Posts by TMS

4

Top Dozen JW Websites...

by sf in

jw
friends

< http://www.ezdozen.com/misc/jehovah's_witnesses.htm.

fyi.... skally

TMS

I got an error message.

closer

I'd rather learn from one bird how to sing
than teach ten thousand stars how not to dance - e.e. cummings
______________________________________________________________________

yo tambien!

TMS

5

the anointed.. according to common belief among jw's, the anointed class are the only recipients of the christian greek scriptures, that is to say, it is aimed directly for the ones with the hope of heavenly association with jesus christ.. now, we have been taught that the anointed class are here to teach, and help the secondary class, ie the earthly hopers, to learn about jehovah and his promises, and by association with them....gain salvation through the ransom sacrifice.. so, according to published figures, there are between 8 and 9 thousand partakers of the emblems left on earth.

correspondingly, according to written word from the gb, the sealing of the anointing concluded in 1935.. the latest additions to the governing body, are in their 50s.. the governing body membership fluctuates from 4 to 18 depending on where in the 20th century, 21st century it was at the time.. the society is not really aware of the names addresses or reliability of those claiming to be anointed, or indeed take messages or advice from them.. let me get this right.

the christian greek scriptures give the commission to all those sealed in knowledge with christ to preach and teach and do the work.

TMS

Ray Franz discussed this thoroughly in one of his books, so I won't try to summarize his presentation here. Suffice to say "all of the anointed on the earth at any point and time" do not really contribute to the spiritual feeding of their "brothers" or the rest of Christ's Kingdom "interests". They get the new material through the mail or at the summer assemblies just like the rest.

TMS

5

Monopoly for JWs and ExJWs?

by individuals wife in

jw
friends

a board game especially for those with an interest in the workings of the organisation.... maybe one board for jws and one for exjws?.

heres a few ideas to start us off......... little houses = kingdom halls.

big hotels = assembly halls.

TMS

Someone needs to be appointed Accounts Servant, I mean "Banker".

TMS

29

draft letter - editorial comments?

by wasasister in

jw
friends

the following is the first-draft of a letter i would like to send to the society.

any and all suggestions would be appreciated.

(don't worry, i've developed a thick-skin.

TMS

wasasister,

Nicely done. Hopefully, they have already read it.

Posting it in several public forums like this one and print media may accomplish more indirectly than will be accomplished by the 30 seconds it takes Brooklyn to open and "file 13" it.

TMS

8

WT policy on funerals and memorials?

by Mulan in

jw
friends

can anyone tell me the current policy for funerals and memorial services?.

mom was here today and evening, stayed for dinner, and we talked about the services for henry.

she wants there to be a portion of the service where people in attendance can tell things they want to say about him.

TMS

My belated condolences, Mulan. I do remember Brother Zinser. He was, indeed, a very nice man. I was a young pioneer lad in Seattle before I moved south.

TMS

13

I Still Don't Get It

by TMS in

jw
friends

posters on several recent threads have waxed eloquent about reforming, reorganizing, reinventing, mainstreaming jehovah's witnesses.. the comparative efficacy of internal or external pressure has been one of the subthemes.. as a former 50 year "true believer", this seems like such an exercize in futility.

if this is really an organization sponsored by the god of the universe, why dare steady the ark.

if not, why bother?.

TMS

Hillary, Maximus:

Its obvious you're both men of personal integrity with genuine concern for others. You have my respect.

Whereas the two of you work for change, I drown in cynicism and negativism.

Your illustration of change effected in the organization by legal pressure, Hillary, is a good one, but like most changes I have observed in the WTBS, it is largely semantical. Yes, the specific sin of the banished one is no longer mentioned in the announcement(although a talk on that sin may be later given), but the congregation usually assumes the worst and the person is still shunned.

The organization has largely stayed the same. Oh yes, contact point became service meeting became rendezvous became meeting for service. Area study became book study became service center became congregation book study. For a while they took away my middle initial and TMS became TS. Then it became TMS again. Probation became private or public reproof. And on and on.

You are absolutely correct in saying that money talks. Many statements for public consumption have as their primary motivation the protection of company assets. Corporations do this. It is unlikely "George Jefferson" would be a spokesperson for Denny's Restaurants without the lawsuits alleging discrimination and the subsequent large awards. Still, blacks do not feel welcome ordering breakfast at Denny's.

