News Bulletin: Watchtower tightens shunning rules to include “sinful” inactive ones.

Screenshot 2016-05-28 23.25.32
Camera footage taken by Alex Silva at the Jersey City Regional Convention.

Rumours have been flying about in recent weeks that Watchtower might be changing its shunning policy for the worse at the 2016 Regional Conventions entitled “Remain Loyal to Jehovah.”

We at JW Survey had been aware of these rumours, and had received credible information from reliable sources that seemed to confirm that these rumours were indeed true.

However, since we knew that speculation without absolute proof on this issue might cause unnecessary distress, we decided to wait until absolute concrete proof emerged of this change before reporting it.

Thanks to a member of the Ex-Jehovah’s Witness community, Alex Silva, who bravely attended the Jersey City convention in the US and recorded severa key talks from the program, we now have recorded confirmation that the information we were given was true.

The talk “Shun Unrepentant Wrongdoers, to be given at the 2016 convention as part of the symposium “Loyaly Uphold Jehovah’s Judgements” will apparently expand Watchtower’s shunning policy to include the following scenario:

  • If you are currently considered “inactive,” and are known to have committed a “serious sin,” Watchtowers official position apparently is now that you must be shunned without the requirement to wait for a Judicial Committee.

This will include everyday “sins” such as:

  • Moving in with an unmarried partner
  • Smoking
  • Celebrating Christmas
  • Premarital sex
  • Same sex marriage
  • Criticising the Governing Body
  • Denying Watchtower teachings
  • Celebrating Birthdays

Essentially, any action that would result in a baptised Jehovah’s Witness being disfellowshipped will now result in an inactive one being shunned without the requirement for Judicial Committee action.

This will come as deeply upsetting news for the many inactive ones who have “faded;” the term often used for those who, by a mixture of good fortune and careful planning, have managed to leave the Watchtower religion without sanction from a Judicial Committee, and thus avoided the penalty of shunning. Many such ones still have contact with their Jehovah’s Witness families; contact that now may be cut off if their families consider this person to be “sinning” in the way prescribed by the Governing Body.

It is hard to see this new command as anything less that a deliberate attempt from Watchtower’s leadership to target such “faders” and drag them back under the Governing Body’s control via a policy that amounts to nothing less than pure emotional blackmail:

“Do as we tell you or you will never see your love ones again.”

We are preparing an article to analyse this apparent expansion to Watchtower’s controversial shunning laws in more detail.

We are also preparing an entire series of articles to deal with the various controversial stories that are emerging from this 2016 Regional Convention. Those who have been following this convention will know that this change to the shunning policy is just one of many astonishing and disturbing aspects of the program.

If you are “inactive,” or “faded”, and are concerned that your ties to your family may now be severed, we at JW Survey feel deeply for you. Many of our team are in this position as well.

I am one of them.

I am hopeful that my family will chose to continue association with me, despite the condemnation of my lifestyle by the Governing Body as “serious sin.” But if they do not, I refuse to allow Watchtower’s Governing Body to use my family as leverage to rule my life.

I do not negotiate with hostage takers.

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291 thoughts on “News Bulletin: Watchtower tightens shunning rules to include “sinful” inactive ones.

  • May 29, 2016 at 11:08 am
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    Good article but this really isn’t a brand new thing. JW’s always were supposed to be leary of ‘weak’ ones, including faders. The measures individual JW’s take it to always varies but when I went inactive over 20 years ago there were some that wouldn’t acknowledge me in public. This new talk may influence some JW’s to become more shunful (new word?) of inactive ones and faders but others won’t necessarily follow it to a T.

    • May 30, 2016 at 12:50 am
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      No, it’s not new. I know I’m not alone in being shunned without a JC because I left. Just something which is clearly now being reinforced as not optional and so will potentially hit a lot more people.

      They’re pushing the ‘don’t associate with weak JWs’ thing harder as well in this assembly. While specifying that it shouldn’t be a full-on shunning.

      It’s really the level of reinforcement more than anything else which makes this stand out.

      • May 30, 2016 at 4:03 am
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        It’s new because there is a difference between “limiting association” with a faded sinner, as was previously the case, and shunning them, which is the new position.

        You can still see someone you are limiting association with. If I limit my caffeine intake, I can still drink coffee, I just don’t drink as much. If I shun coffee, I don’t drink it at all.

        True, a lot of JW’s did shun the faded “sinners,” but this wasn’t a requirement, so many didn’t. That’s what has changed.

        • May 30, 2016 at 2:15 pm
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          It is not new. The KS book relates to such situation: ““If the sinful conduct is known only to believing
          family members and no congregation action has
          been taken, believing relatives will likely determine
          to curtail family association severely, viewing the relative
          as bad association” .
          This is exactly the expected treatment to a disfellowshipped family member.

          The story that the speaker told is taken from w85 7/15 p. 19:

          Loyalty today likewise results in blessings. One young Witness remembers the stand he and his brothers took when their mother, long inactive as a Christian, entered an adulterous marriage. “We reported matters to the elders,” he recalls, “and since she did not live at home, we decided to limit association with her until the elders could handle matters. It was the hardest thing we ever had to do.” The mother protested, “Does your everlasting life mean more to you than I do?” To this they replied, “Our relationship with Jehovah means more than anything.” The woman was jolted into manifesting sincere repentance, was restored spiritually, and serves again as an active publisher of the good news.

          • May 30, 2016 at 5:26 pm
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            Thank you Wish2bfader, that explains what happened to me. I was confused about it. In 1988 I married out of the truth. My JW family concidered me bad asociation because I celebrated Christmas with my husband for his 3 and 7 year olds. I’ve never been disfellowshipped.

          • June 2, 2016 at 4:07 am
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            Responding/succumbing to emotional blackmail is not evidence of sincere repentance. But all of us here know that.

            This sickens me.

          • June 3, 2016 at 1:52 am
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            You’ll notice the words used in the previous references are more ambiguous than “shun”

            To limit means to places some limits on, but not eliminate.

            I can limit by coffee intake but still drink SOME coffee every day.

            To curtail has a similar meaning. To reduce, lessen, or cut down. It does not in most contexts mean eliminate.

            This ambiguity created the loophole than many fades and inactive used to keep a measure of contact with their family whilst still living a “normal” life.

            This new policy directs that association be COMPLETELY STOPPED. It is to be “shunned,” the word used in the outline for this talk and in the talk itself, even if a judicial committee has not acted.

            To shun is to completely cut off. If I shun coffee, I don’t drink it at all.

            So the policy is new.

            Watchtower have tried to present it using older references, and then pretend those references mean what the new policy states, but this is misleading on their part.

            It is also not uncommon for Watchtower to do this-quote things out of context that do not support their position and claim that they do.

            In short, this is a tightening of policy, a changing of language, and a closing of a loophole

  • May 29, 2016 at 11:51 am
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    I am afraid the day of Vengeance for Jehovah has come…

    1) *** w15 10/15 p. 5 par. 4 Do You See God’s Hand in Your Life? ***
    “the sun stood still and the moon did not move until the nation could take vengeance on its enemies.”

    2) *** g97 10/8 pp. 13-14 The Crusades—A ‘Tragic Illusion’ ***
    The first to fall afoul of them were European Jews, accused of lending money to corrupt bishops. Atrocities were committed by the followers of Peter the Hermit against Jews, in places such as Rouen and Cologne, the city of departure. Albert of Aix states that when the Jews at Mainz “saw that the Christians did not spare even their little ones nor had pity on anyone, they threw themselves on their brothers, wives, mothers, and sisters and slew one another. The most heartrending thing was that mothers themselves cut their sucklings’ throats or ran them through, preferring them to die at their own hands rather than be killed by the arms of the uncircumcised.”

