the governing body knows they scare children.
from the may jwbroadcasting puke-a-sode at the1hr 5 minute mark .31 second clip.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqeey0uyvuw.
The Watchtower since the days of 'Judge' Rutherford has used fear as a primary control tool.
It works great on children and the undereducated.
As a side note, we recently watched a PBS program about earthquakes and one of the seismologists said "earthquakes never cause the earth to split open." We just looked at each other (having been brought up with the so-called 'paradise' book) and laughed - another Watchtower lie...
ginger
i have noticed that in florida at least i see at every flea market and or town square jws sitting drinking coffee with a table and a couple of sandwich signs with watchtowers and awakes doing nothing more than playing on their phones and or talking to each other.
i have not yet seen anyone going up to them and engaging them but i bet they are counting time.
what a cheat.
This new approach puts the publisher in full public view in their community. No longer can you just ride around in a car or fake knock on a door.
This method also has the potential to feed a persecution complex.
one of the reasons the watchtower is having problems with donations is because they have refuse to let go of wholesale across the board shunning.
the average publisher is sick of it and jehovah is withholding his full blessing.
when you do not show love to fellow humans you run the risk of not being able to show love which i'm turn has a direct relationship to your joy in turn if your not happy your not motivated to donate lots of money to and arrangement you perceive as unloving all you bethel lurkers convey this message to bro letters and rest of gb stop trying to convince fair minded people to support unloving shunning.
The 'wisdom' from the WT has been, for decades, to simplify your life, work less, don't educate yourself, don't accept promotions, quit your job if you aren't allowed to take off for an assembly, don't move for a better job; move to where the need is greater (usually in a rural area with limited positive income opportunities), don't better yourself today. Live for the future....
Now the organization is reaping what it has sown.
To make matters worse, Jehovah's Witnesses currently have the worse record for membership retention (three out of five kids raised in "the truth" leave (or become barely active) in adulthood. And, few people become members as a result of the door to door activity.
is this what jesus had in mind?
to be a spiritual person you must:.
underline your books.
These are among the many rituals of Jehovah's Witnesses.
See: Legalism
after todays watchtower lesson, and the lessons coming, something tells me bigger and bigger new understandings are coming.
and that it will culminate with 1914. notice how jesus is now coming, and no longer already here.
the current understanding is both, he is here and hes also coming.
1914 will stay. The understanding will change.
Adventists have been waiting on Christ's return since the 1830's. They've changed their understandings of date predictions over the years.
The founders of the Bible Students took most of their core beliefs from the Adventists. Current JW's think God gave the Governing Body special insight.....
By the way (not that I care) but Adventists amount to 22 million members worldwide. As the JW's pat themselves on the back with a number just over 8 million.....?...
what was that blessing part about?
i kept hearing pioneers talking about the blessings that they were receiving and as i looked at their lives objectively, there really isn't anything special about them.
maybe they are just more appreciative of things than other people.
This is cognitive dissonance in action.
A Pioneer is a professional JW.
Some do it for the recognition they receive - sacrificing their personal life in order to slave for the organization. They LOVE to let you know that they are full timers. They will always share how pioneering benefits THEM personally (and their STATUS in the organization). These are organization people and love its rules, regulations JW.org - unless it messes with own personal quirkiness and lunch dates. They'll tell you how you're not up to snuff. They love their iPads, shiny new "service car" and their never ending supply of new dresses. The pioneer 'ranks' are full of these kinda people.
Some do it because it's their life calling. These pioneers REALLY believe and follow the rule book wholeheartedly. They have come to the conclusion that their time is being controlled by Jah, Jesus and holy spirit. This type thinks they are sacrificing their lives to serve God. They are the 'old school' pioneers - live on beans and rice, work just enough to make ends meet, wear hand-me-down clothes, have yard sale furniture and a crappy car. Not many of these pioneers around anymore.
seriously.....even when you were 100% in "the truth", did you really believe in living forever?
?
The Adventists developed this belief (before the Civil War) and C.T. Russell & Nelson Barbour adopted the doctrine when they began publishing the Watchtower (1880's).
When we studied with or were raised in "the truth", we weren't told about the origins of this belief. Most JW's have no idea about the shaky scriptural underpinning - and Jesus never said "hey, when I become King I'm going to turn the earth back into a paradise". Most JW's think of the paradise hope as a Watchtower exclusive....
This carrot hope (that includes resurrected parents, grandparents, kids, etc.) is the primary reason questioning JW's remain in "the truth".
I tell friends and family that are still active : The only "fear of man" I've ever felt was from those in the Kingdom Hall.
I usually finish that off with "It feels so much better now not having to be around people who are depressed, tired, sick and afraid."
ginger
i am applying to chemical engineering course in the uk through ucas (a lot of things changed since i've posted last time).. i have a lot of skills i developed while regular pioneering, like public speaking skills, ability to reason (even if it's bs), presentational skills etc.. i feel it would boost my personal statement a lot, but i'm also afraid they would say "this guy beleives in god, and loves science, he must be creationist.
away with him".. how could i mention that i gave interviews front of thousands of people and did voluntary work in my hometown without giving a bad impression?.
i don't want to go into details and start explaining myself that "however i don't beleive in god", or something like that.
You are facing the personal dilemma that many of us that were raised in deal with (or not) - wearing multiple "masks", being careful to only reveal parts of our personality, seeing our job and our 'life' as separate entities, learning not to be 'ourself' around 'worldly' family/schoolmates/workmates/neighbors etc.
You're struggling with honesty - because we are trained as JW's to be dishonest.
This probably won't help you with your immediate situation - but it's something to think about it as you continue your exit.
ginger
i've heard about his bombastic, overly patronising, cartoon-ish delivery before, but i'd never actually seen it...until now.
and i should add, this religion bears little to no relation to the one i left 6 years ago.. .
.
The next steps for TV.JW.ORG will be crying and praying for all the brothers and sisters being persecuted. And continual reminders for the need for support the 'kingdom'.
ginger
