Posts by Pete Zahut

30

Another reason Watchtower may be hurting financially

by shepherdless in

i don't think anyone else has raised this point.

below i set out the case that the jw demographic in usa has a steadily decreasing combined income, and as a consequence, has less money to donate.

not only is the flock not growing, the flock is producing less wool for the borg to fleece.

Pete Zahut

They started out with the goal of providing low cost Bibles so that everyone could have one and it turned into this big machine that has taken on a life of it's own and needs more and more money to keep it alive. If they'd have stuck to printing bibles and the occasional bible study aid,t hey wouldn't be having the financial problems that Steven Lett admitted to (not enough money coming in vs. the money going out).

They say they model themselves after the early Christians but whoever heard of anyone in bible times, living by the thousands together in luxury resort like accommodations, producing goods to distribute and sell. When I was at Bethel, most of the people working there were "support staff" working to feed and clean up after the factory workers and the workers who were renovating the buildings. It was a endless cycle of purchasing, properties needed to house the volunteers that were brought in to renovate and maintain those same building and to house the support staff brought in to clean up after them. How did printing Bibles get so complicated?

There's over 8 million JW's world wide. If each gave $1 per month, the Watchtower Society would have 8 million dollars per month ($96 Million per year) to use to spread the word. Between all the willing volunteers they alread have have and the availability of today's (practically free) social media (Internet, Youtube, Instagram,facebook etc), if they are unable to get the message out there for $ 96 million per year, there's something wrong.

56

Biblical incidents that bothered me.

by EverApostate in

i wanted to discuss the (supposed) biblical events that disturbed me a lot when i was a jw.

these incidents were just read and discussed in the kingdom hall as if these are normal and justified, which clearly weren't.

perhaps this led to my awakening.

Pete Zahut

Can you imagine the trumpeting of the elephants, the roar of the lions and tigers the braying of the donkeys, the bleating of the lambs and cries of all the millions of innocent animals large and small as the waters of "Noah's flood" rose and they no longer had any strength to keep themselves afloat? All because God was mad at the comparatively few humans that were living at that time.

I have 2 dogs that I'm terribly fond of and I can't imagine witnessing something like that happening to them let alone being the one responsible for carrying out such a dastardly and cruel action toward all of the animals and birds of the earth.

My only consolation is the realization that this event (and many others) never happened. This, along with a lot of other reasons, as long as JW teach that it was a real event, I'll know they aren't the true religion.

17

"Jehovah's Witnesses' withheld info will cost them..."

by Nicholaus Kopernicus in

latest perspective of the san diego reader on wts loosing its $4000 per day sanction appeal.... https://m.sandiegoreader.com/news/2017/nov/10/ticker-jehovahs-witnesses-withheld-info-4000-day/?templates=mobile.

Pete Zahut

Time after time we've seen these cases come before the courts and how systematically and fairly the judicial process is carried out. In the Australian hearings, we saw the Elders and Governing body members dodge questions and provide evasive answers laced with half truths and even lies. It's quite remarkable to see how fair, patient and lenient these "worldly" institutions are being toward the Watchtower Society. Even though, according to the JW's, they are backed by Satan who's main purpose is to bring "gods people" to ruin.

The courts have given the Witnesses chance after chance to plead their case and to submit the documents they need in order to come to a verdict that is based on a thorough knowledge of all sides of the issue. Two years later the JW's are disregarding the law and are abusing the system by stringing this case along in the courts.

Can you imagine an individual JW who has been brought before the Elders, being given the same leniency? If and individual JW refused to provide the information that was demanded of them, they'd be branded as unrepentant and a verdict against them would be quickly reached whether they were guilty of anything or not.

It's very frustrating that my JW relatives in Bethel, Missionary Service and elsewhere have no knowledge of what is taking place. I suppose they'd probably find a way to excuse all of it, if they did.

55

11-5-17 Warwick Protest Photos

by thebrokenkite in

let the reader use discernment:.

i was disfellowshipped in june of last year.

while i've been awake for nearly a year, i still often feel groggy.

Pete Zahut

Since the late 1800's the Watchtower has been in the business of of systematically recruiting and training people to do their bidding. Since the very beginning, they've collected the money of the individuals they've recruited making it possible to build and then hide behind the iron gates of the empire they've built for themselves.

