by jambon1 10 Replies latest jw friends
I have come across this about this years assembly in a few posts recently.
Sorry if I seem stupid but is this a local sarcastic joke common to this website or is it a fact that they have included it in this years resolution?
If it is, then firstly, I am quite honestly stuck for words!
Secondly, could anyone post the actual words or a recording that you can play on realplayer or WMP?
Thank in advance if you can set me straight on this.
PS - Everyone in agreement say "AYE".
what the _ _ _ _ are you talking about? I'm must be stupider than you.
It´s true. Sadly.
It's AWESOME it's almost guaranteed to get younger members to come online!! It's like some jack-ass planting a apple tree in the middle of a garden and telling people not to eat from it! You can't lose people will eat every time!
my jw mom won't do chat rooms, but belong to a shit load of email groups on yahoo and msn.
1. We are determined to intensify our preaching activity.2. To live up to our dedication to Jehovah and give him exclusive devotion.
3. To follow Jesus' example closely and be no part of the world.
4. To manifest our loyalty to Jehovah and Jesus and not compromise Bible principles.
5. Not get involved in interfaith movements.
6. Remain subject to superior authorities but NOT get involved in political issues.
7. Be determined to resist spirit of the world; not getting involved in chat rooms, Materialism, Entertainment, Drunkenness, Pornography."
I believe that is the wording for the entire set of resolutions.
Be determined to resist spirit of the world; not getting involved in chat rooms, Materialism, Entertainment, Drunkenness, Pornography
some are vague, materalism, entertainment, , but these are specific: drunkeness,chat rooms, porn.
I can see many saying technically this discussion board IS NOT a chat room and as someone mentioned there are email chat lists, so many support list groups, i just don't see jws giving all this up. A whole new world has been opened up to us, it is so wonderful, we can talk to peole in outher countries and even get a chance to meet them. No one who has been doing this and really involved in it will stop. the fringe who maybe just were lurkers and not really involved -maybe they will quit. but I don't think it will work. We have had resolutions several times..
There must be huge-mongus(<....a Mickey word) amount of Jdubs getting in trouble for porn and chatrooms. And Bethel thought apostates were their only worry. If it weren't so sad, it would be funny. I suppose some curious brothers and sisters will now be tempted to buy computers so they can easily look at porn and NOT get caught.
They had a fairly large, specific article on the internet and chatrooms. I can imagine them putting it in the resolution.
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w04 9/1 p. 16 par. 13 Beware of "the Voice of Strangers" ***Regarding harmful associations, the psalmist David states: "I have not sat with men of untruth; and with those who hide what they are I do not come in." (Psalm 26:4) Again, do you note the trait typical of strangers? They hide who they are—just as Satan hid his identity by using a serpent. Today, some immoral people hide their identity and true intentions by using the Internet. In chat rooms, perverse adults may even pose as youths to lure you into a trap. Young ones, please be extremely cautious lest you be harmed spiritually.—Psalm 119:101; Proverbs 22:3.
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g04 12/8 pp. 18-21 The Internet—How to Avoid the Dangers ***The
Bible’s ViewpointThe
Internet—How to Avoid the DangersIN A remote village in India, a farmer checks the price of soybeans in Chicago, U.S.A., to determine the best time to sell his crop. At the same moment, a pensioner smiles as she reads an E-mail from her grandson, a traveler sees the weather forecast at his destination, and a mother finds helpful material for her child’s homework—all through the Internet. With an estimated 600 million people connected worldwide, the Internet revolution has transformed the way the world communicates and does business.
Especially has the younger generation, sometimes called the Cyber Generation, embraced the Internet. Increasingly, students use it to replace the library as a primary source of news and research. "In a nutshell, these students are . . . virtually 100 percent connected," said Deanna L. Tillisch, director of a study involving college seniors in the United States. Yes, the Internet is a valuable tool in our modern society.
Generally, the more powerful a tool is, the more dangerous it can be. A gas-powered chain saw can accomplish far more than a handsaw; yet, it must be used carefully. The Internet is likewise extremely powerful and useful, but we must exercise caution when using it, as it also poses serious dangers. Concern about these dangers has caused more than 40 member nations of the Council of Europe to draft an international treaty aimed at the protection of society against cybercrime.
Why all the concern? What are some of the dangers that are of particular concern to Christians? Should they cause you to avoid using the Internet? What guidance does the Bible provide?
Need
for CautionCenturies ago, the Bible warned of dangers posed by evil men described as "master[s] at evil ideas" and "scheming to do bad." (Proverbs 24:8) The prophet Jeremiah described them as "wicked men" whose "houses are full of deception." Like birdcatchers, they "set a ruinous trap" to catch men and "gain riches." (Jeremiah 5:26, 27) Technology has provided modern-day "wicked men" with deceptive traps of new dimensions. Let us consider some schemes that can present grave dangers for Christians.