    Thinking they would fail to tighten shunning rules is absolutely childish and ignorance of history.

  • May 29, 2016 at 12:22 pm
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    So, inactive ones are now considered to be apostates. Wow! I guess we inactive apostates should immediately start shunning each other or risk being disfellowshipped.

    Meanwhile, the September 2016 Watchtower Study Edition is hot off the press. Finally, the Governing Body has now focused on the reality of what it means to be a Watchtower slave:

    “A SISTER who is a regular pioneer and is married to an elder, says: “Despite maintaining a good spiritual routine, I have struggled with anxiety for many years. It robs me of sleep, impacts my health, affects the way I treat others, and sometimes makes me want to give up and crawl into a hole.” ” This article provides dozens of scriptures which quickly solve this sister’s problems.

    The next Watchtower article tackles a very important issue: “Defending the Good News Before High Officials.”
    Judging from the Royal Commission transcripts, theocratic warfare will continue to allow Watchtower leaders, such as Geoffrey Jackson, to lie under oath — unless they blow off a court subpoena and refuse to appear.

    The article continues with, “When Christians defend their faith before kings, governors, or other officials, they can give a witness to people whom it might otherwise have been difficult to reach with the Christian message.” “I do not answer to Watchtower” declared Governing Body member Gerrit Lösch, when presented with a court subpoena. Apparently, paying a $13.5 million default judgment was better than appearing in court. Obviously, Watchtower hypocrisy has no boundaries.

    Another article discusses the importance of keeping children brainwashed into believing cult teachings. “Jehovah wants you to use “your power of reason” to prove the truth to yourself. He does not want you to believe just because others do. So use your thinking ability to gain accurate knowledge.” If this advice is followed, there will be a lot of empty seats in the Kingdom Halls.

    Repetition is the best form of brainwashing. A word search reveals the number of times certain words are used in the magazine:

    Jehovah = 106

    Jehovah’s = 32 (This possessive form is used to indicate divine approval such as Jehovah’s blessing, Jehovah’s backing, Jehovah’s favor, Jehovah’s people, Jehovah’s approval, Jehovah’s organization etc.)

    Jesus = 12 (At least the Savior gets honorable mention.)

    http://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/i-do-not-answer-to-watchtower-stunning-gerrit-losch-declaration-revealed

    • May 29, 2016 at 11:26 pm
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      @ S,

      Damn, good read – that’s why I don’t read The Watchtower Corporation publications, I read them here. Thanks S.

      Let me get this right – all inactive and faders JWs are to be shunned, if they did or not commit any sins?

      I was told by my employee, earlier today, named Marvin,

      Marvin) boss, you won’t guess which scriptures was a “must read” during the watchtower study?

      me) – no clue,

      Marvin) par.13, John 13:34-35,

      me) yes, the new command from Jesus – you must Love your fellow brother/sister, to be identified as a disciple of Jesus.
      Did the conductor ‘open the floor for discussion’?

      Marvin) no he did not, only 1 elder commented and I was picked for the second comment, and I shared the scripture you explain to me the other day, I included 1 John 4:20-21, the scripture on, ‘if you love god and hate your brother (or shun) your a lair’.
      The conductor then said, OK, let’s move on to par.14.

      me) there you go, ‘hide it in plain sight’ a pivotal scripture of true survival in good times and hard times. And only 2 comments. That is really sad, I’m happy you shared the secondary scripture. But, you might have touched a nerve with the conductor.

      The Watchtower Corporation, is going beyond what is written in the scriptures, for example in Matthew 18:15-17 is the reference about, ‘go lay bare his fault between you and him alone. If he does not listen even to the congregation, let him be to you just as a man of the nation’s and as a tax collector.

      Where in the hell, does it say to shun or disfellowship?

      It’s says very clear, “let him be”.
      These two words, Jesus himself ate with a tax collector, so we’re good there. And he encouraged his disciples to visit all the nations, again, were good there too.

      In summary, Watchtowers true agenda is to get a better grip on “collateral damage”. We all know they have been getting there ass kicked.

      I also believe, the Watchtower will realize this was not the best course of action.

      You can see the writing on the wall, for 2017 regional convention theme, “Remain Loyal Part 2” aka remain loyal and give me all your ice cream money to the 7 shameless men.

      Peace out,

      • May 30, 2016 at 12:52 am
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        The headline of this article says that “sinful” inactive ones will now be shunned. Both of us could be called apostates for Criticising the Governing Body and Denying Watchtower Teachings.

        On the other hand, it could just be my imagina-shun.

        Still, you yourself said, “The Watchtower Corporation, is going beyond what is written in the scriptures…” And I totally agree.

        • May 31, 2016 at 9:23 am
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          Our little family of four has been talking and if being inactive means we are to be shunned, well, I have nice shiny box of cigars waiting to be smoked and more Christmas presents to order. Might as well be completely “bad” and make it worth their while!!!! ;)

  • May 29, 2016 at 1:15 pm
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    Here’s the real danger with this line of thinking… whay constitutes a judicial hearing and what doesn’t? And what if someone who is inactive is just that inactive? Could 2 people say “I saw so and so Christmas shopping” and then bam!!! Df’ed. This is a very dark and dangerous road they are going down.

    I don’t like it at all. And to be honest the lack of scriptural backing disturbs me as the scriptures quoted were once again taken way out of context.

    Also as others have mentioned the fear obligation guilt method is on full display. Very dishonouring to the almighty. There is no way he would approve of this.

  • May 29, 2016 at 2:37 pm
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    Dear All,
    I am writing to you from France and I’m not a JW but a student of their bible… I am very surprised by the list of the reasons of shunning policy from the watchtower, because it is obvious that JW don’t smoke, or marry to the same sex person but they insist on the critics on the governing body and the non agreement of their teaching, which I do with them because I really study the bible alone. For this reason I will not be baptised and they know it. So, why don’t they add to their list the murders, the idolitry and pedophilia ? this religion is getting worst and more dangerous that I have imaging. Also I don’t understand why some of you have made articles about the way they should change their rules! Please, face it: this is not a chistian religion and JW Survey is suposed to help ex JWs. Thank you and may God Bless you

    • May 29, 2016 at 4:39 pm
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      @ Mounia;

      I enjoyed your comments and you are quite correct, Jehovah’s Witnesses are not a Christian religion because ‘you can tell them by their fruits’ –Matt. 7:16

      The fruit they (WBTS i.e. Jehovah’s Witnesses) produce is rotten to the core. Spying on one another, rumor mongering, pedophile protecting, brow beating their adherents into more un-paid field service while begging for more contributions is not the Gospels idea of a “faithful and discrete slave”. Maybe an “evil slave”, yes?

      You are correct; the WTBTS will never change and its hopeless to try to change them. It is better to leave them and never return to such a destructive, mind bending, sick cult.

      Thank you for your comments from France! :)

    • May 29, 2016 at 7:26 pm
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      Read the book “Crisis of Conscience”
      It will blow you away…

    • May 29, 2016 at 11:54 pm
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      @ M,

      Correction on WT getting worse and worse.

      The Watchtower Corporation is, “Your New and Improved” for the next 150 years. And perhaps one day sooner than later,
      be “JW.org Your New and Improved”.

      The Watchtower Corporation will be a forgotten word, just like Jesus Christ.

