Posts by StrongHaiku

35

If you were told today you would die next week, would you be happy and fine with that?

by EndofMysteries in

jw
friends

i don't know how so many who seem to be certain this life is it after being jw's seem to happily accept it and be fine with it.

i am living and trying to live as if this is it.

i want there to be a future life/afterlife, something, but i see how fast life comes and goes and even if i'm living it to the fullest, there is no peace for me with the thought this may be it.

StrongHaiku

I am an atheist and also do not have an expectation of an afterlife, etc. I pretty much live like today could be the last day so I try not to have too many loose ends (e.g. important things not done or unsaid). Probably the most important thing I would do is make sure my girlfriend is ok when I am gone. But I don't imagine my world-view changing with that knowledge.

There are a couple of quotes by Marcus Aurelius I try to keep in mind...

“Do not act as if you were going to live ten thousand years. Death hangs over you. While you live, while it is in your power, be good.”

"Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones."

19

GB Spirit directed writing - October 2015 Awake

by Listener in

the awake oct 2015 is now up on jw org.. one article talks about young adults returning to their parents home and tries to give them some advice.. one of the highlighted comments are these magical words.

<<remember, more important than what you do is becoming proficient at what you do.>>.

i don't see how it's more important to become more proficient in that window washing job than working towards a more interesting and better paying job.

StrongHaiku

You don’t have to do what you love in order to love what you do!

That sounds familiar...Where have I heard that type of rhetorical non-sense before? Oh, yeah...

"And if you can't be with the one you love, honey

Love the one you're with"

- Love the One You're With - Crosby, Stills, and Nash

40

INTERVIEW: with an Elder

by TerryWalstrom in

elder: "i'm not sure i know what you mean by 'diversity.'.

elder: "well, it's not quite like that.

elder: "um.

StrongHaiku

It has been said before by someone else, so I cannot take credit for the quote but it is prescient.

"The trouble with JWs is that you have to first explain to them their own beliefs before you can debunk them..."

43

Why Is This New Batch of Governing Body Members So Stupid?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

well there are lots of reason for sure, denial, delusion, wishful thinking, ego maniac, infantile understanding of ancient writings, satanophobia, xenophobia, out of touch with reality, limited choices scrapping the bottom of the barrel,and many more.. listen to this ted talk and see if you can pick out something that helps explain why these guys are such ass holes:.

organizations are often run according to the superchicken model, where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others.

and yet, this isnt what drives the most high-achieving teams.

StrongHaiku

Why Is This New Batch of Governing Body Members So Stupid?

Maybe it is that the rest of the world is getting smarter and when they are entrenched in 3,000 year-old beliefs they seem positively stupid and backwards, as they should.

36

Anthony Morris III: "...we cannot control everything that an individual might say..."

by cappytan in

i noticed that anthony morris iii just said on the broadcast: "while we cannot control everything that an individual might say, it is clear that over the decades protecting children from abuse is a top priority for this organization.".

that, in my opinion, is a direct response to the richard ashe "spiritual protection not physical protection" deposition.. here's a video putting the two statements side by side.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgevpuyn7gy.

StrongHaiku

Anthony Morris III: "...we cannot control everything that an individual might say..."

At which point he had an attendant bring a bowl of water and washed his hands...

60

BREAKING NEWS!!!

by DATA-DOG in

breaking news from co!!

according to a reliable source, the co in my area says that jws may have been hearing the phrase, "final push" being used.

what sage advice did this shepherd, duke, and "star" of revelation have to say?

StrongHaiku

Does anybody else see this "we are in the last days of the last days" as a reframing of Zeno's paradox?

43

Why Is This New Batch of Governing Body Members So Stupid?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

well there are lots of reason for sure, denial, delusion, wishful thinking, ego maniac, infantile understanding of ancient writings, satanophobia, xenophobia, out of touch with reality, limited choices scrapping the bottom of the barrel,and many more.. listen to this ted talk and see if you can pick out something that helps explain why these guys are such ass holes:.

organizations are often run according to the superchicken model, where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others.

and yet, this isnt what drives the most high-achieving teams.

StrongHaiku

Hold Me-Thrill Me - The current GB know they are faking it. They are faking their claim to be of the anointed. The previous members were not all fakers. Many honestly believed they were anointed and called by Christ as members of his body.

