truthseeker

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Posts by truthseeker

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  35

  Visited the Russell gravesite yesterday

  by dropoffyourkeylee in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  wife and i visited the russell gravesite in allegheny (pittsburgh) pennsylvania yesterday.

  i’ll post photos if i can get them to upload on the hotel wifi..

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  truthseeker

  Here are some pictures I took in 2003.

  
  
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  64

  Ages of each user here?

  by ukpimo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm interested to know the age demographics here.

  it must be significantly different to other exjw forums.

  it would be a damning report for watchtower if most of us appear to have left for decades.. you don't have to mention your exact age, you could always say "in my 50s".. i am in my 70s.

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  truthseeker

  I've been coming to this site since 2000.

  I was 24 then and am now 47.
  
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  10

  Mass formation control and the Organization

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mass formation control.

  most of the changes in the organization have been doctrinal and as a rule jws would not openly discuss these for fear of being labeled an apostate.

  examples include overlapping generations and types and antitypes.

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  truthseeker

  Mass Formation Control

  
  

  Most of the changes in the organization have been doctrinal and as a rule JWs would not openly discuss these for fear of being labeled an apostate. Examples include overlapping generations and types and antitypes. Some changes are procedural such as the amount of preaching time needed to qualify as a pioneer and not having to count hours any more but whether it’s doctrinal or procedural none of these changes are visible.

  
  

  An exJW friend of mine and I were discussing the recent changes including brothers being able to wear beards and sisters wearing trousers. A lot of brothers are now sporting beards or goatees. They don’t question why after all these decades it’s now ok to wear a beard - they’re just happy to roll with it and not having to count time makes being a JW easier than it has ever been.

  
  

  It’s a modern phenomena we’ve not seen before because these changes are visual and they propagate throughout the organization and unless you’re a PIMO nobody seems to question or connect the dots as to why these changes are happening.

  
  

  I would call this mass formation control (I adapted the term from medical researcher Robert Malone). Think of the Queen Bee deciding to change direction and all the worker bees follow her instinctively.

  
  

  In real life wearing a beard is a small thing. You either have one or you don’t. Nobody really cares and you might get the odd compliment for growing one or shaving it off. Not so in the organization.

  
  

  For decades beards were banned. My dad wore one and was never appointed as a ministerial servant because of it. Now, not only can you wear one, you don’t even have to wear a suit jacket and tie and sisters can wear trousers as long as they don’t have a meeting part.

  
  

  This is a good example of the butterfly effect where a small change in a deeply connected religious ecosystem can influence larger changes. Wearing a beard is a small change but seeing Governing Body members wear them after “new light” was published is a larger change and it benefits the Society because they want to be seen as progressive while at the same time they continue to exert control over the membership.

  
  

  Multiple changes happening within a short period of time can overwhelm and confuse the membership but because these changes are seen as positive they happily come into agreement with them because it makes their load lighter. It also creates a buzz of excitement as they wonder what will change next.

  
  

  Could making birthdays a conscious matter be the next big thing? Absolutely, because with the changes in disfellowshipping and marking, it is more likely that some witnesses will take liberties and decide to quietly observe the day of their birth and may invite others to join them and they will be able to do so without causing waves. If this propagates and is allowed to flourish it could become the defacto norm.

  
  

  We are “witnessing” a metamorphosis in the organization as they position themselves for the long haul throughout the 2020s and beyond.

  
  

  Make no mistake, the GB and its helpers know *exactly* what they’re doing. They are well versed in marketing techniques and the effect this has on human psychology. Survival is first and foremost their main priority.
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  19

  It's been ten years since congregations surrendered their finances to HQ

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone have any anecdotal reports of individual congregation finances since the stealth takeover by the wt of their checking accounts?.

  are donations up?

  can they pay their bills?.

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  truthseeker

  Anyone have any anecdotal reports of individual congregation finances since the stealth takeover by the WT of their checking accounts?

  Are donations up? Can they pay their bills?
  
