Posts by GrreatTeacher

34

Next change?

by JW_Rogue in

so, first the turning in time got axed, now beards are okay, what is up next?

women wearing dress slacks to the meeting?

birthdays becoming acceptable?

Well, aren't there 9 members now? So all it would take is 4 of them to block a vote. I think probably Losch, Herd and Lett are all old school. If they were the only ones blocking things, then, yes, they can have their 6 votes which is two thirds now that Tony is gone.

Not sure about Jackson. Is he hard, soft or in between?

But then again, hasn't there been some gobbledygook about the Governing Body trying to vote things through unanimously and if not, they put it aside and discuss it more?

I guess maybe those that make the rules can break the rules and remake the rules, so are they really adhering to the two thirds rule at all now?

32

55 Year Cycle shows up in March 2024 Watchtower

by was a new boy in

did they hope that everybody who read the1969 awake as a kid is too senile to remember?.

.

GrreatTeacher

I remember being terrified of thunderstorms as a kid. I was just sure it was Jehovah finally unleashing his wrath and the beginning of Armageddon.

I still don't like them much. My husband loves to sit on the porch and watch them. I don't join him.

27

The Governing Body - Both sides of their coin

by Ron.W. in

how many can you think of.... they speak for god.. it would seem presumptuous to say they speak for god,.

they are neither inspired nor infallible.. they are god's only channel for issuing truth here on earth.

they won't be apologising for any errors/falsehoods they have promoted in the past that fail.. congregation members must be quick and apologise for their errors to avoid harsh discipline/disfellowshipping.. when they change a major belief/doctrine you must not complain or criticise them.

GrreatTeacher

Terrible things are happening in the world.

This means the end is coming because "there will be wars and reports of wars..."

Good things are happening in the world.

This means the end is coming because there will be a cry of "peace and security."

32

55 Year Cycle shows up in March 2024 Watchtower

by was a new boy in

did they hope that everybody who read the1969 awake as a kid is too senile to remember?.

.

GrreatTeacher

Biahi, that just makes me so sad for you and for other little children.

To feel that kind of existential dread at 10 years old.

So cruel.

34

Next change?

by JW_Rogue in

so, first the turning in time got axed, now beards are okay, what is up next?

women wearing dress slacks to the meeting?

birthdays becoming acceptable?

GrreatTeacher

I predict a sifting process among hardliners and more liberal Witnesses.

There are bodies of elders that love that hard nosed control and will have trouble relaxing into the new standards.

Then there are liberal congregations that will likely just jump in and embrace the change and that might not set well with some regular old publishers that don't like the new loosey goosey rules.

You might see some folks moving congregations to find a better fit.

If that becomes a problem as some congregations empty out and others surge, we might go back to hearing that publishers need to attend the congregation to which they are assigned.

The problem is that that was always determined by preaching territory and with the relaxation in time reporting is that also going to be irrelevant soon?

Looking more and more like there was a coup in the Governing Body, so I would expect to see more little coup's filter their way down to local congregations.

20

JW sign is the sacred cow being idolized by the JWs

by enoughisenough in

this video makes valid points and the last pictures in the video says it all imo...i knew witnesses who wore the logo in their jewelry.

the sign represents the organization, so the organization is what is really being worshipped instead of god almighty.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ktadlxlqee8.

GrreatTeacher

Back in the eighties, there was a brief period where JWs would put the tetragrammaton on the back of their cars.

There were a few businesses around the Baltimore region where brothers put pinstriping on new cars.

They got fancy with the decals and created the four Hebrew letters for yahweh and it became quite a fad to stick them on the back of vehicles as like a secret signal to other Witnesses.

Actually everybody else probably just assumed they were advertising some Jewish day school.

It was shut down fairly quickly but I remember driving to the district convention one summer and waving to the other JWs who had this decal on the back of their vehicle.

33

Further education

by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

i just saw on a video that there has been a change about further education.

here is a screenshot of a letter that went to all elders.

i am an elder but i don’t remember this one, perhaps it is only for some areas?.

GrreatTeacher

ExBethelitePIMA, it's okay that you didn't pick up on it. You're new at this and are still building up those critical thinking skills.

Those of us who have been doing this awhile picked it up right away.

There were also many parodies written over the years where people would write up something close enough to Watchtower speak that it sounded plausible.

One of my favorites was: Cats: Are they for Christians? It was hilarious and I wish I could find it. Made it sound like every good JW should rehome their pet pussycat.

45

Merry Christmas

by jhine in

jw
friends

so for those amongst us who celebrate the season .

merry christmas everyone.

.. jan from tam .

GrreatTeacher

Merry Christmas everyone!

Jan, have you ever made it up to Litchfield Cathedral to see the lights at Christmastime? I've heard it's beautiful.

A young cousin of mine lives there and has told us about it but we'll probably never make it there as transatlantic airfare has become prohibitively expensive and if we visit it would probably be in warmer weather.

18

Hand Grenade Time

by MissDaSilva in

jw
friends

decided i’m going to go out with a bang.

just posted a merry christmas meme on my watsapp status.

in portuguese but it’s very clear what it means with the baubles etc…... i will keep you posted on people’s reactions.

GrreatTeacher

What Stan said: don't let the elders in!

I faded and then moved, but the new elders were soon on my doorstep asking to come in to talk to me.

Mind you, I did not know these people personally, they were strangers. And they had their hand on the door already trying to step in.

I looked at them with the biggest smile and said, "No, thanks!" cheerfully.

They were so CONFUSED! I wasn't following the programming.

I then shut the door and waved through the window at them.

And I never heard from anyone ever again.

40

Kingdom Hall Alarm codes.

by JEMIMAH in

jw
friends

just back from renovating my holiday home in the south west of france.

beats yorkshire anyday.... anyway thought i would share this little account with you.. as most are of you are aware, the alarm code for about 90% of kingdom halls is 1914 (nineteen fourteen).. i t seems though that for the last 8 or 9 quick builds or refurbs in the uk, the brother who installed the numbers into the alarm control panel used the numbers 1975 and explained the number as one nine seven five not the the easier version (ninteen seventy five).. trivial joke or honest mistake, either way this poor brother has been rumbled and has to to meet with 2 elders investigating on behalf of a body of elders to see whether an apostasy charge will be brought.. he is supposed to be meeting with them over the next few days.. .

a very sad jem, who is sick of the whole elder abuse game.

GrreatTeacher

I think the fact that any JW could probably guess that it was 1914 is a feature not a bug.

After all, all JWs are trustworthy, right?

It is a weird sort of sense of "unity" that they're likely proud of. Cool water cooler type discussion for those circuit wide elders meetings. "1914? Ours too!"