Srecko Sostar

Nothing. While I was a member of the JW community, we were taught at meetings that we must not engage in the community on any issue that is outside the JW congregation. A JW member must not engage himself or herself around any changes that would mean contributing to changes in the environment and society in which he or she lives. And all such JW instructions was because it’s an “old world that God will soon destroy,” so why “fix a sinking ship”. Since I am not an open person by nature anyway, the impact of such WTJWorg thinking has contributed even more to “alienation” from the problems affecting human society. The proverb says; "the tree bends while it is young." My “activism,” if that can be called that word at all, is a debate with people on this forum. Real activism requires some other people, "real activists" who will bring changes.

I try very hard not to listen to "false rumors".

Yes, however, most ExJWs would say otherwise, I think in the past you made an opposite point. You gave me link on this. That is your point, i think.

As far as it seems to me, GB member Mr G. Jackson has never before the ARC stated that cases of pedophilia in Australia, and in relation to the Branch Office Australia, are "false rumors". This means that all the documentation that went back 50 years regarding the CSA was not (forged) documentation based on "false rumors" by the JW assemblies and JW members/non members in Australia.

:) i had different link - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restoration_Movement From your link (bold, underline text mine): In the 1870s, a Bible study group led by Charles Taze Russell formed into what was eventually called the Bible Student movement. Russell's congregations did not consider him to be the founder of a new religion,[51] but that he helped in restoring true Christianity from the apostasy that Jesus and the Apostle Paul foretold. They believed that other Churches departed in a Great Apostasy from the original faith on major points, and that the original faith could be restored through a generally literal interpretation of the Bible and a sincere commitment to follow its teachings. They focused on several key doctrinal points that they considered a return to "primitive Christianity",[52] derived from their interpretation of the Bible, including a rejection of trinitarianism, the immortality of the soul, and the definition of Hell as a place of eternal torment;[53] active proselytization; strict neutrality in political affairs;[54] abstinence from warfare;[55] and a belief in the imminent manifestation of the Kingdom of God (or World to Come) on Earth. Jehovah's Witnesses[edit] Jehovah's Witnesses emerged as a distinct religious organization, maintaining control of Russell's Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society and other corporations. They continued to develop doctrines that they considered to be an improved restoration of first century Christianity, including increased emphasis on the use of Jehovah as God's personal name.[56

It is a sad fact that you blame the ex-JW, like me, for the negligence of your religious leaders. For the cover-up that your religious leaders do with the help of most elders. For erroneous instructions that elders receive and pass on to JW members. For silence about the real situation when cases like CSA, or some other, arise. JWs have failed to rise to such a level of trust and openness that would allow them to speak publicly at their meetings about everything. About everything and in an equal way, that each member can be able to say everything he needs and wants to say. I only used this statement of yours to answer you. And that’s because one young JW, 6 years ago, from my former assembly said he didn’t believe in anything about pedophilia, that it was all a lie attributed to JW. I am glad that many JWs have not seen and experienced the horrors of CSA. But when such JWs say that everything is a “false rumor” and that David Splane is right when he says at Congress talk, that everyone in the world is lying and only GB is telling the truth, then you need to be very worried.

I found this on Wikipedia. The Restoration Movement has been characterized by several key principles: Christianity should not be divided, Christ intended the creation of one church.[3]:38[11] Creeds divide, but Christians should be able to find agreement by standing on the Bible itself (from which they believe all creeds are but human expansions or constrictions)[12] Ecclesiastical traditions divide, but Christians should be able to find common ground by following the practice (as best as it can be determined) of the early church.[13]:104–6 Names of human origin divide, but Christians should be able to find common ground by using biblical names for the church (i.e., "Christian Church", "Church of God" or "Church of Christ" as opposed to "Methodist" or "Lutheran", etc.).[4]:27 Thus, the church 'should stress only what all Christians hold in common and should suppress all divisive doctrines and practices'.[14] A number of slogans have been used in the Restoration Movement, which are intended to express some of the distinctive themes of the Movement.[15] These include: "Where the Scriptures speak, we speak; where the Scriptures are silent, we are silent."[16] "The church of Jesus Christ on earth is essentially, intentionally, and constitutionally one."[16] "We are Christians only, but not the only Christians."[16] "In essentials, unity; in opinions, liberty; in all things love."[15]:688 "No creed but Christ, no book but the Bible, no law but love, no name but the divine."[15]:688 "Do Bible things in Bible ways."[15]:688 "Call Bible things by Bible names."[15]:688 According to this "noble" points that should characterize all religious movements that "joined" to be force for Primitive Christianity, WTJWorg or JW religion as organized religious people under GB leadership, I would say, (they) do not meet the requirements of these points to be declared restorers of the First Church. The JW's does not acknowledge that any other religious movement has reached the norms of the First Church, but only that the JW religion has achieved it. And all the others to be "apostates", who are already condemned by God and belong to "Babylon the Great". For example, slogan, "We are Christians only, but not the only Christians.", is not what JW thinks about other. Perhaps "Televangelism" is old, outdated terminology. We have "Internet Evangelism" and "Evangelistic Websites" today.

