JWD

Joined

• started 15 topics
• posted 160 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by JWD

• 
  95

  Org. Re-orging in JAPAN

  by JWD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for those of you who haven`t been following it,the wts is in a downward spiral here in japan.fs hours are down,memorial attendance.

  is down,pioneers are down,studies are down,donations are down,number.

  of congregations is down and the number of publishers continues to.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  To help shift public opinion here in Japan the org has taken several
  public relation moves. One is the production of `advertising` type
  literature which is devoid of any doctrinal content and is strickly
  used to present the image of the WT as a balanced main-line religious group.The materials are distributed via the WT-Japan public relations
  office. In addition the org. made a nation-wide `steadfast` campaign.
  It is the same material used in other countries about how the JWs
  were persecuted by the Nazis. Here in Japan the org. went around to
  secular media related organizations and got them to support the
  `steadfast` presentation WITHOUT EVER TELLING THEM THAT IT WAS
  ACTUALLY A BRANCH OF THE WATCHTOWER! So, several major newspapers
  etc. were shocked when they found out, after the fact,that they had
  signed on to sponser an event for the Watchtower.
  
  Several other public relations moves have been made to clear the WT`s
  image as a cult, but as of this writing it hasn`t had much effect.
  The number of publishers reporting every month continues to drop and
  the number of congregations continues to decrease.
  I`ll continue to up-date as things happen here. JWD
• 
  36

  Report on Jacksonville losing WT convention

  by expatbrit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  city loses big convention .

  by bill johnson, special to the daily record.

  wash your car, it will rain.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  All the info about conventions is interesting.
  Here in Japan they always give little pep talks during the
  conventions to the brothers telling them to donate and help
  cover the expenses.There is never any reporting on how the actual
  costs worked out.Some years back one sister,who we know well,worked
  in accounting for a large convention in Kobe.When the convention was
  over they came out about $60,000 IN THE BLACK.ALL the money was immediately carted off to the Japan Bethel in Ebina and NO report
  was ever made to the local brothers as to how the finances turned
  out.It seems that all throughout Japan it is standard procedure to
  give the impression that expenses are barely being met and then
  suck up as much in donations as possible while never giving account
  regarding how the actual figures turned out. Is that the way it is
  everywhere? JWD
• 
  48

  Fornication......*blushing*

  by d0rkyd00d in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many may know, i'm still a teenager.

  i'm not willing to reveal my age, which is one less than 17 or one more than 15. but i just wanted to get your guys' opinion on sex before marriage.

  a lot of people here have kinda lost their "watchtower" and biblical standards as i have gathered.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  I waited until I was married.I was 23. My wife was 28 and she waited
  as well. We`ve been married for 18 years. Have a great marriage,
  three great kids and a great sex life. The big word for me is TRUST.
  When you know that you and your wife practiced self-discipline before
  marriage, you know there`s a good chance you will continue to after
  marriage.Thus, you don`t waste energy doubting what the other person
  might be doing when you`re away from each other. Then there`s the
  `What will I tell my kids?` issue. I`m glad I can tell them that we
  waited.It gives a lot of moral authority to your advice as a parent.
  Hang in there. Just beacuse the WT is full of crap,doesn`t mean that
  all there teaching is absolutely wrong.Don`t throw out the baby with
  the bath.There is a sense in which former JWs who toss out all moral
  standards `fulfill the WT prophecy` that people who leave the org.
  invariably become `immoral`.I`d rather not give them the satisfaction
  of being able to say that. JWD
• 
  14

  Hate Your Enemies!!

  by JWD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was standing by the copy machine at a convience store here in japan.

  when a local elder who i`ve know for some years came up to me and.

