Posts by truth_b

Growing up in the 80's, Bethel was this magical, Disney-esque place that JW parents encouraged their children to go to. It is the world-wide headquarters of their organization. The space mountain of Bethel was their printing operations. As Bethel service was the JW equivalent of military service, working on the printing presses was like being Marine Corps Infantry (no offense, Marines. It was just that way).

In the 90's I entered into adulthood. I had an elder who is a former Bethelite. Every sentence that came out of his mouth started with "Back when I was in Bethel..." Bethel was the Vatican for JWs.

Then things started to change. No more hardbound publications. Only paperback. Only one issue of Awake! released per month. Then only one issue of the Watchtower was released per month (THE Zion's Watchtower reduced by 50% per year). Then there was the public and congregation versions of the Watchtower with only the latter having the Watchtower Study articles.

Jump forward about 20 years. Nearly all printing has ceased and JWs are required to download their own personal copies. With that being the case, why have a Bethel? Why continue referring to your followers as "Kingdom PUBLISHERS of the Good News" when you are no longer pushing your printing materials?

I see Bethel service ending all together in a few years. The headquarters in Warwick will only be the Governing Body and their personal staff. The only activity going on will be writing, filming talks, and administration. For a generous donation you and your family can visit the JW Vatican and kiss the 7 Popes' rings.

I really think a clock has started and when it hits 0:00 this whole house of cards will cease to exist.

23

Did you ever buy into 1975?

by tornapart in

for those of you that can remember.... did you really believe that armageddon was going to come in 1975?

i was a child of the 60s, in my teens in the 70s and can honestly say that i never bought into it.

i saw brothers and sisters selling their homes and moving into rented property.

truth_b_known

I was an infant at the time. Prior to my mother finding out she was pregnant, my parents lived a simple life and were pioneers. They rented a loft in some old lady's house and cleaned banks after hours to pay the bills. They were getting ready to be missionaries when my mother, who was told by her doctor that she would never have children, found out she was pregnant.

A buddy of mine was about 5 when 1975 hit. His dad was whatever they called elder before the elder arrangement was made. His dad was an uber-dub who could literally place everything in his book bag in one morning of field service. December 1975 my buddy remembers his Dad bringing home a Christmas Tree. Soon after his parents split.

13

Award Shows and Entertainment---Do You Want To Hear Political Views During A Show?

by minimus in

jw
friends

if i watch a ball game or an awards show or some other type of entertainment, i really don't care about politics.

i enjoy politics but there's a time and there is a place.. i think it's getting out of hand and it's getting pretty boring...but that's just my humble opinion..

truth_b_known

I value celebrities political opinions less. On top of their lack of qualifications, they are often detached from the reality that the rest of us live in. When a person makes a living playing children's games, pretending to be someone else, and making music to the point that the pants they wear cost more than man car, I don't want to hear your opinions about politics.

17

Once you've proved the truth to yourself you don't need to keep trying to disprove it...

by cognisonance in

i was told this during my judicial committee (some five years ago) when i brought up concerns i had with the "truth.

" in addition one of the elders (who was an engineer) said once you've accepted a proof of pythagorus' theorem you don't later start doubting that theorem.

i thought that argument was a weak analogy then.

truth_b_known

Anything exercise that requires "faith" is not based in "truth" and demands proof.

23

Freudian slip in last Sunday's WT?

by The Fall Guy in

i had this point highlighted to me yesterday by a dyed-in-the-wool j.w.

who is beginning to see cracks in his beloved golden calf of warwick.

so encouraging to hear his disgruntlement with org-related topics.. “many in the christian congregation may not have expected their loved ones to die this side of armageddon.” (july 2017 study wt).

truth_b_known

I noticed as the thread progressed there have been some posts that allege that some of us are "reading too much into this." I respectfully disagree. I truly believe this quote is "crawfishing" by the Watchtower and victim blaming.

Most of us here were present or at least know of the talk "Millions Now Living will Never Die" as well as how that message has been echoed through the decades. That is until the 1990s. Even the mission statement of the Watchtower and Awake changed to reflect the change in thought.

I grew up in the post 1975 organization. My childhood was in the 80s and I graduated high school in the 90s. Growing up in the 80s I could not count the number of times I was told that this system would end before I even got to high school. I truly believed that. I was told countless times how fortunate I was that I would never grow old and have to deal with age and infirmity. I believe that as well. I was told that I would never experience death and, if I remained faithful, I would walk through to the other side of Armageddon. I wholeheartedly believed that.

Then came the change. Overlapping Generations. I believe in Occam's Razor - the simplest explanation is usually the correct one. Overlapping Generations was thrown on us because "Millions now living will never die" was and still is a fraud. They knew it. It was their second 1975.

Just like with 1975, the Watchtower victim blamed and denied the whole thing. The same is true with Millions now living. This Watchtower quote is definitive proof of this.

16

Bible contradictions.

by pleaseresearch in

what are your biggest, funniest, scariest, etc.... wait wt says there are non hahahah.

truth_b_known

God is all powerful...unless his enemies have chariots of iron. Judges 1:19

29

How many do you figure are converted through the door to door ministry?

by HereIgo in

i regular pioneered for 2 years and never have actually converted anyone through the door to door work, in fact, i only knew a few individuals that joined this way.

most were born-in or at least had some type of family influence.

i had several bible studies but they all got cold feet when things got serious and potential baptism was discussed.

truth_b_known

My experience was few to none and those who did ended up leaving, being disfellowshipped, or both.

9

What's the deal with the anointed class, why aren't they JW rulers?

by TTWSYF in

so i never got in with the jws far enough to know the detailed teachings regarding the 144k going to heaven.

they are rulers with jesus in heaven?.

shouldn't they be in charge of the wts?

truth_b_known

Jehovah's Witnesses have actively persecuted their own who claim to be of the Annointed. If you weren't part of the Governing Body, at Bethel, or really old your claim of being of the 144,000 was frowned upon and you were looked at skeptically. High ranking members of the organization actively sought out such ones like the Spanish Inquisition and trumped up charges to disfellowship them.

Part of the reason is, at one time, the organization had certain rules that Annointed brothers who were elders automatically got put in charge of certain things. This caused envy among elders, circuit, and district overseers who were of the Other Sheep.

23

Freudian slip in last Sunday's WT?

by The Fall Guy in

i had this point highlighted to me yesterday by a dyed-in-the-wool j.w.

who is beginning to see cracks in his beloved golden calf of warwick.

so encouraging to hear his disgruntlement with org-related topics.. “many in the christian congregation may not have expected their loved ones to die this side of armageddon.” (july 2017 study wt).

truth_b_known

Here's what I get from that quote:

"Many of you idiots were dumb enough to believe that this system would end around 1994. This is because of our teaching that this generation would by no means pass away. By "this generation" we meant people born when Jesus sign manifested in 1914. Well, we received new light in the way of "Overlapping Generations". Get over it you good-for-nothing slaves and get back to work! Also, send us all of your money because this overlapping generation is going to endure for a looooooong time."

Am I right?

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known