Posts by TonusOH

20

Waking Them Up When They Feel Safe

by KerryKing in

good morning all, i would love some genuine advice please.. i have an old friend who is still in the org, but has never been the very staunch type.

however, she is going through a very rough patch in life, (past deeds from youth caught up and now is in prison) and i reached out to her by old fashioned snail mail.. by her reply she sounds more pimi than ever and finding some sort of comfort in the literature.

would i be wrong to attempt to wake her up, would that actually be a cruel thing to do right now?

TonusOH

The JW message resonates most strongly with those who are dealing with difficult situations in life. Your friend may be clinging to the org more tightly than ever, as she may feel it is a familiar path to redemption and eventual salvation. I have a friend like that, who was wavering for a while until his kidneys failed. He has become as staunch a JW as there is, now that his life expectancy has shrunk and his general quality-of-life has decreased.

I don't know the right or wrong approach with your friend. I decided to leave my friend alone, because he is doing pretty well and is happy (he married a Philipino JW and moved to the Philipines, and is enjoying a laid-back existence with an ample pension to keep him comfortable). What good comes of trying to undermine his position? He would not be better off, is my view. I can't speak to your situation, though. It's not always an easy decision.

12

Constant Pleas For Money

by NotFormer in

it comes up from time to time: that the wt's "constant pleas for money" signifies their precarious financial state due to the pressure of the csa settlements.

is there any way of demonstrating that to be a fact?

i ask because i've always been under the impression that "constant pleas for money" is the default state of the organisation, possibly going back to rutherford's time.

TonusOH

I think there is a misconception that the WTS would stop asking for donations if they felt that the recent amount was sufficient. That's not how it works. They ask for donations and support whether the money is pouring in or trickling in. Also, they would not want to dip into any savings if they can help it. The more urgent requests for money would not start when the savings are low. They would start when they are first having to use their savings, no matter how large those may be.

Like any business, they measure financial health based on current revenue and expenses. Your savings are there to get you through a tough period, but the goal is always to have positive net income. If the GB are placing emphasis on donations, it's because margins are thin or negative. They aren't going to wait for the money to run out before they ring the alarm bell.

73

Did God know adam and eve would sin?

by gavindlt in

to all those on this forum, i would love to know what your take on this vital question is..

TonusOH

This is an issue when discussing specific points in the Bible. One group believes it to be literal, another believes it is allegory or metaphor. With over two thousand years to study it, we've pretty much wrung every possible interpretation out of every available verse. Perhaps 1 Corinthians 14:33 is meant ironically?

15

NEW YORK TIMES 10TH MAY: HOW THE JWS COPY THE MORMONS

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/jctod7viuq0?si=bcffiejweq8k-rwn.

skip to main content.

jw updates.

TonusOH

Phizzy: the very young could do this

This makes me wonder about the removal of Tony Morris and the inclusion of two younger members into the GB. This may signal a realization that times have changed. The GB are no longer names the rank-and-file occasionally hear, they are people who are well-known to JWs through the videos streamed from the website. What do young JWs see? Old men preaching at them. The most animated among them is Stephen Lett, whose cartoonish facial expressions draw attention away from whatever he is saying.

It may well be too late, but I am curious to see if there will be more changes coming to the GB. Could they be looking for more charismatic people who are media-savvy and comfortable in front of a camera? The risks (one of them developing a cult within the cult) may be worth the reward (growing a following that keeps income levels stable over the long term).

22

On May 3, 2024, the worldwide United Methodist Church apologized to survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

by was a new boy in

'many survivors of clergy sexual abuse have never received an apology or any acknowledgement of the harm they suffered.

but at the may 3, 2024, meeting of the general conference of the worldwide united methodist church in charlotte, north carolina, the following resolution of apology to all survivors and their families was approved.. .

“the united methodist church apologizes for the times we allowed our desire to protect the church to outweigh our desire to care for victims and survivors of sexual misconduct.

