Syme

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Posts by Syme

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  34

  A radical direction for the WTS - speculation thread.

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what might the wts do to counteract growth stagnation and attrition?.

  of course they could ditch certain teachings and practices such as blood, shunning and homophobia.. how about if they closed the kingdom hall network (all proceeds back to mothership) and built out more regional mega-churches?

  <assembly halls>.

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  Syme

  L - O - L !!! DATA-DOG, I burst into tears of joy (laughter)! How did you come up with this piece of art? My congrats, if it's yours.

  Needless to say, we can't wait for the sequel...
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  34

  A radical direction for the WTS - speculation thread.

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what might the wts do to counteract growth stagnation and attrition?.

  of course they could ditch certain teachings and practices such as blood, shunning and homophobia.. how about if they closed the kingdom hall network (all proceeds back to mothership) and built out more regional mega-churches?

  <assembly halls>.

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  Syme

  Surely, the Internet will play a greater role, but probably just from the Kindom Halls. As Splash said, most congs have internet connection, and the KH will function more as a ''receiver'' of material brought directly by the GB. For instance, more videos played at KHs via a projector (as is happening already), more live streaming from Annual meetings and Zone visitrs, and maybe even whole public talks via live streaming or recorded.

  But as for the ''religion-from-home'' part, I don't think so. This may be effective in the US, but in most countries (such as South Americas, Africa, East Europe and Balkans), jws don't have all that much aquaintance with the Internet; it would be difficult, if not impossible, to exercise their religious practices via the computer at home. Most R&F here where I live don't have Internet, and even if they have, hardly know how to use the Web, let alone making on-line donations and/or creating page profiles!

  On the other hand, maybe the Org will eventually stick to the full Internet package and leave behind the older ones who can't follow. But still, in Africa and South America, even young people don't have a computer. They can't just leave those behind, because those are the continents that most of the growth comes from.
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  24

  Why do we have Assemblies?

  by Rattigan350 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  why do we have assemblies?

  was the topic of the book/brochure study last week.. the answer not presented is that they are the organization's black friday.

  stores do black friday as a loss leader to get people into the stores to spend money on more pricey stuff, not discounted.. assemblies are put on to give away books and other literature and have dramas to get people in to donate and contribute more than normally done.. yes, religion is a business.

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  Syme

  You mentioned the Book study meeting: Here an interesting point. The article said that doing assemblies 3 times/year is following Israel's example, who gathered 3 times/year. Um... no! 3 times/year was the obligation for men only. The whole families gathered ONLY ONCE IN 7 YEARS. But that wouldn't fit well in the article, would it?.....

  Now, one of the reasons for so many assemblies is cohesion, and keeping the members in line. In addition to the ''hype'' effect some of you mentioned, the result is the production of a "bonding glue" that makes the members stick again to the organization, in case they had been starting to fade.

  That is a reason as regards to the leaderhip. As regards to the plain members, one *reeealy* good reason that jws look forward to assemblies & conventions is ...well... mating. Yup, many jw youths can't wait for the next assembly, even go to different ones, so they can do some "eyewash", flirt, or even find a potential mate, something they don't have a lot of opportunities for otherwise.
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  14

  Why the field service reports?

  by Syme in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  some years ago, we had this difficult bible study with a guy who was unofficially a witness for about 40 years, yet he would never make the step of becoming an unbaptized publisher.

  we pushed him at some point to tell us the reason, and the reason was this: he didn't agree with the field reports practice.

  he said he did a lot of preaching by himself but didn't see any reason to report it to the congregation.. of course, we told him that the reason we hand in field reports is so that we have statistics, and know how much work is done worldwide and bla-bla-blah.

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  Syme

  Some years ago, we had this difficult bible study with a guy who was unofficially a witness for about 40 years, yet he would never make the step of becoming an Unbaptized publisher. We pushed him at some point to tell us the reason, and the reason was this: He didn't agree with the field reports practice. He said he did a lot of preaching by himself but didn't see any reason to report it to the congregation.

  Of course, we told him that the reason we hand in field reports is so that we have statistics, and know how much work is done worldwide and bla-bla-blah. (the official excuses laid out in the od book)

  Only after a LOOONG time it occured to me: Hey, if the reason for field reports is purely statistical, why not hand in reports WITHOUT NAMES? Anonymous reports would achieve the statistics goal just the same; and I don't think it would tempt jws to hand in false numbers. On the contrary, everyone would feel safe to report the actual time he spent in field service. I would even say that the eponymous reports are more tempting to make jws give false numbers (so that they are not bothered by the elders, or maintain a pioneer status).

  What do you think about this anonymous reports idea? Is there a practical reason why the reports should be eponymous, apart from the reason we all suspect, i.e. control?
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  6

  DENY DENY DENY!

  by Terry in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  how will the watch tower society move forward in this technological age where proof abounds of all the lies, flip-flops,.

  false prophecy, scandals and feckless theology which can be placed right before the eyes of everyone?.

  watch this video and apply the same principle:.

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  Syme

  Darn, although supposedly comic , the last seconds of the clip really gave me the shivers.
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  53

  I am free!!! What Shall I do on this Meeting Night?

  by KateWild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i am at a loose end tonight.

  i am not going to the meeting and sitting on the back row looking repentant no way!.

  here are some options... care to add some if you wish, help me to decide.. 1. go to the meeting and sit in the middle, reading "einstein and religion" paperback, go in early and stay after the prayer.

