Surprised no one here remembered about another cruel and narcissistic god of people in a desert.
"Do not, my friends, become addicted to water, or it will take hold of you and you will resent its absence!"
Corney
JoinedPosts by Corney
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Humans only survive for 3-5 days without water...
by purrpurr inand yet today's watchtower and indeed the bible condemns the israelites for moaning about having no water!
it's never occurred to me how unjust this is!
and how could a so called loving god not provide a basic human need?!.
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Corney
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Anyone notice there has not been any announcement for the annual meeting broadcast this year?
by nowwhat? inlet the speculation begin!.
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Corney
careful
Here are some thoughts:
To add some context:
http://rmovideo.blogspot.com/2016/09/jw-annual-meeting-2016-new-updates-speculations-provisions.html
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Can you help with this?
by vienne ini need a scan of this: the apocalyptic interpretation of history of american premillennial groups, phd dissertation by carl ludwigson, 1944. if you have it, please contact me..
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Corney
Vienne,
Do you still need a scan?
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German branch stats: the number of KHs has decreased by 1/8 during the past 7 years
by Corney inaccording to its own statistics, the jw organization in germany had 1075 kingdom halls in august 2011, 997 khs in november 2016, and 940 ones in august 2018. .
the average decrease was 1.25 khs per month in 2011-2016 and 2.7 khs per month during the past two years.. .
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16znuhftwpwq1nf_9jidc_srarst0errjssgcuxkbl8a/edit?usp=sharing .
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Corney
_Morpheus, all the figures are from the website of Jehovah's Witnesses in Germany where the official bulletins of Jehovas Zeugen in Deutschland, K. d. รถ. r. are published.
The google sheet contains all links as follows:
https://web.archive.org/web/20070711035045/http://www.jehovaszeugen.de/akt/zwv/default.html (this link works only being clicked on the google sheet and I have no idea why)
https://web.archive.org/web/20120127173330/http://www.jehovaszeugen.de/Statistik.18.0.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20151120010610/http://www.jehovaszeugen.de/Statistik.18.0.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20170103005649/http://www.jehovaszeugen.de/Statistik.18.0.html
https://web.archive.org/web/20180812100950/https://www.jehovaszeugen.de/Statistik.18.0.html
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German branch stats: the number of KHs has decreased by 1/8 during the past 7 years
by Corney inaccording to its own statistics, the jw organization in germany had 1075 kingdom halls in august 2011, 997 khs in november 2016, and 940 ones in august 2018. .
the average decrease was 1.25 khs per month in 2011-2016 and 2.7 khs per month during the past two years.. .
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16znuhftwpwq1nf_9jidc_srarst0errjssgcuxkbl8a/edit?usp=sharing .
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Corney
According to its own statistics, the JW organization in Germany had 1075 Kingdom Halls in August 2011, 997 KHs in November 2016, and 940 ones in August 2018.
The average decrease was 1.25 KHs per month in 2011-2016 and 2.7 KHs per month during the past two years.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/16ZNUhfTwpwq1Nf_9JiDC_srarst0ErrJssGCuXkbL8A/edit?usp=sharing
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JW-RUSSIA.org cross image
by neat blue dog ini was just browsing the russian jw site and saw this image that appears to represent christian persecution by showing handcuffs in front of prison bars that appear to form a cross.
which would be weird because they don't even believe in the cross, or maybe it was clip art from another source and they didn't notice.
or last and most likely i'm seeing things that aren't there ๐.
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Corney
Oh Jesus, the local site team used this image in 2 of nearly 50 articles published on the site during this summer. It's one of the first appropriate stock photos they found. Finally, do you really think those very few Christians and non-believers browsing this site don't know who JWs are and will be deceived by a thumbnail (apart from the fact that not every person would even see a cross on it)? Is it really a big deal?
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Corney
Jehalapeno The Trump administration announced Wednesday that the U.S. will impose tough new trade sanctions on Russia in response to the poisoning and attempted murder of a former Russian spy and his daughter in Britain.
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/09/world/europe/russia-sanctions-ruble.html
Yeah, the Trump admin announced that tough sanctions will be imposed in November or later. The announcement was made after new sanctions bill was introduced by US senators.So, I think the Trump's intention is clear: to prevent the new bill from being passed and to pool the wool over Americans' eyes before the midterm election.
His entire foreign policy (from sabotaging implementation of CAATSA, decimation of State Department under Tillerson and abandonment of democracy and human rights agenda to countless attacks on US allies and international institutions and undermining America's influence) was beneficial for Putin/Russia. Why will the pattern change?
