Posts by DJS

10

If there were no shunning ...

by bemused in

a lot of members of this forum are still notionally active jws, in many cases because of worries about the loss of contact with family and friends if they were to leave.

i was never in so it's hard for me to judge, but it seems to me that if the watchtower org were to announce tomorrow that shunning is wrong and jws should keep contact with family and friends who leave then the effect would be devasting for congregation numbers.

if so then obviously such an announcement is highly unlikely, but is my view correct?

DJS

Bemused,

I've wondered the same thing myself. As we've noticed, some would likely go back because of friends and family, even though they know it is pure BS. Some would leave and begin living their own lives. Some would stay and live their own lives (college, sex, etc.).

The Borg won't do anything that doesn't have a net positive effect for itself, as organizations are egoist. All 3 of these scenarios would appear to have a negative impact on the Dark Lords' ability to control the rank and file and maintain overall order.

As long as they are experiencing a net increase - even if it is based on 3rd world growth - that isn't likely to occur. Growth is a sign Jah is favoring them. They might place sheer numbers (growth) above control, but I doubt it. They have shown a century long tendency to desire control over everything. They will simply re-group, circle the wagons and tell everyone it is a 'cleansing' directed by Jah.

There is one thing I believe could bring about farily substantial changes in the Borg quickly: $$$. If the wealthy countries stopped sending them $ and they had to begin paying for the O&M day to day costs out of their own savings, they might address the shunning. My bet is they have already identified these scenarios and have a list of things they will roll out. It is likely that ending DFing is not on it, as that would provide them the least amount of control. And control is Optimus Prime to the Dark Lords.

Relaxing college, sports, entertainment, etc. and allowing more personal freedom of conscience is more likely their strategy, IMHO.

34

US Official Predicts End Of World Power Status

by metatron in

jw
friends

http://blogs.wsj.com/chinarealtime/2014/03/28/americans-must-adjust-to-a-world-dominated-by-china-feds-bullard-says/.

an alliance could emerge that suddenly upsets the balance of power , making anglo-america number 2. already, the brics nations seem to be moving towards a loose alliance on many issues.

either way, things are moving in china's direction.

DJS

Bumping,

Did any of you see tonight's CBS 60 Minutes airing of China's Ghost Cities??? China has built several entire cities which stand completely empty. A housing bubble of historic proportions is waiting to pop, it seems. The individuals interviewed by Leslie Stahl indicate that it will be huge, enough to bring the Chinese economy to a halt and set it back for years.

The apartments and other buildings, based on the report, are too expensive for the peasants to buy. Why do they continue to build them? Middle class Chinese are buying them right and left, which has fueled the building frenzy, for investment. The Chinese can't invest out of the country and their stock market sucks, so they have been plowing their lives' savings into apartments and real estate. The government limited the number of apts. the individual could buy to one, in an attempt to slow it down, but the middle class has found ways around it. The buying middle class are certain the market will continue expanding; they are delusional according to the Chinese developers, who stand to lose everything because they can't pay back massive loans. The government encouraged the building because it buoyed their economy and provided jobs to 60,000,000 or so peasants. Where have we heard this before? It makes the housing bubble lead up to the burst and the '08 US recessioin, which occurred in large part because of the same issue - look like an ant in comparison.

Major, major problems are in the balance. My comments from this original OP:

"Re Economics: The Invisible Hand will reach out and touch all nations, just as it did with the Japanese miracle 2 decades ago. The Chinese have a Field of Dreams goal, "If you build it they will come." (60 minutes stole my tag line). It is admirable, but sooner or later the Chinese economy will have to compete directly with the world. Absent serious government support, can it thrive? Do they really have a free market capitalisitic economy? Or is the government propping up currencies, spending on infrastructure and enabling 'capatilistic' endeavors to such a degree that, once it is required to compete mano a mano, it will suffer?? Those are 64 dollar questions. There are others."

There are no free lunches, and if you dance to the music, sooner or later you will have to pay to the piper.

35

Advice about going to Meetings...................oh why didn't I listen...LOL!!!!!

by KateWild in

i have been back to meetings for a month now.

prepared for them all except for when i went on holiday.. todays wt is about jehovah's organisation, it's clear loaded language and manipulation through fear.

i am not perturbed by it in the least.

DJS

Kate,

No matter how much she loves you, the dark side of the Borg will ultimately pull her back in. All Borg love is conditional. The collective - the hive- is stronger than an individual within it. Leaving it is the only thing that breaks that chain.

