Posts by truth_b

16

JW.org move to media

by Gorb in

jw
friends

with the built of new jw.org media studio's we can predict the future of the jw religion.. because we are living in an age of digital media, what will be the effect of this all?.

will the religion generate a new population?

we know video media is a strong marketing tool.. like to hear your thoughts.. gorby .

truth_b_known

Even JW's are talking about no need for a kingdom hall using 4 hours in a week.

Wow! Excellent point! Think of the money member shell out on a monthly basis just to be used 2 days a week for 2 hours a day. Even with 2 congregations meeting in the same Kingdom Hall it doesn't make fiscal sense.

The American evangelical "Disney for Jesus" churches have activities going on inside their jumbo churches 7 days a week and all hours. Whether it is services, Bible classes, social activities, etc. The Watchtower would never allow that!

27

Will Jehovah’s Witnesses Go Back To Normal Activities?

by minimus in

jw
friends

most every state has a plan to get back to normalcy.

many countries also are ready to get their citizens on the road to recovery.. where does this leave the witnesses?

will they ever go back to house to house ministry?

truth_b_known

Right now the governing body is waiting on their accountants if they can make more money reopening kh's or keeping them closed!

NowWhat? for the win!

The Watchtower is, has, and will always be a business. Jehovah's Witnesses are just the volunteer workers who turn the crank of the money machine.

Operational costs for Bethel facilities, Kingdom Halls, Assembly Halls, and Regional Conventions for the past year have to be near $0.00. For the past 2 Memorials no additional facilities had to be rented.

Meanwhile donations and Kingdom Hall sales still go on. Even better now that people can donate directly to the Watchtower through their website. I am sure at some point they will go back to meeting at the Kingdom Hall, but I am sure the Watchtower is in no hurry.

22

Degree of Effectiveness of JW Letter Writing Form of Witnessing

by Disillusioned JW in

a newspaper article quotes a jw as saying "every (letter) i put in the mailbox, i feel, 'ah, this could reach somebody.

'" the article also quotes her as saying "we are accomplishing even more now than we were door-to-door because this way everybody in the house gets a chance to pick up that letter and respond to it.

it just feels good.

truth_b_known

JW.s--the fastest shrinking religion in the world.

Nice!

6

Phone-witnessing conversation

by Anony Mous in

just got called by a lovely elder(ly) woman trying to get a conversation started about the state of affairs in the world and if it is ever going to get better (this introduction is so old, this came straight from the old 1980's brown book of conversation starters).

at first i asked whether she was a telemarketer, no, she is a "bible student".

i hadn't heard that in a while, so i asked her what denomination, she kind of struggled and quietly said i'm one of jehovah's witnesses - the embarrassment was palpable.. so i said, oh, i'm one of jehovah's witnesses too!

truth_b_known

Q: Would be believe the Bible over the Watchtower?

A: I would have to research that.

Yikes!

That is like asking -

Q: Would you listen to God over the Governing Body?

A: I would have to think on that.

I guess Jehovah's Witnesses are actually a polytheistic religion. They worship many gods. At least 8 of them.

A New Member of the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses | Simplified | Jehovah, Jehovah's witnesses, Jehovah s witnesses

22

Degree of Effectiveness of JW Letter Writing Form of Witnessing

by Disillusioned JW in

a newspaper article quotes a jw as saying "every (letter) i put in the mailbox, i feel, 'ah, this could reach somebody.

'" the article also quotes her as saying "we are accomplishing even more now than we were door-to-door because this way everybody in the house gets a chance to pick up that letter and respond to it.

it just feels good.

truth_b_known

We got the letter about 6 months ago. It is just members paying via postage to advertise JW.org. The Watchtower would be better off upgrading their business model by actually paying for advertising online to get people to go to their website. I won't say that will never happen as I never thought the religion would turn out the way it looks now either.

