To me it was just Watchtower terminology denoting the differrence between sheeplike people who responded to our message and goatlike ones who did not, in line with Jesus parable in Matthew 25. I never used it in a derogatory way to describe people who didn't respond. I had empathy for them, as they just refused to try and grasp the "truth", and would thus die at Armageddon, whereas I would survive.
iamfreenow
JoinedPosts by iamfreenow
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25
Views of worldy folk as a witness
by fifi40 ini bring this subject up because personally i dont get it.. i have noticed that some posters use words such as 'evil' or 'stinking goats' to describe the view (either their own adopted view or that of the jw org) they had of worldly people whilst a jehovahs witness.. the reason i find this difficult to understand is because i never felt that way toward 'people of the world' whislt being a believer of of the teachings of the jw organisation.
and i didnt pick up on it being rammed down my throat by the org either.
now i wonder if i was ignorant of something, not paying enough attention or if it is just each individuals approach toward life that makes the difference.. what were your views of 'people of the world and why?.
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Evaluating Raymond Franz
by greendawn inwhat do you think of ray(mond) franz?
i have seen here some people critisise him as not being a really heartfelt opponent of the wts, but my view is that he was quite honest about his expressed motives against the cult.
with his revelations he gave a lot of momentum to the ex jw movement (the apostate organisation according to the jws) and offered valuable assistance to those seeking to shake off the ideological and social dependance on the oppressive cult.
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iamfreenow
When I was experiencing my initial doubts about the Watchtower, my friends lent me Crisis of Conscience.
Once I'd read that, I knew the Watchtower Society did not have the truth, and that I would do the previously-unthinkable, and leave the JW religion. I might have left eventually anyway, but reading Rays' wonderful book brought the event forward, and I thank him for the freedom I have now.
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Watchtowers Investment in Warfare Technology
by carla inhttp://www.geocities.com/wtgreed/article.htm just a reminder and for newbies
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iamfreenow
I think they also hold tobacco shares
Yes Greendawn, they do. I could'nt believe this until I was shown the evidence of that involvement, at this link:
http://www.pepheugasjehovahswitnesses.com/sm.html
The Henrietta M. Riley Trust.
The H M Riley Trust is a U.S. trust that has the Watchtower Society as the sole beneficiary. Basically, it is a vehicle to make income for the Watchtower, using assets left by Henrietta Riley. The income generated by the trust is transferred to the Watchtower by means of a "donation". For the year ended April 30, 2002, the trust generated income of $1,740,127 and donated $1,945,645 to the Watchtower. In comparison, for the 2001 year the trust generated $2,939,731 in income, and donated $3,285,050 to the Watchtower. The difference between income and expenditure is made up by realising gains on the assets held.
The income of the trust is from two main sources. The majority is from "oil and gas royalties." The trust also has almost $2 million of investments in various stocks and other vehicles.
Figure 3: Extract of investment listing of HM Riley Trust, April 30, 2002
full sizeOne name that jumps out from the list above: Philip Morris Companies Inc, one of the world's largest manufacturers of cigarettes and tobacco products. Philipmorris.com states:
The Philip Morris name has long been associated with high quality tobacco products and globally recognized cigarette brands. Today the name is proudly carried by the leading cigarette manufacturer in the United States, Philip Morris USA, and by Philip Morris International, the world's leading international cigarette business with products sold in 160 countries worldwide.
Thus, the trust has made an investment in a cigarette company, with the object of generating income which will be transferred to the Watchtower Society.
III: Conclusion.
The initial quotes showed clearly that the Watchtower regards smoking as an unchristian activity. Indeed, smoking is a disfellowshipping offence for a Jehovah's Witness. A Jehovah's Witness is also not permitted to be employed in the tobacco industry, even to the extent of working at the cigarette serving counter of a store. There can be no doubt that if an individual Jehovah's Witness invested in the cigarette industry, the Watchtower would consider this an unchristian type of investment.
Yet, a trust which exists for the primary reason of generating income for the Watchtower, invests in a cigarette company. While the amount of the investment is small, it is not the amount that is the issue, but the principle: The Watchtower Society will benefit from an investment made in the tobacco industry.
They will do this knowingly, because if I can get hold of this information, do you really think that the Watchtower Society doesn't have a copy of these very same documents? And while the objection could be made that it is not actually the Watchtower Society itself making the investment, but just receiving the cash, is this a valid defence? If they know that the money is from a source they have condemned as unchristian, are they not hypocritical in receiving it? Remember that the sole purpose of this trust is to generate income for the Watchtower.
In fact, here is another example of the Watchtower's hypocrisy in matters of principle. That which they condemn other religions for, and restrict their individual followers from, becomes acceptable when it results in $$$ for the Watchtower Society itself.
