u/sheenless

First and foremost, go bags, as a concept, are a long-standing practice in disaster preparedness. You will not find a government sponsored plan that does not include them. Of course, important documents don't include bibles, rather they mean things like your ID cards, cash, anything that can verify your identity and get you up and running somewhere else if needed.

Regardless, I noticed that JWs only really started speaking about go bags and general disaster preparedness after Hurricane Katrina. The very first mention that I found was in 2006, approximately one year after that event.

Obviously this was not the first natural disaster, or war, that occurred on the Earth. However, it was a big event in the US. I do recall the branch singing its own praises at the time with claims like JWs being the first there and supposedly providing relief for non witnesses as well.

Since then, however, they've tried to link go bags with respect for Jehovah, and credit themselves with all disaster preparedness plans in existence, even though their ideas are all copied from the government or other public interest groups.

I can't help but wonder then, if this really boils down to money for the branch. After all, if there was a real concern for pimis, they would provide a go bag for all publishers. They would also likely build kingdom halls in such a way that they can be used as shelters depending on the emergency. But they don't do any of that.

However, it does not escape my notice that the more readily pimis leave (instead of ignoring government warnings and suggestions) the more the branch saves. After all, they won't have to waste resources pretending to help people.

As a child, I always heard that the beautiful thing about Jehovah's Witnesses is that no matter where you go, everyone believes the same thing and everyone speaks the language of the truth.

That meant the same values, the same thoughts on life, etc.

But as I moved through life and spent time in different congregations, especially in different countries, I began to see that this wasn't really true.

For example, as a child, I lived in a more conservative area with conservative JWs. If you listened to music, it could only be country music, classical, or light jazz. Jehovah disapproved of all other forms like rock, and especially rap.

The congregation would lose their minds if they saw you spending time with worldly people, even as a child, in a congregation where the next person closest in age to you was still more than 20 years older than you.

Even doing school group projects with others were a big no no. You would have to demand your teacher provide an alternative, independent assignment instead. The worst was when the original project was supposed to be fun and instead you were stuck doing a written report on some boring topic.

Moving to a more liberal area didn't really change things either. Certainly, the pressure to get baptized was less, but I didn't get that benefit. I had already been scared into baptism as 12 (too many years of being told god hated me for delaying my baptism and would kill me during Armageddon by friendly elders).

Still, in the "liberal" areas, I found that more activities were considered acceptable. Going to concerts was not viewed as inherently bad. There were even quite a few JW kids who were allowed to learn instruments, maybe even being in the school band. Some were even involved in sports (although they were expected to quit by highschool).

In this area, it was even okay to attend university.

Then as an adult, when I got to other countries I saw even more differences. I met people who were shocked that American JWs had so many restrictions. They just assumed that the USA was one big party and that growing up there as a JW would truly have been amazing.

Yet when they were kids (and I could even see this with the kids in the congregations I attended) there was nothing wrong with forming friends with worldly people. Many of them still occasionally met up with people from highschool for dinner even.

I was shocked, even alarmed at first, when I'd see children or teens openly talking about making plans to go to the movies with worldly people at the kingdom hall.Or even overnight trips to other cities.

They legitimately did not think it was an issue from an organizational standpoint. In one country, the branch even expects you to invite these worldly people to meeting during a yearly campaign that they have during CNY. They always add a little disclaimer that says JWs shouldn't have inappropriate relationships with worldly people, but since so many have worldly friendships anyways, might as well use the holiday to try to convert them.

As a result, I also knew many who had no issue talking to classmates or colleagues about being a JW. Although, then again, why would they have a problem? The cult came off as way less crazy to "worldly" people in places like this, where there were so many exceptions to the organizational rules.

Honestly, there were many congregation and service differences as well. Such to the point that I sometimes felt like it was a different religion.

Don't get me wrong, anyone who was put in a camp or displaced suffered greatly at the hands of the Nazis.

However, the GB certainly does like to play up the importance of JWs during world war 2.

For example,

https://preview.redd.it/rok5rj1d9h1h1.jpg?width=1048&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0f674b5e813559779e1c08e5ab1ec7b51d3e842d

There is one famous death march that took place in 1945. 56,000 people were a part of it with around 15,000 deaths.

Everyone who participated, suffered greatly, there's no denying that. However, that is basically a 75% survival rate. It's a bit different than literally being tossed into a furnace though.

