Posts by gingerbread

36

Has anyone accidentally stumbled across someone they knew on here?

by SecretHeart11 in

jw
friends

i keep hoping and doing searches on the site for people in my area.

so far no one i recognize.

i have a few df'd friends that i lost touch with long before they were out (two who were elders actually when they got the boot) and would love to find out they were on here, but don't know if they plan on coming back.

gingerbread

I've used the "search" option on the blue tool bar of this page to find people.

So my discoveries haven't really been by accident but they sure have been enlightening! By searching names of towns or last names of people, I've recognized a number of JWN posters. I've been in the 'truth' my whole life and come from a large, well known JW family (in my part of the country).

Some folks don't hide their identity or post personal stories that, if you know this person, it's obvious who they are. I've read stories from disfellowshipped and disassociated people on JWN that I knew who were very bitter (the angry 'apostate') JW haters. What's strange is that some are now reinstated and became fully involved Organization ladder climbers.

The most awkward posts came from posters who are family (or were part of my ex's family). They mention me from time to time in their posts - no names of course. I had no idea they thought these things about me....

ginger

16

Disfellowshipping works!

by hoser in

the key ensuring compliance in an authoritarian system is to have a penalty that creates an emotion of dread in the majority of the populace.

the irs and cra create the fear of being audited, and in fact audit and make examples of a minority.

this ensures that the majority file their income taxes in an orderly and scrupulous manner.

gingerbread

Public punishment and humiliation has been around since man has been in social groups.

The Bible references that Paul and Silas were put into stocks. Military deserters were put in stocks. So was the Puritan 'sinner' in colonial New England. Disobedient slaves were publicly whipped. For centuries persons have been hanged in public or nailed/tied to a pole/cross to die.

Today persons who break laws or social custom can receive public punishment. In the US a person can be given 'public service' hours or be assigned to a 'chain gang' with brightly colored clothes (or "I'm a drunk driver" shirt in some States). In Africa people are still publicly whipped, dismembered or stoned. In Southeast Asia, a lawbreaker can be publicly caned.

As a form of punishment with children, instead of receiving a spanking they are put in 'time out' or 'grounded' - banished from involvement in normal activities.

The same customs are practiced in religion.

ginger

29

WT wants members to auxiliary pioneer in place of vacations now!!!

by EndofMysteries in

the may 2014 km, posted in another thread is a link to download it.

page 2, for week starting may 19th under the service meeting:.

discussion.

gingerbread

We had a visit from a brother who came into the 'truth' in the congregation where I grew up. His 'former' life was a hippy commune carpenter.

Anyhow, he was visiting us from Bethel - the brothers pooled some money together to pay for his round trip flight - and gave a 'report' on Bethel after the WT study.

When we were leaving the Hall I told this guy (I really looked up to him) to have a nice rest of the summer and take it easy. It was an off handed comment from my teenage self. He says to me "We don't have the time to take it easy!! The end could come any day now. Maybe you should be temporary pioneering this summer....".

I thought "what an arrogant jackass".

That was back in the late 1970's. He's still not "taking it easy" for the Org. in Walkill. He's now in his mid-60's.

ginger

44

Jehovahs Witnesses make a big deal about following first century christianity, so please explain this.

by smiddy in

where in the christian greek scriptures do disciples of christ record how many hours a month they preached.. " " " " 10 hours for women and children and slack husbands with no ambition.

" " " " do they record how many back calls / return visits they made in a month.. " " " " have they set down how many bible studys they had in a month.. " " " " do they have pioneers ,special pioneers , aux.pioneers , with goals to reach each month.. " " " " do they have d.o.

, c.o., zone servants , etc.etc.. " " " " where in the christian greek scriptures is the word " organisation" applied to christianity.

gingerbread

BluesBrother...

A mind-controlling, delusional fantasy.

19

How exactly is the Holy Spirit 'directing' the WT?

by keyser soze in

it seems pretty impotent to me if it is.. let's assume, for the sake of argument, that they are merely 'spirit-directed', as opposed to 'inspired'.

and let's assume that there is even a difference(other than semantics) to begin with.

neither claim is validated by the end result.

gingerbread

This one is the squishy mystery for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Most faithful JW's see the 'anointed' and in particular the Governing Body as angels in human form. They were chosen by God and are being 'used' by Holy Spirit.