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  17

  JWs obtaining fake degrees from a US institution to teach English as a foreign language

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  teaching english as a foreign language in asian countries is quite popular for those looking to travel and explore and make some money.

  if you have the tefl qualification you're pretty much good to go and don't need a degree.i don't know how lucrative these overseas jobs are but i do know one jw from my congregation in england who decided to move to the caribbean and teach english as a foreign language.

  i'm not knocking this individual.

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  truthseeker

  There doesn't seem to be any alumni.
  
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  17

  JWs obtaining fake degrees from a US institution to teach English as a foreign language

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  teaching english as a foreign language in asian countries is quite popular for those looking to travel and explore and make some money.

  if you have the tefl qualification you're pretty much good to go and don't need a degree.i don't know how lucrative these overseas jobs are but i do know one jw from my congregation in england who decided to move to the caribbean and teach english as a foreign language.

  i'm not knocking this individual.

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  truthseeker

  When you look closely at the company and their shady practices it's really fraud.
  
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  37

  Robert King aka e-watchman

  by RolRod in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  there have been a few post about robert king, the first was 16 years ago, the last was 9 years ago.

  just to the let the old timers here know, he's still at it.

  and for you newbies, robert king who wrote "jehovah himself has become king.

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  truthseeker

  Robert King has become King!
  
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  50

  My guess for August WatchTower: GB claims we're in beginning stages of Great Tribulation due to World governments turning on JW's

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the september watchtower has already been released and is being discussed over on reddit.

  some highlights: .

  1. more hitting the flock on total reliance and obedience to god's representatives on earth today, the f&ds (the governing body, of course).

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  truthseeker

  Even if the August study edition should delay, it will not be late!
  
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  17

  JWs obtaining fake degrees from a US institution to teach English as a foreign language

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  teaching english as a foreign language in asian countries is quite popular for those looking to travel and explore and make some money.

  if you have the tefl qualification you're pretty much good to go and don't need a degree.i don't know how lucrative these overseas jobs are but i do know one jw from my congregation in england who decided to move to the caribbean and teach english as a foreign language.

  i'm not knocking this individual.

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  truthseeker

  Some more follow up info...

  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/11eliol/jw_pseudouniversities_how_many_are_there_like/

  "Been speaking to a PIMI recently who got a 'degree' from USILACS, a university based in America where they hand out TEFL degrees to JW's.

  If you go on their website, there is nothing to suggest it's ran by JW's, and it may well accept people of all faiths on to their e-learning course, however apparently in JW inner circles it's owned by JW's.

  They even allow you to submit ministry hours as part of the requirements for the degree as it is classed as teaching.

  Does anyone know of any more institutions like this"

  "I did a quick search and was surprised to find that USILACS is offering Bachelors degrees. I remember old PIMI friends telling me that they allow you to use a large amount of preaching hours as "volunteer teaching time". This "degree" program is a complete joke though. https://usilacs.org/degree-programs/"
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  17

  JWs obtaining fake degrees from a US institution to teach English as a foreign language

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  teaching english as a foreign language in asian countries is quite popular for those looking to travel and explore and make some money.

  if you have the tefl qualification you're pretty much good to go and don't need a degree.i don't know how lucrative these overseas jobs are but i do know one jw from my congregation in england who decided to move to the caribbean and teach english as a foreign language.

  i'm not knocking this individual.

  1. 
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• 

  truthseeker

  Teaching English as a foreign language in Asian countries is quite popular for those looking to travel and explore and make some money. If you have the TEFL qualification you're pretty much good to go and don't need a degree.
  
  I don't know how lucrative these overseas jobs are but I do know one JW from my congregation in England who decided to move to the Caribbean and teach English as a foreign language.
  
  I'm not knocking this individual. They are accomplished in their field of expertise so this post has nothing to do with their teaching ability, rather it is the credential they hold.
  
  On their LinkedIn profile they have a BA in Education from USILACS (United States Institute of Language and Clerical Studies). This is a four year American college degree.
  
  I thought it odd that a pioneer would ignore the society's direction on pursuing higher education and wondered how someone from the UK could afford a four year degree from an American university as you cannot get Federal and State aid if you're a foreign student who lives overseas.
  