On the other hand, not dying, despite the distance and the frigid temperature, only to be placed in an even worse labor camp where people were still being abused to death doesn't exactly sound like divine intervention. It's certainly not the same as being unaffected by the flames of a furnace.

Honestly, once again, the Governing Body makes Jehovah sound like quite the asshole. After all, what kind of sadistic person would sustain someone just enough so that they can endure one trial, only to enter a much worse one later?

How many JWs were a part of that march? How many died in the following year? Why didn't Jehovah really save them? Did the ones who died lack true faith?

All I'm learning is that Jehovah is not concerned with overall well-being. You may be tortured, but as long as you're technically alive, it's a success.

In which case, maybe the GB needs to revisit their rhetoric about needing to have their own compound, luxury meals, and travel all over the world as the absolute minimum treatment as Christ's brothers.

A final thought. Why would this strengthen my faith anyways? Jehovah "kind of" helped some people. Okay, he has the power to help. He just doesn't want to most of the time. That doesn't fill me with confidence that he will save me when I'm in danger or need help.

He didn't save a lot of loyal people. Probably more than he has saved. Honestly, I would think that they put zero thought into these things if it wasn't for the fact that they're clearly trying to hide the full details of these stories they tell.

This is not my personal experience, but it is one that was spoken to me directly. The setting is not the United States, but it occurred in a country where many missionaries were historically sent to oversee the "work".

It also happened more than 30 years ago. It's not "fresh" but it's also never been told here before.

So, in this particular country, the entire country only had one circuit, which meant that if you were the circuit overseer, you really did quite a bit of traveling. Of course, that also meant a lot of scenic views.

In those days, the CO wasn't always given a car (of course, if a high profile American was in country, a car was ALWAYS available) but a nice Vespa isn't such a bad way to travel either, especially along the coast.

One day, the CO went to visit a particular congregation. His first meeting there, though, nobody met up with him. In fact, despite being at the Kingdom Hall, no brothers and sisters showed up at all. This made him pretty mad, because it was the circuit overseer visit, how could people do that to him?

So, he drove to the homes of elders to demand an explanation from them. The response? "It's raining, so we cancelled the meeting".

This wasn't good enough for the CO, so he forced the elders to uncancel the meeting and harrass people in the area to attend. Obviously, it was such a privilege to see him that a little rain (actually a tropical storm) shouldn't stop them.

Well, he was able to get his way to a certain degree. People showed up, because there was a break in the rain and the meeting commenced. Perhaps they thought Jehovah was giving them a sign.

However, it didn't last long, because the heavy rain came back and everyone walked out on him. He was red in the face, mad that people would be so disrespectful. He wanted to know why people were leaving, after all, it's just water.

Well, the answer was simple. It was a poor community. Before going to the meeting, they thought they might as well take advantage of the break to try to dry their blankets and clothes. With the rain coming back though, they need to rush home and put everything away.

This didn't make the CO feel better. After all, he was THE circuit overseer. But again, for the people in that community, it was a no-brainer. As mentioned, many were poor and handled their personal affects with great care. If left out in the rain, their things would very likely to get moldly. They didn't have washing machines, things were hand washed, and truthfully many people only had water to wash their clothes with.

I thought of this story because it was raining today. It reminded me of the tone deaf video telling people to get out in the ministry, even if there is heavy rain, because it makes Jehovah happy (something the GB is almost assuredly never doing themselves). Then I thought about how, really, they have always been tone-deaf when it comes to the needs of others. After all, their needs are always being met (actually living in luxury).

如果你想閱讀這篇文章的英文原文，以及附隨的討論內容，請點擊以下連結：
https://www.reddit.com/r/exjw/comments/1tbt81u/jehovahs_witnesses_have_become_the_electric/

請注意：以下提到的兩篇文章目前似乎只有英文版本。事實上，Jehovah's Witnesses 的線上書庫中，有不少舊資料與歷史文章都沒有中文翻譯，因此很多內容只能透過英文版本閱讀。

