Posts by Journeyman

34

If You Can Remember When This Was Displayed in the KH - You Ain't No Spring Chicken!

by mikronboy in

jw
friends

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Journeyman

SydBarrett - I'm not sure which country you're in but you may have just missed it. I believe the food service stopped here in the UK in the early '90s, and charging for literature shortly after that. Not sure about the US, but presumably around the same time as I guess it was a global change.

Definitely by the late '90s when I was around, that had all stopped. It was just something I heard about anecdotally. I remember literature desks and distribution at conventions, but no food distribution and no charging for literature anywhere, although we still had a list at the hall which had 'suggested' donations for main items eg: Bibles, mags, etc. It was around that time they kept drumming into us to tell householders the literature was offered "without charge" NOT "free", because there was still a cost to produce it! 🙄

I used to hate being given cash contributions because of the hassle of having to remember to take them with you to the next meeting and drop them in the box. At least now it's easier that they don't accept cash from the ministry, and publishers are not expected to mention donations. Downside is all the begging for money is on the congregations themselves now, of course!

26

Is WT Using ATTENDANTS At The Conventions To Be: "TOY COPS"

by HiddlesWife in

i have heard from a few ppimis and several pimos that the attendants who are stationedly-assigned to the front entrances of the borgvenues (cahs and other arenas) have been checking to see if any persons (members and non-member visitors) have badges.

on the other hand, if these persons don't have one, this is what i was told that these dubs do this: corral around the non-badge-wearing individual and interrogate he/she/them plus questioning them, "why are you here?!".

also, even if that person or persons have an invitation plus showed it to these dubs, these toy cops still do that procedure.

Journeyman

I can't do it now for health reasons, but when I used to be an attendant, I liked it because you didn't have to sit still for hours on end listening to the same old talks, and you did actually get to help people if you had the right assignments (and the right attitude to the role). I used to try to get assigned to concourse or door/gateways. On concourse, you generally couldn't hear much of the programme so that was a result, and on the doors or gates, although you could hear the programme, there was usually too much happening to get bored and you could genuinely help people like parents losing their kids, older ones or pregnant sisters feeling unwell, that sort of thing. At least made it feel more worthwhile.

Back then, we didn't have any of this interrogating of visitors or checking for badges. We were told we were there to greet people, generally look out for trouble, and keep the crowds moving to prevent bottlenecks (doesn't look like that would be a problem at most conventions these days! )

The worst attendants were the young teen/early 20s ones who thought they were in some kind of 'cool bro' security service, and the over-officious captains (usually single or younger married elders) who had too much time on their hands and acted like they had some high-status job that was a cross between people management and policing.

For a few years I worked with the security team because I'd already acquired a 'secular' security licence for work and wanted to see what it was like. That was much more laid back. Most of those bros had 'real' security jobs so were more lowkey and didn't have the exaggerated swagger of the less experienced attendants who are usually the ones that visitors encounter first. You all had to cover each others' backs and had a different control room and separate shifts from the rest of the attendants, so could come and go as you pleased, as long as you stayed on post when assigned and kept permanently in radio contact with base. But later, the org tightened up the rules and now only their 'approved' heavies from Chelmsford can do that role I believe (and of course in hired venues they have to defer to the venue's own security teams - rightly so.)

15

Jehovah’s Witnesses Open Historic Museum in Edo

by Bangalore in

jw
friends

jehovah’s witnesses open historic museum in edo .. https://punchng.com/jehovahs-witnesses-open-historic-museum-in-edo/.

Journeyman

This obsession with opening museums and exhibitions lately is strange. It seems to be part of turning the org into some kind of pseudo entertainment and heritage industry.

Yet of course, they rarely highlight the fact they had very different teachings in the past and kept changing them. The only ones they usually mention are those changed one-time only long ago (such as celebrating Christmas or using the cross). Probably because they are easiest to prove and not so embarrassing to have to explain.

34

If You Can Remember When This Was Displayed in the KH - You Ain't No Spring Chicken!

by mikronboy in

jw
friends

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Journeyman

Wow. Talk about sales targets! This was well before my time so I've never seen one of these before.

