NotFormer

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Posts by NotFormer

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  6

  Update changes well received

  by Gorb in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a few weeks later, the witness that i speak, family and friends are very happy with the recent changes .. no one mentions the df aproach change, fieldservice report and free entrance to the paradise for non jw.. only the clothing style and beard are mentioned.. the sisters are all in a halaluja happy modes.

  they are feeling being respected and heard by the lovely leadership.. one brother told me he will never grow a beard because he lost his elder status in the early 90's because of his beard.

  now it's allowed i will not grow a beard he sweared.. it seems jw.org has down a great change job.

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  NotFormer

  It's a classic case of misdirection. In this instance, the GB have shown themselves to be way smoother than any prestidigitator. 🧙🧛🎩🪄
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  27

  June 2024 WT: Don't talk about Anthony Morris

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  the latest study edition mentions hypothetical scenarios of jws who are no longer serving at bethel or no longer elders, etc.

  and says we shouldn't speculate, as defaming them could border on slander.. we could unintentionally defame someone by spreading negative information.

  ..... would it be proper to speculate on the reasons why these adjustments were made and to share that opinion with others?.

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  NotFormer

  A lot of time has passed since Tony became "No longer one of the GB", and we're still "not talking about it". That strategy really worked out for you, WT! 🙄
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  47

  Norway

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

  their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

  additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

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  NotFormer

  Of course, an appeal to the EHCR may be positive in the way that the ACR was positive, even if WT won. It would showcase everything to do with disfellowshipping to a broader audience.
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  47

  Norway

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

  their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

  additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

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  NotFormer

  I'm not so optimistic about the ECHR simply ratifying the Norwegian government's decision. Two points, courts are generally very conservative and this appeal will come from a position of freedom of religion, a basic human right. ECHR has "human rights" in its name.

  Point two: Norway's decision is an outlier. No other European governments are showing any signs of doing what Norway did. A European Commission is more likely to reflect attitudes of the broader European community, rather than the one country that decided it had had enough of the WT's shenanigans.

  One of my personal mottos is "Never go to law". Most court cases are a coin toss. Unless you are really sure you're going to win, don't take the chance. The WT should follow that advice and not appeal to the ECHR. They should take their medicine, take the "L" and keep softening their approach to disfellowshipping.
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  18

  Alternative Military Service is Now OK

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  but i wonder: how many jw's went to prison during the years that the wt did not allow them to perform community service as an alternative to military service?.

  anyone care to take a stab at the numbers?.

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  NotFormer

  It is my understanding that in the USA conscientious objectors were offered non military service in lieu. Jobs working in civilian hospitals, national parks and other employment that couldn't be considered helpful towards any "war effort". Yet the WT powers-that-be of the time wanted their martyrs. Apparently they also wanted fear within the ranks of young JW men. Recruiting for Bethel was extremely easy when it was seen as a way out of almost certain imprisonment should a draftee follow the WT's secret instructions* on how to handle the draft.

  *Terry's story gives the context behind this. Terry was told how to approach the issue by the congregational oversight, but was told that he was not to tell the court that he was following their instructions.
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  47

  Norway

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

  their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

  additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

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  NotFormer

  I remember seeing a clip of a GB member whinging about the Norway decision. I wonder what the GB meetings were like about that. Would they have been outraged? Extremely offended? Did they even once question their own purported infallibility?
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  47

  Norway

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

  their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

  additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

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  NotFormer

  "I always figured it’s because they know the statement is correct and resent it.

  (Now watch me get one. 😏)"

  I deliberately upvoted this post. 😉
• 
  47

  Norway

  by St George of England in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so the wt society is going to contest the recent norway ruling.. jehovah’s witnesses to appeal unconstitutional ruling in norway (jw.org).

  their true colours are shown in the statement: "the decision to deregister jehovah’s witnesses denies us the financial aid and other benefits that the government provides to over 700 registered religious communities in the country.

  additional consequences include losing the right to appoint and authorize ministers of jehovah’s witnesses as officiants for weddings.".

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  NotFormer

  They could take the high road, of course. Approach the government department that decided to deregister them, ask them what needs to change to be re-registered, change it and ask to be re-registered. Simple.

  But WT loves taking governments to court, trying to make said governments look like fools in the process. Dem days is over. Governments are getting tired of religious freedom being used as a cover for tax fraud and crappy behaviour.
• 
  10

  Inaccuracies regarding pagan origins

  by AEnEm in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  easter and christmas have pagan origins.

  many of us were told that since birth.

  the evidence?

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  NotFormer

  Whenever Hislop is a source, you can be reasonably sure that you have a poor argument on your hands. Jack Chick's "Alberto" series of comics relied heavily on it, mainly to prove Catholicism's pagan origins.

  In certain circles you'll see the "Easter=Eostre=Ishtar" assertion.

  As pointed out above by the OP, the true origin of the term probably relates to a timetable, and not a goddess.
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  37

  They Came To The Door!

  by NotFormer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  going door to door with their "memorial" invitation.

  "so you can pass the emblems but nobody partakes?

  them: "we can explain who is to partake".. me: "all jesus' followers".

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  NotFormer

  If it had been you at the door that day, Earnest, I'm sure we could have had a very interesting discussion 🦉👄🤝, if I had remembered that verse. However, it wasn't you, it was a couple who seemed nowhere near as prepared for discussion as previous generations of JWs (see further lamentations on that subject above). It's a pity; I miss the days when you could have a meaty, substantial argument, er, I mean, "animated discussion" at the door*.

  As it was, I was totally unprepared myself. I saw a well dressed couple** knocking on nextdoor's door. The man was wearing a tie and had a piece of paper in his hand (which I now know to have been the memorial invitation). I thought that they were perhaps detectives or some sort of court officials, possibly serving a summons. When they headed towards our gate, I realised who they were and had to quickly struggle into a pair of pants***.

  *When I'm in the right frame of mind, that is. It doesn't always happen that way. Neither time I've had JWs at the door since I moved here were ideal for me. I was fortunately in a better state of health this second time, but to no avail. That whole encounter can't have been more than two to three minutes long. That being said, I've never slammed the door 🚪 on a JW. Both of these last two times, it has been the JWs who have slammed the door 🚪 on me, figuratively speaking. They were happy to get out the gate and close it behind them.

  **This was before the relaxing of the dress standards; how time flies!

  ***Dress standards at my house are even more relaxed than those at the Kingdom Hall****.

  ****This is an attempt at humour; even I know that Kingdom Hall dress standards haven't been relaxed that much! 😱