Internet pornography is a 2.5-billion-dollar-a-year industry. The number of pornographic Web pages has grown at the explosive rate of nearly 1,800 percent over the past five years. It is estimated that there are currently over 260 million of such pages, and the number continues to grow at an unprecedented rate. "Pornography is becoming so prevalent on the Internet that it is now difficult to avoid unwanted exposure, and this makes cybersex addiction more likely," said Dr. Kimberly S. Young, executive director of the Center for On-Line Addiction.
The Bible tells us that "each one is tried by being drawn out and enticed by his own desire." (James 1:14) Viewing anyone with a computer as a potential victim, peddlers of pornography employ a variety of tactics to appeal to each one’s "own desire," that is, "the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes." (1 John 2:16) Their intent is to entice—or as Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words explains, "to lure by a bait"—unsuspecting Internet users whom they "try to seduce."—Proverbs 1:10.
Like wicked men in Bible times, pornographers frequently employ deception. It is estimated that as part of an aggressive effort to attract new customers, some two billion pornographic E-mails are sent each day. Often the unsolicited E-mails have subject lines that make them appear harmless. However, opening one can launch a barrage of immoral images that is difficult to stop. Requests to be removed from the mailing list may result in a deluge of further unsolicited pornographic messages.
A birdcatcher carefully places seeds along a path. An unsuspecting bird pecks at one tasty seed after another until snap! the trap is sprung. Similarly, curiosity leads some to nibble at sexually stimulating imagery. And the viewers hope that no one is watching them. Finding it arousing, some return to this exciting and powerful imagery with increasing frequency. Shame and guilt may plague them. In time, what was once shocking becomes ordinary. For those inclined to view pornography, the Internet is like fertilizer that causes desires rapidly to grow into sinful actions. (James 1:15) Eventually such individuals may develop "a ‘dark side’ whose core is anti-social lust devoid of most values," reports Dr. Victor Cline, a clinical psychologist who has treated hundreds of patients who were caught in this snare.
The
Dangers of Chat RoomsInternet chat rooms can be time wasters and are increasingly associated with relationship breakdowns. Expressing frustration over the amount of time his wife spends on-line, one man wrote: "When she gets in from work, the PC goes on and it can be five or more hours before she logs off. Our marriage is suffering as a result." Yes, time spent on the Internet is time spent away from your mate and family.
Angela Sibson, chief executive of the marriage guidance service Relate, says that the Internet "is a gateway to other relationships. They can be very potent and break up existing relationships." What starts as a friendly on-line conversation in a chat room can quickly become something more serious. Intent on engaging in immoral relations, those "cunning of heart" use "smoothness of the tongue" to tell potential victims what they want to hear. (Proverbs 6:24; 7:10) Nicola, a 26-year-old victim from the United Kingdom, explains: "It was like a love bombardment. He kept saying how wonderful I was and I fell for it." Dr. Al Cooper, editor of Sex and the Internet: A Guidebook for Clinicians, says that we need to "warn people about the slippery slope that starts with online flirting and too often ends in divorce."
Children are even more vulnerable to exploitation and harm by "computer-sex offenders." Using "crookedness of speech" and "deviousness of lips," pedophiles target inexperienced children. (Proverbs 4:24; 7:7) Engaging in a practice known as grooming, they shower the child with attention, affection, and kindness to make the youngster feel special. They seem to know everything a child is interested in, including that one’s favorite music and hobbies. Minor problems at home are accentuated in order to drive a wedge between the child and his or her family. To fulfill their evil desires, predators may even send their target victim a ticket to travel cross-country. The results are frightening.
Bible
Principles Can Safeguard YouAfter assessing the dangers, some people have concluded that it is better for them to avoid using the Internet altogether. However, it must be acknowledged that only a small percentage of sites on the Internet pose a danger and that most users have not experienced serious problems.
Thankfully, the Scriptures provide guidance to "safeguard" us from danger. We are encouraged to acquire knowledge, wisdom, and thinking ability. Such qualities will ‘keep guard over us’ to ‘deliver us from the bad way.’ (Proverbs 2:10-12) "But wisdom itself—from where does it come?" asked God’s ancient servant Job. The answer? "The fear of Jehovah—that is wisdom."—Job 28:20, 28.
"The fear of Jehovah," which "means the hating of bad," is the basis for developing godly attributes. (Proverbs 1:7; 8:13; 9:10) Love and reverence for God, along with a healthy respect for his power and authority, result in our hating and avoiding the bad things he hates. Clear thinking ability, coupled with godly knowledge, helps us recognize dangers that can poison our mind, heart, and spirituality. We come to abhor selfish and greedy attitudes that can wreck our family and destroy our relationship with Jehovah.
