Posts by scratchme1010

22

Why do JW's never pray for the Spirit of Jesus?

by Yesu Kristo Bwana Wangu in

i am new on this forum.

i have been associating with the jw's for three years, and was about to be baptised soon (next month).

however, i discovered on time that it is not right to do.

scratchme1010

Good that you didn't get baptized, as others mention. Keep looking for your true spiritual path.

12

Charitable works are not the foremost consideration of Christians

by Lostandfound in

remember that from the sermon outline booklet for field service use.. my question would be, has wt or witnesses performed any charitable works, even as a secondary condition.. i know of none, maybe you do..

scratchme1010

One of the things that I despise the most about the WT is precisely their attitude around charitable work and support for the communities they have KS and go house to house preaching. There's none, no charity, no support. However, they are very cocky and self centered when they attack other religions that in fact have plenty of charity programs and do a lot for their local communities. Their attitude is based that this world isn't worth saving and that they are not part of the world, so all the glory and money should be inverted and invested in them.

I'm no fan of organized religion, but in no way am I against the important role many of them play in community programs, nonprofit organizations, schools and other community based services that they provide. The Catholic church has had many things that make people resent them, but there are Catholic charities, catholic hospitals, shelters, community educational programs, public clinics, schools, and many others. The WT, on the other hand, is extremely arrogant and selfish when it comes to that. All they care about is themselves.

7

"New Light" and the Watchtower's quasi legal disclaimer

by jwleaks in

found this interesting quasi legal religious statement at the bottom of this 》》》 jw.org page advertising "bible-based books and magazines":.

some updates made to digital publications may not yet appear in the printed edition.. glad to know that jehovah and the governing body have seen fit to inform the entire world that certain doctrinal teachings of "truth" may differ between digital and print edition of the watchtower magazine and bible-based books.

doesn't say much for the credibility of the guardians of doctrine.. confusingly, some of the doctrinal teachings, particularly in the online versions of bible-based books and magazines from the watchtower, have already undergone updates but these updates only appear in the new digital version of the new printed edition.. good thing we have a digital-only version of the "research guide for jehovah's witnesses" which is updated every year to contain all the references to the new teachings and interpretations of the bible.

scratchme1010

Scratchme1010 you asked: What's the big deal.
Since the WT oligarchs claim they're God's only channel on earth to distribute "truth", they don't get to take their words back.
As Smiddy says, they're claiming to speak for God and making Him look bad, that's a Big Deal if you're a believer in God. But if you're not, I guess it wouldn't really matter what anyone at WT religious-propaganda and real-estate HQ decides to publish.

So that's based on the premise that you still believe that what they claim is true? I still don't see the connection. That's just standard practice. Trust me, I am in any way shape or form taking their side or defending them. I fail to see how a simple standard practice is supposed to prove that they are full of --it. I mean, good that it seems to be evidential to some people.

You can say the same thing for any media they have use in any way they communicate. Why single out this one thing?

Seems like one of those cases when people don;t wake up over them covering for pedophiles, but something simpler makes them open their eyes. I'm not criticizing, I just don't see the big deal on this one particular, minuscule thing.

13

Is the Dubbers cult going to more digital than printed?

by dogon in

i know they have slave labor free but it costs a lot to print, ship ect and then you have waste.

digital would cut costs.

i was thinking about this because my wife visited her mother an father who are still cult members.

scratchme1010

My avatar is a visual metaphor for how dubbers stroke each other. I like it. If anyone does not I suggest you look away. I think it fits well with how dubbers act.

It doesn't offend me, though I can see how some other people may find it too graphic. Although I admit that I have literally done that with a brother or two back in the day, to describe what you mean with your avatar I normally use this:

It describes the same way you describe how they reinforce each other's sense of righteousness.

24

A Comforting Thought About Watchtower

by freemindfade in

this organization will never again be what it was by 2013-2014. .

they peaked in the form they were, i believe they were already falling apart in ways, but from the outside and to the majority r&f, things likely still seemed on the up and up.

browsing through the boards and just keeping my finger on the pulse of what's happening, this organization will never again be what it was.

scratchme1010

Scratchme1010 they follow the same pattern as Scientology who makes claim to their growth in square footage. Taking any money you do make (as a tax exempt religion) the only plausible thing to do with it is real estate. Then you aren't "profiting". My thought on their apex and decline has to do more with their indoctrination scope and grip. I think its slipping. In a decade or two they will probably be more like Scientology as a smaller more compact cult.

Yes, I think you are absolutely right. As a nonprofit, religious organization they will continue to shrink (I think). But their shrinking as a religion doesn't mean that they are disappearing or in financial trouble. I completely agree that (IMO) mostly due to the Internet and the easier way that people communicate, it's difficult for them to keep up with their nonsense and consequently, people become more and more aware of how/who they really are. That is forcing them to take measures to protect their assets and money making, which they realize can no longer come from their brainwashed people. Hence, the change in business model.

The concept of "profitable nonprofit" does exist. There are many ways to have a nonprofit make (and get) a lot of money that falls into the hands of individuals or corporations, plus many nonprofits can also own and run for-profit businesses and pay taxes for it.

They are not going away any time soon as an entity. They may not be gaining as many converts as fast as they used to, but they are making very smart moves to remain making money.

