Posts by Doubting Bro

41

Here's the latest news on the Candace Conti case

by God_Delusion in

hi guys,.

i've been speaking with kathleen (candace's mother) and with sami (a close family friend) and they told me the latest news on the candace conti vs. the watchtower society court case.. read it here - http://www.jehovahswitnessblog.com/jw-lawsuits/latest-on-the-candace-conti-vs-the-watchtower-society-case/.

love,.

Doubting Bro

JV,

I've been thinking about what you've said on the possible restructuring. What it sounds like is similar to the way the Baptists are structured, with each congregation being autonomous. That has served them well in terms of not exposing the "mother" organization to lawsuits but they give up a lot of control.

I'm sure the WT Legal department would love to move in that direction and may even be recommending that course of action. But I just can't see them giving up that kind of control. Even if you make the local congregations their own legal entity (as is the case with many congregations in the US), the agency relationship would still apply if the WTS is still controling and directing management.

Maybe I'm wrong here but I think they'd really have to give up control to break the agency relationship.

69

Yesterday was my Son's 21st Birthday

by 00DAD in

yesterday was my oldest son's 21st birthday.

as many of you know, i've been disfellowshipped for over 3 years now.

in the spring of this year i did write to the local boe and request my disfellowshipping be rescinded.

Doubting Bro

00DAD,

I'm sorry. This cult really does gut families.

30

The Myths of Disfellowshipping

by Londo111 in

jj allowed me to send him an article for jwstruggle.

i know this might not be everyone's cup of tea on jwn, and i hope this doesn't smack of self-promotion, which i find distasteful, but i hope it might bring comfort to some who have found themselves the victims of judicial committees.

http://www.jwstruggle.com/2012/08/the-myths-of-disfellowshipping/.

Doubting Bro

Me too man, me too....

30

The Myths of Disfellowshipping

by Londo111 in

jj allowed me to send him an article for jwstruggle.

i know this might not be everyone's cup of tea on jwn, and i hope this doesn't smack of self-promotion, which i find distasteful, but i hope it might bring comfort to some who have found themselves the victims of judicial committees.

http://www.jwstruggle.com/2012/08/the-myths-of-disfellowshipping/.

Doubting Bro

Well written Londo! The JW power structure is more like the Pharisees that Jesus railed against as opposed to how Jesus actually behaved.

I simply can't imagine that anyone who has read the Gospels would think that Jesus would want people to behave in such a terrible manner.

65

Has anyone heard of "Secret Disfellowshipping" by Jehovah's Witnesses? Menlo Park Ca. Congregation. Update.

by Balaamsass in

no doubt everyone has been following the juan viejo postings regarding the watchtower kingdom hall "grab" on jwn for the last couple of years.

called the mrs and me to say "wow- you have to google this" we did...came here to jwn ...became members..and the rest is history.. in the last nine months i have been calling and emailing contacts in the silicon valley for verification on the societies theft and forced sale of the menlo park kingdom hall (near the new facebook heaquarters) because the story seemed...a little far fetched.

every reliable contact i made has confirmed what juan reported.

Doubting Bro

Really is anyone shocked? As soon as they fought against the WTS, their fate as JWs was sealed.

99

Latest WT: "Refusing to appear before a JC is like refusing medical treatment"

by cedars in

in the latest october 15th 2012 watchtower (page 13).... "because of what they perceive as defects in the elders, some individuals who engage in serious wrongdoing in the congregation have refused to appear before a committee of elders assigned to help them.

this could be likened to a patient who loses out on the benefits of a treatment because he does not like something about the doctor.".

sounds like they're now trying to stigmatize those who try to avoid judical action.

Doubting Bro

To avoid that kind of spirit, we can remember that Jesus is pictured in the Bible as having “in his right hand seven stars.” The “stars” represent the anointed overseers and, by extension, all the overseers in the congregations. Jesus can direct the “stars” in his hand in any way he feels appropriate.

So, really the Conti lawsuit should have been against Jesus as opposed to the WTS since he's directly directing all overseers in the congregations to cover up child abuse. Good Lord, even the RCC doesn't go that far.

I am amazed at how delusional JWs are. I used to think that Jesus was directing the elders until I became one and realized that I didn't feel anything different.