      Peace out,

  • May 29, 2016 at 3:02 pm
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    Please, please do an article on the “Bunker” video!

    It’s so funny & cultish at the same time. Someone on the Facebook page started a “Save Kevin” campaign with a t’shirt as well. I love it, I think it’s hilarious & scary at the same time.

    That assembly won’t be here in Australia until near the end of the year. I think if I had family still in, I would be cheeky & wear it but not say anything. And if they asked, I would say; it’s just a t-shirt I bought online. Then wait until they went to the assembly to see if they twigged. LOL.

    • May 29, 2016 at 3:13 pm
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      Also, my husband caught a line in that video that seemed strange. One of the ‘sisters’ made the comment that the message had changed from “The Good News to Judgement”.

      Does this tie in with the extreme shunning video? Judging everyone thats not extreme like they are?

      • May 29, 2016 at 5:40 pm
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        This line scares me a bit, Grace. It’s a sign of paranoia to think people are after you, or will be after you. By saying the message will change to judgement, producing radical life-threatening persecution, Watchtower is trying to induce this amongst their pawns. The scene where the SWAT team come in sends the message to prepare for Wacco-type conditions of persecution. I’ve heard versions of this great tribulation stuff my entire life, but this is different. And my daughter and two young grandchildren are smack dab in the middle of it. *bites fingernails*

      • May 30, 2016 at 12:45 am
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        Their current idea is that there’ll be a period where they stop saying ‘the end is coming’ and, instead, start saying ‘the end is here and you didn’t listen to us’. Never forget, God is love.

    • May 30, 2016 at 6:58 am
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      Your wish for coverage of the bunker video will indeed be granted, ;)

      • May 30, 2016 at 1:46 pm
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        Thank you CF.

        Looking forward to it. There’s so many things that could be made fun of because they leave themselves open with their silliness.

        After we watched it the other day, we couldn’t stop laughing. The slowed down speaking, the acting (as they sit calmly while there’s chaos outside), the fake cheesy smile from the sister that lead a simple life & not to mention poor old Kevin!

        Kevin began questioning & became negative & stopped wanting to go out witnessing. We don’t see what Kevin’s questions were. They could’ve been questions about the ARC, child abuse,607, the UN thingy. Legitimate questions & was fobbed off as an apostate by the Elders & locked out of the bunker.

        Meanwhile, Brother Paedo has volunteered to take care of the young ones in his bunker.
        LOL, that Bunker video needs a parody.

        • June 2, 2016 at 4:18 am
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          I do wish it was only silly and not also harmful and tragic. It is ludicrous, but also deeply sad in how far-reaching are the consequences to true believers and those who love them.

  • May 29, 2016 at 3:12 pm
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    Stunning parallels between Watchtower, Inc cult and the Cult of Chairman Mao.

    The release of the Silver Sword and the ensuing galleries of photos showing enthused adherents clutching the book to their face or holding it aloft made my spine chill as it reminded me of the similar photos of Chinese youth holding aloft Chairman Mao’s “Little Red Book”.

    And, now, I am retching as I see even stronger parallels with children who would send their parents to their deaths, or parents who would send their children to their deaths. Keep in mind that when China discovered an “overpopulation of little females” it drove parents to take extreme measures to comply with the Party.

    The parallel reminds how the Watchtower implies that men and women should take extreme measures in pursuit of a life devoted to a “god” of mortal creation–the Watchtower. (Romans 1:22, 24-27). It does not surprise me that these same men & women rail against homosexuality and pedophilia in the open, because in the deepest recesses and darkest pits of their hearts is where perversion lies.

    http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/mar/27/china-cultural-revolution-sons-guilt-zhang-hongping
    https://www.chathamhouse.org/publications/twt/archive/view/198597
    http://ed5015.tripod.com/JwBooksCirculation.htm
    http://chineseposters.net/themes/mao-cult.php
    http://ed5015.tripod.com/JwBooksCirculation.htm

    • May 29, 2016 at 7:23 pm
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      Brilliant observation and comment!

    • May 30, 2016 at 3:28 am
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      superb and informative L0pht ruthlee

  • May 29, 2016 at 4:23 pm
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    I thought I had finished my activism and comments on several ex JW forums, but whenever I read about the shunning practice of this notorious movement I just cannot keep silent.

    The Watchtower will fall, and here are some of the reasons why. It has been my theory for several years, and I think we’re on the edge of change.

    Over the last decades there has been a collective escalating cognitive dissonance build-up in the minds. of members. Yes, those conflicting thoughts have been repressed by individuals over long periods of time and years of massive propaganda from the Org , but they are still there in the collective subconscious of the member mass. In my opinion, this dissonance has been lately highly increasing, and is on the edge of bringing about the big schism. It’s when the balance is being upset, when thoughts of confusion and uncertainty is carefully being expressed among more and more witnesses. THEN when these viewpoints begin to flourish, and the fear syndrome is shrinking for expressing them, THEN the ‘landslide’ will come.

    But will it happen?

    I left the Org. in the late 80s, because of its ethical /philosophical fundament, and I went into academia studying the science of religion and psychology of religion. This was in the 90s. (A really great time of learning for me however ). I remember at one lecture there was the topic of schism being discussed, and the lecturer held that within any religion or ideology over time, there will be schism or several schisms. It ALWAYS happened he claimed. The more doctrinal stringent the movement appeared, the more certainty of a division developing.

    I have always since then wondered when this would come to pass within the Watchtower. Yes there have been schisms through the years, but those were by no means affecting the organisation to any degree. The dissidents were few, and it was no problem for the Watchtower leadership to suppress those divisions. Back then, information was both sparse and difficult to obtain. Most members were happily ignorant. The big wheels of the WT just kept rolling on.

    Today things are completely different. We are flooded with information (and disinformation) and have to be selective in our search after what’s true. The Internet is there with unfathomable amounts of information. Yes, this information is easily accessible to the witnesses, and they do read it, even if in secret. The Watchtowers murky history, all the lure, deceptions and deceit, repressions and revisionism will be exposed, and it will build into the witnesses dissonance syndrome, dislocating ‘the balance’ as I mentioned above. It’s an ongoing increasing process.

    Witnesses are of course just as intelligent as any of us, but they are indoctrinated and still under the evil grip of fear, but that will not last forever! The rigid Worldwide Church of God (founded by Herbert W. Armstrong) came down! The communist iron curtain states came down, and it happened quickly.

    Systems like the Watchtower with its doctrines of ever increasing commands and prohibitions, retrograding the religion back to the legalistic structure of the Old Testament, cannot exist forever parallel to the free worlds developed system of agreed ethics and rights for all humankind. It will have to change!
    Systems like the Watchtower will be exposed and fall because of its inhuman evil and destructive practice of shunning!
    They will be exposed and fall because of their handling of the child molestation crimes!
    They will be exposed and fall because of their arrogance, pride and incredible hypocrisy!
    Systems like the Watchtower will be exposed and fall because what they have claimed for decades as ‘truth’ is NOT true! Regretfully (or fortunately) it is a big hoax! The hoax of the century! So the Watchtower will come down because they will be exposed by their own
    And now I think we’re on the edge. It will fall! It will happen!

    • May 29, 2016 at 5:50 pm
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      I appreciate your input thank you

      • May 29, 2016 at 5:50 pm
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        Interesting

    • May 30, 2016 at 6:31 am
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      Erikius
      When you mention the “hoax of the century” I thought specifically, the 20th century. All of their prophecies and all of their methods fit only within the confines of 20th century reasoning and technology. The 2 world wars and the following Cold War fit well with their doomsday philosophy. With these things now well in the past and the age of information upon us, their methods no longer fit. They are struggling to stay viable in the 21st century and their survival is unlikely without extreme changes (at which point they will no longer be the same religion much like the Church of God).

