Posts by zarco

38

Are JWs attracting more and more off-center people?

by undercover in

jw
friends

this thread is prompted by the thread about a jw woman who disprupted a funeral.

i don't know the details as i can't view youtube from work, but it did get me to thinking.... over the last couple of decades, at least, i've noticed that more and more 'fringe personalities', for a lack of a better term, have infiltrated the ranks of the everyday jws.

true, jws are themselves a fringe element to normal society, but even within their own communities, there used to be a sense of normalcy, or at least seemed to be.. has the cultic message of the wt society started attracting people with different thought processes over this time period?

zarco

It seems that over the last 25 to 30 years the majority of JW converts are those who do not fit in with "normal society". In other words, those with good jobs, an education, a stable family life or general contributors to society do not become JWs. Part of the reason is that the WTS has increasingly isolated itself and its followers from communities. The core principle supporting such isolation is that all who are not JWs will be destroyed by the JW god. Another factor is that "normal" people check out things before they buy... and now any with an internet connection one can see what the WTS is about before they join. The gullible do not check things about before they buy and are likely the only converts to the WTS with very few exceptions. So the WTS is stuck with the gullible (fringe) as its base of support. Bad for WTS in so many ways and horrible for those joining them.

zarco

4

Care to step up watchtower?

by zarco in

jw
friends

the watchtower demonizes the commercial enterprises of the world.

the commercial enterprises of the world not all, but many give back so much to the health, education and welfare of people of the world.

below is an part of the gates foundation mission.

zarco

The Watchtower demonizes the commercial enterprises of the world. The commercial enterprises of the world – not all, but many – give back so much to the health, education and welfare of people of the world. Below is an part of the Gates Foundation mission. The WTS does little to improve the lives of individuals. A strong case could be made that they harm individuals.

….Guided by the belief that every life has equal value, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation works to help all people lead healthy, productive lives. In developing countries, it focuses on improving people’s health and giving them the chance to lift themselves out of hunger and extreme poverty. In the United States, it seeks to ensure that all people—especially those with the fewest resources—have access to the opportunities they need to succeed in school and life. Based in Seattle, the foundation is led by CEO Jeff Raikes and co-chair William H. Gates Sr., under the direction of Bill and Melinda Gates and Warren Buffett.

How does one reconcile the fact that the world’s richest individuals give back the majority of their wealth for the good of others. Care to step up to the plate watchtower?

zarco

57

How fast can you "prepare" a Watchtower lesson?

by Open mind in

jw
friends

over the last 3 years i've gotten much faster at making a wt article look "studied".. .

how fast can you get one ready for inspection by snoopy elders and microphone handlers?.

.

zarco

I always tried to match the study effort to the value of the material, TRL:)

30

Why Aren't You At Least FAding?

by shamus100 in

jw
friends

it doesn't take much, just stop going.

you don't even have to do it all at once; maybe do one meeting a week for a month, then one meeting a month for two months, then just stop going.. what's going to happen?.

nothing.. getting a shepherding call... q: what's wrong brother twinkletoes?

zarco

Sometimes old Watchtower habits are hard to break. For instance the WT always says that what its followers are doing is not enough, do more, sacrifice more, give more and etc... This thread and some of the advice provided uses the same tactic, at least do this or do that. For each individual there are benefits from leaving the WTS and there are costs. For some the costs are so high - losing family members, a job, friends- that they choose to stay in even though there are benefits from leaving. For others the benefits far outweigh the costs and such individuals leave. It is impossible for any of us to weigh the costs and the benefits for another individual, nor should we try. As we share our stories and experiences some of them may resonate with others. But coercing individuals to do something that they need to decide for themselves is a poor tactic and one that I try my best to avoid. As all of us free ourselves from the WT grip we need to be better than them.

zarco

49

interesting email circulating amongst witnesses: gubberning body says preaching reason is..................

by DaCheech in

enjoy these remarks, friends.

and, as always, if you have received this from another source, please just delete, forgive me and move on!

saturday, january 9, 2010, 8:22 am .

zarco

MT 24:14 merely says there would be a witness to all nations, not each individual.

Interestingly, it was pointed out at least twice the Watchtower has said that MT 24:14 has been fulfilled already. (Might be in the same line of thought as Colossians 1:23 'good news ...which was preached in all creation that is under heaven.' Clearly, not every single human being of that time or in the known world had heard the truth.

