in barbara anderson's research for the proclaimers book she was tasked with identifying the faithful & discreet slave throughout history.
the idea was the watchtower could identify a line of kingdom proclaimers from the days of the apostles.
she was not able to do this with the established criteria, that the individual had to adhere to the basic doctrinal beliefs seperating jw's from "false religion".. it seems that governing body would now agree.
The Watchtower has always tried to draw parallels or precedent from Bible record and apply these to themselves.
Russell is now been given the honored position of the 19th century "John the Baptist" who layed the theological groundwork for the Watchtower organization. The Faithful Slave / Governing Body acts as mankind's mediator to God.
They effectively erased Jesus from the 'chain-of-command'. Why not Russell as well...
ginger
it seems some inactive ones and active jws are hardly ever bothered by the elders while others are constantly called, checked up on, etc...... what gives?.
Yup.
Exit quietly and they'll leave you alone.
Of course it all depends on individual circumstances - family, congregational responsibilities, years of involvement and dollars you have contributed. In each of these four areas the elders might bug you to death...or they might not bother you at all (hoping you won't leave).
ginger
hi there folks,.
i no longer believe in a dime the wt corporation says.
for over a year i've been inactive in field service and i skip meetings whenever i can.. all my family is jw, and that includes my spouse.. i have already come open with her and exposed the wt for what it really is.
There is an unwritten custom that encourages both pity and subtle shunning to anyone who is married to a spouse that has become inactive. It's seems like a contradiction - but that's how things work in a disfunctional 'family'.
It's tough on your wife because she has to field questions from the elders, the wives and all the nosey ones. If she has been a Witness her whole life, she feels alone. Pressure from her family increases her feelings of failure (as a good JW wife).
What worked for me is doing things that we both enjoy - during meeting nights or on the weekend. Just as an occasional thing in the beginning. It takes patience and time. Getting her out of 'the box' will help - instead of you going back from time to time.
ginger
here is the link: http://seattledelegates.org/.
i would guess this is the wave of the future.
a secondary channel of business revenue for the wts - compensation for recommending restaurants, tours, etc.
The Org is twisting itself inside out ... to be a Jehovah's Witness mean TONS of friends, fun & travel...
We have family and friends that are attending the conventions in Atlanta, Indianapolis, Detroit, Seattle and in Hawaii. They all LOVE these new ideas! - streaming talks, literature carts, the annual meeting, iPad witnessing, the "JW" internet and all of the new focus on young ones.
If anyone is fully 'in', this is the best time in the history of man to serve God....during the first 100 years of Kingdom Rule.
They give us puzzled stares when we don't mirror their enthusiasm (like we used to just two short years ago)...
ginger
i managed to catch the new dvd on youtube last night before the inevitable takedown.
as a film i felt it wasn't anywhere near as good as the prodigal movie, the story wasn't as dramatic, the characters much less interesting and developed and the direction weaker.
i found the prodigal relatively entertaining (all things considered) this one was just dull.. here are some of my random thoughts anyway [spoiler alert - ha!].
The Governing Body is aware that most kids raised in 'the truth' leave as adults.
This film is used to guilt trip parents into obedience to the organization and it's structure.
Good parents raise good kids.
Too many parents in 'the truth' have unfortunately raised insecure children who turn into co-dependent adults.
ginger
it amazes me how the gb and witnesses keep using the ancient isrealites as examples for modern day "servants of god" (read: good witnesses).
how can an ignorant, ancient people who worshipped with animal sacrifices, went to war, killed children, stoned people, treated women as property, called women unclean due to normal body cycles, allowed polygamy, etc......be used as good examples?.
i mean, the gb can't have it both ways!
The mythology, verbal story telling and significance of numbers in ancient Isreal was a favorite topic of C.T. Russell. This facination is the underpinning of most of the beliefs and customs of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Parallels have been drawn for over 100 years between the ancient Isrealite nation and "modern servants of Jehovah".
Most contemporary Witnesses don't have a clue that their belief system is based on the ancient notions of a tribal culture - who borrowed much of their own beliefs from Egypt, Mesopotamia and Asia.
(Read or watch on YouTube - Joseph Campbell)
ginger
a lot of us have said that theres been a dumbing down in jw land.
its just not like it used to be especially a few decades ago.
it seems to me that if jw are right and the end of the world is near, the spiritual food should get tastier and more nourishing as time goes on, but it's getting more and more bland and less nourishing.
This religion has always attracted the less educated and lower income person. In the 50's - 70's the mags and books were a full blown treatise on doctrine / biblical prophecy. When Franz entered his 80's the publications and talks became shorter and less indepth.
Now the message to the faithful is simple and direct : listen, obey and be blessed.
ginger
is this a realistic thing?
can the governments or someone else ban religion?.
Not any time soon in the United States. That is a Watchtower prophetic fantasy.
If the US government wanted to silence religions, they would have shut down the Westboro Baptist Church groups a long time ago.
an enlightning and disturbing story in today's atlantic.. ginger.
.
http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/.
Exactly bobert.
That is why I titled the post the way I did.
It just might get a person to think about the mechanisms and methods used by the Organization to control information and people.
I don't think of the Org as a cult ... but it is very cult-like.
As the Governing Body continues to assert it's power it could become a 'cult'.
Do they openly admit that they speak with God? decide who is good or evil in the group? attempt to control how members think and feel? force personal decisions to be made that are damaging to the members (medically, emotionally, financially or physically)?
It's a lot to consider.
ginger
an enlightning and disturbing story in today's atlantic.. ginger.
.
http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/.
An enlightning and disturbing story in today's Atlantic.
ginger
http://m.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/
