Posts by TonusOH

12

WASHINGTON ST PASSES BILL MANDATING CLERGY REPORTING CHILD ABUSE

by blondie in

jw
friends

https://www.thereflector.com/stories/washington-legislature-passes-bill-to-make-clergy-mandatory-reporters-of-child-abuse,378913 .

TonusOH

It should be pointed out that nothing stops a person, clergy or otherwise, from advising victims to report such crimes. The authorities are not limited by the two witness rule and have much more robust forensic tools and investigative approaches than a layperson does.

And, of course, if the general attitude was to report such crimes instead of worrying about tarnishing the organization's image, you could also make it a clear policy that this should always be done. Then, it becomes less of an issue whether the clergy should prioritize privacy over the safety of children.

27

God’s wisdom in allowing bearded JWs July 25 Watchtower

by Listener in

the july 2025 watchtower has a paragraph that claims that it was the superior power and wisdom of jehovah that guided the gb into allowing jws to grow beards.. the study article is ‘can you still learn from basic bible teachings?’ under the subheading ‘jehovah is the creator’ paragraph 7 states-.

“ 7. what did rahela do to accept a change in direction?.

your answer.

TonusOH

If you believe that growing a beard was once a disfellowshipping offense, you might be a Jehovah's Witness!

45

Blood decisions are now your problem: WT JULY 2025

by raymond frantz in

the following is from the latest study watchtower july 2025, study article 28, paragraph 17:.

each christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions.

we may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry.

TonusOH

The amount of resources they have put into this issue must be staggering. I wonder... would those hospital liason committees even exist if not for the need to make sure JWs don't get blood transfusions? I am guessing 'no.'

36

Sisters can now wear pants. Any more important changes

by Witness 007 in

alot of my witness friends were excited sisters can now wear pants and you can say hi to disfellowshiped folks but what about important stuff child molesters in the congregation you need 2 witnesses blood fractions are fine but not whole blood????

607 bce is from the 1880s wrong....anything else?

TonusOH

The two witness rule has a couple of problems. One, eyewitness testimony is easily the least reliable form of evidence. Two, it is laughably easy to abuse, thus derailing the very justice it is supposed to serve.

I mean, it's fine for old-time religious investigations, like trying to determine if little Johnny has been whacking off to porn mags when he thinks no one is watching. It sucks for pretty much anything else. It's not a substitute for a forensic investigation in any case that actually matters.

19

1975 debacle

by Gman2001 in

did the borg ever apologize for 1975?.

TonusOH

They didn't say anything about it until 1979 or 1980, when the explosive growth of the late 70s gave way to a drop in the number of publishers. Their first response was to insist that they made no definitive declarations and that anyone who behaved as if the end was near misread what they were being told and believed what they wanted to believe. I think it was many years later that they grudgingly admitted that maybe some of their words might have given some people the impression that the end was upon us.

Basically, their apologies consisted of "that was your fault" followed by "we're sorry your reading comprehension sucks."

2

Why Witnesses get people to question there religion but they get disfellowshiped if they do it.

by Witness 007 in

yeah so we knock on doors and whatever religion we find we ask them to dismiss it and join us.

all other religions are a shame not real.

but if you questioned the j.w religion about 1914 or anything you would be disfellowshiped..

TonusOH

This is why they are so focused on the authority of the governing body, and why it is so difficult for them to let go of the 607BCE date and the 1914CE date. They use those to explain how Russell was guided by Jehovah into making an accurate prophecy that demonstrated that he (and they) were God's chosen. And if they are God's chosen, then whatever they say must be correct, and whatever anyone else says must be wrong.

They also need for JWs to only understand that superficial explanation, otherwise they might learn that Russell wasn't even close to getting his predictions right and that subsequent leaders edited his past to make it seem like he got things right. And, of course, lately they've had to admit that they're not all that special and that --in spite of being the only channel through which Jehovah guides humanity-- they get things wrong all the time.

But what hasn't changed is their policy-- disagree with them, and you're an apostate.

19

Live long and prosper: WT JULY 2025

by raymond frantz in

"now more than ever, we need to focus on our hope.

because we are living in 'the last days' and we all have problems that are 'hard to deal with.

' (2 tim.

TonusOH

It sounds like it could be a quote from many years ago, too. This is the thrust of the WTS message, that all efforts must be directed to serving ~~Jehovah~~ the organization, and you will receive your rewards in the future, when God fixes everything. So, if they ask you to sacrifice time, or money, or health, or even lives, it will all be repaid in a very short time.

They have been pushing this "very short time" message for a very long time.

9

Memorial talk the SAME EVERY YEAR no anointed??

by Witness 007 in

yeah so got invited this year and just thought what a waste of my time no one partakes in the wine or bread the talk has been the same for 20 years i would rather stay home.

TonusOH

Rattigan350: There is nothing special about them.

Well, sure... we know that now. Back then, we thought they were going to heaven and that this was the bestest thing possible.

20

Chosen

by Gman2001 in

how exactly did jehovah come down to earth in 1919....look around at all the religions....and choose the bible students?

.

TonusOH

I still find it humorous to think that God scoured the Earth to find worthy representatives and somehow settled on Joseph Rutherford as the ideal person to do that job.

45

Blood decisions are now your problem: WT JULY 2025

by raymond frantz in

the following is from the latest study watchtower july 2025, study article 28, paragraph 17:.

each christian must make up his or her own mind about whether to accept or to reject these fractions.

we may find it a challenge to understand this matter fully, but making decisions like this is part of the load that each of us must carry.

TonusOH

I think they are mostly concerned with two things: the PR nightmare and the possible legal liability if they backtrack on transfusions. There are people who lost loved ones --including children-- because they refused to allow blood transfusions. My mother faced this issue twice in her life and has been fortunate enough to survive both times. She credits Jehovah with saving her, instead of the doctors and nurses who diligently worked to keep her alive with the difficult burden of not using blood.

How will it look if they finally say that they were wrong about transfusions? It has literally been a life and death issue for decades now, and the backlash would probably go mainstream. And I would imagine that at least a few people would sue them, which would definitely get them more attention of the type they do not want. The blood issue is a minefield for them.