NotFormer

Joined

• started 95 topics
• posted 1,737 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by NotFormer

• 
  19

  The "Problem" With Zoom

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is the org's problem with zoom, attending this way does not fit with their "scriptural definition" of a christian gathering.

  at least not anymore, one thing my pimi wife is fine with is attending on zoom occasionally, even 2-3 times a month or so.. if some of you recall, during covid there were break out rooms setup for people to stay on and associate.

  many would also stay in the main meeting and talk over each other trying to say hello, etc.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  I suppose the WT is having a similar problem to that of a lot of corporations. Covid proved that work-from-home was a workable solution and employees began to like the idea. Middle management got scared because their inability to micromanage someone not sitting in an office or cubicle on company premises might expose how unnecessary they really are.

  People who are able to turn off their camera and mute their mic are similarly protected from a level of micromanagement. If someone isn't physically present, the elders can't monitor things like correct mode of dress, the right facial expressions, etc. If the elders can't micromanage, then neither can the COs, nor Bethel itself. The whole control structure upon which the WT is built is being undermined by something as simple as the existence of remote meeting attendance.
• 
  7

  Some Seasonal Nostalgia

  by NotFormer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  can't find any references, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

  i remember, probably at least two decades ago, a small news snippet about someone was going around brooklyn heights and setting fire to christmas wreaths on people's doors.

  i've always personally suspected* that it was a bored/semi-insane bethelite.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  Here's the thread about how Lady Liberty's Frosty was brutally attacked:

  https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/126755/jws-egged-our-house-yanked-out-our-frosty

  Big Dog, it's one of those things where it's not probable, but just remotely plausible. From what I've read on here about the pressures on Bethelites, the development of some psychosis or some OCD obsession isn't entirely outside the realms of possibility.

  It's stuck with me all these years because I remember distinctly thinking: "Someone in Brooklyn Heights is going around destroying symbols of Christmas ⛄. I wonder if...? 🤔😱"

  peacefulpete, your Dad sounds like he was one of the good guys. 👍
• 
  8

  Nepotism and Simony

  by NotFormer in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've read on here about connected families within congregations who seem to get all the "privileges".

  how likely is an elder's son, or other relative, to rise within the ranks?.

  i imagine it's harder to do it that way once you start to ascend the ranks.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  I've read on here about connected families within congregations who seem to get all the "privileges". How likely is an elder's son, or other relative, to rise within the ranks?

  I imagine it's harder to do it that way once you start to ascend the ranks. After all Bethel is famous for discouraging families and children. Could a GB member's son ever carry on the family business by being promoted to that rank?

  And from nepotism to Simony: Can greasing palms help you go places? At the congregational level? Within the Bethel structure?
• 
  3

  Those cringey demo’s 🙄

  by MissDaSilva in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just remembering those awful demonstrations that sisters were doing a couple of years ago.

  the setting?

  waiting in the queue at the covid vaccination centre.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  I'm surprised no-one weighed in on this. Those things must have been annoying at the best of times. I didn't think they would still be doing those, with the NERFing, dumbing down and the general post Covid environment.

  Why would a JW be doing field service around an allotment, anyway? 🤔🤨 Couldn't they come up with a more productive scenario?
• 
  21

  Judicial Committees asking Details of Sex acts

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i remember knowing that jcs would ask very personal questions about sex activities.

  this article addresses this: https://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/15074595 .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "I read that one elder, on his way to a JC, would tell his wife to “be ready” when he got home, because he was all charged up after hearing all the dirty details. 🤮"

  I hope that's one of those JW urban legends. 😱🙀 Like the one about the guy on mike duty, who forgets to mute the mike when he goes to the toilet 🚽.
• 
  30

  FDS 1919 Declaration Date

  by NotFormer in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  did rutherford have any "prophetic" justification for 1919 as the date that jesus declared him (ahem, the wt organisation) the fds?

  such as some calculation attached to 1914?

  that in 1919, jesus would come looking for his true organisation?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  Jesus wandering around, looking for the practicioners of the true religion, makes me think of Diogenes. Was da Judge "having a lend"?
• 
  54

  What If The Tower Fell?

  by Big Dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what if the truly unthinkable happened and the tower went down?

  perhaps the irs swooped in and claimed fraud and padlocked the headquarters and kingdom hall doors?

  or the gb took the money and ran to a nice non-extradition country to live out their years?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  Big Dog, nice original Trek reference 😎

  I personally always think of the Landru episode, when thinking of Trek parallels. The Borg have their relevance, but I always thought Landru's world was the one most like that of the JWs.
• 
  7

  Some Seasonal Nostalgia

  by NotFormer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  can't find any references, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.

  i remember, probably at least two decades ago, a small news snippet about someone was going around brooklyn heights and setting fire to christmas wreaths on people's doors.

  i've always personally suspected* that it was a bored/semi-insane bethelite.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  As I said, it was only a little news snippet I read. It was probably 20-25 years ago. I've got it in my head that it was actually on the Reason magazine website. Why a Libertarian magazine would cover such a thing is beyond me; I don't remember very much about the article. But I do remember being able to email the author and ask him what he thought about me jokingly putting two and two together that it might be a Bethelite. IIRC, he said something about it being distantly plausible, but he wasn't holding his breath that I might be right.
• 
  19

  The "Problem" With Zoom

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is the org's problem with zoom, attending this way does not fit with their "scriptural definition" of a christian gathering.

  at least not anymore, one thing my pimi wife is fine with is attending on zoom occasionally, even 2-3 times a month or so.. if some of you recall, during covid there were break out rooms setup for people to stay on and associate.

  many would also stay in the main meeting and talk over each other trying to say hello, etc.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  "Elders & MS are getting "orders" to show up in person. They in turn, "encourage" anyone wanting to make points to get appointed to show up in person."

  They need to implement a policy whereby everyone who attends gets an appointment of some sort. Sort of like that famous Oprah episode where everyone in the audience got a car.
• 
  19

  The "Problem" With Zoom

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is the org's problem with zoom, attending this way does not fit with their "scriptural definition" of a christian gathering.

  at least not anymore, one thing my pimi wife is fine with is attending on zoom occasionally, even 2-3 times a month or so.. if some of you recall, during covid there were break out rooms setup for people to stay on and associate.

  many would also stay in the main meeting and talk over each other trying to say hello, etc.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  NotFormer

  I was driving past the local Kingdom Hall a couple of Tuesday evenings ago, on my way to a bible study in someone's home (different denomination). A lot of cars were pulling into the carpark; physical meetings are not dead, at least in this country town. I'd be curious to see what attendance is like on Sunday, but I've got my own service to attend.