Also, the experience you describe is minor compared to the heartache, pain, frustration and anger you will experience if you proceed with your original idea. They know you are a "'resistor' of the holy spirit." (gag time). Considering that you are (here it comes again) .. a resistor to the HS, they will meander your RI for-freaking-ever just to ensure you have been assimilated back into the hive. And likely to ensure they have fully subjugated you. From what I've seen of you on this site, that isn't likely impossible - unless you have Academy Award winning acting abilities.

Anyway, welcome back, girl.

20

A peek in to future of transportation

by jgnat in

trends include self-driving clean vehicles and temporary leasing rather than buying vehicles (the driverless vehicle arrives to pick you up, and you drop it off at your destination).

the result?

1/8 the traffic on existing roads!

DJS

No doubt the future will see that and more. We already are seeing 'intelligent' cars which take control of the brakes when the vehicle is approaching an object, and sensors which alert when another vehicle is in a blind spot, for example. Google and others are testing drverless cars.

The FBI and other security agencies will have a say in how this technology unfolds, both from cyber take over and from programming a vehicle, for example, to drive into a restricted area, loaded with explosives. Secured areas which now are designed to neutralize the driver of a threatening vehicle will have to change the design basis threat to stop the vehicle itself. A major task, likely not feasible by people. Once such technologies are employed, expect LOTS of manual and automatic vehicle barriers. Lots.

With this technology there will likely be more rules and regulations before it is employed than is typical (most technologies emerge and the laws follow).

Plus, what do people like me do? I have a need for speed and like low, fast cars. Will I have to become extinct!!!

48

Can anyone give me any advice on how to get rid of cockroaches?

by Jeannette in

i have sprayed, i have bug bombed, i have sprayed some more.

i threw things out i thought that they might have a nest in.

i soaked some things in hot water all day.

DJS

They will eat anything and like warm, moist environments. Kinda like teen-agers. Have you tried OCD? For cleanlinesss and orderliness? Seriously. It helps. I think. But it may cause other problems (i.e., your mate may leave you).

52

Stagnant JW growth at international convention

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

so at the international convention 235 were baptized.

the attendance was 34k.

that's resents less than 1% its about .6%.

DJS

Scotsman and Magnum,

Interesting account and analysis. It is difficult for me to believe that the Borg will continue to fluorish based on the culture of the Millenials (under 33 or so) that I see in most western lands. In the US and much of Europe, that generation has shown tendencies to be less religious, political and family oriented (think Friends). They are also much more liberal (the vast majority favor same sex unions/marriage, for example). They are moving back into cities/urban areas at a high rate and many eschew cars and driving. They also are the first generation with the Internet in all its glory, readily available to them at their fingertips.

They are different than the generations before them, and it remains to be seen how this translates to the Borg. Up to this point - not so well it would seem. IMHO, the Borg could likely survive a 'lost' generation; however, if the generation coming after the Millenials acts and thinks as the Millenials - or are even more liberable, independent, etc. - the Borg would appear to be in major trouble. I do not believe the Borg could survive, in its present form, with two lost generations. Major changes would be required.

The other unknown is how fast the developing world can come into a 2nd or 1st world economy. If the 'have-not's and the poor and uneducated can quickly develop a better standard of living, access to education and healthcare, the Borg will suffer another blow, since that is where its growth is coming. An example: the "Arab Spring" was in large part initiated by the Millenial Internet cafe generation of young Muslims and Arabs. The revolution predicatably got 'hijacked' as they have stated, by their parents' generation. Why? Simple. Their parents' generation had the money, the influence and the weaponry. But that will change; time is on the Internet generation's side. The parallels between the Arab Spring, which has not fulfilled its promise but may likely in the future simply based on the numbers and the generation coming, and the Borg are similar.

IMHO, these are the two major trends which will determine whether the Borg evolves to where it is a kinder, gentler borganization. Time will tell.

76

Losing Faith in Faith..

by Dis-Member in

i came across this lecture at 3am not being able to sleep by dan baker.

it details his transition from christian fundamentalist to atheist and the various shades in-between.

he realises that every denomination of christian can open the bible and prove to you that they have the right interpretation and everyone else is wrong.

DJS

Maranatha,

Pardon me if I have had my limit of having someone preach or proselytize to me. The last place I want to experience that is on a site like this. You of all people should understand, especially if you escaped the Borg's clutches as well.

I have no tolerance for it. None. Nada. Zero. Having said that, if you or anyone else wish to spend your time in theist threads and OPs you won't have to deal with me. I avoid them, mostly out of respect but partially out of revulsion. GMJALMT, Perry and some other serious proselytizers routinely start or enter non-theist OPs to spread their vast knowledge of all things theist and Jesus. I mean, really, do you think I want Perry or any of the other hard-core theists telling me about global warming, evolution, the age of the universe, the big bang theory (unless it's the tv show) or anything else they don't know anything about other than what they can google? Really?

