the society has been teaching that you-know-what is right around the corner for so long that it's lost all credibility.
what are the expecations like now?
do people still expect it to happen very soon, or are more people planning on things like higher education?
wash towel = Watchtower
And the answer to your other question about 1975: The society never made any prophetic claims about the year 1975. The blame goes onto overzealous JW's, who got too excited for Armageddon and made foolish decisions and statements.
when you look at the image above what do you see?
a sneaker or an outward display that i am now following after another religious group?.
well yesterday i had a 10 minute conversation with an elder who finally got the balls to call me.
This is one for the books. Shoe colors? It is very sad to see how small their world has become, that this is the best they can do.
with so many meetings during the week, it seems like the opportunity to raise questions would be rich.
i just wondered how probing questions are handled in most kingdom halls.
are they taken as an indication of an inquisitive mind or a potential source of stumbling for weak members?
My husband, we now realize, must have been "marked" in some way. We were bible students who asked a lot of questions. A few months before we finally stopped attending meetings, the elder at the podium started ignoring his raised hand. He would look directly at him, then call on someone else. At the time, we didn't know why. My husband (computer software engineer) kind of thought the guy (also an engineer) was intimidated, and wanted to maintain his apparent position as the smartest guy in the room.
Questions are not allowed. You might be able to twist comments and make observations, but that would not happen without consequence.
jw: they are not.. kw: but if they were, would you want to know?.
jw: they are not.. kw: im not saying they are.
jw: no.. kw: really?
Also, interesting to note that he uses a quote from the Sermon on the Mount, to say "THIS is all that matters," referencing the teachings of Jesus Christ.
The sermon in Matthew begins with the following instruction:
“Take care not to practice your righteousness in front of men to be noticed by them; otherwise you will have no reward with your Father who is in the heavens. 2 So when you make gifts of mercy, do not blow a trumpet ahead of you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be glorified by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. 3 But you, when making gifts of mercy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your gifts of mercy may be in secret. Then your Father who looks on in secret will repay you." (Matthew 6:1-4 NWT)
Why are the JW's required to report every hour of field service, every bible study they conduct, every return visit they make, and every magazine they replace? They are taking their rewards and recognitions from men. If they stopped requiring JW's to report their time, how many would still go out in field service? This is not a commandment of Christ, but of the GB of an organization.
jw: they are not.. kw: but if they were, would you want to know?.
jw: they are not.. kw: im not saying they are.
jw: no.. kw: really?
I wonder how long he will remain as your "friend."
Great efforts on your part, and impressive that you kept such control of the conversation.
just wanting estimations on "how long do you think it will be before the society allows internet witnessing as another avenue of preaching".
i feel it will only be a matter of time.
they have to do something to counteract all the negative stuff.
I agree with sspo. I can't see them encouraging internet witnessing efforts. They are currently warning people to stay away from the internet. The GB does realize that people who are smart enough to use a computer and internet forums, are more likely to have capabilities of independent thought. They do not want a public, two-way conversation to happen about their beliefs.
They could be better served if they used some modern technology though... I'm wondering why they never took advantage of television broadcasting? Imagine the funds they could raise, and the numbers they could reach over the public air waves.
The communication from the society has to be ONE WAY only. They do not accept comments from JW's. Why would they accept comments from non-believers? Maybe some pop-ups and YouTube videos, with comments prohibited... only coming directly from the GB, of course.
You will be hard pressed to convince someone to become a JW, through use of the internet or a forum like this. You will lose JW's to apostate reasoning, exposing them to satan's twisted comments. You need to keep them isolated and only associating with other indoctrinated ones. Go out in cars, to empty houses, to avoid risk of exposure to the public in any way.
The work is about quantity of time. Nothing more. They don't actually want to reach anyone new. They are struggling to maintain.
the society has been teaching that you-know-what is right around the corner for so long that it's lost all credibility.
what are the expecations like now?
do people still expect it to happen very soon, or are more people planning on things like higher education?
The end is definitely coming soon. The tower is falling, and the beast is lashing out in a last ditch effort to grab as much cash and ruin as many families as possible before the GB loses all its power.
To answer your question from the perspective of my JW mother, here is a conversation I had with her recently.
Mom: "I really feel like something is going to happen in 2014."
Me: "Oh! What do you think is going to happen?" (I have been reading ahead, so already know something is coming).
Mom: "I don't know, but it's going to be big."
Me: "What makes you think that?"
Mom: "You know, the millenium... and I just have a feeling..."
Me: "You do realize that a millenium is 1,000 years, and not 100 years, right?"
Mom: "Yes. I just feel like next year is going to be important for some reason."
If you want to see how desperate they are becoming, take a look at the November 15, 2013 Watchtower Study Edition. It reads like psychotic rantings from the Nazis. They are really starting to panic, as they realize that people might wake up and leave the organization.
100 years and counting...
at the congregation bible study this week, we as jehovahs witnesses studied a brochure on how we study the bible at the congregation bible study.
no wonder half of us are screwed up..
Is this a joke? Or a real topic of discussion at a meeting? Bizarre.
latest wt is up.. reinforces jesus becoming king in 1914 (no let up on that date).
marriage of the lamb to the 144,000. yawn.... yawn..... celebrates the 100 year anniversary of the photo drama of creation.
it seems to me that every 100 year anniversary shall be celebrated just to try and take the wind from the sails of apostates.. .
I haven't studied this article in depth, but from what you posted here, it honestly looks like yet another denial of Christ being the Messiah.
Evidently, apparently, consequently, clearly, another adjustment needs to be made to clarify our understanding. The apostles who actually walked and talked with Christ, did not understand the prophecies correctly. Upon further examination, it has been revealed that they were merely "expecting" a Messiah to come at some point in the future, which was clearly in 1914, not that Jesus had actually fulfilled those Old Testament prophecies when he came and stood among them. Huh Who Huh?
More twisting and writhing from the WTS, forcing the JW's to read and repeat a bunch of nonsense. Keep the sheep amused, confused and busy busy busy!
Don't worry, you don't need to understand it, just keep working. Turn in your time cards and Jehovah will take care of the rest.
last night my wife and i studied with elder and started chapter 15 of the "in gods love book".
"for many people in todays world, work is anything but a pleasure.
how is it possible to see good for our work under such circumstances?
How many of the JW's love doing the kingdom preaching work? That is, of course, the ONLY work that matters today, right?
You need to keep a job that provides just enough for you, so you can WORK lots of hours for the organization, and report them for credit.
Does your wife truly enjoy the preaching work? Even if she does, I have a very hard time understanding the reporting requirement. It is not biblical, but actually goes AGAINST what Christ commanded.