So if you use the Internet, be aware of the dangers. Be resolved to keep God’s commandments, and avoid flirting with trouble. (1 Chronicles 28:7) Then, if Internet dangers confront you, you will wisely flee from them.—1 Corinthians 6:18.
[Box on page 19]STAY CLEAR OF PORNOGRAPHY!"Let fornication and uncleanness of every sort or greediness not even be mentioned among you, just as it befits holy people."—Ephesians 5:3.
"Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness."—Colossians 3:5.
"This is what God wills, . . . that each one of you should know how to get possession of his own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in covetous sexual appetite such as also those nations have which do not know God."—1 Thessalonians 4:3-5.
[Box/Pictures on page 20, 21]BEWARE OF INTERNET CHAT ROOMS!A female police detective specializing in Internet crime invited Awake! to see the dangers of Internet chat rooms. She entered a chat room, posing as a 14-year-old girl. After just a few seconds, a number of individuals made contact. The strangers asked such questions as: "Where are you from?" "Are you a girl or a boy?" "Can we talk?" Several responses were from suspected sexual predators whom the police were tracking. That shows how easily a pedophile can get into a chat room with your child!
Some parents think that children are safe when using chat rooms because their conversations are accessible by everyone in the chat room while the discussion is taking place. However, once in a chat room, you can be invited to have a one-on-one conversation. Referring to this practice, sometimes called whispering, the United Kingdom’s Internet Taskforce on Child Protection warns: "This is like stepping out of a party full of people into a private room and having a separate conversation with a stranger."
It is also important for parents to understand that most pedophiles want to do more than chat with a child. A paper prepared by the Internet Crime Forum reports: "Contact initiated in chat rooms may well be developed through other media, such as email and (mobile) phone." A report from the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation states: "While talking to a child victim on-line is a thrill for a computer-sex offender, it can be very cumbersome. Most want to talk to the children on the telephone. They often engage in ‘phone sex’ with the children and often seek to set up an actual meeting for real sex."
To accomplish this, computer-sex offenders will give out their phone number. Should your child call them, caller ID will reveal the child’s phone number. Other predators have toll-free numbers or tell the child to call collect. Some have even sent the child a cell phone. Offenders may also send letters, photographs, and gifts.
Children are not the only ones succumbing to the dangers of chat rooms. Using smooth speech to tell women what they wanted to hear, one man recently made six women in the United Kingdom fall in love with him at the same time. One of the victims, Cheryl, an attractive 27-year-old postgraduate student, said: "I just can’t explain it now. It became so intense it took over my whole life."
"Women find cyberspace comforting because they are not being judged by their looks," said Jenny Madden, the founder of Women in Cyberspace. "But they also leave themselves very open to manipulation because there is a tendency, in chat rooms particularly, to give away a lot about yourself very quickly."
"All I have to do is turn on my computer and I have thousands of women to choose from," said one man questioned for a University of Florida research study conducted by Beatriz Avila Mileham. She stated: "The internet will soon become the most common form of infidelity, if it isn’t already." "We are hearing from therapists around the country reporting online sexual activity to be a major cause of marital problems," said Dr. Al Cooper, editor of the book Sex and the Internet: A Guidebook for Clinicians.
In view of these sobering facts, it is wise to take sensible precautions when using the Internet. Talk to your children, and teach them how to protect themselves from danger. Equipped with proper knowledge, you can avoid the dangers of the Internet.—Ecclesiastes 7:12.
*** g05 10/22 pp. 17-19 Chat Rooms—How Can I Avoid the Dangers? ***Chat Rooms—How Can I Avoid the Dangers?"I regularly chatted online for three or four hours a day. Sometimes I would chat for six or seven hours straight."—José.
CHAT ROOMS—like any other area where strangers mingle—contain dangers that you need to be aware of. To illustrate, if you visited a big city, you would logically endeavor to minimize any threat to your safety by identifying and then avoiding hazardous areas.
The same logic applies if you must visit a chat room. In the September 22 issue of Awake! two dangers inherent to many chat rooms were discussed, namely, the possibility of your coming in contact with sexual predators and the temptation for you to become a deceiver. There are other dangers that are worth considering. But, first, how are chat rooms organized?
Organized for a PurposeChat rooms are usually organized according to topics that attract certain groups of people. Some might be set up for enthusiasts of a particular sport or hobby. Others may be devoted to discussing a television show. Still others might cater to people claiming to belong to a particular religion.
If you are one of Jehovah’s Witnesses, curiosity might prompt you to visit a chat room that claims to be a place where Witness youths from around the world can make new friends. Finding friends among youths who share your faith is a desirable goal. However, these chat rooms harbor insidious dangers for Christians. What kind of dangers?
