Island Man

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Posts by Island Man

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  14

  How did your close JWs react when they found out you know TTATT?

  by ivanatahan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm not sure if this topic has ever been posted (surely, i believe it has), but it would be interesting to revive such a topic and hear your stories!.

  when my parents heard my first rant (after they told me to be home schooled when i was caught kissing a girl) they entered into a long depression that continues to this day.

  my father suffers knowing his once amazing family is now divided, and my mother is equally angry.

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  Island Man

  None of mine know. But I bet many relatives of others are reacting like this:

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEStsLJZhzo
  
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  7

  disfellowshipping

  by Sabin in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  if disfellowshipping was to be done away with, aside from the authorities that should be informed of child abuse so it may be dealt with legally, how should these one`s be dealt with within the congregations?.

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  Island Man

  Disfellowshipping does not have to be done away with. Shunning has to be done away with.

  A disfellowshipped person should simply have his status as one of Jehovah's Witnesses revoked, returning him to being just another member of the public lacking all the privileges in the congregation that only baptized and unbaptized publishers are permitted to have. Additionally a disfellowshipped person should also be treated as a marked individual who is on reproof.

  Where I am, a JW on reproof cannot comment at the meetings and is associated with less, by some JWs. But he is not shunned. I think that is how a disfellowshipped person should be treated.

  But beyond that I think the whole criteria for disfellowshipping needs to be revised. The whole idea of elders trying to discern the repentance of an individual based on his words and body language is foolish. A person who commits a serious sin once and isn't continuing in it should not be disfellowshipped, period.

  Disfellowshipping should be reserved only for those who persist in the serious sins that 1 Corinthians 5 mentions.

  A JW who commits pedophilia should have a lifetime ban on having any authority in the congregation - even if he is reinstated as a JW - and all in the congregation should be informed of his status as a sex offender.
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  79

  Right everyone watch this video its insane!

  by username in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i'm just watching this video.

  now bare in mind this guy has never been a jehovah's witness so he has no investment in this cult.. https://youtu.be/_ry-onhbkya.

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  Island Man

  I can't see the video, it's been pulled. But just want to say that GMO's are safe to eat. The great deal of negative hysteria about their safety to consume is born of ignorance.

  The only potential problem that GMO's pose is that some species might outcompete local unmodified versions leading to their extinction. In other words some GMO crops might behave like an invasive species. But as far as consuming food harvested from GMO's - it's perfectly safe and anyone who says otherwise obviously does not know all the details of what GMO's are.
  
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  71

  Any thoughts on the real reasons for droppng the 'school"

  by sparrowdown in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my thoughts are.

  1. they want to avoid being made to comply with any laws that come with anything classed as a "school" especially a school with children enrolled.. 2. the mid-week meeting has been dying in the ass for years and needs a revival.

  i predict happy -clappy-sing-a-longs to be included in the program.. anyone else have any thoughts ??

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  Island Man

  Correct me If I'm wrong, but the school hasn't actually been dropped - only radically changed/simplified and renamed.

  Reason for the change? I think the lack of brothers has a big part to play in it. Because school assignments will now be in the form of preaching presentations and not instructional talks teaching the congregation, it means that a presentation given to a brother can easily be substituted by a sister. So a shortage of males in a congregation poses less of a problem in terms of finding a substitute.

  Another reason for the change - or at least the timing of it - is to serve as a consoling distraction to some of the negative news swirling around Watchtower at present re poor handling of child abuse and financial difficulties. They have to keep up appearances that the chariot is still move ahead full speed, and thus the org. still has Jehovah's blessing even though they're actually mired in problems.

  "Pay no attention to the turmoil at Bethel! Look at the shiny new meeting arrangements we've prepared for you."
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  11

  My True Identity

  by The Governor in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i write under the screen name the governor.

  why i chose this screen name was i felt strongly at the time (and still do) that the charterer itself from the walking dead tv series that is called the governor had a lot of qualities shared with the governing body.

  both had narcissism blowing out of their ears, both oppressed individuals for their gain whether it was for power and profits and both the governing body and the governor were able to reel people into their trap by charming outsiders in and giving them big promises that could never be fulfilled.

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  Island Man

  Hi Sexo- ... I mean, Saxon.
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  35

  How do we know the WTS monitors this site? Can anyone tell me for sure?

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i keep hearing this in threads.....

