Posts by LevelThePlayingField

9

Archbisop jailed in Australia

by zeb in

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-07-03/archbishop-wilson-sentenced/9883610.

LevelThePlayingField

This is history in the making! First ever according to Aus news.

Need I say, we'd all love to see the same for JW's.

28

But it's not about the Money

by LevelThePlayingField in

money was the motivator.. .

money.

again, money was the motivator.. .

For over a 100 years, the JW’s have “sold” their literature. Then, all of the sudden, overnight Jimmy Swaggart has an issue with the fed govt where they want to tax him for his religious stuff that he “sells”. The JW’s jump on board to help in this case and then in 1990 all of the sudden Jehovah’s organization goes to a “donation” arrangement. Did the leaders of the JW’s tell their people this? No, they said it was a “simplified arrangement”. But the move from charging for literature to a donation arrangement came from a Christendom court case, NOT simply from a more simplified arrangement.

So what moved Watchtower to make this change? Their not wanting to be taxed...Money was the motivator.

How do the circuit assembly overseers know that there is a surplus or deficit at the assemblies? What criteria do they use? I’ll cut to the chase. They use a “per publisher” headcount amount. That’s how they say, “our cost in connecting with this assembly amounts to…” and then calculate it from there. It’s not actually what it really costs to “run” an assembly hall. Like the cost of maintenance, supplies, utilities and so forth...Money is the motivator.

Then a few years ago the Watchtower and Awakes were trimmed down. The mags went down to the size of a leaflet. A few years later (at the annual meeting of 2017) it was announced that the magazines would only be produced 4 times per year. So, from 32 pages 24 times per year to 16 pages 4 times per year, for both Watchtower and Awake. Do the math if you want. Also, the yearbook was discontinued in 2017. The reasons given, yes, if you listen closely, Money. Money was the motivator.

Mr. Lett of the governing body said in 2015 during a broadcast that 14,0000 kingdom halls were needed to built world wide and that from 2015 onward 3,000 kingdom halls would need to built every year. Then, poof. A complete turning around, a complete 180. There’s a leaked video explaining that the governing body said they want to not build 3,000 kingdom halls per year but SELL 3,000 kingdom halls and other properties over the next 5 years. Congregations are being merged or dissolved and halls sold. Assembly halls are being sold. Construction projects were cancelled around the world. Bethelites and missionaries were given the pink slip, all over night. Many Bethelites were asked to eat their breakfast and get morning worship from their rooms via video. Many branches were sold. In 2006 there were 115, now only 90. So, what happened? Money. Money, or the lack there of happened. Again, Money was the motivator.

For decades for as long as anyone alive can remember, there have been physical publication releases at the conventions. Then a couple of years ago, poof, only digital releases. Ok, to be fair, sure there people who are only digital now and would rather just download a book, but there are many who are not that way. Many a witness has said that they really like to have the physical book in their hands. There’s just something about having a real book in your hands. Why the change? As was noted by the speakers who release the new publication, “please consider carefully if you need a hard copy of the publication as it’s freely available now via download”. Can you even remember the last book you put on the shelf that you got from the convention? Again… eh um, Money.

A few years ago, I think it was 2013, an amazing thing happened. The governing body wrote a letter to all congregations everywhere stating that if you had a loan with them for building a Kingdom Hall or remodeling project, that it was to be canceled. Imagine that! But this letter was sent to ALL congregations, even those who didn’t owe a dime. In that letter it was stated that each congregation was to figure out how much they could “donate” each month. But it was an open-ended agreement. They were to donate what they “could afford” regardless if they owed a loan or not, FOREVER. Yes, each month. So if your congregation owed $30k to the society, by paying the $500/mo they could expect to be “debt free” in 5 more years. But the new arrangement said to keep paying what you can, forever. Would you consider a loan like that from a bank? Get a car loan for $5000 and then pay $200/mo forever. How many would do this? Previous to this, the congregations would simply donate what was on hand, varying each month. And then the society would send an acknowledgement of the donation in thanks. Simple right? Here’s $10. Oh, OK, thank you. Just as it should be. But no, they were not done with just that. They also asked for each congregation to send them all the money they had in their bank accounts, except for 3 months of operating expenses. So, a congregation who had saved up over the years $20k or maybe $50k, were to drain their bank accounts and send it to the society. Many a congregation had implored their congregants month over month for years that the generous donations were being ear-marked for their renovation project. Now, whether or not your congregation got that needed new roof or replaced the AC, ect was NOT up to your body of elders, as was promised for years. Now it’s up to “someone” in New York. And many a congregation were asked to donate towards building a new assembly hall. Oh, yes, remember that? Not so long ago...maybe two years. After collectively millions were donated towards this, yep, poof, gone. The assembly hall projects were cancelled. Where is the money now? “It’s with the branch”, said one elder when specifically asked about it. Need I say, Money is the motivator?

Recently, in a series of leaked videos, it has been revealed that the organization needs more money. And this is just after their sales of a billion plus dollars from Brooklyn. It was said, “until the general donation picture changes substantially the organization will need to hold to the course set by the governing body with respects to spending. Not only this year, but in the coming years as well.” But just prior to this in the same video, a mock interview of one brother to another, they said that donations were never higher. Double talk. Again, as the leaked videos tell us, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MONEY.

It’s not about the money?

