Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  57

  Matthew 24:34 NEW UNDERSTANDING (January 2018 JW Broadcasting)

  by Alfred in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  david splane explains newest understanding" of 'this generation" adding a 3rd group.... .

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  Doubting Bro

  Fisherman, how is their overlapping generation definition a valid one? In what context outside the WT world would I be a part of my grandfather's generation? Actually, I knew my great grandfather! I was 12 when he died and he was 102. So by the WT definition, we were part of the same generation.

  Most JWs that I've spoke with simply shake their heads and are waiting for it to change because it defines the accepted definition of the word. While I realize that words change definitions over time, it's preposterous to suggest that the WT would be the catalyst of such a change. They are clearly changing the word to try to cover over their failed end times predictions. That's the only logical reason for redefining such a simple word.

  Webster's defines generation as:

  Definition of generation

  : a body of living beings constituting a single step in the line of descent from an ancestor

  b : a group of individuals born and living contemporaneously

  • the younger generation

  : a group of individuals having contemporaneously a status (such as that of students in a school) which each one holds only for a limited period

  d : a type or class of objects usually developed from an earlier type

  • first of the … new generation of powerful supersonic fighters
  • —Kenneth Koyen

  2a : the action or process of producing offspring : procreation

  b : the process of coming or bringing into being

  • generation of income

  c : origination by a generating process : production; especially : formation of a geometric figure by motion of another

  : the average span of time between the birth of parents and that of their offspring
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  57

  Matthew 24:34 NEW UNDERSTANDING (January 2018 JW Broadcasting)

  by Alfred in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  david splane explains newest understanding" of 'this generation" adding a 3rd group.... .

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  Doubting Bro

  Love the last 2! The problem with the first one is that its so real, none of us would have been surprised. The overlapping generation teaching is SO stupid its beyond parody.
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  25

  St Petersburg Assembly Hall to be given to Russian scientists

  by OrphanCrow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  https://realty.newsru.com/article/26dec2017/iegov_med.

  (the following article is translated using google translate).

  the building selected in "jehovah's witnesses" in st. petersburg will be given to scientistsdecember 26, 2017 publication time: 09:42. in a building selected from a banned organization in russia, "jehovah's witnesses", will soon be able to read scientific lectures.

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  Doubting Bro

  As much as I dislike the WTS, any government seizing privately owned property is frightening. Today, the WT. Tomorrow, you. I am glad that I don't live in a country where unpopular ideas are subject to governmental shutdown.

  Punish the actual behavior and compensate individuals that have been harmed by its practices. But, to outright ban a group and just take their property is wrong.
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  19

  Trump Tax Plan Calculator

  by Tahoe in

  1. social
  2. current

  http://taxplancalculator.com.

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  Doubting Bro

  Thanks for sharing. I haven't had the time to read all the various provisions but I look to be making out pretty well. I live in a low tax state to begin with so the limitation on the state/local taxes doesn't really hurt me. The lower tax rates across the various levels helps quite a bit.

  Honestly, for most of these things, people's reaction to change is in direct correlation to how they are personally impacted. Same thing with the WT cult.

  I'm now officially in favor!! (not that it really matters)
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  9

  Leah Remini Returning to A&E to Investigate JWs

  by AMNESIANO in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  “the first episode will be about jehovah witnesses and another episode will be about nxivm, a controversial self-empowerment group, according to the source.”.

  https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.usmagazine.com/entertainment/news/leah-remini-returning-to-ae-to-investigate-other-cult-like-religions/amp/.

  amnesian.

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  Doubting Bro

  AWESOME!!
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  48

  Latest JW.org Statistics Are Confusing & Lack Context

  by steve2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  earlier this week a new post on this forum announced that the 2017 worldwide annual service report was available on jw.org.

  wow - that's earlier than the statistics for the 2016 service year which appeared in the 2017 yearbook last january!

  good effort, jw organization!

