XBEHERE

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Posts by XBEHERE

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  39

  Are Elders experts on the Bible? Are they spirtually qualified men?

  by John Aquila in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  how many times have elders read their bible in its entirety?

  these are the leaders that give counsel to married couples, to teenagers, to single girls and single boys on everything from marriage, education, sex, association, dress, and recreation..

  how well do they know their bible?

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  XBEHERE

  Elders know as much about the scriptures as anyone else who cares to put the effort to read it.

  As for their knowledge of JW policy... that's an entirely different issue.
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  37

  How Much Do Circuit Overseers Make Under the Table, and is it Taxable?

  by Tazemanian-devil in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i was thinking about green handshakes, and i knew my wife and i personally would try to slide at least $100 each c.o visit to the c.o.

  if we were low on cash, we'd never hand him less than $20.

  how many of such handshakes does he receive in a weeks time?

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  XBEHERE

  In my area, considered one of said affluent areas, I know for a fact that most of the elders are giving the CO cash every time he comes. When I was still mentally in I was regularly giving him $50-100 depending on how I was treated during the visit.

  We had 11 elders at the time and some were financially more well off than I was so average lets say each gave $50 so thats $550 just from the elder body, from 1 congregation in a 12-20 cong. circuit. So I think yes they clean up in some areas for sure.

  Keep in mind that this was a estimate based on elders giving only, its all tax free (unreported) and they have a free car, free gas, free dry cleaning, free place to stay, free medical, free dental and in many cases free food.

  Do the math. These guys are doing ok I think.
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  36

  "Be Kind to the Fornicators in the Congregation!" -- New August Watchtower

  by FusionTheism in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  have you noticed the article entitled "watch your associations in these last days" in the new august 2015 study watchtower?.

  unless i'm reading it wrong, or somehow misinterpreting it, it is saying that we should be kind to intentional breakers of god's laws inside and outside the congregation, including fornicators, but that we must not be close associates with them.. are they already preparing for a shift in their disfellowshipping practices?.

  here are the relevant paragraphs:.

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  XBEHERE

  It would be more difficult to maintain control if they become more lenient with associating with DF people. So I don't see a big change coming if at all. It would be a welcome one though if it did change.
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  35

  Kingdom Hall Money Grab Was for Child Abuse – It’s Completely Clear

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  if youve followed the news lately there are more and more child abuse cases popping up.

  one lawyer said he has over 28 cases in the pipeline that are going to be coming out soon.

  on december 1 st a new one just popped up.

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  XBEHERE

  being just too many cases for their 90$ per month lawyers to handle

  I believe they get $140 a month now in the US.
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  59

  'Anointeds' Do you know any and if so what are they like ?

  by Introvert 2 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  would like to hear about any experiences anyone has had with the so called ' anointed ' .

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  XBEHERE

  Growing up there was a sister that professed to be anointed and she was as nice as could be, very friendly, kind, normal.

  Fast forward to now... the one person professing to be anointed that I know is, as was already mentioned weird. Just plain odd. Nasty sometimes to people, know-it-all, pompous. ugh what an idiot.
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  3

  Found this article cited on Reddit today, Interesting

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in their fantastic book about cognitive dissonance, mistakes were made (but not by me), carol tavris and elliot aronson write about the great psychologist leon festinger who, in 1957, infiltrated a doomsday cult.

  the cult was led by dorothy martin who called herself sister thedra.

  she convinced her followers in chicago an alien spacecraft would suck them up and fly away right as a massive flood ended the human race on december 21, 1954. many of her followers gave away everything they owned, including their homes, as the day approached.

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  XBEHERE

  In their fantastic book about cognitive dissonance, Mistakes Were Made (But Not by Me), Carol Tavris and Elliot Aronson write about the great psychologist Leon Festinger who, in 1957, infiltrated a doomsday cult. The cult was led by Dorothy Martin who called herself Sister Thedra. She convinced her followers in Chicago an alien spacecraft would suck them up and fly away right as a massive flood ended the human race on December 21, 1954. Many of her followers gave away everything they owned, including their homes, as the day approached. Festinger wanted to see what would happen when the spaceship and the flood failed to appear. Festinger hypothesized the cult members faced the choice of either seeing themselves as foolish rubes or assuming their faith had spared them. Would the cult members keep their weird beliefs beyond the date the world was supposed to end and become even more passionate as had so many groups before them under similar circumstances? Of course they did. Once enough time had passed they could be pretty sure no spaceships were coming, they began to contact the media with the good news: their positive energy had convinced God to spare the Earth. They had freaked out and then found a way to calm down. Festinger saw their heightened state of arousal as a special form of anxiety – cognitive dissonance. When you experience this arousal it is as if two competing beliefs are struggling in a mental bar fight, knocking over chairs and smashing bottles over each other’s heads. It feels awful, and the feeling persists until one belief knocks the other out cold.

  Here is a link to the entire article if you're interested.

  http://youarenotsosmart.com/2011/10/05/the-benjamin-franklin-effect/
  
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  30

  Does the GB really care if the organization collapses?

  by Driving Force in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i am sure that the gb does not care about the r&f jw.

  it does not care about the organization collapsing overnight.. why do i say this?.

  in 2013 the organization declared that the "faithful and discreet slave" consisted only of the seven member of the gb.

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  XBEHERE

  I don't think cults are that simple to define in every situation. I really do feel that at least some of the heavies in the org really believe that they are god's channel, the true religion. It is not just about money otherwise this cult would've closed down years ago.
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  18

  just wondering, how many wives of elders had influence?

  by sowhatnow in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  id wonder how many wives of servants had the upper hand so to speak, on issues, that of course, were supposed to be private, yet gee lets be honest, husbands and wives talk.

  its nature.

  so if you were a wife of a servant how much did you get involved?

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  XBEHERE

  I think that would be on a case by case basis. I am sure there are some so-called "Elderettes" that have an huge influence on individual elders (their husbands). However if their husbands are not influential on the BOE then its meaningless. If he is prominent on the BOE then yes she could control things behind the scenes as a puppet master.

  My personal opinion is that its rare.
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  22

  just a question

  by poopie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what percentage would you say of all jehovah's witnesses really 100 percent follow the shunning decree to the letter just answer with a percent thank you

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  XBEHERE

  30%
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  104

  The Secret is out....but nobody cares

  by MrTheocratic in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've been looking on this site for some time but never posted.

  i'll give a little about myself, but not too much.

  i'm a ex-bethelite ( brooklyn )and currently serving as an elder (10 years) (thinking about stepping down) on the service committee.

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  XBEHERE

  Welcome and thank you for "hitting the nail on the head" with your comments above. I am also serving as an active elder, also an ex bethelite, and I agree with you 100%.