Most Colleges, Harvard, Oxford, etc started as Religious institutions. I know some Congregations rent Senior centers from Catholic Church for the MEMORIAL!!!!! (They save a whopping $300) lol!! Some Circuits used to rent Masonic Halls, some of the big Shriners buildings for special talks. If it saves $$ for the ORG it is OK. If it helps a publisher feed the family...it may be bad.
Balaamsass
JoinedPosts by Balaamsass
-
23
Is it okay for JW to attend college with religious affliations?
by Iamallcool ini know they discourage attending college, but if someone attended college with religious affliations?
is that a judicial matter?
.
-
-
-
165
Your most DISTURBING WATCHTOWER Bethel/Branch experience? (No full names please)
by Balaamsass inok.. you 70 plus bethelite members.... this is your chance to share stories!
inquiring minds want to know !no full names please..follow t.o.s.
to avoid borg libel lawsuits).. i will start the ball rolling with week one.
-
-
Balaamsass
OK.. you 70 plus Bethelite members.... this is your chance to share stories! Inquiring minds want to know ! ( Watchtower Bible and Tract Society legal/service/and IT departments are closed for the weekend..but no full names please..follow T.O.S. to avoid BORG libel lawsuits).
I will start the ball rolling with week ONE.
My first DAY at Bethel, I go to vist a family friend, a Bethel Elder. He tells me his wife just left him and Bethel that week... with another married Bethel overseer.
My second DAY at Bethel sitting down half asleep at breakfast and hearing how 30+ got disfellowshipped for "Homosexuality" at massage parties that week. My new-boy response: "Whaaaaat"???
My third Day at Bethel and first meeting in the "Projects", when I voiced my concern about gunshots and the wisdom of 3 white kids in cheap suits walking through that neighborhood at night, and being told: "Brother, our hope is in the resurrection". My thought,..Oh, my, my,..KrAzY talk.
-
58
Ridiculous elder ideas and rules
by Juan Viejo2 inin an earlier thread, i went off topic for a moment to share excerpts from an email i received from an active sister living in the midwest usa.
she mentioned that the elders in her congregations were extremely conservative and criticized the flock for using certain colors of highlighters in their magazines.
she also reported that they were all over the sisters for wearing stylish boots or tennis shoes during the winter months.. i know that some elder groups can be very liberal, supportive and loving toward their flocks - while others are exactly opposite to the point that they become overbearing and oppressive.. what have you experienced as far as ridiculous, over-the-top rules and ideas enforced by local elders?.
-
-
Balaamsass
LOL ROF !!!!I'm still trying to figure out how an organization that had a leader that would allow himself to be photographed dressed like this: .oodad this was his FORMAL attire!!!
I used to see him everymorning..this photo is subdued. Now I would love to see a photo of him in his Wednesday night Sauna outfit!!! lol!!
Thanks oodad!!
-
-
-
Balaamsass
So sorry Factfinder. I am a dog lover and I fondly remember every four legged friend from the time I was 5. They become almost like children to us. I wish they lived longer. Warm wishes.
-
44
WT Society Appoints Elders/MS Based on " Functions " Performed - not ....
by flipper in........... holy spirit or any " fruitages of the spirit " like love, kindness, mildness, meekness , etc.
shown by men considered for elder or ms positions.
qualities or true positive character traits are not that important to the wt society in appointments of these men in jw congregations.. no, the real " qualifications " that a jw man needs to exhibit is being able to report 10 hours a month in knocking on people's doors offering wt and awake magazines !
-
-
Balaamsass
LOL ..is it sooo obvious? Everyone here is spot on.
One Circuit overseer told me his "Formula" while we were reviewing every brothers time card on a Tuesday afternoon, for the upcomming Friday night Elders meeting/appointment meeting. An average of 15 hours a month for the trailing 12 months. He felt 10-12 " productive", "Visible" field service hours monthly with one month of Aux pioneering (to support the arrangement) would bring the brother up to 15 hours. "Productive"= 1 bible study & 10+ placements per month (any combination). "Visible" meant regular SATURDAY group support if even for an hour. I had a few Circuit overseers LOOK at brothers with a trailing average of 6-7 hours per month. MY assignment from the C.O. was to encourage them them to "beef up the hours". ANYONE who had had a Judicial meeting (or any type) in the last 3-5 years name was taken from the pile for Friday discussion.
During the Tueday afternoon meeting the brothers meeting with the C.O. could plant suggestions in the C.O.s ears or "rumors" about every brother in the hall. Of course family members campaigned for family members to be "used" more. (Family members also told each other about the secret handshakes and time/placement/"visibility" regs.