      WS

      • May 30, 2016 at 6:39 am
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        Not to get too far off topic, but I recently saw an interesting article by Michael Shermer about the top 10 weirdest beliefs. One of which was ‘end of the world’ beliefs. In part he states:

        “In 1843 a New York farmer named William Miller recalculated Bishop Ussher’s famous computations for the beginning and end of the world (using the begats in the Old Testament), concluding that it would happen sometime between March 21, 1843 and March 21, 1844. When the latter date came and went without incident a “great disappointment” set in among his followers, but instead of abandoning their deranged prophet the sect recalculated the end for October 22, 1844, finding themselves twice disappointed. But instead of disbanding the group doubled down on their belief (the very definition of cognitive dissonance) and employed several rationalizations that prophets use when their prophecies fail: (1) miscalculation of the date; (2) the date was a loose prediction, not a specific prophecy; (3) the date was a warning, not a prophecy; (4) God changed his mind; (5) predictions were just a test of members’ faith; (6) the prophecy was fulfilled physi- cally, but not as expected; and (7) the prophecy was fulfilled—spiritually.
        That group went on to become the Seventh-Day Adventist Church. But they’re lightweights compared to the Jehovah’s Witnesses, whose failed dates of doom include 1874, 1878, 1881, 1910, 1914, 1918, 1920, 1925, 1975, 1984, and finally 1996.”

        WS

    • May 30, 2016 at 7:22 am
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      @Erikius

      ‘Out of the mouth of babes’ – a youngster made a typical single phrase comment at the WT this week…..crystal clear and loudly… ‘the Faithful and “Deceit” Slave’ …. an awkward silence and then a round of great laughter and side glances…. Your synopsis is insightful and spot on. It is happening….the dominoes fall…

      • May 30, 2016 at 12:29 pm
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        @ Winston

        Yes, the 20th century was certainly what I had in mind. Let’s hope we won’t have to look to far into this new century before the change will manifest for the WT.
        I sometimes have a tendency to wander a bit off topic, especially when it comes to shunning and blood prohibition practices. It just makes me so desperate, and I get carried away.
        And thanks for mentioning the Michael Shermer article. I will load down that one. It will be some amusing reading I presume. :-)

        @ RetiredLE

        LOL!! I really had a good laugh at that one. Maybe that little episode could have its effect. Excellent!

    • May 30, 2016 at 11:56 am
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      @Erikius, Very well put! I look forward to this day and event soon. Your logical argument for WT demise is right on. Let the light shine in.

    • June 2, 2016 at 4:57 am
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      @erikius: Thanks for saying that Witnesses are just as intelligent as anyone else. I think the religion does attract a percentage of the emotionally vulnerable and those lacking critical thinking skills, as one commenter said earlier.

      Many fundamental religions do.

      But that kind of comment is a little insulting to a large number of us who are thinking, caring, well-adjusted people who were raised in families who loved them.

      My parents taught me I could do and be anything I wanted (within reason). I was not made to feel less-than for being a girl nor was I deprived of many of the best parts of childhood.

      I had presents and parties year-round and never missed Christmas or birthdays because I really did have more gifts and fun than most of the children I went to school with.

      I went to amusement parks and watched Saturday morning cartoons. It wasn’t field service all the time, in spite of the fact that my parents were pioneers and my father was an elder.

      And they did teach me to think critically and logically and to solve problems.

      I’ve always scored very high on every kind of test for career aptitude and college entrance, even teaching test prep and sales training as a result of skills I acquired from Bible study and various theocratic schools.

      We’re not all in this because we’re stupid. We have been deceived. Being smart does not mean you can always spot a lie. Most especially not when it comes from a trusted source.

      The indoctrination and fear are powerful tools. Then, if once awakened, all of the people you love most in the world are not, again, you face terrible choices.

      I’m both scared and eager to see what the next decade will bring and how quickly the end of the organization’s hold on the innocents will come.

    • April 14, 2017 at 11:01 pm
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      @Erikius,
      My band of witness heretics have been considering the same question. We are all still active witnesses, but in action only. Our minds are far removed, being blown off by the latest BS. We were wondering how much longer till something gives. The GB are becoming more and more paranoid (in my opinion, based on the power grabbing that’s been happening, thus concentrating the power in their little group), the bullying by the elders goes on unhindered, the expectations from the rank and file are becoming greater and greater, and the GB are kicking more and more own goals.

      I think we will see a full blown crisis within 5 years before the whole thing reaches a tipping point and it will have fallen in 10 years. I can’t wait to see it. Nobody is expecting it in the congregations, they are all told everything is going well.

  • May 29, 2016 at 4:59 pm
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    Good news for us actually. My completely unreasonable mother in law just left us this afternoon. She arrived with the statement “I don’t want to fight”. Well, she was a liar. That’s all she wanted to do. So I asked “based on some of your recent organizations broadcasts, we are having a hard time understanding how you are justifying visiting us as we are inactive, living contrary to the laws of God you say you hold so high, apostate because we no longer attend meetings or agree with your teachings.” We really received no answer other than ‘no one is going to tell me who I can or can’t see’ (guess she doesn’t believe it either but won’t admit it.) She did ask us not to put her in a position of having to choose as it won’t turn out well. We calmly pointed out that, based on that sentence, she has already made her choice. If this convention means she will finally make this “difficult choice” than praise her invisible, fake God. I will definitely be able to go to my room, look in my mirror and KNOW that, despite being a godless woman, I am a better person than this supposed faithful witness. Praise be as Megareverand John Oliver says!!!!

    • May 30, 2016 at 12:18 am
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      @ M,

      To bad your mum did not attend the meeting today and hear the WT study on par.13, the must read scripture was John 13:34,35. My employee Marvin raised his hand and commented, but, included 1 John 4:20,21, its the scripture on ‘love god, hate your brother or (shun) then your a lair’.

      Marvin’s congregation only 2 comments were allowed.
      Only 2 comments, are you freanking kidding me, that’s really sad, and it’s web sites like JWsurvey will no doubt use it as a platform and shred the erroneous attitude from the WT and ‘written beyond the scriptures attitude’.

      It’s going to be up to us, against the WT.

      Knowledge is understand and powerful. . . .

      Peace out,

    • June 2, 2016 at 5:05 am
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      @ Mandy – Oh that I could actually join the church of Our Lady of Perpetual Exemption, lol. I am also a fan. ;-)

  • May 29, 2016 at 5:45 pm
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    How dare you question those little weasels behind the curtain at the end of the yellow brick road?

  • May 29, 2016 at 5:53 pm
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    Wow! Sounds like a cult to me.

  • May 29, 2016 at 6:21 pm
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    I served as an elder, and a ministerial servant, and although I have met some of the best people in the world in the organization ,I have to say the majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses that I knew were nothing but a bunch of judgmental, gossiping, backstabbing, hypocritical, self-righteous people! The whole structure of the organization and its teachings is geared towards making people to behave in that manner.

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:17 am
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      You hit the nail on the head! My wife is still in and used to ask me if I’d go to some social event (like a congregation picnic, although those are technically forbidden). My answer was always “no.” Why not? Your apt description is the reason. Who’d want to waste a Saturday hanging out with such people. My so-called “worldly” friends are people of much higher caliber.

