Posts by eyeslice2

32

Repercussions over Whiskygate?

by eyeslice2 in

jw
friends

anyone any idea if there have been any repercussions over whiskygate and if anthony morris was ushered into the backroom after a meeting?

i am pretty sure if this had been a member of the r&f and the video was all over the internet, something would have been said about being careful not to bring jah's organization into disrepute.

i am sure the local elders in the congregation he is assigned to wouldn't have the balls to do it and there would have to be a mole pretty high up to find out if the gb got involved.. we can but speculate i guess..

eyeslice2

Anyone any idea if there have been any repercussions over Whiskygate and if Anthony Morris was ushered into the backroom after a meeting?

I am pretty sure if this had been a member of the R&F and the video was all over the internet, something would have been said about being careful not to bring Jah's organization into disrepute. I am sure the local elders in the congregation he is assigned to wouldn't have the balls to do it and there would have to be a mole pretty high up to find out if the GB got involved.

We can but speculate I guess.

29

Why this obsession with Standardisation?

by eyeslice2 in

jw
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".

eyeslice2

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". They've taken up the grass and cut down the trees, even though the reality is that the old parking lot was never really full. And now everyone thinks the new layout will be wonderful.

The old chairs seemed to me to be fine and the new ones actually no better, but when I inquired about this I was told that these are society "standard issue".

Same with the air conditioning. The hall always seemed to be perfectly cool to me, and even though we live in a very hot climate the old units coped well. But no, we need new ones, again as recommended (aka dictated) by the society.

I was also proudly told that the new colour scheme was selected from a society suggested (aka dictated) colour palette.

The whole thing is just another example of control by rigid enforcement of arbitrary standards. Given past local examples of skirts no shorter than 2 inches below the knee, white shirts only on the platform, I am sure the WT society would love to control every little aspect of everyone's life.

What a boring place this world would be if everyone dressed the same, went to the same drab, unimaginative kingdom halls, ate the same regulation food and sang the same dreary songs. Is that the world the JW believers really want?

20

50 Years since the first moon landing

by eyeslice2 in

jw
friends

in july of 1969, i was 16 years old and was pretty excited by the prospect that the us would shortly land a man on the moon.

however, i remember, vividly and older brother at the time confidently stating that man would never walk on the moon, quoting psalms 115 - "as for the heavens, they belong to jehovah.

but the earth he has given to the sons of man.

eyeslice2

In July of 1969, I was 16 years old and was pretty excited by the prospect that the US would shortly land a man on the moon.

However, I remember, vividly and older brother at the time confidently stating that man would never walk on the moon, quoting Psalms 115 - "As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah. But the earth he has given to the sons of man." A few weeks later of course he was proved wrong.

I wonder how many other witnesses at the time though that God would bring the big A before he let man walk on the moon.

32

30 years after leaving utterly unrecognisable

by Number 6 in

this is the first time i have posted on here in many years..... i seldom visit now although this forum was instrumental to me in gaining my sanity in the early 2000's and recovering from the watchtower religion.. by chance tonight i was on youtube and caught a jw.org video which out of curiosity prompted me to look at the official website and amongst other things i looked up the music section.. why that i hear you ask?

music is my passion and nothing reminds me more or evokes more memories than the kingdom songs i grew up listening to.. i am 49 years old and my mother was baptised in 1974. i grew up in the era of pink songbooks and green bibles.

of the theology of fred franz and types and anti-types.

eyeslice2

I've been out for the best part of twenty years and don't recognize this religion any more.

What I find most disturbing is the total lack of any flexibility when it comes to the meeting parts. The elders conducting the meetings have to strictly stick to a fixed, rigid outline. No room for real local application even. How can material developed in the USA simply be translated into say some Indian language and be relevant to the local environment? It's beyond me.

Still the governing body knows best, or so they think.

60

Fifty years ago today: One quote to demolish the Watchtower

by JeffT in

jw
friends

i did not have any connection to jw's when they published this, about two weeks before i graduated from high school.

i'm now on medicare and collecting social security.

so much for their ability to see into the future.

eyeslice2

I was 17 at the time and was desperate to go to Med School. Of course the line was brought out, "well we'll not need doctors in the New System", so I never did get to go even though my grades were well up to the mark.

I went on to spend my career in IT, which turned out to be financially rewarding enough but I do regret not having the opportunity to work with people rather than computers.

64

Convention 2019: Children told don't form emotional attachment to pets!

by Nathan R. Koppe in

i have just heard from a visitor to the jehovah's witnesses convention for 2019, that they have been told; 'not to form an emotional attachment to their pets, as animals don't have feelings anyway'.. well, that should break a few children hearts!👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 🥴 😭 💔.

my orignal topics are at.

further info:.

eyeslice2

My experience is that small children learn a lot from having pets. For example, how to be gentle and not hurt an animal. Often the objection was, "who is going to look after them when you are out in field service all day or out of town at a convention?" These people have some very strange ideas.

79

JWs Changing "Baptism Questions" Effective May 13?

by Room 215 in

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ja2 replies4 retweets12 likes.

reply.

eyeslice2

.... also will this mean that elders will no longer be 'spirit appointed'? Given the track record of many, it is blatantly obvious they aren't.

79

JWs Changing "Baptism Questions" Effective May 13?

by Room 215 in

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ja2 replies4 retweets12 likes.

reply.

eyeslice2

See summary below which I copy and pasted from an old thread on this subject.

I was baptised in the early 60s, so it wasn't a dedication to an organisation. I haven't associated for 20 years but as my wife is still in, I do occasionally bump into members of the congregation, besides which my mom and dad and other family members are still in. However, if I were to be pushed by the elders into saying that I no longer considered myself one Jehovah's Witnesses after all this time then they would announce that at the hall and those I do currently speak with would avoid me like the plague.

On the other hand, I was baptised as a Catholic at about 1 month old and have never practiced but I am sure that if I said I no longer consider my a Catholic, it won't mean that all the Catholics in my town would suddenly start avoiding me.

Baptismal questions from the August 1, 1966 Watchtower, p. 465:

(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?

(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?

Baptismal questions from the May 15, 1970 Watchtower, p. 309:

(1) Have you recognized yourself as a sinner and needing salvation from Jehovah God? And have you acknowledged that this salvation proceeds from him and through his ransomer, Christ Jesus?

(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for redemption have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to Jehovah God, to do his will henceforth as that will is revealed to you through Christ Jesus and through God's Word as his holy spirit makes it plain?

Baptismal questions from the May 1, 1973 Watchtower, p. 280:

(1) Have you repented of your sins and turned around, recognizing yourself before Jehovah God as a condemned sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledged to him that this salvation proceeds from him, the Father, through his Son Jesus Christ?

(2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightening power of the holy spirit?

The newest baptismal questions, from the June 1, 1985 Watchtower:

On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will?

Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as one of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization?

16

Just wondering. . .for those that are Ex-Elders . . .

by HappyBlessedFree in

did your conscience ever bother you when you were counseling/reproving/disfellowshipping ones in the congregation?

did it feel extreme or justified based on your biblical understanding at the time.

also are there any ex-elders here that dealt with child abuse accusations?

eyeslice2

"My line was," We only handle the Spiritual side of the offense, the authorities handle the criminal side."

Nice one.

49

VIDEO - Memorial toast stuns Jehovahs Witnesses congregation!

by John_Carter_1912 in

i applaud this great and holy man!

do you?.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fstqepi9iu.

eyeslice2

Totally disagree with the approach. It is not the way to win hearts and minds.

Also, I noticed the way one poster used the word 'vermin' to describe the gathered congregation. That is a dangerous expression; vermin need to be exterminated.