Posts by FFGhost

30

It’s started COBE asking all appointed men if they are fully vaccinated

by Indoubtbigtime in

there is a huge problem now in all congregations as the gb stubbornly will not do the u turn on staying fully vaccinated that many hoped they would do.. all congregations around the world the cobe has to ask all ministerial servants and elders if they are fully vaccinated (meaning no more than six months since last shot).

there is a massive problem now with many many jdubs not getting their latest boosters and not wanting to stay fully vaccinated .

but more serious than that is how the gb painted themselves into a corner with these vaccine mandates.. most governments did a u turn on the vax mandates but the gb can’t get out of this one so easily .

FFGhost

Without getting issues of the efficacy of the COVID vaccines, it is mind-bogglingly inconsistent of them to require vaccinations for “schools”, which will have an attendance of roughly 40 to 100 people, and not require them for circuit assemblies (attended by hundreds) or regional conventions (attended by thousands, in some cases many thousands).

If their concern was “prevent the transmission of the virus”, you’d think the larger the crowd, the more restrictive the requirements.

Seems as though one’s vaccination status has become something of a loyalty test for those with “privileges”. Are you “obedient to those taking the lead” when, while they did not explicitly state “thou shalt be vaccinated”, they surely l-e-e-e-aned in that direction.

A 21st century Shibboleth to see who is really loyal and obedient.

30

It’s started COBE asking all appointed men if they are fully vaccinated

by Indoubtbigtime in

there is a huge problem now in all congregations as the gb stubbornly will not do the u turn on staying fully vaccinated that many hoped they would do.. all congregations around the world the cobe has to ask all ministerial servants and elders if they are fully vaccinated (meaning no more than six months since last shot).

there is a massive problem now with many many jdubs not getting their latest boosters and not wanting to stay fully vaccinated .

but more serious than that is how the gb painted themselves into a corner with these vaccine mandates.. most governments did a u turn on the vax mandates but the gb can’t get out of this one so easily .

FFGhost

Just to clarify….

The vaccine requirements are for “theocratic schools” only. Things like the pioneer school, elders school (5 day and 1 day), etc.

if it doesn’t have “school” in the title, a vaccine is not required.

So the meeting with pioneers & the CO, the meeting with elders & CO, etc. are not included. No vaccine requirements for “meetings”, only for “schools”.

That said, I would not be surprised if some (many?) overzealous COBEs start making / enforcing their own personal rules and start badgering people about their vaccination status for unnecessary things. But that would not be the official WTS position.

15

2022 Service Report is Out

by Bartolomeo in

warning: this post doesn't belong to me, i took it from reddit and posted it here.

news.

+0.4% growth in publishers globally.

FFGhost

Trying to think what words best describe the numbers…..

Disastrous? Catastrophic? Devastating? Gut-wrenching?

It was never easier to be seen as a “good” JW than during the pandemic. Attend meetings at home in a t-shirt and shorts & drinking beer….getting your field service time in while sitting at home, chatting with friends on Zoom while writing a line or 2 of a letter every 5 or 10 minutes…pioneer with no hour requirement whatsoever….and the numbers still went down or at best broke even.

Now, in person meetings and in person door to door are back at full speed. The hamster wheel is spinning again. But with easily 40% or more still avoiding the KH, and door to door met with less than gleeful enthusiasm, it is quite evident that for the majority of JWs, their heart just isn’t in it anymore. They’ll still keep hanging on, clinging to the hope that “very soon now” they’ll get their seaside mansion and see dead grandma again, but….

As BB King sang, “the thrill is gone”.

EDIT: another thought - now we see the reasons for the January “governing body update”. They cherry picked a couple of meager points & spun them as an “increase”, and lowered the pioneer requirement to literally half of what it was a generation ago, in a desperate attempt to get out ahead of this utterly depressing report. Let’s see how effective the message is…..

51

Jehovah's Witnesses lose registration as a religious community in Norway

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

https://www.statsforvalteren.no/nb/oslo-og-viken/folk-og-samfunn/tros--og-livssynssamfunn/jehovas-vitner-taper-registrering-som-trossamfunn/.

published december 22, 2022. the state manager in oslo and viken has decided to withdraw jehovah's witnesses registration as a religious community under the religious society act.. .

we sent a notice to jehovah's witnesses about possible loss of registration on october 25 this year.

