Posts by Jeremy C

4

How might this affect "apostates"and other truth seakers?

by cameo-d in

this is from article:.

defamation of religion the new international legal craze?

"is liability for defamation of religion catching on?

Jeremy C

The United Nations passes more resolutions than a old horse passes gas. Gas is usually what comprises most U.N. resolutions. Within the resolutions, you will find language such as "targets" and "goals", especially within resolutions regarding global poverty, literacy, drinking water, and other issues. Reducing religious intolerace has been on the agenda of goals for quite some time now.

Remember that the U.N. had passed numerous resolutions against Sadam Hussein (a man who was killing thousands for sport) with almost no enforcement. If the U.N. could not even bring itself to enforce their resolutions against a mass murdering dictator, it is hardly likely that they will send in their blue helmeted forces to arrest Randy Watters for operating an anti-Watchtower website.

20

The tipping point

by JeffT in

jw
friends

from wikipedia: "the term tipping point describes a point at which a slow gradual change becomes irreversible and then proceeds with gathering pace.

it is derived from the metaphor of a rigid solid object being tilted to a point where it begins to topple.".

has the watchtower reached such a point?

Jeremy C

I believe that the initial crack in the Watchtower's dam was in the emergence of the inernet. I commented on another thread that for the first time in history, the Watchtower leadership is trying to grapple with the fact that millions of people now have ready access to the writings of Russell and Rutherford (with their false prophecies) online, scans of letters sent to bodies of elders, Ray Franz's books sold online in several languages, downloadable copies of the elder book and branch manuals, and exJW youtube commentaries. All of these developments have come about at break neck speed. The WT leadership view itself as being under seige from Satan. Therefore, they are responding with behavior that stems from a seige mentality.

I believe that the Watchtower leadership is displaying its same old reactionary predispositions by its constant drumbeat regarding obedience, compliance, and unanimity. They are also harping on "apostates" like never before. What message is all of this sending to the bored and uninspired teenagers with internet savvy? What is it telling the elders who are already troubled by many of the organizations unscriptural policies? The only thing that the Watchtower leadership is doing is puting up huge red flags.

The Watchtower's belicose chest-beating and legalistic authoritarianism is only going to drive away much of its youth and spawn larger quantities of longtime members to fade. They are indeed at a cross-roads. Major self-reflection and introspection is needed. Major reforms will be required if they wish to remain viable. However, my suspicions tell me that this is a religious ruling body that is much more interested in being right.

24

Post your percentage opinion: How many JWs REALLY . . .?

by AuldSoul in

our kingdom ministry, april 1992, p. 4, par.

7. keep spiritually strong, stay clean for jehovahs service.

7 the benefits of these meetings are multiplied when they are combined with good habits of personal and family study.

Jeremy C

AuldSoul, I believe that your estimate is probably very accurate. I know from my personal conversations with other JWs throughout the years that this regimen that is prescribed by Brooklyn is quite burdensome in the minds of many JWs. They did not explicityly say this, but they often lamented how difficult it was to keep up on all of the Watchtower printed material.

I would like to add a very important point to this discussion. I would assert that the vast majority of JWs will feel more guilt in not keeping up with the presribed regimen of publication reading than they would in failing to keep up with Bible reading. Think about it: do any of the other friends see a person not keeping up with their Bible reading? No. Can other people see when a JW has not studied their Watchtower or bookstudy lesson? Yes; by the lack of underlines on the pages. Many JWs feel "squirmy" when they attend a Watchtower study with a Watchtower without any underlines or highlights on it.

Numerous ex-JWs have analyzed the amount of Bible reading versus the amount of Watchtower publication reading that is assigned by the Governing Body. Publication reading (in terms of total pages assigned per year) out numbers the amount of Bible reading by a ratio of something like 3 to 1.

Is it any wonder why the Governing Body discourages private study and reasearch of the Bible without their publications? Also, is it any mystery why so many JWs leave the organization after reading the Bible without filtering it through the Watchtower?

