slimboyfat

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Posts by slimboyfat

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  108

  New Upcoming Changes - No More Publisher Record Cards & Reporting Hours

  by thedepressedsoul in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  publisher record cards and reporting hours will be going away.

  .

  coming soon.. made this post 4 years ago, it happened - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source.

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  slimboyfat

  I think this could be true. In some ways it’s the natural extension of halting literature production. Why do you need to measure “publishing” activity when there’s no literature for people to distribute?

  It would have massive implications for how the organisation functions. For example will there still be pioneers? How will they define a pioneer, if not hours? I guess the concept will need to be redefined or dropped altogether, and with it much of the incentive structure that currently keeps the organisation functioning. Other churches function without counting hours, but they have other incentive systems in place which JWs lack (for example congregational autonomy, which is a powerful motivation for congregations of other religious groups, is completely lacking with JWs).

  It really does feel like the GB believe the game is up, so they are drawing down their assets, and winding down the organisation.
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  17

  Society Ditches Older Publications

  by new boy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it has been reported that many of the older publications are being dumped.

  the watchtower bible and truck society have a long list of books, pamphlets and brochures that are no longer available either in print or in their data base on their web sight.

  of course the reason is that this books have a lot of old information that is incorrect, false prophecies, flip flops and a lot of "new light" that became old light.

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  slimboyfat

  These rumours have been flying around for years, but I have never found them very convincing, or seen good evidence.

  In fact the new elders book gives this instruction:

  LIBRARY
  39. Each Kingdom Hall auditorium should have space for a library. (od p. 61 par. 19) The library should contain publications for each language group using the auditorium. The bodies of elders should determine whether the library will provide publications in printed form, electronic form, or both. Since some publishers and inter- ested persons do not use computers or electronic devices, the elders should give careful consideration to the needs of such in- dividuals when making decisions as to the Kingdom Hall library, especially before deciding to eliminate printed publications. If the publications will be provided in electronic form, such as on a de- vice or on a computer, a printer should be made available. At least one responsible brother should be assigned to keep the li- brary up-to-date and in good order.
  40. In the event that the bodies of elders decide to eliminate printed publications from the library, care should be taken not to discard items that have historical significance. The branch office may wish to add such items to its library or to its archive of historical ma- terials.

  An interesting exception appeared in a recent elders letter which states that an old brochure aimed at Muslims is to be specifically discarded. Elders are also instructed to destroy old manuals and other policy documents so they don’t get mixed up with new ones.

  There has never been a general instruction to destroy old literature as far as I am aware. Local elders dumping old literature off their own back I can imagine happens from time to time. In fact the instruction in the elders book that “care should be taken” is pretty good evidence that elders are sometimes careless in what they throw away.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  How democracy works is that parties stand on a manifesto and if they win they get to implement the manifesto.

  In 2011 and in 2016 the Scottish elections produced results that supported referendums in parliament. This never happened before in the Scottish parliament and there is no telling when it will happen again, but demoncracy surely means that the results of elections should be respected each time, not just sometimes. So how many referendums should Scotland have? As many as they vote for, is the democratic answer. If Canada is any indication then there would likely be little appetite if a second referendum failed.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  It’s the UK that is creating a hard border if they leave the EU without an agreement that keeps Norther Ireland in the customs union. And the EU has resolutely supported Ireland in rejecting any agreement that includes a hard bornder or the future possibility of one.

  The UK’s insistence that it can leave the EU without creating a border is a bizarre excerise akin to insisting that they can produce squares which are circles, declaring anyone who calls a square a square obstructionist.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  You're speaking as if Scotland is an independent country, or if matters that voting patterns are different north of the border.

  The reason it matters is because the SNP stood and won on a manifesto in 2016 that said we would have a new independence referendum if this scenario happened. If democracy is respected then that manifesto will be implemented.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  Ireland has said that it doesn’t want a hard border on the island, and the EU have said “we’ve got your back on this”.

  Scotland has asked the UK government if it could have an arrangement to stay inside the single market as has been suggested for Northern Ireland and Gibraltar. And Westminster has said “don’t be ridiculous, know your place”.

  What's a better functioning partnership to be part of?
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  15

  Shaking hands when reinstated

  by Tobyjones262 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  anyone remember when someone was reinstated after the announcement they congregation would shake hands and hug?

  then they announced a new rule that this was inappropriate to clap or hug, shake hands, that the newly reinstated was only doing what they should bla bla bla.

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  slimboyfat

  I think what they said was that, if the reason the person was DFed has caused ongoing distress to other members of the congregation, it might be “inappropriate” to clap and hug the person being reinstated.

  Which in one way sounds considerate. But at the same time smacks of typical Watchtower micromanagement of behaviour to an obsessive and infantilising degree. Why don’t they trust people to use their common sense in such situations, without needing to issue instructions how to behave? It also promotes another level of judgment and division, which all Watchtower policy foments and promotes, underlining how unhealthy and manipulative the whole process of shunning and DFing is.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  Scotland voted 62% to stay in the EU and England voted 55% to leave.

  In Australia no change to the constitution is allowed unless all the states agree. Scotland is accorded less significance in the UK than Queensland is in Australia.

  The actual phrase in the 2016 SNP manifesto was that there would be a new independence referendum if Scotland was removed from the EU “against its will”. Which is the precise scenario which has occurred, so a new referendum is a matter of honour and democracy.
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  18

  First Brexit, is SCOTCH-EXIT next?

  by The Fall Guy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  mrs. may-hem seems happy to allow the no-deal scenario to go ahead if her deal isn't accepted.. if that scenario occurs, we can expect yet another push for a referendum to vote for scotland's "independence.

  " independence would simply mean replacing the overlords of the westminster parliament with a new set of overlords in brussels, because the scottish national party is desperate to join the eu.

  "independence" is so liberating!.

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  slimboyfat

  In 2016 the SNP ran and won the election on a manifesto of having a new independence referendum if Scotland was removed from the EU by English votes. That’s exactly what happened and it’s a matter of democracy and honour that the manifesto commitment be kept by the SNP. Those who attempt to prevent it are anti-democratic and have no respect that’s what people voted for, it’s as simple as that.

  For those who say Scotland is not a viable country, could you please explain what is uniquely incompetent, deficient or lacking about Scotland compared with Ireland, Norway, Denmark and other nearby successful countries of a similar size?

  Scotland has been a net contributor to the UK for 42 of the last 45 years. Some complain, “that’s only if you include oil”. Well yes we include oil. Why on earth wouldn’t we include oil? You don’t calculate UK GDP excluding financial services, or the German economy excluding cars. What kind of anti-Scottish mentality is it that we should calculate Scottish GDP and tax contribution excluding one of its major industries?

  Ireland is in the EU and not in the UK. Brexit negotiations have demonstrated that Ireland has partners in Europe who look out for their interests and support them. Scotland on the other hand has been ignored by Westminster beyond simply being told not to expect “special treatment” within the UK. So which Union is better to belong to?
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  16

  A look at Robert Alter’s translation: The Hebrew Bible

  by Wonderment in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  a look at robert alter’s translation: the hebrew biblethree volumes labeled as, "the five books of moses"; "the writings"; and "prophets.

  "verse numbers appear in the margins.

  my take: some view this as a plus, since this allows for continuous, undistracted reading.

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  slimboyfat

  Thank you, excellent post, especially interesting about Judges 14:3.

  I saw this translation in the book shop a few weeks ago, but it was huge, and expensive. I’ll wait for a more compact edition. I already have Alter’s translation of Genesis, which is excellent.