Posts by Spiral

20

WT "Study" for 4th September 2016 - “Seek the Kingdom, Not Things”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

i’m sitting there in the kingdom hall just thinking how rich it is of the gbojw to preach about materialism when they have recently been evidenced to be using bro’s & sis’ contributions to the world wide work to travel business class!

just that thought alone was leading me to read scripture while they were all engaged in the wt “study”.. however, then it came to paragraph 17 and i blurted / choked a little.

the paragraph said that “we should not imitate the people of ‘the nations,’ who have no real faith in a loving heavenly father who cares for those who put the interests of his kingdom first in their life.”.

Spiral

It was really sad to see all the poor, living on the edge people today parroting what was in the magazine. Isn't poverty fun! It makes us more spiritual! I love driving that old car down the highway with my children in the back seat hoping my bald tires don't blow out!

Meanwhile, the few (and I mean literally a handful) here that do have money would comment the same. Are they laughing behind their hands at the poor people here? I wonder. None of them would give up what they have to test God to see if he will support them. Nor do they share, from what I can see.

Keeping my job, that's for sure. I like driving a car that's not going to blow up any time soon (or if it does, there's a warranty).

And where are all the contributions going to come from? The "work" isn't getting any cheaper but the "brothers" are sure getting poorer.

30

CLAM Video: Aug 22-28 2016 – “Jehovah Will Care for Our Needs”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

this video showed a married brother with three children living in a nice domicile and working full time.

his employer demands that he change his working pattern such that it conflicts with his being able to attend wt meetings at the weekend.

the brother decides not to yield to his employer’s demand and is thus dismissed.. the brother seeks for work very actively over a significant period but without any alternative being found.

Spiral

My observation is that (usually poor JWs) fall for this line of reasoning. Then, when just a little bit of "extra" money comes their way, they think it is Jehovah's blessing.

We decided a long time ago that being poor wasn't fun. But, there is a certain group with a mindset that just (barely) getting by is ok and is a provision from God. It's sad, really. We know several who are elderly and, believe me, they don't live in nice houses with nice cars and everything they need. They barely scratch by. All with foodstamps, disability, etc.

30

CLAM Video: Aug 22-28 2016 – “Jehovah Will Care for Our Needs”

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

this video showed a married brother with three children living in a nice domicile and working full time.

his employer demands that he change his working pattern such that it conflicts with his being able to attend wt meetings at the weekend.

the brother decides not to yield to his employer’s demand and is thus dismissed.. the brother seeks for work very actively over a significant period but without any alternative being found.

Spiral

I missed it, for that I can be grateful. I was working, after all. lol

37

Beards mentioned again in magazine!

by neat blue dog in

aaaaaand .

.. it offers absolutely nothing new.. from questions from readers in the december 2016 study edition watchtower:.

"is it proper for a brother todayto have a beard?in some cultures, a neat beardmay be acceptable and may notdetract from the kingdom mes-sage.

Spiral

That's the most profound non-answer that I've ever read. What are they saying..... yes, but no, but yes, but [you can infer this] we will look down on you for having one. sheesh

29

Lying In Wait At a Bed & Breakfast

by Cold Steel in

a few years ago while traveling in the northeast, my wife and i stopped in new haven, connecticut, at a b&b we'd reserved for the night.

no sooner had we unpacked and moved into the living room for tea and treats, our hosts began to talk about religion, and we learned they were jehovah's witnesses.

i didn't mind so much, but my wife was outraged that our hosts would use their place of business as a launching point to do missionary work.

Spiral

@eva luna, love it, that would scare them to death!

@OneGen, good question. They started the preaching, after all.

If you're at a B&B you are there to relax. No preaching should be allowed. A terrible review on any website is in order, it's just common sense.

BUT - so many JWs have no real business sense, this would be a surprise. They might not even know to read their reviews. But I agree, totally inappropriate in this setting.