There closing & selling their branches, their kingdom & assembly halls.
They’ve taken the donated money set aside to build assembly halls.
They’ve taken all the congregations bank accounts.
They’ve managed to tithe a set amount from congregations, forever.
They’ve laid-off tons of bethelites, missionaries and other workers.
They’ve laid off all district overseers.
They’ve cancelled or delayed nearly all construction.
Printing of publications is at a all time low, as never before in history, yet they tell you things are speeding up.
No more physical releases at conventions. DVD’s, books, brochures? Where are they?

But it’s not about the money.

One more thing. Have you noticed that now Watchtower online library resembles that of the CD-ROM? Yes, now they have Watchtowers going back to 1950, Awakes to 1970 and many of their older pubs. Why the change? Prior to this you could only research back to the year 2000. But if they have all this online now, then there will be no need to offer the CD-ROM any longer. Again, saving money. But this is a good thing right? Well, yes. But think, why has it taken them nearly a decade to figure this out? It was said by many an elder that the reason the Watchtower online library only goes back to 2000 is that we need to keep current with the organization and that the older publications are being phased out; that we don’t “need” anything prior to 2000, otherwise the society would have put it up on the website. “The brothers know what they’re doing.” Maybe at that time, 2009/2010 it was a great way to “hide” their history. But when you can save a few million CD’s from being produced each year...hmm. They don’t have any shame anyway.

Follow the money.

14

The elephant on the street

by Normalfulla in

as a contractor i travel around for my job, i was stopped this morning to buy some milk at a store in a small village i guess and as i turned a corner i saw 2 elders i know personally manning a cart in the cold outside the store with not a soul in sight and an unlikely place for much traffic even though it was outside a country store.

1 elder is my brother in laws father and the other was in my old cong when i left, i said hello, talked about the weather and general chit chat and was my usual self, they were pleasant also but nothing was mentioned to me about anything spiritual etc.

i know they will be aware of some of my reasons for leaving (the few that i talked about initially before shutting my trap) but they were unwilling to engage in saving my life with their work!

LevelThePlayingField

Norm - where do you live because you said, "I saw 2 elders I know personally manning a cart in the cold outside the store..." in particular I noticed you said, "manning the cart in the COLD".

Could you name the country? It's 95 here today in the lower midwest in the U.S.

15

2018 Regional Convention

by Addison0998 in

well guys, after a spiritually encouraging convention, i’ve decided to return my heart back to jehovah.

i realize i was just being too negative and i need to adjust my attitude.

just kidding suckers.

LevelThePlayingField

Well you survived and we live on for yet another day. Thanks for sharing. You are right about them not talking much about Jesus. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible is all about Jesus. But the JW's throw him in the back seat and tell him to speak only when spoken to. Sad.

20

I watched some of the Regional Assembly

by Sour Grapes in

i watched about 2 hours of the regional assembly and these are my thoughts.

the video's and songs did stir my good memories of when i was a jdub elder and very happy in the religion.

i can see how these two things would make it difficult to leave the borg because of the emotional buy-in.. now getting into the talks, the cults true colors show and i wonder how in the hell was i a part of that for over 40 years.

LevelThePlayingField

There is a LOT of thought that goes into their programs/conventions. It's just devious thought.

14

The Telephone we take for granted!

by TerryWalstrom in

jw
friends

march 10, 1876: “mr.

watson —come here—i want to see you” the voice of alexander graham bell is transmitted.

he wasn't the first to invent it but the first to own a patent.. in 1910 telephone "subscribers" had 4 digit telephone numbers.soon, larger cities had 5 digit numbers.mark twain was one of the first to have a phone in his home.. the first phones had no dials or buttons.

LevelThePlayingField

Totally cool. I remember using a payphone. At first I had to drop a dime to make a call. That's where the expression came from. Then it went up to 25 cents. Then went out of existence.

51

Drop Off in Mentioning 1914

by steve2 in

videos from the summer jw conventions ("be courageous) show the "urgency" about the end racheted up several notches.

paranoia rules supreme!.

curiously, though, very few, if any, statements in the convention program about 1914 and the overlapping generations.

LevelThePlayingField

My God, that's great!

10

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Victims' advocates: Abuse not just a 'Catholic problem' [Advocates ask for an investigation like ARC]

by AndersonsInfo in

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/victims-advocates-abuse-not-just-a-catholic-problem-20180625.html.

victims' advocates: abuse not just a 'catholic problem' .

by peter smith, pittsburgh post-gazette .

LevelThePlayingField

This is a very appropriate news article to show any JW, even if they are really indoctrinated. I say that because the article points out that it's pretty much happening everywhere.

So an indoctrinated JW may say, yeah see, it's not just the JW's it's everyone. But little does that JW know that while JW's are not alone as far as child sexual abuse is concerned, they are alone as far as their response to it.

They are the only ones left to join the redress scheme of the ARC. They are the "worst offenders" and the organization that was considered to have the worst approach to CSA according to the ARC.

Case in point, how do you NOT call the authorities on even one case of CSA in 50 years?

51

Drop Off in Mentioning 1914

by steve2 in

videos from the summer jw conventions ("be courageous) show the "urgency" about the end racheted up several notches.

paranoia rules supreme!.

curiously, though, very few, if any, statements in the convention program about 1914 and the overlapping generations.

LevelThePlayingField

Wow, dubstepped and cobweb, right on the money. I couldn't said it better myself.

4

Just remember that some JW's are TOTALLY gone as regards to CSA

by LevelThePlayingField in

so, i managed to squander a way into jwtalk dot net.

they are a pro jw discussion group.

i found this post in there as regards to 34 chille priest resigning due to csa child sexual abuse coverup: (a "senior member").

LevelThePlayingField

diddo.