https://www.jw.org/en/library/videos/#en/mediaitems/2021Convention/pub-co-r21_8_VIDEO Start at 1:03

David Splane Convention talks does not support humility. "Media Reports are often carefully worded to avoid a lawsuit", he said .....I guess lawsuit by WTJWorg Lawyers against freedom of speech of ex-JW or CSA victims or other who speak how WTJWorg practice in some life situations is wrong. He talks about the fact that not everyone who is convicted and punished "by man" is also guilty (because God does not think he is guilty) .... so then switch to the topic that if someone reads how an individual or organization is sued, then settle the matter out of court. Settling out of court does not mean someone is guilty, he says. Well, then he says a jury is a bunch of ignorant people who know nothing about law. The jury, he says, does not always have access to all the facts, because judges and lawyers decide what to present to them. Splane concludes that neither party, (the plaintiff's and the defendant's lawyers), want the whole truth to be known and visible in court. Accordingly, he said in fact also this: WTJWorg lawyers don’t want to give all the truth to the Court, to the jury, to the public. And this in fact means: WTJWorg lawyers don't want to give justice to the victim. And "the public" are both group, so called worldly people and JW members. With this Convention talk he gives to JW members and public a big fat lie as "proper food in proper time". Yes, David Splane's "preaching service" from door to door of every person who opened the door of their home with the click of a finger on the jworg website, fulfilled the prophecy of Jesus.

WTJWorg has always expressed pride that the only real preaching service is when JWs go from house to house, and that some other forms of service are only ancillary or rare exceptions if a JW member is sick or bedridden. COVID is an interesting phenomenon. The whole World stopped, "God's Chariot" stopped. But WTJWorg buys and sells, builds and plants ... as people (who didn't pay attention) did before the Flood.

The manner and purpose of conducting a “Bible study” with people interested in the JW religion is not to get to know how the WT Society came into being, it is not the history of the Organization as a Corporation. The purpose of “studying” is to reject “wrong” religious or secular ideologies and to fully accept WTJWorg theology. Some details of the Organization's historical transitions can be found in other WTJWorg publications, but comprehensive and/or complete insight cannot be gained by reading a single book that would provide a complete historical overview with all the details. After all, history is written by “winners”. And that most often means that the truth will be distorted or significantly changed. PS "Proclaimers" book, for example, dealing with historical overview of Corporation. But is not available on every language and by that not for every JW member in the World. Even if it is available on language of some JW member that would not mean she/he would read it and find some gaps and questions about Organization. For sure they will not find "diagram" as showed here.

Maybe what Rando is doing is just an overreaction, similar to the ones about 1914, 1918/19, 1925, 1941, 1975 and everything/all other after that? WTJWorg eschatology in action. Certainly, people will eat, drink, marry, build and plant. Some/many of them will be struck by trouble, because trouble is a part of life in the world as we know it. Some of the troubles that have happened or are happening today, have been / are at the local or even global area / level. This allows for interpretations / overreactions followed by disappointments many times over.