FFGhost

Others have noted, and I tend to agree, that it’s not so much about the loss of money in a nation where they don’t have much of a footprint anyway (less than 1/5 of 1% of their members live there).

What is likely more troubling is the precedent it sets. If a European country determines that JWs are not to be a recognized religion due to their disfellowshipping policy, what’s to stop other nations from doing the same, perhaps with more dire consequences (loss of tax exemption? Loss of property?).

Expect them to fight this with everything they’ve got. They’ll defend their “right” to control members through the blackmail of enforced shunning to their dying breath. Without that level of control the whole shebang dies.

18

Search Warrants Issued for KH & Residence, CSA Arrest

by Tahoe in

.

full article .

FFGhost

There was a case in Illinois I think? Maybe 8-10 years ago, a JW <elder or MS, I forget> was arrested and charged with some child molestation offense.

Bethel called the local congregation and commanded that they send 3 elders to the jail where he was being held, I $#!+ you not, to disfellowship him on the spot. Primarily so they could refer to him as a “former member” in their “official” comments to the press.

Folks who have been on this site a long time may remember the case. Someone more adept than me could probably find the old posts here.

Anyway, I suspect something similar will happen to Brother Swisher.

Looks like someone will need to cover his CLAM assignments for the foreseeable future.

22

2022-12-19--Vaccination Requirement!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2022-12-19--vaccination requirement.. .

click image to enlarge.. .

https://postimg.cc/xxvbcwdv .

FFGhost

“Kingdom Ministry School” is one day, held every year or 2, all elders are invited.

”School for Congregation Elders” is 5 days, typically an elder is invited once every 5 years (they only do a subset of elders in each school)

27

Watchtower Study : Jehovah Is Helping You To Succeed

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

the watchtower—study edition | january 2023. study article 3. jehovah is helping you to succeed.

how jehovah makes you successful.

13. does jehovah intervene in every situation we face?

FFGhost

“Jehovah gave us exactly what we needed”

I dunno, if my son were dying of cancer, I think “exactly what I need” would be more along the lines of “a cure” moreso than “Joe Palooka hangin’ out in the waiting room”.

I think you can draw a direct correlation line between “how worthy is this divine being of worship” and “how feeble are the excuses given by his adherents for his inaction”.

11

Pioneer hour requirement returns

by FFGhost in

so, just posted on jw.borg:.

as of march 2023, the hour requirement for pioneers, which was suspended during the pandemic, will once again be enforced.. elders will review the activity of all pioneers in june 2023. if it appears that any do not have a “practical schedule” (aren’t getting at least close to 70 hours per month”), elders are to “kindly and frankly discuss their circumstances”.. what’s that sound that seems like a torpedo plane diving on its target?

that’s the sound of the number of regular pioneers in complete free fall .

FFGhost

So, just posted on JW.borg:

As of March 2023, the hour requirement for pioneers, which was suspended during the pandemic, will once again be enforced.

Elders will review the activity of all pioneers in June 2023. If it appears that any do not have a “practical schedule” (aren’t getting at least close to 70 hours per month”), elders are to “kindly and frankly discuss their circumstances”.

What’s that sound that seems like a torpedo plane diving on its target? That’s the sound of the number of regular pioneers in complete free fall

18

Norway: Society hires a Law Firm

by Festus in

maybe society's own lawyers are so bad that they need to hire top notch lawyer's.. funny i thought jehoober would not need any help.. anyway here are the links.

media.

jehovas vitner mistet statsstøtten – vil saksøke staten – vårt land (vl.no).

FFGhost

LOL, yeah, it’s even more craven than “we want free money”; instead, it is “we will fight until our dying breath to maintain our ability to blackmail you (via threat of shunning and alienation of affection) into submission to us”.

18

Norway: Society hires a Law Firm

by Festus in

maybe society's own lawyers are so bad that they need to hire top notch lawyer's.. funny i thought jehoober would not need any help.. anyway here are the links.

media.

jehovas vitner mistet statsstøtten – vil saksøke staten – vårt land (vl.no).

FFGhost

So if I’m following this correctly, correct me if I’m wrong, but…

The WTS will be spending untold thousands or 10s of thousands of dollars (or the equivalent in krone) to try to coerce a government, that per their own teaching is under Satan’s control, into giving them free money?

Do I have that right?

Hoo boy, that takes a lot of of….something….to spin that into “oh how we are being persecuted”.