Posts by Spiral

40

Any word yet on the Annual Meeting?

by careful in

it's just a week or two away and still no sign of the usual hype?

very strange.... anyone heard anything about it?

perhaps from those still in to some degree or from relatives/friends still in?.

Spiral

Don't they usually invite the special ones (aka elders, pioneers, etc.) to attend in person?

16

my wife (uber) mentioned today an elderly man who comes to the kh and he suffers from a sever stomach complaint which needs surgery and that there is a 'waiting list' at the local hospital.. so i says, "why dont the elders put the $$ together to get his op done privately.

" (ie out of the govt system and 'waiting lists').

her answer was telling.

Spiral

Excellent response, zeb.

We were always taught that charity of any sort was a waste of time. Teach people the "truth"! Even if they are starving today and die tomorrow, at least they had "the hope"!

Now I know it's just a game. If you do charitable works you end up sharing $$$$. Can't have any of that!

I wonder if the WT sent any "volunteers" to Puerto Rico, or more recently to North Carolina? Do they even pretend to send any help these days?

44

Study Watchtower confirms shunning spiritually weak. How nice!

by Isambard Crater in

it really hurt to hear brothers and sisters commenting about this at the meeting yesterday.. "as in solomon’s case, one of the greatest threats to spirituality is friendship with those who do not understand or respect jehovah’s standards.

some may be associated with the congregation but may be spiritually weak.

others could be relatives, neighbors, coworkers, or schoolmates who are not worshippers of jehovah.

Spiral

The bOrg sure loves to judge people, don't they?

Well, you have to have really low self esteem to put up with that treatment - wait, that is what you signed up for when you got baptised!

This is how I remember being a JW was like, the few "special" people lording it over the rest of us, who were not quite good enough but kept trying.

I think everyone who is awake has that moment they realize they are better than that and deserve more. I know a lot of PIMO put up with poor treatment because of family, but I do think as time goes on less and less are willing to put up with it, and that is a big part of declining membership.

The bOrg just doesn't know any other game to play.

90

Is attendance down in your location too?

by StarryNight9 in

jw
friends

i was commenting on another thread about how local kh attendance is down.

memorial attendance was also way down and the circuit assembly had hundreds less people than what is typical.

my jw family has even mentioned it.

Spiral

My experience is of value, I think. If you have been gone from a congregation (one congo town) for 10 plus years, your perceptions of congregation size has to be pretty accurate. What was once a dynamic congregation of all age groups with lots of studies has shriveled to the last die-hard families (mostly elderly), and the usual in-and-out types that are odd and have a hard time coping in the regular world. I was shocked when I first visited again. A full hall is now 1/4 full, if that. The town has grown in population around 20% and is building new homes, schools, and new commercial sites, so it's not because of lack of work around town.

81

How Long Before They Introduce Tithing?

by pale.emperor in

when i was a full-on believing jw i had an obsessive fascination with mormonism.

i read, studied and watched their propaganda with strange interest as well as their apostate mormon books.

i have to say, they have a good scam going claiming that "the lord reintroduced tithing" in the modern age.

Spiral

Pale, the sad thing is I think some of the poorer ones would do it too, just to get status and privileges.

Sad.

62

TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS "Handling Cases of Drug Abuse" September 1, 2018

by Not_Culty in

https://jwglossary.blogspot.com/2018/09/to-all-bodies-of-elders-handling-cases.html.

to all bodies of elders "handling cases of drug abuse".

september 1, 2018. to all bodies of elders re: handling cases of drug abusedear brothers: as noted below, the procedure for handling the misuse of marijuana and the abuse of medi- cal, illicit, or addictive drugs has been adjusted to harmonize with the procedure for handling the misuse of tobacco.

Spiral

They just can't stay out of anyone's business, can they? If you have cancer and use marijuana as a pain med (much better choice than the opioids the doctor could legally give you) you MIGHT not be considered "exemplary".

Blech!

81

How Long Before They Introduce Tithing?

by pale.emperor in

when i was a full-on believing jw i had an obsessive fascination with mormonism.

i read, studied and watched their propaganda with strange interest as well as their apostate mormon books.

i have to say, they have a good scam going claiming that "the lord reintroduced tithing" in the modern age.

Spiral

Well, it's complicated, isn't it.