      WS

      • May 30, 2016 at 5:59 pm
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        WS that is so true my new “worldly friends” dont put up with that kind conduct! It is soooooooo nice to get together with a friend now and not have to listen and put up with the Constant judging !!!

    • May 31, 2016 at 6:19 am
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      Thetruthsetsfree says: the majority of Jehovah’s Witnesses that I knew were nothing but a bunch of judgmental, gossiping, backstabbing, hypocritical, self-righteous people!
      Hey, don’t hold back now, tell us what you really think.

  • May 29, 2016 at 6:28 pm
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    For all those that are or were one of Jehovah’s Witnesses you know this is true! Out in field service the pioneers talk about what everybody in the congregation is not doing! And if they don’t straighten out and start doing what they should and getting out in field service they’re going to have to answer to Jehovah! And this person is doing this! And that person is not doing that! Gossip! Gossip! Judge! Judge! It goes on and on . If you’re not getting 10 hours in a month you’re not setting the example! Now that I am out and looking back in I cannot believe I wasted over 30 years in this organization .

    • May 29, 2016 at 7:18 pm
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      Amen!

    • May 30, 2016 at 3:35 am
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      Oh truthsets free! we fabricate our hours to keep the baby eating bishops off our back. The justification is that god is not bothered one iota about reporting. But I have to say I use the Bible only and never invite them anywhere cheers Ruthlee

      • May 30, 2016 at 7:17 am
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        Ruthlee, that is so true I still have friends in the organization that have not shunned me actually they’ve treated me very well! But they tell me all the time that they make sure they put the number 10 or if not more down no matter what! Yes to keep the circuit overseer the elders off their backs

  • May 29, 2016 at 7:34 pm
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    Japan’s J-dubs fear possible implosion
    because of Org’s severe shunning policy !

    • May 29, 2016 at 7:51 pm
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      How can the ever clever Japanese believe that these 7 white pigs are sent by God almighty? You would think they would just wonder why God CHOSE all his most holy from America? What an incredible coincidence !

      • June 2, 2016 at 1:11 am
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        Garrett, Tere are only 6 white pigs. There is also a Black Pig as well,
        and of the 6 one is Austrian Not American,
        Like the saying goes, ” If you Put lipstick on a Pig…it is still a Pig!lol

    • May 29, 2016 at 10:04 pm
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      That’s interesting, one of the last CO visits I attended before my exit he held up the Japanese JWs as an example. He said “half (maybe it’s more? I don’t care )of the publisher base are regular pioneers” then he asked “does anyone know why” the answer “because the Japanese are already predisposed to be obedient”. I was like WTF is he talking about. This crap AGAIN. It’s not the first time I heard that. The organization loves to boast about their Japanese slaves. I hope there is an implosion.

      • June 2, 2016 at 1:16 am
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        To Chifade. The Japanese are having almost No Growth at all. In fact the JW’s are a declinging religion in Japan. When I became a JW in the mid 70’s as a young man the Japanese wee held up as examples bc they would work all day and still pioneer. They were busy bees all the time. Japanese are also family oriented and the shunning rules will wake them up more and cause many to leave. The Japanese are waking up bc they are smart people and see the nonsense from the WT.
        Plus they hold education as important and that does not sit well with the WT as we all know. Japanese JW’s will implode.

  • May 29, 2016 at 9:53 pm
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    During my 30 years as an active Witness, I made many friends within the the organization. These friends included elders, ministerial servants, pioneers and regular publishers. Some of my Witness friends and I occasionally drank too much, used foul language, had questionable associations, talked badly about various congregation members, questioned Watchtower doctrine and violated traffic laws — among other things. In other words, we were just typical Watchtower cult members.

    Beause we were friends, we were not tattletales and we let the little infractions slide. But now, the Governing Body is setting the stage for a rush to judgment. If an inactive Witness can be called an apostate, it won’t be long before active Witnesses will be called apostates when they commit even the smallest infractions, or fail to report others for these infractions.

    As the climate of fear increases within the Watchtower cult, brothers and sisters will begin to turn on each other. The Governing Body has always equated strict obedience to Watchtower rules with eternal salvation. The shunning doctrine will become the Governing Body’s most powerful weapon and it will be used extensively to maintain control over cult members.

    • May 30, 2016 at 12:30 am
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      @ S,

      Perhaps there goal is to manage and Lord over themselves the 7 – shameless, heartless and evil men.

      Eliminate the 8 million Zombie’s JWs. And keep all the ice cream money in the new bunker compound.

      We’re not invited to the dance boys and girls!

      Peace out,

      • May 30, 2016 at 10:19 am
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        The Governing Body has already made some very revealing statements:

        “We need to obey the faithful and discreet slave to have Jehovah’s approval.” — Watchtower 2011 Jul 15 p.24 Simplified English Edition.

        And the Governing Body has already made this endgame proclamation: “At that time, the lifesaving direction that we receive from Jehovah’s organization may not appear practical from a human standpoint. All of us must be ready to obey any instructions we may receive, whether these appear sound from a strategic or human standpoint or not. — Watchtower, Nov. 2013 (study edition) p. 20 par. 17.

        The Governing Body may be in the process of alienating 99% of its cult members so that they can sell off most Watchtower assets. This would allow them to concentrate a thousand faithful, hardcore Watchtower zombies at the new Wallkill compound.

        This is how Jonestown got started.

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:23 am
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      Sounds like a set up for the next Spanish Inquisition to me. Forgive me but I cannot help but share the link to what comes to mind when I say that phrase: https://youtu.be/Nf_Y4MbUCLY

      WS

      • May 30, 2016 at 10:23 am
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        No! Not the comfy chair!

      • May 30, 2016 at 11:31 am
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        Although the GB has been watching this website I don’t think they’ve seen this video.

      • May 31, 2016 at 6:30 am
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        Not the Spanish Inquisition!

  • May 29, 2016 at 10:10 pm
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    I’m sure in my heart that a big move in this direction is equally to keep inactive ones from talking to Jws familys and friends about what evidence they found that it is a CULT,,,,,,,,,, Ruuuuun Forrest Ruuuuun! Lol. I think the Org will fold up their tables and go home when it quits being lucrative. I here the walls or the Castle Watchtower start to crumble,,, and Jesus and our Father calling Let My People Go!!! If every JW got disfellowshipped there would be no one to SHUN us!!! Old friends and familys would rejoice with the freedom of bondage gone! I look forward to seeing many old friends and family! I believe that Many that are barely hanging on that know better will walk out when they see just how much more is being away from their life. I see a crack in the wall!

  • May 29, 2016 at 10:36 pm
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    So is this for baptised ones or unbaptised too?

  • May 29, 2016 at 10:37 pm
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    It’s obvious the GB has been reading this website. They want to close a loophole.

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:25 am
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      Sun Tzu: know thine enemy, eh?

      WS

    • May 30, 2016 at 6:52 pm
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      Well most likely, the elders and CO’s have been inundated with “church ladies” asking, “I was over to Sr Y’s house for their family reunion and in walked her inactive daughter with her worldly boyfriend, I felt uncomfortable, but is it okay to be at a gathering with [insert label here, or “those kinds of people”]?”

      “{Charlie Brown school teacher mumbling from elder and CO}….it is a matter of personal conscience.”

      So, remember kiddies, it is always better to seek forgiveness rather than permission.

