cedars

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Topics Started by cedars

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  17

  Stephen Lett: "Pray for us to be faithful and discreet!"

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  out of interest, i have just been scanning through the four latest available watchtower study articles (july thru october 2011) and in doing so i am reading them objectively for the first time.

  i have been shocked, outraged and amazed by some of my findings.. as one example, take the article "a history-making meeting" from the august 15th watchtower, 2011. the article, beginning on page 18, discusses the 126th annual meeting of the watch tower bible and tract society, and begins with a summary of the opening talk by governing body member stephen lett.

  it concludes the highlights of his talk in this way:.

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  60

  Society tells us to stop asking questions...

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i was just glancing at the back of the october 15th watchtower and the questions from readers.

  the question under discussion is "what should i do when i have a question about something i read in the bible or when i need advice about a personal problem?".

  the article goes on to discuss how we should consult the watch tower publications index among the many 'tools' that have been provided by the faithful and discreet slave whenever we have a question that is not directly discussed in the publications.. one statement really caught my eye, because it's the first time i've ever seen the society actually dissuade people from writing in with questions.

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  25

  Is the IBSA's charitable status in the UK vulnerable?

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  one thing that has occurred to me recently is how much money the society makes from being registered as a charity in certain countries.

  in the uk, the government contributes 28 pence for every pound that is donated (referred to as "gift aid"), effectively increasing the value of each contribution from 1 to 1.28. not surprisingly, the society in the uk are doing very well out of this arrangement, and last year according to the charity commission's website they made a turnover of 25.7 million, with profits of 7.8 million.

  i calculate that approximately 5 million of this must have been generated by gift aid.. the thing is, to my knowledge recent laws that have been passed by parliament stipulating that a charity must be in the "public benefit".

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  12

  A photograph that I would pay money for...

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i've only recently become properly acquainted with barbara anderson's wonderful website www.watchtowerdocuments.com.

  after reading her life story, she strikes me as a truly remarkable woman.. if i may quote from her story, one particular experience stood out for me when she was going through old memorabilia as part of a research project at the brooklyn headquarters.... in one of these drawers, finding personal photographs of the second president of the watchtower society, joseph f. rutherford, was, for me, one of the most disagreeable and revolting discoveries.

  rutherford was clad in a dark-colored, one-piece, skin-tight, sleeveless swimsuit which covered him down to his thighs, a garment popular in the late 1920s and 30s.

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  119

  The Makeweight Scenario

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just thought i'd share something if you don't mind.. my conviction in the legitimacy of the society was slowy eroded over a number of years simply by reading the publications and becoming increasingly frustrated at how little the interpretations of prophecy and scripture made sense, added to the complete ineptitude of senior figures in the organisation.. for me, the "glue" that kept everything roughly held together into something that can be called a "faith" was the concept of "increasing light", which as you all know is the principle employed by the society to excuse any mistakes or backtracks that are made.

  they routinely flog proverbs 4:18, which as we all know has nothing to do with gradual refinements in understanding when read in context.

  regardless of this, the concept managed to keep me loyal to the organisation for quite some time, as i was too fearful to bring it under direct scrutiny.

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  45

  Am I on thin ice with my friend?

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i'm a former mts graduate, and it's a long story but i recently became inactive after realising it was all nonsense.

  the problem is, i've noticed that my mts background makes it almost impossible for people to accept my new status as an "inactive" one.

  people think that, given the amount of knowledge i have, there is surely no excuse for me to reach this preposterous decision.. a friend from my mts recently began emailing me to find out my reasons.

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  34

  Are you an "apostate"?

  by cedars in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm quite new to this site, and i've noticed that many of you are more than happy to call yourselves "apostates", even though many of you evidently believe in the bible and in jesus as saviour, etc.. i'm aware that the society brands anyone who disagrees with them as being an "apostate", but just because they choose to do this, does this mean we should be comfortable with being so branded?

  should we "bend over" and take it?.

  here is what the insight book says on apostasy:.

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  9

  Why is the Youth book not on Watchtower Library?!

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i realise this question may have been asked before, so please point me in the right direction if it has.. i've been aware for some time that the youth book isn't on the watchtower library cd-rom.

  until now i've never questioned why, because i've assumed that this is simply due to the fact that it was "superseded" by the ypa book.

  however, i've noticed that other books that were "superseded" are still on the cd-rom - for example, the old song book, the old school guidebook, the old family life book etc.. i remember my parents studying the red book your youth - getting the best out of it with me as a child.

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  64

  Is there a reason to remain a JW other than for family?

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this strikes me as an important question.

  in my short time on this forum it strikes me that many contributors are quite open about keeping a foot in both camps.

  some are apparently even elders, serving in positions of authority within their respective congregations.

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  9

  A warped view of the "Anglo-American World Power"

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a relative of mine recently asked me to comment on what was said in the final talk at the latest convention.

  i obviously didn't attend the convention, but i was able to get hold of a recording.

  here is a transcript from a recording of the final talk, entitled god's kingdom will crush all other kingdoms - when?

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