Posts by TonusOH

18

JW BORG does not have clergy-laity like Christendom! 😄

by BoogerMan in

(because they told us so in a wt!.

w71 6/1 p. 330 par.

10 - "another reason why many feel there is no place for them in the service of god is due to the clergy-laity distinction that is fostered in the churches.

TonusOH

NotFormer: There's no precedent for MS, CO, DO, Pioneer, etc.

It's more of a business-type structure than a religious one.

5

Watchtower Reader - Perhaps aka Watchtower Library Bethel Edition?

by ILoveTTATT2 in

jw
friends

the spanish exjw forum) is closing soon.

(but that's a whole different topic).someone found an app called watchtower reader, i have the 2006 version in spanish, and it seems like it's a special edition of the wt library app that has much more than the regular wt library.. for example, it has:awakes up to 1960 (this is not even found in the english wt library).

wt up to 1960 (found up to 1950 in the wt library in english but only up to 1970 in spanish).organized to accomplish your ministry (2005).anyone here know or could get this in the english version and the latest they can find?

TonusOH

Anyone know what the differences were between those editions? And why they felt they were necessary?

15

Jehovah’s Witnesses’ UN Prophecy Fails Again: Trump’s Win Proves Them Wrong

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/-kdbs3lcsx8?si=icfla8tzg0p_wdcz.

the governing body of jehovah’s witnesses (gb) has done it again—another bold prophecy, another epic fail.

during their 2024 annual meeting, they confidently announced that the nations of the world would soon hand over their power to the united nations.

TonusOH

I think it's fair to say that Fred Franz was a mental case.

7

Beard quote from WT 1975

by joey jojo in

extreme hair styles can easily lead one into a trap of the devil also, and cause others to stumble.

for example, a young man in the united states was making fine progress in his study of the bible, and he was moved to share with an experienced witness in preaching to others about the good things he was learning from the bible.

from early youth he had let his beard grow, and since some in the business community wore beards, he felt that his wearing one in preaching to others would be acceptable generally.

TonusOH

Wait... growing a beard was considered an "extreme hair style???"

28

Norway didn't fall for it

by Jalisco in

la norvegia non è caduta nella trappola della torre di guardia di agosto.. https://files.accessjw.org/s/sdzfgcgk4bi48jb.

TonusOH

This is good. In the other topic about this, I mentioned that the WTS clearly does not want to give up the practice of shunning. They tried to make it seem as if they are softening the stance, but they do not want to stop doing it. I had expressed the hope that Norway's response would be to encourage them for a first step but to reject the request because it was not enough.

They have done this. Even better, they are using the WTS's own words to show that they were not serious about ending the practice, they were only trying to find a way to get the state subsidy while still being allowed to do it.

What's more, this shows that the WTS is willing to decieve in order to get money-- the ruling by the Norwegian government would not outlaw JW worship; it would stop the subsidy and take away their ability to formally register marriages. That's it. Marriage ceremonies would still be allowed, meetings would be allowed, preaching would be allowed. So, either they are compromising in order to get money from "Satan's world" or they are lying in order to get money from "Satan's world."

Which is it, WTS?

66

Trump wins

by gavindlt in

i am non political and have never voted but nonetheless i have been keenly watching to see how the trump presidential race unfolds.

i believe that his involvement in propelling or influencing a leaning toward bible prophecy will unfold.

how, i can’t say but something tells me that this anomaly and outlier being trump is highly signifiant!

TonusOH

See, this is why I ignore the hysteria of how Trump is going to 'take over.' Republicans have a 53-47 advantage in the Senate, which isn't as big as it might seem when three senators are not Trump supporters. At 50-50, they still have the VP's vote to break ties, but it is much easier for Democrats when they really only need to find one or two dissenting votes, instead of five or six.

Similarly, the House margin is thin. Trump can still use executive orders. I think that US Presidents have been absuing executive orders for decades now, and I doubt it is going to stop. Each sides wrings its hands when the other side is using them, but they don't want to restrict their use because one day they will win back the White House and they want to be able to abuse them as well. So, if Trump does turn the USA into a fascist dictatorship, you can blame the voters if you want, but I think fault would lie in the people who could have taken away this dangerous tool but didn't, because they didn't want to.

