Posts by NotFormer

34

Hailstones?

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

when i was interested in things jw two decades or so ago, i never came across these mentions of hailstones.

it crops up so often now that it's almost a meme!

when did it become a thing in jw speak, and what does it refer to?.

"The fact that it appears that they are now ready to play this card, really shows their desperation. Even the build-up to 1975 wasn't played as the "hailstone message." Once this card is played, if nothing happens they are utterly FUGGED! There's no going back from it or trying to smooth it over. You'd truly have to be a moron to stay in after that. But then again, people stayed in after '75 came and went, some even buying WT's lame-ass excuses of the rank-n-file "running ahead" and making it up. (when it was clearly WT HQ pushing it)"

Interesting that they are playing a card that smacks of desperation like that. Maybe the ageing GB want one last hoorah, a great feeling of expectation like they saw in the good old days. By the time they're dead, it'll be the next GB's problem to sort out the mess.

I can see them coming back from this; just look at the graph on this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_Jehovah%27s_Witnesses

Apart from a bit of a plateau around 1975, growth has been steadily upward. For all their flaws, and outright evil, the WT seems bullet proof.

That doesn't mean that they will last forever. Money woes seem to be besetting them ATM. That's probably their Achilles heel 👠. But they'll still be around in one form or other. There are still Russellites around today. 🙄

34

Hailstones?

by NotFormer in

jw
friends

when i was interested in things jw two decades or so ago, i never came across these mentions of hailstones.

it crops up so often now that it's almost a meme!

when did it become a thing in jw speak, and what does it refer to?.

NotFormer

When I was interested in things JW two decades or so ago, I never came across these mentions of hailstones. It crops up so often now that it's almost a meme! When did it become a thing in JW speak, and what does it refer to?

11

1961 1962 higher authorities

by Marcial in

are there among you, dear friends, a specialist in american associations from around the 1950s -1970s and a little more?

to find out from what years in the usa the first subsidies were granted to religious congregations and other non-profit or charitable associations?

why this question is that i just thought that there is perhaps a link between doctrinal clarifications over the years and government innovations to support or subsidize these supposedly charitable religious organizations or certain qualified ngos?

NotFormer

It goes to show that they are not above pandering to government when it suits them. Which makes it all the more puzzling to me as to why they don't pander further and give the governments what they want on CSA, the blood doctrine and shunning. The latter is easy: don't allow baptism until 18+. Or if they want to follow Jesus's example, 30+. 😇

15

New brochure Make Disciples was it worth the suspense?

by Tahoe in

.

courtesy of reddit.

NotFormer

"If anything the Borg will tighten the leg irons on the rank and file."

That's always the kneejerk reaction to a problem under authoritarian regimes. "It's not working? Here's more of the same!"

24

1974 and all that

by Number 6 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xznh9icm1os.

i came across this footage recently whilst searching for something completely unrelated and it blew me away!.

it's from the august 1974 convention at murrayfield, edinburgh and you can clearly see the stage set up still keeping the 6000 years and 1975 mantra going.. what makes this very personal for me is that i was here.

NotFormer

Were you allowed to applaud the dramas? Or would that have been "glorifying man"? 🙄

2

Open Letter to the New Zealand Abuse in Care Royal Commission of Inquiry - Part 1

by jwleaks in

jw
friends

an open letter from stakeholders, survivors, and their advocates.

1 october 2023. to the new zealand abuse in care royal commission of inquiry and the new zealand attorney-general, the honourable david parker:.

firstly, thank you for the time and effort the royal commission has expended in its impartial investigation and examination into historical abuse and neglect in state care, and in the care of faith-based institutions in new zealand.. secondly, thank you for your understanding, acknowledgement, and your response to the harm abuse and neglect causes to individuals, families, and communities; and your efforts to ensure lessons are learned for the future.. we were disappointed that the jehovah’s witnesses are seeking a judicial review and high court declaration in relation to being the subject of any review by the abuse in care commission of inquiry.

NotFormer

Seems like they're using the old "innocent on a technicality" defence. In this case the term "in care". Although there are plenty examples of the abuse of vulnerable people by people following WT rules, since they don't operate care homes and other facilities, they are arguing that they shouldn't have been named in an enquiry into "abuse in care".

This is the old #@*&s of the GB once again bragging that the WT doesn't provide material help to anybody 😞🙄

26

Can Elders Voluntarily Resign?

by NotFormer in

an elder with half a brain (and they must exist 🧐) is going to see the writing on the wall with the way the wt is manoeuvring them into taking the fall over csa cases.

can an elder in good standing step down with no consequences, official or social?.

NotFormer

How were you treated by the congregation?

1

Quora Spamming by JWs

by NotFormer in

somehow quora got my email address.

i have a constant stream of unsolicited content turning up in my email.

the only way i found online to stop it is to block each quora address individually and it gets sent to spam.

NotFormer

Here's an example of a "Dorothy Dixer"* I found in my spam folder today:

What is the dress code of Jehovah's Witnesses?

Ties during meetings are only required in certain parts of the world where it is the normal standard. Women can wear trousers whenever it is appropriate. Men can wear skirts if that is the local custom. Most brothers in Fiji wear skirts to the meetings. If that is the standard for your area, then that’s fine. Many women are on construction where it is a requirement to wear trousers. Any casual time is fine too. The key is decency and modesty. Disregard Ex JW rants. They are usually Ex JWs because they don’t listen to what is taught. They choose to disregard the advice from the scriptures which is purely about decency and modesty and think their own standards are all that matter. They have left of their own accord. Nobody gets disfellowshipped for not wearing a tie.

Any men willing to wear a skirt to the Kingdom Hall? 🙄

* A Dorothy Dixer is a question asked by a backbencher MP on the government's side in the Australian Parliament during Question Time. It is used as a platform for the Govt Minister to brag about how great the government is, and how well they are doing. 🙄

3

Raymond Franz

by inbetween in

recenty we had some contact with some jw.

after it was briefly mentioned, that am iii is no longer a gb member, one of them mentiuoned about raymond franz.

he called him a brother to fred frantz, who slowly slipped in some publications his own ideas, thats why he was removed, and some of his books discontinued.. it was just interesting, how badly informed some so called well informed witnesses are.....

NotFormer

Quora digests turn up quite often in my email spam folder. For some reason they are more often than not JWs asking strawman questions and then giving meally mouthed pro-JW answers.

One turned up the other day where the JW claimed to have read Franz's book (10 to 1 they didn't 🙄) and were struck by how arrogant and entitled he was. 🙄

Disinformation about Ray Franz must be rife in the PIMI community. That creates a paradox; they shouldn't even know about him, so they would have to be careful who among the faithful they have these discussions with.

24

KGB infiltrated the Borg

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

we from the old year books that some kgb undercover agents became elders in high up positions.. i wonder if this is going on today?

not just in russia but other congregations around the world?.

when you think how long it takes to become an elder and all the talks and maybe judicial committees they were involved with.. anyway i’m just throwing it out there if someone wanted to pay me i am a current elder who is pima about intelligence or chance involved with the origin of the universe.. .

NotFormer

The real coup would be getting someone promoted through the ranks to the GB 🤯.