From their own lips:
g70 2/8 23 Churches in Business
After listing some of the many companies in which the Vatican has substantial interest Mr. Lo Bello observes: "The foregoing details provide an uncomfortably sharp realization that the Vatican and its men have indeed carved a niche for their firm in the world of big business."The vast business holdings of the and of other religious organizations bind them inseparably with the business world. How unlike the true Christians concerning whom Jesus Christ said: "They are no part of the world"
The religious organization that truly is serving God, in harmony with the example set by Jesus Christ, concentrates on preaching and teaching the liberating truths of his Word and does not become involved in commercial businesses. Following the Bible’s instructions, it does not involve itself in “the commercial businesses of life." 2 Tim. 2:4.
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The Jah Jireh homes are a nice little earner
by Gill inwhy are the jah jireh homes such a nice little earner at a time when retirement homes are struggling so badly in the uk?.
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1062023.
any ideas?
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iamfreenow
I can't remember the choir, perhaps they didn't come here, or it was mentioned when I wasn't at the Hall for some reason, though I rarely missed meeings at that time unless I was ill or on holiday. I can't say I heard anyone mention them though.
This particular fund raising effort sounds very suspicious though, considering the healthy-looking nature of their accounts. It sort of reminds me of the reading of the accounts at every Assembly, when there was always a deficit, and we were guilted into running to the donation boxes to make it up.
Let's face it, very few, if indeed any, religions are better than the Watchtower at getting money out of their followers.
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Watchtowers Investment in Warfare Technology
by carla inhttp://www.geocities.com/wtgreed/article.htm just a reminder and for newbies
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iamfreenow
What it is is hypocritical.
If a JW joined the army and was sent to a war zone, they would be disfellowshipped, or considered to have disassociated themselves, if their congregation found out. Yet the Watchtower are making profits out of companies that manufacture compomnents for war machines, and nothing is said. I have no doubt that if any JW asked too many questions about Watchtower involvement in these companies, they would be in trouble with their elders.
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The Jah Jireh homes are a nice little earner
by Gill inwhy are the jah jireh homes such a nice little earner at a time when retirement homes are struggling so badly in the uk?.
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1062023.
any ideas?
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iamfreenow
Something smells fishy with this.
Indeed it does Gill.
Although I can't speak from experience, I would imagine these places meet the minimum requirement for retirement homes, with no extras, and make the maximum profit. That's how the rest of the WTBTS is set up, so I can't see this scheme being any differrent.
It would be interesting if some media organisation did an in-depth investigation into Jah Jireh. To me, it smacks of yet another way that the Watchtower have found of fleecing the flock.
Marion
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Gloriavale - Inside the secret religious sect
by Black Sheep ingloriavale - inside the secret religious sect.
a program aired in new zealand last sunday is now available online.. the control tactics used by their guru are so similar to the wt that i hope many jws took the time to watch it.. http://tvnz.co.nz/content/?o=&k=sunday&style=tv_one&s=d.
sunday: gloriavale - inside the secret religious sect - part i (16:17).
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iamfreenow
These people look, and act, as though they are totally brainwashed. Any that choose to leave must have a very difficult time adjusting to the world outside the close-knit community they have spent their lives in.
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Do you have any "Phobias"
by JH inmaybe you're afraid of rats, or afraid to walk under a ladder or go in your basement for some reason .
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iamfreenow
I hate spiders as well, any spiders of any size or shape.
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Greetings from Sardinia
by iamfreenow intrev and linda sent this, as a postcard to all of us on jwd.
it certainly looks as if they have picked a beautiful place for their honeymoon.
they hope to send more later in the week.. greetings from sardinia we are having a wonderful time, the weather is reasonably warm, around 60f.
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iamfreenow
Can't go if there are no Kingdom Halls there
They didn't mention whether there are any Kingdom Halls or not in the email, but I doubt they've been looking for one too hard anyway.
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The Jah Jireh homes are a nice little earner
by Gill inwhy are the jah jireh homes such a nice little earner at a time when retirement homes are struggling so badly in the uk?.
http://www.charity-commission.gov.uk/registeredcharities/showcharity.asp?remchar=&chyno=1062023.
any ideas?
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iamfreenow
Are the residents told that they are making 'donations' or are they told the truth that they are charge for being in a care home like any other?
Good question, Gill, but not one it would be easy to get an answer to.
We all know how fond the Society is of "encouraging" its members to leave them their property in their wills. I have wondered if by moving to a place like this, they would hand over their property to the Watchtower before they die. I never really looked into going into such a place when I was older, I sort of wish I had now, just to find out how it is actually administered.
I think it's almost certain that the Watchtower will be benefitting financially from these places, and substantially. Otherwise, I doubt they'd exist.