33

A sucker is born every minute

by Sour Grapes in

i was an elder in the 1970's and i was not a big fan of the "stay alive until 75" dogma.

i was looked down upon by the heavy hitters on the body of elders and in time i changed my mind.

i knew of the failed prophecy of 1914 being the end of all times which was repeated for the year 1925...yet i came to believe well maybe this time they've got it right.. with every new watchtower, i combed over every word to find support for my change in my belief that the end was coming in fall of 1975. at the district assembly in 1975, everyone clung onto every word in the final talk.

Spiral

@tor1500

Back in the day (I was in my teens in the 70s) ALOT was said by brothers from the stage and at assemblies because talks weren't scripted. The circuit assemblies especially had a lot of variance in what the brothers were saying. So, in our congregation we had a couple of die hards who took everything seriously, gave up jobs, and from the stage rambled on about how Jehovah's day was near. At the circuit assemblies, there were some that said very specific things that you would not have seen in the literature. The org tolerated it so I feel they are responsible. Ultimately, things got out of hand and nothing happened in 1975 or 76 so the scripting of all talks started.

BUT - what these brothers were saying was what they really thought "mother" thought they should teach. And it was. Only "mother" was caught out as being totally wrong and clueless.

This is why the literature is so dull and lifeless today, all prophecy interpretation from previous decades is discredited, and many things are just swept under the rug.

The mantra used to be study, learn, discourse, and believe, just like the Boreans. Now, it's listen, obey, [shut up] and be blessed. This is necessary because so much of what was said and taught turned out to be pure fantasy.

In short, it's a cult. Now more than ever!

30

Harmagedon backpack... Are we retarded??

by sp74bb in

jw
friends

sorry for this matter has been already discussed.. i got shocked after watching this video:.

kingdom hall disaster demonstration.

this is really insane !!!

Spiral

Is this bag different from the emergency "go" bag they've been telling people to have for a few years, in case persecution hits (and you have to flee to the bunker or whatever, I guess)?

Not having been to meetings in years I just heard about this last year. The JWs in my area think that when persecution hits you should be ready with your "go" bag. And I thought we were supposed to rely on God.....

29

"Inactive" non Attenders, how much power do the JW's have over YOU ?

by Phizzy in

i was thinking about this because of the constant reminders we get in posts that we inactive non attenders have to be careful what we say to jw's, and what we do that they may learn about etc, if we don't wish to be before a j.c. the power they have is limited by what we give them.

now, i do not wish to be declared df'd of da'd, it would kill my old mum i think.. but i refuse to live my life looking over my shoulder, that, in my opinion, is giving them too much power.. i openly vote, i openly donate blood, i enjoy the odd cigar etc etc.. how much power do you allow them to have over you ?.

Spiral

I am careful around the JWs just because of my mother, but once she is past the point of caring (sadly, she has dementia, which is a progressive thing) I won't care at all.

Funny thing, here locally the JWs just seem.....worn out. Everyone is older, has problems, is too poor (with all the fun that entails) to seem to care. I was really worried about this earlier, but not as much now. I'm not really trying to act like I'm doing anything, beyond taking my mom to meeting on Sundays. I read my tablet while I'm there, no one has noticed.

60

Are they either leaving or going full on 'cult mode'? No quarter.

by punkofnice in

it might just be me imagining things.. i hear things from my jw spies.. from all that's being said, it seems to me that the rank and file(tm), are either waking up to the scam and fading/leaving.

they are going full on 'cult mode' and acting like 'spiritual police'.. is it just me and my imagination?

have others noticed this?.

Spiral

Punk, I have noticed that. There do not seem to be any reasonable, middle of the road types here locally. Congregation has shrunk over 50% and what's left is the full-on, can't think for themselves cult types, that watch everyone else like a hawk. This congregation is a paranoid and desperate place. No surprise that these types can't seem to get or keep a job in the real world.

8

Disfellowshipping - What It's Supposed To Be

by pale.emperor in

first of all, the wt tell this lie to the rank and file:.

two factors—which must coincide—result in the disfellowshipping of one of jehovah’s witnesses.

first, a baptized witness commits a serious sin.

Spiral

@Vidiot, I totally agree: To prevent loyal JWs from learning the real reasons XJWs leave.

I think they are trying to delay the sharing of information across both sides as long as possible. Of course, that can't last forever.