  threatened me (his breath had the distinct smell of a couple too many.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  The first step in dulling people`s consciences with regards to in-
  human attitudes is to demonize the object of the hatred.Thus the WT
  is constantly declaring how evil people are who leave the org.There
  can`t be a single good person who once was a JW and now rejects the
  teaching of the org. So, what happens to the psyche when they meet
  someone and find out they are really a decent person, but later on
  discover that they are a former Jehovah`s Witness. To find out the
  answer to that I tried to see what kind of a response I would get.
  After talking to a young bro. in his 20s for several days about
  the Bible and religion,I just mentioned in passing, `What would you
  think if I told you I was once a JW?`.We had developed very good
  repore up until then.He seemed relaxed and at the time I made the
  statement we were having a cup of coffee together. Well,that changed
  real fast! Suddenly he got this terrified look on his face,stood up
  pointed his finger at me and said,`Are you an apostate? Tell me right
  now, or I`m walking out of here!`. I asked him what difference it
  would make. Hadn`t we been having meaningful discussions? Hadn`t he
  even said that I was a decent person who seemed to know a lot about
  the Bible? So,why the change all of a sudden? He did stick around
  and eventually left the org.,but I`ll never forget his reaction.He
  had a major panic attack when the word `Apostate` crossed his mind
  and was ready to throw our relationship out the window. JWD
• 
  13

  Ask for your "Ordained Minister" ID C...

  by LDH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with all of the discussion going on on the board lately about "all jw being ordained ministers," i thought i'd point out something that may be new to a lot of you.. your local congregation has wbts id cards which states the 'cardbearer is an ordained minister.

  ' they won't volunteer these to you, i had to reg pio for two years before i got mine.

  however, they can come in handy when traveling!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  Can women receive the card ,as well? If so, does that mean that the
  WT is ordaining women?

  JWD
• 
  28

  What about the scriptural obligation to preach?

  by lookingnow22 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've always been taught that each disciple of christ has a scriptural obligation to preach, and to do so in imitation of jesus and his disciples.

  they did this by house to house, in synagogues, and in the marketplaces.

  this is one thing that has always kept me close to jehovah's witnesses.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  It is a natural outgrowth of faith to want to tell somebody aboutit.
  The WT method ,however,namely counting time is non-biblical in the
  sense that it is making public religious actions by reporting it to
  men. It is also tremendously ineffective relative to the amount of
  time given over to it. In most parts of the world people open up about
  things which are on their heart to trusted friends not door-knocking
  strangers.Thus, when the WT method does work it always involves a
  long period of relationship developement. Overall,friendship evangelism would be much more effective and time efficient. JWD
• 
  14

  Hate Your Enemies!!

  by JWD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was standing by the copy machine at a convience store here in japan.

  when a local elder who i`ve know for some years came up to me and.

  threatened me (his breath had the distinct smell of a couple too many.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  As to the issue of David`s Psalms vs. Christ`s teaching,obviously,
  Christ lifted the whole matter of what godly living means to a higher
  level. Christ internalized godliness by talking about the intentions
  of the heart, not merely the actions.Thus, hatred became equal to
  murder in the same way that lust was viewed as adultry.So, to negate
  or supercede Christ`s teaching with something from the OT is poor
  exigesis. When talking with Raymond Franz on the phone one time,he
  mentioned that he often felt the WT acted as if the NT had never been
  written. So much of their teaching was a step `back` to the OT era.

  The whole `tone` of the WT teaching is one of destruction.The world
  gets the shaft at the big `A`,relationships get torn apart by the
  issue of loyalty to the WT, lives get thrown away needlessly via
  the No-Blood policy,etc. Even `caring` is often tied in with the
  motivation of being nice to someone in order to get a study going.

