GrreatTeacher

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Posts by GrreatTeacher

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  27

  The Governing Body - Both sides of their coin

  by Ron.W. in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

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  GrreatTeacher

  NotFormer, just wanted to let you know that I wasn't the one to downvote you.

  Thanks for the comment.

  In general, I feel like people appreciate directed responses over simple up/down votes, and it keeps conversations lively and interactive.
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  34

  Next change?

  by JW_Rogue in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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?

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  GrreatTeacher

  Nice quick watch of less than 10 minutes.

  He points out several control tactics in the latest announcement about beards.

  Recommend taking a few minutes to watch.
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  7

  Will Self on JWs

  by Slidin Fast in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  will self is a well known thinker, journalist and writer here in the uk.

  i think this article is absolutely on the money.

  in any case, well worth a read.

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  GrreatTeacher

  Hilarious. He gets rid of JWs on his doorstep by saying, "I'm a vampire."

  That's not one I've ever heard, but it would've shocked me into leaving immediately!
• 
  34

  Next change?

  by JW_Rogue in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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?

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  GrreatTeacher

  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?
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  32

  55 Year Cycle shows up in March 2024 Watchtower

  by was a new boy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

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

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  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.
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  27

  The Governing Body - Both sides of their coin

  by Ron.W. in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

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  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."
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  32

  55 Year Cycle shows up in March 2024 Watchtower

  by was a new boy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

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

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  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

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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?

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  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.
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  20

  JW sign is the sacred cow being idolized by the JWs

  by enoughisenough in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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.

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  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.
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  33

  Further education

  by ExBethelitenowPIMA in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  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?.

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  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.