konceptual99

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Posts by konceptual99

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  49

  Jehovah's Witnesses requesting financial transparency in Spain

  by JHK in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  two jehovah's witnesses requesting financial transparency in spain branch.

  one picture in the assembly hall and another on the bridge.. .

  http://johnhenrykurtz.blogspot.com.es/2015/01/transparencia-financiera-llegara-antes.html.

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  konceptual99

  @insidetheKH

  @konceptual  congregations that need a new hall will get a new hall
  I know hundreds of active witnesses but never heard one about wanting to know about the international accounts.
  Only on boards like this you hear people screaming about transparency... people that no longer contribute and from which the majority is not even a witness anymore. 

  Your argument was about entitlement not whether or not anyone was interested.  All should be entitled.

  I agree that a minority are really interested but I also know hundreds of active witnesses and many more are interested in what has been going on with congregation funds than before the change.

  I go back to my point that the point of trustees of a charity is to administer the funds of the charity properly.  I know few witnesses really care but they should do, especially if they are an elder.  They have all the legal responsibilities of being a trustee but no real power to act outside of the "suggestions" from Bethel.

  As for those needing a hall will get a hall... there's the rub.  It's now Bethel who decide.  For example, I know two congregations NOW who have had their plans vetoed by Mill Hill when they were about to sign on the dotted line for land to build a new hall to share.  One gets to stay in it's existing hall, the other has to sell it's hall and go to another hall in another town.  Who will get the cash from the sale?  Not the local congregation.  What about the money that was bequeathed in wills for the express purpose of going towards their new hall?

  The WTS may determine that the need of congregations elsewhere may be greater than the need of a couple of congregations in the south of England and there are many who would reason that it does not matter if their hall plans are scuppered if the greater good prevails.  What is really behind it though is simple asset grabbing.

  I accept that many of the people who do contribute don't actually care.  I agree that most of the complaints come from those looking at the WTS with a critical eye.  Don't make that a strawman argument however.  Just because people don't care doesn't mean they shouldn't.  It does not make the actions of the WTS less mercenary.

   
  

  
  
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  49

  Jehovah's Witnesses requesting financial transparency in Spain

  by JHK in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  two jehovah's witnesses requesting financial transparency in spain branch.

  one picture in the assembly hall and another on the bridge.. .

  http://johnhenrykurtz.blogspot.com.es/2015/01/transparencia-financiera-llegara-antes.html.

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  konceptual99

  So lets assume the persons shown donated 10 euros to the worldwide fund...  And now they would like or think they are entitled to international transparency? 
  Are you out of your mind?  If they dont trust it they should stop donating or donate only to local expenses

  Every member of an organisation should have the right to view audited accounts of the organisation.  Being able to see the accounts of UK based WTS charities throws up lots of questions about how money is used and the methods by which funds are solicited.

  Local expenses - ha!  There are many witnesses who have donated large sums of money for their local congregation yet these have been grabbed by the branch now.  Some of these donations are legacies and some of these will have had an express purpose associated with them, such as "put towards a new hall for the local congregation".  These funds have been passed on to the local branch and then, in some cases, off to HQ to then be used to pay off victims of paedophiles in the congregation.  The wishes of the original person are ignored.

  Of course, many will have given explicit or implicit permission for the funds to have been used however the congregation sees fit but this does not change the fact that as independent charities with local trustees (the elders) the funds are there to support the local charity.  It is the trustees responsibility to manage the funds in the interest of the local congregation, not the WTS.  We all know though the the trustees do whatever the WTS tells them to do and the members of the congregation never speak out or request new trustees.  If a congregation that needed a new hall is now no longer able to afford one because the money that was bequeathed explicitly for that purpose has been passed onto the WTS by the charities trustees (the elders) then it calls into question if the charity is being managed correctly by the trustees.  

  
  
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  20

  Well folks it looks like September 23, 2017 will be the new date of Armageddon, the Rapture or whatever.

  by donny in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  well folks you had better get your act together because there is only about 2.5 years before you are held responsible for your way of life.

  according to "rapture watch", things are really going to start happening in 2017.. i am already asking the lord for leniency.

  http://www.rapturewatch.net/timelines.htm .

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  konceptual99

  I can just imagine all my "in" friends having a good ol' snigger at this and being ever so grateful for having the F&DS to be able to properly explain the Bible and it's prophecies.
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  49

  Jehovah's Witnesses requesting financial transparency in Spain

  by JHK in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  two jehovah's witnesses requesting financial transparency in spain branch.

  one picture in the assembly hall and another on the bridge.. .

  http://johnhenrykurtz.blogspot.com.es/2015/01/transparencia-financiera-llegara-antes.html.