I have to agree. There seems to be different type of psychopathy going on here. I remember the earnest and genuine appeal of previous GB members. I remember the beautiful talks from people like Dan Sydlik and others. Honest, earnest, and willing to say that they did not know everything but loved their fellow slaves. After 25 years I still remember these talks in my head. From my point of view now, they may have been misguided, but I still have respect for them.

What you have today is something totally different. I imagine that the current GB are really a bunch of men who find themselves in a position of power but are woefully ill-equiped to fulfill it. If it wasn't so tragic it would comical. They are clumsy, stupid, and unprepared for the role they are trying to live up to. They are charlatans. And, are absent of any sense of humility.

49

WT Society Makes Light of Child Abuse Crimes by Portraying them as Cartoons

by flipper in

i commented on this on another thread- but i believe this has enough importance to create a thread about this situation in and of itself.

at the current district convention as you know the wt society released a " sophie & caleb " video allegedly warning parents about the dangers of child abuse.

they don't really use the words " child abuse " in the video - but just say if " someone tries to touch you in a manner you aren't comfortable with " and portray it as a cartoon !

StrongHaiku

What breakfast of champions said...

I would add that one of the reasons JWs often couch advice in the form of victim-blaming is that they don't have a really good answer for the following:

"Does Jehovah intercede in events or not?"

If you believe that Jehovah intercedes (answers prayers) but JWs still get abused, hurt, die, etc. you have to somehow deal with that cognitive dissonance. As a JW you say to yourself "Well, he seems to intercede with the weather to make sure the printing gets done", but JWs can get killed in a typhoon. He seems to intercede to help some JWs from getting hurt/killed, raped, but not others.

Somehow, as a JW, you have to reconcile these. When it goes well, you credit Jehovah. When it goes badly, well then either (a) it is God's plan and we don't fully understand it and "time and unforeseen circumstances" and Satan or (b) put the blame on the victim.

So, when a child is raped, is it part of God's plan or did the child bring it on themselves? Which is it? Cause if I had the power of God I would make sure nothing like this would ever happen. I am better than your God. And, probably, so are you.

43

Why Is This New Batch of Governing Body Members So Stupid?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

well there are lots of reason for sure, denial, delusion, wishful thinking, ego maniac, infantile understanding of ancient writings, satanophobia, xenophobia, out of touch with reality, limited choices scrapping the bottom of the barrel,and many more.. listen to this ted talk and see if you can pick out something that helps explain why these guys are such ass holes:.

organizations are often run according to the superchicken model, where the value is placed on star employees who outperform others.

and yet, this isnt what drives the most high-achieving teams.

StrongHaiku

sir82 - Old timers like Barr, Barber (pre-senility anyway), Sydlik, Barry, etc. at least were dignified and gave the appearance of competence.

I totally agree. All dignity is gone. This current strategy of the GB for a "Cult of Personality" is both bewildering but understandable. They can't sell their ideas on merit so they have to appeal to "personality". I think in light of all of their failures to date, the current GB are desperately trying to be framed as a modern "Moses" class that gets out there and can be seen by people to keep them encouraged and build loyalty/confidence that the "promise land" is near. This desperate move is likely to backfire. A "Cult of Personality" is a two-edged sword because it requires an authentic and compelling "personality" that can deliver results. The GB have neither.

49

WT Society Makes Light of Child Abuse Crimes by Portraying them as Cartoons

by flipper in

i commented on this on another thread- but i believe this has enough importance to create a thread about this situation in and of itself.

at the current district convention as you know the wt society released a " sophie & caleb " video allegedly warning parents about the dangers of child abuse.

they don't really use the words " child abuse " in the video - but just say if " someone tries to touch you in a manner you aren't comfortable with " and portray it as a cartoon !

StrongHaiku

So, where are the cartoons, presentations, articles, etc. that provide some clear guidance to the parents/adults? This illustrates the fact that the Organization does not know how to deal with crimes. Their focus are often on what the victim needs to do, and not on what parents, adults, bystanders needs to do. This is, by definition, victim-blaming.

If you are JW, I'll make it easy:

One of principal tenets of being a parent is the responsibility to your child. Do we really need to debate that? That means, report all crimes to the authorities in order to keep your child (and society at large) safe. If you worship a God that disagrees with this, then the God you are worshipping is not worth worshipping. No respectable God would require parents to sacrifice their children to make a point. If you are in a religion that makes you choose between your responsibility to your child (and other people) vs. its rules and reputation, then you need to check your priorities.