  So,does genuine `lovingkindness` just for the sake of showing
  Christlikeness actually even exist with the WT walls? JWD
• 
  14

  Hate Your Enemies!!

  by JWD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was standing by the copy machine at a convience store here in japan.

  when a local elder who i`ve know for some years came up to me and.

  threatened me (his breath had the distinct smell of a couple too many.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  OutNFree,
  Thank-you for your encouraging words.It was interesting what you said
  about trying to push the spouse away hoping to find some scriptural
  grounds for divorce.I beleive that is often the case.The sister I
  mentioned had been hurt in many ways by her opposing husband.In some
  ways,I suppose she did try to work through it,but it seemed to strike
  him as wall building.I believe it is to the orgs. advantage for marriages to un-believers to break up.It creates a stronger sense of
  loyalty in the Witness who remains faithful to Jehovah and is has
  a burning the bridges effect emotionally.Some time ago a sister who
  chose the org. over her husband and got divorced as a result called
  with serious questions about the org.,but when it came right down to
  it ,it was impossible for her to go back,so she stopped asking questions.The thought of all those years being wasted was too overwhelming. JWD
• 
  53

  WHY APOSTATES THEMSELVES ARE DOOMED!!!

  by You Know in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  all mankind stands condemned before god, and yet some are more reprehensible than others are.

  as an example, christ called the original christian apostate, judas, the son of destruction.

  so too, and not surprisingly, the activities of modern day apostates are said to awaken the judgment from of old, so that "the destruction of them is not slumbering.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  To `You Know`,

  I never have been able to figure out what is scarry about the WTS view
  of judgement. If you leave the so-called truth or oppose the WT organization you face what...? Annihilation which is...non-existence.
  So,whether you commit suicide,or for that matter homicide,the worst
  thing that can happen to you is that you die and become...non-existent
  ...? So what? What`s frightening about not-existing.Before I was born
  I didn`t exist and I can`t remember it being painful or distressing.
  So,in the WT`s version of judgement I`ll just end up back where I
  started. I ask again, so what?

  Now, the standard protestant view of judgement is much more frightening. In that version you have to pay for you sins with eternal
  punishment.`Fear not him who can destroy your body.Rather fear Him who after having destroyed your body can destroy your soul in Hell` Now that is SCARRY!

  The WT uses terms like `judgement` and `destruction`,but when you get
  right down to it,there`s no lasting punishment,thus nothing really to
  worry about. If judgement were to began in WT style and the possibility of a painful death became apparent suicide would be an
  easy way out. The standard protestant view doesn`t allow for such an
  option since the soul faces eternal punishment.

  So I ask Mr. `You Know`,if you were to believe Christian church`s
  view of judgement people such as yourself would suffer for eternity
  in constant agony and separation from God.On the other hand,if you
  take the WT view,people like me will become non-existent and not
  ressurect on the paradise earth.So honestly,which is the most frightening?

  When thought through logically,the WT scare tactics truly lack
  punch.Maybe, a step back to the Babylonian view of judgement would
  work better to keep the R&F in lock-step. JWD
• 
  29

  Will You Make Room for Pioneering?

  by TMS in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  regardless of scriptural implications, creating special categories of service such as colporteur, pioneer, special pioneer, etc.

  was a brilliant move.. the prestige, status and few little perks associated with those committing to being full-time workers is miniscule compensation for their sacrifice of time, lifestyle, income and educational opportunities.. yes, the hour requirements have dropped on several occasions.

  how many on the board know that the regular pioneer requirement was once 150 hours a month, then 1200 hours a year, than 1000, now 90-vacation/assembly time?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  JWD

  Here in Japan it is 70 hours for regular pioneers and 50 for vacation
  pioneers.Isn`t it the same all over the world?

  One friend went to the KH after missing a meeting only to find that
  she had been volunteered to be a pioneer by the elder in her absence.
  He felt she`d appreciate the privaledge...?

  Ever wondered why the society wants you to count time rather than
  contacts or meaningful conversations? I think the main issue is
  schedule control.Tying up bros.` time is the best way to keep them
  `theocratic` and keep them away from dangerous or questionable
  activities such as... well, like maybe loging on the internet..?
  If they paid even a dollar per hour for FS, they`d change their
  policy immediately because it is tremendously cost ineffective.
  Several years back I figured the average number of hours the JWs
  use here in Japan to gain one baptism.It came to some ridiculus
  figure.Something like 10,000 hours of FS per baptism. I think
  the figures are even worse now. JWD