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  Syme

  Walk downtown, go shopping, go to a cafe. That would be a nice alternative to the meeting.

  If stay indoors, I would suggest Twitter, but be careful cause it's addictive :)
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  5

  "I don't want to be here when that happens"

  by Syme in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i recall a memory from a circuit assembly almost a year ago and wanted to share it with you.. .

  i had already been in serious doubt (about everything, not only the wts) for over a year, yet at that period of time i conducted 2 bible studies, with some nice young fellows.

  at that circuit assembly, on sunday, both studies came: one sat on my left, the other on my right.

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  Syme

  I recall a memory from a circuit assembly almost a year ago and wanted to share it with you.

  I had already been in serious doubt (about everything, not only the wts) for over a year, yet at that period of time I conducted 2 bible studies, with some nice young fellows. At that circuit assembly, on Sunday, both studies came: one sat on my left, the other on my right. Yup, it was an “upbuilding” experience, and for a moment I thought “Hey, that’s not too bad, why worry you, you doubtful sinner?” So here I am listening to the main speech, the Public Talk by the district overseer. A man over 70, the oldest travelling overseer in my country, very respectable, but nonetheless really old-style. So he starts repeating again the thousand-times-said “evidence” that the Great tribulation is near, and the need for increased vigilance, etc.

  At that moment exactly, I had a flash, a moment of clarity, like when you see the past and the (possible) future in one scene: I imagined this man, who is a travelling overseer from the 70’s or earlier, having said SO many times that Armageddon is right before the corner this time, and I imagined myself, in 20 years from now, being 50 and listening to a 2033 district overseer saying something like: “the Great Tribulation has ALREADY started, and now it is time to flee to the mountains and follow the special instructions etc. etc.” I almost got the shivers; the thought I made that exact moment was: “I don’t want to be here when that happens”. Suddenly, the 2 bible studies that stood next to me meant nothing, and I felt a complete stranger amongst the Absurd.

  This was not my moment of “awakening” (that was earlier), but nonetheless it was a strong moment. I am pretty certain now that in a few years the WTS, in order to regain moment, will again start to elaborate on a new date (indirectly, of course), or even worse, it will state that the Great tribulation has already started in a sort, even if the ‘infidels’ do not acknowledge it, and as a result they will push the R&F to act in a more frivolous way than ever before. This may be like the last “spark” of a dying man before he passes away.
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  75

  I told the elders that I would take blood and donate blood

  by Daniel1555 in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  i found it important to be honest with my wife.

  so i told her about my conscience decision that in a medical urgency i want blodless medicine but if a transfusion of blood or the 4 prohibited components is necessary to save my life or health i would accept it.

  this would apply especially also for our child (that is not such a problem as in our country the wts recommends to comply with doctors as they have the right to decide concerning minors).. i showed her the reasons why i came to that conscience decision (biblical and logical reasons) and that jehovah and jesus do not like anyone to die because of this wrong bible application.. .

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  Syme

  Daniel, be careful!

  Jwfacts made some very solid points.

  Not wanting to abstain from blood may not be a DF cause, but not accepting the slave's teachings is. You could be charged with apostasy if, in front of 2 persons you admit, and insist, you disagree with a basic WTS teaching, regardless if you share it with others or not.

  Of course you do well not to be scared with 2-elders discussions, but bear in mind that the basic reason for the "2 elders" rule is so that they have the "2 witnesses" available for judicial action, in case something comes up. If you want to have an in-depth, honest discussion regarding matters of belief and doubt, do it with only 1 person.
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  13

  China Number One Already?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-11-26/chart-day-how-five-short-years-breakneck-liquification-china-humiliated-worlds-centr.

  this chart surprized me!

  the chinese are racing towards economic domination.. .

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  Syme

  It is common ground that China will be probably be the world's only remaining superpower in the 21st century. (we're still at the beginning)

  On the other hand, since the 2012 convention, the WTS has stated that the big A will start in the Anglo-american's superpower time.

  Could that pose a problem for the wts??

  No way! Just a little Orwellian changing of past statements, just a little "better understanding" of the prophecy, and all will be ok, and everyone will be happy! Sure they'll come up with something. For instance, when China becomes the primal world superpower, the WTS could say "Well, China may have become a superpower, but the US is STILL a superpower" and stuff like that. (that will be hard to convince if the US is wrecked by then)

  Anyway, history moves at slower speeds than man does, so we have to be patient.
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  53

  Who wants to live forever?

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  what will living be like after 5 billion years?.

  doug.

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  Syme

  Let me tell you how it is to live for some 5 billion years:

  The Sun, coming to the end of its life, will continue to gain volume, like a baloon, and it will literally consume the Earth before blowing off to a supernova. The other possibility is it will start to shrink until it becomes a white dwarf. Again, all life on Earth will cease because of zero temperatures.

  The universe itself will eventually die, either by collapsing, smashing everything in a singularity, or by continuing expanding until all stars are dead, ending in a completely void, cold non-universe.

  AND YOU WANT TO LIVE FOREVER.