Posts by Journeyman

63

Leaked. Nov 6th Secret Boxes

by Beth Sarim in

jw
friends

self-aware npc has an upload that the ""top-secret"' elders only secret boxes is a drum roll here......a new brochure.....ta dahhhh🤪.

i mean how more dramatic can we get..

Journeyman

Blondie, the judgement message, the hailstones thing has been effectively nullified by the recent announcement that outsiders might still be saved at the last minute, or at least that's this outsider's understanding.

I don't see that at all. Remember the story of Jonah: He was told to go to Nineveh to warn them they will be destroyed. He did it (eventually). They all repented. God withdrew the threat of destruction.

Ok, so there wouldn't be a total repentance at the end, so the destruction would not be stopped completely, but it could still be that a warning message could be given that Armageddon is imminent, but some at the last minute would 'repent' and survive. Yes, it would mean that the 'hailstone' message would have to be "Last chance now or you're getting it!" (or something like that) rather than "Time's up! You're all getting now!" (which they've taught until now), but the basics could still stay the same.

I'm not saying what the GB are saying is correct, just that it doesn't necessarily change the idea of giving a judgement message before the destruction at Armageddon.

I suppose they will also parallel it with Noah's day (as Jesus hinted the same) - right up until the moment the doors closed and rain began to fall, anyone could've said "Ok, you've sold me on this" and got on board. Likewise, right up until the destruction is about to start, anyone could still change their mind. And we don't know how long this supposed 'warning' period would be. Logically, it wouldn't last long, because God would have already gathered the 'bride' and also determined that few if any were left on earth who would repent, but it would still need to take a bit of time in order for people to realise what is about to happen and the full consequences of what is coming to sink in (since the Bible says: "they will have to know..." etc). The Bible talks about visible signs and events at the end which will shake the people and make them panic. So maybe a few weeks? A couple of months?

31

Jehovah's Witnesses no longer count time. How is this news affecting moral and meeting attendance at local congregations?

by Balaamsass2 in

no more watchtower and awake mags every 2 weeks to place.

no private home book studies.

no more "essential" spiritual food meals 5x a week.

Journeyman

There should be some interesting conversations if they start asking each other how many hours they did the past month.

Ugh. Don't get me started on that. Back when I was pioneering I used to hate it when other pioneers would ask each other "how are you doing for your hours this month?" or some similar question. None of your damned business! I never dreamt of being so intrusive and nosey to ask others about that, and when anyone volunteered such information (as some do, trying to be boastful or win brownie points, I'm sure) I used to make it quite clear I wasn't interested in that discussion and change the subject. Ok, if someone asked "can you do a couple of hours with me, I need to make up my time" or something like that, it was different, but otherwise it was none of my business and I didn't want to know. I was always uneasy about the over-emphasis on time and hours.

You could be right that this change will make more publishers (especially elders) ask each other that question, dressed up as a desire to help them achieve their personal ministry, but really to try and find out what hours they're doing and whether they feel they're doing enough or not. (The 'correct' answer of course is: you're not. If you feel you're doing enough, you're not doing enough!)

50

The Watchtower—Study Edition | December 2023 ...Are you marriage material?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

the watchtower—study edition | december 2023. study article 52. young sisters—become mature christian women.

18 you may choose to get married.

the qualities and skills that we have discussed will help you to become a capable wife.

Journeyman

Where's the instructions for being a good husband?

To be fair, the org does write articles about that too, so it's not just all on the sisters.

The problem is, as the OP says, that they obsess over things like whether he or she is pioneering or helps out a lot at the Kingdom Hall and on construction, rather than more relevant things to a successful relationship, like the kind of personal qualities and abilities that Beth Sarim mentioned.

Take that list of questions mentioned in the article, for example. The two placed at the top of the list are too vague and broad to give helpful guidance. What does "mature Christian" or "spiritual interests" mean? We know that in WT-speak these are code phrases for doing what is expected of them by the organisation, not really necessarily being a mature or spiritual man.

Most of the remaining questions are useful in assessing a potential husband, but again the last one - "Does he handle responsibility well?" - is automatically framed in the context of congregation assignments. Hardly the most important element of being a responsible potential husband. What about family responsibilities - to his ageing parents, for example? Or perhaps having a responsible role in his secular work, managing a team or doing a demanding job? Nope, not a word of those.

It's funny how any given body of elders - when caught in informal conversation - will bemoan the number of relationship problems in their congregation, yet these brothers never seem to put two and two together and see the link between that and the unrealistic suggestions put forward in articles like this.

31

Jehovah's Witnesses no longer count time. How is this news affecting moral and meeting attendance at local congregations?

by Balaamsass2 in

no more watchtower and awake mags every 2 weeks to place.

no private home book studies.

no more "essential" spiritual food meals 5x a week.

Journeyman

How is this affecting "still in" JWs you know?

I looked around the audience for any reaction, but didn't see any. Kind of curious.

Word spread fast. The response has been to keep keeping on.

This is the interesting thing, and the big change from how I remember things used to be years ago.

Today, changes - even major ones - get barely any discussion among R&F from what I can tell. No buzz of excitement or desire to discuss what it means at length. I can remember we used to spend ages privately debating what each announced change, new release or new 'light' might mean and the implications or possibilities.

Funnily enough, these days I see more interest, speculation and excitement - for good or bad - on here and among other exJWs online than among active JW publishers whenever a change happens in the organisation.

