marked... thanks for the spreadsheet, too.
leaving_quietly
JoinedPosts by leaving_quietly
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29
TTATT in a Can... finally finished!!
by ILoveTTATT inok so... how to condense all the flip-flops and doctrinal changes, and show graphically how the different doctrines changed, and when?.
ttatt in a can!!.
enjoy ;).
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35
The GB are really going out on a limb with this DF decision
by Quarterback inthis is how a do explained the family business policy re relatives of df/da members.. he said that the expression, "necessary family business," is really not a scriptural term.
it is nowhere found in the bible.
but, out of the kindness of the gb's hearts, they have gone beyond what is written and allowed association among families for necessary business.
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leaving_quietly
But, out of the kindness of the GB's hearts, they have gone beyond what is written and allowed association among families for necessary business.
Hmm. What, exactly, IS written? Let's quote from the NWT:
1 Cor 5:9-13: In my letter I wrote you to stop keeping company with sexually immoral people, 10 not meaning entirely with the sexually immoral people of this world or the greedy people or extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, you would actually have to get out of the world. 11 But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man. 12 For what do I have to do with judging those outside? Do you not judge those inside, 13 while God judges those outside? “Remove the wicked person from among yourselves.”
Why, they're right! There IS nothing written about not shunning family members. Then again, there nothing written about shunning ANYONE, either. The only place shunning comes into play is with the antichrist.
Shunning and "keeping company with" are two VERY different things.
Of course, the other take on the DO's comment can be found at 1 Cor 4:6: "Now, brothers, these things I have applied to myself and A·pol′los for your good, that through us you may learn the rule: “Do not go beyond the things that are written,” so that you may not be puffed up with pride, favoring one against the other. "
So, by the him admitting that the GB is going beyond the things that are written, well.... I think the point is proved.
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New Hall Funding Arrangement
by thedog1 inwell our local needs part on this went very uneventfully.
the brother read it out in such a way that the main thrust was the new arrangement with only two donation boxes in the hall.
then, almost as an afterthought to the proposed resolution to send exactly what we used to send as the loan repayment, he casually mentioned that we would no longer be paying a loan.
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leaving_quietly
We had the letter read, too. Of course, I played dumb the whole time. I gave a very puzzled look when I saw the attendants handing out slips. When the elder was explaining it, I started to shake my head just a little. My wife leaned over and said not to write ANYTHING down and we'd discuss it later. Let's just say that this whole thing is obvious, even to the most loyal JW. At home, she called it a tithing (yep, she came up with that on her own), and said, "we don't do that!" She would continue to contribute, but would absolutely not commit to a set amount every month. She told me she even chewed out an elder after the meeting over this and said it really takes the willingness out of the picture and that the Society was wrong on this one. I suspected she wouldn't want to do this, knowing her as I do, but I didn't expect her to call out an elder. That was funny. Anyway, she said it was my decision, and I said we're not turning in the slips at all, and if they force us to, write down $0. I gave her the scriptural direction from Matt 6:3, which she agreed with this time. We didn't even have an argument over this. She made her own decision and I played dumb the whole time and just let her. It was quite fun to watch play out.
I did get a chance to explain about how the KHs will be owned now, and alerted her to how much money the Society raked in with the closures and sales of branch offices and their Brooklyn properties. She didn't much care about who owns the KHs. I also asked her to do the math on how much the Society stands to make. And when I did that, I realized something... most JWs probably only think at a local level. I told her to figure the amount if each publisher only give $1 and she said, "Well, that's $100 per month." I then said, "No, no, no... think globally." Then I walked her through the math and at the end said, "That's $96 million dollars in one year. Surely that could build a LOT of Kingdom Halls. This is a cash cow for the Society." Whether she thinks on that any more or not, I won't know right away. But the Society set it up so that this topic can be freely discussed. Maybe it will lead to other things. She did comment that there's a LOT of big changes happening and she doesn't like it. However, even with all this, it will take a lot more to wake her up. Since we use the wake vs. sleep illustration, you can still be sleeping and have bad dreams without waking up.
