wisdomfrombelow

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Posts by wisdomfrombelow

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  14

  This generation and a key weasel word

  by Socrateswannabe in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in this past sunday's watchtower lesson, which has been discussed at length on this board, the gb/writing committee used a key weasal word that we will probably see again.

  the exact quote is: "we understand that in mentioning 'this generation,' jesus was referring to two groups of anointed christians.".

  this goofy teaching is merely a patch until they can devise something more plausible, or until some event occurs that they can latch onto that will make this teaching more acceptable to the r&f.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  Their expression that one has to be anointed versus born during a period was interesting. Because ones can calculate these two groups to make the end some 50 years away, they use being anointed to shorten it my 30 or so years. Hence they push forward the urgency until they come up with another updated understanding.

  The specifically gave themselve wiggle room when the end doesn't come in 20 years to expand it to those BORN that overlap to give them another 20 years before they find another excuse. By that time it will be a new Governing Body and someone else's problem. Notice that if they used "governing body members" instead of "anointed" that the overlapping members have already died off so none of them remain who were on the GB when Franz was on the GB. One elder described it as two links which make up a chain...so they can keep adding links until there are 144,000 long....
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  28

  Strong, odd and weird opinions on my brothers anniversary

  by usualusername in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  today my brother a non witness gave me a phone call.. .

  he spoke about this, that and the other.

  he then said that my oldest brother (an elder) was having his 25th wedding anniversary.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  Do what you feel is best. I never see the point in deliberately going somewhere only to make controversy (though I've done that before). Since he didn't explicitly forbid you from going then if you want to go, go. If you don't, don't. You could send a card or something to congratulate him and his wife. Whatever you decide remember that you'll have to live with the consequences.
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  12

  The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne

  by Oubliette in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  [warning: this post contains spoilers!].

  i've been reading hawthorne's the scarlet letter.

  it is really quite an interesting read for us ex- and soon-to-be-ex-jws, especially if you or a loved one has ever been dealt with judicially by the elders.. i love the way hawthorne portrays the main characters:.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  I read it in High School and it left an impression decades later. Roger Chillingsworth, Hester's husband, is also an interesting character. I noticed the similarities with Jehovah's Witnesses and their shunning. Perhaps we should wear a scarlet letter D and hold our heads up high and let our manner of life reveal who we are on the inside.
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  43

  Why JWs don't celebrate Mother's day

  by Laika in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the uk, this sunday is mother's day!

  ask a jw why they don't celebrate holidays and they'll tell you it's because of some nefarious pagan connection.

  but this is really just a cover.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  only go so far before he starts to look crazy even to his own followers

  I seem to remember that Woodworth who printed the Golden Age wanted to stop using the days of the week and months because they were named after false Gods and Rutherford called him foolish about that. I think Christmas celebrations ended when those at Brooklyn Bethel voted to end it. Somehow I think they go through phases of making things taboo and hardly ever making them a matter of conscious again (like wind chimes)
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  43

  Why JWs don't celebrate Mother's day

  by Laika in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the uk, this sunday is mother's day!

  ask a jw why they don't celebrate holidays and they'll tell you it's because of some nefarious pagan connection.

  but this is really just a cover.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  I'd like to know WHEN the ban went into effect. There must have been an article which started the change. Sometimes knowing WHEN something happened helps to understand WHY it happened by examining contemporaneous events.
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  19

  The End of Circuit Overseers

  by wisdomfrombelow in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am sure that the term "circuit overseer" will be gone soon.

  they seem to be changing vocabulary and the presiding overseer is now the "coordinator of the body of elders" and all "district overseers" will be gone in a few months.

  they used to be called "circuit servants" but they will never re-hash an old term so they will make a new term.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  I am sure that the term "circuit overseer" will be gone soon. They seem to be changing vocabulary and the presiding overseer is now the "coordinator of the body of elders" and all "district overseers" will be gone in a few months. They used to be called "Circuit Servants" but they will never re-hash an old term so they will make a new term. Even if it is unnecessary it gives the false impression of change=progress so I wonder when it will come. They snuck the new district overseer modification right after the watchtower study about all the progress in the last 100 years so l guess that when they have another watchtower like they then they'll send out another letter about another change. I wonder what the new title will be?
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  43

  BOE District Overseers- CONFIDENTIAL

  by WatchTower87 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  instruction: press the 'skip ad' button top right, you should then see the download screen more easily.

  no virus ;-).

  boe district overseers- confidential pdf: http://adf.ly/glwdn.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  They state big changes as if they are nothing big at all. The District Overseers aren't needed because we don't have District Conventions anymore. Some get sent back in the circut work. Some might get sent back to Bethel. Some might be forced into "retirement". Most have no option but to accept whatever comes their way just like the reassigned Bethelites. I wonder if the Circuit Overseers are wondering if their days are "numbered"--to be replaced by local substitute circuit overseers who have to provide their own transportation and won't require all that much Branch financial support.

  Gone are the titles that so many used to aspire toward-District Overseer, City Overseer, Bethel Elder--which shows how useless those titles really were. All this consolidation is typical of contraction and not expansion. I just wonder what they will do next--maybe women servants (but never elders).
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  22

  He Wants To Help Me

  by LouBelle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i just happened to bump into an elder today.

  a guy my age that i used to know.

  i was having a quick breakfast.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  If you don't believe in God why try to have a religious discussion with him. When I see people I haven't seen in a while I care about how they are doing and what is new in their life--not get into a discussion about religion or politics. Even if you open his eyes he probably has too much invested to just walk away from it even if you prove every point to him.
  
  I guess if I were to talk to someone and try to get them to think I would start with Paul's comments about the resurrection. Paul agreed that if the dead were not to be raised up then Christians would be the most pitiable and foolish of people. So much better to really enjoy the life we have. Then ask him if he would agree that if the Watchtower was not preaching the truth then Jehovah's Witnesses are to be the most pitiable and foolish people out there. Sacrificing everything to get man-made, meaningless titles. Shunning their own children. Forgoing education and anything that would make their lives more meaningful. Perhaps not even getting married or having children because they wanted to serve the Watchtower more fully.
  
  Then I would say "If they don't have the truth..." but of course he believes they do have the truth. Just like the billions of other people with different religious beliefs and who might react the same way when you tell them they don't have the truth. What is the difference? Only that he believes he is right. Hypothetical questions sometimes help people to think about things in ways they would never otherwise. But I don't expect him ever think outside the box...Then I would change the topic and never bring up religion again...but that's just me.
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  51

  No more circuit assemblies

  by justmeok in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i heard from a reliable source that there will be no more 2 day assemblies, but instead 2 one days each year.

  anyone heard this yet?

  supposed to start new service year.

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  wisdomfrombelow

  Might you realize that it's pointless to drag JWs and their families out to so many convention and assembly days per year? Surely they know one of the reasons so many of us have left is because we couldn't carry the crushing burden they laid on our backs, the burden of the meeting, field service, study and assembly schedules.

  Just like Solomon's son made things much harder for the people, GB 2.0 will not ease the burden and will push many people too far. They don't know empathy or compassion.
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  84

  BOE Letter: New Adjustments

  by pixel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  **this was predicted from some members here**.

  to all congregations .

  re: adjustments in organizational terminology and assembly arrangements .

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  wisdomfrombelow

  I wonder which unfortunate circuit gets the Circuit Assembly on Superbowl Sunday or will it not be scheduled on that day and on XMAS and New Years when they fall on a weekend?