24

What happened to the simplicity of the early church?

by Pahpa in

early christians were drawn together by their love of christ and each other.

most were just hard working average people who had little education and no understanding of the philosophies of the world.

the gospel message of the kingdom and the future hope of life everlasting were the basis of their simple faith.

Jeremy C

The Watchtower has certainly missed the forrest for the trees. I believe that the thrust of the problem has been the Watchtower's attempts to find and enforce what it believes to be doctrinal purity. In this endeavor, it has felt it necessary to implement organizational mechanisms to enforce unanimity of thought and behavior in order to keep such a system intact. This is not exclusive to JWs though. This obsession with "true teaching" or "true doctrine" is what lead to the criminal actions committed during the Catholic iquisitions.

The other day, Randy Watters and I had an interesting conversation at his home. Randy was commenting to me why he believes that so many Christians (especially JWs) do not enjoy the profound mental and emotional experiences which they are seeking within their faith. He pointed out that the JW system is mostly a mental construction. It is a system and a mindset that is obsessed with a laundry list of doctrines (established by a Governing Body). This system of doctrines and its mental construction must be held together by blocking out any disconfirming evidence. This requires enormous energy, and many JWs therefore miss out on the sense of love and community enjoyed by the first century Christians, because they are so consumed with keeping their minds in unanimity with the organization.

Ray Franz once noted that those in the organization who are the most loving and compassionate are not that way because of the organization, but in spite of it.

17

Not much doctrine these days. Just do what we tell you and you'll be fine.

by easyreader1970 in

since they came out with the study edition of the watchtower magazine in january, i have noticed a trend.

some of you have probably noticed this as well if you have been attending any of the meetings.. with the exception of changing their base doctrine about "this generation" and 1914, the articles don't discuss or reveal or even reiterate doctrine anymore.

marriage mates, parents, children, elderly.

Jeremy C

I believe that this is out of necessity. As the internet emerged onto the world scene and became an integral part of all of our lives, this was the first crack in the Watchtower's dam. The crack has been widening with the increasing amounts of readily available information regarding Watchtower teachings and policy.

Never before in history has the Watchtower leadership had to grapple with people all over the world getting access to the writings of Russell and Rutherford, downloadable copies of branch manuals, scans of letters to the bodies of elders, and most recently; damaging court documents regarding the pedophile issue. You are correct when you state the the organization is now focussing on crowd control. The only question is: how long will the rank and file put up with this before they begin to vote with their feet.

The abundance of information on the internet is partly why I believe that the publications are being dumbed down, and the worship programs are now totally micro-managed from Brooklyn. If they open up and expand on various teachings to great length (i.e. 1914 chronology, for example) there is too much information in the net which deconstructs their convenient and one-sided arguments. To try to delve into such matters too deeply means that this will stimulate more of the rank and file to really think about such teachings. That is not what they want to happen.

What we see now is a more belicose "chest-beating" by the Governing Body where they assert the exclusive truthfullness of their teachings, and scare the membership into total conformity of thought. This will not succeed in the long term. It can hardly be considered a viable long term strategy for the spiritual health of its members. This constant drum-beating on giving soldier-like submission to the GB while demonizing any dissenters will throw up more and more red flags. Looking for some answers on the net will become more and more desirable to the rank and file.

What this manipulation and coercion by the GB will do is continue to wear people down, and further discourage people. The programs have become so dry, robotic, and mechanical, that there is very little spiritual refreshment left. As time continues onward with no "end of the system", people will become more and more complacent. Those who are thinkers and who truly care about people will most likely begin to fade and realize after some internet research that they were not alone in their concerns.

10

New Arrangements for Theocratic Ministry School 2009

by iloowy in

jw
friends

so basically no instruction talk or speech quality

Jeremy C

The organization is certainly putting forth a concerted effort to eliminate any kind of individual creativity in terms of research and delivery. The programs are becoming more robotic and mechanical. It is amazing to me how the leadership who crafted these changes can fool themselves into thinking that the friends are upbuilt by this.

