Posts by doubtfull1799

14

'Asking Questions' & JC's

by Tallon in

on another forum, a user posted that their partner is being hauled before a jc for asking questions and, that the jc will go ahead regardless if in attendance or not.. the post does not say what questions were being asked.

another user responded with - possibly viewed as 'brazen conduct'.

here is the link to jw.org - brazen conduct: https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/bible-glossary/brazen-conduct/.

doubtfull1799

Asking questions - It really does depend on the body of elders and your relationship with them to a large degree, unless you go around asking those questions of the publishers and providing them answers the GB would not approve of!

I have asked my body of Elders dozens of questions and I continue to have long discussions with one in particular. I have given them plenty of grounds or excuses to disfellowship me for apostasy if they wanted to. But they don't. They have of course placed a gag order on me and I am only allowed to discuss these questions with them, but as long as I don't go against that they are not disfellowshipping me merely for asking the questions. And they are quite candid in admitting they have no good answers... as you can guess, they always fall back on the good old "waiting on Jehovah."

Shame they can't "wait on Jehovah" to solve the Russian crisis for them - no, in that case they have too write letter and protest!

20

NEW PUBLICATION!..... 'References for Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook'

by darkspilver in

jw
friends

haha!

yes folks!

it's an eight page printout from the cd-rom of the scriptures and wt reference for use during the midweek clam meeting.. 'references for life and ministry meeting workbook'.

doubtfull1799

Speaks to the continuing mental laziness getting even worse among the witnesses (and perhaps the general population?) - reducing the mags from 32 pages to 16 was probably primarily about printing costs, but I also think it has to do with keeping the articles even shorter, not wanting to go too much into depth with any subject. Forget about good quality long form journalism. I've noticed lately that even 4 pages is now too much to full with text so they're resorting to more and more charts, boxes, illustrations, cartoons etc etc

21

Who Is the Archangel Michael? "evidently" Jesus

by NikL in

front of jw.org has this article.... https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/archangel-michael/.

i am at work right now so can't examine it very close but was just curious what some of you more knowledgeable ones think of it?.

doubtfull1799

@Londo111 - love the Princess Bride quote! Perfect. As i've mentioned before it is an interesting exercise to do a search for the word evidently in the Watchtower library, first of all to see how many times they have used the word, (even just since the year 2000 if you are using the online version) and then to see ho each time they use it, they us either because they don't actually have any evidence to offer. I liken it to the Kim's calling their little dictatorship the "peoples democratic republic of Korea"

@snowbird. I'm just starting to look into this and I could be wrong, but doesn't the Book of Enoch list Michael along with a bunch of other angels it lists by name as the "fallen angels"?

20

Special Video tie-in this week in Australia? Saturday April1st. A GB Speaker?

by stuckinarut2 in

i have been told that there is to be a special talk linked via video hook up all around australia this saturday april 1st?

a 3 hour program apparently?.

someone said it was a governing body speaker?.

doubtfull1799

I'm having a coffee with one of my old elders tomorrow - I'll ask him!

9

Heb 10:34 & the Russian Situation

by doubtfull1799 in

as would be expected we've seen a lot of the "persecution" scriptures bandied about recently in connection with the likely imminent ban on the org in russia.

they like to claim that being targets of persecution they are seeing the fulfilment of those verses.

but they conveniently ignore what the bible teaches about how christians should respond to said prophesied persecution.... for example, no one is referencing the above verse which talks of the apostles "joyfully accepting the plundering of their belongings.

doubtfull1799

As would be expected we've seen a lot of the "persecution" scriptures bandied about recently in connection with the likely imminent ban on the org in Russia. They like to claim that being targets of persecution they are seeing the fulfilment of those verses. But they conveniently ignore what the Bible teaches about how Christians should respond to said prophesied persecution...

For example, no one is referencing the above verse which talks of the apostles "joyfully accepting the plundering of their belongings." If the brothers were to follow that apostolic example they wouldn't be writing protest letters, right? They wouldn't care about the liquidation of their branch office or kingdom hall assets, knowing they have a more valuable "spiritual" asset in their relationship with Jehovah, something the Govt can't liquidate! They would accept those physical losses happily, like the apostles did. No doubt when the apostles had their assets plundered that was done illegally or unjustly too, but they did not protest it.

