Posts by Dunedain

56

One reason behind the slow steady decline of JWs

by AllTimeJeff in

hello first of all to those that remember me.

i'm doing well, 10 years since my missionary trip to cameroon.

i've met a couple of goals.

Dunedain

Many people are saying how the WTS is now in a slow decline, and reading all the rapid, and recent changes, how can you not. Personally, i beleive the WTS was in a slow decay for the past 2 decades, and NOW we are seeing the RAPID collapse of it.

Things in a large corporation, dont go "south" quickly. It takes time, based on years of poor planning, and decision making. However, once they reach the point of "no return", things unravel at a quicker pace. We are, undoubtly, at this point NOW.

The past 20 years, was the slow "rot". The poor planning, foolish "moves" on EVERY level. NO nurturing of the flock. Not knowing just where they "stand", in this modern world, as they NEVER planned on being here for over 100 years. There has been no true leader, since Franz's death. The torch was passed, and dropped quickly, and in such a short period of time, and then to finally "land" on the current GB, shows that there is NOBODY to lead.

The foundation is crumbling, and it is at its final stage. The proof is in all the rapid, erratic, and many changes, in such a short period of time. This shows the DESPERATION in their actions. The final nail in the coffin is their financial problems. Throw that on top of an already collapsing organisation, with a weakened foundation, and it is just too much for them to bear any longer. We ARE at this stage NOW.

This organisation, with its claims of DIVINITY, was built on lies. That "foundation" alone, is weak. It is now over 100 years later. The lies have come full circle. The world can see it, from the touch of a computers buttons. It is, utterly, and completely exposed. This weak founded organisation has never prepared for being around for this long. It does not know how to navigate the current "world" we live in, and its "backwoods" old world rhetoric, is from a long by gone age. There is no leadership, only desperation. The decay has been for the last few decades, now we are witnessing the destruction.

78

Revelation - it's grand climax is at hand

by Listener in

some people point out the subliminal pictures in the wtbts publications but sometimes things are just so obvious, such as the title of the book above.. the person who came up with the title for this book must have had a good old laugh.. interestingly, this book first came out in 1988 and has not been included in the online library but nothing has replaced it.

the org is really going backwards when they ditch old light and cannot come up with anything new.

they are real wankers ;)..

Dunedain

Can you guys clarify what is meant by types and anti-types, and what the WTS has said about it not being scriptural? I havnt heard about that yet. I appreciate it guys, thanks.

74

Jehovah's Witnesses May Have Peaked in Membership at 8 Million (+/-)

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

i don't have all the details of their new "service year" numbers, but i have read enough on jwn to state my opinion pretty strongly.. memorial attendance for 2015 was down.while they kept saying they were going to build a bunch of new kingdom halls, and everybody is still in recovery from watchtower taking all the local money away, they say pretty much that there isn't enough money to build new kingdom halls.putting gb members on the videos at jw .

org has allowed people to really put a face and personality to these guys and remove the mystery of how they should be such deeply spiritual serious men.

instead they see silly thoughts about tight pants and, really everything that comes out of lett's mouth is delivered ultra-goofy, along with the money reports.. the gb lost credibility a little more with every new light that shone down, with the strangest one being "overlapping generation.

Dunedain

Wouldnt another "barometer", of "unrest", and "decline" with the R&F, be a huge influx, and increase in membership on THIS very site, and others like it. I would logically think that there must be some sort of corrolation between the 2, right?

Maybe Simon could let us know if lately, like within the past few months, or year, there has been an increase in membership, specifically. I dont know, just a thought.

25

3 local needs parts on service meeting.

by hoser in

it is scheduled on our service meeting next week to have 3 local needs parts.

local needs 1 , local needs 2 and local needs 3.

Dunedain

There is nothing worse than having the asshole Elders give a local needs talk, and its about YOU. Talk about having the OPPOSITE affect. It makes you want to not step foot in the KH, and just pushes you further out the door.

When i was a teenager, to very early 20's, the Elders gave local needs talks, ranging from, Heavy metal music to playing paintball.

The elder who gave the talk about "heavy Metal" music, had NO CLUE what he was talking about. It was ridiculous, he actually referenced Nirvana as being "heavy metal", and saying they have DISGUSTING lyrics about eating cancer, lol. All the idiots in the congregation audibally "gasped" out loud, it was so STUPID, lol.

