for those of you who haven`t been following it,the wts is in a downward spiral here in japan.fs hours are down,memorial attendance.
is down,pioneers are down,studies are down,donations are down,number.
of congregations is down and the number of publishers continues to.
G'day JWD,
The affect that has on JWs here is that when they leave, they tend to throw out ALL interest in religion.In other words,you don`t see people leaving and going back to Budhism.A small percentage will seek out a church (normally protestant) but the majority become totally non-religious.
I think that's pretty general. It certainly is the case here in Australia.
Ozzie
(entire article).
questions from readers.
in view of jehovahs willingness to forgive sins by the merit of the ransom sacrifice, why is it necessary for christians to confess to the older men in the congregation?.
G'day all,
Skillful elders can do much to ease the pain of heart that is felt by the remorseful sinner.
As has already been pointed out here, a key is the use of the word "skillful". Another aspect of the doubletalk being used is this: The Watchtower doesn't say that all elders are skillful. It qualifies the statement by stating that there are occasions when there are some elders who are skillful and who will ease the pain of heart.
As waiting points out the congregation R&F will read this as applying to all elders when, in reality, this is not what the Watchtower has said. They're good, aren't they?
Cheers,
Ozzie
for those of you who haven`t been following it,the wts is in a downward spiral here in japan.fs hours are down,memorial attendance.
is down,pioneers are down,studies are down,donations are down,number.
of congregations is down and the number of publishers continues to.
JWD
Recently,those leaving the WT include people who`ve been
in for 20,30 and even 40 years! By contrast, the new `recruits` are
often marginal people; i.e.socially maladjusted and emotionally weak.
Judging from recent KMs,it seems the headquarters is fluctuating
between a more broad-minded approach and a more hard-line approach.
The same is happening here in Oz. Most of those leaving are the ones with most experience. The leadership skills of those now in control is much diminished (and it shows!)
Had Enough
At this weekends CA, the emphasis was put on studying with people longer that before. Go farther than the 'Require' brochure and the 'Knowledge' book.....now carry on into another book, "if the person seems to need more encouragement and seems worthy through their display of interest but maybe circumstances are holding him back".
Same here in Oz. Trouble is, there's only 'old light' publications to study with these newly interested folk. The books need an Erratum sheet included!
Cheers, Ozzie
i am an old man.. this is a topic i have been comtemplating for some time as i continue in this transitional time of my life, reminiscing about my 50+ years with what some of you call the "borg", but i simply refer to as jehovah's witnesses.. good people i have known who loved god, but did not fit into the organizational scheme of things is the topic.
there will be at least three parts a la amazing.
this topic will sink out of sight like a rock, but it is therapeutic to write it and the contemplation brings a smile to my face.. my first subject is b.w.. b.w.
G'day wanna,
Wonder how the organization harmonizes a non witness who is annointedWho says they (borg-ites) will be there?
"For many deceivers have gone forth into the world, persons not confessing Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist......Everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the Christ does not have God. He that does remain in this teaching is the one that has both the Father and the Son." (2 John 7-10)
Ozzie
just thought for the helluvit, id play around with stats a bit more.
i wanted to see if i could come up with some reasonable reliable projected growth numbers.
let me get right to it and show you what ive got.
Hmmm, don't know about this. Despite the pretty colours used, projections used here are 'iffy'. Slowed growth worldwide does not necessarily mean a decline. These loops used are based on conjecture. However, larc is quite right when he says
you might look at is the very significant drop in the number getting baptized
This maymean decline in future times, but it's too early to chart.
Another problem with this type of chart is that we trend to use extrapolation. So just because the previous umpteen years have shown a certain pattern is no guaranteethat this will continue.
Ozzie
as you all know, those of us who are in the confines of the penal colony of new south wales will be getting together for a bbq gettogether next sunday may 27th.
so if you live near sydney or within a reasonable travelling time and you like the idea of getting together for talking, sharing experiences, whatever, get the details of the time and location, and the security arrangements by e-mailing [email protected].
now, are you ready for today's lesson?
