Spiral

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Posts by Spiral

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  10

  Jehovah's Witnesses Mega Halls

  by RolRod in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was thinking about this recently.

  the society owns all the kingdom halls and with desperate need of money, their closing down and selling off properties.

  consolidating congregations seems to be the order of the day.

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  Spiral

  @Sir82, I also agree with you. But the bOrg seems to be going in two different directions at the moment.

  Years ago, the elders were into everyone's business, and you couldn't sneeze without permission. It was unthinkable not to have book studies and assigned service groups.

  They still like to maintain this type of control, but something - perhaps a pressing need to make money, and move it around where it can't be found - seems to be driving the real estate decisions they are making. 13 years ago, where we were, the bOrg sold a nice double KH. No pressing reason to do it (plenty of donating attendees) and no replacements were ever made. Created a huge burden on the scattered rank and file (especially the older ones) and many people ultimately faded away. Why did they do it? The only reason had to be $$$$. The WT held the title and all the money went straight to them.

  So although I'm sure they want to keep controlling everyone, there seems to be an urgent profit motive here. An urban KH in a good location is just ripe for the picking. A rural hall, not so much. So perhaps trying to fool city publishers into going to a megachurch is just a way to spin the real situation.
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  10

  Jehovah's Witnesses Mega Halls

  by RolRod in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was thinking about this recently.

  the society owns all the kingdom halls and with desperate need of money, their closing down and selling off properties.

  consolidating congregations seems to be the order of the day.

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  Spiral

  I think that's definitely an option, especially for urban areas. It's not as if they really need smaller centers to coordinate the preaching work, that's all gone by the wayside.

  I have a couple of friends who attend megachurches. If they don't attend, they can watch online. Preacherman always is on one of the big screens, the choir on the other.

  They love it. Being part of a big congregation (if you can really even call it a congregation, at that size) is part of the thrill. Occasionally there's a big event (picnic, hot dogs, music, etc.) in a city park.

  It doesn't appeal to me, but as they always remind me, being a JW ruined me for all religion. (Yes, it did.)
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  25

  For those of you who've watched the Witnesses documentary, let's suppose for a moment that...

  by My Name is of No Consequence in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  for those of you who've watched the witnesses documentary, let's suppose for a moment that the org was forced to make their database of abusers available to the courts.

  if this database is as detailed and meticulous as it is claimed, how in the world could the org (in its present form) survive that?

  assuming they don't go bankrupt after all of the new abuse claims, would they go underground, shut down the kingdom halls, stop the preaching?

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  Spiral

  @StephaneLaliberte, I agree.

  Why are they even keeping that information? I'd think it would be time to hit the delete button. (Although no one would believe that ever really happened.)

  Does anyone know?
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  38

  How Many Here Remember Hearing Details from the Platform on Why a Person was Reproved or DF'd ???

  by RubaDub in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just had this flashback when commenting on another thread about how they used to announce reproof or dfing from the platform.

  at least in our congregation, it was a dramatic event (this is what i can remember from back in the mid-late 60's or early 70's when i was a kid).. at the end of the service meeting, just before singing the final song, the brother would announce, "we have a letter that must be read.

  the "congregation servant" (my grandfather or later my father) would then slowly walk from the back of the kh to the platform.

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  Spiral

  I can remember the brother using the phrase "so-and-so is disfellowshipped for conduct unbecoming a Christian".

  Then, a week later, there would be a local needs talk about fornication, or something scandalous. So, you knew (assuming you hadn't heard already) what the deal was. The talks would sometimes be full of detail. The innocent mate would be sniffling in the back. Creepy and disgusting, really.

  I also remember hearing that the previous practice of giving a reason was stopped because some people sued the congregation for slander. Not sure if that's true.
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  30

  If you're "anointed" don't seek out other "anointed" so says the Watchtower January 2020

  by RolRod in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  when i was affiliated with the witnesses, there were barely 6,000 who profess to be of the anointed remnant.

  i recently read somewhere that today there are over 20,000 who profess to be anointed.

  that figure may be more when you consider those who meet and partake privately for fear of the stigma of claiming to be anointed.

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  Spiral

  It does show that they are struggling to keep the message on track. Sounds like they are feeling threatened. Otherwise, why even put this in a WT?
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  28

  Dissolved Congregations--Minneapolis--St. Paul.

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we know all the dissolved congregations in minneapolis/st.

  paul now:.

  1. lake of the isles .

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  Spiral

  Atlantis, thank you!

  That kind of shrinkage sounds HUGE.

  I think anyone - even the most devoted JW - would see this happening and understand that things are going downhill fast.

  Even their own calculation of 17.3% decrease (best case scenario) in just one year is huge.

  So I'm thinking that this frees up lots of real estate that they can sell, besides the KH on a superfund site. (And how does THAT happen, anyway?)

  And what's going to happen to the assembly halls in areas where publisher counts are shrinking? Wait - more real estate to sell!
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  10

  BBC News Article 4th Feb 2020. Jehovah's Witnesses sued over 'child sex abuse'.

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-51006771.

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  Spiral

  So they blame the parents for not protecting the children. Disgusting.

  I know of a case where a parent was concerned about the proximity of a potential abuser who had just been released from prison (for various crimes). One of the brothers was studying with him and was letting him live for free in a small (nothing fancy, but free) house he owned close to them. This guy didn’t have a job so wandered around the neighborhood all day. The elder couldn’t figure out he was just being used, and children (JWs and others) were around.

  She was totally shut down. This guy was horrible and did end up back in jail. But none-I repeat none-of the local elders would listen to her. Nor would her MS husband.
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  28

  Dissolved Congregations--Minneapolis--St. Paul.

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we know all the dissolved congregations in minneapolis/st.

  paul now:.

  1. lake of the isles .

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  Spiral

  By the way, what percentage of total congregations in this area does this list represent?
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  8

  How to jw's handle Luke 6:32?

  by carla in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  all or nothing said this in a previous thread, "we were told the "identifying mark of true christians is this love among the brothers".

  it was said in the thread about not being invited to things.. i have seen it many times in re: to jw's.

  how do jw's handle luke 6:32 then?

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  Spiral

  BluesBrother, I have heard that line many times. Twisted and sick. Emotional manipulation of the drones, at its best.
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  28

  Dissolved Congregations--Minneapolis--St. Paul.

  by Atlantis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we know all the dissolved congregations in minneapolis/st.

  paul now:.

  1. lake of the isles .

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  Spiral

  I don’t know the area, but sounds like a lot of congregations.

  Been hearing of lots of Spanish congregations getting the chop. They used to be more active (and fun to be around) than the English halls.