過去，耶和華見證人曾強烈批評那些利用「昂貴」科技向「小眾」觀眾傳教的牧師。他們認為這些人不斷要求捐款，甚至把這種行為比作「用每月支票交換救恩」。

他們也曾譴責這些牧師在講道中不夠使用《聖經》，反而依賴一種較為隨意、像聊天般的表達方式。

然而如今，他們自己卻採用了所有這些做法。他們甚至進一步表示，JW Broadcasting 是一種不應被視為理所當然的特權。他們的影片往往不是可選的；至少在聚會中，你一定會被要求觀看。

他們也不斷要求金錢。事實上，「乞求」這個詞可能還太客氣了。他們是在要求金錢，而且實際上已經把金錢與救恩聯繫在一起。他們經常談到，應該為「基督的弟兄們」（以及新娘們，所以某種程度上是「弟兄新娘」）預留一些東西。他們暗示，一個人究竟是獲得永生的「綿羊」，還是被上帝毀滅的「山羊」，直接取決於這個人對中央長老團在身體、情感與靈性層面上提供了多少支持與安慰。

下面我附上〈The Electric Church Turns On〉這篇文章，以及一篇〈From Our Readers〉的讀者來信文章。這些內容進一步擴展了這個主題，也非常清楚地顯示出，如今的宗教已經與過去截然不同。其實，他們過去的出版物與評論，本身就在譴責如今這種「新時代」的耶和華見證人（雖然老一代其實也不怎麼樣，老實說）。

〈電子教會啟動了〉（The Electric Church Turns On）

https://wol.jw.borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101981202?q=electric+church&p=par (請把「borg」中的字母「B」刪除，即可前往該網站)

這位傳教士沒有穿黑色長袍。相反地，他穿著一套閃亮的白色聚酯纖維三件式西裝。他並不是站在祭壇前主持儀式，而是在他那如同電視「大教堂」般的多層舞台上四處走動，沐浴在強烈的聚光燈下。舞台被打磨得如鏡面般光亮，每一步都伴隨閃爍燈光，而不斷變換的背景更讓舞台本身彷彿成了節目的主角。

現在到了禱告時間，但這並不是普通的禱告。傳教士停在一張堆滿來自「禱告鑰匙家庭」信件的桌子前，單膝跪下，雙手虔誠地合十。他那群打扮整齊的唱詩班成員也就位，在他身後圍成半圓形。當他禱告時，唱詩班輕聲哼唱，每位成員的嘴唇都幾乎貼著麥克風，就像夜總會表演一樣。

禱告結束後，畫面切換成一段預錄廣告，推銷這位傳教士的「禱告鑰匙家庭」。製作得相當專業。一位顯然虔誠而孤獨的老婦人出現在畫面中，正在寫信給這位傳教士。旁白中，她說自從加入「禱告鑰匙家庭」後，她的孤獨感以及大部分問題都消失了。

接著鏡頭回到傳教士身上，正好開始他的講道。他並沒有揮舞《聖經》。按照電視圈術語，這場講道很「cool」，意思是傳教士用一種彷彿坐在你家客廳裡聊天的方式與你說話。他一再重複同樣的重點：如果你希望自己的禱告得到回應，就必須加入他的「禱告鑰匙家庭」。

那麼，「鑰匙」是什麼意思呢？

「禱告就是鑰匙，」他誠懇地說，「它能打開天堂的銀行。」

這只是美國宗教界中一種吸引眼球現象的其中一個例子——「電子教會」（Electric Church）。

它日益成熟的技術與人氣，正在美國的宗教與政治圈中引發震盪。其最知名的明星傳教士所獲得的收入，甚至超過許多大型美國宗派。

什麼是「電子教會」？

所謂「電子教會」，是指那些購買電視播出時段的電視傳教士。他們利用節目募集捐款，再用捐款購買更多播出時間，如此循環。

當然，大多數電視台不願意把時段賣給那些只會向觀眾要錢的牧師，因此這些傳教士發展出各種方式，避免讓自己看起來像是在公開募款。

例如，他們鼓勵觀眾寫信索取免費徽章或「禱告鑰匙」，接著觀眾就會被加入電腦化郵件名單，之後真正的募款推銷才正式開始。

或者，他們提供電視上的「輔導服務」，那些打電話求助的人，之後就會收到郵件聯絡。

電腦化郵件系統讓「電子教會」成了一門極其賺錢的生意。

《富比士》（Forbes）雜誌指出：

「衛星技術的革命、電腦應用的突破，以及有線電視與新電視頻道的興起，正把美國變成一個全球村，同時也讓向少數支持者進行『窄播』（narrowcast）變得有利可圖。」