Then the Elder giving the "local needs" on how WRONG it was to play paintball, was all "fire and brimstone". Saying how "evi", and "warlike" it was. The kick in the but was, however, that the same Elder giving that talk WAS A SPORT HUNTER. He even had a "trophy room", in his spare bedroom, with stuffed/taxidermied animals, like bears, geese, racoons, foxes, pheasants, and many other "dead bodies". I dont care about the fact that someone hunts for sport, i wouldnt do it, but i WONT judege YOU for it. So it WAS ok to use REAL GUNS and chase after animals, and blow their brains out, while dressed in orange camoflauge, and then gut open the dead animals with a knife, and skin and butcher them, BUT you couldnt have a few "brothers" chase each other around, have fun, and shoot paint at each other with FAKE paintball guns. Jehovah doesnt like THAT.

40

Creepy things jw's have said to you

by purrpurr in

jw
friends

here's mine: i'm 14 years old, just baptised and a old boy married elder of about 60 odd comes up to me and says " ooooooooooh!

"purrpurr"!

your getting such a lovely figure on you!

Dunedain

I remember the PO's son, one time, when talking about men and woman who were homo sexual, he said, " I dont get it, and why they choose to do that, and be that way, there is NO HOPE FOR THEM, THEY ARE ALL GOING TO DIE".

When he said this, i was only about 12 years old, but i NEVER forgot that. I even remember exactly where he said it, too. It was in the coatroom in the back of the Kingdom Hall. I always kinda looked up to him, too, as he was a few years older than me. He was probably 18 or 19 years old himself, when he said that. He also came from a very "spiritual family".

Last i heard, he is now an Elder for many years, and "running" his own congregation. He is very far away from where we grew up in a borough of NYC, in rural West Virginia now. In his mid to late 40's with his own family.

Years later, i used him, and his statement, as an example of how judgemental, wrong, and UN christ like JW's really are, when discussing things with my Father. My Father totally agreed, and we both said that you couldnt just chalk it up to "one" persons thinking, when the whole ORG, essentially teaches that about "homo sexuals". I said to my Father, that i just cant relate to an organization that mentally beleives that there is no "good" in a huge group of people, and they would, judgementally condemn them to DEATH, just because of a sexual preferance. Personally, i am hetero sexual, and i know MANY AWESOME human beings, that are "gay", or "lesbian", and i LOVE them as the beautiful people i have come to be TRUE friends with. I could never think "they are going to die", like that "brother" said.

20

Gas prices today & the book study

by LevelThePlayingField in

we all remember, one of the main reasons for removing the bookstudy was the high gas prices, well, have you looked at the gas prices today?

nationwide, the lowest is about $1.65, the highest is about $2.67.

isn't that right about the same gas prices as when they cancelled the bookstudy in the first place?

Dunedain

I am paying $1.85, on average, where i am in NJ, United States, and thats with FULL service. New Jersey is like one of the only states left, where there is ONLY full service, NO self serve, lol. Thats why NO chicks from NJ, know how to pump their own gas, lol.

31

The Thief of Always

by YinzerDad in

prologue... .

a brief precursor about myself.

i've been lurking around for almost 2 years.

Dunedain

@ - YinzerDad - Welcome dude, i really enjoyed the anology of that book, its very pertinent for all of us. I look forward to "hanging" with you here, and with everyone else.

I can relate to a LOT of what you say. I was a born in, also, and was baptised, hence DF'd. I was lucky enough to be, unfairly, kicked out at 22 years old. I also, was never directed, and or prepared for college. I had incredibly high grades in school, and was always in accellerated classes. My grades were so high, that i was being offered fully paid scholarships at the age of 13. I declined EVERY one, do to not "pursuing higher education".

When i was "booted" at 22 years old, i was left "high and dry". No higher education, no "friends", no social circle, we all know the deal. Fortunately, i did NOT let it dictate me, and my future. I started a small, simple little, part-time business, with a "good idea", and $1500.00 bucks.

NOW, at 40 years of age, i run the multi-million dollar company, that i own, and started 19 years ago with $1500.00 dollars. I became a landlord at 25 years old, and continue to buy multi family, investment properties. I am a father of 2 girls, with a loving partner.

All of these years, i have, and continue to, struggle with having been raised as a JW in a high control cult. It is "with me" everday, and in many thoughts and decisions, BUT i vowed to never let it "BEAT ME", and dictate my life. I do struggle with it, but vowed to overcome it, many years ago.

I recommend "living" for and thru your children. I HAVE hobbys, too. I collect G.I Joes, Transformers, and stuff i like. I transformed my 2 car garage, into a "collectors dream". Its basically like my own "toy store", in my backyard. I collect, and paint Civil war figures. I go on many, many, little vacations, and getaways, with my family, all the time. We love it, and it keeps us close as a family. Yet, i still struggle EVERYDAY, with having been raised a JW. My wife, who knew NOTHING about JW's before we met, sees it sometimes, and realises that it has had an "affect" on me.