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I be a walkin......
by out4good3 inacross that stage tommorrow dressed in graduate garb picking up a masters degree.. .
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leaving_quietly
Nice!
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103
That does it ! I'm leaving ! ! !
by Billy the Ex-Bethelite inleaving the university with my degree!.
exams are finished and it's just a matter of days before i walk.. i was certainly stressed about doing this.
i'm older than my classmates and armageddon was sooooo close!
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leaving_quietly
Very cool!
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103
Additional BOE Letter: Please Be Advised that Further Direction Will Soon be Sent to the Bodies of Elders...
by TTATTelder indear brothers:.
we are writing as a follow-up to the letters dated january 24, 2014, and march 29, 2014,. to all congregations regarding the adjustments now underway to accelerate construction of king-.
dom halls and assembly halls.. .
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leaving_quietly
If a survey is needed to determine the amount that can be contributed for local congregation expenses...
The "confidential survey" is not for every congregation, only those that do not already have a loan with the Society. If they have a loan, there's no need for a survey. Just send the loan amount (or more if the congregation so chooses.)
Again, though, "confidential survey" does not mean "anonymous survey".
But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing
— Matt 6:5 -
103
Additional BOE Letter: Please Be Advised that Further Direction Will Soon be Sent to the Bodies of Elders...
by TTATTelder indear brothers:.
we are writing as a follow-up to the letters dated january 24, 2014, and march 29, 2014,. to all congregations regarding the adjustments now underway to accelerate construction of king-.
dom halls and assembly halls.. .
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leaving_quietly
Exactly what I was thinking, nicolaou.
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The Cat out of the Bag: the story of the release of the NEW WORLD TRANSLATION
by Terry inwhen jehovah's witnesses began distributing door to door the new world translation beginning in the early 1950's a firestorm of protest broke out in mainstream churches.
the alarm cry was "they've changed the bible to fit their own crooked teachings!".
you can imagine the discord as church members tried to figure out how jehovah's witnesses could prove by reading from the nwt the king james version was full of omissions and errors and outright fraud concerning, for instance, the trinity doctrine or the name of god!!.
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leaving_quietly
This is one of the best posts I've read here in a long, long time. Thanks!
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Speculation on why now?
by Crazyguy inin the last couple of years the org has gone money crazy, selling off over a billion dollars worth of property and now a new tithing program.
just wonder what every one thinks is the reason for all this now?.
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leaving_quietly
Interesting, Doc. I see what you're saying.
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A serving elder's take on the new "tithing" arrangement
by TTATTelder inthe gb can kiss my ass.. i'm writing "0" on the little slip of paper they pass out.. hey here's a thought:.
you know that "widow's might" stuff they're always talking about?
well i'm pretty dang sure that the lady was giving from the heart not because she filled out some dumba$$ piece of paper pledging two small coins several months previous!.
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leaving_quietly
I think a comment on Ex 25 is most appropriate. I can think of at least three comments that could be made:
1. Contributions were asked for by God, but not demanded... it was to be from everyone whose heart moved him. Today, we also ask for voluntary contributions to promote the worldwide work in all its facets, but it is never demanded of anyone. We never demand funds, pass around collection plates or anything like that. It is always "from everone whose heart" moves them.
2. Contributions taken were to accomplish a specific purpose, the one-time building of the tent, tabernacle and the ark of the convenant. Likewise today, when a specific need arises, we may have funds set aside for that one-time need, such as a major repair on a kingdom hall project, the building of an assembly hall or something like that. Once the need is done, the brothers and sisters are not continually burdened with additional contributions that go beyond that specific need.
3. In the days of the Israelites, Jehovah had his tabernacle and tent and that was the central place where Jehovah dwelled in spirit. Today, however, the situation is different. As Acts 7:48 says, "The Most High does not dwell in houses made with hands." This being the case, we could not imagine Jehovah today asking for contributions to be taken to build a building for him. True, we have Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls and branches, and these are built using voluntary donations "from the heart". But we would never take up a specific contribution to expand these contributions beyond what we voluntarily give on a personal basis.