TonusOH

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Posts by TonusOH

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  21

  Retirement

  by jehovaxx in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the difference is now blatantly obvious, older ones who went against direction of the gb and planned for retirement have relatively more comfortable lives.. those who trusted and followed gb direction never got further education or training, pioneered or spent most of their lives knocking on doors for free, making just enough to get by in a part time job.. if you followed direction from the gb then you thought the end was just around the corner so no need to plan for retirement.. now these ones have indeed got old which they were given the impression they never would.

  they are a burden on others.

  the state has to pay for them in their old age.

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  TonusOH

  "This generation will see its fulfillment."

  I assume that the collected version was updated to read:

  "This [overlapping] generation will see its fulfillment."
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  19

  The "Problem" With Zoom

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  here is the org's problem with zoom, attending this way does not fit with their "scriptural definition" of a christian gathering.

  at least not anymore, one thing my pimi wife is fine with is attending on zoom occasionally, even 2-3 times a month or so.. if some of you recall, during covid there were break out rooms setup for people to stay on and associate.

  many would also stay in the main meeting and talk over each other trying to say hello, etc.

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  TonusOH

  I would have loved to have the option for video conference meetings when I lived in the projects and we had to walk six or seven blocks to a midweek meeting in inclement weather and after the sun went down.

  Granted, that doesn't solve the issue of the lack of comraderie. But it was cold and wet and scary! I would not have felt inconvenienced at having to get dressed up for a Zoom meeting.
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  33

  Forget 2012... The world will end May 21, 2011

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://articles.sfgate.com/2010-01-01/bay-area/17466332_1_east-bay-bay-area-first-time-camping.

  biblical scholar's date for rapture: may 21, 2011theologyjanuary 01, 2010|by justin berton, chronicle staff writerformer civil engineer harold camping of oakland, who runs family radio, has studied the bible for almost 70 years.credit: lance iversen / the chronicleharold camping lets out a hearty chuckle when he considers the people who believe the world will end in 2012.. "that date has not one stitch of biblical authority," camping says from the oakland office where he runs family radio, an evangelical station that reaches listeners around the world.

  "it's like a fairy tale.".

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  TonusOH

  Perhaps the most depressing thing about Camping's misadventures is to realize just how easy it was for him to recover from a false prediction that was easily demonstrated.

  He predicted the end in 1994. When it didn't happen, he simply shrugged his shoulders and said 'I got it wrong, but I'll get it right next time.' And people believed him!! In the interview from the first post in this topic, he is smugly mocking the prediction of 2012! As if he had not already gotten one prediction utterly wrong!

  Here is how he came up with the 2011 date (from Scientific American):
  

  The date of the crucifixion is itself somewhat uncertain, but Camping takes it to be April 1 in 33 AD. Come May 21, 2011, Camping says, 722,500 days will have elapsed since that occurrence. And 722,500 is (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17). Those numbers are important, according to Camping, because 5 symbolizes atonement, 10 represents completeness, and 17 is for heaven.

  This is the guy who was mocking everyone else for getting end-of-world dates wrong!!

  (Edit to add a link to the above quote: https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/judgment-day-math-the-numbers-behind-harold-campings-may-21-claim/)
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  21

  Retirement

  by jehovaxx in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the difference is now blatantly obvious, older ones who went against direction of the gb and planned for retirement have relatively more comfortable lives.. those who trusted and followed gb direction never got further education or training, pioneered or spent most of their lives knocking on doors for free, making just enough to get by in a part time job.. if you followed direction from the gb then you thought the end was just around the corner so no need to plan for retirement.. now these ones have indeed got old which they were given the impression they never would.

  they are a burden on others.

  the state has to pay for them in their old age.

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  TonusOH

  LHG: I’m the one who got criticized/shunned for working!!

  I bet this happens to a lot of JWs, and I think they do the same thing you did- recognize the hypocrisy of it and walk away. Spending years being pressured to be a 'good JW' by living as if there was no tomorrow, then you retire with a pittance and the GB asks for more money from their comfortable HQ. The same organization that judged you for planning now wants the money you don't have because they wouldn't let you plan.