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  Doubting Bro

  OrphanCrow brings up a valid point about the hours reported and even the active publishers. For example, I turn in a FS report and haven't actually participated in any form of FS. Why? Because it's less hassle to do it that way then to go "inactive" and deal with questions. When I was the secretary, I know for a fact that people were making up time. But, there's really no way to police it. The person could say they "informally" witness to a neighbor/workmate/someone in line, etc. You simply can't verify the information.

  Which begs the question of why they report hours at all. They do it to 1) rank the members of the congregations "spirituality" and as a qualifier for additional responsibilities, 2) because if they don't force a report, members won't go out at all, and 3) likely some sort of proof that they are indeed doing charitable work in countries that require that as a condition for tax exemption. That doesn't apply in the US since religious organizations have tax exemption and there are just a few things that would knock that out. I would imagine this is not the case in some countries.

  The hours are likely way over inflated and active publishers are as well. However, baptisms can't be faked. When you see that number decreasing, then they will have real issues.

  How many remember when the branch numbers were published monthly in the Kingdom Ministry? They went from that to highlights to nothing. As the numbers start to be negative in the future, look for that. It seems they are already doing it if they don't publish branch numbers.

  Also, how many remember when they would put the reports in the middle of a WT and the congregation would make comments on various aspects of the report? LOL - we know why they don't do it now. Hard to get excited over a less than 2% increase isn't it?
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  48

  Watchtower Releases 2017 Grand Total Figures!

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2017 grand totals.

  branches of jehovah’s witnesses: 90. .

  number of lands reporting: 240. .

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  Doubting Bro

  It would be really interesting to find out what portion of the new publishers and what portion of the baptized are born-ins as opposed to converts. In English US and likely majority languages in EU countries and Japan, I would guess based on my observations that the overwhelming majority of the growth are coming from born-ins. In the 3rd world countries and non-majority languages in the industrialized countries, I think there is still a good amount of convert growth.

  Because of this, I would imagine that there is enough growth in the 3rd world countries still to offset any retention issues and lack of converts in the industrialized countries. Only when the convert growth slows down in the 3rd world countries will we see a decrease.
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  60

  2017 Service Year Report Grand Totals

  by Drearyweather in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2017 figures released to bethel families worldwide:.

  peak publishers: 8,457,107. total baptized: 284,212 .

  regular pioneers: 1,225,279 .

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  Doubting Bro

  I thought they were not going to do the yearbook anymore? Is this that the 2018 version? They announced something along that line during the annual meeting but I wasn't really paying much attention.
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  60

  2017 Service Year Report Grand Totals

  by Drearyweather in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  2017 figures released to bethel families worldwide:.

  peak publishers: 8,457,107. total baptized: 284,212 .

  regular pioneers: 1,225,279 .

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  Doubting Bro

  Agree sir82. That's why I actually believe the numbers they do put out. If they were making up the numbers, then they would report them all. By doing highlights, they can focus attention on anything that can be spun as positive.

  I was at a circuit assembly within the last few weekends and with an attendance of 1900, there were 10 baptized. so .5% I suspect the growth is coming from the 3rd world countries and not from the industrialized lands which means that contributions aren't really growing.

  If they are not reporting individual countries (or "lands") then I think that tells us growth in the important countries in terms of size (US, EU, Japan and Mexico - who have a lot of JWs but not all that wealthy) must not be very robust or may even be negative.
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  37

  Should private citizens be allowed to video record law enforcement?

  by Fisherman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i saw an article in the news yesterday that laws are going to be passed subjecting the police to being recorded by anyone while performing their duty or enforcing the law and encourages citizens to sue if they interfere.

  some law enforcement agents become angry and confiscate recording devices from people recording them while making an arrest, etc.. it does seem that the work that the police and other government agents do is public and not private or confidential so there should be nothing to hide from the cameras.

  on the other hand, how can one distinguish being shot by a camera or by a weapon until one is hit?.

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  Doubting Bro

  Of course they should. There are many fine members of law enforcement but as in any profession, there are also a few bad characters. These methods can help weed those folks out and protect both the citizen and the officer.

  Morph - that was a great idea to have you on speaker when your son was stopped. I think that more parents should do that. If you get caught committing a traffic infraction, then a ticket and fine is in order. A bullet is not.