Posts by no-zombie

46

What makes a cult (in the pejorative sense)?

by Vanderhoven7 in

michael moore writes:.

a cult is an organization that enslaves minds and destroys families using cult mind control.

cult mind control involves orchestrated deception, social pressure, psychological abuse, and repetitive indoctrination (brainwashing) centering around an unchallengeable ideology enforced in a totalitarian way in a closed socially-separatist community setting.

no-zombie

I'm fully aware of what the Organization is ... however its not a 'cult' as described colloquially. But if people want to go down that road, then they must similarly call our governments; 'cults' ... our educational systems as cults ... and every other religion and faith as one too. This is because everything in this world is a control structure of one kind or another. Even the basic family unit. It all just a measure of degree.

But what everyone must understand is how emotionally charging this word is ... and how if feeds people who like to propagate their own hateful propaganda and baseless conspiracy theories.

No good comes from using it.

11

Revising History

by no-zombie in

while i'm aware of wt books being revised without noting the differences on newer editions (the truth book is a classic example of this) ... is there evidence of the writing committee revising the online versions of wt articles, as compared to the printed editions?.

if there is a previous thread on this topic, just link it ... as these is no need to reinvent the wheel.. thanks.

no-zombie

While I'm aware of WT books being revised without noting the differences on newer editions (the Truth book is a classic example of this) ... is there evidence of the writing committee revising the online versions of WT articles, as compared to the printed editions?

If there is a previous thread on this topic, just link it ... as these is no need to reinvent the wheel.

thanks

18

JW BORG does not have clergy-laity like Christendom! 😄

by BoogerMan in

(because they told us so in a wt!.

w71 6/1 p. 330 par.

10 - "another reason why many feel there is no place for them in the service of god is due to the clergy-laity distinction that is fostered in the churches.

no-zombie

If the Organization doesn't have a clergy class ... the how come does the Society tries to claim clergy penitent privilege as its defence in child abuse litigations?

35

You need to marry a ministerial Servant!

by John Aquila in

a single sister in her 40s and her two single daughters were visiting my mom.

i would say her daughters are in their early 20s.

my mom got sleepy and we put her to bed but the three sisters stayed to finish their drinks..

no-zombie

I think that the comment by the GB regarding marrying a Ministerial Servant was not actually addressed to young Sisters but to the younger Brothers ... to get them to reach out. Its no secrete about the lack of Servants and Elders in the Organization. Due to the combination of young ones leaving the Truth and the remainder who are taking up some kind of career, there isn't enough Brothers coming in to replace the oldies, who are dying off. So in a kind of FOMO attack, the Governing Body is once again twisting people's basic emotions and needs, for its own benefit.

But most of the girls out there in the congregations, are smarter than they look ... and it will be only the fully brainwashed regular pioneers who will wake up one morning when they turn 30, only to realize that they will never marry and have kids of their own.

super sad ... actually

28

Norway didn't fall for it

by Jalisco in

la norvegia non è caduta nella trappola della torre di guardia di agosto.. https://files.accessjw.org/s/sdzfgcgk4bi48jb.

no-zombie

In another part of this request for state funding, I'd just like to recall to everyone's' attention to the fact that the Norwegian Branch actually is responsible for itself (Norway), Denmark, Sweden, Greenland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Yes, in a move to consolidate branches and save money, some years ago the Norwegian Branch became the Scandinavia Branch.

Thus it seems that the trend of falling publisher numbers and lower contributions must have continued, for the GB to be so concerned about a measly 1.5 million per year.

On that other point, some are mentioning ... yeh ... all those changes, for no gain. You got to smile about it.

19

Did Tony Morris Get Sideways with His Bros.?

by Sea Breeze in

interesting video connects the dots.

.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3ff1ibybfe4&t=205s&pp=2ahnazacaq%3d%3d.

no-zombie

As I understand things FFGhost, every country is basically a standalone business unit, where profits above the local branch's operating expenses go to the US. The Governing Body don't mind if things run neutral, however funds never flow out the the US. Thus while 1.5 million annually is nothing globally, it is probably critical for the Norwegian branch and without it, some very embarrassing restructuring (read here, Kingdom Hall sell offs) would have to occur.

18

Biden gives the order to Zelenskyy to Use the long range missiles to hit the interior of Russian territory

by liam in

the war in ukraine has now escalated.

europe is now talking of getting involved in the war to curb the north korean armies that are helping russia.

putin has warned that this will now give him no choice but to retaliate against nato nations.. the biden administration and the democrats in congress want to make sure that the war escalates to such a point that trump won't be able to bring peace to the war in ukraine.

no-zombie

I find that Americans who complain about how much money has been spent on the Ukraine-Russian war, fail to recall how many TRILLIONS of dollars the US government gladly spent to send the Soviet Union broke on the arms and space races of 1945 to 1990s. Showing that the money and equipment the the Ukrainians received is nothing in compared to that ... no even a drop in the proverbial bucket.

Lets look at the facts.

So far the US has given about 55 billion dollars in cash and equipment.

However one defense project, the Ronald Reagan Star Wars system (which actually failed to work) cost your tax payers, 30 billion (1985 dollars). Now just add up all anti-communistic programs and proxy wars America paid for over the decades ... and you should develop a different perspective on this issue.

37

Is it just me, or is Watchtower lowering its standards?

by ukpimo in

in the past, we used to hear talks on:.

avoiding sexual immorality and porn, as well as masturbation and other sexual practices.

why evolution cannot possibly be true.

no-zombie

While its true that the Governing Body has recently lowered the behavioral standards of the Brotherhood, as well as what qualifies a person to be an active publisher ... I wonder when they will take a look at the standards and procedures to qualify for baptism.

Will the exhaustive baptismal questions be dropped one day?

51

2024 year Highlights: JWs hit 9 million Publishers

by Sanchy in

jw
friends

watchtower put out some highlights for the 2024 service year:.

average publishers: 8,828,124. peak publishers: 9,043,460. a 43.2 percent increase in "those who returned to jehovah", meaning 65,816 were reinstated.

baptized: 296,267. memorial attendance: 21,119,442. missing stat: number of partakers .. womp womp.

no-zombie

Sadly everyone, the number of 8.5 to 9 million publishers might be right.

From last year's report, there was about 120,000 congregations world wide and if you simply divide 9 million into 120,000 ... you get 75 people per congregation. And allowing for people who are only on zoom and who just tick the reporting box, it does sounds about right.

But like people have said before, most of the brotherhood (at least in the western world) are elderly and as few of the born-ins stay ... we should start seeing a contraction developing soon.

9

WATCHTOWER IS WATERING DOWN BEDROOM SURVEILLANCE?

by raymond frantz in

https://youtu.be/hwzly3fnpdo?si=0p8zd0_9a-lwtb_9.

the study article 2 from the january 2025 watchtower study edition titled “husbands, honor your wife” represents a marked shift from the earlier, stricter watchtower stance on marital intimacy among jehovah’s witnesses.

this article’s language feels more relaxed, with paragraph 17 and its footnote stating, “the bible does not provide details as to what sexual practices between a husband and a wife should be considered clean or unclean.

no-zombie

While I served as an Elder, I never heard of a married person being disfellowshiped for oral sex (with his or her spouse) ... but has anyone else heard of it?