Do not swing the bags Do not lift and lower the bags abruptly Do not overload

Says who? I am not advocating for or against a thesis on the subject. But it’s always interesting to see how WTJWorg’s daily politics infiltrate where it doesn’t belong, because WTJWorg scholars have no way of knowing where Russell belongs. WTJWorg claims that there was always a Witnesses for YHVH between the First Century and the Nineteenth Century. If there were any in any form, they may have existed as some individuals or smaller groups, for example. But again, WTJWorg has the constant thesis that YHVH has always had an Organization on Earth. If this claim is true, then YHVH had one or more Organizations (19) 20 centuries apart (in a span of (19) 20 centuries). So what were the names of those organizations that existed before the WT? If you do not know of any such Organization, then you cannot claim that YHVH has always had an Organization on Earth. If you cannot prove any of these theses, then you cannot prove either who was and who was not a member of the YHVH recognized Organization, nor whether he belonged to a "large or small flock". According to GB teaching, the task of the “slave” is to share spiritual food. Well, how dare you say that between the 1st and 19th century no one shared the “spiritual food” and teachings of Jesus Christ? :)) Your statement is funny :)) because Russell did exactly same thing as GB today. He shared and they share interpretations on Bible text.

I have to share this quip from GB D. Splane's convention talk on apostates and the news medial. "Now, Paul compares the Beroeans with the Thessalonians. What do we know about the Thessalonians? They didn’t have YouTube in those days, but at one point, the Thessalonians apparently heard a rumor that “the day of Jehovah” had arrived. Who circulated the rumor? An apostate? Maybe. But maybe it was just someone who had heard the rumor and passed it on without checking it out. APPARENTLY heard a rumor? Have you ever done that — passed on a report without checking the facts? I think all of us have to admit that we’ve been guilty of that at one time or another. But now, how did the Thessalonians react? They were alarmed. They were “quickly shaken from [their] reason.” We mustn’t let that happen to us. When you hear something, check it out; don’t just circulate it; don’t just believe it; check it out." All checked out, as you have done, and it isn't a rumor. We can continue to circulate it. Many doctrines and expectations that were and still are a product and fruit of WTJWorg theology belong to the group of “rumors”. For everything they claimed to be or will be the result of their beliefs and hopes and expectations and interpretations, and in fact disappeared with the sun’s rays of a new day, it falls under “rumors”. Consequently , the instruction given from the podium of the JW Congress or otherwise, is aimed at themselves, against themselves, and not at the ex-JW and / or apostates. Unfortunately, “fried/burnt/cauterized brain” is a feature of most JW members, as it prevents them from seeing what is behind the visible and declarative.

Thanks for reaction

I believe you will be interested in watching or actually listening to this video.

Who claims that?

The Bible gives various descriptions of the relationship between God and man. An interpretation of symbolic descriptions that is not explained in the biblical text itself can very easily lead to errors, wrong ideas and misconceptions. Who is a woman/wife to whom, and who is a bride to whom or a child to which parents can lead to complications. If JHVH has a "wife", then I guess he has a "child" with her. If Jesus has a "bride" to marry, then I guess he will have a "child" with her too. :)) According to the old law, only male children are counted. What is the relationship between these two "sons", from YHVH and from Jesus? What is the relationship of their "wives"? God's law knows the institute of divorce. Both in symbolic marriage and description, there was a divorce between YHVH and his earthly wife. You say God has a heavenly wife. So God has or had two wives, one in heaven and the other on earth. Will there be a divorce between Jesus and his bride / wife when Jesus returns all authority to his Father? I think it all gets complicated to understand.

I looked at Matthew chapters 9 and 10. The context shows that at that time, in fact, only Jesus was preaching the Kingdom and performing miracles. 35 Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. And then we have verses: 36 When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. 38 Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” Next chapter starting with verse: Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. .....and also As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ .... with again: 8 Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[a] drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. "The harvest" was already over. And the separation of the wheat from the chaff happened in its final act in 70 AD after the fall of the Temple and Jerusalem. It could very easily be that the "harvest and separation" takes place constantly and continuously. Because people over and over again making a choice/selection and ending their lives in one of their choices, in one of their various states; spiritual or emotional or psychic, which are the basis for “God’s (final) judgment”. But then we also have the idea of the final "global resurrection" (vs or despite final "global destruction"), of all the just and the unjust people who are given a new opportunity to make new choice.