14

Do you still debate with JWs?

by punkofnice in

i was talking to an ex-jw.

not been out as long as i have.. cut a long story short, i came to realise that i can no longer be bothered to debate jws if (on the rare occasion), i have encountered them.. i think that because i am somewhere circling a nihilistic atheist it seems pointless.

i just don't have the energy because i rarely even think about jw related garbage.

truth_b_known

I would welcome a conversation with an active JW about their doctrine. There was a time when JWs were supposed to be able to defend their faith. The Watchtower wanted JWs to study their publications and the Bible to make a competent defense of their faith. Not any longer.

Now JWs are NOT to study. The Watchtower only wants members to listen and obey. When JWs are challenged about their beliefs the are a one-trick pony - "Go to JW.org for the answers to all your questions."

27

With a whimper, not a bang

by JeffT in

jw
friends

the thread about old timers got me thinking about trends i see with the watchtower.

i've changed my opinion about where the organization stands.

when i joined the religion in 1973 it was dynamic, even the small congregation i attended sent out three or four pioneers.

truth_b_known

We as a human species are evolving in our way of thinking. Rationality has replaced the past. The only religions that will survive are ones that encourage doubt and truth seeking. That is certainly not evangelical Christianity and especially not Jehovah's Witnesses.

27

List of Critical WTS Teachings

by Vanderhoven7 in

i sent a list of statements about current wts teachings to a friend who is being carefully recruited by a seasoned witness.. hi em..... just a quick summary of what all “good” jehovah's witnesses believe...even though some of these things witnesses are not always willing to be transparent about.

this is your crash course.

i have quotations for every item listed if you want or need them.. witnesses believes that:.

truth_b_known

In regards to bullet point "E" -

Doctrine changes from time to time. The Watchtower never acknowledges the hardships, damage, and even deaths caused by their doctrines after the change. The Watchtower simple makes the statement that there is "new understanding" under their doctrine of "New Light". The change is to be accepted and the past doctrine or the problems it caused are to never be mentioned.

8

J Dublethink

by LoveUniHateExams in

i'm just thinking of examples of jw doublethink.. here's one - jws will tell a bible study or unbaptised publisher that there is no hierarchy within the org.

they typically remark on christendom's hierarchy but then say 'we are all brothers'.

but as a person gets further into the cult, jws will constantly stress the need to obey the governing body.. jw hierarchy .

truth_b_known

The greatest JW double think I can come up with is this -

The Watchtower advocates in its printed publications for all people to examine their religion for the purpose of finding out whether or not it is "the truth". Conversely, the Watchtower and its leaders, the Governing Body, prohibit their followers from examining the teachings of the Watchtower for their accuracy. To simply question a belief of the Watchtower is to risk being shunned by their organization. Followers are advised to simply accept what they are told and to question it is to question God. In short, that is the central belief of all Protestant/Reformation/Evangelic Christian denominations - Never question those taking the lead as that is the same as questioning God.

An unexamined life is not worth living - Socrates

24

I am still not able to solve this God's name paradox...

by psyco in

i am finishing to read the entire bible (nwt 2013) for my first time (my fault) and i wrote down hundreds, maybe thousands, of questions not clear to me, but one especially came in my mind meditating on god's name.. if i wanted to summarize the entire bible in one phrase i would say (even before the kingdom): god’s name sanctification.. god is jealous about his name.

he does everything for the love of his name, and he wants to be called and prayed using his name.

no doubt about all this (repeated several times in the bible), but it involves the pronunciation of his name.. god left us his name in the form of יהוה which is unpronounceable.

truth_b_known

To add on to the OP frustration, we were taught to offer our prayers "in Jesus' name" as Jesus is the intermediary between God and imperfect humans. "Jesus" is English for the Latin version of the Greek Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous) as there is no way to translate the Hebrew name ישוע‎ (Y'shua) into Greek. Some words and names just don't translate into other languages.

So Jehovah's Witnesses are told by the Watchtower to pray to Jehovah (a made up name created by a Catholic monk) through Jesus' name, which is also made up.

If you were born in England, the U.S., or any other nation whose language is English and your name is John I am sure you would appreciate it if people called you John even if you were to travel to Spanish speaking nations where they would use Juan instead of John. A person's name doesn't change based on geography or national language of translators.

truth_b_known

Posts by truth_b_known