換句話說：

「即使不是每個人都想看宗教節目，也沒關係。如今的電視，就像雜誌一樣，可以針對特定受眾。」

結果，「電子教會」形成了完全不同的經濟模式。

觀眾並不是透過購買廣告商品來間接支持節目，而是必須直接透過捐款維持節目運作。因此，如何持續募集與維持捐款，成了這些「電子教會」明星傳教士的大型電腦化作業。

電腦對「電子教會」的重要性，就如同電視本身一樣。

耶穌曾說：

「一個人不能同時服事上帝與財富。」（馬太福音 6:24）

然而，「電子教會」的傳教士卻不斷需要大量捐款，因此他們幾乎不可能冒著得罪觀眾的風險。

《富比士》形容：

「不要問你能為宗教做什麼；要問宗教能為你做什麼。」

甚至一些同情「電子教會」的人也承認，它缺乏真正的內容。

哈佛神學教授 Harvey Cox 表示，這些傳教士：

「只是在延續並深化物質主義消費文化的價值觀。他們幫助人們接受一些非常膚淺的價值觀，同時在最商業化的環境中承諾廉價的救恩。」

--------------------------------------------------------------------

最後，〈From Our Readers〉中的一位讀者寫道：

https://wol.jw.borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101982091 (請把「borg」中的字母「B」刪除，即可前往該網站)

「我也發現電子教會有很多問題。但你們嚴重扭曲了電子教會的信息。我不相信有任何一位傳教士曾經表示，只要付『每月支票』就能得到救恩。」

而編輯則回應：

「我們並沒有扭曲事實。我們只是呈現事實，並試圖深入探討背後真正發生的事情。我們並沒有說這些電子傳教士真的公開宣稱只要每月付款就能得救。但我們相信，對許多人而言，實際上發生的正是這種情況。」

In the past, Jehovah's Witnesses were highly critical of preachers who used "expensive" technologies to reach a "niche" audience. They required a "constant" stream of donations and they likened it to salvation in exchange for a monthly check.

They even denounced these pastors for not using the Bible enough in their sermons and instead relying on a somewhat informal, conversational method of delivery.

Yet today, they have themselves, adopted all of these methods. They've even gone so far as to say that JW Broadcasting is a privilege that should not be taken for granted. Their videos are often not optional. You WILL watch them at the meeting, if nothing else.

They also beg for money constantly. In fact, beg is the wrong word here. They demand money and have in fact linked it with salvation. They often discuss how "something" should be set aside for "Christ's Brothers" (and brides, so brother brides). That the difference between a sheep, who gets everlasting life and a goat, who gets destroyed by God, is directlyy tied to the physical, emotional, and spiritual comfort that individuals provide to the governing body.

Below, I have linked to the article "The Electric Church Turns On" as well as a "From Our Readers" article that expands on the topic and really demonstrates that this is a different religion than in days past. Their old literature and comments condemn the new-age JWs (although the previous ones kind of sucked too, tbh).

https://wol.jw.borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101981202

The Electric Church Turns On

THE preacher wears no black robes. Instead, he glistens in a three-piece white polyester suit. He presides over no altar, but roams over the multilevel stage of his television “cathedral,” bathed in klieg lights. Polished to a mirror finish, with every step outlined in flashing lights, and numerous backdrops constantly changing the scene, the stage itself seems to be the star of the show.

It is time for prayer, but this is no ordinary prayer. The preacher pauses before a table full of letters from his “prayer-key family” and settles down on one knee before the table, hands reverently clasped together. His freshly scrubbed choir takes its place, forming a semicircle behind him. As the preacher prays, the choir hums along, the lips of each member just caressing a microphone, nightclub-style.

At the close of the prayer the scene dissolves to a videotaped commercial plugging the preacher’s “prayer-key family.” It is very professionally done. An elderly woman, obviously devout and lonely, is shown writing the preacher a letter. In the voice-over she tells how her loneliness, and most of her other problems, have vanished since joining the “prayer-key family.”

