave jehovah's witnesses using information from the new shepherd the flock of god book.

  it's quite simply: rebaptism.

  here are the steps:.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Dan, welcome.

  Blondie—wow! Thx for the research & sharing!
• 
  9

  Circuit Servant (Overseer) Just Another Elder?

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for years congregation servants (no elders yet) feared the co visit who wielded a great deal of power over the servants.

  if the cs said jump, the congregation servants said how high.

  selective memories............ *** w71 11/15 p. 700 a body of elders with rotating chairmanship ***does a circuit servant when he visits a congregation have more authority than the elders of the congregation and can he change things in the congregation, such as times of meetings, the arrangement of the hall, or change brothers in the various positions of oversight?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Yes, blondie, I remember it. Like MJP says, at the time many thought it was going to be a breath of fresh air. It occurred while RF was riding high, but we all know what happened shortly thereafter. TJ managed to get things largely changed back to the situation where the CO is defintiely NOT just one of the elders!

  I must say that back in the 70s and early 80s I had the pleasure of knowing and working with more than one truly spiritual CO. Many were resentful of having their power diminished but some COs took the change as Jehovah's direction—a more loving, reasonable approach. But, of course, that wasn't to be. As for those who deny now that it ever happened, well, they have their psychological needs ...

  Hope this helps.
• 
  5

  Will the Menlo Park thing crack the wall the GB has put up?

  by aristeas in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  since i'm new here (& at other similar websites) and have been largely learning by reading old posts, i hope i'm not being too repetitive.. back around 2000 the gb, likely at the behest of witness lawyers like brumley, removed themselves from all officerships of the legal corporations and installed non-partaking trustworthy bethel heavies to those posts nearly always held previously by gb members/'anointed ones'.

  it seems a shielding of themsleves from legal responsibility was their true motive.. http://www.rickross.com/reference/jw/jw49.html .

  since it looks like don adams is going to be subpoenaed in the ongoing menlo park case, what if some sharp, informed attorney presses him on the source of his orders/direction, and he has to fess up that it's all the gb?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  aristeas

  Since I'm new here (& at other similar websites) and have been largely learning by reading old posts, I hope I'm not being too repetitive.

  Back around 2000 the GB, likely at the behest of Witness lawyers like Brumley, removed themselves from all officerships of the legal corporations and installed non-partaking trustworthy Bethel heavies to those posts nearly always held previously by GB members/'anointed ones'. It seems a shielding of themsleves from legal responsibility was their true motive.

  http://www.rickross.com/reference/jw/jw49.html

  Since it looks like Don Adams is going to be subpoenaed in the ongoing Menlo Park case, what if some sharp, informed attorney presses him on the source of his orders/direction, and he has to fess up that it's all the GB? Am I missing something or this will not expose the GB to the very thing they have become so afraid of?

  It's easy to imagine the kinds of reaction TODAY to the sorts of responses Fred Franz, Hayden Covington, and Milton Henschel gave to the questioning lawyer in the Walsh case in Scotland back in the 50s. Surely the media and 'opposers' would make certain this would get maximum publicity now.

  Anyone's thoughts?