  This individual has also worked as a "Sales Manager" for USILACS which I thought was odd.
  
  I decided to do some research on this institution and what I found shocked me.
  
  
  USILACS is not accredited. It's degrees are useless in the United States.
  
  
  Here are some links:
  
  https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/sdtd6v/why_do_many_jws_have_degrees_from_this_university/
  
  "Many PIMIs I encountered who teach English as a second language online have degrees from United States Institute of language and clerical studies. Just curious does anyone know about this university. Is it legit?"
  
  
  The most informed response I saw on this thread:
  
  "The school has national accreditation and is registered with the state of Florida as a religious institution. They can offer degrees as long as the title of the degree contains a religious designator. These degrees typically would not qualify for required education such as being a licensed teacher or other professional in the United States.
  
  In the United States, regional accreditation is the most rigorous. "Real" universities/colleges have regional accreditation and can confer traditionally recognized degrees and can participate in the US student loan program. If you wished to be a professional in just about any field, you would need a degree from a regionally accredited school. The school in question is not regionally accredited.
  
  These types of institutions very widely in their quality and value. My guess would be it's an easy and quick way to get the qualifications to work overseas. Probably not good for much else. But probably not worthless either."
  
  
  Perhaps the most interesting response was this:
  
  "I personally know a person with this degree. All the exams are closed questions and there is no final thesis to deliver. What's most ridiculous is that when you get the transcript they change the dates of your exams and backdate them several years before you actually started the course to make it look like you started the school 4/5 years before you graduated. When in reality it takes 2/3 months at most to complete it. And if you had been pioneer that also gives you credits.
  
  You do learn some stuff to be completely honest but this is far from being a real uni. It's just a bit more than reading lots of Awake magazine. But you do get a degree at the end. Such degree is unfortunately pretty useless outside of Thailand, China and some other third world country"
  

  
  

  https://www.degreeinfo.com/index.php?threads/weasel-wording.57580/
  
  "I've been wanting to do a full breakdown of this particular outfit for quite some time, but never got around to it with all else that was going on in my life. Given how absurdly and comically dishonest their accreditation page is, I'm inspired to share a bit of the fun here.
  
  There's a diploma mill known as USILACS - the United States Institute of Language and Cultural Studies. What makes them stand out from other diploma mills is who runs it and who the target market is. It's a juicy story, but basically, its student base is primarily ex-pat fundamentalist Christian evangelizers who need a bachelor's degree to maintain their Visas in Thailand. The "graduates" from the school are in Thailand and other Asian countries as TESOL instructors, and use the fake degree to gain employment and evade scrutiny from government officials while they dutifully go about their preaching assignments. They pay several thousand dollars, spend a few weeks reading fundamentalist propaganda (that they believe is somehow equivalent to a university education) and go off on their merry way, proud of flouting the system.

  They're not approved by the State of Florida. They have EXEMPTION from approval as a supposedly religious institution. Their Florida headquarters is a small rented office which appears to be one of a couple of addresses that they use for mail forwarding. Also, this "school" operates under 2 different names- one of them replaces "cultural" with "clerical," in a bid to keep up the front of religious studies. Good luck finding the names of anybody associated at this school- no faculty, no administration, and they went so far as to block out the name of the person to whom the state approval letter is addressed. I was able to find the name of precisely one person associated with their operations, but since I could not find any further confirmation of this person's identity, I wont reveal the name here.
  
  They're not lying about the religious part, but they ARE lying about the studies part. I've even received word, from a first hand source, that the "school" has even been lying to students about their legal status in Thailand. Apparently, they don't even have THAT to their credit."

  
  
  
  
  "I just searched this Institute (USILACS) on LinkedIn and it's super interesting: https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/people/?currentCompany=%5B%2243280678%22%5D&origin=COMPANY_PAGE_CANNED_SEARCH&sid=h%2C4 if you read their employee list you can find out that many of them are JW.
  
  And I just found this thread: https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/lxqts8/what_the_hell_is_this_a_new_jw_college/"