TonusOH

I don't know if anything has been implemented yet by the WTS regarding the issue. I get the impression that they encourage victims to contact the authorities now. This should be a policy for any group, religious or otherwise. This gets around the clergy-penitant priviledge that groups like the JWs have hid behind in the past (and which, I presume, they will continue to enforce).

3059

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars (continued)

by Simon in

jw
friends

uh oh, looks like the mega thread gave up the ghost, so while i investigate / fix it just continue the discussion here .... it's been a long 9 years lloyd evans / john cedars.

TonusOH

I think he can't bring himself to do the work anymore. It is a chore. I'm curious if he will adopt a slow-but-steady output rate, or if content will appear in spurts (cough). How burnt out is he, that the simple task of talking into a camera for 30 minutes a week and uploading it has become so difficult?

11

UK Blood Scandal inquiry findings

by ukpimo in

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-69025640.

how do you feel about this latest inquiry?

although we expect jehovah's witnesses to use this opportunity to say "we were right all this time", it's nonetheless a historic blow to the nhs.

TonusOH

That was always a talking point, because there are always going to be cases where a transfusion goes wrong. If you only ever hear about transfusions that go badly, then you get the impression that it's a widespread problem. And if that impression aligns with your view that god wants you to abstain from blood, then it confirms that you are right.

It is the same as those JWs who refused transfusions and survived. They consider themselves an example of why transfusions are unnecessary. They do not consider the extraordinary effort and extra resources that may have been used to provide lifesaving care in lieu of a blood transfusion. They use whatever confirms their beliefs and conveniently ignore the rest.

19

A fun moment

by Vidiot in

my wife of many years is more-or-less pomo, but she still (nominally) believes in jehovah and the bible.. she raised her eyebrows when she realized the full scope of the csa problem… rolled her eyes when letto the clown called babies “little enemies of god”… but today, we apparently crossed a real threshold….

…her response to the governing body being referred to as “our future kings” was….

…“what????!!!!!”.

TonusOH

They have seen themselves as Jesus's equal for a long time, now. You can believe in Jesus and accept his sacrifice, but you are not saved unless you follow the GB.

3059

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars (continued)

by Simon in

jw
friends

uh oh, looks like the mega thread gave up the ghost, so while i investigate / fix it just continue the discussion here .... it's been a long 9 years lloyd evans / john cedars.

TonusOH

AudeSapere: 1:1 is the best way for anyone except Lloyd to know the real number and not let others know when someone drops.

That's a good point. He can apply pressure directly and privately to those individuals now. I hope they aren't comparing notes...

Interesting breakdown, LMsA. So he might be looking at around $1,500-2,200 per month. Which is pretty good for someone living in Croatia. I honestly have to wonder where all the money went when he was making two-to-four times as much. Are hookers that expensive?

22

On May 3, 2024, the worldwide United Methodist Church apologized to survivors of clergy sexual abuse.

by was a new boy in

'many survivors of clergy sexual abuse have never received an apology or any acknowledgement of the harm they suffered.

but at the may 3, 2024, meeting of the general conference of the worldwide united methodist church in charlotte, north carolina, the following resolution of apology to all survivors and their families was approved.. .

“the united methodist church apologizes for the times we allowed our desire to protect the church to outweigh our desire to care for victims and survivors of sexual misconduct.

TonusOH

I'd be truly shocked if the GB offered even an acknowledgement of the scope of the problem, much less an apology. Too much ego for that to happen.

As for "[e]ducate Church leaders regarding sacred trust in ministerial relationships and power imbalance within those relationships"? What education is needed? How do you become a 'leader' in any Christian church without somehow figuring out that you should not molest children? No one needs "educating" on this topic. They need to change policies so that the people doing this are reported to the authorities and removed from their positions right away. They need to stop protecting people who do something that you know is wrong and evil.

How can any organization even begin to address this issue when they pretend not to understand the actual problem?