Posts by NotFormer

13

Watchtower in the NEWS. DUBLIN: "Former top UBS executive joins Jehovah’s Witnesses’ new Ireland-based asset venture"

by Balaamsass2 in

slate of industry heavy-hitters sign up to management company run by religious group".

slate of industry heavy-hitters sign up to management company run by religious group.

28 aug 2024. john mulligan.

NotFormer

"Heavy hitters. With obvious cognitive abilities WHY are they involved with Watchtower?"

That is the million dollar question. And the answer could be in the preceding sentence to this one. My humble take? They've got to be getting paid for this. Otherwise, perhaps they feel they've made and invested enough (and they've got it all locked away in trusts), that they can afford to take the "vow of poverty".

But your point still stands: how can people so smart, so educated, be so dumb as to throw in their lot with the Tower? Methinks the incentives are high.

42

What would happen to a JW for celebrating Christmas?

by Vanderhoven7 in

mark jones writes:.

if they were spied upon and it was reported to the elders they’d be “invited” to a judicial committee whereupon they’d be cross examined in a locked backroom by three men acting as judge and jury to decide if they are guilty.. .

if the elders decide that they are guilty, they’ll then decide if the person is sorry.

NotFormer

"But we did drop in on his non-jw family and get gifts from them and eat their food and enjoy the tree. Weird!"

Not the first time that JWs have benefited from ignoring WT rules via "wiggle room". The Thanksgiving thread is full of it.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6495355047247872/did-your-witness-family-have-thanksgiving-that-wasnt-on-thanksgiving

It got me thinking about the blood rule. JWs can at least benefit from blood fractions, but they won't contribute towards the pool of fractions by giving blood. All benefit, no responsibility.

40

2025 Convention Theme leak

by ukpimo in

according to the next boe letter to be read at next week's midweek meetings in the united states,.

the theme of the convention for next year is.

pure worship.

NotFormer

"You’d think it would be a continuation of the gospel theme from this year as more episodes of the drama are released."

There's no reason that they couldn't tie that theme to the life and ministry of Jesus. They don't have to be tied to a previously released title by that name. These days, they're switching things all the time. Heck, the century old requirement to count time was summarily dropped like a hot potato!

But you might be right; Jesus might only be flavour of the month this year. I thought that the increased attention on Jesus might be a long term thing: "Sure, show affection for Jesus, who isn't here yet*, but more so, show affection for and obedience to Jesus' brothers (the GB), who are here.

*But he came invisibly some time ago. 🙄

22

The Watchtower Society Hedge Fund

by TJ Curioso in

the watchtower society hedge fundseveral weeks ago it came to my attention via the e-jehovahs-witnesses discussion board that the watchtower society had devised a new money raising scheme.

the scheme is to beg and borrow money from each individual congregation account, which they deem to be in excess of the congregation's actual expenses.

i half jokingly responded to the topic then that the watchtower has become a hedge fund.

NotFormer

Earnest, it certainly looks like they're there, and still using it. So the question becomes, why did they try to sell it in the the first place, especially if they were happy to squat there after not having sold it?

125

Mandated Shunning is a Crime

by Lee Marsh in

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.

NotFormer

blondie, "Follow the money" is the Golden Rule where the WT is involved. 🙄

22

The Watchtower Society Hedge Fund

by TJ Curioso in

the watchtower society hedge fundseveral weeks ago it came to my attention via the e-jehovahs-witnesses discussion board that the watchtower society had devised a new money raising scheme.

the scheme is to beg and borrow money from each individual congregation account, which they deem to be in excess of the congregation's actual expenses.

i half jokingly responded to the topic then that the watchtower has become a hedge fund.

NotFormer

"...the Irish Bethel was put up for sale by Mason Owen Lyons in 2011, but it seems that it was never sold, as Google Maps from June 2023 shows the JW.org sign still at the gate, and it is no longer advertised by Mason Owen Lyons."

That raises many questions and possibilities, if it didn't sell*. Did they initially try to sell in a difficult market and then hang on to the property in the hope of a better price in the future? It surely must have appreciated in value by now, so why are they hanging on to it? Are they still occupying and using it in some fashion? Was it so purpose-built for WT use that it makes no sense for any sane investor to buy it**?

*How does one find out who owns property in Ireland? The JW.org sign doesn't prove much; the new owner may never gotten around to removing it. Perhaps asking the agent if it sold?

**That they want to sell it for the value of land and buildings, but anyone buying it would probably want to buy it for land value only, because they'd need to knock down the buildings?

42

What would happen to a JW for celebrating Christmas?

by Vanderhoven7 in

mark jones writes:.

if they were spied upon and it was reported to the elders they’d be “invited” to a judicial committee whereupon they’d be cross examined in a locked backroom by three men acting as judge and jury to decide if they are guilty.. .

if the elders decide that they are guilty, they’ll then decide if the person is sorry.

NotFormer

jwundubbed, that's an interesting situation, that a congregation got so tired of the constant pressure to perform that they all pretty well gave up on applying the mutual self-enforcement that JW discipline depends upon.

I was going to say that it's a pity that you don't know how things panned out, but then I realised that leaving them and losing contact was probably a part of your own healing process. That they sound like they were a "less bad" congregation still doesn't mean that hanging around with them is better than not. I imagine that Bethel eventually brought its forces to bear. Especially if there was an overseer already sniffing around.

34

Jehovah's Witnesses came by today.

by 3rdgen in

this morning i was in our front yard sitting down pulling weeds when i saw 3 people slowly walking on the sidewalk in my direction.

2 of them were young, handsome, clean shaven, wearing nice crisp white shirts and perfectly tailored black slacks.

they could have been mormons except.... there was a 60ish portly woman wearing a frumpy dress and ugly sandals.

NotFormer

"apathy cart"

Probably true in many places. But in my town, the trolley witnesses seem to be fairly engaged in the whole thing. I've never seen them talking to passersby, but their conversations with each other seem to contain a fair bit of interest.

38

Questions about WT illustrations

by Beck_Melbourne in

jw
friends

when i was a kid....i used to look at the wt illustrations of paradise conditions and would day dream about life in the new system....i later used this same technique (shame on me) to brain wash bible students.

however...as i grew up lol (apparently!

) the illustrations changed....and became more modern.

NotFormer

"Stanley Tape Measure. They will still be making tools in the new system."

I feel sorry for poor Brother Stanley 😞. He really has his work cut out, producing the tools to rebuild the entire planet!

"The Bananas must have arrived from Central America on the "Big Sailboat" my mom claimed we would have in the New System."

Cue "The Banana Boat Song". 🙄

34

Jehovah's Witnesses came by today.

by 3rdgen in

this morning i was in our front yard sitting down pulling weeds when i saw 3 people slowly walking on the sidewalk in my direction.

2 of them were young, handsome, clean shaven, wearing nice crisp white shirts and perfectly tailored black slacks.

they could have been mormons except.... there was a 60ish portly woman wearing a frumpy dress and ugly sandals.

NotFormer

"Still, sometimes a question can be posed that can cause a "Honest Hearted" JW to google. If they already have a doubt or something just doesn't sit right, they might look it up -even if it's just to try to prove it wrong. That's what happened to me so I figure it could happen again"

You never know what might trigger something in someone, especially if the conversation is handled respectfully and kindly.