They like to quote Paul because he "appealed to Caesar," yet Paul is not supposed to be the model for Christians, Christ is. Did Christ "appeal to caesar" when under trial, when he was being persecuted? No. It was in that circumstance he made his famous statement of neutrality that "his kingdom was no part of the world," and he would not recognise or appeal to the authority of human governments to appease his suffering. He told Peter to put away his sword when Peter tried to defend Jesus from the injustice of his arrest, would he have endorsed Peter writing letters instead? No, of course not, because this was all happening under God's plan, it had to happen for God's will to be done, so it was not to be opposed by the pen or the sword.

13

Memorial Non-Attendance: The Single Most Impactful TTATT Witness to JW Friends & Family

by AMNESIANO in

jw
friends

(original version posted 2014).

notice: the following is submitted in full recognition of and with compassion and due respect for those who, due to personal circumstance, feel they are unable to employ this powerful strategy.. ---.

anyone who has awakened to ttatt and has conscientiously left the organization--especially a once-prominent, highly-regarded, studious true-believer from a celebrated multi-generational tribe of jws-- after decades of devout, high-profile "serve-us," who continues to put in an annual appearance at the memorial thoroughly subverts and undermines, by this one act, any hope s/he may entertain that his/her departure will stir family or former friends to question the whole watchtower bamboozle.

doubtfull1799

"Nothing blasts a louder, clearer, and more deliberate message to the JWs who personally knew you and to those familiar with your JW bona fides that you are not merely "not making the meetings," "inactive," or "spiritually-weak," but that there is a conscientious reason you have rejected the entire Watchtower Society life

Excellent point. I was exactly one of these:

once-prominent, highly-regarded, studious true-believer from a celebrated multi-generational tribe of JWs

Was getting very nervous about the upcoming memorial which I will miss for the first time. You have given me encouragement to follow through with my conviction not to go and compromise in that way. Thank you!

you squander your prize opportunity to nudge thinking ones to seriously ponder the possible reason for your shocking departure

Yep, hoping it will have that effect.

12

Watchtowers Real Estate Website...www.watchtowerbrooklynrealestate.com/

by NikL in

jw
friends

is this for real?.

https://www.watchtowerbrooklynrealestate.com/.

apologies if this has been brought up before..

doubtfull1799

Note this little disclaimer at the bottom of the home page:

"These facts, including but not limited to the text, graphics, and data, were prepared based on information available to Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. (“Watchtower”) at the time it was prepared. However, Watchtower makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy or reliability of the information herein for any purpose, including projecting future use. Anyone using this information must independently verify the facts and statements contained herein."

Funny how they make no warranty as to the facts, and encourage independent verification of their "facts" when it comes to real estate, but they don't encourage independent verification when it comes to more important matters - when they publish so called "spiritual facts"

24

Pretend to support Critical Thinking, but forbid it when directed toward the "leadership"

by doubtfull1799 in

this from the latest watchtower article on propaganda:.

"keep in mind that satan does not want you to think clearly or reason things out well.

because propaganda “is likely to be most effective,” says one source, “if peo- ple .

doubtfull1799

@James Jack - thank you :-)

25

Two (circumstantial) lines of evidence for the real motivation behind the Russian lobbying?

by doubtfull1799 in

1. in bro sandersons latest video (in which he shows a very impressive skill with russian) he mentions two likely results of the imminent russian ban: the liquidation of the branch office and its assets, and the individual brothers capacity to worship freely.

no prizes for guessing which one gets mentioned first!.

2. why have the gb never attempted in the past, and are not interested in attempting now, such a letter writing campaign in other communist countries where the work is under similar restrictions, like china, or vietnam?

doubtfull1799

1. In Bro Sandersons latest video (in which he shows a very impressive skill with Russian) he mentions two likely results of the imminent Russian ban: The liquidation of the branch office and its assets, and the individual brothers capacity to worship freely. No prizes for guessing which one gets mentioned first!

2. Why have the GB never attempted in the past, and are not interested in attempting now, such a letter writing campaign in other communist countries where the work is under similar restrictions, like China, or Vietnam? Could it be because we have no assets in those countries? Nothing to lose?

24

Pretend to support Critical Thinking, but forbid it when directed toward the "leadership"

by doubtfull1799 in

this from the latest watchtower article on propaganda:.

"keep in mind that satan does not want you to think clearly or reason things out well.

because propaganda “is likely to be most effective,” says one source, “if peo- ple .

doubtfull1799

@stuckinarut - yep, I don't know, it baffles the mind. I guess we never saw it when we were "in" either. I think it is a combination of 1. Very good indoctrination, 2. Not having good college education in critical thinking skills, and 3. Being able to forget what you read a minute ago that contradicts what you are reading right now.