Posts by EdenOne

288

Is it just me or has this site become a Believer/Atheist warzone?

by BU2B in

jw
friends

i enjoy the odd thread about evoloution vs creation, etc but lately it seems that a large percentage of threads here devolve into fighting between atheists and theists and distract from what most of us here see eye to eye on, the wt and related things.

i wish things could be more civil here and fr people to realize that people will never see eye to eye on the topic.

it gets so tiring to see the contstant bickring and fighting on those threads.. they seem to go on page after page but very little of substance is discussed seeing as the existence or non existence of a god can be proven by anyone.

EdenOne

It's not my habit nor my job to defend Tec, but this is too obvious:

Nicolaou: You are a fraud and a liar.

Since you were so keen on bringing up the "Posting Guidelines", here's back to you:

Posting Guidelines

To ensure all users feel safe and keen to participate, please avoid:

1. Insulting, threatening or provoking language.

As irritating as Tec's posts may seem to you, there's an option that doesn't have a button in this forum: Step away for a moment and say nothing. Come back when you have a cold head.

And, by the way, you said:

This site exists primarily to help Jehovah's Witnesses recover from a damaging cult, a nasty little, high-control group.

While we all know that many who choose to leave the JW's do indeed need recovering from the cult damage that was inflicted to them, are you now calling the shots on this site, and setting its goals? There are other websites designed specifically for that purpose, and some of their promoters are regular contributers here. Thanks to Simon, this site appears to be a plural, open forum where everyone gets to have a voice - voices like yours, mine, Cofty's and Tammy's and SFPW's. Please don't turn it into a forum of intolerance just because believers piss you off.

Eden

27

Rebranding, restyling and rewriting - the transformation of Jehovah's Witnesses

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

dear friends,.

a few weeks i am thinking about what's going on with the religion we are focust on, jehovah's witnesses.. what i see is:.

- a rebranding of the religion's organization: just like rutherford rebranded the bible students into jehovah's witnesses,.

EdenOne

I entirely agree. We're seeing a rebranding unfolding. But I bet there's more to come, doctrinally speaking. Wait until the rebranding is more or less ingrained...

Eden

58

Does the WTS's past matter?

by M.J. in

i know, i'd jump into this topic by saying, "heck yeah.

they're the ones saying they've been appointed by god based on what they were doing back around 1914-1919.

" but i'm trying to help someone out who has reached a roadblock with his wife.

EdenOne

Marked

288

Is it just me or has this site become a Believer/Atheist warzone?

by BU2B in

jw
friends

i enjoy the odd thread about evoloution vs creation, etc but lately it seems that a large percentage of threads here devolve into fighting between atheists and theists and distract from what most of us here see eye to eye on, the wt and related things.

i wish things could be more civil here and fr people to realize that people will never see eye to eye on the topic.

it gets so tiring to see the contstant bickring and fighting on those threads.. they seem to go on page after page but very little of substance is discussed seeing as the existence or non existence of a god can be proven by anyone.

EdenOne

If an atheist claims that he cannot know that God doesn't exist - for lacking of rationally accepted evidence - isn't he, by definition, agnostic?

Eden

23

" Jehovah's Witnesses " were NOT Jonadabs!!??!?

by DATA-DOG in

2/15/1966 wt.

identifying the present-day beneficiaries.

15) in speaking of the marking work, page 111 of vindication said that this work of giving the testimony is not for the purpose of converting the people of the world and bringing them into some organization, but it is to make known the fact that those who desire to flee from the wicked organization of christendom may do so and declare themselves on the lords side, and thus be in line to be brought through the time of trouble, when the slaughtering begins.

EdenOne

Marked

57

Do you REALLY know how crazy J. Rutherford was?

by gumby in

below is an interview with the drunken, pipe-dreamin, selfish, psychopathic bastard back in 1930.. the interview with j.f.

rutherford that appeared in the sun diego sun, march 15, 1930. .

"but how will you identify king david or any of the other representatives from god?

EdenOne

Marked

31

Are some JWs justified in staying in the org?

by greendawn in

most of us left the organisation because we could no longer stand one or other aspect of it, perhaps its very dictatorial administration, the disappointment due to the false promises and vain hopes raised by its leadership, disagreement with the blood ban or pedophile and shunning policies, the feel one gets that this is a business and not a religious organisation manipulating its members to its own profit etc etc.

these are of course valid reasons for rejecting this religion and refusing to identify with it but do the jws who stay in have a valid argument for rejecting leaving the org?

they will say: "ok our religion, our society has its flaws but what human society doesn't?

