Posts by AndDontCallMeShirley

20

Do current JWs like to have Bible discussions?

by Magnum in

on another thread rufus t. firefly made this interesting comment:.

my wife is a "zealous" regular pioneer who never talks about the bible or "the truth" and who has no interest in conducting a bible study with anyone.

this is how one remains a jw.. i decided to start a new thread to discuss this, since i didn't want to veer completely off the topic of the original thread.. i can relate to what rufus said - not concerning my wife, but other close jw family members.

AndDontCallMeShirley

My take:

1. Apathy. The Bible or 'spiritual' things have little relevance in a JWs life anymore. Following Organizational procedure ("listen, obey and be blessed") takes priority over everything; blindly follow WT and you are golden. Who needs the Bible? People generally do not have a problem freely talking about what really interests them. The fact that JWs talk very little, or not at all, about the Bible speaks volumes. You don't talk about things you're not thinking about. Period.

2. As others have noted, "Bible discussions" are nothing more than regurgitating what has been printed in a magazine. Not very interesting (and most likely few JWs have actually even read the magazine anyway. Nothing to discuss).

3. I also think there's a growing number of JWs who secretly do not agree with WT. I recently heard of several long-time JWs mocking the stupidity of ToMo's "Spanx" rant. It's a revealing attitude from these JWs toward someone who's allegedly anointed and a GB member. If JWs really believed that they wouldn't criticize good 'ol Tony at all.

4. Bringing up an honest Bible discussion (or anything else WT-related) would most likely result in disagreement with WT, which sends up the JW red flag of apostate suspicions. Why go there?

5. The new replacement for the Bible: jw org. The JW Golden Calf. Why open a Bible or even discuss it when you have a website?

12

research impossible

by sowhatnow in

so, now that nearly all of the past knowledge that jw's has had is slowly being deleted, how does anyone do any research on any subject?.

meetings are pretty boring as it is, all they do is parrot the society's writings.. how is this going to work?

i have to wonder , what point is the service meeting , once you know how to walk up to a door and hand someone a magazine.

AndDontCallMeShirley

January 1, 1994 issue on page 21, stated;

For the past 114 years, The Watchtower, like a skillful lawyer has established itself as a defender of Bible truth and doctrine .. it continues to be the principal instrument of 'the faithful and discreet slave' and its Governing Body for announcing Jehovah's established Kingdom and dispensing spiritual food 'at the proper time.'

________

Ironically, this quote also reveals how WT doctrine has changed, i.e. the identity of the 'faithful slave'. 1994... ancient history in WT Land.

Why is this lawyer like skillful defense of Bible truth and doctrine, in older publications, not made available to researchers?

For the same reason the Flock book is not made available to the public or the R&F JWs. Despite the fact that the inside cover of the Flock book says it is made available as part of a "worldwide educational work", in reality it is available only to a select few.

It is a classic WT misdirect and false claim.

12

research impossible

by sowhatnow in

so, now that nearly all of the past knowledge that jw's has had is slowly being deleted, how does anyone do any research on any subject?.

meetings are pretty boring as it is, all they do is parrot the society's writings.. how is this going to work?

i have to wonder , what point is the service meeting , once you know how to walk up to a door and hand someone a magazine.

AndDontCallMeShirley

More realistically, the situation now is:

I have to wonder , what point is the service meeting , once you know how to walk up to a door and ~~hand someone a magazine~~ tell someone to go to JW.Org. why go anymore? *

* answer: WT is focused on busy work for JWs, not productivity.

3

The Atheist Ten Non-Commandments

by AndDontCallMeShirley in

according to a number of studies though, religion is in trouble.

a survey by the pew research center in 2012 saw record numbers indicating a huge upswing in atheism, with 20 percent of americans now identifying as agnostic, atheist or "unaffiliated" with a religion.

this was the highest percentages ever of "nones" or those who are unaffiliated in pew research center polling.. so with more people considering themselves atheist, what do they believe when it comes to the rules to live by?

AndDontCallMeShirley

According to a number of studies though, religion is in trouble. A survey by the PEW Research Center in 2012 saw record numbers indicating a huge upswing in Atheism, with 20 percent of Americans now identifying as Agnostic, Atheist or "Unaffiliated" with a religion. This was the highest percentages ever of "nones" or those who are unaffiliated in Pew Research Center polling.

So with more people considering themselves atheist, what do they believe when it comes to the rules to live by? As part of the new book Atheist Mind, Humanist Heart: Rewriting the Ten Commandments for the Twenty-first Century, authors Lex Bayer and John Figdor held a contest in which atheists were asked to offer modern alternatives to the Ten Commandments.

Here are the winners of the "Ten Non-Commandments:"

1. Be open-minded and be willing to alter your beliefs with new evidence.

2. Strive to understand what is most likely to be true, not to believe what you wish to be true.

3. The scientific method is the most reliable way of understanding the natural world.

4. Every person has the right to control of their body.

5. God is not necessary to be a good person or to live a full and meaningful life.

6. Be mindful of the consequences of all your actions and recognize that you must take responsibility for them.

7. Treat others as you would want them to treat you, and can reasonably expect them to want to be treated. Think about their perspective.

8. We have the responsibility to consider others, including future generations

9. There is no one right way to live.

10. Leave the world a better place than you found it.

And there's your moral code. No need to carve it in stone or hand it down from a mountain. Did we ever really need a supernatural being or a book to tell us these things? I think we'll be just fine on our own. All we need to do is start thinking for ourselves.

