Posts by Pete Zahut

32

What is having the biggest impact on the watchtower Bible and tract society?

by UnshackleTheChains in

hi all.. this is a reasonable question and would love to know what you think is having the biggest impact on watchtower.

there is a plethora of websites talking negatively of watchtower.

there are the never ending court cases regarding child abuse allegations.

Pete Zahut

pale.emperor 9 hours ago

I know for me, and it may have been the same for you, being a witness was such a chore. I mean, i used to genuinely believe it but i hated the door to door ministry and i could tell people just pretended they had joy in it

neverendingjourney

I'm talking about the rank and file Witnesses living day to day and dealing with the burdens of being a JW. Something's gotta give.

There is so much talk among JW's about "sighing and crying" and the need for "endurance" and they blame the pressures from the wicked system of things for this. Most of what JW's endure are the self inflicted burdens that the organization puts upon them to perform and the mental drain of always living in expectation for a someday that never comes. Living this way in an age where information to the contrary is readily available or where there is a forum for individuals to discuss their similar experiences, has and will continue to loosen the stronghold the Organization once had on unaware individuals.

13

What's up with the numbering of the songs and reading them off the screen?

by Spiral in

i don't have to go very often, but last time i took my mother they were singing songs off a screen.

the numbers weren't the same as the songs with the same number on my tablet.

seemed like a lot of people were confused, but a couple of more gregarious attendees were singing (and swaying a bit) "church-style".

Pete Zahut

but a couple of more gregarious attendees were singing (and swaying a bit) "church-style". Something new?

More and more, they're becoming a mainstream fundamentalist style religion.

32

What is having the biggest impact on the watchtower Bible and tract society?

by UnshackleTheChains in

hi all.. this is a reasonable question and would love to know what you think is having the biggest impact on watchtower.

there is a plethora of websites talking negatively of watchtower.

there are the never ending court cases regarding child abuse allegations.

Pete Zahut

I'd say it's the internet and social media that is having the biggest impact on the Watchtower. They are able to use it themselves and because of that, they have lost much of the magical mystique they once had over people by becoming too common place because of over exposure. Also there is a good chance that any JW who uses the internet, could at any time, run across information that could get the ball rolling in terms of opening their eyes.

It sort of reminds me of the situation that Donald Trump is in. Certain groups are afraid of what he could "undo" in terms of strides that have been made toward "gay rights" "racial and gender equality" and "environmental" issues to name a few.

Because of the internet and peoples ability to spread the word quickly it will be very difficult if not impossible for him to sneak anything by anyone or try to take things that were hard fought for, away from anyone. He has made himself too much of a commoner via all the media exposure he's had and his regular tweets. It's so easy now for the public to know what's going on to and spread the word.

Gone are the days when the masses blindly accept what those in positions of authority, tell them to do. Anyone (other than born-ins) have no one to blame but themselves if they don't look at the JW teachings from all sides, before becoming involved with them.

13

New Letter from the GB

by Coded Logic in

dear brothers and sisters,.

it has come to our attention that many you, especially in the developed world, have chosen to outfit your homes with artificial lighting.

while there is nothing wrong with husbands wishing to see more clearly while studying - or for sisters to want to add some extra lighting when cleaning the home - we need to be careful how we choose to use this technology.

Pete Zahut

Sincerely,

The Governing Borg

P.S. And another thing...since sickness and death for the entire human race was part of Jehovah's purpose and was to serve as a punishment for Adam and Eve's disobedience, it would be unconscionable for a true Christian to try to rid him or herself of illnesses of any form (including eyeglasses or dental work) or to prolong his or her life in any way.

23

Looking for my little sister.

by DeadmanWalking in

i have a little sister havnt seen or heard from in 20 years she was da for attending a church she was 17 at the time she moved out and lived with a family not jw's in fact they are very a posed to jw's the past 20 years i've tried to make contact she won't respond all i know is she's got kids 2 or 3 of them she lives outside charlotte nc and works for a insurance company as an underwriter.

i think her husband is a police officer ?

being back in her life having a niece or nephew to watch grow up would be nice.

Pete Zahut

If you know the company she works for, send her a letter in care of her work address marked "Personal" and give her your contact information and explain that you only want to reconnect wit her, no strings attached.

