gingerbread

Joined

• started 21 topics
• posted 633 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by gingerbread

• 
  29

  Steve Hassan Interviews XJW elder, Roberto di Stefano, at ICSA Conference in Italy

  by AndersonsInfo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  trieste, italy - icsa conference - july 6, 2013. both roberto di stefano and steve hassan were speakers at the conference.

  you can see the hassan interview on his website.

  here's the link:http://freedomofmind.com/media/video.php?id=59.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  Excellent video with complete honesty, sincerity and smiles. We'll be watching this as a family tonight.

  Thanks for the link!

  ginger
• 
  40

  Former Longtime Elder : Contributions

  by James Jackson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for a year now, i have been handling the accounts.

  we have 6 elders and 7 ms, and none of them ( i am not serving), want to do the accounts, so they asked me to do it.

  here is what i have noticed.. 4 elderly sisters cover the whole congregation in donations monthly!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  Contributions are considered an indicator of the congregation's overall 'spiritual health' - just as much as average service hours, active commenting during meetings and lively interaction of publishers before and after meetings.

  For older ones, it's a lifetime habit to budget money aside for congregational expenses. For the "under 40" crowd, that is a rarer thing - except if a young guy want to get noticed for future appointments (he always writes a check!).

  With increased pressure on CO's to tabulate and inspect, a decrease in contributions will cause the elder body real trouble.

  In my observation, publishers that are high earners give lump contributions and lower income folks give service time.
• 
  31

  What Is The "Typical" Elder In The Organization Like Now?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was an elder, most of the elders were pretty independent 40 to 80 year olds.

  they had no issue speaking up to the circuit overseer.

  i wonder what the average elder is like now.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  It's still a boys club.

  More now than ever the elders are burdened by more meetings, new rules and procedures & the stress of organizational business.

  They deal with a congregation full of aging folks. And people with depression issues or emotional problems. The WT leadership continues to ramp up fear in talks and publications. The result of that is average publisher is scared to death - every 'bad' story to hit the news is a new piece of evidence that the big A is on it's way. The persecution complex is on full throttle (with apostates being the main source of the torment).

  Some elders show sympathy. Many have become policemen bent on enforcing branch 'directives'.

  Nuts.

  ginger
• 
  17

  Marathon service days before Sept 1

  by gbrn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so my wife showed me her instagram and one of her friends posted a picture of herself and a couple other pioneers with the title "20 hours in so far on our 24 hour day of service!

  " mind you they were all sitting in starbucks.

  this just made me want to scream!!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  After a half-lifetime of involvement as a publisher, I've concluded that many join the 'pioneer ranks' with good intentions - to reach others in the community with the religion.

  But, if a full time pioneer is honest they would admit that they do it for themselves. They like the title, position, special meetings and training schools.

  Listen to interviews of pioneers at the assemblies. One question that is ALWAYS asked is "please tell us how full time service has benefited you spiritually."

  ginger
• 
  30

  One Day is as 1000 years to Jehovah

  by confusedandalone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i wake up this mornign to find this on my facebook page... instant deletion.

  if 1000 years is as one day...the following is true....if 1000 years is as one day...the following is true..... .

  someone did the math, of the 1000 years = one day equation.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread
• 
  19

  Who benefits from the money they receive?

  by unfamiliar in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i keep seeing people on here (and other places) talk about the wbts making money .

  .

  sorry if it should be obvious!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  The Watchtower corporation(s) in themselves don't generate an income like an individual does through employment. The corps hold assets such as property and investments. These assets can be converted into cash.

  The corps protect the assets and cash. Without these the organization ceases to function.

  Like any well managed corporation, the WT finds ways to reduce costs, maintain the strength of it's assets and look for new ways to increase funding.

  All funding is given voluntarily to the corportation (branch) by members. The WT corporation has millions of members that give funds and personal assets to them every week as 'donations.'

  So, the corporation (branch) benefits from the money received. Of course, the persons in control of the corps spend a lot of money but they never risk the long-term financial health of the Org.

