truth_b_known

Joined

• started 34 topics
• posted 2,612 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by truth_b_known

• 
  43

  When You Were A Witness Did You Believe Everything Taught?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  obviously at some point you stopped believing the witnesses had the truth or else you wouldn’t be here.

  .

  but for the most part, were you a true believer or were you typically a rebel or a doubter?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  I was born in and raised a JW. My father professes to be of the Annointed and was an elder most of my childhood. My father is a highly intelligent man with a great understanding of the Bible. Looking back now it seemed like he was a charismatic cult leader.

  Growing up with that I would hear my father from time to time point out things that were no "Christlike" in the organization, but he had no problem telling anyone right to their face that the Watchtower had "The Truth." So, I believed. Children usually believe their parents. After all, moms and dads, look out for their children.

  Now, due to what I believe is a case of the Sunk Cost Theory in action, my father still won't budge on all the cognitive dissonance it takes to be a Witness. I remember back in the 1990s my father was floored when an elder told him that the organization changes and it was just that way in regards to the decline in spirituality with Jehovah's Witnesses. Now, my father is all gung ho about JW.org and the whole JW Lite version of the religion.
• 
  8

  What publication has the beliefe that Jesus is the mediator for only the 144k?

  by mickbobcat in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i can not find this ,does anyone know?

  thanks.

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  This whole concept is an exercise in cognitive dissonance. First the Watchtower splits the baby under Rutherford. Rutherford realizes that the number of Witnesses world wide is exceeding Russell's 144,000. Rutherford realizes that a new carrot has to be fashioned. What do we get? The Great Crowd of Other Sheep!

  However, now that the Watchtower is on the hook for the New Covenant only applying to 144,000 going to heaven. So Jesus sacrifice seems to be reduced in benefit. The waters get a little more murky.

  This is a great example of how all Abrahamic religions (Judeo-Christian-Islamic) are not "truth" or at least eternal truth that is of value. Truth is this context is like an IP address. It comes in two formats - static and dynamic.

  For Abrahamic religions truth is dynamic. The goal posts keep getting moved. What was good enough for salvation from God's wrath one day is no longer good the next and so on. When the goal posts get moved, those in charge double down on the change and decry "heretic!" to anyone who disagrees.
• 
  3

  Alternative Military Service

  by Sea Breeze in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "what, though, if the state requires a christian for a period of time to perform civilian service that is a part of national service under a civilian administration?

  … that is his decision before jehovah.

  appointed elders and others should fully respect the conscience of the brother and continue to regard him as a christian in good standing.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  This is what first started to wake me up. I remember sitting next to an elder at a Circuit Assembly who was not yet a Witness during the Vietnam War, but remembered many Witness young men who went to prison for refusing alternate service. He himself chose alternate service and worked at the US Post Office. I could see the pain in his face when this change happened.
• 
  28

  Rap Music That Debases Should Be “Cancelled “

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i find it interesting that we live in a cancel culture.

  the influencers go after abraham lincoln, uncle ben , aunt jemima, the flag, the national anthem, people they perceive as not following their agenda.

  in the midst of all of this, rap music and its dehumanizing culture are off limits to talk about.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  Imagine calling PepsiCo and asking them if they would like to purchase advertising space on your public transit buses. Then tell PepsiCo that your bus company does not allow African Americans to sit on your buses. I am sure the PepsiCo representative would be disgusted with you and hang u the telephone.

  
  

  Imagine calling a Sirius XM or Spotify and saying you have a catalog of artists who sing about -

  • Trafficking in narcotics for profit
  • Misogyny
  • Murdering young men for respect

  I am sure those companies' representatives would be disgusted and tell you to go kick rocks.

  Now, imagine calling Sirius XM or Spotify and saying you have a catalog of African American artists who sing about -

  • Trafficking in narcotics for profit
  • Misogyny
  • Murdering young African American men for respect

  Those representatives would probably ask, "Is the music any good?"

  There is one thing that drives all decisions in business, government, and organized religion - Money. As long as it is profitable to sell music that perpetuates violence in minority communities there will be such music.
• 
  47

  Do You Support The Death Penalty ?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you support the death penalty or do you think the worst punishment should be incarceration?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  The Texas stat comes from a 1992 Dallas Morning News article. The article is quoted by saying, in 1992, it cost 2.3 million dollars (US) to execute someone in Texas. The phrasing is misleading.

