Posts by NotFormer

17

People who work free for the cult for many years

by ThomasDam21 in

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.

NotFormer

"This will be the next watchtower scandal - after CSA, blood and shunning (particularly of minors) that governments will or should be investigating at some point. The big con, or 'vow of poverty' the "free workers" sign, in order that watchtower doesn't have to contribute to social security!!"

It should be the next big scandal, Diogenesister, but I can't see it happening. The elephant in the room is the fact that the laid off Bethelites will not go to the media and the government to complain about their treatment at the hands of the ruthless WT empire. What little support they now have will be taken away from them if they badmouth the organisation. They'll be disfellowshipped* if they broadcast anything negative about their former "employer".

* "removed"

48

The Date for the Memorial is WRONG this year!

by Kelley959 in

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.

NotFormer

Since they hold themselves to the date of Passover, according to their calculations, based on OT law, have they ever allowed for the ceremony to be held a month late if extenuating circumstances exist, as the Torah makes such an allowance for Passover?

53

WTS 2024 Annual Business Meeting ...

by careful in

... 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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

"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

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?

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

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?

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

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?

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.