Posts by 88JM

29

Participating on Assembly Programs and meetings... the hypocritical things that go on

by confusedandalone in

i was thinking the other day about how i use to marvel at the idea of being on a ca or do program!

when i was starting to get myself together so to speak i wanted to be one of those guys always giving the powerful talk to shut the assembly down.

the one talk every spoke about in the car ride home.

88JM

The recent circuit assembly here had a few parts with interviews. Between the different parts, they must have gone through all the different members of the SAME family. Now I'm used to seeing perhaps one item with an interview with a whole family, but having members of the SAME family in MULTIPLE items just looks so bad! Couldn't they find anyone else?

The other bad thing was, if it wasn't a member of this same family, one item even had the brother interviewing HIS OWN WIFE! Of course he didn't introduce her as his wife or mention it, and if you didn't know them, you would only know if you realised they had the same surname when hers was announced, but it just looked SO WEIRD to anyone who knew they were married! CAN'T YOU FIND ANYONE ELSE?

406

Goodbye JWD/JWN (my last post)

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

after some considerable thought i have decided that i will no longer post on this forum because i want to return to jehovah.

thank you for all the kindness and many interesting discussions over the years.

i wish you all well in the future and the decisions you make.

88JM

I've just logged on after being off sick for a few days - very shocked to see SBF's post. I'm forced to agree with the assumption that it must be coercion - I do know that he was worried that he might have 'outed' himself with certain postings he made.

Still it does seem all rather sudden, considering comments like this:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/265602/1/What-Happens-at-Judicial-Committee-Meeting-on-Apostasy#4864215

44

RNWT: Has anybody else noticed this:

by TD in

jw
friends

--not a big screaming deal, but the heading at the top right of the page is wrong here:.

.

88JM

And no messing with voids in Genesis

And no messing with voids in Genesis

21

Foreign language field - the curious Watchtower cutback?

by slimboyfat in

most of the recent watchtower cutbacks can be explained as money saving exercises: closing branches, paperback books, fewer pages in the magazines, sending bethelites home and so on.. but a few different posters have reported that the watchtower society are also cutting back on the foreign field ministry.

for many years foreign language congregations have been a major source of growth for the watchtower in many lands.

so why would they choose to scale it down?.

88JM

It is a little strange what is going on with foreign languages, though not so bizzare. There was a big song and dance made at the circuit assembly that the GB has a target of having literature in 1000 languages by the end of the 2014 service year (they're currently at around 700 languages, I think it was). At the same time, there is a push for folks to print off foreign language literature from the website themselves instead of ordering it at the KH.

I know from my own discussions with some that in parts of Africa, they are building translation offices in the middle of nowhere, not even near established congregations, but in places where people who speak the languages can come in and translate for them, then go home - instead of having them as permanent bethel staff I guess, which probably saves money.

In the UK at least, foreign language congregations are getting less and less "special" treatment, and being streamlined with english congregations - they share kingdom halls and assembly halls like any other congregation, and have visits from the same circuit overseers.

So while I do acknowledge there are cutbacks in how money is allocated to foreign languages, it looks like they still want to expand but in a "cost efficient" manner.

21

Perfect spot for street preaching...

by zakharijah in

.

the sign seems to give ideas to the brother.... .

(photo taken from ministry ideaz on facebook).

88JM

Sexy underwear store haha!

15

"God's Word Is Beneficial..." 2013/14 Circuit Assembly "Highlights"

by 88JM in

jw
friends

just had the circuit assembly this weekend here:.

surprisingly not much fuss over the new bible considering that this was the first meeting for most here to use it (the annual meeting was "invite only" for a select few here, and there was no thursday meeting because of this assembly) and having a new bible was only referred to fairly briefly in a comment about how "wonderful" it is (and in the closing prayer).

i think i was the only one there with an old maroon nwt - i got a confused look from one of the elders - haha!

88JM

No Bobcat - I don't recall that verse being mentioned or that point being made. Actually now I think about it, Satan wasn't mentioned much at all in the whole assembly - he seems to be getting less blame these days and it's more about naughty imperfect JW's that are the bad ones.

