Posts by steve2

posted

21
When many of the GB are dead in 10 years
by HiddenPimo in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
what will be their new plan?.
steve2

They do not die at the same time or even the same time period - so there is never a time when more than one JW male joins the GB.
Also, newcomers to the GB are chosen very carefully because of their demonstrated loyalty to the organization and conservative outlook. Selection criteria would exclude intelligence and critical thinking skills, among other qualities of thinkers. Even Ray Franz only left the GB after significant years of doubt.
Do not expect a new broom to sweep clean the organization.
6
Good Youtube channels
by belogical in
1. social
2. entertainment
ok i'll start the ball rolling.

winston from jamaica with his excellent channel.

lots of short and to the point videos.. https://www.youtube.com/channel/ucmfy5skgfysq36ug1ismnsg.
steve2
- For sheer consistency and depth of coverage on all things ex-JW, you can't go passed John Cedars: Thoughtful, well reasoned, and acknowledges other's points of view.
- BTW, for physical health reasons, Susan Gaskin's channel is on hold - but, man, when she was making videos, she provided an important and insightful woman's perspective.
- A very promising channel is Ali's big toe. I've only seen a few, but am already hooked. A distinctively calm and reasonable voice.
- I used to tune into Kim and Mikey, but their videos became a bit too shouty and sensationalist (and at the same time, their hearts are in the right place.
11
I thought New Zealand was a DECENT country!
by The Fall Guy in
1. social
2. current
a criminal in nz- in this case a murderer - has the right not to be identified - even after conviction?

quote: "why was grace millane’s murderer granted anonymity?

the reasons for the so-called suppression order, like the name of the killer himself, cannot be given for legal reasons.
steve2

The judge in the trial cited in the OP has said that the suppression order is not permanent. It has nothing to do with whether or not New Zealand is a left- leaning country because current legislation on name suppression was passed into law when the conservative National party was in power.
Once it is announced whether or not the defendant will appeal his 17-year sentence, the suppression order will be revisited by the Judge.
19
First Proper Chat With the JWs in Almost 11 Years
by passwordprotected in
1. jw
2. experiences
since disassociating in october 2008, i've had little to no direct contact with the jws, apart from immediate family members (ie my parents).

i've lived in my rented flat since may 2014 and haven't had a knock on the door in that whole time.

until saturday morning.
steve2

Mutual respect throughout the exchange. It could have turned negative very quickly but your astute mindedness paved the way for a helpful exchange. I like that you did not zero in on their specific beliefs as JWs but centred the exchange around beliefs shared by most Christian believers. They were less defensive and would even concede your points.
I've no doubt that these two JWs will remember the exchange and may even have thought far more deeply on the issues that came up. Well done!
58
Congregations That May Dissolve Soon!!
by Atlantis in
1. jw
2. friends
from a member of the board asking for this to be posted.. hi.

i'm pimo.

could you please let people know about this?
steve2

I can't find the Kim & Mike youtube re/these hall dissolutions
You can subscribe if you want to - or click on their icon and it will take you to thumbnails of all their videos - click on the relevant thumbnail and you'll be fine.
31
Watch Tower's Popularity
by dydeonwl in
1. watchtower
2. bible
watchtower has been named as world's most published and circulated magazine in us.

amazing.

source:.
steve2

Who wrote this fluff piece? Among other comments, the Awake "magazine" is described as a magazine "beloved of Christians."
I can't believe there's no comment about The Awake and the Watchtower in recent years becomming increasingly more like pamphlets or tracts than magazines.
8
Nicholas King interview
by neat blue dog in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
https://www.broadwayworld.com/cabaret/article/bww-feature-nicolas-king-concentrated-awesome-20200117.
steve2

He sounds gay - is he? No mention of wife and/or children?
15
Governing Body prefers property over prayers, songs and use of bible (Mexico)
by krismalone in
1. watchtower
2. scandals
for many years the government of mexico did not allow religious organizations to own property.

any property used by a religious organization was confiscated by the government.

this law changed in the mid 1990's.
steve2

Very interesting! How do other religions such as Latter-Day Saints and 7th-Day Adventists get on as regards property in Mexico?
39
Only One Destiny for All Christians
by cofty in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
the following is an extract from an article i wrote when i left the watchtower 25 years ago.

it may be helpful in reasoning with a jw about the anointed/great crowd distinction.. --------------------------------.

to divide people into those with a heavenly hope and those with an earthly one is not a biblical concept.
steve2

Two groups: Jews and Gentiles but one hope.
Remember, the two classes doctrine came, not from Russell, but from Rutherford. His flawed reasoning was based on the 144,000 - mentioned but twice in Scripture and then only in the book of Revelation known for its symbolic use of numbers.
Basing a doctrine involving a literal interpretation of a number in a book replete with numbers even JWs treat a symbolic is a bit unsound to begin with.
7
Interesting WT Deluge Contradiction I just noticed.
by Jofi_Wofo in
1. watchtower
2. beliefs
i was reviewing some of the evidence the wt proposes for their claim of the bible's scientific accuracy, when i came across this interesting assertion.. the mountains rise and fall, and today’s mountains were once under the ocean.

(psalm 104:6, 8) in contrast, several myths say that the mountains were created in their current form by the gods.. https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/science-and-the-bible/.

interesting.
steve2

Excellent find! It's the religious variant of 'having your cake and eating it too'. JW organization writers seem incapable of giving too much thought (or critical thinking) over what they've said elsewhere.