Now we return to the preacher, just in time for his sermon. There is no Bible-waving. The sermon is “cool,” in TV jargon, which means the preacher is talking to you as he would if he were in your living room. Again and again he makes the same point. If you want your prayers to be answered you must join his “prayer-key family.” Where does the key fit in? “Prayer is the key,” he earnestly intones, “that unlocks the bank of heaven.”

This is one example of the attention-grabbing phenomenon in American religion​—the Electric Church. Its newly attained sophistication and popularity are sending religious and political shocks through the United States. Its brightest stars are taking in more money than most large American denominations. Who are they? Where did they come from? What do they stand for?

The Electric Church consists of TV preachers who buy their own air time and use it to get contributions with which they buy more air time, and so on. Of course, most TV stations are leery of selling time to a preacher who is only going to dun their viewers, so the preachers have elaborate ways of avoiding the appearance of asking for funds over the air.

What are some of these? They encourage their viewers to write in for a free pin or “prayer key,” at which point the viewers are put on a computerized mailing list, and then the hard sell begins. Or they offer a televised “counseling service,” and those who call for help are later contacted by mail. Computerized mailing has made the Electric Church a very profitable business. How profitable? Here are some typical figures:

Oral Roberts, former Pentecostal faith-healer, now somewhat toned down as a Methodist, $60,000,000 a year.

Jerry Falwell, Lynchburg, Virginia, Baptist with a strong political message, over $50,000,000 a year.

Pat Robertson started the first popular religious guest interview show and now has his own network broadcasting from his new $20,000,000 headquarters. His Christian Broadcasting Network took in $70,000,000 last year.

Jim Bakker, formerly associated with Robertson, has started his own guest show, and his network grosses $53,000,000 a year.

Rex Humbard, with his “Cathedral of Tomorrow” and its spectacular stage, takes in $25,000,000 or so.

The list goes on and on. All told, the top start of the Electric Church are able to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to buy air time every year. Where do they get it?

Most of the people who watch the Electric Church are not rich. Benjamin L. Armstrong, who coined the term “Electric Church,” explains: “As part of the Electric Church concept, the listener is conditioned to give.” Most of those millions of dollars come to the Electric Preachers $25 or $50 at a time. Jerry Falwell, for example, may get 10,000 letters in a typical day’s mail, over half of which contain contributions.

A prisoner in Pontiac, Michigan, was surprised to receive a computer-written request for $35. Why? He says: “The machine-printed note explained that a friend of mine, who wished to remain nameless, had . . . requested that a special prayer be said in my behalf on the air . . . The prayer had been said, but my friend had not responded to the subsequent required ‘donation card’ that had been mailed. Would I be kind enough to send a check?”

Sometimes the pitch for money is more subtle. “I saw a television show the other day that epitomized my fears about paid religious broadcasts,” said one observer. “The preacher put two phone numbers on the screen during the program. One was a toll-free number for those viewers who wanted to make contributions, and the number for people who wanted counseling was not toll-free.”

Why the constant demand for money?

One reason is that the Electric Church has been made possible by a great deal of very expensive technology. Most religious broadcasters could never compete with regular network programming for the America mass audience. When a religious program comes on TV, most people, bluntly put, turn it off. The problem for the Electric Church is: How can they reach the dedicated minority of viewers who want to watch religious programs?

The answer? “Revolutions in satellite technology, breakthroughs in computer applications, and the advent of cable TV systems and new over-the-air stations are turning the U.S. into a global village and making it economical to ‘narrowcast’ to a relative handful of supporters,” as Forbes magazine points out. “So what if not everyone wants to watch a religious program? . . . TV, like magazines, can now cater to specialized audiences.”

The result is a different economics for the Electric Church. The viewers do not support these programs indirectly by purchasing soap flakes that have been advertised on the show. Instead, they must support the programs directly with their contributions. Soliciting and maintaining those contributions has become a massive computerized operation for most of the stars of the Electric Church. The computer is as vital to the Electric Church as the television tube.

The need constantly to raise money traps Electric Preachers in a boom-or-bust cycle. Big projects, like “cathedrals” or universities or hospitals, are started, followed by desperate pleas to the faithful for more money to “finish God’s work.” As a local banker said of one Electric Church superstar: “There’s only one problem with a ministry like Jerry’s. He can’t stop raising money; if he does, it all falls apart.”

This aspect of the Electric Church may remind thinking Christians of Jesus’ words found in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus pointedly said, “No one can slave for two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will stick to the one and despise the other. You cannot slave for God and for Riches.”​—Matt. 6:24.

