NotFormer

Joined

• started 89 topics
• posted 1,542 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by NotFormer

• 
  53

  WTS 2024 Annual Business Meeting ...

  by careful in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  ... is just three weeks from this saturday.

  the org has been tight-lipped, really, successfully secret about advance info on these in recent years,.

  now that these relatively recent changes on dress and grooming, reporting fs time, judicial matters, etc.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  What's the official name of the meeting? Is it an AGM (Annual General Meeting)?
• 
  17

  People who work free for the cult for many years

  by ThomasDam21 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  new to the forum.

  i have a question i did not get any feed back for on another site.

  what to these people who gave decades working for free in bethel when they are 60 plus years old.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "But if anyone considers themself a true Christian, they will stil try to help these elderly people, and might even lead them to the true understanding of the two main commandments, to love the Lord out God, and to love our neighbour as ourselves."

  I understand the compulsion towards compassion. The trouble with looking after destitute JWs, who spent their lives denigrating and demonising your church, which actually does have a charitable arm, is that there is a chance that you reinforce the WT arrogance. Instead of being grateful for kindness extended by people whom they have been always taught to hate, the risk is them telling each other: "Hey look, I'm living on dumb Christendom's dime; I'm plundering Satan's kingdom!"

  It's a very fine line and a hard road to tread. No-one wants to see people struggle in their old age, even if the struggle is self-inflicted. It just feels like a kick in the guts when someone brags about "Jehovah™"* providing, when it's really Vinnie's** or Anglicare or the Salvation Army.

  * A scribal error by a 13th century Catholic monk

  ** The Society of St Vincent de Paul (Catholic)
• 
  48

  The Date for the Memorial is WRONG this year!

  by Kelley959 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  an interesting video was on youtube with a person claiming that the memorial date for 2024 was wrong.

  so i consulted three different jewish calendars online and sure enough, he appears to be right.

  i went back to 2014 and forward to 2027. they have the future dates listed.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  'Sadly none of this bothers any J.W who is a solid believer, I pointed this Info. out to a devout elderly J.W lady some years ago, she flounced off, throwing over her shoulder " I don't CARE if the Memorial is held on the wrong day !".'

  Probably didn't have a dog in that fight, anyway, unless she counts herself as annointed.
• 
  11

  New Zealand: Supreme Court dismisses Jehovah's Witnesses' final appeal for Abuse in Care exemption

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/528110/supreme-court-dismisses-jehovah-s-witnesses-final-appeal-for-abuse-in-care-exemption.

  1:10 pm on 16 september 2024 .

  anusha bradley, investigative reporter.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "Their self righteousness will go ballistic if they won and are exempted."

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/6268451857891328/jehovahs-witness-deserved-right-refuse-blood-transfusion-europes-rights-court-rules

  The above win, although being the right decision, has the potential to be that sort of bragging point. Are they going to shout it from the housetops, or be discrete about it? Making too much of it has the potential of bringing the blood policy into the spotlight. The opinion of some on here* is that they are trying to slowly let that policy fade to where it is a conscience issue and it never gets brought up officially again. I personally will not believe that until they disband the HLCs.

  On the NZ Royal Commission, let's hope it shines some light into some darkened corners, now that the WT has been found to be not exempt from scrutiny.
• 
  125

  Mandated Shunning is a Crime

  by Lee Marsh in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "It is to their credit I suppose if they realize they were wrong but it’s too bad a religion gave them permission to be a human being.. "

  That's it in a nutshell. They only reached out because the WT said they could, not because their own conscience said so. That they suddenly want to talk to estranged family and former friends after many years because someone else said so from the pulpit or in writing is reprehensible.
• 
  135

  Rumour 144,000 literal number teaching to be abandoned at Annual Meeting

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  say it ain’t so!

  .

  in one sense it’s a no brainer because the figures just don’t add up any more.. in another (negative) sense it’s a no brainer because it’s been fundamental to jws since year dot and might undermine the whole thing?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  GLTirebiter, I once pointed out to a little old JW lady that the 144,000 were male Jewish virgins. She said that that was just figurative. I then asked why, then, if that was all figurative, was the 144,000 figure, made up of highly symbolic numbers, not also figurative, rather than exact and precise?
• 
  135

  Rumour 144,000 literal number teaching to be abandoned at Annual Meeting

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  say it ain’t so!

  .

  in one sense it’s a no brainer because the figures just don’t add up any more.. in another (negative) sense it’s a no brainer because it’s been fundamental to jws since year dot and might undermine the whole thing?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  Beth Sarim: "More and more,,,,its all about the governing body. ""Our future kings,, the governing body"". Its all about them."

  I forgot to mention the "Future Kings" designation. The GB does have a habit of heaping titles unto themselves, doesn't it? They are now the sole members of the FDS, Jesus' Brothers and Future Kings. I look forward to hearing any new titles they give themselves while on this current path of self-aggrandisement. 🙄
• 
  135

  Rumour 144,000 literal number teaching to be abandoned at Annual Meeting

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  say it ain’t so!

  .

  in one sense it’s a no brainer because the figures just don’t add up any more.. in another (negative) sense it’s a no brainer because it’s been fundamental to jws since year dot and might undermine the whole thing?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "It was a hard core doctrine. Why change it? It creates only problems. It is not an issue to be solved."

  What is this: "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"? slimboyfat is right, the whole doctrine was "broke" the first time the number of memorial partakers increased. I remember that number being about 10,000, and expecting it to go down. Now it's 20,000 or so. The system is broken.
• 
  4

  New Zealand Rejects JW final appear for abuse in care exemption

  by blondie in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/528110/supreme-court-dismisses-jehovah-s-witnesses-final-appeal-for-abuse-in-care-exemption .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  Interesting to see the discussion you linked, BoogerMan. And how the provision of the canned orchestra is so much better than when they had actual live musicians. Anything canned, provided by "the Slave", is wholesome, I guess. 🙄

  I see speculation that the old buildings will be replaced by new ones. Oh, you sweet innocent child! The money for that is long gone, either to Sydney Bethel, or, more likely, to NY.
• 
  135

  Rumour 144,000 literal number teaching to be abandoned at Annual Meeting

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  say it ain’t so!

  .

  in one sense it’s a no brainer because the figures just don’t add up any more.. in another (negative) sense it’s a no brainer because it’s been fundamental to jws since year dot and might undermine the whole thing?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  I've been theorising for a while now that since only the GB are the FDS, they're going to have to do something about the 144,000 and the anointed. IMO, the 144,000 will be dropped, either officially or discretely never mentioned again*, and only the GB will be the annointed, AKA Jesus' brothers. It will be interesting to see if they are brave enough to weave a new doctrine explaining exactly how only the GB are special and where they fit in with the scheme of things and scripture at large**. I wonder if the other sheep will then wake up and realise that the promises of the bible only extend to a handful of old men living in luxury in their own ivory tower, according to the doctrine espoused by these men.

  I've postulated before, should only the GB be the annointed, they're going to have to do something the memorial. If my prediction (more "what if?" speculation than prophecy) comes to pass, the memorial could descend into a farcical situation whereby it becomes a worldwide live broadcast into every Kingdom Hall, of the GB, and only them, partaking of the emblems. In this imaginary scenario, how would the R&F feel: like the animals at the end of Animal Farm where the pigs start walking on two legs and the sheep start bleating "Four legs good; two legs better!"?

  * With appropriate warnings about idle speculation, running ahead of the chariot and old light

  ** Should most of my speculative predictions come to pass