jeremiah18:5-10

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Posts by jeremiah18:5-10

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  30

  Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

  such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  So I guess it fits with their ironic model of earning undeserved kindness, dressing up somehow makes them deserve undeserved kindness, go figure
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  30

  Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

  such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  @hoser- will there be a return to "normal" or is this the new normal like so many other things in life?
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  30

  Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

  such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

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  2. 
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  jeremiah18:5-10

  I am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through Zoom? Such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc...
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  16

  Just wondering. . .for those that are Ex-Elders . . .

  by HappyBlessedFree in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  did your conscience ever bother you when you were counseling/reproving/disfellowshipping ones in the congregation?

  did it feel extreme or justified based on your biblical understanding at the time.

  also are there any ex-elders here that dealt with child abuse accusations?

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  I served as an elder from age 28-33, looking back, I was woefully underqualified to be determining such things as being DF'd. I felt self conscious in the hearings and looked for reasons NOT to DF rather than reasons TO DF, this was unpopular, and I often relented due to worrying about how the other elders would view me, embarrassing now to think about.

  I did serve on one committee regarding alleged child abuse. The accused was maybe 15 and the victim maybe 2 or 3, too young to speak yet. I advised the victims parents to consult authorities as I felt we were unqualified to determine this matter. The committee's focus seemed to be mainly to settle between the families and to not reflect badly on Jehovah. We called the Service department and were advised to handle as discreetly as possible, with sensitivity and to be cautious since no witness to the event. The "evidence" causing concern was the little girl being sensitive in her private area and having redness. The boy had been babysitting the girl. Ultimately he was reproved and told to not be alone with kids. The victim family changed congregations. I cautioned my wife as were parents of 2 young children and were neighbors of the boy. I was unable to warn others, in retrospect, I should have ignored that direction.

  Irony, this boy later worked at one of the restaurants I was in charge of and was witness against me for smoking that led to me being DF'D. This was a couple years later after I had been deleted for stated reason of not presiding over my household (my wife had stopped believing and stopped attending and was very bitter over the organization). I had become depressed, desperate, lost, and disillusioned, and sought worldly friendships, this led to drinking and smoking.

  Anyway, my two cents on your question.
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  6

  Conversation with my Dad

  by jeremiah18:5-10 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  my 73 yo dad called me tonight.

  he had just returned from the convention.

  he proceeded to tell me he can't believe that a smart and successful man like myself can be so dumb so as not to believe that jws have the truth.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  My 73 yo dad called me tonight. He had just returned from the Convention. He proceeded to tell me he can't believe that a smart and successful man like myself can be so dumb so as not to believe that JWs have the truth.

  I let him talk freely for a while without interruption, he's a lifelong witness and I do not wish to bring his world crashing down at this age.

  He did however end up opening a door a had to go through. He asked how can I read the Bible and not believe in the earthly hope and what JW's teach. I said, "I don't wish to debate you or to insult you, but my answer is very simple. I started reading the Bible without assumption of truth. I don't read it to support the WT, the WT should support the Bible. That changes everything". Awkward silence, then I decided to bring the call to an end by telling him I'm grateful that he cares and that he shared his convictions. I told him I respect his beliefs and right to believe and that I have never and would never call him dumb for doing so.

  Overall, it was nice to hear from him, he made me chuckle with his cult reasoning, but I simply can't unlearn what I now know about this organization. I had to share this with someone, people who can relate. Thanks for any feedback.
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  23

  Headed to vegas! Anything i should do?

  by _Morpheus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the tittle is self explanitory.... first trip to vegas, anything i should do besides gamble?.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  Go to the top of the world at stratosphere. They do bungee jumping (sort of) off the top of it now. It's an amazing view, especially at night
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  9

  Study Case 54 ARC YouTube Videos

  by LevelThePlayingField in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  edit: first link the sound dropped off for no apparent reason.

  this link works.

  https://youtu.be/ujdqpdfhuco.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  The audio stops at about 1:38
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  161

  ARC Analysis Summary of Case Files

  by Richard Oliver in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i have been doing research on the arc as some people on here have suggested.

  i find it interesting on the case file analysis some of the findings.

  it looks like queensland and new south wales had the biggest problems with this.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  Vidiot, that's a chilling and terrifying thought, but likely would be the case.
• 
  161

  ARC Analysis Summary of Case Files

  by Richard Oliver in

  1. watchtower
  2. child-abuse

  i have been doing research on the arc as some people on here have suggested.

  i find it interesting on the case file analysis some of the findings.

  it looks like queensland and new south wales had the biggest problems with this.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  One of the more interesting, compelling and damning statements elicited from WT, I think it was Spinks, was that if he was to learn of a member or neighbor committing a murder or of breaking into neighbor's house, he would call the police and report. I had wished for counsel to connect the dots and to ask, why the distinction, why report regarding murder or theft but not abuse? That stance alone pinpoints the problem with JWs, abuse is a sin only, a sin that can be overcome spiritually, and that there's no debt to society involved. It is a disgusting stance. So regardless of how many cases, by whom, and how often, the stance and mental approach to abuse is THE PROBLEM! The judge emphasized that laws aside, there's a moral obligation as a human being to report of abuse, and should have connected that it's as vital of a moral obligation to report abuse as it is murder or theft. There's simply no arguing or defending that, regardless of position or title. Because position or title aside, you're supposed to be, first and foremost, a human being.
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  40

  Next steps for the Austrailian Royal Commission

  by Coded Logic in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  since the watchtowers' lawyers have (a) failed to make any recommendations to the arc that would bring the watchtower up to date with "best practices and procedures" (b) have failed to submit a proposal for victim restitution (c) have failed to secure funding for a redress scheme and (d) have completely dismissed all the arcs' findings - what's the royal commission's next course of action?.

  i see two possibilities:.

  ) negotiate a settlement with the watchtower.

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  jeremiah18:5-10

  I believe the greatest damage that can be done, has been done, the publication of the ARC hearing videos and evidence.

  WTS has proven for decades that they do not respect laws of the land that conflict with their beliefs. As long as they believe that their laws, rules, and beliefs epitomize gods laws, rules, and beliefs, they will stubbornly resist, falling back on and being empowered by their history of resisting persecution. 99% of all current JW's will simply chalk up any adverse judgment or press to being satanic persecution. The best that can be hoped for is that the ARC videos and evidence deter new converts from joining.

  If indeed new converts dry up, the religion will eventually wither away, imploding as age and years win out. The only hope for new converts is in third world countries without ready access to the internet. However, without new converts in advanced countries, the money will dry up.

  The more investigations and hearings that occur, regardless of legal outcomes, the better. The more video and paper evidence that surfaces and finds its way to the internet, where it could seemingly live forever, the better the chance for exposure and negative impacts to WTS.

  In short, if the reputation gets soiled and their true nature exposed, support wanes. When support wanes, money dries up. Without the money, WTS goes away. It may not be quick, but at least momentum has shifted from growth and moving forward, to contraction and moving backwards. This alone is encouraging to me, even though I do wish for a quick, total, and complete demise, especially during my lifetime and that of my parents, I just don't see that happening though.