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JW-RUSSIA.org cross image
by neat blue dog ini was just browsing the russian jw site and saw this image that appears to represent christian persecution by showing handcuffs in front of prison bars that appear to form a cross.
which would be weird because they don't even believe in the cross, or maybe it was clip art from another source and they didn't notice.
or last and most likely i'm seeing things that aren't there ๐.
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Corney
@NBD ...and saw this image that appears to represent Christian persecution by showing handcuffs in front of prison bars that appear to form a cross.
This is a thumbnail preview on the main page; it is very difficult to see a cross on the full photo (below)@NBD ...or maybe it was clip art from another source and they didn't notice
Yep@SD If it's a stock photo then yeah it was carefully chosen.
Depositphotos (where they mainly take photos) >> search term "prison/ััััะผะฐ" >> the first pagePhotos 1 and 2 were used on the site. I think it's not necessary to explain why almost all other images are inappropriate.
It's time to stop making mountains out of molehills.
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Anyone know of update on Delaware legal case?
by careful indoes anyone know of any updates on this case about the clergy-penitent privilege?.
https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/lawsuit-against-jehovahs-witnesses-elders-for-not-reporting-child-abuse-continues-443003903.html.
this was the latest thing (last sept.) i could find in a google search.
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Corney
The case was actually settled: no admission of guilt, but $19,500 (nearly two thirds of the highest possible penalty) were to be paid by the congregation and two elders collectively, and the elders agreed to participate in a special training. More info on http://jwsurvey.org/child-abuse-2/jehovahs-witness-elders-fined-for-failure-to-report-child-abuse-watchtower-settles-with-Delaware
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Corney
TD
"Countries like Russia" as I used the term would be countries who have either refused to recognize Jehovah's Witnesses and/or questioned their legitimacy as a Christian religion. I gave the example of Bulgaria. Perhaps you would like to comment on that?
Firstly, Bulgaria is a bad example because:
- it's a 20+-year-old example; JWs a recognized in Bulgaria as a religion since 1998;
- post-Communist Bulgaria didn't prosecute Witnesses for their belief;
- in 1990s, there was a campaign against "non-traditional" religions at all, including Baptists, Seventh Day Adventists as like as Orthodox and Muslim communities outside state-supported organizations. For example, "[u]p to July 25, 1994, the Council of Ministers accepted three decisions which affected 62 [religious] communities and foundations. Only 23 of them, mostly with Christian-Orthodox orientation were permitted to register and re-register. The remaining 39 communities were denied permission. These had mainly Protestant orientation, two Muslim and one Christian-Orthodox organization" (Human Rights in Bulgaria in 1994, p. 5). So, it is possible to conclude the government's decision was driven by bias against religious minorities;
- the decision refusing registration for national JW association (as like as many other religious associations) was adopted by executive branch with irregularities incompatible with the rule of law - it contained no reasons and a judicial review was not available;
- in 1990s, Bulgaria was a poor state in its first post-totalitarian years.
Second, I think governments have not power to decide whether a religion is true, truly Christian or a heresy and whether a belief is "legitimate". That's not their business.
As to mentioned problematic practices. Firstly, I cannot comment on the Bulgarian case since I'm not persuaded by your accusations. Where are complaints from the government or allegations from CoE Committee of Ministers (the body supervising execution of such settlements)? Or maybe you have knowledge about the situation in Bulgaria and enforcement of blood doctrine by national JW association?
Secondly, ok, you've mentioned these issues - we all know about them and what the org is (apart from my partial disagreement with the chosen wording), but what's next? Do they justify the discussed persecutions? Or would they justify an apartheid, concentrations camps or beheadings for JWs? If not, why do you continuously mention them in this thread?
As to allegations of hypocrisy, I don't care about them at all. It is not so difficult to accuse almost any victim of human rights violations of ethically problematic views or behavior but such accusations are irrelevant.
Finally, it is necessary not to oversimplify the question of harmful and controversial practices, not to forget about how such practices and improper influence are widespread in human society (incl. mainstream churches); about the fact that, on one hand, JWs are not zombies or slaves and can chose to obey or disobey their leaders, on other hand, there is strong pressure from the org; about difficulty of distinguishing between proper and undue influence. This is so easy to list blood doctrine, shunning etc. but it's far more harder to come to fair and reasonable practical conclusions.