respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  28

  Sparlock is making his rounds again

  by stillin in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was at the meeting last night and the dreadful video about caleb and sparlock was forced upon the audience.

  honestly, i had forgotten how bad it was.

  the mother's manipulative over-reaction and caleb's acceptance that his toy was evil.

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  respectful_observer

  She called me a liar and said that I was playing war and that Jehovah hates war. The she proceeded to throw away my brand new toy and banish me to bed.

  .........................

  When I was about 6 or so, I spent the weekend with my non-JW aunt and uncle. They thought it would be fun to buy us super soakers, and they were right-- we had a blast. When our parents picked us up and found out, they drove straight to the toy store and made us return them...AND...made us explain to the clerk why we were returning them, that we were JWs, and that God hates violence. Looking back, I can only imagine the pity that clerk must have felt for me.
  
  
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  45

  put youir thinking caps on.

  by zeb in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this was sent to me from doug shields blog.

  for those who like stats and numbers may find this of interest.. 1914 – recognizing the ”the elephant in the room”.

  the problem with the date ”1914 ad” lays with the two calendars that are involved – jewish and gregorian.

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  respectful_observer

  To compensate for this drift, the Jewish calendar uses a 12-month lunar calendar with an extra month occasionally added.
  

  @finkelstein, so does that mean the the OP's premise is incorrect? Based on your understanding is 1914 ok given the use of the occassional extra month?
  
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  63

  2017 Circuit Assembly: Lesbians at school demonstration

  by darkspilver in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  steve2: is there some way this can be presented so that it is crystal clear what was actually in the demonstrations and what was added?

  i guess some will think it should be obvious - but this is where misunderstandings arise because we end up wrongly attributing something to jw organization that was never said.. circuit assembly theme: maintain love for jehovah!.

  note to speaker: warmly encourage young ones to prove their friendship with jehovah by observing his commandments and defending his standards.

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  respectful_observer

  I grew up in an area where the LGBT community was very large and active. It's unusual for you NOT to work with, go to school with, live near, etc., someone who is LGBT. My parents were (and stil are) very strict JWs, however they raised me to be tolerant and respectful of everyone.

  The last few years, though, suddenly my parents have become more and more homophobic. I don't even recognize them as the same people anymore. At every opportunity they talk about how "disgusting" it is, how "they are constantly pushing their agenda", and "rubbing our faces in it." It has gotten to the point where they are planning to sell the house and move further away.

  I don't recognize my parents and who they've become when it comes to this issue. When I see that we'll have a demo like this at the CA, I know they'll be right there cackling away with the rest of the crowd at how gross "they" are. Then they'll get in their car for the drive home, having become even more homophobic than they already were.
  
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  22

  Not very zealous as before

  by anointed1 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what i sense from the conversations of my family members and relatives who are jws is that at least some jws are not as zealous before with regard to the major subjects such as “sanctification of god’s name,” “vindication of his sovereignty” etc.

  they begin to feel that such subjects are imaginary issues.. this is a good sign.

  it shows people are worried about their own day-to-day worries.

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  respectful_observer

  What i have found kind of strange is how little evidence of dubs being dubs on there facebook accounts.

  Except at convention time. Selfies galore!
  
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  13

  How does the Preaching Work get done Under a Ban?

  by Quarterback in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the year book tells us that some activity in fs is being performed in countries that are banned, is this accurate?

  how on earth is it accomplished?

  do anyone have any experience?.

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  respectful_observer

  What ProdigalApostate said.

  Similar techniques used in certain oil rich countries in the Middle East-- although there they only target expats. They'd get in serious trouble if they got caught trying to preach to Muslims. The government tolerates them, though. Meetings, even circuit assemblies held as "business conferences" at hotels. No songs allowed though.

  In Singapore, I'd only add that the government knows they're there, doesn't really interfere, and has even been known to give them a heads up on a "raid" to ensure no Western expats are there when they show up.
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  20

  Witness weddings

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  recently went to a witness wedding, and after the vows the bride and groom were introduced as "brother and sister".....(then last name).....(then the big kiss).

  this is likely not unusual (i've heard it before), but with lots of "worldly" people in attendance it seems out of place to me.. i was just wondering if that's the way it is most places?.

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  respectful_observer

  At our wedding, I specifically asked our speaker (A bethel branch committee member) to NOT use that expression.

  ............

  Yeah, I was just at a wedding where the bride and groom had to specifically dictate the same. The speaker was more than willing but several elders there clearly had their noses out of joint over the whole ceremony. They'd been hassling the couple over all these unwritten WT ceremony "requirements", so they just said eff it, and found a non-elder friend to give the talk instead. The talk got rave reviews, but curiously the elders all huddled together afterward and didn't have a thing to say.
  
  
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  7

  A new way to boost hours

  by neat blue dog in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  it seems that metro witnesses have beeen directed to now have a total of 5 people at each location, as well as 'encouraged' to witness on their lunch breaks, (thus being able to count their time all the way through).

  these 2 things should help boost the yearly hours..

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  respectful_observer

  It's a kindness really, if you think of it. Barely anyone ever approaches or engages in conversation, so you're stuck talking to only one other person your entire "shift". This way you at least get four other people to shoot the shit with.
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  99

  January 19, 2017 TO ALL BODIES OF ELDERS IN WALES Re: Prerecorded Memorial and Special Talk 2017 - Welsh

  by wifibandit in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  january 19, 2017 to all bodies of elders in wales re: prerecorded memorial and special talk 2017 - welsh.

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  respectful_observer

  

  
  
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  63

  Is it possible to decline preaching in the carts?

  by Skepsis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi folks,.

  i have a difficult dilemma.

  since i'm not pioneering any more, i'm reducing my hours wasted at that artifact known as cart or trolley.

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  respectful_observer

  Don't show up. Decline to transport yourself to the location of the cart.

  Once the elders see you as irresponsible, they'll pick someone else to to cart-witness.

  Bingo! This.

  Even an MS can start demonstrating a lack of responsibility. It may even help you in the future when you start your fade.
  
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  70

  Pseudo history in Watchtower today 😂

  by Gorbatchov in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  gorby went to the kh for family reasons today.. and landed right away middle in a pseudo history watchtower article.

  just that aspect of the jw belief he is so sensative about.. so 1918 and 1919 are changed with one mark of a pencil.

  the argument of change was in the past the argument of the doctrine.

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  respectful_observer

  The question arrises: most of JW's (including myself) have been told over and over what happened in 1918 en 1919. Year after year, book after book, they instructed us what to think. Even with the exact dates for example in the Revelation books. If you didn't believe these events; you could be kicked out for being apostate and "knowing it better then the brothers".

  I couldn't believe it sitting there. He went on and on saying how logical this new understanding was. He actually had the audience laughing aloud, guffawing even, at how "silly" (yes, an exact quote) it was to believe that 1918-19 represented Babylonish capitivity, that it didn't make any sense whatsoever.

  It took every ounce of strength I had not to stand up, throw my iPad toward the stage and say, "Look at yourselves! You're openly laughing and knee slapping at how ridiculous and illogical this teaching was! A teaching we've held dear for decades; a teaching that, if I had rejected and instead proposed what we're studying today six months ago, I would have been labeled an apostate and disfellowshipped!"