375

The Governing Body intends to announce significant changes in academic literature (DOCTRINES) - Brazil

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

dear randall.

good morning!.

here is the daniel of brazil (former bethel).. this week at the forum of former jehovah's witnesses had an interesting news!

Doubting Bro

The more I think about this, the more I believe this is much ado over nothing. I remember when they cancelled the book study night a few years ago. The letter was read at a CA which was very unusual. The reaction? The loudest appaluse I've heard in YEARS.

If they eliminated the D2D, there would be a standing ovation. Most JWs HATE it.

They make doctrinal changes on a pretty regular basis and no one seems to really care. Their MO is to slip it into a WT study or a QFR then reinforce with CO talks, DC talks, and other WT articles. I just don't see them doing anything doctrinal.

They're constantly making changes, so while I do think the school will have some changes, I think it will be procedural. They want to explain face to face and then issue a BOE letter with the details once everyone has had the "training".

20

WTS Loses Money By Disfellowshipping Info.

by mind blown in

jw
friends

hello, i found this info interesting from a spanish xjw site and thought it may be of interest to you too?

i used bing language translator.

i assume when the post below refers to commissions judicatives, they may be referring to jc?.

Doubting Bro

What the WTS would need to figure out is if the DFing penalty is keeping more people in than its losing. The above is working on the assumption that everyone who is DF'ed believes in the organization and just made a sinful mistake.

How many JWs are there that only stay in because of family, work or social ties? Or come back just for the same? I understand the cost/benefit analysis that the above poster is explaining but if leadership doesn't realize the issues that are present among the rank & file, then this would be an even bigger mistake than going to voluntary contributions (which I think may have been the biggest blunder they've ever made).

I guess they don't realize that the apathetic attitude towards FS, lack of contributions, and lack of men that wish to move into local leadership positions are all symptoms of a growing level of disappointment that the end hasn't come yet and an erosion of faith in the org. Look at the growth and even the passion of JWs now compared with the run-up to 1975 (which I'm a little too young to really remember other than being scared out of my mind) or even the 80s and early 90s. It's a shell of its former self, at least in the Western world (and Japan).

Look at how many people are angry in countries where branches have been closed like Spain. Take away the threat of DF'ing and I could see splinter groups rising quickly. They're already supposed to not DF people who are repentant. Maybe they could redefine repentant to the point that many believers who commit some sort of "sin" would qualify and keep it for apostacy and other things. But, many JWs look at the harsh DF'ing policy as a source of pride and taking that away would further erode confidence.

375

The Governing Body intends to announce significant changes in academic literature (DOCTRINES) - Brazil

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

dear randall.

good morning!.

here is the daniel of brazil (former bethel).. this week at the forum of former jehovah's witnesses had an interesting news!

Doubting Bro

Sir82 - LOL, good point. And, yes, I'm happy to report it's been a few years since I was in one of those mind numbing sessions!!! What was I thinking??? They would probably give those stupid "examples" on how to handle and think that would suffice.

375

The Governing Body intends to announce significant changes in academic literature (DOCTRINES) - Brazil

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

dear randall.

good morning!.

here is the daniel of brazil (former bethel).. this week at the forum of former jehovah's witnesses had an interesting news!

Doubting Bro

Whatever it is, they have to know that the second they tell the first group of elders, it will be leaked to the world. I agree with those who are saying its more of a procedure change than a real change in doctrine.

It's been in the works for awhile and my guess is that it's related to something financial since that's almost as important to the GB as power is. Boy, tithing would be a really tough thing to implement. They've railed on other religions for years and years about that. I think it would be easier for them to change doctrine that to get a tithing arrangement in place.

I can see a change in how they handle pedophile cases being a possibility and one that they would want to explain face to face to elders and answer questions. There are many elder bodies that can't follow simple instructions in BOE letters and the WTS has got to do something to stem the tide of lawsuits.

I seriously doubt there would be a change in FS although I did catch that comment a few weeks ago in the WT. Still, that's one of the few things non-JWs know about JWs (no holidays and no blood being the other things).

Whatever the change, I'll bet we find out about it here before the majority of the elders do!!!