They'll survive … as long as people keep buying into what they have to say … remember even a lie has a little truth to it, or so many wouldn't be mislead.
RR
i left way back in 2002, seems a long time ago now and i haven't really kept up with any developments since.. i've kept one ear open and noticed recently there is talk of the wt being investigated over the sex abuse cover ups, but over the years this story has come in and out of the news.. what is everybody's predictions as to the future of the borg?
i know what most people want to happen, but realistically, are we just looking at certain elements being hit because of the restructuring they did a few years ago to protect from this very thing?
looking further ahead, you'd like to think that more people would wake up?
They'll survive … as long as people keep buying into what they have to say … remember even a lie has a little truth to it, or so many wouldn't be mislead.
RR
every once in a while you hear people say they actually “miss” their old witness friends and or family.
some would have even stayed in the organization if they became a bit more liberal and open minded.
.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
currently reading : 30 years a watchtower slave.
cannot put it down.. this book pre-dates ray franz book "crisis of conscience", written from early 20th century, shortly after the jehovah's witnesses were formed.
the author describes the original true background of the watchtower society as a multi-million dollar publishing company.
Yeah I read the book. I have all his books. 30 YEARS was by far his best. It's still being published but in a edited version. So make sure you read the first edition, it has several hundred pages as oppose to the edited booklet version. Schnell had been a Bible Student during WWI. he implanted all the dictatorial rules of the Society in Germany, as Germany was the playing ground zero for Rutherford's takeover as Pope of the Watchtower. It's a good book as Schnell describes how the Society went from a Russell's Bible Students to what is now the Jehovah's Witnesses. I highly recommend it.
RR
every once in a while you hear people say they actually “miss” their old witness friends and or family.
some would have even stayed in the organization if they became a bit more liberal and open minded.
.
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH …. that's a no
i was told by several elders to not get a dog when i was looking for one in the 80s.
the end was close and we needed to focus on the preaching work.
i know some have pets but a lot don't.
They don't have time for pets. Walking the dog takes time away from preparing for meetings and witnessing
not sure if this is the proper place to post this.
i have a book, it's 8.5 x 11. the cover looks exactly like the old "truth" book, complete with bible embossed on the cover.
slight title change.
As the story goes this is based on those secret Bible studies that Bethelites were having in the late 1970s, you know the ones that eventually resulted in the expulsion of so many at Bethel including Ray Franz. It was given a similar title to the Truth Book because that was the book used to indoctrinate Bible studies.
RR
not sure if this is the proper place to post this.
i have a book, it's 8.5 x 11. the cover looks exactly like the old "truth" book, complete with bible embossed on the cover.
slight title change.
i've been reading the book recommended by zing "soul snatchers, the mechanics of cults" (bought a used copy online) and one of the things mentioned was how cults police all aspects of their members' lives.
so it got me to wondering, when did the practice of three men (elders) having a hearing (or should we say trial) and passing judgment on a member start?
did the early bible students do this?
Bible Students didn't have judicial meetings like JW's do. They did practice Matthew 18:15-17.
So if I had a problem with you and we couldn't resolve it, then I would bring a third party to mediate, if you still didn't listen, then the congregation got involved. Then there was a hearing, where everything was laid out, and the congregation would decide.
The Society interprets "bring it to the congregation" to mean "bring it to the elders", but the actual Greek means congregation.
RR
some people on this forum have said that they never really believed any aspect of wt teaching, that they couldn't wait to get free of it all.. others seems to have been really gung ho, believing it all until something happened that got you questioning "the truth.".
i would say my own high water mark was about 50%, which put me squarely on the fence, trying to decide if i should be in or out.. how about you?.
Well if it's Biblical, then I believe it. If it's not, then I discard it.
please share this question.
why is he spiritual israel not innumerable?.
the literal seed of abraham was innumerable (heb 11:12; gen 22:17; 1ki 4:20).
In THE FINISHED MYSTERY, they even numbered the Great Crowd, which no man was able to number LOL