Posts by konceptual99

21

This idiot just embarrasses me.

by joe134cd in

yup a mentally diseased apostate.. http://youtu.be/e7qmypu7mxo.

konceptual99

I know people who are in some of the congregations he has targeted in Kent. I also know people who were at Excel when he gate crashed the convention last year.

He has some very valid concerns and he and his family have been at the blunt end of typical elder stupidity. He is, however, viewed as a nuisance and basically ticks every box for the stereotypical "mentally diseased" apostate.

I applaud the guy's courage and tenacity in keeping going. I would never argue that such direct action could never motivate anyone to investigate Jehovah's Witnesses more deeply. On the other hand he has built such a reputation for being a PITA in the Kent area that his message is being drowned out by the overwhelming story that his is a bitter and twisted nutter.

I think Freddo has hit the nail on the head. Perhaps now is the time for this guy's story to be presented in a different way that can counteract the extremely negative view of him that has been developed over the past couple of years.

43

jw deny rumours moving UK HQ to Chelmsford project has collaspe

by Aleph in

http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/jehovah-s-witnesses-deny-rumours-uk-headquarters/story-27899763-detail/story.html.

t. .

konceptual99

No this is exactly what young JWs are encouraged to go for, yes real skills. All those examples you said. engineers, architects, doctors,

Ok, let's put this in context. I would agree that the organisation is not against people gaining "real" skills, including those in the STEM industries. What is disingenuous however is to make out that the organisation supports young people gaining a degree level education at University.

1. get baptised at as early an age as possible (11-13 is great)

2. aux pioneer regularly through school

3. at 16 do a course that will provide a lead into part time work at 18

4. at 18 enter part time work and regular pioneer

5. From there move to Bethel, construction, long term pioneering

6a. If you are male aim to be an MS at 18/19 and an elder before 30

6b. If you are female - keep on knocking on those doors

7. Get married and continue in some kind of full time service

8. Perhaps do part time study for further qualifications IF you have time

Agreed - they like engineers and architects but the route they want is someone that does it through on the job training. So, you become an architectural technician, work on drawings for years in a practice and gain experience, perhaps some further qualifications. They want people who can produce engineering drawings, not Fellows of the Royal Society who did 7 years and opened their own practice.

How about a mechanical engineer. They would be happy to see a young person do a plumbing a gas fitting qualification, work in the industry for a while, whilst pioneering ideally, and then move into the construction teams but they would never support anyone who wanted to go to uni for 5 years to train.

The instructions to elders are clear. If an appointed man supports his child in pursuing a university education then it calls his qualifications into question. Which, in reality, normally means deletion.

You can point to some very qualified people that either are at Bethel or support the organisation at a high level but these people either came into the organisation later in life or pursued a university education in spite of the anti-degree culture in the organisation and have then been courted by the organisation.

When you look at the examples of well qualified people in the publications and videos they NEVER are ones who were brought up as Witnesses. They always became a Witness during or after their education.

The GB do not want their young people attending university. It's a plain and simple fact.

67

Is proselytizing less condescending when evolutionists do it?

by paul from cleveland in

is it just me?

konceptual99

Yes, it was triggered by Cofty's series of topics but not just his. I couldn't articulate the uneasy feelings I had every time I saw "Evolution is a Fact #" until I saw the thread "How do you feel about the expression "The Truth"?" I realize it's the same feeling.
I'm still trying to find the words... Closed minded arrogance? I'm right you're wrong? You're stupid if you don't believe like I do? These descriptions aren't exactly representing my feelings but they are something along these lines.

So if we had a series of threads with titles like:

The Earth Orbits the Sun Thanks to Gravity is a Fact
The Earth is an Oblate Spheroid is a Fact
Our Vision Can Only Detect a Small Part of the Electro-magnetic Spectrum is a Fact

then would you be quite so offended?

I understand the argument that statements worded like this could be viewed as dogmatic and condescending however it sounds to me like you are getting flustered because the statements refer to evolution. I think if it was any other less emotive subject then you would be fair less concerned.

73

Witnesses killed my friend today.

by WasOnceBlind in

today has been a horrible day.

what began as a day of joy finding out that one of my lifelong friends had her baby, turned into a nightmare when her brother called me to let me know she had passed away after birth.

i was in shock and didn't ask how.

konceptual99

Tragic news and so sad that this was probably completely avoidable. I have long thought the same as Cofty. The GB must know the blood policy is a hypocritical and unsustainable car crash of a doctrine so their continued promotion of it to simply save face and financial risk of it is nothing short of a scandal.

