Posts by ThomasMore

45

Advice to reduce hours earn less and spend more time on the ministry

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

the advice to reduce work and earn less to spend more time preaching has not aged well.. the cost of living crisis means many have more going out on necessities than they have coming in.. so many asked their employer to reduce their hours and refused promotion only to see their colleagues go up the ladder when they stayed lowly position with rubbish jobs thinking the end will be here soon.

next week midweek meeting is all about preparing for an economic crisis.. they say have a go bag and new advice for all jws to store food and water at home and grow a vegetable garden, i kid you not.

this is the new direction..

ThomasMore

I recall that article. I, along with many others, was mystified by the logic which was in stark contrast to the scriptural admonition of caring for aging parents. Our conductor stumbled through it and offered apologetic explanations for why it was written.

I knew why it was written and so did many others. WTC was already selling KHs in ernest due to CSA lawsuits and revenue shortfalls. Numbers were bad and they spun like a ferris wheel to get full-time servants to stay in their assignments. Armageddon was no where to be seen and folks were throwing in the towel.

It was obvious to me. Was it to you?

17

July 2023 Study Article 29: Are You Ready for the GT (part 3)

by blondie in

jw
friends

had to take a break to get my chores caught up; last section: strengthen your love.

this implies that any jw had "real" love or knew what it was outside the wts definition.

many jws just perpetuate the type of love they were show in their congregation.

ThomasMore

Hellothere - I agree. People love people but corporations do not - and people who expect it are quickly disappointed. JWs get disillusioned when they find that the religioun is actually nothing more than a corporation masquerading as a psuedo religion. Your comment was astute. If only more JWs could arrive at the same truth. There are so many good people within, but they have a difficulty seeing it for waht it is.

20

When A WT/JW Elder Can't Handle The Truth...Priceless!😂

by JW GoneBad in

give a listen to this 4 minute video where a jw elder stammers, stutters & fumbles then hangs-up!.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=edfphabzxhw.

ThomasMore

Trying to help JWs see themselves by showing them other cults may be effective, but it is is initially met with anger, irritation and suspicion.

I began to see what we really were when I compared us (JWs) to Heaven's Gate (Steve Lett playing the role of Marshall Applewhite).

JW's would never openly advocate mass suicide but they will advocate the refusal to accept a life-saving blood transfusion, avoid formal education beyond high school, and all critical thinking that is not aligned with their narrative.

As a result, millions - yes millions of persons have failed to reach their potential. Millions who used to be living have not caught the comet as they learned that what they were taught was worse than pure speculation - it was a lie. I wonder if they were ashamed as they took their last breath?

22

"Apostasy"

by Zilgee in

the so called apostates of first century later became the catholic church.

these apostates like saint athanasius, theologian, ecclesiastical statesman, and egyptian national leader decided which books would be part of the bible.

we are now following what they decided.

ThomasMore

aqwsed12345 - interesting read but I have been diagnosed with terminal imperfection and only have 20 years to live. Can you synopsize to the length of a twitter comment please. My ADD prevents me from absorbing long comments.

45

Advice to reduce hours earn less and spend more time on the ministry

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

the advice to reduce work and earn less to spend more time preaching has not aged well.. the cost of living crisis means many have more going out on necessities than they have coming in.. so many asked their employer to reduce their hours and refused promotion only to see their colleagues go up the ladder when they stayed lowly position with rubbish jobs thinking the end will be here soon.

next week midweek meeting is all about preparing for an economic crisis.. they say have a go bag and new advice for all jws to store food and water at home and grow a vegetable garden, i kid you not.

this is the new direction..

ThomasMore

Of course some JWs are still chasing pyramid scemes that scam everyone involved. Some that I know were propositioned by fellow "brothers" wanting "help" them make "ginormous" amounts of money.

JWdom is in trouble as the chickens have come home to roost. Those who didn't follow the narrative considered the real future and learned a trade or went to school and are now able to provide for themselves. All the while, they were pariahs to the rest of the faithful who are now up a creek without a wing and a prayer.

