Great thread! I left the org in my early 40s. Been selling online line for the past 15 years. I sell used merchandise from thrift stores, flea markets, etc. I have made close to a million dollars. No exaggeration.
Badpenny
JoinedPosts by Badpenny
-
16
Retirement Planning
by Whynot insince waking up i can't help but look at the future in a different way.
while i was working i felt it was ridiculous for me to start a 401k because i thought for sure the end would come before i retired.
but now, i'm a stay at home mom with very small children and it bothers me that i have done nothing to prepare for the future.
-
-
Badpenny
-
43
KH hall 4 sale just whose waters are supposed to be drying up again?!
by nowwhat? inavon lake ohio.
while new mega church being built right down the street!.
-
-
Badpenny
Here is something I posted about a year ago. It relates to your observation. I have thought about this and come to almost the same conclusion. The organization as we have known it has already undergone radical changes and within the next few years will no longer exist. They will no longer be a "religion" but rather an "online religious organization" with their new brand being JW.org. "JW" in effect retains the "Jehovahs Witnesses" label so there will always be a connection to that name. Thus the rank and file will go along with the gradual ascendancy of the JW.org badge. As they continue to shift away from printing literature to online videos, electronic media, etc, there will be less and less need for volunteer workers and staff at head quarters. As we know, this reduction has already begun. Looking at videos of Warwick suggests to me that this place is has been developed as comfortable retirement community for members of the governing body, long time Bethel staff (the so-called helpers of the GB), high profile Bethelites, and long time COs and DOs with the right connections. Perhaps also some members of the WT Corporation directors who have been heavy financial contributors. Think too of WT lawyers, doctors, an other professionals who have been willing to sacrifice their "worldly" careers to serve the interests of WT. These guys are going to make sure they "get theirs" and are taken care of. Guys in the legal department and others involved in WT finances, I think are probably already maneuvering WT funds to make sure there is enough money to take care of themselves for the rest of their lives. And so increasingly we will see the sale of WT properties so as to accumulate enough to care for their needs and comforts while at the same time paying off law suits. As for the local congregations, there will be a gradual decline in the number of Kingdom Halls as they will be sold off with the proceeds going to the Society. More and more congregations will be combined even if it means the people will have to travel longer distances to attend meetings. From what I understand this is already happening in some areas. The Society will show no concern for inconveniencing people. They will not be concerned with the resultant decline in meeting attendance. The primary concern of the leadership will be their own survival and comfort. Over time, the rank and file will come to be regarded and will see themselves not as "members of the Jehovahs Witnesses" but as 'affiliates of JW.org'. The relationship will be similar to the relationship of the members of Scientology with their organzation.
-
19
Does Following The Christian Precepts Of Truthfulness Lead To Nihilism?
by Brokeback Watchtower in"i am the way and the truth" said jesus.
also "speak truth to you neighbor and put away false hood".. this reverence for truth in christianity also leads to its undoing in the information age of science and technology.. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/nihilism.
nihilism is often associated with the german philosopher friedrich nietzsche, who provided a detailed diagnosis of nihilism as a widespread phenomenon of western culture.
-
-
Badpenny
Brokeback. Here is an interesting read which may lend support to your proposition, at least to some degree. It is not a long read: http://www.patheos.com/blogs/rogereolson/2016/01/is-modern-unbelief-rooted-in-christianity/
-
24
Went to a sunday meeting Waterbury, Connecticut, yawnfest x100
by Brokeback Watchtower inwell went on a vacation cross country for 10 days to see relatives, and so decided to drop in on my old kingdom hall to get a look at some old friends i haven't seen in more the 27 years.. came in around 1:15 pm middle of the public talk wearing tight fitting jeans and an old sweat shirt, and sat down in front of person i served with as an elder.
the talks was so boring i can't remember a word of it, i can only recall that it was very disjointed with tremendous leaps in logic, so that my mind could not and would not follow the speaker.
watchtower study was a complete brain shrinking repeat of putting on the new personality or something, with the conductor fishing for baby food comments where none of the 3 or 4 young ones gave any comments only the hard core braindead were answering.
-
-
Badpenny
Dave, Joe here. I had to change my user name. Problem with password. Anyway, Bradshaw is still in the East Cong as far as I know. Charlie Thomas is an elder as of a couple of years ago. He is not well. He had a leg amputated a few years ago. His wife, Alice, my cousin, has cancer. Outlook does not look good for her. I don't know who the other elders are. I know that a couple of elders were sent in from Patterson headquarters to serve as elders in the east. I suspect they wanted some WT loyalists to be there to watch over that N Main St KH and property. As you may remember, the east cong were the official owners of the property. Having WT loyalists serving as elders and ultimately on the corp committee would insure that any thing the Society wanted in connection with that valuable property would pass with the voting influence of those Patterson elders. Actually, several years ago, the building and property were put up for sale. As far as I can see, there was no good reason to sell that hall. Seeing now what is happening with the sale of halls throughout the country, its now obvious that they were hoping to reap a windfall by selling it, having the brothers take out another loan to build another one with volunteer labor, and then make the WT owners. As you know, this is what is what is happening country wide. What a scam. They are literally stealing KHs right from under the noses of Witnesses. The hall did not sell so they took it off the market.