  It costs about $22,000.00 a year to house a prisoner in the Texas prison system (TDCJ). That is if they do not have some sort of health issues that require constant medical treatment or surgery. Prison life is hard (for both the inmates and the correctional officers). A life sentence may only be 20 to 40 years depending on the age of the person at the time the start their sentence.

  The real cost to the tax payers comes in with the legal appeals that death row inmates automatically get by law. For example - the first thing that happens is the prisoner's lawyer must get the trial transcript from the court reporter. A Murder trial that lasts 2 weeks will result in a court reporter charging the defense attorney about $60,000.00 for the trial transcripts. Then the attorney will charge the State about $200.00 an hour for his or her services in representing the defendant's appeal.

  The actual cost of 1 dose of the drug used in lethal injection is about $17,000.00(US) and the one company on the planet that makes the drugs is now refusing to sell it to the United States as the company is located in a country that no longer practices execution of prisoners.
• 
  47

  Do You Support The Death Penalty ?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you support the death penalty or do you think the worst punishment should be incarceration?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  I always thought justice was about balancing the scales and making the victim whole again. I learned something from a Ted Talk from a speaker whose parents were murdered. Being raised Jewish, she was taught that she could not forgive the murderer as only the victim can forgive. Makes sense since the murdered person is the person who was actually wronged.

  Imagine someone breaks into your house and steals your tv. The police locate the perpetrator. The criminal is convicted at trial. The court orders that the police go to the defendants home and take his tv. Then the State keeps the defendant's tv. You don't have a tv. The defendant doesn't have a tv. Now you're even.
• 
  33

  Would you leave the Watchtower if you woke up at age 80 plus, or just stay in for the rest of your life.

  by pistolpete in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  so yesterday while i was doing some work for a customer, i noticed the wt mags on the sofa.

  and i asked the elderly man if he was a jehovah witness?.

  he said that he and his wife and all his children were raised in the religion, but only he and his wife attend the meetings or zoom.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  Some famous Scotsman might have said something like, "All men die, but not all men are free."

  Imagine being sent to prison to serve a life sentence at the age of 18. Now you are in your eighties. You are approached by a prison official who states that you can leave if you would like or just live the rest of your days in prison. Free room and board. Card games every night. All the raisin toilet wine you can drink.

  You could only do what you would like in this couple's situation to a point. Then you would have to either life a lie or do what you want in secret. At some point it would be a choice of being a prisoner or being disfellowshipped.

  Personally I'd chose freedom and make amends with my children.
• 
  66

  Watchtower fined in Belgium

  by Vanderhoven7 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jehovah's witnesses in belgium have to pay €12k fine for shunning policy.

  news.

  you have probably heard of the trial going on in belgium about the shunning policy of jws.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  This is where the Watchtower's "Theocratic Warfare" will come into play. Disfellowshipped and disassociated Witnesses will be shunned. The Watchtower hold some sort of regional elders meetings where no recording or notes are allowed to be taken. The elders will be told by the Watchtower that new language will be used in the practice to get around this judicial ruling.

  The official Watchtower stance will be that Witnesses are on their own to decide who they associate with and who they don't. If Witness just happen to shun someone in the congregation it is not sanctioned by the congregation or the Watchtower. Then it will be business as usual.
• 
  47

  Do You Support The Death Penalty ?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  do you support the death penalty or do you think the worst punishment should be incarceration?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  I used to support it 100%. Now, not so much. I have worked Murder cases where the only witnesses to the Murder were the suspect and the victim. We got a conviction. The State could not seek the death penalty in those cases as they were not Capital Murder cases (my state is very specific as to the circumstances that differentiate Murder vs Capital Murder). I would have a hard time with the execution of a person based on circumstantial evidence.

  So, here is a counter question: Do you believe in redemption and, if so, do you believe all genuine seekers of redemption should be given an opportunity to attempt it?
• 
  11

  Strange midweek meeting '' initial call '' demonstration

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  can it get any weirder?

  here is a demonstration of a midweek meeting demonstration, showing a sister out in field service talking to a householder.

  they are both wearing masks due to covid.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truth_b_known

  In the U.S. COVID-19 restrictions are done state by state. Several states have lifted all COVID-19 mandates and restrictions.