NotFormer

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Posts by NotFormer

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  19

  Leaked Info: Watchtower Received $497 Million From One Country (Britain) In Last Six Years! [Must Watch!]

  by Golden4Altar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  leaked info:watchtower received $497 million from one country (britain) in last six years!

  [must watch!].

  this video was just released with documented proof, see this link: https://jehovahstruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=187#p187.

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  NotFormer

  vienne, the "scandalous" part was probably more related to the sheer size of the WT operation. I remember other religious publishing houses in NYC being whinged about at the time. But it was a long time ago, so details escape me.

  And you're right about the thread topic, if a little aggressive: it's private donations by consenting adults. I said as much earlier.

  Not quite £500 million over 6 years isn't huge. In researching my response, I found out that £500 million is remitted to Somalia every year by immigrants*. It's always important to maintain a sense of perspective.

  * That's just by way of example. It doesn't constitute any social commentary on my part.
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  19

  Leaked Info: Watchtower Received $497 Million From One Country (Britain) In Last Six Years! [Must Watch!]

  by Golden4Altar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  leaked info:watchtower received $497 million from one country (britain) in last six years!

  [must watch!].

  this video was just released with documented proof, see this link: https://jehovahstruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=187#p187.

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  NotFormer

  "Also land taxes/council taxes etc, I presume?"

  It's going back a long time; I may be under the wrong impression: I think one of the scandals about WT back in the day was that as a religion, they didn't have to pay property taxes on their Brooklyn Heights properties. Not sure if they were exempt from NYC rates/taxes/levies, whatever. Critics saw what everyone here knows: the WT was a tax exempt publishing company.

  Having the WT move out of NYC was probably a huge boon to the city and the state. And I doubt that there was any of the sadness that sometimes happens when an old institution moves out of a place. It's not like the WT was a paragon of patriotism, either national or local.
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  40

  How does the Govering Body get enlightenment?

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from the earliest of times of the catholic church's ecumenical councils were used to make major changes to its doctrinal direction.

  decisions were made by bishops, they were ratified by the pope ... and it was done.

  and the laity had to accepted them or not.. and while splinter catholic religions accepted most of these councils, non-trinitarian faiths which developed latter (of which jehovah's witnesses are apart) did not.

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  NotFormer

  "The governing body meet each and every Wednesday,,which is today. With heartfelt prayer,, use of the bible Gods word and harmonious discussions amongst themselves.

  "Thats how."

  The sarcasm is strong in this one!

  Given their claims, they should be held to a higher standard of proof for the source of their doctrines, pronouncements, etc. than "I feel somewhat guided".
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  18

  2024-May-3rd-Announcement-and Transcripts!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2024-05-may-03-announcement.

  https://pdfupload.io/docs/faad3e3dtranscripts for 2024 governing body update #3englishhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/ce4ae1d8germanhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/3bf805be spanishhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/a4e3fd3b frenchhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/d37d5822 russianhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/71fe8f28 grandpa!

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  NotFormer

  IOW, they're walking it back. The R&F know how to read between the lines. But they're trying to fool governments into believing their line that they don't tell anybody what to do and that members are free to make their own choices.
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  83

  Lines you would never hear from a Jehovah's Witness

  by Ron.W. in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a slightly tongue in cheek, but also serious roundup of jw speak and why trying to reason with them is like trying to chip through concrete with a plastic spoon.. how many can you think of??.

  elder: 'yes.

  i read through the material you asked me to at your judicial meeting - you're right we're both in a cult!

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  NotFormer

  "Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof"
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  19

  Leaked Info: Watchtower Received $497 Million From One Country (Britain) In Last Six Years! [Must Watch!]

  by Golden4Altar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  leaked info:watchtower received $497 million from one country (britain) in last six years!

  [must watch!].

  this video was just released with documented proof, see this link: https://jehovahstruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=187#p187.

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  NotFormer

  At first, reading the headline, I thought that the WT had received that money from the UK government. That would be a huge scandal. Voluntary donations from the R&F, not so much. They're free to donate their hard-earned to whomever they like.

  If that figure is true, a quick back of the envelope calculation reduces that amount to about $630 per year per witness, or about $52 per month. $13* a week. That's not a huge amount for individual donations by a practitioner of any religion.

  The headline figure is breathtaking, but not so much when its broken down. It's a tad dishonest, IMO, to telegraph figures in that way. You see this sort of reporting every day: "Government to spend $10bn tackling (cause du jour)!" screams a headline. But when you read the article, it's the total amount budgeted to be spent over the next X number of years. Not such a big figure then, is it?

  Don't get me wrong, I hate the control that the WT has over its slaves (their term, not mine). But try to keep things in perspective. A lot of people spend a lot more than $13 a week on cigarettes or lottery tickets. While I don't personally approve of the average JW's "vice" of giving money to the WT, it's their choice.

  *£10.35 Sterling.
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  18

  2024-May-3rd-Announcement-and Transcripts!

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2024-05-may-03-announcement.

  https://pdfupload.io/docs/faad3e3dtranscripts for 2024 governing body update #3englishhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/ce4ae1d8germanhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/3bf805be spanishhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/a4e3fd3b frenchhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/d37d5822 russianhttps://pdfupload.io/docs/71fe8f28 grandpa!

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  NotFormer

  So they're walking back the tiny bit of freedom they offered the slaves regarding the dress code? It looks suspiciously like they announced the dress code freedom to prove publicly that they don't exercise any control over the flock, but in private the elders are to exercise something like the old policy. Then Bethel can resort to their usual "We can't be held responsible for the actions of a few overly zealous BOEs!" trick.

  Of course, if they pull that sleight of hand trick often enough, perhaps governments and courts will start to ask them why they don't abolish the elder arrangement.

  The WT probably doesn't care, they've been around a long time and are used to playing a long game*. Their trouble is, the same applies for most governments. The longer the WT keeps playing stupid games, the sooner they'll start winning stupid prizes.

  *Despite the constant refrain of the end being imminent.
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  10

  Jehovah's Witnesses PIMOs: Beware Of This Great & Present Danger!

  by Golden4Altar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  jehovah's witnesses pimos: beware of this great & present danger!.

  to see the video that covers this topic, please click here:.

  https://jehovahstruth.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=102.

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  NotFormer

  How about you summarise what this clear and present danger is? No-one seems to trust the link.
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  15

  Glad to see someone in the WT Art Dept has a sense of humour! "Church Lady" spotted singing!

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you can't make this shit up!

  lol!!!!

  someone over on reddit posted this illustration from some wt publication or website or whatever.

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  NotFormer

  Even British soccer fans get together to practice the songs they sing at matches, so a bit of choir practice before a large group gathering probably isn't such a bad idea. Unfamiliar songs at churches are usually awkward. Not that you would know at one of the churches I've been attending recently: they play the backing tape so loudly that I can't hear the person next to me singing.
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  15

  Glad to see someone in the WT Art Dept has a sense of humour! "Church Lady" spotted singing!

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you can't make this shit up!

  lol!!!!

  someone over on reddit posted this illustration from some wt publication or website or whatever.

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  NotFormer

  They did get into trouble for using a Jack Daniels (or was it Jim Beam?) ad on a magazine cover in the 80s. It had a different cover in the boxed set.