It's small wonder that a rag tag group of former members, (most of whom are recovering from having their lives forever altered) had difficulty creating the a dramatic impact they had hoped for. An impact that would equal the negative impact the Watchtower Society has had on their lives.

All, that many of us former JW's ask for, is to be heard. We want to be acknowledged and we want to know that someone knows what has happened to us. Many of us would simply go away if that ever happened. Instead of the Watchtower Society taking this opportunity to show Christlike compassion and arranging to meet with these people in one of their auditoriums or even in some public place, they hid within the walls of their resort-like accommodations and turned their lawn sprinklers on them.

It seems to me, that in this day and age, (especially after the Scientology expose) anyone living in the area would be more than a little suspicious of a huge religious organization who builds a complex like the one at Warwick, and then proceeds to surround itself with high walls and manicured grounds and barricade itself off from the community with security gates and high tech security systems. What a fine witness it was for a giant organization who claim to be backed by the true God, to use their sprinklers as a weapon against individuals who's only goal is to be the voice of those who've died from blood loss, those who were abused as children and the countless others who no longer have an intact family.

Much of the Watchtower's operating style has been is based upon secrecy and protecting it's image, so they can recruit new members before they find out what's going on behind the scenes. Individual JW's had no idea the scope of what was happening within the organization. Most having difficulties, thought their situation was an isolated incident...a unique case.

At first glace, it might seem like the efforts of this weekends protest group may have been a bit futile , but it's a beginning. This effort, combined with all that has gone before it and will come after it, will eventually little by little, one by one, add up to something that can't be ignored. One day, anyone (except for born in children) who joins the organization will do so knowing the other side of the story that has always been hidden, in the past.

110

Exjw activists protesting inside a Kingdom Hall today!

by Crazyguy in

spoonfed nomore, has uploaded a video on his youtube site, of exjw activists protesting inside a kingdom hall during this sunday meeting.

several people speak out.

if some one can put a link on here that would be awesome, i can’t figure out how to do it with an i phone.

Pete Zahut

I'm not a big fan of invading the Kingdom Hall like this but this particular protest was handled better than most I've seen.

As unreasonable as it is, the protesters message was discounted heavily by those in attendance, just based upon their appearance. JW's have great disdain for the world and anyone who appears to be part of it. They dismiss anyone who doesn't look like them, especially at the Kingdom Hall. If the protesters would have dressed in "meeting clothes" the JW audience would have been more likely to identify and sympathize with them because they appeared to be "one of them" rather than dismiss them as scary apostates.

What about the "attendant" who was waving his arms and blocking that woman from filming. What was he trying to prevent her camera from seeing? He was going above and beyond the call of duty which often happens when you give the merest amount of authority to someone with very little personal power of their own.

57

Highwood Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses v. Randy Wall

by TerryWalstrom in

http://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/info/webcastview-webdiffusionvue-eng.aspx?cas=37273&id=2017%2f2017-11-02--37273&date=2017-11-02.

Pete Zahut

A more direct link to the video.

http://www.scc-csc.ca/case-dossier/info/webcastview-webdiffusionvue-eng.aspx?cas=37273&id=2017%2F2017-11-02--37273&date=2017-11-02

51

Witness Royalty and the last day at the "Towers"

by Lynnie in

my uber elder cousin and his wife got the "privilege" of having one last "toast" of wine at the rooftop garden at the towers in nyc since the jw's are vacating to warwick.

his oldest daughter and son in law are quite high up in the inner circle so they get invited to all the "inner circle" activities.

even though they aren't supposed to toast to anything it was pretty darn close.

Pete Zahut

pontoon 4 hours ago

I knew kurzen. Was in East Manhattan Congo with him then split to Murray Hill congregation

I was in the East Manhattan Congo as well. Kurzen and George Gangas attended that Congregation when I was there.

51

Witness Royalty and the last day at the "Towers"

by Lynnie in

my uber elder cousin and his wife got the "privilege" of having one last "toast" of wine at the rooftop garden at the towers in nyc since the jw's are vacating to warwick.

his oldest daughter and son in law are quite high up in the inner circle so they get invited to all the "inner circle" activities.

even though they aren't supposed to toast to anything it was pretty darn close.

