NameWithheld

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Posts by NameWithheld

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  8

  Another Type of Unhappy "Believer"

  by Francois in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there seemed to be one or two of these in every hall with which i was associated.

  usually a married couple.

  one of whom was handicapped in some way.

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  NameWithheld

  "The destruction we will see at Armageddon should be viewed as a thing of beauty."

  I don't recall anything printed that stated that in those words, but I've heard the sentament from the stage (meetings and assemblies) many times. It's a thought held dear to many JW's hearts, though of course the WTBTS cannot say anything like that, especially nowdays due to their becoming extremely PC in their printed word. They are masters of avoiding printing anything condeming yet making it quite clear to the 'flock' what they expect from them via verbal means.
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  29

  Japan Lost 589 Congregations

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  things must be getting tough for the 'number puffing' theocrats in japan.. .

  3802 congregations (1999 yearbook).

  3213 congregations (latest report).

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  NameWithheld

  Do you mean that 83 go regularly in average, or do you mean the total if everybody goes is 83.

  I think if you divide the # of average US publishers by the number of congos in the US (for 2002), you arrive at the 83.something number. So the answer is, this would be the # of pubs per congo if every publisher attended.
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  29

  Japan Lost 589 Congregations

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  things must be getting tough for the 'number puffing' theocrats in japan.. .

  3802 congregations (1999 yearbook).

  3213 congregations (latest report).

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  NameWithheld

  As I remember, you look at splitting at about 175 publishers.

  Actually, the last few years I was around them, they would try and force a split at 120 or so. Leaving 60 per new hall. Of course, out of those 60 maybe 45-50 would attend on Sundays. One congos we went to had just built a new KH, it had seating for 200+ in it. Of course, right after building it, they forced a split, and we often had anywhere from 65-90 people attend most meetings. Nothing more depressing than sitting in a huge hall that's 30-45% full. Of course, the funny thing is everyone would sit in the back, leaving the front 10-15 rows empty. Bad when you're on stage and can barely make out that there are people in the audience
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  57

  Discussion With My Dad...Ended Badly.

  by Valis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  some of you may know that my parents were expected for "dinner" on thanksgiving day.

  well i really don't think its going to happen now.

  i called my dad last night becuase my mother, now visiting my kids in south texas and bringing them here to see me, said they had "stuff to do on thursday".

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  NameWithheld

  Valis, sorry to hear that the holiday plans aren't working out. I sometimes wish I could go ahead and have the above conversation w/ my family - I hate pretending / ignoring what I know about the JW religion when I'm around them. But for their sake (not forcing them to have to shun me - how $#%&ed is that?!) I keep my trap shut. I bet it is a weight off to have been able to tell him much of that stuff. I felt the same way as a child. Hated every minute of FS and meetings.
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  29

  Japan Lost 589 Congregations

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  things must be getting tough for the 'number puffing' theocrats in japan.. .

  3802 congregations (1999 yearbook).

  3213 congregations (latest report).

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  NameWithheld

  I think that posting fantasy #'s would work for awhile, but once they go down that road (and I'm not saying they they haven't!) they must continue to lie about the #'s. For example, after 2-3 years of 'fake' increases, even brain dead witnesses (who are huge gossips - and do talk to JWs all over the area finding out how their halls / circits are doing) would realize that something's fishy. When you go to assembly after assemby and see zero - half dozen baptisms, and every hall you know of is posting record low attendence, at some point you have to wonder where exactly this 'marvelous increase' is transpiring!
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  9

  New opinion on Memorials

  by ChileanRick in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here in chile, when the times of memorial its near, you can see a lot of brothers and sister buying new clothes for that ocassion.

  so, when you are attending the memorial meeting, you can feel nobody is listening really.

  everybody is looking how are the others clothed, who is a visitor, and when the meeting gets and end, nobody is really interested in other ones, but only in its friends.