Introducing Moral Corruption"I was in a chat room with a group of people who I thought were all Jehovah’s Witnesses," says a youth named Tyler. "After a while, though, some of these people started disparaging our beliefs. Before long, it was evident that they were really apostates." They were individuals who deliberately tried to undermine the morals of those who they claimed were their fellow believers.
God’s Son, Jesus Christ, warned that some of those who followed him would turn on their companions. (Matthew 24:48-51; Acts 20:29, 30) The apostle Paul called such individuals in his time false brothers and says that they "sneaked in" to do harm to those in the Christian congregation. (Galatians 2:4) The Bible writer Jude says that they "slipped in" with the goal of "turning the undeserved kindness of our God into an excuse for loose conduct." (Jude 4) He also describes them as "rocks hidden below water."—Jude 12.
Notice that both Paul and Jude identify the stealthy methods often used by apostates. These Bible writers noted that the apostates "sneaked in" or "slipped in" with the purpose of morally corrupting those in the Christian congregation. Today, chat rooms offer such corrupt ones the perfect cloak for their devious endeavors. Like rocks hidden below water, these false Christians mask their real intent beneath a pretense of concern for Witness youths. But their goal is to shipwreck the faith of unwary ones.—1 Timothy 1:19, 20.
This journal, as well as other material produced by Jehovah’s Witnesses, has repeatedly warned of this particular danger. Therefore, anyone you meet in a chat room ostensibly set up for Jehovah’s Witnesses is, at best, a person who disregards such counsel. Do you really want as friends those who choose to downplay Bible-based direction?—Proverbs 3:5, 6; 15:5.
The Trap of IsolationAnother aspect of chat rooms that you do well to consider is the amount of time they consume. José, mentioned at the start of this article, says: "I sometimes became so involved in chat room discussions that I missed meals."
You may not become as absorbed in chat rooms as José. However, to spend time chatting online, you must buy out time from some other activity. The area prone to suffer immediately may not be your homework or your household chores. The first casualty may be communication with your family. Adrian, who lives in Spain, says: "I would leave the table immediately after a meal and go online to chat. I became so hooked on chat rooms that I virtually stopped talking to my family."
If you are spending valuable time in chat rooms, you may likewise be isolating yourself from those who matter most to you. The Bible provides this relevant warning: "One isolating himself will seek his own selfish longing; against all practical wisdom he will break forth." (Proverbs 18:1) The strangers you meet in many chat rooms are unlikely to encourage you to live by the practical wisdom found in the Bible. It is more likely that they will encourage you to seek selfish interests and will tempt you to break free from Christian moral standards.
True, one of the lures of chat rooms may be that you find it easier to talk online than to communicate with family members. Your chat room associates may seem eager to hear your opinion on matters and might openly express their feelings. Your family members, on the other hand, might appear too busy to listen to your concerns and may find it difficult to express their feelings freely.
However, ask yourself: ‘Do my online associates know who I really am? Are they really interested in my long-term welfare?’ Members of your family are far more likely to care about your emotional and spiritual health. If your parents are trying to live by Bible standards, they are keenly interested in communicating with you. (Ephesians 6:4) If you respectfully express your thoughts and feelings to them, they may surprise you by responding more kindly than you expect.—Luke 11:11-13.
Avoiding the DangersYou may have a compelling reason to access a chat room—for example, as part of a required school project. If so, you can ensure that chat rooms do not become a snare for you by taking the following simple precautions.
First, avoid using an Internet-connected computer in the privacy of your own room. Doing so would be like wandering by yourself down a dark street in a strange city—you would be asking for trouble. Rather, keep the computer in a public area of the house where others can easily monitor its use.
Second, encourage better communication with your parents by showing them your online destinations and by explaining why you need to access a particular chat room. Also, set a time limit on how long you will be at the computer, and then stick to it.
Third, install computer programs that will help protect you from online sexual harassment by filtering the content of incoming messages. If you do receive sexual solicitations while online, let your parents or teacher know immediately. In some countries adults who know you are a minor yet solicit you through sexually suggestive text messages or other pornographic material are committing a criminal offense. They should be reported to the police.
In addition, never give out your name, your address, the name of the school you attend, or your phone number to someone you meet in a chat room. And never accept an invitation to meet face-to-face with a person you meet online!
Although written thousands of years ago, the words of wise King Solomon are relevant to the dangers posed by chat rooms: "Shrewd is the one that has seen the calamity and proceeds to conceal himself, but the inexperienced have passed along and must suffer the penalty."—Proverbs 22:3.
[Footnotes]Some names have been changed.
See Awake! of December 8, 2004, pages 18-21.
See Awake! of January 22, 2000, page 20.
[Picture on page 18]Wisely, show your parents your online destinations