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  Island Man

  A few years ago John Cedars leaked a confidential letter to bodies of elders on the subject child abuse. Soon after that John's website was down. Watchtower complained to John's website provider resulting in his site going down for a while.

  There are also examples of youtube channels critical of JWs, getting pulled due to DMCA complaints issued by Watchtower.

  Do you think that this, one of the oldest and perhaps the most popular website with information critical of JWs, escapes the notice and periodic monitoring by Watchtower. I find that very difficult to believe!

  Maybe Simon will shed some light.
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  3

  Massive Bible contradiction of the Draw Close to Jehovah book. Or Jehovah is not loving.

  by Island Man in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  "love...does not rejoice over unrighteousness.

  " the new english bible here reads: "love...does not gloat over other men's sins.

  " moffatt's translation says: "love is never glad when others go wrong.

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  Island Man

  "Love...does not rejoice over unrighteousness." The New English Bible here reads: "Love...does not gloat over other men's sins." Moffatt's translation says: "Love is never glad when others go wrong." Love finds no pleasure in unrighteousness, so we do not wink at immorality of any kind. How do we react if a fellow believer is ensnared by sin and fares badly as a result? Love will not let us rejoice, as if to say 'Good! He deserved it!' (Proverbs 17:5) We do rejoice, however, when a brother who has erred takes positive steps to recover from his spiritual fall." -- Draw Close to Jehovah, page 307, paragraph 20

  Contrast the text I highlighted above from the Watchtower publication with what Proverbs 1:23-27 says about how Jehovah feels toward those who fare badly because of not following his counsel:

  (Proverbs 1:23-27) . . .Respond to my reproof. Then I will pour out my spirit for you; I will make my words known to you. 24 Because I called out, but you kept refusing, I stretched out my hand, but no one was paying attention, 25 You kept neglecting all my advice And rejecting my reproof, 26 I also will laugh when disaster strikes you; I will mock when what you dread comes, 27 When what you dread comes like a storm, And your disaster arrives like a storm wind, When distress and trouble come upon you.

  At this week's Congregation Bible Study (week of September 21, 2015) JWs commenting on paragraph 20 were giving examples of JWs who were warned against following a certain course and rejected counsel and ended up in trouble. JWs were saying it would be wrong to rejoice or gloat over their fall as if to say: 'we told you so, serves you right!'
  But look at what Proverbs 1:23-27 reveals about Jehovah. The exact behavior that dubs and Watchtower say is wrong, is the exact behavior that Jehovah, the God of love, exhibits! So it seems like Jehovah does not live up to Watchtower's counsel on showing love. The elders need to take Jehovah to the back room and counsel him. lol.
  
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  29

  Impression of Leaked Letter Regarding Annual Meeting

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the letter that watchtower free put up was very interesting.

  here is my impression.. the watchtower is becoming more and more geared towards idiots.

  the midweek meeting has a stupid name, and the parts sound equally dumb.

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  Island Man

  I think this change up of the meetings is just to serve as a distraction from the implications of the layoffs and the stoppage of K.H. construction work.

  "Pay no attention to the layoffs and work stoppage behind the curtain. Look at the shiny new meetings and literature arrangements that we've made for you!"

  The work stoppage and layoffs may have been planned months in advance . . . together with the meeting changes to serve as a consoling distraction.
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  43

  Rumor Confirmed!: Bethel Downsize First Hand

  by freemindfade in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just texted a very good remote worker friend, said i heard that there is a reduction in force coming at bethel and i hoped he wouldn't be affected.

  .

  he said its true, its not a rumor.

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  Island Man

  "The scary thing is that it's so well written it could be real..."

  What! It's not real? If that letter ain't real then Watchotwer-Free deserves a Nobel Prize for Watchtower parody.
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  119

  Latest rumor - all WT construction "suspended", except for Warwick

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  heard 4th-hand, but from a full-on believer, so not likely to be an "apostate lie":.

  apparently, at bethel's morning worship this morning, it was announced that all worldwide wts construction is "suspended" for an indefinite time, except for the new world headquarters at warwick.. also, the "relocation" of remote translating teams is also suspended.. finally, there will be a "worldwide" reduction in bethel personnel.. all this came to me in a non-english language, and,as noted, 4th-hand.

  so it is possible something may have been lost in translation and/or in the multiple steps between bethel morning worship & me.. but if true, it would be quite stunning.

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  Island Man

  Look for any secular breaking news stories that mention the collapse of some major financial institution, investment bank, or financier.