  • May 29, 2016 at 11:58 pm
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    Though it may not be positive individually it’s great news as a group. The WT realise that people fade, they are aware of the influence of the Internet and how to combat their mind control with sound reasonings and facts ( we have the experience as JWs to know what is being said is true) and leave the WT without sanctions. . . They’re frightened

  • May 30, 2016 at 12:02 am
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    May I know the source for the “everyday sins” cited ?

    • May 30, 2016 at 11:15 am
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      @Kate,
      The elder manual entitled “Shepherd The Flock Of God” lists quite a few actions that would/could warrant a judicial investigation by a committee. They are:
      Manslaughter
      Attempted Suicide
      Porneia
      Brazen Conduct/Loose Conduct (including: association with disfellowshipped nonrelatives, child sexual abuse, pursuing romance with someone not free to marry, circumstantial evidence of assumed sexual relations between individuals not married or same-sex)
      Gross Uncleanness (including: heavy petting, immoral conversations, viewing pornography, misuse of tobacco, extreme physical uncleanness)
      Misuse Of Addictive Drugs
      Apostasy (including: celebrating false religious holidays, interfaith activities, spreading teachings contrary to Bible truth as taught by Jehovah’s Witnesses, causing divisions, employment that promotes false worship, spiritism, idolatry)
      Drunkenness
      Gluttony
      Stealing
      Malicious Lying
      Fraud, Slander
      Reviling
      Obscene Speech
      Greed (including: gambling, extortion)
      Extorting A High Bride Price
      Refusal To Provide For your Family
      Fits Of Anger, Violence
      Professional Boxing

      The list of disassociation offenses is covered in a different chapter and includes:
      A Decision To No Longer Be Known As A JW
      Joining Another Religion
      Taking Blood
      Taking A Non-Neutral Position

      The only item in Covert Fade’s list not directly mentioned here is Celebrating Birthdays, which is blessed with its own jw.org entry at:
      https://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/faq/birthdays/

      As you can see, the list covers a wide range of activites that are understood to be sins. Some of them are illegal in many countries. Others are preferences in which the Organization should heed the words found in Romans 14.

      But, alas…

      • May 30, 2016 at 12:47 pm
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        @ Telescopium Thank you. And yes, despite Romans 14, members are either directly or indirectly encouraged to judge one another.

        • May 30, 2016 at 1:39 pm
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          Completely agree. We were basically taught that we were right and everybody else was wrong. It took me a while to understand that others will do things differently than I would – AND THAT’S OK!

          It’s been a long road…

      • May 30, 2016 at 8:40 pm
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        Well, for those that are not shunning me here…

        Refusal To Provide For your Family – guilty, I’m cleaning toilets for a living so I can special pioneer.

        I’d like to point out that the “Birthday” FAQ quotes a book that is also quoted by a number of other “adventist” groups which also don’t celebrate birthdays (and splinter groups off the old “Worldwide Church of God”). But, this book “The Lore of Birthdays” was published in 1952 by an anthropologist not a theologian. “He’s dead, Jim.” And, probably no estate executor to object to mangled quotations. Once again, the Watchtower and other extremists use antiquated facts to prop up a fallacy. It’s also interesting to note that all of the major anti-birthday celebration groups are sliding away from Pharaoh and Herod stories and emphasizing the pagan influences and origins.

        Yet, no one seems to remember Jewish “bar/bat mitzvah” or Hebrew Bible references to “coming of age” for military service in Exodus and Numbers, thus a CIRCUMSTANTIAL INFERENCE of marking birthday anniversaries.

        Once again, as someone else noted, cherry-picking which pagan emblems and rituals get the boot or embraced, just like Mosaic Law observances.

        [shuffling Tarot Cards; fyi, “Numerology is any belief in the divine, mystical relationship between a number and one or more coinciding events”–1914, 1925, 1975, etc; mon dieu!].

        Gambling–I put money on an insurance policy [Lutherans once considered buying insurance a form of gambling].

        Oxycodone and oxycontin bottles–check!

        Antibiotics for the porneia and brazen phases of this project–check!

        Now, leave me alone (except for the aforementioned project phases), I’m working my way down this list–if I’m being shunned, I might as well make it count!!

        • May 31, 2016 at 9:31 am
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          The only two things on the list we can’t make work for us is relations with an unmarried partner (happily married) and same sex relations (I’m a chick. He’s a dude) Damn. Can’t score 100% this time.

        • May 31, 2016 at 2:00 pm
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          Oh oh I checked of 5….. I’m dooomed!

          • May 31, 2016 at 2:38 pm
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            Well, I guess we now have a list of events for the next Apostate Olympics.

          • June 1, 2016 at 5:42 am
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            Hey I got 12 so i’m betterer than you Tara. I missed out on boxing because I have a pretty face and cant afford to have my teeth fixed! Too broke to extort a high bride price shame really as all my chattels must be worth a few quid. My best get out of jail free and I want a badge, when I attempted suicide I was threatened with jc but because of being of tender years at the time they erred on the side of mercy,wasn’t that nice. tee hee cheers Ruthlee

  • May 30, 2016 at 12:26 am
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    Consider from WTs point of view. One disaffected fader (free thinker) within a family group can have a huge impact.
    They know that the natural bond is powerful. By their inserting ‘obedience’ the inward struggle begins for the faithful witness.
    Why, if your a faithful witness, is there no open discussion?, give give give, even your family if they ask you to do so. Conscience is your key.

  • May 30, 2016 at 12:36 am
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    Nope. This is not new. The only thing new about this, is the higher awareness about it.

  • May 30, 2016 at 12:49 am
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    If your an active witness consider it from a scriptural point of view. The apostles were inspired, the Governing body admits that it is not.
    If then we are told to ‘Test the inspired’ statements ‘as though from us’ (presented with as much authority as the inspired apostles) and reject that which is not in harmony, why is it you can’t without being labelled as an apostate? Do you have to accept every teaching by the GB?, that is clearly unscriptural.
    Have JW ever taught a false teaching such as being appointed over all the masters belongings and you HAD to accept it on the pain of DF?
    It is not about ‘truth’ it’s about power and authority, that’s why many of us are here.

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:30 am
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      The master has delayed (e.g. 1874, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1945, 1975, 2000, etc.), so now they proceed to beat their fellow slaves and eat & drink with drunkards.

      WS

  • May 30, 2016 at 3:42 am
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    Oh joy ! I think I’m in a happy mood today. You know they may just start their own great tribulation all by their little ol’ selves. We will be shunned hurrah! and then they can turn on the next layer of undesirables. You know God said he will rock the nations and get his desireable things in Himself but the jolly little gb are running ahead as usual, however they cannot do gods job.cheers Ruthlee

  • May 30, 2016 at 4:01 am
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    I listened to the videos CappyTan posted and they give me a stomach ache but one thing I get out of it that I think we can all use. They had pioneer couple in those videos who sold their house and went where the need was great. They were too “comfortable”.

    We can say we saw those videos and then the next time anybody says anything to us, we can ask them if they are willing to sell their house and move to where the need is great and then ask them how much “faith” do they have if they don’t do that.

    • May 30, 2016 at 2:04 pm
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      Regarding “… move to where the need is great …”

      I know personally of a wealthy, pompous elder who saw things differently. He moved where he thought the great were needed.

      This elder moved into a congregation that Watchtower leaders thought needed help. After arriving, he began to impose his personal Watchtower doctrinal interpretations on the congregation.

      After causing irreparable harm to the congregation, this elder moved on to disrupt other congregations. My guess is that the congregations he left gave him glowing letters of introduction just to get rid of him.

      • May 30, 2016 at 5:41 pm
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        Scotwn, I think that was my brother you’re talking about. My brother did that. It sounds like it’s him.