I have wondered why the organization does not simplify even further and just pre-record the talks onto a CD. They could simply have the students go up to the platform and lip-sync the talks. After all, aren’t they already doing this with the dramas?

28

"Apostates " are sex degenerates.!!!!

by hamsterbait in

jw
friends

i noted with anger the post about the dc where one of the speakers claimed that people who become apostate are involved in immoral conduct of some kind.. this goes down in the same list of stupidity as the statement that "apostates claim to have greater wisdom than the faithful and discreet slave" - as v pointed out they do not claim greater wisdumb, they simply disagree.. i began doubting and questioning not only after finding out about how the witchtower had lied about carbon dating, but their lies about the creative days, finding out how chinas written history goes back to before the flood, yet never mentions how the chinese were all drowned - and how the wt lies and misrepresents "evidence" for their assertions.. excuse me witchtower - but my genitals had nothing to do with seeing through the lies and deceit, and yes hypocrisy.. of course once started on that road i read more and became less convinced than ever of their claims to be gods only channel.. maybe soon i shall get the chance to become a moral degenerate, than it will prove everthing the borg claims about people like us to be true.. in the meantime stop slinging mud and insulting my integrity.. hb.

Jeremy C

Questioning one’s morality is a form of drawing a red-herring into the discussion. If one can put into question the other person’s morality; than the objections they raise can be dismissed by default.

Not only is this tactic a favored tool of the cults, but this is a rhetoricl method that the Soviets used to denounce citizens who had defected. The USSR routinely propagated the idea that the U.S. and Western Europe were immorally decadent. Those who defected to Europe or the U.S. had obviously been affected by the decadence of "other nations" and turned away from the superior care of "Mother Russia".

The Watchtower uses the same line of reasoning; even likening the organization to a "Mother" as well. The Governing Body more closely represent the old guard Soviet ruling class much more than they do any kind of humble Christ-like shepherd.

42

Keep In Contact - Email Addresses

by hillary_step in

jw
friends

hello,.

rather than each person starting a thread and cluttering the board, perhaps we can keep this thread for posters email addresses that we may want to stay in contact with.. mine is: [email protected].

cheers - hs.

Jeremy C

Here is my information:

email: [email protected]

myspace address: www.myspace.com/jeremyakaconan

29

Most JW's Really Hate Going to the Conventions/Assemblies. Some Admit It.

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

so the wife and i met up with an old friend.

the woman actually grew up around my .

wife, i knew her as a young adult.

Jeremy C

I believe that it is only the most ardent Watchtower Witnesses who thoroughly enjoy the programs. The programs are exremely monotonous affairs with pre-canned, pre-planned, and pre-scripted material that lacks true human feeling. Even the interviews are tightly rehersed and controlled charades which appear anything but natural or genuine. Even the music is pre-recorded and carefully selected by Brooklyn. One can find more stimulation and refreshment at a tax auditors conference.

Perhaps the highlight of the whole affair is the "Bible" drama; with it's elementary school-like script and play acting. This is really the only part of the convention that children get to look forward to. There is really nothing specifically designed for children or the younger ones to engage with. The conventions are a "one size fits all" program of manuscript reading and mechanical, robot-like interviews of people who are carefully screened and coached through the dialogues. It is safe to say that not a lot of brain synapses are firing during such a weekend.

It is no mystery why the programs move not only the children to be lulled to sleep, but half of the adult audience. It looks as if Ambien has met its match.

28

Limiting comments by kids during WT Study

by navytownroger in

i was told recently by a ministerial servant that the word had come down from above that from now on only two comments by children will be allowed during the wt study.

the reason: the meetings are geared to adults, not children.

has anyone else heard of this policy??

Jeremy C

It is hard to figure out why comments by children would be limited to an arbitrary number. So much of the Watchtower material is sophomoric and childish anyway. Who else is going to answer such simplistic questions such as: "Who is the Grand Instructor?" "Who is the Greater Moses?" "Who are the only people preaching in all of the inhabited earth?".

Apparently, children are not qualified to contribute adequately to the Watchtower's discussions, but adult-sized spiritual infants are.