What is the likely meaning of the bible writer's statement in Matt 24:14? Check out this thread.

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/96251/1/Matthew-24-14-and-Preaching-in-the-First-Century

24

Fighting the Cult of the Watchtower Good or Bad? Does it Give Your Life Some Meaning?

by frankiespeakin in

jw
friends

ever since i left this mind control cult i have continued to offer resistance in what ever ways i thought good at the time.. but i'm faced with the question: is it good or bad idea?

or how far should i go and to what lengths should i go in my efforts to fight this cult?.

i think being a jw for 29 years has defined a large chunk of my life and to just try to forget about it may be a big mistake.

zarco

Many wage an affective war on the WTS by presenting factual data proving that most if not all of the teachings are false. Others present information showing that the results of living a witness life do not produce the intended outcome and still others demonstrate the hypocritical and ever changing polices of the WTS and the damage such bring to individuals.

Posting information on the board for others to read on their own is also an effective tactic.

For the majority of us, I think the real way to battle the WTS is to prove by example that we are living a good life. Leaving the WTS – at least in our experience – makes people think long term about what they want to do with life. It causes many to get involved with the community, to get educated, to reach out and make friends with non-witnesses and realize that there are some really good people in the world. Some are able to overcome personal problems related to living in a oppressive organization. Bottom line, in my opinion former witnesses are better people than they were as witnesses . The shift in thiking from “from god is going to fix everything’’ to “I need to make a difference” is what makes them/us better. Eventually current witnesses see that life as a former witness is the best way of life and may come make the change themselves, even mentally if they are unable to leave completely. This probably the most effective way to wage war and it is the tactic that we have chosen.

It is nice to see folks on this board doing their part. What a multifaceted and effective attack on the WTS.

zarco

34

did you feel guilty ,when ignoring disfellowshipped ones ?

by looloo in

jw
friends

i was having an affair with a pioneer at the time and a girl who was disfellowshipped was in the loo at the hall (she actually had not done aything scriptually wrong (but the elders thought she had ) i tried to smile at her as i felt i was not in a position to judge anyone as guilt was destroying me but she just looked down at the floor , 14 years later we are good friends and both "free".

when you were "in" and ignored disfellowshipped did you ever think "im not in a position to judge anyone " ?.

zarco

We didn't shun disfellowshipped ones. We observed too many children who were DFed as young ages 13 to 18 and the horror of observing the cruel act and shunning did not fit with our principles. We were not "in your face" about our stance, but we would eat with such ones and reach out to them if they needed anything.

I have said a few times on this board that as an elder I never disfellowshipped anyone. My family has corrected my faulty memory on that. I have, but he was an awful person and I feel comfortable with my actions in that circumstance. But other than that time, we did/do not support the WTS in its crazed, cruel enforcement of misguided laws and rules.

Be sure to hug your favorite DFed person today! I may be a DFed person someday soon and if you shun me I will be pissed :)

zarco

84

when is the memorial this year? and will you be going?

by highdose in

i won't be going if i can help it, but id like a heads up about it, just to be forewarned.

zarco

OM - I would only drink the wine and leave the crappy crackers for someone else. The wine is usually awful, but at least better than the bread. I wonder how they count one who partakes of the wine and not the bread... it will be interesting to see.

zarco

29

Deleted Elders?

by Farkel in

i knew about elders being "deleted" and have commented what a strange and pejorative term that is, but it wasn't until "wtwizard" and "designs" commented on another thread about it that it actually hit home for me.. one cannot step down as an elder with any dignity!

elder's can't quit, with the word "quit" being as in "he quit his job.

" elder's can't resign as in "he resigned as chairman of the board for xyz corp.".

zarco

Farkel - that is really the case. The notification of deletions from the WTS for Elders, MS and Pioneers are all worded the same. The instructions are to read the announcement from the WTS to the congregation. It is rare but at times the brother announcing the "deletion" will say a few kinds words... Things may have changed in the last year, but that was the practice not long ago.

9

The Book of Revelation

by frankiespeakin in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-df4umwyao&feature=channel.

zarco

I am a real fan of Elaine Pagels. She writes and presents in a clear concise manner. Revelation seems to make sense when viewed from the perpective of a prophet named John living in Patmos.