And as for the Millenial, End-of-Time theology you, Abe and others preach: again, haven't we all had enough of that to fill several lifetimes? If that annoys me more than a bit shouldn't you understand??????????????

It is a failed belief system to me, the atheists on this site and those leaning. There is nothing, NOTHING, that you can say or do to change that. Abe is absolutely certain the lord is coming soon (where DID we hear that before?). Perry is certain that Jesus is the way. GMJALMT (doubtful he is a fan of the '60s song or the group Chairman of the Board who sang it - more likely he is asking the 'lord' for more time to save lost souls such as me) tells me I never knew god and have no hope unless I submit to his Xtian theology. Oh, and the end is coming soon, where everyone but people like him will expire (where DID we hear that before).

Considering our Borgian experiences, where barely educated individuals preached to us that only they had special knowledge and that we were in urgent times with the end coming soon and had to listen to them lest we die on the wrong side of the ark, cannot you understand why we aren't so touchy feely warm fuzzy???

76

Losing Faith in Faith..

by Dis-Member in

i came across this lecture at 3am not being able to sleep by dan baker.

it details his transition from christian fundamentalist to atheist and the various shades in-between.

he realises that every denomination of christian can open the bible and prove to you that they have the right interpretation and everyone else is wrong.

DJS

And like the Dubs, GiveMe, Maranatha and Abe have pre-judged billiions of people to their death during their upcoming deliverance, including most Christians. I am quite certain if you scratch the surface just a tiny bit with those 3 you wiill find that they don't believe most X-tians are 'real' X-tians. I don't see anyone mad, just cutting through BS.

76

Losing Faith in Faith..

by Dis-Member in

i came across this lecture at 3am not being able to sleep by dan baker.

it details his transition from christian fundamentalist to atheist and the various shades in-between.

he realises that every denomination of christian can open the bible and prove to you that they have the right interpretation and everyone else is wrong.

DJS

I think Maranatha (Come Lord Jesus - we get it) and Givemejustalittlemoretime are related or friends. They arrived at the same time; we can only hope they both leave soon. DisMember, you are more patient than I. Maranatha and GMJALMT are the newly appointed FDS and GB. They and they alone have 'true' scriptural insight and a direct conduit to the big girl in the sky and her son (Come Lord Jesus - we get it). None of us had the 'lord' when we were Dubs, and no one on the planet has the lord now except for those two. And Perry. What about the nearly 1 billion Hindus? The 350,000,000 Buddhists? The 1.6 bilions Muslims, 24 million Sikhs, 14 million Jews? Any hope for them Maranatha? You are no different than the Dubs. Actually worse.

How many of the 2.2 billion Christians really have the lord Maranatha/Perry/GMJALMT? The Dubs clearly don't, right? what about the following groups. do any of these REALLY have the lord?

Latter Day Saints

Catholics

Baptists

Methodists

Orthodox

Unitarians

Presbyterians

Episcopalians

40

Athiests: Do you ever wonder... what if?

by toweragent in

jw
friends

i'll start by saying, i'm a ministerial servant who is trapped in the religion.

my wife is hardcore...but i've slowly been getting her to lighten up, so i'll take it!

all my friends and family are jw's, and i am employed by a jw (who is actually a great boss).

DJS

Toweragent:

Regarding this: "For those of you who are now athiest: Do you ever look back and wonder "what if"? What if the god of the bible is real? What if there is a creator who is not the god of the bible?"

My response would be never, not even for a nano-second. But like MadGiant, I spent decades questioning the god/bible thing, even when I was in the Borg and even (especially) when I was an elder. I studied, researched, analyzed, evaluated and meditated on the topic to the point there wasn't anything left to consider. And guess what? I found, at the end of the sojourn, that I was an atheist.

I knew at the beginning of the trip that this could/would be the eventual destination, but I took my time, removing one brick and a time until the foundation (god, the bible) was left. Then I dug that up. I have referred to it previously as my "Pink Floyd" trek into atheism - Another Brick in the Wall.

I never worry about anything beyond this life. I try to live this life to its full. For those who ask me what would I do if there turned out to go a god I respond the same everytime: If there is a god, and she created me, then she knows me, who I am and why I made the decisions I made. The weight of evidence is against a god; I think you probably already know that. But really, what does it matter what you believe? Your belief in a god or not is not going to change anything, even YOUR future.

Good luck.