As you all know, those of us who are in the confines of the penal colony of New South Wales will be getting together for a BBQ gettogether next Sunday May 27th. So if you live near Sydney or within a reasonable travelling time and you like the idea of getting together for talking, sharing experiences, whatever, get the details of the time and location, and the security arrangements by e-mailing [email protected]
Now, are you ready for today's lesson? Today we will be looking at preparing for the BBQ.
1. "Go and tart yourself up. = Please dress in your best clothes.
2. Grouse lippy = What a nice shade of lipstick.
Tomorrow's lesson will be on greetings at the BBQ.
Don't forget, e-mail [email protected] for the details.
Cheers,
Ozzie
many of the senior witnesses out there, i am sure will remember the spring/summer of 1975 and the amount of excitement that was in the air surrounding the anticipation of what the new year would bring.. i have no recollection of such events as i was still in short trousers and wearing a strange cap, but anyway.... fred franz, the vice president at the time gave many talks to 000's of people about how much everyone was looking forward to 1975 and the wonderful things it would bring... without making an explicit statement as such, but the implications were all there.
these talks actually began in about 1966. the anticipation grew too much for some people and many began to heed mr franz's advice about selling their property to live out the last months on the earth in the pioneer service.
he also encouraged the young people not to pursue a career but rather to be more active in "the truth".
G'day all,
thanks waiting for highlighting so vividly what it was like in the 'spiritual paradise' in the months and years leading up to 1975.
Many reading your account may be too young to remember, or they may not have been Witnesses at the time.
At the conclusions of the District Conventions in 1971, through 1974 the closing speaker would discuss the following year Convention in such 'iffy' terms as 'Jehovah willing we will meet once more this side of Armageddon' ... '...or the New System.' Or, times are so close to the end that the 'Society is not sure if we will be able to plan another Convention.'
the excitement was so strong, that any who played down the 'urgency' of the times and the 1975 predictions were considered 'immature' and lacking a proper spiritual view. They were in grave danger
Your words should be a clear warning to all current Witness devotees and those currently studying with them of the dark side of Witness history.
Thanks.
Ozzie
while even the organization c.t.
russell founded, the watchtower society, now denies much of what he taught, there are still those who call themselves bible students, who follow russell to this day!.
a short history of the bible students:.
G'day Skimmer,
If Russell were alive today, he most definitely would not be a JW.
They have an answer for that, of course, in claiming that the light has gotten brighter. Would Charles Russell have walked in that increasing light? There's no way of telling. Maybe he would have been dragged into agreeing to reform in the same way as Knorr and Franz (Fred) did with the change to the elder arrangement and the rotation of chairmanship of the GB.
Because of the breakaway Bible Students groups, we now have several 'organisations' all claimed C.T.Russell as their founder.
How different from true Christianity which has a founder who said that he was 'the Way, the truth and the life' and that 'no-one comes to the Father except through me'.
Ozzie
many of the senior witnesses out there, i am sure will remember the spring/summer of 1975 and the amount of excitement that was in the air surrounding the anticipation of what the new year would bring.. i have no recollection of such events as i was still in short trousers and wearing a strange cap, but anyway.... fred franz, the vice president at the time gave many talks to 000's of people about how much everyone was looking forward to 1975 and the wonderful things it would bring... without making an explicit statement as such, but the implications were all there.
these talks actually began in about 1966. the anticipation grew too much for some people and many began to heed mr franz's advice about selling their property to live out the last months on the earth in the pioneer service.
he also encouraged the young people not to pursue a career but rather to be more active in "the truth".
G'day all,
It seems that 1975 didn't happen!
Ask any R&F JW about 1975 now and you'll get stares as if you've just blasphemed, or you'll get denial. Here we are a quater century after the event, and it's as if it never happened.
Back when I was a lad, I never knew about the 1925 fiasco. It was never mentioned. In fgact, it wasn't until a few years ago that I learned of it.
The Borg has a history of denying its unpleasant past by having the R&F actually believe that black is white, and vice versa.
Ozzie
"only on a rare occasion have i seen a society form returned with a red-line though a recommendation, indicating they reject the appointment.
this was in a case where the brother was under 25 years old, or some other minor defect.
never was there any rationale mentioned by the society at the their reasons based on spiritual qualifications lacking.
AK,
It's referred to as "working with what we've got" and "meeting the need arising".
Ozzie