    • May 30, 2016 at 5:31 am
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      Yup. Please watch. It’s almost funny if it wasn’t so damn scary too…
      Also.. the main elder is not only the worst actor ever… but also is very camp…
      I didn’t think effeminate men were allowed?
      He needs to come out of the closet before he comes out of the bunker. ..

      https://youtu.be/wNtlDybBVA8

      • May 30, 2016 at 11:21 am
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        Thanks for the link to the Great Tribulation “Bunker” video. Until today, I had only seen the preview trailer. Now that sinful apostates must be shunned, the “judgment message” will be coming soon.

        If this video is part of the 2016 “Remain Loyal to the Governing Body” assembly, it is not shown in the Convention Releases section of JW dot ORG and it does not appear in the “latest videos” section of TV dot JW dot ORG. Is this a video that has been leaked by a Bethel apostate?

      • May 30, 2016 at 9:33 pm
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        @Paranoid – I append to your bunker video from CappyTan with one copyright-legal Netflix video trailer. (I would have never gotten Netflix if the Watchtower had not encouraged me to buy a Roku device which has it onboard…funny how that works out that way.)

        https://youtu.be/mNKEKlXY3Z4

        • May 31, 2016 at 8:12 am
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          Haha! This is too funny…
          Great line from one of the ladies coming out of the bunker after a decade… She looks ar the city and says…
          ‘It’s all still here…’

          Sadly with the JW’S in the bunker they are actually causing their own personal apocalypse.
          In some countries you will be hunted down for being in an extremist cult.
          Giving away your freedom and lives for those arrogant conmen in New York.
          Tragic.

      • May 31, 2016 at 12:35 am
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        From ‘good news to judgment’? What scripture is that based on? Matt 24 says the good news would be preached and then the end would come. No mention of any judgment message there.

        • May 31, 2016 at 8:20 am
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          Good point.
          I’m not sure why the almighty would want or need that lobotomised group of personality devoid robots to pronounce his judgement anyway.
          Surely he’s got some spiritual special effects crew in the heavenly ranks waiting for their cue…
          Having an Angel roar ‘You ignored the good news and now it’s too late!’ ….has got to have more impact than Brother Brown mumbling it…
          Surely?

  • May 30, 2016 at 6:44 am
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    I have just taken the NIH Web-based training course “Protecting Human Research Participants” and got a Certification of Completion from the National Institute of Health (NIH) Office of Extramural Research.

    Unless we take such courses and understand the value of human dignity, no one will beat the WTS. This is an organization built on exploitation of ignorance of its followers, locked in walls of Kingdom Halls worldwide.
    They are studying unethically humans! You, too, can take the course from ttps://phrp.nihtraining.com/users/login.php

    The WTS supports this idea: “Intellectually a giant, today’s humanity is spiritually a pigmy. It values money more than goods, and goods more than man.” (See g74 8/22 p. 30)!

  • May 30, 2016 at 9:30 am
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    Hmmm. I wonder when, or if they’re going to extend this policy to others….including ‘unbelieving mates.’ That’s the category I am in, and I get on well with my wife since I set up strict boundries a couple of years ago. Yes, I pulled the ‘head of household’ card & used it not just for my sake, but for the sake of my kids as well. Putting my foot down & becoming somewhat ‘hardass’ wasn’t fun, but it was neccessary. My thoughts go out to non-JW wives married to zealous JW husbands.

    Anyway, I wonder if those Gov Body clowns are going to be stupid enough to extend shunning to us ‘infidel’ mates.

    • May 30, 2016 at 10:42 am
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      Regarding “… I wonder if those Gov Body clowns are going to be stupid enough to extend shunning to us ‘infidel’ mates.”

      The shunning doctrine now dictates that family members, who are not married to each other, must shun inactive sinful apostates.

      If the Governing Body announces that apostasy is now scriptural grounds for shunning a marriage mate, you will have your answer. Once husbands and wives begin shunning each other, the apostate mate will probably commit the sexual indiscretion required for divorce. Even if there is no sexual misconduct, the married couple would probably separate.

      After all, isn’t destroying families what the Watchtower shunning doctrine all about?

      • May 30, 2016 at 11:57 am
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        Hhhhh! I wonder how ‘infidel’ mates.” fail to realized they are shunned! What is shunning? The power of WTS is to have power on people who cannot understand its language… consider the following you will realize you are shunned beyond your imagination.

        *** w11 6/15 p. 22 par. 13 “Shepherd the Flock of God in Your Care” ***
        Over the years, Masanao, an elder in Japan, invited single ones and spiritually fatherless families to his family’s study. In time, some who were helped became elders themselves and imitated Masanao’s fine example.

        • May 30, 2016 at 11:05 pm
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          I left out the fact that I’ve NEVER BEEN a JW. Not even an ‘unbaptized publisher.’ My wife converted soon after we got married. We got along fine, but I did have to set some stern boundaries a few years back. Since then, she’s come across as…more respectful? Perhaps I’m out ‘eldering’ the elders & it turns her on. I dunno. What I do know is that many JW women allow themselves to be walked-on by the males in the cong. Lot’s of control freaks there…not letting their wives go on ‘girl’s night out’ with their friends, for example.
          Bunch of egotistical jerks those elders are…and I even told ’em that.

  • May 30, 2016 at 9:42 am
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    I notice several contributors use the phrase ‘climate of fear’. I absolutely agree. When a group such as the JWs face criticism, one common response is to pull up the drawbridge. When people become disillusioned, or, as in my case, find a better alternative and leave, they have to be made a scapegoat. The Jewish religious leaders tried it with the early Christians by demanding that the good news “spread no further”. Truth will prevail.

  • May 30, 2016 at 9:42 am
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    I notice several contributors use the phrase ‘climate of fear’. I absolutely agree. When a group such as the JWs face criticism, one common response is to pull up the drawbridge. When people become disillusioned, or, as in my case, find a better alternative and leave, they have to be made a scapegoat. The Jewish religious leaders tried it with the early Christians by demanding that the good news “spread no further”. Truth will prevail.

  • May 30, 2016 at 11:24 am
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    Family ties are something that the witness religion does not and probably never will recognize or value.

    The only family ties that are important are the ties to the “new family” in the congregation, that one acquires when they become a witness. Shunning the non witness family members becomes inconsequential. They will be destroyed at Armaghedon and therefore really no longer matter.

    Unfortunately the new family is judgemental, conditional, pretentious, cliquey, and will throw anyone away who does not follow the rules.

  • May 30, 2016 at 1:08 pm
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    I am one of these ‘faded’ ones I became a baptised Christian and my brother will no longer associate with me. He keeps in touch with one of my daughters who threw her husband out and lives with someone else celebrates Christmas Easter birthdays but now looks like that relationship is now doomed x

  • May 30, 2016 at 1:25 pm
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    Just a quick question. If they require a fader to be shunned because of celebrating christmas, birthdays, etc. Would that fader be allowed to go to a witness wedding reception with their spouse who is still a witness?

    There are currently no sanctions for faders, but I assume that the fact that a fader will need to be shunned will translate into a refusal to have them attend witness functions.

    • May 30, 2016 at 5:57 pm
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      Rob, Here’s my experience, I married an unbeliever and became inactive. I was shunned by my family for celebrating Christmas with my husband and his two young kids. My JW niece married. My father invited my husband and I to the wedding and to the reception. My husband and I sat at a table with my dad and his wife. One of my nieces walked up to the table and said to my dad, “They’re ready for you upstairs.” I didn’t know what was going on. My dad didn’t explain at that moment. Later I learned from him my JW family deliberately left my husband and I out of the family photo group picture taken by a professional. I’m still mad about it. My husband told his mother who was studying at the time and she stopped studying. When I told my sister about it she blamed me! This, shunning inactive ones who are sinners is nothing new.