22

Went to the assembly..some.personal thoughts on it.

by integ in

jw
friends

i've been as honest as i can on this forum throughout my time bouncing in and out..and been jumped on for saying anything positive about the "truth" or my experiences at the hall, but it's been a few years now since i have been attending meetings.

i go to the memorial for family reasons and went to the assembly today for the same reason...but one observation i have to make is most of us have all dealt with years of hearing how gawd awful "the world" is and how the only happiness is going to meetings and out in service.

now that is total bs.

Pete Zahut

"I remember the being pent up and controlled at the meetings would make the going out in the world that much more fun and exciting. Couldn't wait to get out and do fun stuff. I think those brought up witnesses almost have a better appreciation of things in the "world" due to being so restricted from it."

For me it wasn't about getting out and going wild....it was about getting out from under the guilt, unrealistic expectations of life and the unnecessary emotional burdens JW's place on people who just want to have a relationship with god.

33

Most Widely Circulated Magazine In The World

by Calebs Airplane in

which magazine is now the most widely circulated in the world?.

before responding, keep in mind that certain parameters (such as content and page count) ought to be met before any printed material intended for mass distribution can be categorized as a “magazine”.

for example, the absolute minimum range for any publication to be considered a magazine is typically around 32 to 48 pages while the highest page counts are usually around 128 to 160, with some popular women’s fashion magazines coming in quite a bit higher than that.. so with that said, which is now the world’s most widely circulated magazine?.

Pete Zahut

A lot of magazines are struggling in this era of the Internet. But a few are doing well.

The Watchtower is a Non Prophet organization. Real magazines rely on profits rather than false prophesies, to survive.

32

AUSTRALIA - Petition to Cancel the Charity Status of Watchtower and Jehovah's Witnesses

by jwleaks in

a petition has been launched in australia to coincide with the child abuse royal commission's adverse findings against watchtower and jehovah's witnesses.

the petition is to the australian charities and not-for-profit commission to cancel their charity status.. https://www.change.org/p/australian-charities-and-not-for-profit-commission-acnc-cancel-the-watchtower-bible-and-tract-society-s-charity-status.

[quote].

Pete Zahut

Is the petition open to Australians only ?

17

Wish me all the best

by LevelThePlayingField in

jw
friends

so i called in to my local walgreens pharmacy to get my blood pressure medicine refilled.

i go to the pharmacy to pick it up and they tell me that the doctor has denied filling it saying to them, "prescription refill not appropriate".

i asked them what that means and they say you'll have to contact your doctor on that, sorry.

Pete Zahut

Thanks for sharing your situation LTPF I hope it helps you to let others know.

I think you got a good piece of advice from OTWO. Your doctor is required by your insurance to monitor your liver functions because any change could mean your life. Taking your wife's medication could do you irreversible damage. Tell your Dr. immediately what has been going on. He's heard it before and will know what to do.

I work with a woman who's husband has been playing this same game with his Dr. and now is on life support and all of his organs are shutting down. He continued to think he cold treat himself by cutting back, extending sobriety goals and postponing treatment, figuring that somehow his situation was different and not all that bad. They will be pulling the plug on him next week at 60. It didn't take long for the dominoes to start falling and there was no stopping them once the began.

You don't have to tough it out alone. Anxiety is hellish but it can be overcome. Until then your Dr. can prescribe medications that will deal with your anxiety and won't wreck your body like that solvent known as alcohol does. You must be honest with him or some other Dr. immediately so they can help you.

24

What not to say...

by joey jojo in

hey guys.

i was recently talking to a old friend who is a very active elder.

i was talking about ' the truth' and he suggested i sounded like an apostate because i used terms like ' the society' and ' watchtower '.. i am aware that ' dubspeak ' has changed over the years and i am pretty sure that someone posted about it here but i can't find the thread.

Pete Zahut

I was talking about ' the truth' and he suggested I sounded like an apostate because I used terms like ' the society' and ' watchtower

If you are raising questions or sounding as if you are pointing our inconsistencies , you'd have to be careful of the tone of voice you are using or your choice of words.

If you used the term "Watchtower" or "The Society" instead of " The Brothers or the Faithful and Discrete Slave", it might sound as if you are starting to view them as a nameless faceless corporation rather than a loving Brotherhood being led by Jehovah.

Using the term "The Truth" while making air quotes with your fingers or a with a certain tone of voice, could tip them off that you're starting to see things that must not be spoken about.