LHG won't be at anyones door begging them to erase mistakes of the past, so I'm calling her a winner. All the others... they might be on the losing end of the stick, not the carrot.

207

Scholar and Fisherman

by Jorden in

scholar and fisherman, i started this thread because i didn't want to highjack the one in regard to 588/568.. i just wanted to ask if you were both current active jw's that believe the jw's beliefs?.

do y'all believe the gb are the f&ds?

if the answers are no, then why do y'all defend so passionately the date 607?

ThomasMore

Scholar and Fisherman - my favorite apostates - are both on the fringes of JWdom, in that they debate on this forum, which is "verboten" to faithful JWs. I can only assume that neither believes in shunning or DFing since they spend a large amount of time associating with Inactive and DF'd human beings as they attempt to establish positions on WTC positions while dodging CSA and other issues where WTC is squarely in the wrong.

Let's break bread as soon as possible. But please, no weed or heavy drink, or kiddie porn - I am against that. Thanks for not offending my conscience.

Welcome to the world of apostasy fellows!!! All the best to you!

Jorden - question #4 - how did their elders respond when they learned that both brethren were regulars on this forum. They surely told them.

169

Rich Man and Lazarus

by Ding in

i have never understood the watchtower's explanation of the rich man and lazarus story jesus told in luke 16. of course, they don't believe jesus is talking about what happens in an "afterlife" after people die.. but from the watchtower's point of view:.

1. who are the five brothers?.

2. why can't lazarus go witness to them?

ThomasMore

Rick - your video was enlightening. Thank you.

22

"Apostasy"

by Zilgee in

the so called apostates of first century later became the catholic church.

these apostates like saint athanasius, theologian, ecclesiastical statesman, and egyptian national leader decided which books would be part of the bible.

we are now following what they decided.

ThomasMore

aqwsed12345 - Thanks for the research. JW's believe what they believe because it provides them with a time to enter and re-establish true Christianity. It fits their narrative.

In reality, they have metamorphed into something foreign from the scriptures they claim to be patterned after.

As for the Bible Canon, they support the work of early organizers who picked the writings that would be recognized (for the most part) as the authentic Bible canon.

I offer no opinions on whether some are illegitimate or missing. Having seen the blatant hypocrisy of WTC, I wonder if any organized religion can adequately represent the teachings of Christ.

7

What do the Org. And the Catholic Church have in Common?

by Vanderhoven7 in

"the governing body of jehovah’s witnesses are like the pope is to the catholic church.

they too claim to be god’s mouthpiece or the voice of jesus.

they also demand unquestioning obedience for their members salvation.

ThomasMore

Your list is right on target Vanderhoven. Why?

Because WTC studied the organizational structure of the Catholics and gradually began to emulate it. This started around the time that they joined the UN as an NGO. They wanted to gain insight into the Catholic structure in particular so that they could manage funding, growth, assets, control and all the other aspects of running a large multi-national religious organization. The Vatican had the playbook.

Without giving too much away, WTC implemented changes in the 90's that would help them "get organized". Their ship was in such disarray that some feared it would sink, and it came close a few times when policy changed, donations failed to keep up with expenses, spending veered out of control, etc.

Still, WTC chases the business model of the Catholics. Even now, they are employing the same legal guns that the Vatican uses. They know that dioceses went bankrupt, but they still believe in the Catholic business model and will follow it doggedly. What other choice do they have? Afetr all, it's not about religion - it's about business.

22

Official WT 800-page Shunning Manual ??

by Chevelle in

does anyone have a pdf copy of the 800-page book (or reference manual?

) "jehovah's witnesses and disfellowshipping"?.

https://youtu.be/fxpdodqlut8.

ThomasMore

Jeff and Enough - You are spot on.

Atlantis - Thanks you for your diligence.

WTC did create this verbose word salad for govt officials and for use in court cases as a reference. Thie strategy is to use as many words as possible in the hope that it will bolster their case. In this case, it was just another mess. I took the time to go through it - embarassing!

As usual, they have adorned a pig with lipstick.