With the preachers of the Electric Church constantly in need of vast contributions from their viewers, is it likely that they will risk offending those viewers? Hardly. The theology of the Electric Church, not surprisingly, is simplistic and self-gratifying. “Ask not what you can do for your religion; ask rather what your religion can do for you,” as Forbes put it.

Even some sympathetic to the Electric Church admit that it has little content. As evangelical theologian Carl F. Henry observes: “Much television religion is too experience-centered, too doctrinally thin, to provide an adequate alternative to modern religious and moral confusion.” In other words, TV religion cannot really help you to solve life’s problems.

Instead, as Harvard divinity professor Harvey Cox notes, the preachers of the Electric Church “are merely perpetuating and deepening the values of a materialistic consumer culture. They are helping people to accept some very shallow values, while promising easy salvation in the most commercial setting.”

How does that message square with Jesus’ warning that the road to life is not easy, but difficult​—“narrow is the gate and cramped the road leading off into life, and few are the ones finding it”? (Matt. 7:14) Does that sound as though eternal life can be yours merely by dialing Channel 21?

Consider this further admonition from Jesus Christ: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross [torture stake, New World Translation] daily, and follow me.” (Luke 9:23, Authorized Version) Does a person deny himself and take up his “cross” daily propped in front of the TV? Could Jesus Christ really approve of a religion that promises people easy salvation​—no torture stake, no self-denial—​for just a monthly check to somebody’s “worldwide TV ministry”?

Rather, it looks as if the Electric Church is a 20th-century example of what the apostle Paul warned Timothy about when he said: “For there will be a period of time when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories.”​—2 Tim. 4:3, 4.

Why are people willing to give millions of dollars to support the Electric Church? Because they are being told what they want to hear. They are assured that God will answer their prayers. They do not have to deny themselves or ‘bear a cross’ or do the work Christ did, but they are “saved” and God loves them​—just as long as they keep those checks coming in.

However, even if the theology of the Electric Church is vague and imprecise, its politics are clear and specific. That is the subject of the following article.

[Blurb on page 5]

The theology of the electric church is simplistic and self-gratifying

[Blurb on page 6]

Even some sympathetic to the electric church admit that it has little content

[Blurb on page 7]

“They are helping people accept some very shallow values, while promising easy salvation in the most commercial setting”

https://wol.jw.borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/101982091

From Our Readers

The Electronic Church

I also find many faults with the Electric Church. But you are distorting the message of the Electronic Church horribly. I doubt if one, a single one, has ever offered salvation in return for a “monthly check.” Your reporting is distorted and not responsible​—it is not a good Witness! God’s salvation for us is given to us by Him alone. We cannot buy it with a monthly check. And we can’t earn it by self-denial or torture (although I do believe we are called not only as Witnesses but also to deny ourselves). For by Grace we are saved and this is only through faith. Salvation is a gift of God (not because of works) as Eph. 2:8, 9 clearly instruct us.

G. N., Illinois

We did not distort the facts. We presented the facts and then endeavored to probe beneath the surface to get the real meaning of what is taking place. We did not say that various Electronic preachers actually come right out and offer salvation in return for a monthly check. But we believe this is, in effect, what is taking place with many. We do not state that one can earn salvation by self-denial or by taking up the torture stake, but Jesus did say such was included if we were to follow him. And the disciple James wrote clearly that faith without works was dead.​—Luke 9:23; James 2:17,James 2:17,26.​—ED.

https://preview.redd.it/8w68o8s6znzg1.png?width=1915&format=png&auto=webp&s=02f7d0854dd70fa482035eb5e94fb6d7fb9e89b9

https://www.jw.borg/en/library/series/more-topics/meeting-mankinds-energy-needs/

Could you imagine going about your day and being stopped by a Jehovah's Witness to talk about the world's energy crisis....only to be shown this slop?

https://preview.redd.it/j34ryo2tznzg1.png?width=1531&format=png&auto=webp&s=59ebdb6193fbb12d2efb90467efe254f6b748338

It makes so much sense now. Why invest in windmills and alternative energy sources? After all, God is not partial. Therefore, we'll all have equal access to energy in the future. Will that be in the form of Angel Brand batteries that never die? Who knows! But, rest assured that money is better off being given to the governing body instead of being used to develop solutions to real problems today. After all, their electric bill has gone up lately and they're scared of the dark. Remember though, it's not hypocritcal because Jesus wants them to be comfortable (not you though).

https://preview.redd.it/yoizkkua0ozg1.png?width=1552&format=png&auto=webp&s=203754692472ef4588d1e13c28dad5c0f8899402

Ah, another astounding, genius level point was made here. Bad weather only occurs because of sin. If we weren't sinners, then we would live in harmony with nature. In the new system, static will no longer build up in the air due to differences in weather temperature and lead to lightning that strike your satellite dish.