114

What is truth?

by Heisenberg in

jw
friends

well, i have been lurking on this site for several months and i recently decided to join as a member.

i have made several observations and would like to make a few comments.. first, i am perplexed by the attitude of many on this site that are either former or active (but apostate) jws.

they seem to have a strong hatred for the wts and also for rank and file jws.

konceptual99

JW do not decide for themselves what is right and wrong. They look to the Bible. What is true is that JW have sometimes have had to change what they believe the Bible means but they never decide for themselves what is right and wrong independent from the Bible

Erm.... Perhaps you can explain then why the current Generation teaching can only be explained with numerous charts, diagrams and JWB sessions rather than with even one simple Biblical reference.

43

jw deny rumours moving UK HQ to Chelmsford project has collaspe

by Aleph in

http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/jehovah-s-witnesses-deny-rumours-uk-headquarters/story-27899763-detail/story.html.

t. .

konceptual99

I have asked several Witnesses what level of education they would prefer their doctor or dentist to have when I hear the "university is a waste of time" rhetoric.

43

jw deny rumours moving UK HQ to Chelmsford project has collaspe

by Aleph in

http://www.essexchronicle.co.uk/jehovah-s-witnesses-deny-rumours-uk-headquarters/story-27899763-detail/story.html.

t. .

konceptual99

Yes its the perfect excuse, "dont come close this earth we have to move is contaminated"
I dont know if its a bunker, but something large and top secret is being built underground.
Why all the secrecy and why is nobody allowed anywhere near the undergound project?

The matter about the earth is contaminated is clear since the the site was an old car breaker's yard.

I know a senior guy on the worldwide design and construction team who would 100% know if (a) there is an underground structure being built and (b) exactly what it is for. I can't ask him as it would blow my cover so can't confirm one way or the other. All I do know is that JWdom is always rife with rumour and supposition about loads of things and it's hard sometimes to separate fact from fiction. It would be interesting to know who close your security guy is the the facts.

30

How the Bible disproves the JWs' 1914 invisible presence doctrine.

by Island Man in

watchtower teaches jws that christ's presence began invisibly in 1914. they also teach that the start of christ's presence coincides with the start of the last days.

whether you believe in the bible or not, watchtower claims these teachings come from the bible.

so does the bible actually agree with them?

konceptual99

I was just discussing this excellent thread with my wife. During our last convention in 2014 we were perplexed by the constant mention of '100 years of Christ's rule'.
We had always been told Jesus would reign for 1000 years post armageddon. If he has in fact already reigned for 100 years then that would only leave 900 years providing the big A came that year. Seems like the orgs writers are getting confused on this whole 1914 and Christ's reign business.

This is not new. For as long as JWs have taught Jesus was installed as a King in heaven in 1914 then his heavenly reign has been going. The 1000 year reign is explained differently as it's post Armageddon, once earthly enemies have been destroyed and Satan confined in the abyss.

The 1000 year reign is essentially a different phase of his overall reign.

Now the question is if that understanding is really supported by the Bible? (if you actually care...)

26

My Story "Act 2"

by MarkofCane in

“it has been said, 'time heals all wounds.

' i do not agree.

the wounds remain.

konceptual99

Great couple of posts Mark. Thanks for taking the time to write your story down.

37

Infighting at the top?

by JeffT in

jw
friends

we've all been trying to decipher what is going on at the top of the watchtower organization.

clearly, the game's afoot, we just don't know what game we're playing.

item: the constant harping about money and donations.

konceptual99

There have been some very interesting thoughts posted here.

What is 100% true is that there have been serious inter-department and inter-branch differences. For example, the design and construction teams being led out of NY and Germany have a history of not really working well together. This comes from two Bethel sources.

What is also true is the use of commercially experienced third parties (some Witnesses and some not) to develop new strategies for the organisation. I have had this confirmed by the brother of one such person and others on here have confirmed similar accounts.

They have also asked for "no idea is too stupid" input from Bethelites and had boxes where ideas could be posted anonymously. This was confirmed to me by a serving Bethelite.

We have seen significant changes such as:

shift in the focus of the WTS away from published material to online
centralisation of funds (KH money grab)
realisation of property assets
downsizing
changes to hierarchy (no DOs, COs not having to go to Bethel to approve appointments)
more emotive and superficial teaching methods (videos, appeals to emotions)
changes to the meetings
high utilisation of Kingdom Halls
use of "special" and "international" conventions as glorified pep rallies with the welcoming of delegates, gift exchanges, crying and waving blah blah blah
consolidation and centralisation of some departments (e.g. Design and Construction becoming one global team led from NY)
JW.ORG rebrand

These have come from such think tanks. More is on the way I am sure.

My personal opinion is that the GB are generally united in pushing things forward however there may be some more sympathetic to the impact of such change on older ones and others more gung ho about taking the rank and file along with the changes.

At the end of the day they do not expect any open rebellion. They expect the vast majority to embrace things or at the very least put up and shut up. Any who do dissent and leave the organisation are just a little bit of collateral damage.