Posts by gingerbread

7

Question about future enthusiasm of the congregations.

by Fading Begins in

jw
friends

i was the store manager of a large furniture store - part of a national chain.

we had large sales once month, and giganic four day sale every quarter with a large amount of print and tv advertising.

for these quarterly sales we would have conference calls every morning with our directors to report our numbers, contests for the salespeople, and target goals for each salesperson, individual store, and the national district.

gingerbread

Fading Begins - I come from a large family that is well known in the area - four generations. I have to be very careful during this fading process! My folks - being up in years - are much like your Mom. They have been in for so long that meetings and service are just another part of life. And that's fine with me. I don't want to add any stress to their lives by trashing the org every chance I get. I do however - and they do listen - bring up facts about the history of the org and of our beliefs. They say the "love of the greater number" is cooling off right within "our religion" and sight the aggressiveness of "the brothers" just finding seats at an assembly or convention as an example.

My Dad has a wicked sense of humor! We've discussed the Candace Conti lawsuit and he hopes she wins in the end. I think they've stopped contributing the the "world wide work" since the initial verdict was announced. He says "that's really money that pays the lawyers and pays off victims of abuse to keep them from going public !!!"

7

Question about future enthusiasm of the congregations.

by Fading Begins in

jw
friends

i was the store manager of a large furniture store - part of a national chain.

we had large sales once month, and giganic four day sale every quarter with a large amount of print and tv advertising.

for these quarterly sales we would have conference calls every morning with our directors to report our numbers, contests for the salespeople, and target goals for each salesperson, individual store, and the national district.

gingerbread

Remember when we used to lament how the people at the doors had become so apathetic to the message? Apathy has infected the congregation and I think it's a result of those of us who were raised in or our kids who were born in realizing that the message has become hollow... and the lifestyle we promote is shortsighted and unrealistic. Recognize too that the org has encouraged congregation members to be judgemental about each other - remember last years convention demo with young people watching tv and one storms off stage telling everyone how the program is stumbling her!

My parents tell me (who are still quite active) that the "truth" just isn't the same anymore....

28

For those still "in"... is it just me?

by leaving_quietly in

jw
friends

i'm still "in" and i've noticed an odd trend recently.

conversations with jws seem to be more jw-ish than ever!

in normal conversation, i'll hear: "these watchtowers are just wonderful!

gingerbread

These comments and endless variations of them have been spoken in the WT org from it's beginning. You've started to pay attention!

It's all about appearances. If you speak the lingo, it shows others that you're part of the JW club.

Gorbatchov is spot on. Jehovah's Witnesses are no longer students of the Bible or a religious movement exposing the "truth." We've become another worldwide mega-church who's purpose is to recruit others into the JW lifestyle.

19

She bashed me with the Watchtower then UNFRIENDED me!

by Julia Orwell in

jw
friends

all i've done is posted scriptures on my facebook page for discussion.

this uber-jw 'friend' has engaged me in debate, each time cutting and pasting a whole bunch of wt quotes on whatever our topic is, and i've responded with scriptures and she could only answer with another wt quote, and now today i see she's unfriended me!

all her comments are gone too.

gingerbread

You'll find personal happiness if you choose to surround yourself with shiny happy people.

We are trained to be judgemental, dogmatic and ultimately unhappy. This causes us to cling to the promises of the WT and to the people in the little kingdom hall "lifeboat."

81

More connect-the-dots madness...

by cedars in

jw
friends

that's right, a knife and a baby in close proximity.... .

http://www.jw.org/assets/m/ijw13fr/502013178/ijw13fr_id-502013178_e/502013178_e_cnt_1.pdf.

anything goes, so long as you're proving how "wise" king solomon was.. .

gingerbread

In the attached comment for "family activity" is to act this event out. Family worship night...conducted by dad with a butcher knife.

32

Why I think (in a nutshell) why this org is approaching collapse

by cptkirk in

in a nutshell: i think that (and i do not enjoy thinking about this)...i think that the crazies within the religion (who range from just low level people to co elder do and up) have won so many battles at this point (over the more balanced people/ideas)......that the people who tend to think in a more balanced fashion (whether they themselves be low level or higher up) are getting to be the real minority.

i think this dynamic, will be what finally sinks the ship.. as we see with any organization (corporate or otherwise), many times there are reports that make you wonder (how is this thing alive or prospering?

