Posts by TonusOH

13

Kingdom Hall Insurance

by NotFormer in

that the wt "self insures" kingdom halls has come up in occasional conversations on here.

how exactly does that work?

do they* actually set aside a portion of the monthly remittance from each kingdom hall and save into a pool to cover damage etc.

TonusOH

I wonder if there are any places where the law requires that such structures be insured?

It would make sense to insure them, since the cost of removing the debris, cleaning up the site, and building a new KH would be substantial. Didn't they request that congregations should send everything to the HQ aside from whatever was needed for one or two month's expenses? If they still do that, then no congregation would have the means to even clean up the site, much less rebuild.

And the WTS would probably get a bargain-basement rate, since they could insure thousands of properties instead of just one. I don't think they could use this to skim money by using cheap labor, since that would be fraud in at least a few countries. But I don't know if the potential cost-savings of not insuring them is worth it.

7

1874, 1914, 1919...Watchtower Time Countdown

by FragrantAddendum in

watchtower time - what has the jworg said about 1874, 1914, and what time is it today.

https://youtu.be/rcu1l-ye9be.

TonusOH

Everytime I see that chart, I just feel embarrassed for them.

126

Overlapping Generation

by pandorasbox1914 in

the september 2015 broadcast had david splane explain matthew 24:34 “truly, i say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place”.

his explanation of this scripture was by means of a chart to indicate an overlapping generation.. .

no scripture was used to show the overlapping generation concept, and as a result it makes no sense.. to illustrate how crazy this concept is, look at the lyrics of the song my generation.. my generation.

TonusOH

NotFormer: How does it work?

It doesn't. The moment you take a concept and change it this radically, it has to make clear and obvious sense once it is explained. In this case, the explanation is clear, but it makes no sense at all. If you used this approach for any other matter, people would immediately realize that you had made it up and that your explanation was invalid. They would assume you are either a liar or insane.

The whole idea behind the 'second fulfillment' of the claim by Jesus was to show how close the end was. When the generation that was aware of the events of 1914 passed on, that should have made it clear that they were wrong. When the generation that was young in 1914 passed on, that was further confirmation. When the generation born in 1914 passed on, the whole mess should have long been thrown in the trash.

Even the GB realized this. In 1995, they decided to quietly drop it. Whoever decided to revive the doctrine and try to extend it with such a stupid explanation is a liar and an idiot. That the GB agreed to promote this explanation makes them all liars and con men. And also idiots, because it's just that stupid of an idea.

3042

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

she heard what sounded like a roar

That couldn't have been Lloyd. It would have sounded more like a high-pitched squeal.

I will say this: Evans had been able to bully lots of people, men and women alike. I think it's less that he feels superior to women as it is that he feels superior to everyone. Unless they push back, in which case he immediately plays the victim and accuses the other person of bullying.

This is what he did to Kim. Snapped at her when she first asserted herself, in the hopes that she would back down. When this didn't work, suddenly she became the "retired lawyer." Evans implied that she might go after him if he did not mind his words carefully. Time showed this to be false, as the whole livestream was him throwing caution to the wind and Kim hasn't come out of retirement (yet). But he did not hesitate to make her out to be the bully when she stood her ground.

3042

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

Let's see...

1. He's poorer.
2. He's less relevant.
3. He's single.

I'm sure there are more. Maybe he can make a comedy routine of it, making a list of "changes" designed to get everyone to laugh as he mentions them, because the reality is the opposite:

1. He's gotten control of his penis.
2. He's managing his life much better now.
3. He's a better husband and father.
4. He's delivering exJW content on time and in quantity.
5. He's become a much better script writer and video editor.

Can we list the 14 (or 100) biggest (fake) changes?

24

What is is your favorite REDICULOUS JW falsehood? :)

by Balaamsass2 in

i get a few good laughs from the ex-jw facebook site: " ex jw humor will set you free".. i was laughing over dinner with 3rd gen over this post tonight: "question for the audience: i was driving around today and it hit me...there are big falsehoods (armageddon etc.

) that we were told, but also ridiculous falsehoods.

what is your favorite ridiculous falsehoods?

TonusOH

Don't they still believe that every animal will become an herbivore in the new system?

3042

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

Is that his real hair?

26

Still Confused About The FDS

by NotFormer in

this was prompted by another thread where it was revealed that the gb were referred to as "our future kings" in a wt video.

https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/4911685446402048/fun-moment.

if i've got it right, the 144,000 are (or were until recently) the fds.

TonusOH

Remember that the GB consider themselves to be the conduit between Jehovah and humanity. God guides the GB through holy spirit, and the GB then brings "meat in due season" to the faithful. This is also the way that god provides "new light" to Christians-- through his connection with the GB.

For the rank-and-file, this means that the GB's interpretation is the valid one, even if it may not appear to be consistent. And sure, they occasionally remind us that they are fallible men who get things wrong. But Jehovah can only work with what is available, apparently. So, even if they got it wrong, you have to believe it as if it is true. Eventually, they'll get it right. Maybe.

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.