Pete Zahut

@pete...I got to know Russell Kurzen pretty well, we were in the same bookstudy. You cant deny he was a humble man, nothing inner circle stuff despite his many years.

Yes....Russ was an all around lovely man and was able to maintain his Midwestern humble salt of the earth persona but at times could behave like a spoiled child or a rich kid who had become out of touch with what it's like to be down in the ranks. No one was really sure what his job was but we all knew he liked his comforts.

Most of the time he was quite affable but I did seem him throw a fit one time when a new Bethelite was visiting our table and he took too big of a helping of fried chicken. Although there was plenty to go around, he mercilessly shamed the poor guy and demanded that he put most of what he'd taken, back onto the serving plate.

One day "Mr. Coffee" was particularly boisterous outside the front door of the 124 building. Russ told us that Apostates are on a mission from Satan....they are possessed and driven by him. They have let themselves come under his influence and have no choice but to carry out his mission to ruin Jehovah's people.

51

Witness Royalty and the last day at the "Towers"

by Lynnie in

my uber elder cousin and his wife got the "privilege" of having one last "toast" of wine at the rooftop garden at the towers in nyc since the jw's are vacating to warwick.

his oldest daughter and son in law are quite high up in the inner circle so they get invited to all the "inner circle" activities.

even though they aren't supposed to toast to anything it was pretty darn close.

Pete Zahut

What meals? No one gleaned from lunch meal except for cold cuts day or pizza, except for a couple of married couples. We ate all the good stuff.

I sat at the GB table with Knorr, both Franz's, Sidlig, and the other GB members, doing their weekly rotation. We all gleaned off the table if there were left overs. Our table was kept well stocked so there usually was plenty left over. Russ Kurzen was our table head, maybe without realizing it, I was part of the "perks" the higher ups enjoy.

Barbara and CoCo were as higher up as you can get in job assignments and they did not ride in limousines.

I didn't say anything about Limousines....I said town cars. By town car I mean an expensive luxury car, the kind the average JW wouldn't use in field service for fear of the householders thinking that instead of humble servants, they were like Christendom, making a prophet off their religion.

Anyway...Fisherman, I guess you're on to me....I probably hallucinated the whole thing or maybe I'm a total liar and was never at Bethel at all. I'm not sure how I've managed my life thus far but maybe from now on, I'll run all of my comments by you first, so you can fact check them for me.

51

Witness Royalty and the last day at the "Towers"

by Lynnie in

my uber elder cousin and his wife got the "privilege" of having one last "toast" of wine at the rooftop garden at the towers in nyc since the jw's are vacating to warwick.

his oldest daughter and son in law are quite high up in the inner circle so they get invited to all the "inner circle" activities.

even though they aren't supposed to toast to anything it was pretty darn close.

Pete Zahut

Only a couple of interracial back in the 70s and these guys were not so higher up.

High enough up so as to be driven in a new black Lincoln Town Car to the meeting. These cars were said to have been donated by a JW with a car dealership. I sat at the GB table for all of my meals and my congregation was near Central Park so enjoyed getting away from there a few days a week and getting out among those living a real life. The problem I had with the town cars is that we were told not to stumble others by making a showy display of wealth. I can only imagine what the Brooklyn Heights neighbors must have thought when they saw those cars full of humble servants of Jehovah,coming and going in their gleaming black cars. The other problem I had with it was the fact that your work assignment had to be at a certain level before you had access to a car and driver. If they were donated, why was it only a select few who used them? Those of us who did the actual work, certainly weren't included.

The sister I spoke of, seemed embarrassed about it as if she was some sort of "sell out". She was a housekeeper but her husband was in a position of "Bethel Prestige" so she by virtue of his position, she had moved up a notch or two. Her "fleshly" Sister was a Bethelite as well but was single so she was down on the street and out in the weather with the rest of us.

By gleaming leftovers from the tables at lunch ?

Pretty much everyone gleaned after meals so they had something to snack on later. I'm talking about larger rooms with views of the city, more vacation time, air conditioned work space, travel to speaking engagements paid for by the donations of others who may not have been able to travel themselves....and of course, access to a town car and driver when needed.