Posts by William Penwell

36

How long can this cult remain with only kids becoming members?

by Crazyguy in

it's become clear that very few from outside the religion are joining anymore.

if only the kids of the people that are already in are the one replacing the members as they die off and 50% let's say of the kids leave then how long can they realistically last before the downturn becomes obvious?.

William Penwell

I think that a lot of JWs go along with the broad focus of the organization (because they are not inclined toward or do not know other worldviews), but they don't go near the detail of what's expected. So, it's not exactly intentional or passive-aggressive but more allowing themselves to not be as "strict" as they are required to be. I used to notice this tendency at social functions even with fellow JWs where you'd swear you were at a "worldly" get-together because people were having a good time and no one was talking about "spiritual" things. There's quite a disconnect among JWs - they don't even realize they're doing it but it reflects a dwindling "zeal" for following the organization to the letter.

I haven't being to a JW social function in some time but things I have seen on here in some ways they have lightened up on practices that used to be labelled as "worldly" are now acceptable. For instance old Freddy Franz would be rolling in his grave to think they allow "worldly" music in a KH, like a video I watched on here some time ago.

33

Jehovah's Witnesses new world HQ nearly complete. From The Chronicle.

by ToesUp in

warwick article.

William Penwell

I remember growing up my brother and myself were wanting to join the Boy Scouts as a "worldly" friend of ours was one. That was a big fat NO by my mother as per borg detective.

33

Jehovah's Witnesses new world HQ nearly complete. From The Chronicle.

by ToesUp in

warwick article.

William Penwell

Is this going to replace all of the Brooklyn facilities? It does not look big enough. I thought they were winding everything down for the last days, why start all this new building work?

95

Supreme Court Of Russia bans Jehovah's Witnesses as an 'extremist organization'

by EdenOne in

read the news here.

the jehovah's witnesses lost their appeal to the supreme court of russia.

bethel to be liquidated.. i bet the gb saw this coming ... here comes the persecution complex paranoia.

William Penwell

I have always said once a suppressive society always a suppressive society. It has nothing to do with their political affiliation.

52

Is shunning unscriptual?

by MrTheocratic in

international version 1 cor 5:11. but now i am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler.

do not even eat with such people.. if shunning is wrong.

.how does one explain this scripture?.

William Penwell

There is a bit of conflict here as Jesus taught that we must love our neighbour as ourselves but then the WT practices shunning which is based on conditional love.

13

Will the talk where They say treat inactive ones as apostates back fire?

by Crazyguy in

a few years ago they had a similar talk and my mother stopped talking to my sister.

after a few weeks the sister called and when mom told her my sister said but i love your my mother.

something to that effect.

William Penwell

Well if my relatives they try this on me, then I consider it no loss. The alienation of the members of a dysfunctional, conditional love, hypocritical organization does not bother me. I have lots of friends outside of this WT cult that I do not need or seek their approval. Seems to me that over the years there are a number of the relatives that treat me differently if I ever run into them, so be it.

22

Former Jehovah's Witness admits: We targeted grief-stricken as 'ripe fruit'

by Londo111 in

http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/80708572/former-jehovahs-witness-admits-we-targeted-grief-stricken-as-ripe-fruit.

jehovah's witnesses target grief and see the recently bereaved as "ripe fruit" for conversion, a former elder of the faith says.. vince and michele tylor spoke out after reading the story of wellington woman jean sergent-shadbolt, who received a handwritten letter from a jehovah's witness three months to the day after her step-cousin, friend and flatmate died.. a current senior elder of the faith says it has no policy to target grieving, and those who do so are acting on their own initiative.

however, he concedes such people may feel guided by jehovah's witness literature.. but vince tylor said he knew of members who would trawl though obituaries to find grieving people, or visit cemeteries.. "not only do we see watchtower printed material suggesting and supporting writing letters from obituaries such as what jean received, but we even have reports and articles of encouragement for jws to go to cemeteries to look for people as well.".

William Penwell

I am not trying to defend the WT but I recall a number of years ago how some sister got my ex wife to go through the news paper obituary and write to people who had just lost a loved one. After one elder told my ex that this was frowned on by the WT but then like everything else when it comes to the WT, it is possible their policies have changed on this issue.

15

WILL this be New Light? Is the Watchtower preparing to say out loud, Jesus is Jehovah?

by Terry in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk7ertncbsk

William Penwell

Jesus if he existed, was only some local Jewish shaman anyway. The whole god thing was added on hundreds of years after the fact.

29

If Prince had an addiction to prescriptions drugs, it's a personal matter but if I want to grow a beard or attend college, it's not.

by ToesUp in

jw
friends

interesting article i found about prince and the jw religion.

i guess they are trying to get their 15 minutes of fame.

i find it disturbing that the elder stated if prince had an addiction to prescription drugs, that is a personal matter but the hundreds of intrusive jw rules like going to college (not scriptural) and growing a beard (also not scriptural) are not also considered a personal choice.

William Penwell

Just more double standards by the WT. Same as the Williams sisters (tennis stars), things that we would get lectured for are over looked with these high profile celebrities. The WT knows where their bread is buttered and do not want to stop the monetary contributions coming in.

30

Has anyone noticed the JW movies are trying to normalise their lifestyle?

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

having watched the prodigal son returns movie produced by the organization and a recent mini-clip of a brother in london who is shown jogging and doing normal everyday things while wanting to "reach out" it occurred to me that the organization is trying to normalize their bizarre lifestyle and beliefs for the benefit of non-witnesses.. what do i mean by normalization?

they try to make the witnesses look like just another christian denomination who are reasonable while their members live and enjoy normal lives that appear to be within the mainstream.. they do this by not mentioning anything to do with higher education, armageddon or the urgency of the end of the world nor is their discussion or mention of the blood issue.

these are things mentioned often at kingdom halls and in study articles.. watching the prodigal son returns, the family appears to live a normal life, going to meetings and studying.

William Penwell

Instead, they give a false image of prosperity and upper-middle class luxury when we know the reality is that anybody who swallows the whole Witness thing is on the fast track to POVERTY....Yes, to live the upper-middle class life portrayed, a person needs college and professional training AND career OR a successful business!

The only witnesses I knew that live a comfortable life style were the ones that gain the education or wealth before they became witnesses. Most of the born in witnesses I knew had menial type jobs and were living pay check to pay check.