Quality of JW teaching from elders

by sir82 30 Replies latest jw friends

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  sir82

  There was a recent thread on the "quality" of converts to JWs in recent years. It wasn't a pretty picture, based on the thread contents.

  Well, the lack of depth isn't restricted to new converts.

  In our CLAM this week, one of the principal points for review was this:

  Ne 1:1; 2:1—Why can we conclude that “the 20th
  year” mentioned at Nehemiah 1:1 and 2:1 is counted
  from the same starting point? (w06 2/1 8 5)

  OK, so in the 3 minute "final review" at the end of the meeting, here, is, pretty much verbatim, what the chairman said:

  And did you catch the point about the 20th year? It was one of those points that can hard to get. But basically, it was a difference in the way they counted things. See, there was Chislev of 475 and Nisan of 475, but it was both starting the same difference.

  It's like the brother explained when he covered the part, it's like an electoral year. Like how a president is elected in November but doesn't take office until January.

  <Beads of flop sweat appear>

  You ever hear someone who isn't 18 years old say he is 18? Like, he's not 18 but he says he's 18. That's just like this 20th year.

  <Dead silence from audience, except for the sounds of palms hitting foreheads from the few with a modicum of intelligence>

  So this was a hard point to grasp, but the point is, they used different counting systems back then.

  <Another panicked pause...why doesn't he just quit now? Nope, on he goes.....>

  So that's really all it was, the way they counted was different, Just like in a election. They counted the years differently.

  <Pause for effect>

  So that was a really hard point, but I think we have it now.
  

  And so there we had it. A perfectly understandable answer to the question presented. Can't wait to try it out in field service!

  I know that explanation would be hard to top, but did anyone else get such a clear answer as we did?
  
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  Doctor Who

  GB 2.0 implied answer to that question...."People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff."
• 

  ctrwtf

  Dolt
• 

  OUTLAW

  Quality of JW teaching from elders

  
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  Magnum

  That was one of the most frustrating, irritating things to me in JWdom over my several decades in. Many elders were clueless. They often taught things that contradicted JW doctrine. Many times, they had no idea what was going on. I could relate many stories. I will mention one now.

  In the late 80's, I and my wife met for service one morning at the Kingdom Hall. The group was small - just the two of us and maybe eight to ten others. I can still picture it and even remember where we were sitting (back two rows on the rear left of the KH).

  The PO, who was also a regular pioneer, stood in an aisle and conducted the meeting. He was retired; probably about 60. His meeting consisted of considering the daily text. The comments on the text for that day mentioned Paul's having been involved in Judaism. The PO said "Paul must have been humble because I imagine if he wanted to he could have [at this point he made karate-like motions with his hands] chopped opposers up."

  My wife and I, to this day, still mention that from time to time. The only thing we can figure is that the PO was thinking of Judo and he thought that Judaism was like some kind or Eastern martial art. And that wasn't just an isolated incident with him.

  That one was a doozy. Most of the problems were less sensational and had to do with chronic lack of comprehension, lack of ability to teach, ignorance, and, often, just plain old lack of computing power.
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  Rather Be the Hammer

  We have the CO visiting this week. his talk was about Illusions and how illusionists and the devil act to deceive people. (After one minute or so I realised that he was telling true things if you filled in WTS instead of 'devil'. Create an illusion of truth. Distract people to make the 'impossible' happen when they not look your way. False messages. Big show. Make people believe your story)

  Anyway he ended his talk by telling us about Houdini. How everytime he escaped out of being trapped in diffucult positions. Even once he was handcuffed and put in a chest and then burried.

  and you know, thats what will happen in he end with the devil. He will be captivated and put in a chest and be buried (rev. 20:2,3).

  😳 and then what? Escape like Houdini?
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  Rather Be the Hammer

  @Doctor Who

  Timey Wimey stuff... Weeping Angels! Best episode ever. 👍🏻
  
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  elderINewton

  The quality is indeed diminishing probably due to strict confirming to the tms book. Some stuff made sense but never allowed for a person to be anything but a robot. The new clam meeting will amplify this in years to come unless it's all from a TV.
  Lastly, the candidates being brought in are not the most well versed or educated. You get what you pay for.
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  Nathan Natas

  Magnum, that was excellent! ROTFLMAO!
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  Phizzy

  You cannot teach what you do not know. The "knowledge" contained in WT/JW literature over the years has always been of rubbish quality, but has been dumbed down as well in the last couple of decades.

  Most Elders have a poor education, and most I found, read very little, so had a poor grasp on many things, not just the Bible, many used the wrong word, or mispronounced words because they did not read.

  I was often embarrassed when "interested" ones were present.