      • June 12, 2016 at 8:46 am
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        That’s weird KimJ because once upon a time if the not-a-JW spouse–in this case the man (who is head of the household, by their own rules)–insists on celebrations of holidays, you as wife (and subservient one) were not obliged to participate, but the fact that holiday decorations were “up” in your house is not your sin.

  • May 30, 2016 at 1:27 pm
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    Just a quick question. If they require a fader to be shunned because of celebrating christmas, birthdays, etc. Would that fader be allowed to go to a witness wedding reception with their spouse who is still a witness?

    There are currently no sanctions for faders, but I assume that the fact that a fader will need to be shunned will translate into a refusal to have them attend witness wedding receptions.

    • May 30, 2016 at 5:58 pm
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      Rob, Here’s my experience, I married an unbeliever and became inactive. I was shunned by my family for celebrating Christmas with my husband and his two young kids. My JW niece married. My father invited my husband and I to the wedding and to the reception. My husband and I sat at a table with my dad and his wife. One of my nieces walked up to the table and said to my dad, “They’re ready for you upstairs.” I didn’t know what was going on. My dad didn’t explain at that moment. Later I learned from him my JW family deliberately left my husband and I out of the family photo group picture taken by a professional. I’m still mad about it. My husband told his mother who was studying at the time and she stopped studying. When I told my sister about it she blamed me! This, shunning inactive ones who are sinners is nothing new.

  • May 30, 2016 at 2:00 pm
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    This is not a new policy:
    “If the sinful conduct is known only to believing
    family members and no congregation action has
    been taken, believing relatives will likely determine
    to curtail family association severely, viewing the relative
    as bad association.—1 Cor. 15:33; w85 7/15 p. 19
    par. 14.”

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:19 pm
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      From the wiki entry for Grace Communion International (the new moniker for what was WCoG):

      “___’s church was both authoritarian and totalitarian in its treatment of the membership. To maintain member loyalty, _____’s ministers indoctrinated them that they had been “called” by God into the only true Christian church on Earth and that all other Christian churches were Satanic counterfeits. If a called member were to question church doctrines, the member would be in peril of losing salvation and being cast into the lake of fire on Judgment Day. Further, ministers could arbitrarily disfellowship suspect members for *any* type of disloyalty. Disfellowshipping was openly announced in _____ services on a weekly basis but the reasons were rarely given.”

      *This group had 1972 projected as “the end” (later 1975). Both this WCoG and Watchtower imploded about the same time–one fiscally, the other internal strife.

      References:
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_Communion_International#Beginnings
      (7th paragraph in this section)

  • May 30, 2016 at 5:37 pm
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    To take a quote from George Takei, “Oh, my! Now we will have nosey Watchtower elders snooping around the private lives of people. Wonderful. The invasion of privacy at an all time high. Time to get your lawyer involved. More lawsuits for Watchtower. Lawsuits, Lawsuits, and Lawsuits. Remember, you can’t fix stupid.

  • May 30, 2016 at 7:43 pm
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    Can you do an article about the talk about our funerals? I think they want the elders getting involved in our funerals because they want to make sure the families don’t inherit their parent’s money. I have never heard a talk like that before.

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:17 pm
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      What? what! say what?!

      • May 31, 2016 at 4:50 am
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        It’s about half-way through this talk about blood. They want the rank and file to have their funeral “arrangements” made by witnesses and stress having them made in writing to make sure non-witness relatives won’t take their money I think.

        https://youtu.be/Cjku3W8lIvw

    • May 30, 2016 at 9:25 pm
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      Search YouTube for a video from “LivingNow” (think I spelled that correctly?)

      “Jehovah’s Witnesses and Money”

      https://youtu.be/B9UeNxi3oKw

  • May 31, 2016 at 12:59 am
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    I have had my wacky thought for the day. Maybe instead of shunning us they could get us to pay for our sins and then everyone will feel better. If they called them let’s say “indulgences” so like kindly uncles they could forgive us every time we met a naughty relative and spent time with our family we could pay the gb directly. Then they get all the loot and we can indulge our sins. I can see this as a win win situation. We get to keep our families and they get all the cash. They could have their own Munster moment and call it warwick. Do you think I should write to the gb with my suggestion? they seem to be rather strapped for cash right now unlike us we roll around in filthy richdom as we have so much spare dosh from our cleaning jobs. Funny that such filthy apostate pigs can roll around in all that money eh! Oooh I feel like donating right now . A while back someone posted a radio podcast on Munster, if anyone can dig it out and have the time to listen to it you will hear the future from the past. May we always be round pegs that never fit the blue square hole. cheers Ruthlee

    • June 12, 2016 at 9:30 am
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      I had that thought too ruthlee. Like many megachurches if the parishioner pays, the pastors and shepherds don’t blink or twitch a muscle of concern. This seems to be the overall direction of JW’s, too, with a lack of local leadership, it will get to the point, that if you file your timecard, punch in the conference code numbers (automated roll-call), and pay your “tithes” you are “in good standing”.

      I think this young ladies’ experience highlights the bizarre and inconsistencies with JW legal system and its forms of justice. Although her channel is not intended to be part of the “tsunami of dissenters” her story speaks volumes, and I also think it shows that there is a path out of the mire of anger, frustration and despair:

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfJSLjUcUNI

      Also, with all the hoopla regarding famous JW’s, this link should serve up enough good facts:

      http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/famous-jehovahs-witnesses.php

  • May 31, 2016 at 8:39 am
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    Man, it only gets worst. THIS REMINDS ME OF HITLER, THE GESTAPO AND THE THIRD REICH. WHEN THE BROTHERS HERE THIS THEY’LL BE EVEN AFRAID TO PASS GAS.

  • May 31, 2016 at 9:02 am
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    Thanks to the internet, JWs from around the world are communicating freely. In the dark old days, the organization could clamp down on a situation and prevent those outside the immediate scope of a situation from even knowing it happened. Not so today, and because of this they are losing their monolithic grip on the flock. Tightening up on shunning is the action of a drowning man grasping at straws. We are getting accurate and timely news of problems from around the world now while the GB is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.

    • May 31, 2016 at 10:43 am
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      @ Marcus Muirhead

      Ditto. The probably one of the best things invented was the internet where anyone can access any information or disinformation world wide. Now nothing the WTBTS thinks, says or does can escape comment, criticism or remain hidden for long.

      Their goose is proverbially ‘cooked’; for example look at all the news available on the internet that would have been almost impossible to find years ago:
      membership as NGO at U.N. for 10 years,
      child molestation scandals and pedophilia cover-ups worldwide,
      being sued by victims for millions of dollars because of the above mentioned scandals,
      low turnout to their Memorial,
      increase in partakers of the emblems at said Memorial,
      little to no increase in baptismal candidates,
      a constant begging for money, etc.

      Today anyone can ignore the seven mental dwarfs and do research on the internet and the veil of deceit will miraculously drop. Gasp–“The king has no clothes!”

      As you say the Governing Body is a drowning man grasping at anything to keep his head above water. However, the sharks of public opinion and governmental agencies are circling, and circling ever closer to their intended bloody victim. It’s just a matter of time.
      Bon voyage WTBTS, Bon appetit sharks!

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