19

Did Tony Morris Get Sideways with His Bros.?

by Sea Breeze in

interesting video connects the dots.

.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ff1ibybfe4&t=205s&pp=2ahnazacaq%3d%3d.

TonusOH

Oof, that picture. I didn't realize Tony Morris had let himself go...

I agree that they now have an issue where they cannot go back without confusing the rank-and-file. Remember that all of these changes and 'clarifications' are usually accompanied by breathless expressions of how the change is a clear example of Jehovah's loving guidance towards those that he does not wish to see perish. The pronouncements are usually followed by the joyful expression of "how wonderful it is that Jehovah provides perfect and thoughtful guidance as we march towards the end," etc etc.

At some point, if you are laying it on that thick, it's not easy to roll it back without leaving people wondering what just happened. The GB may get away with claiming fallibility, but that doesn't mean they can always get away with yanking the rug out from under everyone's feet.

2952

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 don't know if that is Dijana in the photo.

As for Evans's income, I assume he is providing for the girls, at the very least. I might be giving him too much credit, but just for appearances (which matter massively to him) I would expect him to be sending them something each month. Still, he should be making enough to get by. But no one wants to simply get by. And 'getting by' doesn't include indulgences like buying sex.

He doesn't want to make enough to get by. I think he feels he was on the way to some level of stardom, of being somebody. Making a relatively comfortable living must feel like a slap in the face. The mind-boggling thing, after all this time, is that success is still ultimately in his hands, but he simply isn't capable of humbling himself and putting in the necessary work. On the other hand, the idea that he is the architect of his own humiliation and downfall is very fitting.

11

Parliamentary question on paedophilia among JWs in Italy

by Achille in

(google translation).

question to the chamber by m5s mp stefania ascari to the ministry of the interior on paedophilia among jehovah's witnesses in italy, starting from the recent case in florence, with references to the various cases that have broken out around the world.. i sense a certain creaking at the italian bethel in rome at via della bufalotta 1281, the italian branch of the watch tower bible and tract society of pennsylvania.

will this have future implications for the italian jehovah's witnesses exponential body, the christian congregation of jehovah's witnesses and for its branch committee, which represents the interests of the governing body in our country?https://aic.camera.it/aic/scheda.html?numero=4/03795&ramo=camera&leg=19.

TonusOH

"with a press release the religious denomination announced that it was unaware of the matter and that it had expelled the member in 2018;"

"We didn't know it was going on! Also, we removed the offender from our religion..."

13

What would it like to see

by JohnR1975 in

what i would like to see and maybe will get there in about another ten years is being a jw is a rewarding thing that enriches your life.. just like other religions out there you may not know the entire truth and maybe not quite right many of the beliefs but to have to idea of a belief centres and stabilises you.. i would like jws to be able to celebrate birthdays and maybe even other holidays if they choose to and not be judged by those who choose not to.. i would like jws to be allowed to have different interpretations of scripture and everyone is happy to agree to disagree and be able to say to each other yes maybe that interpretation is nearer the truth.

we just don’t know.. i would like new members of the gb to issue an apology for previous members getting so many things wrong.. they need to come out and say they were wrong about 1914 this date has no scriptural significance and the same is true of 1919. jws were not chosen in 1919 as the one and only true religion.. we just don’t know about so many things and it takes humility to admit we were wrong.. i would like to see even more lightening up on stupid restrictions like young people being allowed to have a varied friends and activities that are not with jws only..

TonusOH

They could become more mainstream and still have different interpretations. There are many offshoots of the Miller and Russell-led denominations that are more mainstream than the JWs.

The biggest hurdle would be letting go of the "no part of this world" interpretation where they use that phrase to limit birthdays, holidays, and (most importantly) basic daily social interaction. The WTS has frequently promoted the idea that JWs cannot have friendships with 'wordly' people, and that they should even be circumspect around non-believing family members. Reversing that would be terrific, but might also be a bit of a shock to many rank-and-file members.

Still, I think it's the best path forward.