Posts by ctrwtf

something which i always found surprising when i attended the kingdom halls i studied was how angry, even vicious, many jehovah's witnesses could become when a watchtower study featured some persons and/or institutions the organization disapproved of, say, higher education and educators, christendom and its clergy, apostates, etc.

many seemed to sadistically enjoy denigrating these persons or institutions when the watchtower study conductor called on them and they were handed a microphone.

i wondered for a long time where this anger came from, and i've developed a hypothesis for explaining this.. according to a book i'm reading by alice miller called "for your own good: hidden cruelty in child-rearing and the roots of violence," children who are strictly controlled and abused (whether emotionally or physically) typically go on to unleash the anger they inevitably felt at their parents, but were never allowed to express, at their children or those around them.

ctrwtf

I agree with the OP. So many wits are unbelievably cruel especially when speaking or acting when they think no one is looking.

I suppose that this behavior pales when compared to the overall teaching that everyone you hate is going to be destroyed and soon. Not very Christian at all.

27

Corporate Virtue Signalling At Your Expense

by Simon in

the latest trend seems to be that you can't go to any store without being asked for money.. no, not the money for the things you went in there to purchase, extra money for the store to donate to charity.. yes, that's right, the big-name stores, often making $millions in profits, ask you to give them extra money so that they can give it to charity and get some publicity about how awesome they are so that they'll look good to their customers, like, erm, you.. it seems to have ramped up more in the last year or so and frankly, it pisses me off.

if i want to donate to some cause, i'll give the money straight to them.

i hate that it puts people on the spot to guilt them into donating and imagine some people on a tight budget may give even when they can't really afford it.. often you don't know what the charities really are (it's vague like "to help children") or how the money will be spent or even how much will go on the people it's supposedly to help (charity is a multi $billion industry, some just exist to pay themselves).. so what to do?

ctrwtf

Not rounding up your bill to donate to the food pantry is just mean. Especially when you've just purchased enough groceries to feed an army.

8

Giving the GB a Windows Version Name

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

i don't know which version of gb we are on.

(also unknown, which "old light" doctrines they changed to conveniently fortify their own position, when i was at gilead in 2005, i called them 2.0 because the last of the old guard was dying off.. for those associated with "ancient" history, windows started to come in their own with 3.0 and 3.1 in the early 1990s.

that is, until windows 95 happened, and the ubiquitous start button was first introduced.

ctrwtf

I remember the utter failure that was Windows ME (millenium).

GB Millenium? Seems apt.

13

Convention 2018 Notes

by pale.emperor in

someone on jwtalk has shared their convention notes (for those interested in a jw perspective).

jehovah’s people will experience hardships, so reliance on god is paramount!.

prayer is essential and vital for our spiritual well-being.

ctrwtf

That's .004 percent. .4 would equal 2400 baptisms. The decimal is rather important.

The global net increase in population (births-deaths) is 1.06%

To keep up with the worlds population .106 x 6000 they would have to have baptized 636 individuals.

Not likely to happen. Cheers!

17

RC Lowell Mass (USA)

by loneranger in

jw
friends

convention in lowell mass june 15-17 2018...about 4500 in attendance...11 baptized (0.24%)...believe about 6 of those were kids of current jw's..

ctrwtf

I think you mean .0024

A couple of decimals make a big difference. Pretty dismal outlook for the dubs.

286

Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Baker Who Refused to Bake Cake for Gay Couple

by Simon in

seems like such an obviously correct decision to overturn the previous overreach - it should never have been necessary to go to the supreme court but happened because the rights of the religious were being ignored.. as the fundamental level, no one should be able to compel you to work for them or to provide services that go against your beliefs, and certainly not have the government be able to force you to comply.. if this was allowed there would be so many unreconcilable situations that would clog up courts over nonsense.. i also have little patience for these activists that intentionally look to be offended.

it really doesn't do their cause any good to go round looking to make trouble for people.

it's also misguided because it ends up strengthening religious rights over effectively stupid issues.. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/06/04/us/politics/supreme-court-sides-with-baker-who-turned-away-gay-couple.html.

ctrwtf

There is nothing to suggest the bakers hate gays. They have a moral objection to gay marriage and prefer not to offer their services to a gay wedding ceremony.

This is just homophobic doublespeak. If you're going to hate the gays just say so. It seems that many on this board share your thoughts.

I do agree that people should act on their conscience and not be forced to do anything they do not wish to do. They should also own up to their prejudices and be prepared to face the consequences or lack thereof.