-

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-siebold/dont-just-question-the-te_b_6367584.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

75

New forum 'parousia' is upon us! (software version)

by Simon in

the time has nearly come to switch over to the new forum software.

of course it's not completely finished yet (and never will be) but i think it's good enough to go live with and probably already better than the current one.

i'll give you a quick overview of what to expect and post more detail about the changeover process later.. cloud platform.

AndDontCallMeShirley

Surely we have misunderstood the meaning of the word spoken, but can have faith that the timeline is accurate.

"Evidently" he "inferred" it was more of a "probability" than merely a "possibility". I erred in missing Simon's more cautionary words.

I shall continue to put my faith in the timeline until new light shines more brightly...

44

Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

by Hidden-Window in

jw
friends

i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

AndDontCallMeShirley

It's funny how many of you were MSes or elders and now you can only assign bad motives to the ones who are still in.

Or, maybe from the outside view now that's the takeaway from an honest re-assessment?

Personally, when I served as an MS, I was 50/50 (looking back from an outside-in perspective). Part of my reason for serving was I thought I was doing the right thing- what god wanted me to do. But I'd be dishonest if I said that the title and prestige, along with "privileges", were not also a strong motivating factor... maybe the bigger influence of the two motives.

I believe there are men with good motives who still serve. However, with WT's escalating focus on legalism and shelving of normal human compassion as part of the process of qualifying, the honest-hearted ones will find it more difficult to serve and find less satisfaction in their duties. The good men often have no desire to get in the game regardless of how much they are pressured otherwise.

I've known more than one good man who stepped down because he was hamstrung as an Elder to be the caring, helpful, compassionate man he desired to be and was, instead, finding greater conflict within his own conscience for maintaining the status quo of being a corporate enforcer. The contrast was simply too great between the way things were supposed to be and the way they really are.

7

"My Husband's Not Gay" New Show on TLC Channel

by ShirleyW in

jw
friends

"my husband's not gay" a special airing on january 11 follows a group of mormon men who say they are happily married and attracted to their wives but are attracted to men also .

whhaaaaattt !!!!.

first of all don't mormons look down on the gay lifestyle, and they also shun members like jws do.. well, all i can say is i'm waiting for jw version of this show, if they're featuring mormons, the dubs must be next !.

AndDontCallMeShirley

I look forward to the JW-slanted series:

"My Husband's Not Gay- He's Just an Elder Pedophile Who Wears Spanx and Looks Metrosexual While Eating Hot Dogs"

63

LDC Semininar

by Sour Grapes in

jw
friends

ldc semininar @ patterson nov 15-18, 2014 .

entire ldc dept included remote workers/design/legal/real estate/purchasing.

oversight.

AndDontCallMeShirley

We may often be making offers on properties that are not even for sale... we are in a War – we are in small battles with each property

I guess the braniacs in the WT Real Estate and Land Development For Jehovah Dept. haven't 2+2 together on this one.

WT makes an offer on a property that isn't even for sale. When the owner says 'no', WT then does what it always does: throws a tantrum and pouts. Step 3 is lawyer up through WT Legal to piss-and-moan in the courts to strong-arm a sale. Jeez, of course it'll be a "war"... whatdya expect, dumbasses?

I bet WT laments the good 'ol days when god's people could just wipe the village out and take the real estate.

44

Men are not looking forward to becoming Elders or Ministerial Servants

by Hidden-Window in

jw
friends

i have noticed an apparently increasing number of men who are not interested in becoming ministerial servants or elders.

i also know of some that have voluntarily stepped down (which is my case) for no obvious solid reason.. i remember, during my teenage years or even during my twenties, the brothers were always looking forward to being appointed... although many still do, i have noticed there are many others with whom you do not know what the deal is.. since there is no freedom of speech within the organization, we remain in the dark about the motives and desires of everybody else.

i attend a congregation with only two ministerial servants, while it is full of men who do not seem to be willing to do more.. it is hard to tell exactly what is going on, since honesty is not possible while you are inside, but i am starting to think that more and more are becoming disillusioned.... .

AndDontCallMeShirley

I would posit that this is the way all human organizations, of any type, tend to evolve.

Ah, but WT is "god's organization". Human traits that make non-god's organizations (i.e. everybody else) spiral into politics is not supposed to affect WT.

But, of course, you are correct, Bobcat. The all-too-human daily business of WT betrays its claims of being Teflon coated via holy spirit as false. WT and it's minions are just as susceptible to the entanglements that befall Satan's corporations... but pride and self-delusion keep WT from ever seeing it.

75

New forum 'parousia' is upon us! (software version)

by Simon in

the time has nearly come to switch over to the new forum software.

of course it's not completely finished yet (and never will be) but i think it's good enough to go live with and probably already better than the current one.

i'll give you a quick overview of what to expect and post more detail about the changeover process later.. cloud platform.

AndDontCallMeShirley

Oubliette: "So when's it coming?"

simon: Soon as in the next day or two

'So where is this promised forum parousia of his? Why from the day Simon posted this thread, all things are continuing exactly as in the days of our forefathers.'

LOL. Just kidding, Simon.

Thanks for all your hard work and for the anticipated changes. I look forward to it.