For years the bOrg preached anonymous, voluntary giving (not a reality in some situations, but they always tried to paint it that way) ....... but now, having bitten off way more than they can chew financially (and before you add in all the legal costs) a way is needed to tithe. They have to do it, somehow.

"Sir82: I don't know that they would do it for everyone, but I can easily imagine that it would become a requirement for being appointed as an elder, MS, or pioneer.

I.e., only those who tithe get "special privileges".

Sadly, I think this is where it is all heading. You can't get anything extra these days (cart duty, permission to go to the International Convention, work on the KH builds, etc.) unless you "qualify", so why not sell these privileges for a tidy profit? Take a page out of the pope's playbook --- wait --- If they could sell guaranteed entry into paradise THAT would really be a money maker.

Otherwise, just going with straight tithing is problematical when all the JWs (here, at least) are poor AND rely on unreported cash income just to get by.

29

Not viewed as a JW if not reported for 6 months?

by kramer in

hi, i seem to remember that the society have said that you are not viewed as a witness if you have not reported for 6 months.. does this ring any bells?

someone i know has been called for a judicial, even though she has said she doesn’t believe and is not not attending meetings and hasn’t for 6 months.what she did was 12 months ago when she was a witness.. she is not sure whether she should turn up or not, as turning up shows she thinks she answers to elders still.

but also doesn’t want to be automatically disfellowshipped which may happen if she doesn’t turn up.. if there is an article to quote saying someone inactive isn’t seen as a witness, this would be helpful.. any thoughts?.

Spiral

TD: JW's are legally organized in the U.S. as a congregational church, which means your relationship is with your congregation and only with your congregation.

Elders from a congregation you have not voluntarily affiliated yourself with do not have a legitimate claim to pastoral interest and/or ecclesiastical authority.

Personally, I think she should just threaten them with an attorney. Hire one to write a nasty letter threatening to take action against the elders personally who are bringing this up; it would be worth the money. After six months she is officially inactive.

BUT: What TD said previously (quoted above) ..... this might seem to be an unimportant point, but I think it's very significant. If all three elders asking the questions didn't know you from before, and/or you have moved, or congregations have changed, then the elders can't "counsel" and then DF you? And if you move, or move back after a period of time, and don't "re-affiliate" yourself with that congregation, there is no "bond" between you and them?

That would help a lot of people out if the elders can't even claim "pastoral interest" (much less "ecclesiastical authority") about you. The individual elders might not even understand this, but I bet the bOrg legal department back in New York does.

14

The "abused" becomes the "abuser"

by stuckinarut2 in

a thought occurred to me about the perpetuation of jw abusive culture.. (i do not mean sexual abuse - i am referring to emotional, or behavioural abuses).

most jws are raised in the oppressive and abusive culture of jw life.

they have been raised with low self esteem.

Spiral

@stuckinarut, you are absolutely right.

Hubby and I have been faded for a long time, but being able to sit at the sidelines the last few years and watching what goes on..... I am just amazed at this pattern that I also see.

The idea of a godly, religious life has gotten intertwined with crazy abuse that goes from generation to generation. If you're not an abuser, you are complicit in the cover up (often while being a victim with low self-esteem) if you stay with the bOrg.

As Vidiot mentioned, I believe this dysfunction has spread to all areas, including sexual abuse. And covering up is seen as normal.

Another area I've seen recently - financial abuse. The JWs take advantage of each other all the time financially - poor business deals, bosses paying employees poorly, JWs not paying their bills, JWs not even helping parents (financially and otherwise) when they need help.

This abuse has become a way of life. Easily justified by crazy religious thinking.

40

DECEMBER 2018 WATCHTOWER STUDY ARTICLE...Many loyal Christians have remained with an unbelieving mate under very trying circumstances.

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

december 2018 study article :.

honor “what god has yoked together”.

17 admittedly, there have been instances where an “unbelieving husband” seems to prove that he is not “agreeable to staying with her.” he might be extremely physically abusive, even to the point that she feels that her health or life is in danger.

Spiral

I can't believe they are still dishing out this sh*t (by way of the "apostle" Paul of course, a man known not to value women) and seeming to reference a woman putting up abuse by a man.

I thought that was crazy when I was a teenager, and I now know that it is beyond crazy - it's criminal.

Any person who stays with an abusive mate because they might convert is crazy. Any organization that requires such behaviour is criminal.