Posts by Spiral

34

In case you want to see mass quantities of ignorance / stupidity on display....a dinosaur thread on JWTalk

by sir82 in

https://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/34840-what-does-the-bible-say-about-dinosaurs/.

amazing how many words can be expended discussing things that people have utterly no clue about..

Spiral

My eyes!!!! Aaargh, once you read that thread you can't "unread" it!

34

Impact of GDPR on WT HQ and EU branches?

by respectful_observer in

curious if any of our eu-based members (especially those still in) have heard anything from official wt channels on how the organisation plans to be in compliance with gdpr ("general data protection regulations") by may 2018?

it's my understanding that religious organisations must comply, and that religious data is treated a "protected" and therefore subject to some enhance requirements.. specifically, how will they comply with the following requirements:.

you must disclose to the individual: what data you collect on them, why, and what you do with the data (including what other parties receive the data and what they do with it).

Spiral

I haven't been able to read all the links yet, but I think the following is problematical for them:

Data protection policy on jw.org says under point 7:

Personal data will not be transferred between branches unless necessary to accomplish the religious or charitable purposes of the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, to which all Jehovah’s Witnesses have consented by virtue of their free and willing decision to become and identify themselves as Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Having been baptised in the early 70s as a young teen in the US, I certainly was never asked or made aware of the records that the Society has kept on me. I am sure that has not changed today. When you open a bank or credit card account, you have to sign a form saying you understand privacy policy, and you get updates in the mail when the policy or the law concerning that has changed. So, how do they think they can prove the (untrue) statement above? Unless things have changed, they don't have signatures on file for each publisher giving permission to collect/keep personal data. Perhaps if they enforce a system where everyone must log in to JW.org to get literature, see videos, and make contributions (with individual accounts with passwords) they will try to sneak this in as well. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

Perhaps the cart witnessing with no not-at-home records (I remember those forms, and turning them in to the congregation with the territory) is a way they've come up with to address this?

113

No Bible = No God?

by menrov in

some doubt about the bible completely, some partially.

what if the bible turns out to be a product of humans, nothing divine.

would you still believe in a creator?.

Spiral

I don't believe in God. The Bible is just a collection of old books. Somewhat interesting historically, but I don't equate it to proof of the existence of a God.

3

Do JW's know what their FDS is doing with donations?

by The Fall Guy in

according to the official figures in this post 2 years ago - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/217902/uk-congregations-jehovahs-witnesses?page=4 - the scottish congregations had a combined total of just over £1.845m in their bank accounts.

i wonder how much of that money was siphoned off by the org when their "recommendation" to congregations to hand over their surplus cash was issued.

isn't it tragic that all that money would barely cover the court's fine of $4000 per day which the cult has amassed so far in the padron case.

Spiral

No, and the ones I know are too scared/dumb/brainwashed to ask.

22

A pet peeve

by punkofnice in

a pet peeve of mine is that there are numerous christian denominations (other faiths with their 'holy' books too), all claim that their interpretation of their 'holy' book is the correct interpretation.

my conclusion is that either their god is a very poor communicator or simply doesn't exist.. i used to believe all this stuff when i was a jobo and later a church going christian.

i simply cannot, in all honesty subscribe to it all any more.

Spiral

I always wondered why people wanted to worship a God that made everything so hard, and tested them constantly (for his own amusement?). If God were really a God of truth and fairness, he'd make the truth easy to determine for everyone.

After I really woke up, I realized at heart I am an atheist. None of this God stuff throughout history makes any sense to me.

51

Please Switch Off Your Critical Thinking

by pale.emperor in

i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.

perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.

watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .

Spiral

I have been thinking that they are going to have to tithe as well. Setting everyone up with an account online so they can contribute directly (and NOT anonymously, records can now be kept) and bypassing the local congregations.

Consolidation of halls and making people drive miles away looks good on paper, but I am certain that, where I am, no one will do that long term. The congregation here is so reduced (and poor) but the hall is pretty new and in a great location, so I can see them thinking that they will sell this hall and make everyone drive 30 miles to the next town, which has an older hall not in a good area, not very valuable at all, also with an older, reduced congregation. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

19

After 10 years do they give up on you (hoping so)

by Spiral in

i think i read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in".

is that true?.

i just realized that mr. spiral and i haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years.

Spiral

Hi All,

Thank you for all the responses. I'm not too worried about the few here that still know me from years ago, they don't seem to care one way or the other. They don't come check on my Mom either. That's sad but she doesn't seem to notice. They have their own problems that keep them busy.

Mr. Spiral and I have moved around a lot, so the record of our existence in the bOrg might be gone. Funny thing is, you would think the super spiritual relatives would want to help us see the error of our ways, but they do not. One in particular was the aggressive by-the-book type, so I thought that he might try to get local brothers to come and "help" (read: bother) me. I am surprised, but not unhappy. But given how he used to be (as mentioned above, the bully type) I thought there might be some sort of rule in the secret elder book that comes into play.

19

After 10 years do they give up on you (hoping so)

by Spiral in

i think i read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in".

is that true?.

i just realized that mr. spiral and i haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years.

Spiral

I think I read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in". Is that true?

I just realized that Mr. Spiral and I haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years. Recently some uber dub relatives have made some friendly overtures. We are not sure what to think (or if we even care, but that's another story). Hoping that some of the former elders here can comment? Is that why no one is trying to "shepherd" us (ugh, hate that term)?

Thanks for any info you have,

Spiral

14

no...No...NOOO...JW's are not a cult!

by FedUpJW in

just read this over on jw talk:.

will we be willing to leave unbelieving mates and unresponsive kids behind when given direction on what to do???

what about grandkids who fall under their parents who are not witnesses???

Spiral

So I am guessing whoever wrote this is getting the "go" bag ready and waiting to be told to run to a bunker.

There was a bit of talk about this recently where I am...... but it's a problem, because no one has a bunker. Just sayin'.

If the local JWs leave their ex-JW family members here they'll starve. No one to take care of them or loan them a car to "go" in.

Perhaps something was said lately at a meeting, IDK. Seems like the bOrg stirs this pot every few months to keep everyone on their toes. The extra cultish ones get all excited.

29

Anxiety, OCD, Hoarding, and the JWs

by Spiral in

i'm noticing what seems to be a higher incidence of the above among the local jws than in the "general" (read: worldly) population.

i don't say this lightly, my wanderings around the fringes of jw society locally is revealing an alarming trend here.

the poverty doesn't help (there are good jobs, but you need a degree or qualifications to get one).. anyone else see this?

Spiral

I think a couple of my JW friends are just hanging on because of the resurrection hope. Having a hard time functioning day to day but can't let go of being a JW because of wanting to see deceased parents or spouse in the "new order". Living in dread of Armageddon yet hoping for it.

Sad.....