I took a 6 week class with SDA last winter.
My impressions were that the people were much more relaxed and seemed happier than the folks in my own Kingdom Hall did.
Their growth is much more impressive than the JWs also.
a couple friends pointed me to some info on the sabbath and i just plain like it, being the workaholic i am it's a lifesaver for me and gives me the motivation to be more balanced about my business and work schedule.
so from there i looked into the adventists and found a hall near my place and went last week.
i honestly enjoyed myself and the meeting time is not disruptive and the people were great and pretty laid back.
I took a 6 week class with SDA last winter.
My impressions were that the people were much more relaxed and seemed happier than the folks in my own Kingdom Hall did.
Their growth is much more impressive than the JWs also.
about a month ago i posted what had happened to two elderly sisters who were reprimanded by a couple of elders for crying because the jw broadcasting was going to be stopped at the kingdom hall and it was up to each publisher to learn how to use the internet.
if you recall the sisters got together with my mom and talked about it and it resulted in all of them declining to make meals for the pioneers.
here is the link.
This is the greatest thing I am probably going to read today.
Way to go older ladies!!!
so i ran into this brother whom ive known for a while and the conversation led into me being invited to come back to the kingdom hall.
we talked for about an hour during which time i explained to him 607 being the wrong date and a lot of other stuff including the child abuse cases in australia.
but what i wanted to relate was the last few minutes of our conversation.
I have to laugh and shake my head at the man in the OPs conversation,
I WAS him just a few short years ago.
That whole line about "yes there are things wrong in the Org but basically what is better?" is designed to make yourself feel aware without having to really do anything different.
I think it works best for JWs who mainly use the Org as a social network. They are too aware and realistic to deny the problems but they dont want to take action - not really.
Many times it is family and fear of the unknown.
I still dont know if I would have been as brave as some here if I hadnt been smacked in the face, I might still be spouting that same line.
i believe that the bombings shortened the war in the pacific and probably saved countless lives.
i am not an expert on this subject but given the times it was probably the correct and moral thing to do.. what say you all?.
Bonsai5 hours agoThe common people were petrified of the government and of displeasing the emperor, but by 1944 most people could see which way the wind was blowing. The Japanese people wanted out of the war long before it ended
I loved your entire post bonsai but found the above words especially poignant.
hi i've been reading a web sight called borean pickets.
http://meletivivlon.com/2015/05/09/may-tv-broadcast-on-tv-jw-org/.
although the guy writes some real thought provoking stuff, i sort of don't know what to make of it.
That is interesting umbertoecho. Like I mentioned above, I really enjoyed his review of Jacksons testimony, It helped me line up the points in my mind and it was covered in a very clear way.
The site is still neutral enough that I am hoping to point some still ins but growing alarmed friends to it.
I can see that it is evolving dubstepped. I see that in myself too. I am becoming more outspoken about the Org and feel zero loyalty. When I look back, I see the path between where I started and where I am currently standing. has grown very long.
The difference for me, is I feel no need to start a religion or be an activist in that sense. I understand the compulsion though.
hi i've been reading a web sight called borean pickets.
http://meletivivlon.com/2015/05/09/may-tv-broadcast-on-tv-jw-org/.
although the guy writes some real thought provoking stuff, i sort of don't know what to make of it.
Just enjoyed reading the article on Jacksons testimony that was at this site.
I think this site is evolving. Not so much neutral due mainly to the consistent and blatant actions of the Org.
It cant be helped can it? The more you look at JWs the more you want to distance yourself from them and point out the irregularities and falsities.
i believe that the bombings shortened the war in the pacific and probably saved countless lives.
i am not an expert on this subject but given the times it was probably the correct and moral thing to do.. what say you all?.
Very interesting question truthseeker.
I would first have to familiarize myself with the definition of a war crime vs an act of war.
I come from a background of 4 generations of military men ending with my father so I know very little that I would consider "ogjective".
wt publications http://www.a2z.org/wtarchive/archive.htm (old).
united nations http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm .
when pornography is mentioned by the wts they mean men, who obviously cant control their sexual desires, so that even a moment is too much.
Real life event:
Two young men.
One, indulges in heavy duty porn for years. Including deviant porn. He gets caught at work and is told on,
Second young man, commits fornication once with his fiance the day before their wedding and come to the elders months later as husband and wife and confess.
First young man gets a talking to and thats it. Stays a pioneer and MS.
(still has his porn habit just more careful now)
second young (also a pioneer and M.S.) man is publicly reproved along with his new wife and told - yhey! at least you werent DFd!
There were no previous incidences with either young man that entered in to this so thats not a factor.
The only factor that seemed to weigh in was the second young mans wife dressed in a very modern and current way and was very pretty and had been "counseled" by elders that she was going to "cause trouble".
The young couple faded and focused on careers and became very well off. All the brothers now curry their favor (including the elders that handled their case and kow tow to them, eager to be invited to their vacation home or out on their boat. Some work for them.
The first brother is still a pioneer and M.S. and still watching his porn and still single.
So here is the question:
What was really accomplished here?
so we've heard from three different governing body members this year regarding child sexual abuse.. the latest one on the rc admitted there's a sexual abuse problem within the cult, yet lett and morris swept the dirt under the carpet stating they have a great reputation as far as sex abuse is concerned, and pointed their fingers at "apostate lies".
.
i'm left totally confused at the contradiction of this "organization"..
One of the signs that someone is out of control is when they ricochet from one argument to the next.
It has struck me for the last few years as though the Org. has lost its way.
It may have been wrong before but there was clearly someone at the helm and there was consistency. Now, it seems as though there is an internal struggle for control that is reflecting itself in a myriad of ways.
Perhaps Jackson gave us a clue when he said that the GB doesnt write the information being produced but instead, checks it for scriptural correctness. Maybe that is where the breakdown we sense is. These "helpers" all jockeying for position, trying to get their views in print, trying to be the one who writes the next "a ha" thing that will make the GB look upon him favorably.
It reminds me of a newspaper bull pen where all the junior writers are desperate to get that next big headline.
within the first few minutes, mr. stewart asked geoffrey jackson if the members of the governing body consider themselves to be god's spokesperson on earth.. his response: "that would be presumptuous of us" (implying that they don't consider themselves to be god's sole channel of communication).. to me, that was the worst lie of about 26 lies he's told during this hearing.
however, mr. stewart missed an opportunity to call out mr. jackson on this bold-faced lie.
he should have asked him to explain why the watchtower magazine teaches otherwise.
Those people are such idiots.
Us, them, he, her.....blah, blah, blah.
The point is Jckson answered that would be presumptuous of US.
So all the equivocating and dancing around the plurality of the wording is ridiculous.