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  NameWithheld

  Don't worry - I was too never part of the 'in' crowd in most halls (moved too much). Didn't help that my mother was very 'zealous' and found that ANY 'wordly' or non-Jesus related activity was strictly banned. We spent the entire day in FS, reading bible and WTs and that's about it. No TV, non-JW books, etc allowed. And NO after meeting out-to-dinners. I never understood how you were supposed to spend 12-15 hours of a single day thinking about Jesus and nothing else all day!
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  23

  Christian priorities and holidays

  by jurs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  even when i was a jw i thought it odd that witnesses gave so much importance to holidays.

  when i was studying, i was bogged down with how awful they were because they are pagan and how wrong it was to celebrate.

  it seems to me like more attention was donated to the issue of holidays than what the meat of christianity is.

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  NameWithheld

  So, by your own guidelines, we should all take into account that C.T. Russell was over a hundred years ago - so forget about his pyramid measuring, rascism, false prophecy's etc, etc, and just go with the flow of the GB and Watchtower's new light. After all, like you said, we have to learn to live, be born into, and adapt to our surroundings. Heehee. They were so long ago, that they couldn't possibly do any harm.

  Actually, if the WTBTS had turned into a generally healthy place to be, a good organization, then yes, I would say the above would be perfectly true. I could really care less about CT Russell, although understanding him help one understand the roots of the JW movement. Although I think Rutheford had more to do with "JW's" than Russell did - Rutheford threw away all of Russell's teachings.

  And I what I said wan't that we have to learn to adapt to our surroundings, I said that the vast majority of mankind's religious and moral beliefs are made for them due to the accident of the place of their birth. This is doubly true in lesser developed countries, where the opportunities to educate themselves on other cultures/religions are not available.
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  9

  New opinion on Memorials

  by ChileanRick in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here in chile, when the times of memorial its near, you can see a lot of brothers and sister buying new clothes for that ocassion.

  so, when you are attending the memorial meeting, you can feel nobody is listening really.

  everybody is looking how are the others clothed, who is a visitor, and when the meeting gets and end, nobody is really interested in other ones, but only in its friends.

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  NameWithheld

  You're right, it's a fashion show. It is such a ritual that the average JW can sleep right through the ceremony and not miss anything. They mostly look forward to the after-memorial going out to eat.
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  23

  Christian priorities and holidays

  by jurs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  even when i was a jw i thought it odd that witnesses gave so much importance to holidays.

  when i was studying, i was bogged down with how awful they were because they are pagan and how wrong it was to celebrate.

  it seems to me like more attention was donated to the issue of holidays than what the meat of christianity is.

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  NameWithheld

  WC's reasoning is exactly like the WT's reasoning on birthdays - since people in the bible got killed on 2 people's birthdays they must be bad. Last I checked beheadings were not socially acceptable forms of birthday celibration in today's society But years ago an excecution was public entertainment. I guess humanity has always had a bloodthristy nature - just nowdays we have fake stuff to watch (movies, TV, video games) instead.
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  23

  Christian priorities and holidays

  by jurs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  even when i was a jw i thought it odd that witnesses gave so much importance to holidays.

  when i was studying, i was bogged down with how awful they were because they are pagan and how wrong it was to celebrate.

  it seems to me like more attention was donated to the issue of holidays than what the meat of christianity is.

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  NameWithheld

  WingCommander, just about everything around you has 'pagan' origins. The JW memorial does, Christianity does, our calendar does, wedding rituals do, etc, etc. Maybe you should stop being so concerned about the politics of a 1000 years ago (which is all it was, the Roman's adopting other culture's practices as they folded into the Roman empire) and what things were done 1000 years ago and consider what those things mean to people TODAY. So what if Christmas was evolved in parts from a sun worshiping celebration? Don't see too many people today doing sun dances on Dec 25 ...

  I'm not a Christian, not religious in anyway, and I enjoy this time of year - time off work, family and friends, a reflection on a better human spirit (people ARE nicer this time of year). Stop dwelling on the negatives and see the good.

  Humanity through the ages is filled with rituals and beliefs of 1000's of gods/goddesses/etc. Every culture has adopted from those around them over time, and your beliefs are shaped by your surroundings. There are few white American Muslims, being Christain/Muslim/Budah/etc is mainly an accident of birth. Both sides of this latest conflict sit around SURE of their god - SURE that the other side is all wrong. Both are wrong.

  <Wow what horrible speeeeeling!>

  Edited by - NameWithheld on 25 November 2002 12:14:57