LeeMerk

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Posts by LeeMerk

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  51

  2024 year Highlights: JWs hit 9 million Publishers

  by Sanchy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  watchtower put out some highlights for the 2024 service year:.

  average publishers: 8,828,124. peak publishers: 9,043,460. a 43.2 percent increase in "those who returned to jehovah", meaning 65,816 were reinstated.

  baptized: 296,267. memorial attendance: 21,119,442. missing stat: number of partakers .. womp womp.

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  LeeMerk

  43.2 percent increase in "those who returned to Jehovah", meaning 65,816 were reinstated

  This is supposed to be because beards are allowed now and people can say 'hi' at a meeting? Also, didn't these changes just happen a couple months ago?
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  60

  1/25 WT: Oral and Anal sex are a go - if she's ok with it

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  he will not pressure her to engage in sexual acts that make her feel uncomfortable, that are demeaning, or that bother her conscience..... the bible does not provide details as to what sexual practices between a husband and a wife should be considered clean or unclean.

  a christian couple must make decisions that reflect their resolve to honor jehovah, to please each other, and to maintain a clean conscience.

  generally speaking, a couple would not discuss with others this intimate aspect of their marriage..

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  LeeMerk

  I totally agree Disgruntled. Although most JW women probably haven't allowed themselves to think or feel about these things. They are too inhibited.
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  16

  Explanation for changes to Disfellowshipping rules at Annual Meeting

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  wally, a youtuber from jw thoughts highlighted something that was said by kenneth cook jnr in the annual meeting.

  he thinks it may be removed before they publish the agm.

  i doubt we would see it in writing either.. part of kenneth's talk was about the changes regarding disfellowshipping and the clip from jw thoughts youtube shows him saying -.

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  LeeMerk

  What they really need to clarify is how should family treat those "removed"? This is where the real damage is done.

  There is a difference between someone who wants to engage in certain behaviors and those who struggle. Who want to change but are basically addicted to a behavior. I feel like alot of disfellowshipped people fit into the latter category.

  When a person who is basically addicted loses their whole support system this does no one any good. There needs to be some nuance here. Where the organization can say they are protecting the congregation but the person needing help is still given support and not completely cut off.
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  16

  Explanation for changes to Disfellowshipping rules at Annual Meeting

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  wally, a youtuber from jw thoughts highlighted something that was said by kenneth cook jnr in the annual meeting.

  he thinks it may be removed before they publish the agm.

  i doubt we would see it in writing either.. part of kenneth's talk was about the changes regarding disfellowshipping and the clip from jw thoughts youtube shows him saying -.

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  LeeMerk

  I actually think the "new light" on disfellowshipping is a step in the right direction. It makes their position more clear on their view to repentance. It is now in the open for all in the congregations to see.

  It's not about feeling bad or crying or whatever. It's about was this a one off thing for which we give a private talking to but not everyone needs to know or is it a pattern that the person needs to fix ( on their own because the elders are not psychologists).

  Also, the language has softened so the psychological reaction to all of it is way better.

  It's a positive, just about 30 years behind as usual.
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  60

  1/25 WT: Oral and Anal sex are a go - if she's ok with it

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  he will not pressure her to engage in sexual acts that make her feel uncomfortable, that are demeaning, or that bother her conscience..... the bible does not provide details as to what sexual practices between a husband and a wife should be considered clean or unclean.

  a christian couple must make decisions that reflect their resolve to honor jehovah, to please each other, and to maintain a clean conscience.

  generally speaking, a couple would not discuss with others this intimate aspect of their marriage..

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  LeeMerk

  It's about time they said this. This was a problem in my marriage. Elders telling us what was acceptable. It's not in the Bible so it should be up to the couple to decide and figure out. I sure would like to bring this new article up to all of them now.
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  25

  "Brother Jodie jenelle began his bethel service in in 1990....."

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  but what they don't say he left started and ran a real estate company and a global real estate consulting firm and apparently after making a fortune come back to bethel a few years ago.

  how in the hell could a non lifer now be anointed and appointed to be a gb member.

  sure can't be for his spiritual qualifications!.

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  LeeMerk

  But you know, Jehovah provides what is needed at the time 😉
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  25

  "Brother Jodie jenelle began his bethel service in in 1990....."

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  but what they don't say he left started and ran a real estate company and a global real estate consulting firm and apparently after making a fortune come back to bethel a few years ago.

  how in the hell could a non lifer now be anointed and appointed to be a gb member.

  sure can't be for his spiritual qualifications!.

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  LeeMerk

  Exactly. But they need someone good with real estate investing.
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  73

  JWN, 23 years posting Blondie

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  can i call you friends, i think so after 23 years posting here.

  i am dismayed how jwn is being "dominated" or taken over by a few posters, peppering the comments.

  in the past, the admin did not approve of this and did remove some posters from jwn.

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  LeeMerk

  I don't believe this forum should be used to promote beliefs either. Meaning specific christian beliefs, buddhist, hindu or any other philosophy humanist, atheist or otherwise. We should share information and share where we are at this point in time as part of our journey out but not in a promoting way.

  However, too often on this forum people are simply disrespectful and have an agenda as to why they are posting. The only agenda here should be support to those leaving to find their own way, sharing the history of Jehovahs Witnesses and updates on current Jehovahs witness activity/beliefs.
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  57

  2024 Annual Meeting Doctrinal Change

  by Listener in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a change to their doctrine came from jackson.

  this isn't a transcript of his whole speech but i thought i would try and get some of his main speech in writing.. at around 1hr26 minutes he starts talking about some dangerous thinking in feeling there is some wiggle room in regards to the schedule for the gt.

  but you see, we need to be careful about what we are thinking about the number of anointed ones left on earth.

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  LeeMerk

  When will they ever learn to not speculate on every sentence of the Bible, trying to make it say something it doesn't?
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  52

  EXPLOSIVE NEW LEAKED VIDEO OF C.O. CHASTISING ELDERS

  by raymond frantz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://youtu.be/np05twylal8?si=wjcdevvpxmlwxb2p.

  shame is an ancient form of control.

  shame is the mechanism used to control behaviour.

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  LeeMerk

  The org has got more relaxed over oral in recent years

  Really? How so?