Posts by TTATTelder

10

I need to verify some information

by JeffT in

jw
friends

there have been a lot of threads regarding changes in donations, kingdom hall ownership etc.

and what it all means.

i'm about to put on my accounting hat on and seriously consider the what it all means part (and why they may be doing it).

TTATTelder

I think the change has to be regulation related for this reason:

The Borg would never interrupt a locked-in income stream (aka Halls making mortgage payments) unless it was forced to do so.

There seems to be new banking legislation steadily kicking in since the downturn of a few years ago.

It could be, like someone posted on this forum, that their lending practices are now opening them up to mandated government scrutiny or disclosure.

And we know they don't like that! They have too many secrets to be inviting govt inspection.

And God forbid (see what I did there) anything possibly create more financial transparency.

My 2 cents...

-TE

140

My Book of Bible Story Memes

by Beth Shan in

i really enjoy making memes from the my book of bible stories..

TTATTelder

Really cool . Laughed out loud several times!

-TE

8

Cross Fit Video

by OnTheWayOut in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q31ccdvdas&sns=em.

Why are some of you guys calling this new arrangement tithing?

by neverendingjourney in

at the risk of being shouted down, i thought i'd point out that "tithing" means giving 10 percent of your income to a church.

it comes from the old english word teogotha meaning tenth.

i've seen nothing that establishes tithing in the watchtower.. while i'm all in favor of pointing out the watchtower's lies, hypocrisies and faults, the language we use matters.

TTATTelder

The WBTS has always said the tithing arrangement died with the Mosaic law of the Jews.

Jesus came and taught priciples instead of rules.

The "widow's mite" story illustrates this. The lady gave all she had from the heart, which was supposed to be "more" than the others who gave from their surplus even though the amount was less.

The principle was of genuine generosity as opposed to giving out of obligation, formality, or show.

The WBTS has always condemned churches for all of their obligitory donation systems regardless of the name.

Calling it "tithing" on this forum is a mocking of the WBTS more than it is an attempt at precise terminology.

-TE

24

This new donation direction and true selfishness!

by stuckinarut2 in

so we all know about this new donation arrangement.?.

every cong is supposed to send in all their savings to the society for them to allocate or use however they see fit worldwide.. but here is where true "selfishness" has become apparent!

(remember just this last weekend the wt study was all about not being "selfish" or self willed??!!).

TTATTelder

So funny... It blows me away how dumb these people (dubs) are about everything else and suddenly when it comes to money - they can think for themselves.

Money is a very personal thing. Mess with peoples money and you get their attention in a completely different way. Plus people know the whole - let me hold your money till you need it - scam. Kids were trying to do that on the playground when I was growing up.

But then again, I couldn't believe cong's were sending the branch "funds on deposit" when I first heard about that little trick. I was like "what?! You gotta be kidding me, who would be that stupid?" And then I found out our hall had like 5 grand sent off already.

So nevermind, they're stupid with money too.

I guess their non-cult mind kicks in for a minute or two until they have a chance to delude themselves.

-TE

21

Missing my Mom

by exwhyzee in

she and my dad brought us to the u.s. from ireland in hopes of giving the 4 of us kids a better life with more opportunities.. mom went to school in her village where her mother (my grandmother) was the teacher and the bible was part of the curriculum.

they even used the name jehovah.

her father was a plymouth brethern (think amish or quaker) who was shunned for the rest of his life for marrying my grandmother who wasn't "in the lord"...she belonged to church of ireland.. when the witnesses came to the door after we arrived in the u.s, mom was a shoe-in candidate for their recruitment.

TTATTelder

I am sorry for your loss and your pain.

Nice to have the good memories though.

Thinking of you. Well wishes.

103

Additional BOE Letter: Please Be Advised that Further Direction Will Soon be Sent to the Bodies of Elders...

by TTATTelder in

dear brothers:.

we are writing as a follow-up to the letters dated january 24, 2014, and march 29, 2014,. to all congregations regarding the adjustments now underway to accelerate construction of king-.

dom halls and assembly halls.. .

TTATTelder

Just letting you guys know - still no new letter with any further instructions, at least not in my neck of the woods.

It is now Sunday night May 11 here in the US.

Again, the letter of the OP saying "chill out we got some new stuff coming down the pipe" was dated May 2.

It seems to be taking awhile to steady the plane IMO.

-TE

18

Today's wt study re "selfishness"

by stuckinarut2 in

oh god!!

today's study is so full of classic manipulative comments..... i can't even begin to tear it apart.......... anyone want to start?.

TTATTelder

Gotta love this hypocritical compliment to Saul in Par. 8 :

"He (Saul) refused to punish Israelites who spoke out against his kingship, even though he could have felt justified in defending his God-given position."

Wow. Maybe they could follow his example a little. What say?

-TE

59

"They've made us debt FREE !!!"

by gingerbread in

jw
friends

so proclaimed the brother that read the wt letter tonight that explained the new kingdom hall funding arrangement.. everyone in the hall claps .... well, like it was the last talk on the district convention.. he says 'what bank would wipe out a debt of $200,000 ???

only jehovah's organization!

isn't this wonderful !!!".

TTATTelder

...and one of the main reasons for that is that they are almost all ideology -driven, rather than evidence-driven; they function based on what they want their world to be (or how they think it should be), rather than how their world really is. - Vidiot

Well said....

They start believing their own sales pitch. Easy to do when surrounded by yes men.

-TE

19

A WORLD GOVERNMENT???

by ADJUSTMENTS in

this new tract being released by the jws sounds an alarm!!!

the tract at first glance does not look religious at all!!!

it looks like political information, you have to almost search for the one scripture cited.

TTATTelder

I'm not big on the conspiracy theory thing, but I will say this.

I visited Patterson once in the late 90's and I couldn't help but see the application of communist ideals.

Of course it was all for Jehovah not for any worldly government, but it was still there. Everybody essentially working for room and board and The Lord.

There was a dentist there, a chiropractor, prob a general practitioner/nurse, plus all the other staff taking care of the "community" in exchange for the services of the others there.

Of course it is only sustainable within that bubble of delusion. Also they trade on educated professionals that have already made some money out in "Satan's" world and can afford to come to Bethel for a year or two.

-TE