Most of the Society's "practical wisdom" seems, to me, to cancel itself out through weasel wording. "The wise thing to do would be this, unless there is good reason to do that instead. Some people will do this and we can't judge them, and some will do that. We want to fulfill obligation X, but we don't want to forget about mutually-exclusive obligation Y. We should do both at the same time but only when it's possible, and we shouldn't when it's not." In the end, you've learned nothing except the parts that you selectively chose to emphasize based on your own circumstances, but the actual result of the article might be a perfect mathematical net zero.
They are Definitely Attacking "Higher Education"
by XBEHERE 129 Replies latest jw friends
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LongHairGal
XBHERE:
The religion is losing too many people. Bottom line: this demonizing of education (which flies in the face of common sense) is a desperation measure by the religion. Do you think they care about the bad future that anyone listening to their bad advice will have?
thedog1:
Even though I have been out of the religion for years, I am well aware from what I hear on the grapevine that congregations are now more aggressively targeting members (especially single women like myself that nobody ever gave a sh#t about) to "care for" and "do favors for" the elderly (other people's parents, I might add) and various other sick or disturbed individuals who have come into the religion in recent years.
It is my observation that the Witness religion is changing from just a "preaching" religion to one where women in the religion are expected to be drudges doing all these favors. Sorry, but it ain't happening. Thirty years ago I wasn't having any of this garbage. I'll take care of my own family, thank you.
This is a very dysfunctional and damaging religion and I am glad to be rid of it !!
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Oubliette
WT: Never would we want to be like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day. ( Matt. 15:3-6 )
Oh the irony! The WTBTS are more pharisaical than the Pharisees ever were!!!
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Pistoff
"Then they received a telephone call from the coordinator of the body of elders in the parents’ congregation. Those elders had discussed the situation and wanted the missionaries to continue in their assignment as long as possible. The elders appreciated this couple’s service and were determined to do all they could to help them care for their parents. All in the family appreciated the loving concern."
So now it's OK to foist off caring for your elderly parents so that you can stay in your assignment, or to RELY on the judgement of the elders.
The WT truly does interfere in every single decision a member makes:
Sex
Education
Work
Association
Private thoughts
Family Care
Just imagine those who, like me, in the late 60's listened (we WERE told to listen and obey, right?) to the WT admonition that we would NOT have the time to finish college, let alone have a career.
I entered the trades, and made an adequate living.
I never planned more than a few years in advance; NO ONE I grew up with or knew in the truth did, what was the point? The END was always close, so close, very near, right around the corner.
Now the WT has the unmitigated gall to tell us we are not only responsible for our own 2nd rate finances, thanks to their terrible advice, we are also responsible for our parents' finances. (Something that any good son or daughter knows anyway, but how do they not gag on their own words?)
Oh, and don't forget to donate to the local congregation and to the worldwide work.
And they are putting young witnesses in a terrible bind. They are dooming an entire generation, a real one, not an invented overlapping one, to low middle class status. Nothing wrong with that, if YOU choose it or end there for some reason, but they have NO RIGHT to discourage education or to foster an atmosphere that so looks down on education that young people feel like pariahs for going.
Well, I listened (and took to heed) in 1992 when they said that what education our children got was our choice; from then on, I encouraged my children to go to college. Amazingly, they all three finished and have degrees; two got them after they stopped going to meetings, one when still going to meetings. And he got shit for it, from frowns to expressions of sadness that he was going to school, which annoyed him no end (his reaction made me smile).
So to the 8 gray men in NY who are telling an entire generation of millions of teenagers not to go to school:
GO FUCK YOURSELVES.
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Pistoff
I know, I should really chill a bit.
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thedog1
Care of elderly relatives should be the responsibility of their children or the state if there is any provision for that. Full stop. Not the congregation. We recently had a case where an extremely incapacitated sister requested financial aid from the congregation. She even ended up at a hospital where the staff contacted the branch to ask why the local bros were not looking after her. We don't know what she said to the hospital staff but they got the impression that the local Witnesses had not supported her. Nothing could be further from the truth. The local bros and sis had done so much for her without seeking any recognition, acting as true Christians. Maybe she has a screw loose, I don't know. The local cong had to write to the branch to assure them that we had done everything possible for this sister, and even her non-Witness relatives acknowledged that the bros had done a lot and they did not need any financial help to care for her needs. Another thread on here wondered if there are any 'real' JW apologists on here. I am not an apologist. I just say it as I see it. But as I stated before , I am for real and I am a serving elder.
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wearewatchingyouman
Up to the care of the children, or the state? Hold the eff on just one effing second! I thought you guys were a spiritual family? and that is more important than blood ties. What if you so lovingly disfellowshipped an elderly sisters family and she obediently cut off ties with them. Then what? Are you suggsting that she go groveling back to them and asking for their forgiveness, and to please take care of her? Or let's even go further with just "worldly" relatives. Elderly sister doesn't come to family gatherings, wedings etc. etc. etc., because going out in service and prerparing for the meetings are a "more appropriate use of her time", but now the Society expects them to financially provide for her because she didn't prepare for such circumstances due to the fact she was constantly told the end is right around the corner? Give me an effing break. This is a problem caused by the loving "Mother". Any "Godly Organization" worth it's salt should take care of these poor souls they've done nothing to but taken from their entire lives. And to suggest that Satan's earthly rulers should take care of God's people, that it's somehow the Devil's responsibility over "God's earthly organization". The fucking nerve of you people. Seriously?!
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Bungi Bill
Pistoff,
No need to apologise - my thoughts exactly!
Bill.
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thedog1
Well guys, I have no objection to responding to critcism of my posts, but in my book, effing and so on is the height of disrepect, so not going to respond to wearewatchingyouman's post. If he or she cannot respond without resorting to profanity, well...