Posts by NotFormer

33

Jehovah's Witnesses and Tattoos

by NotFormer in

i was wondering about the jw attitude towards getting tattoos.. redditors suggest that the only jws who have them would have got them before they were baptised.. jw.org gives a meally-mouthed "true christians wouldn't" response.. but no-one (that i've seen so far) answers the question i'm actually asking: is getting a tattoo after being baptised a disfellowshipping offence?.

if not disfellowshipable, how would a typical jw congregation treat someone who got a tattoo after baptism?

would they really treat it like it is a conscience issue?.

NotFormer

LongHairGal: You walked safely away, didn't you? That tattoo must have been very discreet!

EasyPrompt: He smoked? 😱

Morley: That seems to be a recurring theme in this thread; it depends on your Kingdom Hall and how discreet you are about it.

58

Cult or High Control Group?

by MillennialDawn in

jw
friends

i see this phrase a lot: "the indication of a cult is what happens when you leave.

" i'm not sure where that originated, but it is a faulty categorization.

"cult" is almost always used in a derogatory way.

NotFormer

I remember reading WT literature about disfellowshipping and they basically say that, due to the laws of the land, they can't order people to be stoned and you can really sense the unwritten feeling of regret about that.

The Great Drunk, Rutherford, used to have security armed with pickaxe handles patrolling his conventions. They're not above using violence to obtain their desired ends.

13

JWs and Conscription/ Military Service

by NotFormer in

matthew 5:41 (nwt) "...and if someone in authority compels you into service for a mile,* go with him two miles.".

a member of the roman occupying forces could command a local to carry their pack for a mile.

the local was thus pressed into a form of military service.

NotFormer

The WT hypocrisy in this matter is that they concede "legitimate service" and yet they sent thousands of people to prison by refusing "civilian service in lieu".

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

Listener: I'm guessing that forcing the R&F back into the public eye by making them appear as obnoxious street preachers would be seen as possibly a positive thing by the GB. There are probably many urban legends of how marvellous life was for the Society back when Joe Rutherford was s***-stirring and getting witnesses thrown in jail. Perhaps this GB, which is presiding over a waning organisation, is hoping to recreate the glory days.

Vidiot: I must say, I was shocked to find out that the WT had stopped the door to door work during the big C. When some witnesses finally came to my door in about March, I basically gave them both barrels about not going door to door.

Me: (approximately remembered conversation) Do you mean to say that your cowardly GB up in Patterson or wherever they are in upstate NY cowtowed and followed a UN mandate to stop the door to door work?? Nothing is more important to you guys than the door to door work!

Lady JW: But we had to; it was a government directive.

Me: You've defied governments before!

Lady JW: Yes, we have. Well, it's been nice talking to you; we really must be moving on!

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

It might be fun to be approached by them in town. They can hardly use the cart excuse "I'm not here for a debate" when they approached me first! 😇

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

Listener: do you think they are going to force people into street witnessing? Street preaching?

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

Kevin class?

13

JWs and Conscription/ Military Service

by NotFormer in

matthew 5:41 (nwt) "...and if someone in authority compels you into service for a mile,* go with him two miles.".

a member of the roman occupying forces could command a local to carry their pack for a mile.

the local was thus pressed into a form of military service.

NotFormer

Matthew 5:41 (NWT) "...and if someone in authority compels you into service for a mile,* go with him two miles."

A member of the Roman occupying forces could command a local to carry their pack for a mile. The local was thus pressed into a form of military service. It was basically conscription. Jesus had no problem with it.

It's even phrased "compels you into service" in the NWT.

How do the JWs get around this?

28