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Tag: governing body

Russian JWs Awake(n) – A Beginning?

Russian JWs Awake(n) – A Beginning?

It is possible that internal discussion about Watchtower policies has begun, at least among some Jehovah’s Witnesses. Internal discussion or debate is very rare – those who attempt to initiate such are quickly disfellowshipped so that their “unsheep-like” attitude does not “infect” the congregation. The Watchtower Bible and Tract publishing empire/religious group is totalitarian – very much a “top-down” organization. They believe that their Governing Body is literally God’s earthly representative. Disagreement with the Governing Body or the Watchtower publication’s…

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Watchtower JW Family Shunning

Watchtower JW Family Shunning

Another from the “Ask a Former Jehovah’s Witness” mailbag: My father was disfellowshipped when he was a teen in the 80’s and because of that he and his father do not speak. Ever. Are there any scriptural sources that I could use when speaking to my grandfather about this that would show this is wrong? When I talk with him about it he starts spewing scripture. Previous to July 2002 it was said that “Those who simply cease to be…

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JW Post Translated into French

JW Post Translated into French

The transcript of the Jehovah’s Witness gloom and doom sermon I made for the Breaking Down a Watchtower Message to the Great Crowd post has been translated into French at the Viaveritas site. Copernic, Fantasio, and Lucretius have crafted a great post, and it includes serious consideration of some of the points I was trying to make. Thanks! The rest of the site looks very interesting, too. Reading through it, I realize that my French has gotten pretty rusty. It’s…

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Breaking down a Watchtower message to the Great Crowd

Breaking down a Watchtower message to the Great Crowd

When my friend Janet sent me a link to this piece from a very recent talk (given by James Rayford at a Kingdom Hall in Houston Texas), I actually forced myself to listen to it. I’m going to comment below, so that you can begin to understand what happens to the self-identified “Great Crowd” (who believe they will inherit a paradise earth after Armageddon) in all those hours of listening at the Kingdom Hall. This is why they can feel…

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JWs: From Bible Students to Slaves

JWs: From Bible Students to Slaves

Under founder Charles Taze Russell, “International Bible Students” were somewhat anti-organizational, centered on personal study of the Bible. Watchtower, Sept. 15, 1895, p. 216. Beware of ‘organization.’ It is wholly unnecessary. The Bible rules will be the only rules you will need. Do not seek to bind others’ consciences, and do not permit others to bind yours. Believe and obey so far as you can understand God’s Word today. A couple of years after Russell’s death, that view was already…

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Ex-JW Rebuttal to a Jehovah’s Witness

Ex-JW Rebuttal to a Jehovah’s Witness

I’ve been having an extended discussion/argument with a Canadian Jehovah’s Witness in the comments of an old post. Feel free to read the whole thing if you can bear it. Yes. It’s long. I know. There were some resources in my latest reply that I thought might help others – so here’s a piece: Most of what I posted from JW publications (not my own opinion, but actual arguments made by JWs themselves) show pretty clearly that JWs believe that…

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