), and upon closer scrutiny, there are strong people in the background holding the walls up (who themselves get little attention).

gingerbread

All good points.

The WT Society started out as a small printing company with an interesting religious point of view. It's turned into a billion dollar mega-church. It's always survived on volunteerism and free labor. About fifteen years ago, it began to have management issues. New sub-corporations and internal management structures were started - the regional building commitees for example. The business is downsizing - eliminating branch offices and personnel, truncating the printed publications, going electronic with "spiritual food" and congregation reports, etc.

The short term method for managing a staff with limited skills is to micro-manage. The "iron fist" method has gone into action. Talk to an elder that's been around for a couple of decades. He'll tell you! And, pay attention to this years closing comments for the memorial talk - it warns all of us to "obey the rules of the household."

42

JWgift.org - the UK's Watchtower-sponsored website that "should not be seen as the soliciting of funds in any way"...

by cedars in

...even though it has a massive button on the home page saying "make a donation.".

https://www.jwgift.org/welcome.aspx.

cedars.

gingerbread

Thanks Cedars for bringing this website to our attention. This sort of information helps us new faders to begin to comprehend the complexities (and perversities) of the WT organization. I don't have a lot of free time to dig and search for old posts.

Foregrounding the "hidden" aspects of this world wide organization - that the majority of publishers are shielded from - is important!

26

Question 3 of this weeks Oral Review???

by Comatose in

3.. why did jesus say that his disciples would not complete their circuit of preaching "until the son of man arrives"?

(matt.

10:23) [jan. 14, w10 9/15 p. 10 par.

gingerbread

Our circuit overseer last year stated with full confidence from the platform that every single individual on earth will hear the "good news" before Jesus executes justice. He went on to say that we don't know how this will be fully accomplished - but "don't give up" in the preaching activity. And...then said that the new JW.org website will surely play a part in spreading the message earthwide.

The audience was full of dopey smiling faces.

15

John Aquila Brown ?

by eva luna in

i was wondering if anyone has a pdf of the book,.

'the even tide' by.

john aquila brown.. it is out of print it seems.

gingerbread

The link below is an excellent resource for uncovering the real origins of our beliefs. Contrary to what we've been fed through the Proclaimers book and WT history videos, C.T. Russell and his small band of "sincere bible students" did not miraculously find new Biblical truths. It was just a repackaging of ideas and interpretations from many (particularly Adventist) sources...

This website is out of the UK and is admittedly pro-JW. Hundreds of scans of old books and magazines.

http://www.strictlygenteel.co.uk/index.html

47

Is it the GB's plan to NOT explain the nu FDS lite?

by outsmartthesystem in

perhaps i am overthinking this.......but i may have come to the conclusion that the gb's refusal to address and explain in detail all of the changes mentioned at the 2012 annual meeting is in and of itself.....their final explanation.

from what i have gathered by speaking discreetly with those that are still "in" but on the fringe.......the information given at the 2012 meeting meant practically nothing to most jws.

in fact.....most are still completely unaware of the changes.

gingerbread

In 1922 at the "Cedar Point Convention", a banner was in place with the letters A D V on in. "Excitement ran high" and "everyone was trying to guess what they meant"..... (see Proclaimers book and JW history videos). On the final day the banner was slowly unveiled to reveal the new sales slogan to advertise the king and his kingdom. Rutherford, in later issues of the WT, defines how this slow reveal actually fulfills biblical prophecy. NUTS!

JW's love secrets. It's part of our history and the board of directors know this. They encourage this.

I believe the "new light" about the GB is a clear message being sent to all of us. It's a consolidation of power - a symbolic statement of who is really in charge! Perhaps an attempt to assert their authority over the legal, finance and real estate departments...?

Pay attention at next months memorial. The final comments in the talk are about how Jehovah wants you to be a part of the "family" of worshipers. And that everyone must "obey the rules of the household".