  No strings attached. No accountablility.

  ginger
• 
  85

  I'm thinking about going back

  by Corboy101 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been out for 22 years.i was raised as a jehovahs witness.

  i was baptized in 1986 but soon after left the religion.

  theres a whole lot to the reasons why i left, but i left.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  I think some of the ideas expressed here - through Corboy and 1009 - are the 'new' jehovah's witness.

  They're still involved because of family and friends. They pick and choose what they want to participate in. They are selective about their associates in the congregation. They have doubts and questions and know it's better to keep this to themselves. They stick with the big 'doctrines' and rules ( blood, neutrality, meeting attendance, regular field service, etc.) but ignore the 'little' stuff. It's no biggie to drink too much, watch 'bad' movies or listen to 'debasing' music, have a 'worldly' girl or boy friend (secret), etc. Just so you show up for service the next morning. They pose as ones 'reaching out' for congregational responsibility. They pioneer (and live at home) so they don't have to get a job. They volunteer for building and remodelling projects. They always have their Watchtower and Jeremiah book underlined.

  The 'new' Jehovah's Witness is about appearances. Looking good. Looking right.
• 
  85

  I'm thinking about going back

  by Corboy101 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been out for 22 years.i was raised as a jehovahs witness.

  i was baptized in 1986 but soon after left the religion.

  theres a whole lot to the reasons why i left, but i left.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  Doctrine is defined : Principles, position or policy taught or advocated, as of a religion or government. Something that is taught; teachings collectively: as in religious doctrine.

  The single defining doctrine taught by Jehovah's Witnesses, either individually or collectively, is that the Governing Body ( the eight men at the religion's world headquarters in New York ) is the sole earthly representives of Jesus Christ and his heavenly government.

  It is through this governing body that Jesus Christ informs the Witnesses and the world about Biblical interpretation.

  If you actually believe in this doctrine, return as quickly as you can! Without it your daily happiness, personal success and eternal salvation are in serious jeopardy...
• 
  85

  I'm thinking about going back

  by Corboy101 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have been out for 22 years.i was raised as a jehovahs witness.

  i was baptized in 1986 but soon after left the religion.

  theres a whole lot to the reasons why i left, but i left.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  I will assume that something has changed in your life.

  Your now are in middle age. Perhaps you find yourself divorced or are raising teenagers. Do you have concerns about or a fear of the future? Do you carry guilt over past wrongdoing or 'sins'?

  Are your parent(s) still active in the 'truth'? And are they now aging (in their 70's) and you want to be connected to them on a religious level before their demise? Is your need to return based on pleasing others or yourself?

  Have the Witnesses in your family quietly excluded you from many gatherings over the years because you're not 'active'? Is the direction of your professional career at a standstill or are you working a job that is unfulfilling?

  Please consider and respond...

  ginger
• 
  27

  "Pst! You CAN go to an international convention even if you're poor, but don't tell everyone!"

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the 2014/2015 international conventions have been announced, and will be held in the following cities.... melbourne, australia october 2014london, england august 2014quito, ecuador january 2015frankfurt, germany july 2014athens, greece june 2014seoul, korea september 2014mexico city, mexico november 2014harare, zimbabwe august 2014as always there is a long list of requirements for those wealthy enough to attend - including the requirement to keep your "exemplary status" right up to the day of departure or lose all your money.. there is also a curious paragraph that seems to indicate an element of subterfuge.... special rooming: confidentially, we will be asking the host branch office to poll local brothers to determine if some might be able to provide limited rooming provisions in private homes.

  this information is not to be made known to the applicants in general.

  however, if the elders are aware of a longtime, faithful servant, perhaps with many years of full-time service, who is not able to fully finance such a trip, he could be encouraged to apply and the secretary can check the box on the electronic jw.org application that this delegate qualifies for the special rooming provision, if available.. basically, watchtower is admitting that it is possible to attend an international convention even if you can't afford the hotel, but they don't want everyone to know because they want as many full-paying delegates as possible.. my article on this can be found on the link below.... http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/watchtower-announces-new-international-conventions-while-downsizing-district-conventions-for-2014.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  gingerbread

  Eight cities abroad for each eight members of the governing body.

  What a nice vacation itinerary.....