We earthlings can't understand how God chooses and anoints (with Holy Spirit) these people. We can't understand how God uses his Holy Spirit to direct them what to write or what rules/policies to create.

It's a mystery. Just accept it.

"And now, brothers, please pass the contribution box around."

ginger

44

Jehovahs Witnesses make a big deal about following first century christianity, so please explain this.

by smiddy in

where in the christian greek scriptures do disciples of christ record how many hours a month they preached.. " " " " 10 hours for women and children and slack husbands with no ambition.

" " " " do they record how many back calls / return visits they made in a month.. " " " " have they set down how many bible studys they had in a month.. " " " " do they have pioneers ,special pioneers , aux.pioneers , with goals to reach each month.. " " " " do they have d.o.

, c.o., zone servants , etc.etc.. " " " " where in the christian greek scriptures is the word " organisation" applied to christianity.

gingerbread

My better half now says "If you're a Jehovah's Witness you can't be a Christian. What a screwed up mess we were raised in..."

ginger

16

New Light - Good for goose... gander SOL

by Zoos in

when jws accept new light they must, by default, accept that what they were teaching was false.

they allow themselves the luxury of error so long as it is in the pursuit of better understanding.. .

you would think this scenario demands that allowance be made for other religions with false teachings, but alas, no.

gingerbread

Last year we heard a brother giving a public talk in the KH say - "We must wash our brains clean of the former thought and embrace the correct 'New Light' from Jehovah's faithful and discreet slave."

ginger

84

What Bomb Will Be Dropped at This Years District Convention?

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

our insightful posters on this site were able to predict the new "spirit directed" generation teachings and fds teaching even years in advance.

what bomb do you thing will be dropped this year?

i know it will be big.

gingerbread

The Watchtower and Awake magazines will no longer be printed in favor of handing out pamphlets and DVD's, i pad witnessing and JW.org.

Witnessing in public (carts and tables) will now be favored over door-to-door witnessing. "Please send your gas money for the World Wide Work."

'Sisters' will now be given titled responsiblities in the congregation - as readers, microphone handlers, literature/magazine/territory assistants, Kingdom Hall care leaders.

ginger

11

Higher Education

by thedog1 in

my wife told me today that during a conversation with a relative on the phone recently, the relative said that someone in their congregation had been invited to take part in a branch extension in a foreign country.

this young woman who had been asked to take part is a solid witness, though not a pioneer, but guess what?

she is an architect!

gingerbread

The Watchtower Society has sent (and paid for) men to become lawyers...in exchange for future pro bono representation.

We know of a brother in Texas who is a dentist. He used to make annual trips to Brooklyn to work on the GB and other men in position.

Don't fool yourself. The GB will recruit (into their inner circle) Witnesses with money, education and specialized professions.

ginger

13

Where Is All The Money Going from Sales of WTB&TS `s Real Estate Properties.

by smiddy in

what governmental requirements are their for full disclosure of the proceeds from sales of property made by a not for profit organization such as the wtb&ts.. how does the wtb&ts explain their charitable status when they do not provide any charitable benefits to anyone , when all their members , jehovahs witnesses are not employed by them , they are just volunteers.. does american law allow religous institutions to hide monetary transactions or is their full transparency regarding their use of their money.. how can a multi million $ publishing company , engaged in a multi million $ real estate organisation be considered as a not for profit organisation .. is their anything like an auditor general in the usa that needs to investigate these things ?.

just asking.. smiddy.

gingerbread

Religious organizations in the US have a unique status regarding financial transparency. The Federal Government has checks in place to stay out of the religion business.

These laws were a primary reason that, after Charles Russell passed away, J.F. Rutherford turned the Bible Student movement into the new religion called Jehovah's Witnesses. Maintaining a religious status with governments keeps an organization tax free and protected.

Only in solid cases of embezzlement within a religious organization will a District Attorney press charges.

'Managing' funds and assests is not embezzlement - no matter how large the religious organization.

ginger