Posts by konceptual99

36

2017 Memorial Partakers

by NashvilleTele in

when does the number of memorial partakers get released for 2017. i was wondering if the number will surpass 20k.

If they stop publishing it then they will no doubt suggest that this is an unimportant figure, something between the individual and Jehovah. However they will also undoubtedly still do a count. Questioning this will be another marker of a critical attitude.

86

JW Rumor: End of the Traveling Overseer

by Edison Trent in

a friend of mine has contacts to a family with several circuit overseers and special pioneers.

they have good connections to bethel.. he told me that the latest rumor from bethel states that the cos should be abolished in their present form.

they have also recently begun to take cos back to bethel.. over the same channel i have already heard of the car fleet program and that the dos should be abolished.. has anyone else already heard of it?

konceptual99

I would suggest that the org already started a change of plan with COs. In the local circuit it has been common for the present and previous CO both to be regularly substituted by local circuit elders whilst they go off to do schools elsewhere. The current CO is leaving his assignment early to go and do schools in Ireland. On his recent visit he was not even present on the Saturday am field service as he had another assignment. No one other than the elders knew in advance as no doubt it would have affected attendance.

At the moment this type of situation seems informal but if this rumour has any legs then I would agree with view that the travelling aspect of the CO may diminish to be replaced by local substitutes (as already happens) and add that Kingdom Schools for elders may increase in regularity. There has just been a round of WEEK long schools - incredible that the WTS would compel elders to take a whole week off work to discuss whatever they think they need to discuss.

The local substitutes would handle basic service orientated things, maybe present a video from the org and so on. Schools would then be used to drive home procedural compliance and reinforce dogma.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

konceptual99

So is the WT bleating about copyright because M&K are using some video produced by the WT or because M&K are critical of the WT? What if M&K were praising the WT? Would they be getting the same attention?

I doubt it.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

konceptual99

Whether or not wt actually used copyrighted material without authorization in the past is not a legal defense nor a justification for KM to infringe on wt copyright. Using your standard though, everybody should be allowed to infringe on KM based on them using wt copyright and it would be a double standard in they protected their property. According to your standard, it is open game on KM.

I am personally not making the claim that K&M are justified in doing what the hell they like on the basis the WT may have their own issues with copyright. This is my position.

I do think that the WTS have a right to protect their property from unauthorised use.
I don't think that the rights of the WTS can be freely trampled on simply by claiming some moral cause or justification.
I do think that an organisation can and should be held up to scrutiny.
I do think that such scrutiny does permit some kind of "fair use" of the published content of the organisation.
I do think that the WT uses it's financial and legal muscle to suppress valid scrutiny and criticism, especially by those essentially powerless to argue their position through the courts.
I don't think that this tactic will work in the long term, in fact I think it may even have a negative effect on the WTS.
I don't think that there is a clear legal position on this and it's certainly dependant on local laws.

The WT are not really interested in protecting their copyright. What they are interested in doing is making it hard for critics to produce content. The use of copyright claims in the context of YouTube is a no brainer for them. YT will always take the path of least resistance and go with the claimant. People like M&K cannot realistically hope to challenge the WTS therefore it's job done.
....until the content pops up elsewhere on services that the WT cannot influence....

32

Watchtower Study Today from August 2017 issue " Wait Patiently"

by BluesBrother in

theme scripture , james 5 v 8 abbreviated to " you too, exercise patience".

(i guess we know what to expect now) .

" how long?

konceptual99

Hated it today. Thanks blues for highlighting the hypocrisy of it all. I note they also crowed on about Jehovah being patient, backing it up with 2 Peter 3:9 where somehow Jehovah is letting more people be saved by letting countless numbers suffer.

Twisted, pernicious, spiteful bile.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

konceptual99

Without wanting to get into the two wrongs argument it should be noted that the WTS' use of the work of others is rife with misquotes, quote mining and in some instances out and out plagiarism. They don't even quote their own literature accurately.

http://www.nairaland.com/1498593/watchtower-exposed-disgusting-pliagarism-hardcore

https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/misquotes-deception-lies.php

My point here is that the WTS presents a less than shining example in the use of others work yet they are clear ready to play the moral high ground card when use of their own content shows them up. I think that the type of use seen in M&Ks' material could be argued to be "fair use", especially when some of the content is not even the WT's to claim copyright over however the WT's ability to employ double standards know no bounds.

10

JW/Mormon slogan parallel

by neat blue dog in

just came across a meme of the leader of the mormon church (lds) saying "believe, obey and endure".

it just reminded me of the jw mantra "listen, obey and be blessed".

😂.

konceptual99

Excellent video berrygerry.

59

Need help understanding the Overlapping Generation teaching

by Jules Saturn in

so this is a topic that seriously boggles my mind and please correct me if i'm wrong.

to me, the jw definition of the overlapping generation teaching is that the lives of the anointed from 1914 overlap with the lives of the anointed right now.

david splane used the example of fred franz and how he finished his "earthly course" in 1992 but while he did, he had a lot of "contemporaries" that outlived him and are currently living today.

konceptual99

Good luck understand something that cannot be explained only using the Bible and has zero scriptural backup.

It's bollocks so don't expect to understand it.

34

Waking up to TTATT: Blessing or Curse?

by Jules Saturn in

if you take the red pill, you'll have knowledge, you'll be awakened, aware of reality, you'll have freedom.. if you take the blue pill, you stay in your bubble, wearing rose colored glasses, and feel security in an illusion.. taking the red pill isn't something that's easy to do.

to accept that everything around you is an illusion built up on lies or half truths.

but hey, it might feel good to be aware and break free from this illusion.

konceptual99

I've had this discussion with my wife and others. Those that say "it's a good life" and think that simply because there have been some benefits to the way they were brought up are forgetting one thing.

You are abdicating your conscience and decision making responsibilities to whatever the WT says is acceptable. They own your thinking.

When it comes to birthdays and Christmas, well it's not the end of the world I guess, but what about risking your life over blood, what about shunning your child, what about forgoing an education, what about properly planning for your future and every other major decision that will affect- perhaps END - YOUR life?

Being a Witness is not just a lifestyle when you are bleeding out in A&E after an accident, prepared to die, prepared to leave your kids without a parent, prepared to put the whim and whimsy of a bunch of old men above every ounce of common sense and reason you have.

RED PILL EVERY TIME.

161

Help! Mike & Kim videos all being deleted by Youtube

by mrmagic in

due to watchtower flagging the mike & kim videos on youtube for copyright, youtube is giving them 6 days before they are shutting down their entire youtube channel.

can you help with a mass downloading program and then reuploading them on a mirror ?

would hate to lose all those good videos!

konceptual99

I don't watch M&K's channel as I don't actually like their style but once again this is simply corporate muscle flexing on the part of the WT, bully boy tactics designed to shut up criticism and an attempt to remove content where the WT is exposed by their own words. Copyright arguments aside, this is about using overwhelming legal strength to abuse the spirit of a system, in the full knowledge they can out muscle the critic, and put a lid on content that is potentially harmful to the WT.

As expressed elsewhere, they have zero desire to engage with critical voices. They have no intention of considering anything from exJWs and others in a constructive way. They don't have the courage of their convictions and are not prepared to let people examine the evidence and make up their own minds.

What I don't understand is why the WT has not learnt from others? Have they forgotten that you reap what you sow? There are countless examples of where this type of behaviour simply ends up causing significant negative publicity for the organisation concerned. I am sure that one day this repeated tactic will come back to bite them right on the arse.