Reading the biblical passages, commentaries, and teachings of WTJWorg, I come to further questions. WTJWorg claims that the anointed (remaining of the literal number 144,000) are in their Organization. The Bible claims that the anointed flee from Satan and seek salvation in the "wilderness", because God has found refuge there, for her. But on the other hand WTJWorg and JW claim and believe they are in a “spiritual paradise”. So then I ask; 1) How did the symbolic “desert” (place of salvation) become a literal “spiritual paradise” (place of salvation like Noah’s ark) !? 2) Is WTJWorg a “desert” or a “paradise”? Because there is a “woman” there, that is, there are supposedly all the anointed ones. What is “desert” in biblical terminology? What does that word mean according to dictionaries? For example, the dictionary ( Merriam Webster) says this for that word: 1a(1): a tract or region uncultivated and uninhabited by human beings (2): an area essentially undisturbed by human activity together with its naturally developed life community b: an empty or pathless area or region in remote wildernesses of space groups of nebulae are found— G. W. Gray †1960 c: a part of a garden devoted to wild growth 2 obsolete : wild or uncultivated state 3a: a confusing multitude or mass : an indefinitely great number or quantity, I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkeys— William Shakespeare b: a bewildering situation Definition of bewildering : extremely confusing or difficult to understand Explaining Rev. 12, WTJWorg says that a woman gave birth to a son, and that son is the Kingdom that was born in 1914, as JW's believes. 3) But the Kingdom is/are also the anointed (and not just Jesus Christ as King) who continued to live in the “wilderness”. How is that possible? Where is the Kingdom? In the heaven? In the desert? In WTJWorg? In the hearts of believers? 4) Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus. - Rev 12:17 The Bible says that a "woman" gave birth to only one son, and that is the Kingdom, according to WTJWorg interpretation. Because "women" is/are all anointed. The "woman" did not give birth to anointed ones. They (anointed) are the Kingdom, they are Anointed who gave birth to son aka Kingdom. Who else did the "woman" give birth to and how? THE BIBLE SAYS: What is God’s Kingdom? It is a heavenly government ruled by Jesus Christ as King. - https://www.jw.org/ase/library/magazines/watchtower-no2-2020-may-jun/gods-kingdom-what-is-it/ According to the WTJWorg interpretation, Kingdom was established in 1914 and Christ began to rule as King in 1914. However, this is questionable because He cannot rule alone. He needs (literal number in JW religion) 144,000 kings and priests. Since the JW's believe that thousands of anointed are still on Earth, this means that the Kingdom could not have been born in 1914, nor could it have begun to rule in 1914. The Kingdom does not have a complete Administration to be a legal and legitimate authority.

This excellent explanation give so strong and irrefragable argument against GB unreasonable ideas of how people today cannot be inspired by HS. GB’s silly replacement of the thesis that they are “guided” by the spirit is nothing more than an attempt to justify every nonsense they teach people while remaining in positions of power and authority, they and their elders. I believe that for HS there is no obstacle to “filling the heart” of every individual to whom the Father shows love, whether he/she belongs to a "large or a small flock".

Reading WTJWorg interpretations and even some biblical passages about Adam and Eve, one might come to the conclusion that Eve was quite unprepared for the challenges she was faced with. If it were true that Eve was intellectually and spiritually "immature" or "less mature" than Adam, then the question is why she should have been punished with the same measure as Adam who, just because he is a man/male, should have known what was going on in his family, and not to leave Eve alone to talk to the serpent. So the question is; Where was he and what was Adam doing while Eve was talking to the serpent and reaping the fruit? By the way women, female in general, were treated, in OT, NT and in WTJWorg today, then really all the blame for everything in the world is only on men.

I am confused a little with your resume, how words of mine "made sense" but without any truth in them. Perhaps your choice of words was wrong then, or you making fun of me. When JW members read GB publications, then everything "makes sense", to them, and no one sees a single lie in them, everything is “true,” every word “makes sense”. When such a doctrine changes then again everything “makes sense” and no one says they believed in delusion until then. If you also belong to such a group of JW people, then it will be difficult for me to accept the justification of a comment in which you did not bring some important and new elements that confirm your position and refute my ideas.

“The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction.” - wt 2017 No one needs to prove that. This fact is not refuted even by GB. And they alone explained why they are wrong, in quote above. :))