JW_Researcher

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Posts by JW_Researcher

• 
  160

  Laughing laughing laughing

  by darcy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wow.. so, you know i'm an active witness, very active.

  hah.

  and i'm not laughing at y'all, but wow, i can't believe how extensive this is.

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  JW_Researcher

  Hi Darcy,

  ….but I'm still attending a four year college for a degree.

  In another post:

  Not to offend, but why doesn't anyone here quote from recent literature instead of all this stuff that's years old. That's like criticicizing (sic) Windows 95, instead of examining Windows XP.

  I'm not certain what you are studying but any decent education involves looking at the history of the topic(s) being studied...from medical science to social sciences.

  Even interpersonal relationships involve learning the history of the other.

  Your analogy (comparing operating systems) rings hollow...perhaps a superficial consumer model would work like that but absolutely nothing of substance.

  Be certain to camouflage such a dismissive attitude when speaking to anyone who matters to you…a professor, a potential employer, a potential spouse…
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  29

  Cognitive Dissonance and WT downsizing

  by Lady Lee in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  there is a discussion on the board new jwd members on the horizon!

  that suggests many of those who were pushed out of wt headquarters will leave the wts and some may find their way here.. i hope that is what happens.. but i have a sinking feeling that the opposite might happen.

  in leon festinger's book when prophesy fails he states:.

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  JW_Researcher

  Hi WAC,

  You wrote:

  We were BETHELITES, creme de la creme. We had everything done for us - washing, cleaning, meals, no bills (besides the phone bill),

  I used to work on my car at 117 and they would rent me the facilities. Since my car often needed work...I used to have a garage bill. They gave my wife and me $75 a month each and then charged me to pull my car in and change the oil.

  Yes sir, I was definitely the "crème de la crème." :-)
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  18

  The Point of No Return

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in your experience, at what point will a jw bible student become a convert?

  what is the tipping point?

  for example, is it the number of studies?

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  JW_Researcher

  Hi Fats,
  

  You wrote:
  

  
  Okay, JW_Researcher, your turn.

  In my personal case, I know it took some major convincing.

  What was your tipping point?

  Fats

  I "studied" for several years in three states before making a commitment. I had trouble with the "one true religion" teaching (among other things like blood). As Gary and others suggest above, there probably was a fair amount of psychological reasoning going into my decision to get baptized. It was so long ago (1979?) that I don’t readily recall all of the particulars. I was young and idealistic…. A bit naïve perhaps. To the question though, in my experience if one came to the hall, there was a better than even chance they would be baptized. I observed this across eight congregations. Just wondering what others had observed as to the "tell tale" sign a Bible study might come in. Not necessarily "why" the Bible study would come in but that they were on their way in. Hopefully that's not too confusing.
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  18

  The Point of No Return

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in your experience, at what point will a jw bible student become a convert?

  what is the tipping point?

  for example, is it the number of studies?

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  JW_Researcher

  Thank you for your interesting observation.

  In my personal case, I know it took some major convincing. The brother who "studied" with me would have loved a simple "hello." :-)
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  18

  The Point of No Return

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in your experience, at what point will a jw bible student become a convert?

  what is the tipping point?

  for example, is it the number of studies?

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  JW_Researcher

  In your experience, at what point will a JW Bible student become a convert? What is the “tipping point”?

  For example, is it the number of studies? ‘If the student stays with it for 6 weeks there is a 50% likelihood that they will convert.’

  Perhaps it is if they withstand “persecution” then they will remain. ‘If a student continues their study in the face of familial opposition, there is a 75% likelihood they will convert.’

  It may have to do with their preparing for their study or their attending meetings: ‘If a student attends three meetings and doesn’t bolt, there is a 50% probability that they will convert.’

  Obviously this is anecdotal and varies from person to person. I fully understand that there are no identifiable rules for all.

  I’m simply interested in your observations. Many of you were in the congregation for years and saw studies come and go.

  Thank you for any observations.
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  19

  June 2006 Kingdom Ministry

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  for those who can stomach it... http://www.reexamine.info/okm/june2006us.pdf.

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  JW_Researcher

  Thank you for posting this.
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  20

  Governing body members pay

  by snarf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  does anyone know what the governing body members make a month?

  do they make more money than the average bethelite because of greater responsibility, or do they just get the benefits of first class travel when they go to different areas of the world?

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  JW_Researcher

  Then there are the ones who subsist on nothing but hopper clothes.

  We called them (somewhat unkindly, in retrospect) the "flag" brothers due to the mixing of colors.
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  14

  Fact Check on Study Books, Please

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  could someone please verify the following are the books jws were encouraged to use for new "bible studies"?

  i understand that there might have been some deviation (for example if a study couldn't read), but by and large, these were the first books.

  i may be missing one?

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  JW_Researcher

  Thank you for correcting me.

  Been out for a bit. :-)
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  5

  The Evocative Religion of Jehovah's Witnesses (Alfs)

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  will do look-ups and scans in:

  alfs, matthew the evocative religion of jehovah's witnesses: an anlysis of a present day phenomenon.

  minneapolis, mn: old theology book house, 1991.

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  JW_Researcher

  Will do look-ups and scans in:

  Alfs, Matthew The Evocative Religion of Jehovah's Witnesses: an anlysis of a present day phenomenon. Minneapolis, MN: Old Theology Book House, 1991. ISBN: 0961296429
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  14

  Fact Check on Study Books, Please

  by JW_Researcher in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  could someone please verify the following are the books jws were encouraged to use for new "bible studies"?

  i understand that there might have been some deviation (for example if a study couldn't read), but by and large, these were the first books.

  i may be missing one?

  1. 
  2. 
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• 

  JW_Researcher

  Could someone please verify the following are the books JWs were encouraged to use for new "Bible Studies"?

  I understand that there might have been some deviation (for example if a study couldn't read), but by and large, these were the first books. I may be missing one?

  1) Truth Book (1968 - 1982)

  2) Live Forever Book (1982-2005)

  3) Bible Teach Book (2005-present)

  Please and thank you.

  JWR