My point being, though, is not to brag, but to show that you CAN still enjoy, and create for yourself an awesome life, and STILL with the "scars" of a JW past. It may never go away COMPLETELY. We may never "get over it", and thats FINE. We must learn to "live" with it, and what we must do is put things in "perspective". In all situations in life, there is good and bad. We must hold on to the good, deal with the bad, but not let it ditate our lives.

You ARE way ahead of the game, dude. You HAVE a lot going for you. Nurture that good, develop those positive things, and learn from the negatives in our pasts. Yes it IS there, but do not let it CONTINUE to "control" you. YOU are in control now, and YOU are the maker of YOUR own destiny. You are young, and WILL, probably get a hobby, or a passion. Try different things out. Heck, i started buying and collecting Nerf guns, for example. I then, had fun "modifing" them, so they could shoot further. It was FUN. The simple things in life can be. Enjoy your family, make work as enjoyable as ya can, find a hobby by trying things out, and remember you will NEVER be able to go back and NOT have been born as a JW, but you CAN enjoy life still and change the here and now and your future.

46

Correlation decline JW numbers and JW broadcasting?

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

i read some impressive figures here about the decline of the jw numbers in 2015.. could there be a correlation between this decline and the start of jw broadcasting?.

hence, that there would be an negative impact because the gb is standing so nearby, you can experience the idiot reasoning of their doctrines sitting in your own living room?.

the lett effect?

Dunedain

@ - Introvert2 -, and ANYONE else for that matter, I am kinda "late to the game", when it comes to the GB, and Lett, and seeing ANY of these guys, and their "performances" on video, and at assemblies. So can you guys tell me whats up with Letts "performance", or why people become "uncomfortable" when he comes on stage, please?

I have never heard, or seen any of his Talks or videos, and i would LOVE to know how "crazy" they are. Or what he does to make thousands of people uncomfortable, lol. Thanks in advance.

20

Gas prices today & the book study

by LevelThePlayingField in

we all remember, one of the main reasons for removing the bookstudy was the high gas prices, well, have you looked at the gas prices today?

nationwide, the lowest is about $1.65, the highest is about $2.67.

isn't that right about the same gas prices as when they cancelled the bookstudy in the first place?

Dunedain

Actually, i think the gas prices were even a bit higher, when they first cancelled the book studies. Based on that logic, since the gas prices are even cheaper now, why havent they reintroduced it?

Personally, i think the WTS realised that they were getting "nothing" out of the book study arrangement. There were no contribution boxes at the home book studies, that 90 % of the congregation went to. So the WTS probably figures, instead of having the R&F "waste" ANY money going to the book study, where there is NO chance of money going into a contribution box, they would cancel it, and have the R&F "save" that money, so it has a better chance of going into a contribution box in the Kingdom halls.

Its funny, too, how it used to be part of someones "reinstatement process", that they attended ALL the meetings that they could, to "measure spirituality". The Elders would say, "you should go to the Sunday meeting, the weekly ministry school meeting, AND even the BOOK STUDY that was held at the Kingdom hall. This, in the Elders eyes, showed how much you REALLY cared about being spiritual, and reinstated. Then one day, they just completely do away with the weekly book study. YET, that meeting used to be a "barometer" for spirituality/reinstatement.

AND, why in these "last days", when things should be ramping up, and our spiritual "food" should be increasing, and more important, would they completely do away with MORE spiritual food. I guarantee, cause it did NOT increase the WTS "revenues". It was an "unneccessary" meeting to the GB, and didnt fill the contribution boxes. It shows what they REALLY care about, and it is NOT the flocks spirituality, thats evident.

10

Does this fact in it`s own right , prove the Garden Of Eden story false to be no more than a fable ?

by smiddy in

thinking about life in general reflecting on the abundance of life on this planet , it became obvious to me that every living thing , those flying in the heavens ,living on the earth , or existing in the oceans , is all possible for one reason , and one reason only.. every living thing exists at the expense of the death of some other living thing , life and death go hand in hand.. the same is true even in the microscopic world .. every living thing feeds off some other unfortunate living thing.that`s nature at its most basic observation , but true.. what the noachian flood story overlooks is the vast amount of living marine life that existed and flourished and not influenced or affected by what supposedly went on , on land.. 99.9 % of all living creatures if not 100% live by the death of some other living creature and the same would have to be true in the garden of eden if it was to have existed in the first place .. no thing can live if it does not devour some other living thing .

a fact of life .. apologists are welcome to support god , by suggesting miraculous interventions by god that have no scriptual basis.

i guess any nature video of the animal kingdom , marine life in the oceans , or videos of the bird life , as in nature series should make this clear .. smiddy.

Dunedain

Or, maybe, none of us know EXACTLY what happened, and maybe we never will, either.