Anders Andersen

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Posts by Anders Andersen

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  21

  REVEALED: The number of Bethelites over the years

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in response to this thread.

  i've put forward the argument that i believe that the 'organization' is financially effectively bleeding itself dry - it is actually financially imploding.. i believe that over the last 45 or so years, in particular, it has evolved from a relatively 'lean machine' into what is now a huge unwieldy organization.

  as an organization grows i would expect increased efficiency through by both economies of scale, and advances in technology.. how has the watchtower organization fared?....

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  Anders Andersen

  Interesting overview!
  
  I'm wondering. who are counted in these numbers?

  • Full timers living at Bethel
  • Full timers and part timers living in their own homes, commuting?
  • Full timers and part timers working from home (there are assignment like translation, administrative stuff and IT projects that allow for that)?
  • If 4 people each serve a short term (e.g. 3 months) on the same function, are they counted as 4 Bethelites?

  In 1959 and many decades after that all Bethelites were full timers living at Bethell.
  Now the numbers may include a lot of workers who are hardly ever near a Bethell, and who likely provide for their own living expenses.
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  19

  Regional Kickbacks to WTS for Conventions

  by Simon in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i guess tax payers get to subsidize the conventions, who knew!.

  https://user-cb2rbzy.cld.bz/jehovah-s-witnesses-2017-regional-convention/4.

  no wonder they really push people to book through the congregation rather than privately, directly - it's all about the rebates!.

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  Anders Andersen

  Great find.

  They also get complimentary rooms or upgrades to executive suites for each 40 or 50 rooms they manage to sell to the dubs.
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  39

  Shunning

  by A Believer in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  you guys do know that if you just leave and never go back you wont be disfellowshiped right?

  i know people who have done exactly this.

  you have to commit a sin and you or someone else has to tell a elder.

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  Anders Andersen

  Morpheus,

  So true!

  He surely knows we are a 'lost cause' to JWdom. From a JW viewpoint, Believer has absolutely no valid reason to read here, let alone post anything here. The only reason he does so is his unconscious need to break free.

  • The 5 stages of grief and loss are:
  • 1. Denial and isolation;
  • 2. Anger;
  • 3. Bargaining;
  • 4. Depression;
  • 5. Acceptance.
  • People who are grieving do not necessarily go through the stages in the same order or experience all of them.
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  14

  Name one Watchtower date that they got correct

  by FatFreek 2005 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it was the year 2011. remember that one?

  surprise, surprise -- it wasn't one of their predictions.

  it was from one of their competitors, harold camping.. "religious leaders sometimes predict tragic worldwide events to warn mankind and gather followers.

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  Anders Andersen

  @Coldsteel,

  What Londo said. And even as a coincidence 1914 sucks.

  According to JW Jesus became king (again) in October, and then kicked Satan to earth.

  So why did the first and most notable sign of those events - WWI - begin already months before that?

  But that is a question to must be answered when looking at current JW fairy tales.

  Looking at their original predictions, they explicitly said that if a Great War started in Europe (that everyone and their mother was preparing for in an arms races starting decades before 1914), that would not matter as it is not a part of the Biblical events.

  Instead, they expected 1914 to be the end of Armageddon.

  So their original predictions failed big time, and the nonsense they made up many years after 1914 doesn't fit history.
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  23

  Standing for the National Anthem?

  by eyeslice2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  we are currently living in a country where at the cinema the national anthem is played before the start of the movie and it is law that you stand.

  does anyone know what current jw thinking is on this?

  i know there has been various changes over the years.

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  Anders Andersen

  I thought real true Wachtowerians in the first century didn't go to PAGAN theathres and arenas at all. They avoided being pressured into false worship of their nation.
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  17

  clinking of glasses

  by sosad1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello all - long ago i posted under sosad..... cant get back under that name so hello again.

  i though i remember in hte last couple of years that there was a change in the strict practice of not clinking glasses and toasting,,, that it was more of a conscience decision.. was i dreaming this?

  any help towards printed information on this subject is very much appreciated..

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  Anders Andersen

  Toasting can 'even now can be viewed as asking ‘heaven’ for a blessing, as if seeking aid from a superhuman force'.

  
  

  Yeah, JW don't like seeking aid from superhuman forces at all. It's not like they ever ask God through Jesus to help them out with angels and holy spirit...

  
  
  
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  17

  clinking of glasses

  by sosad1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hello all - long ago i posted under sosad..... cant get back under that name so hello again.

  i though i remember in hte last couple of years that there was a change in the strict practice of not clinking glasses and toasting,,, that it was more of a conscience decision.. was i dreaming this?

  any help towards printed information on this subject is very much appreciated..

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  Anders Andersen

  Toasting today may not be viewed by many as a religious gesture. Still, there are valid reasons why Christians do not share in toasting, which has a religious background and even now can be viewed as asking ‘heaven’ for a blessing, as if seeking aid from a superhuman force.—Exodus 23:2.

  http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2007128#h=1:0-11:881

  That is the most recent thing on toasting I can find (Stay in Gods Love is newer, but simply refers to this article without adding info)

  The article I quote from is an excellent example of how to contradict yourself. Basically there are no real arguments but 'Watchtower says so'. Which may be why some have taken that as 'without Bible base objections, it's a matter of conscience'.

  
  
  

  
  
  
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  8

  You Need to Heal

  by TheLiberator in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  it has been awhile since i posted.

  but i wanted to say a few things that may help those recovering from the watchtower, especially if you have just discovered ttatt.

  it is with humility that i come here to express these thoughts.

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  Anders Andersen

  But the problem is, you are now in a bigger box (Christianity). The painful truth is, you never chose that box either.

  
  [...]

  
  DO NOT RUN FROM THE WATCHTOWER INTO THE BIGGER BOX. Your exit is your birthday. You simply have not lived yet. YOU NEED TO BE IN CHARGE OF ALL CHOICES

  
  

  Very well explained, and so true. It applies to all of us. Thanks for sharing.
  
  
  
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  16

  The Metropolitan Museum Oasis Bible Tours in NYC

  by Beachlover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just came home from a day in nyc and was taken to the met for the the woman and her offspring tour i went to keep peace and just enjoy my family.

  i've been to the metrpolitan museum of art on many occasions and have enjoyed spending time wandering thru the exhibits appreciating the art and history.

  since all family members wanted to do the tour by the wts entitled a woman and her offspring, i thought i could just follow along and just enjoy the art and exhibits.. in all honesty, i'm still amazed at this whole tour.

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  Anders Andersen

  Just in case their lack of knowledge of their own religion's history is an issue, this title from the same series is a bit more familiar for most JW:

  
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  16

  The Metropolitan Museum Oasis Bible Tours in NYC

  by Beachlover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just came home from a day in nyc and was taken to the met for the the woman and her offspring tour i went to keep peace and just enjoy my family.

  i've been to the metrpolitan museum of art on many occasions and have enjoyed spending time wandering thru the exhibits appreciating the art and history.

  since all family members wanted to do the tour by the wts entitled a woman and her offspring, i thought i could just follow along and just enjoy the art and exhibits.. in all honesty, i'm still amazed at this whole tour.

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  Anders Andersen

  What wing and circle symbol did Satan use?

  This one?

  

  And/or this one that good Jehovah worshipping king Hezekiah used?

  

  http://edition.cnn.com/2015/12/03/middleeast/king-hezekiah-royal-seal/