Posts by slimboyfat

17

NWT - revised 1984 vs revised 2013 versions

by Tallon in

in the latest 2013 revision the footnote of john chapter 8 states; a number of ancient and authoritative manuscripts omit vs 53 (of chapter 7) to chapter 8, vs. 11.. yet the 1984 revision quotes a similar footnote, however the passage of scripture is included in the text, albeit separately at the bottom.

this passage of scripture is about the scribes and the pharisees who brought a woman that was accused of adultery before jesus to test him on the punishment to be meted out.

then came his famous reply; let the one of you that is sinless be the first to throw a stone at her.. i just found it interesting that the wtbts would leave this out in the latest revision.

slimboyfat

The 2013 NWT removed most of the cross references. It's a stretch to read too much into any particular cross reference that was removed, simply because so many were removed.

There were certainly "embarrassing" cross references in the old NWT that seemed to run counter to JW teaching. Such as cross references that identified Jesus and Jehovah. The NWT committee probably relied on cross references from other available version and amended them as they wished, rather than creating them from scratch. So a few inconvenient cross references slipped the net.

30

Comparing Total Numbers Baptized During the 1990s and the Last Ten Years:

by steve2 in

sometimes, comparing raw numbers provides a more clear-cut numerical picture of growth or otherwise than percentages.

below are the numbers for peak publishers (rounded off so that 4,1 represents more than 4,100,000) for each year throughout the 1990s and those for the last ten years.. year: peak* baptisms.

* peak publishers abbreviated - simply to show annual baptisms in relation to peak publishers.. the main point: .

slimboyfat

I was questioned about getting my time in. I auxiliary pioneered at 17 years old for three months. The elders said they wanted a word with me. Did they want to tell me how good I was doing? No. They said they "heard reports" that I was "walking" in between return visits, some as far as half an hour apart. Was this efficient use of field service time? They asked me. I didn't have a car at the time, nor did the elders offer to run me around.

30

Comparing Total Numbers Baptized During the 1990s and the Last Ten Years:

by steve2 in

sometimes, comparing raw numbers provides a more clear-cut numerical picture of growth or otherwise than percentages.

below are the numbers for peak publishers (rounded off so that 4,1 represents more than 4,100,000) for each year throughout the 1990s and those for the last ten years.. year: peak* baptisms.

* peak publishers abbreviated - simply to show annual baptisms in relation to peak publishers.. the main point: .

slimboyfat

If we measure baptisms / publisher then I think the all time peak was 1973, 1974 or 1975. No year since has come anywhere close to matching the baptism rate per publisher in those years.

22

Do You Hope Donald Trump Makes Jestures Of Mending USA With Russia Relationships?

by Brokeback Watchtower in

i think the problems the us and russia face are mainly ideological.

the cold war these two countries have been in needs to be stopped and common sense needs to be applied i hope trump can push thing in the right direction and that he has good advisors.

i'm all for these two major world military powers to put away their differences and find way to work together on common problems they face.. they need to cooperate with each other even in their cyber warfare.

slimboyfat

If he succeeds simply in not bringing about the end of civilisation I'll settle for that.

94

Karl Marx Genius Of The Modern World

by Brokeback Watchtower in

he was all for getting rid of religions and their delusions for the betterment of mankind.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mydmc1wio8.

slimboyfat

Marx's words are as true today as when he wrote: a frightful hobgoblin stalks throughout Europe! Even now, in the Derridean epoch, spectres of Marx, we retrurn to the idea, communism!

When Marx said, "religion is the opium of the people", his emphasis was on "people" rather than "religion". He was not a rabid secularist who saw the elimination of religion as a worthy goal. Rather he was a humanitarian who viewed the alleviation of human oppression as the goal, and the diminution of religion as a mere byproduct. By contrast, for many secularists, the elimination of religion is the goal. The consequences for human wellbeing are not their focus.

25

Aust Census Data shows decrease while Yearbook shows increase

by shepherdless in

on threads about 8 or 9 months ago, i put up some detailed data from the 2011 and 2006 australian censuses.

data from the 2016 census is becoming available in stages, and i mentioned recently that i would do an update.

finally, as of about today, some data of interest is available, and i have started to look at this, but it is time consuming, and i am time-poor.. anyway, the first search i have conducted is just a simple breakdown of the number of people describing themselves as jw's.

slimboyfat

Both. They show different things. The yearbook shows the number of people who turn in reports, whereas the census shows the number of people who describe themselves or their children as JWs. They are probably both pretty accurate for what they claim to measure.

25

Aust Census Data shows decrease while Yearbook shows increase

by shepherdless in

on threads about 8 or 9 months ago, i put up some detailed data from the 2011 and 2006 australian censuses.

data from the 2016 census is becoming available in stages, and i mentioned recently that i would do an update.

finally, as of about today, some data of interest is available, and i have started to look at this, but it is time consuming, and i am time-poor.. anyway, the first search i have conducted is just a simple breakdown of the number of people describing themselves as jw's.

slimboyfat

Thanks Earnest for the yearbook numbers. There's quite a discrepancy between the two trends isn't there?

15

June 29, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: Branch Relocation - Newsletter (UK)

by wifibandit in

june 29, 2017 to all congregations re: branch relocation - newsletter.

britain branch relocation - newsletter ed.5 summer 2017. .

.

slimboyfat

"If these five buildings were placed on top of each other, they would be 25 storeys high!"

That's one higher than the Grenfell block that burned down. Is the comment meant to be topical, or unwittingly so? It was sent just days after.

The "newsletter" is a single sheet of paper with about 100 words on it? I kept checking for more.

They seem pretty enthusiastic anyway. No hint of scaling back there.

14

Creationist on their death bed

by Coded Logic in

i would really like to read the thoughts of an creationist as they lie on their deathbed.

their honest thoughts.

their terrors.

slimboyfat

In my experience, even while alive, consciousness is not guaranteed.

You on the booze? My consciousness is always guaranteed.

14

Creationist on their death bed

by Coded Logic in

i would really like to read the thoughts of an creationist as they lie on their deathbed.

their honest thoughts.

their terrors.

slimboyfat

You don't need to believe in God to believe in an afterlife. In fact, when you think about it, if there is no God then there certainly will be an afterlife. But if there is a God then he's the only one with the power to prevent an afterlife if he wishes.