I sincerely hope that I am wrong about the changes you both hope to see. Don Quixote at least slowed the windmills down.

TMS

ps: My original statement on this thread contains unfortunate wording. "Waxing eloquent" implies a certain superficiality and grandstanding neither one of you employ. That phrase should be changed to "written eloquently".

13

I Still Don't Get It

by TMS in

jw
friends

posters on several recent threads have waxed eloquent about reforming, reorganizing, reinventing, mainstreaming jehovah's witnesses.. the comparative efficacy of internal or external pressure has been one of the subthemes.. as a former 50 year "true believer", this seems like such an exercize in futility.

if this is really an organization sponsored by the god of the universe, why dare steady the ark.

if not, why bother?.

TMS

Posters on several recent threads have waxed eloquent about reforming, reorganizing, reinventing, mainstreaming Jehovah's Witnesses.

The comparative efficacy of internal or external pressure has been one of the subthemes.

As a former 50 year "true believer", this seems like such an exercize in futility. If this is really an organization sponsored by the God of the universe, why dare steady the ark. If not, why bother?

Are you potential reformers simply trying to prevent further victimization in yet another man-made form of tyranny? Or do you actually believe that this is/was/could be a form of worship from God?

TMS

43

Reform....why?

by Deacon in

jw
friends

the organization cannot be reformed from outside; that can only come from individuals who have the guts and will to do so inside, and the determination to get rid of hardline thinking that is so strangling.

my personal desire is to see immediate change regarding the child abuse policy, and that will come.

to see a clear, quick change in the horribly inconsistent blood policy rather than drag it out over years; kids are dying in the process.enforced shunning is also an evil that they will have to deal with eventually; it's ripping them apart.. .

TMS

As my wife and I went through some trying times that we have never chronicled in this or any other forum, she kept asking me: "Where is Jehovah in all of this?"

My initial answer was: "I don't know!"

It evolved to: "Nowhere!"

TMS

41

Blanket Bomb Or Snipe?

by hillary_step in

jw
friends

i wish to open a thread on a bit of a controversial issue so belt-on the self control!

my question?

why do some of us attack jws as people and who are our real targets?.

TMS

Hillary,

Two young men in white shirts, with black ties and black pants cut across my lawn to where I was tinkering with a vehicle. I made a mental note of their Mormon "Elder" badges before they were within twenty feet.

All kinds of thoughts rushed through my head. "A Look At Mormonism", Watchtower 1962 and the expose' on the Book of Mormon that followed. But the only thing I could think of was how much they looked like two Regular Pioneers on the verge of Pioneer Service School.

I spoke in quiet tones about ancestral baptism and my years of experience with and respect for Mormons. They dropped their normal spiel and chatted naturally about Utah and Idaho and the rigors of door-to-door work. We parted amicably, almost like grandfather and grandsons.

What reason would I have to treat Jehovah's Witnesses with any less courtesy?

TMS

45

what job could you have had?

by sleepy in

jw
friends

hi i've just come home from cleaning windows.what an absolutely soul destroying job.. when i think of the things i could have done.. i remmember how my teachers in school used to tell me i would surely go to university and get a good job.i remmember the shock on one teachers face a few years after i left school when i told her i was a window cleaner.. i was also intrested in art and quite good at it.my grandfather who wasn't a witness offered to help me and my brother get good jobs in the art world.. we turned him down.. arrmegeddon was so soon.. anyone else like me ?.

what do you do and what could you have done?

TMS

TheWiz, Sleepy, etc.:

Not everyone identifies with your frustration level. Some have been out for 30 years or more. Others are young enough that their lives have not been totally derailed.

Never-been-JW's would be quick to give you a "personal responsibility" lecture.

Unfortunately, I identify with everything both of you said. At the age of 58, I am just coming to grips with the reality of my religious "heritage". In two years I can start drawing a very small pension. I do intend to take classes in the things that have always interested me, but a degree at 64 would be of limited use.

Actually, I don't consider myself uneducated as much as undocumented, unrequited. All those years in menial jobs were balanced by the sense of serving the brothers and Jehovah. That was the source of my self-esteem. When that mist disappeared, the reality was not attractive.

TMS