thankfully my parents are converts so they aren't wierd.
seemed pretty popular by all accounts.
they are "popular" jws even now.
"When I was about 14-15 I realized that I was already smarter than most of the r/f in the congregation," .
Yeah, sure. ALL 14-15 years old idiots believe they are smarter than the rest of the world. Super-egos believing they are outsmarting all others.
You have to show up with CONSIDERABLE weightier arguments than that one.
is the guy who does the october 2014 jw broadcasting the same person who does the november 2014?.
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No.
i never was a jw (i make this point in - almost - every post) but having been brought up ('raised' for our us cousins) in a non-conformist fundy sect with 'rapture' aspirations, it wasn't that different.. i still have extended family members in it, or in that mindset, but we rarely discuss religion.
in particular, my sister and bil lost their son (my nephew) some years ago when he was just 13. their comfort is that he is in a 'better place' and i don't want to challenge that to them.. i keep up with all things jw here in this forum and maintain my academic interest and these are just my thoughts as an outsider, for what they are worth.. ime, those people who have heard of jws tend to lump them in with mormons and other crazies and have no knowledge or interest in them - other than to warn neighbours when they are about.. where i live should be prime 'witnessing' territory but they rarely come round, even in the recent leafletting campaign.
they are not as effective as the people who regularly call with the latest menus from the local curry/chinese/kebab houses.. on the occasions when jws have called, despite invitations to come in and have a cup of tea, etc., none has ever wanted to engage in conversation, far less progress to an invitation to a kh meeting or start a bible study (and i always present myself as an 'imterested householder').. my conversations with people in general and friends in the real world lead me to conclude that few people have heard of jws, those that have regard them as a minor irrevelant nuisance and that there is no interest in their message or beliefs.. a few months ago i did a 'drive-past' of the million pound seafront property in bangor, north wales that wt recently bought for use as a 'translation office' (ha ha!).
Crazyguy's thoughts were mentioned by a CO in a talk. And he said that if JWs were running an advertising business, they would have been fired, 'cause people don't know anything about them.
many of the recent changes in the jehovah's witness organization are a clear sign of a cult that is struggling for survival.
the internet has change the scenario in a very dramatic way.
many of us who for years struggled alone with doubts and cognitive dissonance thinking that we were the only ones, that we, as individuals were the issue, now know that there is a large community of individuals who see the organization as what it is, a mind controlling cult that is not only false, but also dangerous.. the governing body clearly understands the consequences of this awakening.
the laughable 30-hour auxiliary pioneer service, the 15-minute of service reporting,
I don't think these two things have anything to do with the other points, where I fully see your point. The 15 minutes thing has to do with aged and sick people and is not a lowering of standards, just a way of making them feel part of it all. The 30 hours thing is limited to three months a year and also falls within the same group as the 15 minutes thing.
Where the lowering applies, is to the magazines and brochures. Illustrations, fewer pages, broader margins, ball points, very simplified points. And it applies to the disappearance of the nicest meeting of them all, the book study.
under news alerts on the borg website, i noticed 2 stories, 1 about the bus crash in honduras, and it's interesting that it seems that non jw agencies have helped out when you see this statement...."we appreciate the outpouring of support from the community and the various agencies that have come to the aid of those affected by this tragedy.
so on this instance, it seems the wt welcomes aid from outside sources.
now the 2nd story, is about the hurricane in mexico, and we have this statement...."in the aftermath of hurricane odile, which hit the coast of baja california sur on monday, september 15, 2014, jehovahs witnesses from the surrounding area provided food, water, and medicine to their members affected by the storm.
A couple of days ago, there was unanimous support on this board that the news of the accident would NEVER be published on jw.org. Oh, that was so utterly wrong, so terrible.
Now the news HAS been published, but oh, that was so utterly wrong, so terrible, because of wrong wording, and focus is in an instant moved to who gives support to whom etc.
So it's the same old story - whatever they do, it's wrong.
It will always be the most stubborn one, the hardliner no. 1. The others will yield, and the hardliner gets his way.
http://www.pinknews.co.uk/2014/11/10/jehovahs-witnesses-boss-dont-wear-tight-trousers-theyre-designed-by-homosexuals/.
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I would have preferred it if his talk had been remembered for something else - something with a bit more essence, sting, meaning, weight, importance, whatever - anything but this.
i'm not going to list all the changes here that have happened in 2014, most of you who frequent the boards know about them.. in reference to anthony morris' talk, i can't help feel that the organization is behaving so abnormally out of character for itself that it is bewildering even to ex jws.. cultish behavior is perfectly normal for cults, but whats happened this year is so far out of whack it beggars belief.. what do they think they are doing?
are they psyching jws up for some major announcement?.
i can't help but feel that something really strange is going on, this does not feel like the regular "special announcements" followed by articles in the watchtower.. .
Some weed?
i'm not going to list all the changes here that have happened in 2014, most of you who frequent the boards know about them.. in reference to anthony morris' talk, i can't help feel that the organization is behaving so abnormally out of character for itself that it is bewildering even to ex jws.. cultish behavior is perfectly normal for cults, but whats happened this year is so far out of whack it beggars belief.. what do they think they are doing?
are they psyching jws up for some major announcement?.
i can't help but feel that something really strange is going on, this does not feel like the regular "special announcements" followed by articles in the watchtower.. .
"so many of the publications have been simplified and the doctrine has been so dumbed down (to the dismay of countless witnesses)."
"So here these guys are having to give talks and have really nothing to say."
There is much truth in these statements, there is.
A young girl died in our neighbourhood a few years back, some 700 came to the church for the funeral, I thought to myself that the priest had a once-in-a-lifetime chance of getting a meaningful message thru to a young crowd, but all he gave was mumbo mumbo, and he even managed to pronounce the name wrongly. In another thread here, someone wisely wrote that here 1,000,000 friends were gathered - and they got a talk on dress and judgmental hierarchyism. 100,000 friends in my area a couple of years ago were connected, and what we got was a talk on how getting an education is like shooting yourself in the head.
Some times, my friends, it seems the WT is its own worst enemy. And it seems especially so the "higher" the speaker is. I get so disappointed at the GB talks. Life ain't easy for a well-educated JW .....................
they critisize the dress code of modern society , that may be permitted at a church of christendom , jeans , slacks worn by women , denim skirts worn by women ,spanx worn by women who have been exercising ,jogging shoes , no tie`s worn by men , beards on men , long hair by men, sandals ,thongs, flipflops , and i`m sure their are many more you can think of .. none of these dress codes/styles are tolerated at jehovahs witness meetings , if you try turning up in any of this attire you will be counselled to change your ways after a few of your attempts.. so if they have a problem which they do , why dont they instruct the faithfull to truly follow the 1st century christians by wearing the traditional dress that was worn in bible times , for men and women .
meh-eel .. why dont they allow men to have beards and long hair and sandals that was a requirement for gaining approval of god in the first century.. the fact of the matter is they give lip service to following the first century christians , however the reality , is they dont.. smiddy.
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Our PO has a beard and wears sandals - also when giving public talks ....................
