Oubliette

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Posts by Oubliette

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  21

  On a need to know basis - The Letter

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  we've just had our sunday meeting and the letter was read out to the congregation.. however, there was no mention of the bethel lay-offs or the building program shut-downs.. looks like we are on a need to know basis, here in australia..

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  Oubliette

  Truthexplorer: I just said wow, perhaps we are closer to the end than we think!!

  Yeah, the end of believing in this cult!
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  21

  On a need to know basis - The Letter

  by no-zombie in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  we've just had our sunday meeting and the letter was read out to the congregation.. however, there was no mention of the bethel lay-offs or the building program shut-downs.. looks like we are on a need to know basis, here in australia..

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  Oubliette

  You're confusing two different streams of leaked information.
  
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  106

  2015. Annual meeting

  by obarac in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  any news?

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  Oubliette

  fukitol: Really lousy coverage on this site of this years AGM. .... Not a single solid comment here about any doctrinal changes except something about Ezekiel.

  Apparently there weren't any.
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  56

  Do You Consider Yourself An "Apostate"?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't.. i consider myself a truth teller.. the watchtower society appears to be more "apostate" than even "christendom"..

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  Oubliette

  Thanks nicolaou!

  I was recently asked by two forum members why I refuse to be called an "apostate." Here are my reasons:
  

  "Apostate" is a label the WTBTS leaders use to demonize those that dare question their authority, their teachings and anything else about them.

  It's the religious equivalent of the Hegelian concept of: "other."

  It's a slanderous, pejorative term.

  Why would anyone want to give another person that power over them? Why use the WT's derogatory term in reference to one self?

  Besides, if you want to get technical, according to the WT's own definition of the word, the current GB members are all apostates for "falling away from the faith" that was delivered to them. Who the hell do they think they are to change one iota of JW/WT doctrine or "theology"?

  No, I am not an apostate. I am a human being. I am a secular humanist. I am a father, a husband, a neighbor, a friend. I am an educator. I am a man.
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  50

  The NEW "Bible Teach" book

  by Oubliette in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the new "bible teach" book is out!

  thetruthbr has posted links for this and several other of the new publications.

  as an educator, i am very interested in where the society is heading with their alleged "bible education" program.

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  Oubliette

  Steve2: Time was when the Watchtower Society at least claimed to base new publications on the Bible. Now they base them on earlier publications.

  Great catch!

  Yeah, they've done this for a long time as you observed, but they didn't always admit it!

  The current WT leadership are uninspired (in every sense of the word), completely lacking in creativity and clearly without any original ideas of their own.
  
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  53

  First thoughts on "new" meeting...

  by konceptual99 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  had a quick look at the workbook and flicked through the sample meeting video.. the increased use of video shows the trend for more centralised dissemination of "best practice" .

  sure there isn't really a "school" any more and the format is a bit different but i think those that called it as the same old crap just in new package got it pretty much right.

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  Oubliette

  LQ: After watching the sample meeting video, here take was: same stuff, different packaging.

  Yep. It's all window dressing. Nothing substantive.

  The people running this thing are clearly uninspired and out of ideas.
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  22

  How to Read Financial Statements

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just put an entry on my blog.

  thought it might be useful in all the discussions about money.

  feel free to post questions or comments either here or on my blog.. http://pathologicallyintellectual.blogspot.com/.

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  Oubliette

  OC, no worries. Note the use of "almost" in my preceding post!

  If I ever make it north of the line I'll take you up on that offer.
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  22

  How to Read Financial Statements

  by JeffT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just put an entry on my blog.

  thought it might be useful in all the discussions about money.

  feel free to post questions or comments either here or on my blog.. http://pathologicallyintellectual.blogspot.com/.

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  Oubliette

  OrphanCrow, you made me almost spit my coffee all over my laptop in laughter.

  You're probably right!
  
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  14

  Hidden From Jehovah's Witness videos

  by Vortex in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this video deal with some really important information that i wanted to share with you all, looks like it may have hit a nerve in the watchtower, because the stock link he mentioned in the video has been taken down, it was up yesterday, he says he plays chess and anticipated they would do that, so he supplied a secondary link to the same information.

  the entire 8 part series is very informative exposing alot about watchtower doctrine, and hidden elements.

  here is the link to the video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lrdx3vpug.

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  Oubliette

  mynameislame, Good question!

  On closer look, it appears that these might be outright holdings.

  I think I jumped to the conclusion it was a detailed listing of the holdings in a mutual fund from the Fidelity account listed at the top of page 26.

  That would make it even more egregious that they continue to hold positions in individual equities from which they could easily divest themselves.
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  14

  Hidden From Jehovah's Witness videos

  by Vortex in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this video deal with some really important information that i wanted to share with you all, looks like it may have hit a nerve in the watchtower, because the stock link he mentioned in the video has been taken down, it was up yesterday, he says he plays chess and anticipated they would do that, so he supplied a secondary link to the same information.

  the entire 8 part series is very informative exposing alot about watchtower doctrine, and hidden elements.

  here is the link to the video.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0lrdx3vpug.

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  Oubliette

  Here is a link to an interesting US Federal tax documents:

  IRS Form 990 Return of Organization Exempt From Income Tax - Henrietta M. Riley Trust for the WTBTS

  
  

  Beginning on page 26 is a detailed listing of the trust's investment portfolio. Here are a few holdings which I find both ironic and hypocritical:

  • Fidelity Inst Government III
  • Apple
  • Boeing
  • Disney Walt Co
  • Dow Chemical
  • Facebook
  • Google Inc CLC
  • Lions Gate Entertainment
  • Molson Coors Brewing Co
  • Starbucks
  • Time Warner Inc
  • United Technologies

  
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  Granted, these are holdings in a mutual fund with a diverse portfolio of holdings. But there is not question that the primary mission of many of these companies are in direct conflict with the alleged moral position of the WTBTS.

  Boeing, Northrop Grumman and United Technologies are huge defense contractors. Lions Gate makes tons of R-rated movies. The list is long.
  

  The fact is, they WT leaders are hypocrites. This just proves they're whores for money. High-priced whores, but whores nonetheless.

  Let's review: It's a cult!