Julia Orwell - It wasn't exactly said "JW's at school are sex magnets" but the thought was made that because JW's are "goodie goodies" and "hard to get" that it makes them desireable to "worldly" youths who see them as a "challenge" (i.e. "I bet you can't get him/her") - whereas of course all worldly youths are (insultingly) portrayed as "easy".

Now I really want to go paintballing too!

71

ELDERS STEPPING DOWN

by ADJUSTMENTS in

between two congregations that i know of four elders have stepped down in the last two months!

there is something really going on in this mandmade organization!

it's busting at the seams!.

88JM

3 elders stepped down (including the COBOE who had been so for 20+ years) in the neighbouring congregation about 18 months ago here. I suspected something was going on, though I didn't know for sure. But this weekend I finally got a chance to speak to the ex-COBOE at the assembly. As he described it, there was some "sillyness" going on and he just couldn't put up with it. The last C.O. was a bit of a shit-stirrer, so I wouldn't be surprised if it was due to him.

15

"God's Word Is Beneficial..." 2013/14 Circuit Assembly "Highlights"

by 88JM in

jw
friends

just had the circuit assembly this weekend here:.

surprisingly not much fuss over the new bible considering that this was the first meeting for most here to use it (the annual meeting was "invite only" for a select few here, and there was no thursday meeting because of this assembly) and having a new bible was only referred to fairly briefly in a comment about how "wonderful" it is (and in the closing prayer).

i think i was the only one there with an old maroon nwt - i got a confused look from one of the elders - haha!

88JM

Just had the Circuit Assembly this weekend here:

Surprisingly not much fuss over the new bible considering that this was the first meeting for most here to use it (the Annual Meeting was "invite only" for a select few here, and there was no Thursday meeting because of this assembly) and having a new bible was only referred to fairly briefly in a comment about how "wonderful" it is (and in the closing prayer). I think I was the only one there with an old maroon NWT - I got a confused look from one of the elders - haha! I didn't even know for sure until I got there which one they would be using on the platform (I wasn't sure how everyone would have the new one yet) but they were using the new revised one. Obviously elders must have been driving to everyone's houses to deliver them personally like they did to me.

Ironically, despite the new bible, the talks used noticeably very few scriptures (even more noticeably than usual) - there were whole talks with maybe just one verse where the audience opened their bible, and often they would go 10 minutes with some crazy illustration, not having looked at any scripture, with the illustration being the sole means of proving the point ("it's true because we told a funny story! Haha!")

Ephesians 4:14 was used a lot on Saturday. ("... carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of cunning in contriving error")

Don't even think about a university or college education - sell everything and pioneer.

"Brazen conduct" is definitely more than just a simple replacement for sexy-time "loose conduct". Even hanging out with someone of the opposite sex in school is now classed as "brazen conduct". Oh, and apparently if you are a JW in school, you are automatically a sex magnet.

Paintballing is now officially on the JW "no-no" list, by reason that it is apparently "learning war".

A kid who must have been about 10-11 years old got baptized.

Contributions were especially high (most likely due to the new bible) - even by Sunday mid-morning, enough contributions were collected to easily cover the £1000 "cost" of the assembly three times over. £500 was automatically sent to the WWW.

They have a catchy moniker for the new "grey" bibles: the "silver sword".

The D.O. used a rather unfortunate acronym in his last talk to make a point about things JW's are supposed to do: Study, Prayer, Association, Meetings, and yes, he held up a can of SPAM. (Is this some sort of a symbol of "spritual food" - horrible processed meat entrails in a can? Unwanted junk mail?)

That's it folks - otherwise a total snooze-fest.

9

Interesting Old WT & Awake Articles Regarding Acts 17:11 "Beroeans" & "Keep Testing"

by lambsbottom in

the beroeans first received the word with the greatest readiness of mind, and then they went to carefully examining the scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.

the beroeans made sure of all things.

the bible tells us that these people were more noble-minded than those in thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the scriptures daily as to whether these things were so.

88JM

marking

223

Comprehensive NWT Comparison Project (calling all technically skilled members)

by Apognophos in

is anyone aware if this project is already being done by someone?

if not, perhaps we can brainstorm how to go about this, now that the pdf for the revised nwt is out.

a couple initial impressions:.

88JM

Very impressive stuff MeanMrMustard - I know I would have given up by now.