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  konceptual99

  Great sentiments but I can't imagine that the WTS are quaking in their boots or the Spanish media are rushing to publicise things.
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  21

  Mormon 'support' for gays, pressure on the WTS?

  by Simon in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the mormon / lds church has noticably changed it's stance toward homosexuality and instead of condemning it seems to be supporting protection for people's rights (of course they want to throw some protection for themselves in there as well).. how will this affect the wts?

  the lds is the more-successful counterpart to the wts, similar age and history and same non-mainstream appeal.. i have no doubt that the lds church is only changing because they know which way the wind is blowing and society has completely changes it's attitudes towards gay people.

  maybe they just want to stay ahead pf the curve before federal legislation enforces people's rights.. now, can we see the wts changing their views" will they be one of the last holdouts?

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  konceptual99

  Do I see further "concessions" to accepting it's not just a lifestyle choice?  Perhaps.  Do I see further acceptance of gay people into the congregation if they are celibate?  Perhaps.  These would be to appear more open and deflect direct criticism of being homophobic but I can only ever see this being the minimum to prevent loss of some kind of charitable status.

  Do I see them saying you can gay just so long as you are in a legal marriage and don't have sex outside of marriage?  Never. 
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  35

  Wow, the forum is very slow

  by FlyingHighNow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know that logging in has been a problem for some.

  i hardly post any more.

  i figured there would be more activity than this.

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  konceptual99

  
  

  My main issue is that with the old forum you could very easily see the latest comments on a thread and decide if you wanted to delve into it.  When you did you went to the latest posts. 

  The reply avatars now show the last 3 posters which is intended to make it easier to see who posted recently and clicking any of those takes you to that point in the topic as before.

  All the functionality of the old site is available on the new site plus more options as well. If something seems difficult or missing then it may be unclear - just ask and we'll point you in the right direction for making the most out of it.

  I have just realised that clicking on the avatar of the most recent poster(s) takes you directly to that post.  This is obviously quicker than what I was doing.  This is a good example of perhaps where it's not knowing what one does not know!

  Yup - best to ask.  Please don't take my original comment as a moaning criticism - just an observation.  Thanks for responding. 

  
  
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  35

  Wow, the forum is very slow

  by FlyingHighNow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know that logging in has been a problem for some.

  i hardly post any more.

  i figured there would be more activity than this.

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  konceptual99

  I have just realised that clicking on the avatar of the most recent poster(s) takes you directly to that post.  This is obviously quicker than what I was doing.  This is a good example of perhaps where it's not knowing what one does not know!
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  8

  Some Old NuLite

  by Coded Logic in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the truthtm about generations.. .

  "the length of time is indicated by him when he said, "truly i say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur.

  " (matt.

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  konceptual99

  Great quotes!
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  35

  Wow, the forum is very slow

  by FlyingHighNow in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know that logging in has been a problem for some.

  i hardly post any more.

  i figured there would be more activity than this.

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  konceptual99

  I really appreciate the work Simon has put in but have to agree that there are some changes that I don't think have been for the better.  My main issue is that with the old forum you could very easily see the latest comments on a thread and decide if you wanted to delve into it.  When you did you went to the latest posts.  Now you just see the original post and have no idea if the latest comments merit further investigation.  I also think there is less information on the screen, even with snippets. The option to display 20 posts is fine but that get's lost each time for me as I browse with Chrome incognito turned on so the setting is lost.  Not the forum's problem I guess :-)

  The plus side is that editing with an iPad works much better.  The messaging side is improved as well.  
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  82

  HERE'S A BOMBSHELL ABOUT THE 144,000 DOCTRINE......

  by Mary in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  just when you think you've heard it all............in my research for my project, i was doing some digging around on the subject of the 144,000 and came across something in the wts's literature that absolutely stunned me and, being the generous soul that i am , wanted to pass it on to you to get your thoughts on this.. .

  we all know that the society teaches that the 144,000 mentioned in revelation is speaking of "spiritual israel" and not 'fleshly israel' or even other christians in general right?

  there are countless quotes throughout the literature that we are all familiar with that specifically state this, but to drive home a point, here are a few:.

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  konceptual99

  This is an interesting one to pull out at an opportune time. The insight book explanation is old light and has been since that WT yet I don't remember this change ever being picked up by anyone when this was studied or mentioned in subsequent reviews of changes published by the WTS.  Thanks for resurrecting this thread.