Friday night the C.O. would bring up the name of every male in the hall and the entire body would have a "shot" at the poor guy. Even though everyone knew for months about the visit, one or two elders with an Ax to grind would quietly wait and say" I'm sorry but I Just hear a troubling rumor about Brother ....... and I think we should look into it before "laying our hands hastily on him". Of course the brother would be passed over. This would happen over and over till the poor smuck got the message and changed halls. Sometimes a funny brother would be called "not serious minded" no doubt over a joke at the expense of one of the Elders in the past.
NO ONE WANTED a pioneer appointed in many halls. Yikes! A true believer might show them up!!! :) In many halls no one wanted someone who was a real bible student, or a non team player. If need be, in some halls rather than be forced to appoint "boat rockers" some kind of "investigation" was mounted with perhaps "private" reproof that didn't get to be appealed and with no troublesome paper work going to the Watchtower Society. That would put the possible boat rocker on ice for 3 years!! There is always "loose conduct", "Causing divisions" that can be investigated. ie Farting in meetings, alone with a sister in field service, correcting/embarrasing an elder, writting any kind of letter to headquarters, repeating any negative press, reporting ANY sin without 2 witnesses against an elder..you get the point.
Humans protect the TRIBE. The whole Borg is a TRIBE. The families with-in the BORG are mini tribes. The above info was always available to sons and nephews in the Tribe....and how to game it. Just slap on the polyester jacket for an hour Saturday AM, smile, Knock on a few doors, leave some mags at Not- at homes, get seen at the donut shop by EVERYONE, then say "I got some calls"..and go home or to a friendly "Call" to talk about cars etc.. 1 hour = 3-4 hours vola!!! Based on 45 years observation only about 1/2 of Elder and Servant families are honest about time. MOST ELDERS and Sons 6-7 hours service magicly become 10-15 hours. Clueless HONEST & smart brothers with 5-7 hours hours rarely get appointed.
-
25
Does anyone know the networth of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society ?
by Balaamsass inwith the more recent assimilation of congregation properties, profit on sales of major real estate worldwide, and building of the new upstate compound does anyone have a handle on current net worth?
"book value"?.
it would seem some of this data would be available by government charities disclosure.
-
-
Balaamsass
http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/07/11/house-of-the-day-former-watchtower-printing-plant/, http://www.onebrooklyn.com/pdfs/New%20York%20Times%20Homes%20-%20May%202011.pdf ,
Been googling realestate sales for WATCHTOWER. WOW (above links)!!! That is just some of the little buildings. I got a kick from reading some of the comments from NYT times readers like #2 :"Nice business. Renovations and maintenance done by unpaid church members whlie no real estate taxes are paid and reap the reward at the time of sale. Isn't it time that we end tax exemptions for religious institutions?" Worldy Times Reader quote. LOL
Nice business. Great business model. Find old buildings and buy them with donations and 0% Loans. Remodel with donated materials and labor. Pay NO proerty taxes for years. Sell AND pay no taxes during the SALE!!! What a scam to make BILLIONS!!!.
Now off to Jones town with the loot!!! How many years can the Governing Body survive on the yearly intrest $$ on BILLIONS of DOLLARS...hummmm.
Jim Jones..such a 2 bit bush leaque player.
-
25
Does anyone know the networth of the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society ?
by Balaamsass inwith the more recent assimilation of congregation properties, profit on sales of major real estate worldwide, and building of the new upstate compound does anyone have a handle on current net worth?
"book value"?.
it would seem some of this data would be available by government charities disclosure.
-
-
Balaamsass
With the more recent assimilation of Congregation properties, profit on sales of major real estate worldwide, and building of the new upstate compound does anyone have a handle on current Net Worth? "Book value"?
It would seem some of this Data would be available by government charities disclosure. Of course the real estate would be undervalued, perhaps at cost. I can't remember how many Corporations exist worldwide...so the State Department of corporations filings would be difficult to check.
-
98
Greenlees & Chitty -- Some Sources
by AlanF inposted on an email message board:.
posted on an email message board:.
posted recently to the h2o message board:.
-
-
Balaamsass
Thanks! The problem with bringing an "accusation" against any Governing Body member at Watchtower Bethel, was without two witnesses you would be kicked out and disfellowshipped. Bringing anything out later = possible defamation lawsuit by a 8 billion dollar+ corporation.
-
47
Menlo Park (CA - USA) Kingdom Hall
by Juan Viejo2 ini received an anonymous email over at ex-jw.com that had an attached legal filing.
the first couple of pages seemed to be standard legal filings, but the rest of the pages looked like standard typed documentation (not in numbered double-spaced legal format.
) i'm not quite sure what to make of it, so wonder if anyone here has heard of it.
-
-
Balaamsass
Thanks for the update on the Menlo Park Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses Fiasco !
-
39
How long can one continue as an unbelieving JW?
by mankkeli inis it really possible to continue as a jw but not believing in it anymore.
for how long can one keep up with this pace of life?.
i will appreciate it if any scientific study had been done on this and what has the result showed?..
-
-
Balaamsass
Great story Maui boy. :)