so my mother passed on 20 aug 23 from the big c. i was there when she went.
that was indeed very traumatic.
i won't go to describe it.. dad went 17 years ago so there's just me now.
So sorry to hear that, I know the pain and grief that accompanies the loss of a dear loved one, especially your mother.
My own dear mum, a JW until she died, passed away over a decade ago. I still think of her often, with fondness, and miss the old girl, even though we didn't see eye to eye on a lot of things in life, from when I was young, and latterly of course, on her beliefs.
I'll be thinking of you, I hope you get the support you deserve.
Love yer Punkie.
it-1 p. 127 - "they may also claim to serve god but reject (don't serve) his representatives, his visible organization.
such ones willfully abandoning the christian congregation (the org) thereby become part of the “antichrist.”" .
Look, they CANNOT say that ! I am the Antichrist !
I don't think "Jesus" ever existed, that he is totally mythical, such Myths being based upon much earlier Myths, going right back to Canaanite religion.
You cannot get much more anti than that !
zoe has nephew in the new bethel and we have been there to visit him.
even had a meal in the new dinning room and had a tour.. it was a bit underwhelming and the display of old bibles open to pages showing jehovah’s name is supposed to prove everything they say is spot on!.
everyone is talking about the upcoming dedication where members of the gb are flying over.
Another JW Non-event, all for the faithful, and at huge expense, all paid for by the faithful
this is a topic discussed in a current article in the hongkong based asia times*.
find it at: https://asiatimes.com/2023/09/nones-still-no-match-for-us-christian-nationalism/.
the claim is made in the article, that near 30% of americans are non-believers, and that this number is increasing.
" It just means people do not conscientiously see value in these social structures. "
I think this is the case with many here in the U.K, yes, we have over 50% who say they are not affiliated to any religion, but that does not tell us about the beliefs of those people, some will be non-theists of some stripe, but many will still believe in some sort of god, or a vague "Higher Power".
But this is encouraging, that throughout Europe, and to a small extent the USA, the grip of Organised Religion is loosening. People do not see the need to be affiliated to, or attend a Church.
Let us hope this powerful trend continues !
acts 15. the pericope has been long interpreted by the catholic church as a proof text for a central authority.
churches like the wt repeat this claim.
however, reading the text without this coloring reveals something very different.. the story starts with paul and barnabas going to the antioch church and there they encounter pharisee christians from jerusalem (15:24) contradicting the doctrine held by the antioch church.
Phew ! there was a lacuna on here,with no "peacefulpete", I thought you had maybe converted to Scientology or something !
Good to have you back ! and thanks for yet another erudite and thoughtful Post !
Your Post confirms the view of most who study the N.T properly, that the N.T works have not only been edited, but even in the first place were written with an Agenda of establishing what was considered "orthodox" so as to class anything else as "heresy".
This is an important find, as this Text gave impetus to he power of the established orthodoxy, and more power into the hands of the hierarchy.
No wonder the J.W org like it ! They make a great fuss about establishing the purity and accuracy of the Text, and yet blithely ignore late interpolations and editing.
so, folks, 60 years ago, starting on september 1st, i believe, we, local witnesses in southern california, had the "privilege" of attending the "around the world assembly", at, of all places, the rose bowl, in pasadena.
(i think that it was an 8-day assembly) i was 9 years old then, almost ready to start 4th grade.
so, was anyone else, on this site, at that assembly?
They were only special to me when I was in my teens and could spend my time chasing pretty girls, other than that they were pure Hell ! bum numbingly boring talks, and simply waiting for the break times.
I was at every large and smaller Convention up until I woke up to a degree in the early 2000's, and realised if we gave those hellish things a miss, nobody noticed ! Even my close J.W family must have thought they just hadn't run in to us.
My wife and I never attended another one, we left a couple of years later, for good.
But PIMO's take note, it IS possible to give them a miss and not be found out, if your circumstances permit.
https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/497240/jehovah-s-witness-church-spends-3-years-fighting-scrutiny-of-royal-commission-of-inquiry.
jehovah's witness church spends 3 years fighting scrutiny of royal commission of inquiry.
from article by anusha bradley, rnz.... .
Thank you "Easyprompt" for posting this. The J.W org , by trying to defend the indefensible, are going to reap the "Barbara Streisand Effect", and bring their reprehensible handling of CSA cases to a much wider audience. Good !
mandated shunning is on the rise around the world with devastating effects on millions of people.
shunning that is mandated by organized groups to its members is a form of both physical and psychological violence against those people being shunned and cut off from their family and life-long relationships.
mandated shunning means that the shunning is ordered from the top down.
" I agree with you, surely it must be left to an individual’s conscience, how can it be right to force anyone to shun or not shun... "
That is NOT what is being campaigned for, the individual's Human Right to exercise THEIR conscience will never cease to be.
But the Shunning as practiced by J.W org. and other high Control Groups, is mandated from the top, and members are coerced to not use their own conscience, whatever the Org, claims, we ALL know this.
I have had one lovely old "Sister" on the 'phone to me in tears because she was forced to shun a lifelong friend and her immediate family. There ARE a huge number of J.W's who would not shun given the freedom to use THEIR conscience !
i have been thinking about this in relation to the directive given to elders to destroy any incriminating evidence they may have either on their pc`s ,e-mails , private notes in their possession, or notes in their witnessing bags ,etc.
to do with child sexual abuse they may still have in their possession.. isn`t that encouraging the elders to interfere with the justice system ?.
to break the law?.
The latest Thread about the disgusting Pervert Elder who has just got, rightly, 15 years in Prison, could well illustrate the dangers to serving Elders, the org. will throw those Elders who appointed the Creep under the 'bus. Or the Org. will face multi-million $$$ Law Suits, they hate that !
I shall watch for news on this !
https://www.westernmassnews.com/2023/09/01/jehovah-witness-elder-sentenced-jail-child-sexual-abuse-case/?outputtype=amp.
.
This shameful Case shows that J.W Org. does not have a working Child Protection Programme, why THE F**K NOT ?
Small local Clubs and Associations where I live DO ! More often than not required by THEIR Governing Body. These groups are smaller than many a J.W Congregation, they have an appointed Protection Officer present at every event, and rules that protect anyone under 18.
The G.B. of J.W org is directly responsible for not instituting simple protections, and should face Court for not doing so.
I am aware that in many cases the Abuse takes place elsewhere, but the ever present Danger is brought to parent's attention by the Protection Programme, it is in their minds.
