talesin

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Posts by talesin

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  31

  Sometimes I think Jehovah's Witnesses overuse the word "historic"

  by slimboyfat in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  at the beginning of the may broadcast stephen lett said this was a historic broadcast.

  he explained that every member of the governing body had hosted a show and they were starting over again.

  that was all the explanation he gave.

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  talesin

  Historically, the Jehovah's Witness rhetoric is overblown.

  t : P
• 
  77

  In The Name of Love, Need Your Opinion

  by thankyou in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  i'm non-jw.. been following this forum.

  most of you folks have been through hell, but are still loving souls.

  i'm reeeally impressed and glad to be here.. my question is at the end of this.

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  talesin

  Yes, it sounds like a set-up.

  I will say this. You said, "looks like I've met my spiritual match". Let's examine that.

  You are a Christian person, and most likely take your guidance from the Scriptures. Your spirituality involves a close and personal relationship with your Lord. You believe in doing good deeds, and living a Christian lifestyle.

  On the surface the JWS appear to be similar. Once you scratch the surface of that carefully-molded (by years of indoctrination) veneer, though, you will find your beliefs have little in common with the JWS.

  I encourage you to do some reading on the forum, of other people's stories on this topic. And keep up the dialogue. One thing you will get here, is support.

  That's my 'take' on it. I've been out of the cult for decades, and have seen both sides of the coin. The JW side is quite tarnished.

  tal

  Edit: Just read your comment, OneEyedJoe, and yes, I hear you. On the other hand, this is a perfect opportunity to suck someone into their vortex (next step: love-bombing!), that I have to wonder. Did she tell the elders about him, looking for guidance, or out of guilt? Hmmm.
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  50

  The money question...

  by Tornintwo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am intrigued to know if there is truly any evidence of financial irregularities in the jehovah's witness organisation or if any one or group are raking off funds or benefitting financially...?.

  whilst i disagree wholeheartedly with most of their teachings and practices, dogmatism, legalism and superiority complex, i don't honestly think there's anyone making millions at the top.

  yes you could say that the gb are comfortably off, don't have to pay bills etc but they do actually get up in the morning and 'work', they aren't going off in private jets to tropical islands or driving bentleys.

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  talesin

  Thanks, JeffT. That's surprising. Not even their audited financial statements are to be made public. That seems a bit off, as the public is paying for their services (through taxes). For sure the religious lobby has a lot of power, and that will be hard to change.
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  1320

  YOUR DAILY JOURNAL

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear friends,.

  much of what we do on a daily basis is routine and of no particular, earth-shaking importance.

  however, after reviewing letters of family going back to wwii, it is fascinating to read what dad was doing on board the aircraft carrier in the pacific on any old day, what mom was cooking on her ever-steaming range, how i was dealing with the roller coaster of emotion at bethel [mom saved all my letters], how nana wrote that she would not study with the witnesses [per my request] but 'here are some mittens i knitted for you when you canvass new york with your magazines.

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  talesin

  Hell and damnation, man! Moi? Go quietly? Ahahaha!

  : D
• 
  1320

  YOUR DAILY JOURNAL

  by compound complex in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  dear friends,.

  much of what we do on a daily basis is routine and of no particular, earth-shaking importance.

  however, after reviewing letters of family going back to wwii, it is fascinating to read what dad was doing on board the aircraft carrier in the pacific on any old day, what mom was cooking on her ever-steaming range, how i was dealing with the roller coaster of emotion at bethel [mom saved all my letters], how nana wrote that she would not study with the witnesses [per my request] but 'here are some mittens i knitted for you when you canvass new york with your magazines.

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  talesin

  I've come to feel, the mantle of white that wraps the world in winter, glows with the peace of a hard-earned slumber. My loved ones are no longer in pain, and I rest easier knowing that is true, with the certainty that only death brings. I feel and share your ennui, dearest CoCo. Grieve not for those who are now at rest; it is the living who suffer their loss. xoxo
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  29

  Is ANYONE in charge a real ordained minister? College degrees? Seminary? A real Theological degree?

  by WireRider in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  and i don't mean that stupid made up shit russell just invented only a 100 yrs ago.

  he never passed the 7th grade and declared that the world was too stupid to understand the bible without him.. who do you follow and pore money into the watchtower?.

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  talesin

  I would imagine earning a degree in theology at Harvard wouldn't be easy.

  Very true, especially a BA, as they don't have an undergrad program. : )

  I don't know why anyone would think that a degree in Theology is composed entirely of bird courses. Or is that a slam at all arts programs? smh
• 
  29

  Is ANYONE in charge a real ordained minister? College degrees? Seminary? A real Theological degree?

  by WireRider in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  and i don't mean that stupid made up shit russell just invented only a 100 yrs ago.

  he never passed the 7th grade and declared that the world was too stupid to understand the bible without him.. who do you follow and pore money into the watchtower?.

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  talesin

  So true, Finkelstein - I tend to think of them as "Carpetbaggers'. : D
• 
  50

  The money question...

  by Tornintwo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am intrigued to know if there is truly any evidence of financial irregularities in the jehovah's witness organisation or if any one or group are raking off funds or benefitting financially...?.

  whilst i disagree wholeheartedly with most of their teachings and practices, dogmatism, legalism and superiority complex, i don't honestly think there's anyone making millions at the top.

  yes you could say that the gb are comfortably off, don't have to pay bills etc but they do actually get up in the morning and 'work', they aren't going off in private jets to tropical islands or driving bentleys.

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  talesin

  know this has posted before, but can't a non-profit be audited? If nothing else to check their status as a non-profit as not-prophets?

  In Canada, non profits (offering receipts for taxes) are required to make their Financial Statements public. In fact, shocking to me, that they still have tax-exempt status in Canada. That would be a great project if anyone is interested in activism - the new Canadian PM comes from, if nothing else, a liberal (albeit privileged) background (and I mean liberal in the truest sense).

  It's hard to believe that is not required in the US of A. At the very least, the Financial Statements should be open. I don't know JeffT, I figured you would know - or does it vary from state to state?
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  29

  Is ANYONE in charge a real ordained minister? College degrees? Seminary? A real Theological degree?

  by WireRider in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  and i don't mean that stupid made up shit russell just invented only a 100 yrs ago.

  he never passed the 7th grade and declared that the world was too stupid to understand the bible without him.. who do you follow and pore money into the watchtower?.

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  talesin

  My grandfather had his degree in theology, and he was an elder. He is the only one I ever knew. (He became a JW for my grandmother, they married later in life, around 30 YO, so he was an Anglican minister when he met her.)
• 
  7

  One possibility…?

  by careful in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  tornintwo's recent topic spurred me finally to post an idea i've been thinking about.

  i don't see the gb as being financially greedy.

  yes, they enjoy numerous perks like having their physical needs met by servants, jetting around the planet, living in a greater degree of comfort than fellow bethelites, getting frequent and sometimes expensive gifts from the r&f, etc.

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  talesin

  I see these people as business men, who successfully climbed the corporate ladder in their field. *shrugs*

  Like the rest of the corporate world, executives are estimated to be about 20% sociopath (double that of the rest of the population), and I expect that these men are both ruthless and greedy, as are the CEOs of other destructive corporations (big Pharma, Tobacco and Oil, to name a few).

  Remember, this is a publishing company, and like the rest of the publishing world (especially newspapers and periodicals), their business is dying. The internet has forced the WTBTS (TM) to changes its business model. It is most likely bleeding cash all over the place because of this downturn in the publishing world, and the numerous lawsuits and settlements paid out to the victims of their past crimes (imo) involving the protection of child rapists.