Brighton

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Posts by Brighton

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  45

  China Crisis | 18 members of Jehovah's Witnesses arrested and indicted

  by jwleaks in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  on april 15, 2019, total of 18 jehovah's witnesses in china were arrested and charged with indictable offences relating to, "using an evil religion organization" to "incite the obstruction of law enforcement," and one charge relating to, "obstructing law enforcement by organizing and using an evil religious organization.".

  since the arrests, the governing body of jehovah's witnesses have remained silent on the plight of these 18 jehovah's witnesses in china.. link to translation of indictment:.

  https://jwleaks.org/2019/07/09/china-crisis-for-jehovahs-witnesses-18-members-indicted/.

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  Brighton

  I assume they are silent because the religion is banned in that country and they don't discuss activity in countries that ban them.
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  75

  OCT 2019 Watchtower - Survival dependant on loyalty to JW Leaders

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  there is so much wrong with the newly released october, 2019 but that's not unusual.

  what stands out is there statement claiming that survival through armageddon depends on loyalty to those 'taking the lead'.

  since they claim there will be a point during the gt that they (the gb) won't be physically around, jws must still be loyal to jw leaders.. whats interesting in this article is that they make it clear that they, the governing body are going to take part, from heaven, in the war of armageddon.

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  Brighton

  From the article: At some point, all anointed ones who are still on earth will be gathered to heaven to share in the war of Armageddon.

  Isn't this the teaching of the rapture? Except for their cult status, so much of their "new light" is long standing teachings of "Babylon The Great"....Wheat and Weeds .... which one are the JWs??

  I've long wondered (when I was still "in" - What if WE (JWs) are the weeds??) . Of course none of them would openly entertain that thought or contemplate the consequences.
  
  
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  75

  OCT 2019 Watchtower - Survival dependant on loyalty to JW Leaders

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  there is so much wrong with the newly released october, 2019 but that's not unusual.

  what stands out is there statement claiming that survival through armageddon depends on loyalty to those 'taking the lead'.

  since they claim there will be a point during the gt that they (the gb) won't be physically around, jws must still be loyal to jw leaders.. whats interesting in this article is that they make it clear that they, the governing body are going to take part, from heaven, in the war of armageddon.

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  Brighton

  So, does this mean that if all of the current GB die, that is a sign of the Great Tribulation? How does that work exactly when they keep adding younger and younger men to the group and have generations that overlap all the way back to Adam??
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  24

  My family

  by lriddle80 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i just wanted to get some feedback.

  i don't want to go into the whole story, it's too long and it's been told by a lot of people here.

  anyway, i think i am disfellowshipped or about to be.

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  Brighton

  I was wondering about the 10 year fade. I've been faded for at least that long, and I can't imagine anyone coming after me. Did you start to go back to meetings and refuse to confess your sins? Is that the issue? I suggest that if anyone is able to do a successful fade - to never go back. It will be so much harder to leave the second time around.
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  29

  Why this obsession with Standardisation?

  by eyeslice2 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the longer i am out, the the less i understand the logic of this organisation.. i thought that the kingdom hall my wife attends was perfectly fine and adequate, in fact i liked that it sat in grassy grounds, surrounded by trees.

  it probably wasn't in any dire need of re-decorating at this point.

  others, obviously, thought otherwise and so the hall has recently been subjected to a make-over.. the parking lot has been extended in true joni michell they've "paved paradise and put up a parking lot".

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  Brighton

  It makes sense from a business point of view. the more they buy in bulk, the more they save. And, when you are operating an organization of millions of people - then structure and standardization is important so that people have directions to follow, the same decisions do not have to be made over and over, everyone does their job in the same way, and the desired result is not derailed by personal preference. Scalability requires standardization.

  It is why McDonalds, Starbucks, Costco, Olive Garden, Home Depot, etc are successful. Each of them are like the other and customers have come to expect a consistent product. Without standardization, that is impossible. And the quality of the service or product suffers.

  Great for businesses - terrible for religion.
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  27

  Great crowd article @ september study Watchtower

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  has anyone read the article about the great crowd in the september study watchtower?.

  i read an elephant in the room.

  is there a change comming?

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  Brighton

  All the data they keep and publish - partakers, hours in the ministry, bible studies, etc is part of how they resist the scripture that says "No one knows the day or the hour..." - they use these - especially the partakers as a way to gage where they are in the stream of time. If they just let that go and focused on being good people and actually applying some of the spiritual principals - they would be much better off.

  Of course, this means they would have no control over anyone - which is why they will probably never do it. And, that in and of itself is part of why they are appropriately catagorized a high control group - aka cult.

  Brighton
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  60

  Our congregation will be deleted

  by Rattigan350 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  last night was the co's visit.

  prior to his part, an elder had a part on following theocratic direction.

  it was about our congregation being deleted (there are 2 sharing this hall) and the people and territory being divided up to the 4 other surrounding ones.. they say it is not about numbers but about making best use of resources.

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  Brighton

  They just did this in Portland OR. On the one hand, they aren't getting their territories done fast enough or want to make sure the KH are at full capacity, and on the other they say it is due to big growth. It all depends on how you spin it.
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  21

  Did your congregation ever throw special parties exclusively for Pioneers?

  by Tenacious in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm trying to remember if these parties were a direct instruction from hq or if this was something on a local level.. i remember i attended at least 2 of these parties and we also would bring them gifts.

  i saw them no different than a bday party (elevating someone to idolatry level).. if anyone else remembers these parties please let me know.

  if there's a letter out there somewhere from hq that would be even better.

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  Brighton

  As long as I can remember (40+ years) there have been special get togethers just for the pioneers. The gift giving though, seems to be a recent thing - my mom is a regular pioneer - so I hear about them and it seems to me the gifts started coming in the last 3 - 5 years.
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  40

  Watchtower appeals in Montana.

  by lastmanstanding in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i won’t steal barb’s thunder, but has anyone had a chance to peruse the appeal that watchtower launched yesterday?.

  watchtower’s main argument is that stuff was said in confidence with confidentiality surrounding that confidence and they are confident that clergy confidentiality which is in confidence is confidential.. in short, it ‘was a secret and should stay a secret.’.

  omg.. and watchtower claims that this verdict “violates the constitution of the usa”.. i wish the jury could tack on another $50m and include watchtower lawyers are to be hanged.. i just had to say something.

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  Brighton

  1) Doesn't the clergy privilege extend only to "confession"?

  2) These 2 individuals, in reporting their abuse, were not confessing to sin - they were reporting abuse.

  3) If WT considers the report of abuse a confession of sin - that indicates they consider abuse victims as willing participants and/or carrying some responsibility for what happened to them.

  If that is the case, it is even more disgusting than I thought.

  SO glad I'm not part of it any more.
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  11

  Anxiety

  by BourneIdentity in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  the first half of the may 2019 jw broadcast focused on anxiety.

  for them to devote this much time to this issue is evidence there are many jws suffering from it.

  i would assume at least half of the members from my observation over the years.

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  Brighton

  Of course they suffer anxiety - on top of any biological vulnerability to that - they are part of an organization that does nothing but talk about how awful things are, things shouldn't be the way they are and that everyone on the outside is a dangerous enemy who will die for their wickedness.

  No wonder I was suicidal for so long. That sort of thinking leads to paranoia and anxiety. And their answer is to just read the bible, pray more and go out in service.

  NOT HELPFUL. they don't talk at all about how many people are anxious due to unresolved trauma. Meds and therapy are great tools for resolving that and reducing symptoms.

  But of course, not mentioned. White Knuckle till the new system. THAT was a prescription I could not stomach.