  The same place that has money for lawyers and for giving legal guidance to elders and congregations, but doesn't have any arrangements for helping the needy within their own organization. If you are needy, they point to the example of the old woman who dropped her last two coins in a contribution box at the temple, and was praised by Jesus. So if you have almost nothing, the WTS guidance is... give it to us!
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  20

  I hate the way they talk.

  by Riley in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  what is with the jw cadence when they speak.

  do they think they are teaching people ?

  they sound like pro wrestlers doing promos or shakespearean actors.

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  TonusOH

  blondie: even public talks have a supplied outline

  I remember that we were told to stick to the outline as strictly as possible. I wonder if the brothers who got a word-for-word version were the ones who couldn't be trusted to stick to the outline. The WTS has always been very concerned about members deviating from the teachings.
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  42

  New meeting format

  by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  just watched november broadcast very different order to the leaked agm .

  be good if someone did a deep dive on the difference and why the changes?

  i didn’t time the items but it should be easy to see if edited?.

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  TonusOH

  To be honest, the way we were taught to defend our beliefs was meant to deal with the everyday person who knew very little about Christianity or the Bible. I can recall many times that I was challenged on my beliefs and was easily able to parry any approach by using the texts taught to me and that I could find in the Reasoning book.

  But my ability to defend JW beliefs would have been strained had I run into anyone who understood those beliefs or had a reasonable grasp of the Bible. If JWs are having trouble defending their beliefs today, the Internet might be the biggest reason for it. People can develop a very effective criticism of JW beliefs by watching a few videos or reading a few messages online.

  I don't really think the way that JWs are prepared has really changed all that much. But they are facing a world that is better prepared to respond to them and to attack their beliefs.
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  10

  Japan Probe into Child Rearing Practices of JW's

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  apparently in response to the probe of jw's in japan, the wt is seeking positive stories of jw's child-rearing practices:.

  from reditt: .

  re: urgent: request for assistance.

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  TonusOH

  It's interesting that their approach is to ask for examples of JW parents or children who are doing a good job. Nothing about doctrines or rules or expectations, which is what an inquiry would most likely be searching for. After all, what if the good parents and children are the exception? What if they're doing a good job by not following WTS guidelines?
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  3147

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

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. 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.

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  TonusOH

  The "500 minimum, 620 desired" still makes me laugh. His lack of sophistication is embarrassing.
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  3147

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

  by Simon in

  1. jw
  2. 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.

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  TonusOH

  DerekMoors: I'm sure that next book he talked about is never gonna materialize

  It depends on how much work is required. I think he really does want to release a revised version or a follow-up, so that he can add his version of the last two years and spend at least a few pages (if not a whole new chapter) griping about how he has been treated.

  If he mentions anything about the past two years, it is prudent to remind him not to libel anyone. Those meager book profits are probably not as far out of reach as the M7 are.
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  46

  Nobody else understands

  by ElderBerry in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if you once were fully pimi and truly believed jw doctrine to the core like i once did, when you come to the reality that it is not the truth at all it can be extremely devastating.. i think only other ex jws could ever understand.

  i wasted my entire life i thought the real life was yet to come to wasted the best years knocking on doors.

  now i’m so angry.. i can understand why so many top themselves when they realise it was all lies..

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  TonusOH

  Teddnzo: This is a question to anyone- If you had the option of taking the Blue pill now and genuinely believing in the Bibles promises again, would you be more happy?

  I was always an optimist and a generally happy person, and still am. Frankly, the things that affected my happiness the most were stuff like finances or people around me, and that did not change a lot when I stopped believing (the people around me did change, but the type of people didn't).

  It's less about what I believe regarding god. It's more about whether or not I can do the things that make me happy, or set up my life in ways that make me happy. Being a JW did impact that a bit, but there are plenty of religions out there that aren't as restrictive or limiting, and I'd be happy if I was a believer in one of those.

  But, as far as wanting to believe something I found to be false? I wouldn't want to go back. It wouldn't make sense.