Posts by NotFormer

30

Internal Watchtower Statistics Re: Disfellowshipping and Shunning

by NotFormer in

does the wt have a person/department/section tasked with compiling data and analysing it statistically.

or have they started doing something like that now that they are hiring external consultancies?.

i ask the question because i'm wondering if such studies and statistical analysis would show any link between the harshness of the disfellowshipping policy as it is applied and the dropout rate of people within the organisation who have just had enough.. in previous threads it has been pointed out that the old approach isn't effective any more.

NotFormer

Does the WT have a person/department/section tasked with compiling data and analysing it statistically. Or have they started doing something like that now that they are hiring external consultancies?

I ask the question because I'm wondering if such studies and statistical analysis would show any link between the harshness of the disfellowshipping policy as it is applied and the dropout rate of people within the organisation who have just had enough.

In previous threads it has been pointed out that the old approach isn't effective any more. There are more exes than current members now and there is support for those who flee. Unlike Logan's Run, Sanctuary does exist outside the WT city (or "Ark", if you prefer). So, the tighter they squeeze in trying to crack down on dissent, the more people they squeeze out. The speculation has been that they have been slightly NERFing the disfellowshipping practices because this is beginning to become apparent to the management.

So is this correlation showing up in whatever statistics they keep?

37

They Came To The Door!

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

going door to door with their "memorial" invitation.

"so you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?

them: "we can explain who is to partake".. me: "all jesus' followers".

NotFormer

Gordon, you have an enormous set of cojones! 😱 I could never do that!

I remember a bit more of the conversation. About the Lord's supper, I quoted Jesus ' command "This do in remembrance of me". The bloke said "And who was he talking to?" That's when I said what I said above. He made a beeline for the gate and left his wife holding the bag. The remaining dribs and drabs of conversation were with her.

So, yes, they are not the confident debaters they once were, in my recent experience.

19

Does The WT Keep Files On ExJW Activists?

by NotFormer in

it occurred to me that the wt, if they can identify the activists that are currently campaigning against them, would have a lot of ability to compile detailed dossiers on them.

once identified, the elders of the appropriate congregation could be asked to forward copies of all their membership details held locally.. would they do that, and do such dossiers exist?.

(there are probably data collection rules governing such things in a lot of countries, but by no stretch of the imagination could the wt be considered a good corporate citizen).

NotFormer

It occurred to me that the WT, if they can identify the activists that are currently campaigning against them, would have a lot of ability to compile detailed dossiers on them. Once identified, the elders of the appropriate congregation could be asked to forward copies of all their membership details held locally.

Would they do that, and do such dossiers exist?

(There are probably data collection rules governing such things in a lot of countries, but by no stretch of the imagination could the WT be considered a good corporate citizen)

3

NPCs at the Kingdom Hall

by Simon in

jw
friends

in case you're unfamiliar with the acronym, an npc is a "non playable character" in a game.

typically, they are kind of a placeholder that do set things rather than being controlled by another player or any kind of ai to vary what they do.

they just follow a script.

NotFormer

"They could be like NPCs, in that you always knew where to find them (and how to get them to react)"

You could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him

37

They Came To The Door!

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

going door to door with their "memorial" invitation.

"so you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?

them: "we can explain who is to partake".. me: "all jesus' followers".

NotFormer

nowwhat?, yes 20 or 30 years ago, you could have a robust and, dare I say it, fun conversation with JWs at the door. As you say, those days seem to be long gone.

TonusOH, it's probably better if they don't. When I'm in the right frame of mind, I can be perfectly charming and engaging as a conversationalist. But I'm not always in that frame of mind. They've been around twice since our move, and neither of those times was right for me to be good company.

It's a little sad; they used to know what they believed and would defend it vigorously. It's hard to blame the R&F, the GB keeps changing everything so rapidly that it's hard to keep up with the belief du jour, I guess. 🙄

37

They Came To The Door!

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

going door to door with their "memorial" invitation.

"so you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?

them: "we can explain who is to partake".. me: "all jesus' followers".

NotFormer

Going door to door with their "memorial" invitation. "So you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?" says I.

Them: "We can explain who is to partake".

Me: "All Jesus' followers". (I quote John 20:31) "All who believe in Jesus are his brothers".

Them: "It's been nice talking to you! Bye!"

Me: Bye, bye!

That's a condensed version of the conversation. The lady commented that I seem to know a lot about them. I commented that I've known a JW or two over the years, but I'm not what she'd call an apostate; I've never even set foot in the door of a Kingdom Hall.

But I do seem to recall that outsiders who are vigorous enough opposers are tarred with the same brush as "apostates". Perhaps word will circulate not to visit me anymore. (Although that may constitute a breach of some data protection/privacy Act?)

Anyway, I was arguably nicer this time, although I still wasn't in a perfect space for such a conversation.

Hopefully Vidiot approves... 😏

20

For all JW's: Stop calling others "apostates."

by BoogerMan in

if you don't want to be thrown into gehenna, read what your own faithful evil slave & christ say:.

cj chap.

3 p. 110 chapter 3 - "jesus christ said: “whoever says, ‘you despicable fool!’ (apostate) will be liable to the fiery gehenna.” (matt.

NotFormer

nicolaou: "Speak for yourself, I'm a proud apostate."

You're not an apostate, you're a very naughty boy! 🤣

10

Finding Neverland

by Freeorange in

add bookmark.

#1. i have to start off this post by saying i am not intending to insult or offend.

these are just our observations over our entire lives in the org.

NotFormer

I agree with Phizzy about using their terminology; I don't. I refer to JWs, the WT or the GB (being an outsider, it was never da Troof to me!) I don't use their pejorative term "Christendom" when talking about other churches, I say mainstream Christianity (they qualify under that umbrella anyway, so I never understood the point of that). I say ex or former JWs instead of apostates. There's probably an entire thread on WT jargonese used to condition the thinking of the PIMIs. Once you're out, not in, you need to stop using their dictionary and their learned lines from their playbook.

20

For all JW's: Stop calling others "apostates."

by BoogerMan in

if you don't want to be thrown into gehenna, read what your own faithful evil slave & christ say:.

cj chap.

3 p. 110 chapter 3 - "jesus christ said: “whoever says, ‘you despicable fool!’ (apostate) will be liable to the fiery gehenna.” (matt.

NotFormer

When you call yourself it, it's a badge of honour. When someone else calls you it, it's an insult.

Besides, the people on here aren't apostates. That's the Watchtower's designation, and like everything else of theirs, it's wrong. Watchtower definitions don't carry any weight here.

19

Bible study

by GregT in

i used to attend the meetings and was baptized about 30 years ago but i haven't gone to the meetings or associated with any one i new from the congregation for around 15 - 20 years.

i want to get back to studying but i am not ready to go to any meetings.

other than the watchtower and awake what book is used these days for people just starting to study with jehovah's witnesses?.

NotFormer

I wouldn't say this is an anti JW forum. It just isn't very pro-Watchtower.

If you go back to a Kingdom Hall, you're probably going to be shocked at how much has changed in 15 to 20 years. Don't let anyone know that you have been on this forum, if you want to start off on the right foot, should you choose to go back down that path.