respectful_observer

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Posts by respectful_observer

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  10

  any contractors here that can give an educated estimate of what warwick cost?

  by nowwhat? in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  just wonderin'.

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  respectful_observer

  @exjwlemming: I estimate about $450,000,000.

  I would agree that's probably pretty close-- give or take $100 million. Hard to get something more accurate since they used paid (market rate) labor for some portions and not others. Although the volunteer LABOR was free, they decided to feed, house, and transport them-- all expenses they wouldn't have born if they just paid a construction company. Plus they're getting a little bit back (selling off excess construction equipment, housing, etc.) that a normal developer wouldn't do at the end of a project.

  No matter how you slice it, though, there's no way they spent anywhere close to the money the raked in from selling off all Brooklyn properties.
  
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  48

  My Old Kingdom Hall being merged with TWO other congregations!

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this can only be a good sign.. my old congregation in liverpool has had a lot of money in it's bank account for years.

  for a long, long time (almost 8 years) they've been looking for land to build a new hall.

  the one they're in now is literally falling to bits.

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  respectful_observer

  My Local source tells me he cannot think there is any public transport that is direct, A people facing incredibly difficult journey , their KH is well past its use by date.

  This recently happened to a neighboring congregation. The hall was in a historic area and worth a boatload of cash, but was neglected and in need of a renovation beyond the skills of the RBC. So cashed out for a few million bucks, moved the congregation to another hall that was really difficult to navigate to on public transport. Within 2 years, it went from a vibrant congregation of 120+ at each meeting to fewer than 40 members.
  
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  48

  My Old Kingdom Hall being merged with TWO other congregations!

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this can only be a good sign.. my old congregation in liverpool has had a lot of money in it's bank account for years.

  for a long, long time (almost 8 years) they've been looking for land to build a new hall.

  the one they're in now is literally falling to bits.

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  respectful_observer

  Just as I side point. There was a congregation I know of that inherited some money. I think it was to the tune of about 20k. The wishes in the will was that it be used for the local congregation. The BoE thought fantastic will use the money to buy a state of the art projector - this was as the TVs were been introduced. CO heard about it and told the elders to send the money to HO. The elders refer to the deceased will stipulating for congregation use only, and notify the CO that he is not only going against the deceased wishes but could also be breaking the law.

  My congregation had one of its wealthy members leave a very large sum to the congregation (7 figures) when he died. More than enough to perform a top-quality complete renovation on the KH (which is an older, architecturally significant building). After years of delays from the RBC, that money got sent along to HQ a few years back during the Dollar Dragnet they conducted. I suspect this same guy left some sort of annuity that pays out to the local congregation because ever year we have a resolution to forward on to the Branch a $75,000 donation that was made last month to "the ________ Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses". Guessing his will stipulated the cash go to the local hall, so they have to go through the resolution process to get around the legal stuff.

  The KH still hasn't received its desperately needed renovation. It's on a prime lot in a very wealthy community, so I'm just waiting for the day they announce we need to sell and move 1 town over and share halls with another congregation. Between the cash grab and selling the hall, the WTS could easily clear $5 million from a single congregation.
  
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  20

  Business Slow at JW Literature Trolley

  by Athanasius in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  yesterday i stopped at a local shopping center to pick up a few things.

  i arrived at 9:45 am and two jw ladies had already set up their literature trolley and had opened for business.

  but i didn't see anyone stopping by and taking advantage of their free literature.

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  respectful_observer

  There's a cart that appears outside of my building from time to time. Lots of foot traffic (hundreds of people walking by an hour), yet I've never seen anyone stop.

  I have heard some colleagues ask each other what on earth its all about after they walk by, but no one ever seems to know. There was recently a mag/cart poster on teenagers and my colleauges were completely flummoxed as to what this group was all about...."are they raising money for a charity?" "Why are they handing out stuff for teens? This is an office building, no teenagers here?!" It never even crossed anyone's mind that this was a religious thing.
  
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  80

  ARC Live Streaming site ?

  by Gayle in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what is the exact live streaming site for the arc today in sydney?

  i hope someone or more here will be watching and giving info/quips throughout the case.

  also, will someone here or elsewhere be able to 'save' a video of this (all or part).

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  respectful_observer

  jwfacts: Seriously Terry, what were you thinking?

  He probably got his "spiritual instructions" from Jackson.

  "Make sure you pull those scriptures out and make sure you recite them. Out loud. That will give you magical protection from those big bad guys at the ARC. Guaranteed, with the Glorious Ones' seal of approval, to put Satan behind you".

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

  I honestly think that their reading scriptures, although cringe-worthy to all former and non-JWs watching, is intended purely as a "message" to all mentally in JWs. The GB knows there's nothing they can do or say that will put JWs in a positive light to the rest of the world, so to best they can do is use it as a opportunity to send a message to bolster all the faithful witnesses that they are being persecuted for following the Bible rather than man.
  
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  13

  What's up with the numbering of the songs and reading them off the screen?

  by Spiral in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i don't have to go very often, but last time i took my mother they were singing songs off a screen.

  the numbers weren't the same as the songs with the same number on my tablet.

  seemed like a lot of people were confused, but a couple of more gregarious attendees were singing (and swaying a bit) "church-style".

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  respectful_observer

  I just can't bring myself to read the lyrics off the screens and stick to using my tablet. I know, I know, it's stupid. It just seems wayyyy too "1984-ish" for my taste for all of us to stand there like mindless drones, hands at our sides, all staring ahead at the same screen, singing the lyrics in unison.

  
  
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  45

  How did you feel when you got baptized?

  by Schnufti in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  back in 2005, i remember sitting in the stadium in the special rows with 42 others.

  8000 people were looking at us - maybe even with a binocular - while listening to the speech.

  my family and my friends among them, being all proud of me.. i don't remember being enthusiastic.

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  respectful_observer

  I felt guilty.

  I intellectually "knew it was the Truth(TM)", but when the speaker said how each of us candidates had already made a personal dedication to God in prayer before getting dunked, I thought, "Oops! Not me!" Then proceeded to make a "prayerful dedication" right there on the spot while he wrapped up his talk. Real sincere! Felt super guilty about it.

  Of course how serious could it have been, coming from someone who wasn't even yet a teenager.
  
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  80

  Lots Of Whining And Complaining About Us JW's

  by Deaconblues1914 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in reading these posts, it sounds like a lot of you are very jealous of the wt.

  society’s annual income and the money they/we have in the bank.

  jehovah has indeed blessed us.

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  respectful_observer

  
  
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  28

  When you were an active WT door knocker... How did you knock?

  by LoisLane looking for Superman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on the door frame, on the door, door knocker, bell.. loud, very loud, regular, soft... gentle... or just pretended and never knocked at all?

  we just had a city worker come a knocking on our front door and my responce after she left was, she should go down to the local kingdom haul and give lessons.

  her knock was so loud, she could raise the dead.

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  respectful_observer

  https://youtu.be/6y9eO-HYf40
  
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  32

  Sister at Kingdom Hall visibly upset "they took jehovahs name out of song"

  by hoser in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i went to meeting today and the sister in front of me was upset song 134 now song 139 no longer contains jehovahs name.

  they took it out.

  i never even noticed .

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  respectful_observer

  "...the sister in front of me was upset song 134 now song 139 no longer contains jehovahs name. They took it out."

  Just tell her she can take comfort in the fact they ADDED "Jehovah" to the Greek scriptures 237 times.