I think that almost more than anything else shows how flat everything is now.

As for the meetings, a good proportion of the R&F are no longer attending in person and choose to stay at home on Zoom (usually between 25-50% of the congregation). Barely any of those have their camera on or try to comment. I suspect in the UK, USA and much of Europe, as we go into winter, attendance will get worse.

The change to reporting is just another nail in the coffin of any excitement or buzz that there used to be in congregations, as it will reduce the motivation and need for many to spend as much time supporting ministry groups, working with other publishers or getting up early on Saturday mornings, for example.

45

Ramapo

by Mit123 in

how much is ramapo going to cost?

my daughter in africa meets in a cow shed for her meetings.

i wonder how many khs in africa they could build if they dropped ramapo?.

Journeyman

What's the latest on this white elephant? Anyone got any updates?
(I mean Ramapo, not Mit123's daughter! )

I'm hoping to hear they're scaling it back, like they chose to with the UK's Chelmsford Bethel complex, but somehow I doubt it.

It's supposed to be their equivalent of Hollywood, Disneyland and the Pixar studios all rolled into one, so there's little chance of that...

2961

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

by Simon in

jw
friends

uh oh, looks like the mega thread gave up the ghost, so while i investigate / fix it just continue the discussion here .... it's been a long 9 years lloyd evans / john cedars.

Journeyman

His lowest was like 387 back in December

He hit 387 on January 1 and again on April 1 this year.

This isn't even a man on a plateau. He can't even maintain a status quo.
That's pretty impressive

So 386 is the 'magic' number that we're all waiting for and he's probably desperate to avoid, as it will show a new low in paid support for his channel since he pressed the self-destruct button on his career and personal life at Christmas 2021. At the current rate of 'progress', he's on target to hit that in early 2024...

2961

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

by Simon in

jw
friends

uh oh, looks like the mega thread gave up the ghost, so while i investigate / fix it just continue the discussion here .... it's been a long 9 years lloyd evans / john cedars.

Journeyman

Who knew that Thai prostitutes were so versatile?

Wow! Thanks to that NPR broadcast, you've hit on the next money-making option for Lloydy-Boy! He can try to get into cryptocurrency recovery, whilst still enjoying his trips to Thailand for, errr... scuba diving! 🤣

40

Steve Lett doesn’t look well

by Teddnzo in

jw
friends

as soon as you see steve letts talk at the agm you think to yourself “oh my, what’s happened to him?.

his hand has plasters and his skin doesn’t look healthy, like he has inflammation or something serious going on.. he had put on weight and is all bloated and puffy .

his skin really doesn’t look good, the kind of inflammation many people notice after the experimental covid vaccines.. there have been very high numbers of people reported inflammation after the experimental covid vaccines.

Journeyman

Journeyman, do you think that this Sanderson fellow (never heard of him when I used to be interested in all things Dub, two decades ago) is the main mover and shaker behind the changes in direction that seem to be making a "kinder/gentler" WT?

I don't know, but they certainly seem to be putting him front-and-centre a lot more for someone who is a relative newbie. Likewise with the newer three - Cook, Winder and Fleegle - they're already getting major roles. Probably in part because Losch and Herd especially (and possibly Lett) are becoming increasingly decrepit and unfit.

But it's odd that Splane and Jackson don't seem to have a higher profile these days. They've been around longer, and Splane was usually used as their 'teacher of new light' (ahem). Yet Sanderson seems to get a lot of prime features and talks (like the new brochure release), and appear in media-focused items (like the Russia court case).

I suppose time will tell as we see who gets more side-lined and who seems to get the prime assignments in the next year or two.

41

2023-10-13-Announcement (Reporting Field Service)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2023-10-13-announcements (reporting field service).

page 1. https://imgbox.com/96lgsfw4 .

page 2. https://imgbox.com/zynoa02m .

Journeyman

Teddnzo: It’s seems fat tony leaves and two new GB really shook things up
I get the impression that making him leave and bringing in the new people was the shake up.

I agree, Tonus.

These 2 new GB rub me the wrong way,,,more so than AM3.
Just just creepy,,or something. Hard to describe.

I know what you mean. AM3, for all his disturbing rhetoric, did at least seem 'genuine' as a character.

The new GB members seem to be cut from the typical, bland corporate style that is so common in leadership roles now - no apparent personality of their own. It does seem the GB is trying to remodel itself into a corporate board or something similar now which, to me, is not really much of an improvement on where they're coming from. It certainly doesn't seem more honest and genuine.

41

2023-10-13-Announcement (Reporting Field Service)

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

2023-10-13-announcements (reporting field service).

page 1. https://imgbox.com/96lgsfw4 .

page 2. https://imgbox.com/zynoa02m .

Journeyman

an elder who is a good reader

Haha! Sometimes the org really does excel in shooting itself in the foot saying stupid things.

In my congregation one of the elders is such a bad reader that once, in order to be clear, the COBE repeated the content of the letter or announcement he had just read...

I can believe it. I know of one local congregation where the COBE is so insistent that the announcements (including letters) are all read exactly as he prepares them for the chairman that it often backfires, making the brother more nervous and less confident in his delivery. They even sometimes read an announcement out then look up and say "Is that right, Brother X?" leading to moments of embarrassed silence and an awkward nod of agreement (or if necessary a brief correction) from the COBE himself! Crazy.