EdenOne

Btw, the only reason I can think of for a truly massive defection, is dropping the hope of everlasting life on a paradise on earth. No other change would cause a defection of such proportions that might threaten the very survival of the Watchtower Society. Even the most hardcore loyalist would face a major trial of faith.

Eden

31

Are some JWs justified in staying in the org?

by greendawn in

most of us left the organisation because we could no longer stand one or other aspect of it, perhaps its very dictatorial administration, the disappointment due to the false promises and vain hopes raised by its leadership, disagreement with the blood ban or pedophile and shunning policies, the feel one gets that this is a business and not a religious organisation manipulating its members to its own profit etc etc.

these are of course valid reasons for rejecting this religion and refusing to identify with it but do the jws who stay in have a valid argument for rejecting leaving the org?

they will say: "ok our religion, our society has its flaws but what human society doesn't?

EdenOne

Searcher, I believe that the apparent obssession of the WTS with the money is a reflexion of their strategy. They KNOW that there will be a major defection, followed by a serious shortening of contributions. They are getting ready to it by stocking funds they will need to survive the rocky years that will follow The doctrinal shakedown. It's all about self preservation.

Eden

31

Are some JWs justified in staying in the org?

by greendawn in

most of us left the organisation because we could no longer stand one or other aspect of it, perhaps its very dictatorial administration, the disappointment due to the false promises and vain hopes raised by its leadership, disagreement with the blood ban or pedophile and shunning policies, the feel one gets that this is a business and not a religious organisation manipulating its members to its own profit etc etc.

these are of course valid reasons for rejecting this religion and refusing to identify with it but do the jws who stay in have a valid argument for rejecting leaving the org?

they will say: "ok our religion, our society has its flaws but what human society doesn't?

EdenOne

There's an aspect that is starting to worry me - or at least, I find it very interesting.

I had a conversation with a relative, who's a JW with no small amount of responsability within the Organization. He was very keen about a forthcoming article in the Watchtower, where apparently it urges the Elders to be alert to the possibility that they start receiving apparently illogical instructions from the Organization, and that they MUST stay loyal and do what they're told to do and trust blindly the Organization. Naturally, his interpretation is that the Great Tribulation is around the corner.

Now, this can play out in two different ways:

a) The organization will undergo serious doctrinal changes which will address serious concerns by dissenters (aka 'apostates', although they will NEVER admit to this) but will shake the very foundations of the faith of hard-core organizational loyalists/worshippers (think, for example, abandoning 1914, the two groups/two hopes, partaking the emblems, only heavenly hope, no blood policy, etc etc - this is just me speculating)

or

b) Handing out mad instructions that may well put in danger the lives of the flock, because of a supposed revelation about an imminent Armageddon. For example, telling the r&f to sell their assets, quit their jobs, drop school or university, forcing everyone to pioneer, collective suicide, whatever - you get the picture.

Something BIG is coming. They've been patiently paving the way for that change. The recent switch to online publishing, cost reductions, Bethel and Kingdom Hall consolidation, new preaching methods sounds to me like they're expecting a massive defection soon. This can only be plausible in view of radical doctrinal changes that may be under way. They've learned that lesson when Rutherford grabbed the power in 1917 and introduced massive doctrinal changes - with the result of massive defections. But the Watchtower not only survived the defection ordeal, but after a few years of radical contraction, it began to grow. It seems to me a similar pattern is building up, only they aren't being hasty as Rutherford was.

I had the chance to look at the new NWT Bible yesterday. I must say I was impressed with it. Looks very nice, lots of useful extras, and to me it seems it will mean the end of the Reasoning book. But that detail on the timeline, about 1914, where nothing is said about the Kingdom being established THEN, seems to me quite a significant switch. Let's wait and see. But I lean towards the notion that radical doctrinal/organizational changes are soon to start pouring in. The construction of brand new, streamlined headquarters in Warwick indicates that they honestly aren't expecting Armageddon to come anytime soon, so I lean towards option A.

And - coming to the OP concern - that is one of the reasons I'm choosing to stay in for the time being. I want to be in to see this playing out, if nothing else, to be able to be rational when it's time to help my family to see TTATT and make an informed decision to stay or leave.

Eden

89

An Elder Reads CoC !!

by TTATTelder in

i have recently joined the site.

i was just appointed an elder this summer.

i started discovering the ttatt (the truth about the truth) last year after putting a few things together myself concerning the leadership and then doing some research online.. i really enjoyed jwfacts.com, jwsurvey, and others.

EdenOne

Reading CoC was also a defining moment for me.

Eden