Personally I find comfort in being away from them and having a great life. I can't care less if they prosper or perish.

14

The ends of empires

by Half banana in

i’ve been reading up on the last days of the roman empire.

the rule became a tetrarchy; by four regional emperors or caesars.

the emperors had these necessary concerns; they always gave first consideration to the security of their own positions followed by the annual extraction of taxes and their territorial authority.

scratchme1010

Less and less in touch with the progressive and more compassionate society at large outside the tower, the GB make demands for more money to further the real source of their success: their property portfolio and investments. Like the Roman leaders and any business or power base, the dictum is “money first”. Without money the whole enterprise will dissolve and since the privileges of power will dissolve with the organisation, there is an inbuilt incentive for the GB to continue, however corrupt or stupid the far-fetched concept of ‘Watchtower truth’ proves to be.
At the end of the Roman Empire as Peter Brown, a leading academic on the period, said in his book Authority and the Sacred, the emperors had “a lifeboat mentality”. The imperial ship was sinking and they were looking for survival.
With KH sell offs, an unconscionable grab for money, a drop in contributions and a fundamental decline in interest in religious belief as a response and resolution to life’s anxieties; I feel that we are witnessing events at the helm of SS Watchtower which have a resonance with the decline of any authoritarian body such as Rome was.
Any thoughts?

My thoughts are that people continue making the assumption that the Wt is this crumbling entity about to break and collapse. All they have done is the exact same thing that publishing companies, newspapers and churches around the world have done, which is to change their focus and business model to something more profitable, and to keep up with the times.

Being less authoritarian is not a sign of collapse; it's blatant evidence that they can't care less about their people once they found a better way of making money. Poor JW suckers are still in denial about it.

It's a change in business model, not the end of the WT. Using the end of the Roman empire as an analogy I think is a little too exaggerated. The WT may look like an empire to brainwashed indoctrinated JWs, but to the rest of us it's just another company, nothing more, nothing less.

That said, I find the story of the Roman empire, its raise and fall, one of the most fascinating stories. It's amazing the way they built their empire. They weren't nice people, but their architecture, their business model, their tax model and their engineering were all very impressive and advanced during their time.

21

If anybody tells you that the end is so close

by pepperheart in

ask them why the gb has spent millions of people hours buiding the new bethels in new york and london rather than them working door to door or on the trolleys.

scratchme1010

Ask them why the GB has spent millions of people hours buiding the new bethels in new york and london rather than them working door to door or on the trolleys

They will always find a way to divert the attention, come back with some simplistic explanation or try to make it about you not having faith.

It's a waste of time trying to reason with them based on doctrine. I prefer to attack their feelings. I ask them why are they obsessed (pay attention to the word I use) with the end of the world and "paradise" being near. I let them give me their entire spiel, stirring the conversation back to "what's in it for you" every time they try to convert me.

Then I look for what makes them loyal to their belief. 99.9% of the times is NOT a teaching, a concept, nor a doctrine what makes the loyal; it's a feeling. That's what I address. That's what makes me get through them. In my experience giving them factual information and trying to have them learn it is a waste of time.

10

Oh NO, Debbie Reynolds has died !

by smiddy in

what a shock to hear that news.

her passing so close to that of her daughter dying ?

so, so, sad.. sorry glenster i thought she deserved a thread of her own also..

scratchme1010

I hope this trend stops. So many people. May she rest in peace.

9

Black Mirror TV Series

by Simon in

if you're looking for something new to watch, i can really recommend this show.

it's on netflix and there is a new series starting soon.

don't let "series" put you off - they are only 3 or 6 episodes long.. how to describe it?.

scratchme1010

It's like a dark, disturbing version of "Tales of the Unexpected" or "The Twilight Zone". Each episode is a standalone story but they have links between them (like Easter-eggs ...a song featured in on, on in the background of the next).
Most are about the future and a commentary on how our society uses or misuses technology and the impact on us. Many of them have you trying to figure out what is going on and sometime jolt you into the realization that you didn't know what was happening or your sympathies for a character were misplaced.
If you like the kind of TV or movies where, the day after watching it you're still thinking about it, you should give it a try..
So many good episodes, they keep getting better. White Bear is probably my favorite so far.

I like the show. It's very well made. I'm currently watching season 3.

Somebody posted about that show here and mentioned their Christmas special episode that has a technology that resembles the WT shunning practice.

That said, if you are the type that loves happy endings and charming stories, stay away from that show. The very first episode sets the tone about the darkness of the stories. However, my suggestion is that if you get disgusted with the plot of the first episode, please keep in mind that each episode is a completely unrelated story. You won't see people having sex with a pig on live TV in the rest of the episodes. Enjoy

10

My wife and I are hooked on European series screening on SBS TV

by smiddy in

whether they be norwegian ,danish ,french or whatever , having sub-titles doesnt bother us as their usually is a mix of english dialogue as well.. some examples : tracked ,the tunnell ,the bridge ,dicte ,borgen ,just to name a few.another one i`m watching now about the middle east the name just escapes right now .. anybody else watching these shows ?.

scratchme1010

I'll search for them. I agree that many American shows are crap, but not all. Every now and then there are one or two worth watching (unfortunately, some are the American version of foreign written shows, but not all).