Another example of something way outside the model set by Jesus. I really don't remember him holding a performance meeting to pull out a report scroll and reprimand the apostles on not fulfilling their monthly quota of preaching targets! 🤔

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Journeyman

He told the photographer "make me look good." So the photographer said "stand in those heavy shadows."

"Stay where you are, I just need to move further away ... in fact, give me 3 hours to drive to Hungary then move about a lot - the blurring can only help."

Tonus and Simon - love your comments on Lloyd's latest profile picture! 🤣

Maybe this will be his preferred profile picture once the Croatian authorities are fully aware of his recreational sexual activities... 🤣

12

Watchtower And Taxes

by Bangalore in

*** w94 11/15 pp.

"in this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.

" so said 18th-century american statesman and inventor benjamin franklin.

Journeyman

The entire Bethel arrangement is in opposition to the scriptural counsel of Paul at 2 Thessalonians 3:10-15...

That's a good point. I hadn't thought of it that way, although I've always thought there's something unnatural and unhealthy about the whole Bethel arrangement.

Jesus said his followers would be in the world but no part of the world, and showed by his example that they were to go out and be part of their community, not separated off. Paul and the other first century Christians did the same.

The practice in Christendom of some monks or nuns shutting themselves away in communes goes against those principles, so too does going into the private conclave that is a Bethel home. It's no wonder that it fosters so much unhealthy behaviour, distorted thinking, bullying and so on, just as happens in lots of other closed communities.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Journeyman

I agree, this can't just be a delay due to strike action. According to the article link posted earlier, the strike has been going on for 7 weeks - why only update now? "Decision" does imply it's an actual outcome, not a pause (although I admit that could just be a generic label for court documents, but it seems unlikely).

And the most conclusive evidence that the update must be a decision to strike down the action, rather than just a pause, is Lloyd's own moody reactions. Why would he be in such a whining state if it were just a pause? All possible outcomes would still be available. It can only be because the court has dismissed his claim - possibly, they've accelerated that decision because of a backlog from the strikes and so they are clearing vexatious claims with little merit like this one, to focus on genuine cases.

Incidentally, I also screengrabbed his latest update in case he deleted it later - and I think I caught the frame at the very look he must have had on his face when he read the court update... 😂

BTW - Toblerone, love that "breaking news" image! I thought of that pic of him earlier when I read his "mood" post, but you put it into just the right scenario! 😂

BTW Lloyd this isn't "life's shit" you're dealing with. This is YOUR shit. You did this to yourself

Well said. When he gets over his initial self-pity, he'll no doubt come out swinging and try to blame everyone around him (and the Croatian court system), but it has to be repeatedly driven home that this mess is all on him and the stupid choices he's made.

He has one of two ways over this: 1) admit he was wrong and do a genuine mea culpa, then change, OR 2) just go off radar, leave the exJW community alone and go and do something else with his life, like get a real job.

I think we all know the first isn't going to happen, but the second option would be better for him and his family too in the long run.

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Journeyman

Kim and Mikey are asking what's on everyone's minds...

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Journeyman

News spreads just as fast in the exJW world as in the JW world, eh? 😅

11530

It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars

by Newly Enlightened in

original reddit post (removed).

Journeyman

On 14 July, a decision of the court has been filed.

A "decision" from the court last Friday and no triumphalist tweet or celebratory YouTube video from our friend yet? That doesn't look good for him, does it?

If it wasn't going to go his way, he was probably hoping that there would be no final decision for ages yet, so he could spin the thing out until most people had forgotten about it. Realistically, if the court was going to reject his case, it's more likely they would decide that quickly to get it over with and move on with other, genuine cases.

If the court decision is a dismissal he probably has a period of time to appeal, which is why he's not addressed it. He'll wait until the very last minute when the outcome is finalised before he'll mention it (if at all). If and when he does, he'll probably just post a brief tweet saying he's disappointed and making some excuse about how bad Croatian court procedures are or somesuch.