Jehovah just doesn't prevent it from happening today because Adam and Eve ate some fruit 6000 years ago. Right.

Also! We're going to discover incredibly advanced energy production methods using low-tech, non-invasive methods due to God's wisdom. After all, the Bible says Jehovah has dynamic power, which is exactly the same thing as telling us he understands how energy works and can teach us new technology.

Just like how bodybuilders double as dieticians and geneticists.

https://preview.redd.it/l51cmb312ozg1.png?width=873&format=png&auto=webp&s=59007fa3834ddc38531a3397021b00fd980f08f0

As usual, the Governing Body comes in and saves the day by making common recommendations that everyone is already doing/knows about.

Any bethelites here today?

Are these suggestions all being used at bethel? I've visited several branches all of the world and I've never seen the lights turned off during the day. The air-conditioning seemed prtty okay in all the offices I visited.

Did the GB cycle everywhere when HQ was still in the city?

Something tells me that bethel is not the shining example here.

I would be so annoyed if I was in a desperate enough situation to give this a serious read, only for it to turn out to be the most bland and basic information available mixed with vague promises about the future that do not help me at all in the present.

It is well-noted that the literature provided "by" Jehovah "through" the Governing Body is often contradictory. However, I often find it amusing how blatant they are with it.

For example, you can consider the issue of smoking.

https://www.jw.borg/en/library/magazines/wp20140601/bible-about-smoking/

The borg adopts a loose intrepration when discussing this issue. It's a behavior that they personally view as bad, and so even though the Bible doesn't comment on it, you can't do it and can be disfellowshipped for it (Note: I do not smoke. I have never smoked. I have zero desire to smoke).

Yet, when it comes to the concept of traveling the stars, readers are told to adopt a strict constructive view of the Bible. The Bible does not say man was meant to explore space, therefore it's not our purpose, therefore it won't happen in paradise.

https://wol.jw.borg/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/1954167

This dichotomy has always been interesting to me. There are of course many different examples of this kind of a flip-flop in their literature, but it seems to boil down to whether or not the governing body perosnally believes something is possible or not.

Science doesn't matter, archeology doesn't matter, even the Bible itself doesn't matter. God's will and thoughts are based upon the feelings of those in charge. Full stop.

I have recently done some digging and have found information regarding the financial status of Jehovah's Witnesses in Taiwan.

The information I found, unfortunately, does not tell us how much money they received via donations nor how much money they have sent outside of the country. However, the information does tell us their maintained assets from year-to- year on a per legal entity basis.

We can also see who the big players are in the Taiwan branch over time (surprise surprise, some of them have even appeared in Watchtower articles in the past, but only the white ones from what I've seen so far).

If you have any information regarding the financial information of Jehovah's Witnesses in your country, please consider posting here in English, as well as your native language (if not already English) so that the information becomes as transparent as possible.

財團法人台灣耶和華見證人 - This is the main branch

Here is a link to their current registration, current sitting members on the board of directors, and current in-country assets :

https://aomp109.judicial.gov.tw/judbp/whd6k/q/JZdS7FxRdFR5WxVf1UYI9o9oZ3FrXSOM3W_OoaHGNUc5hG_Kbu51bkpu5tqq

https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/5518411e-2b14-4d92-acc9-17deacb5b862/2020-10-28/ (historical financial data 2015-2023, including names of directors)

Total assets: 172,548,141 NTD (around 5,751,604.7 USD)

Do not be fooled though, they hide funds in their sub branches.

Their sub-branches are as follows:

財團法人台灣中區耶和華見證人 - central

https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-869107-59d28-1.html

https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/c16a73cd-2ba1-4454-9351-e6df72a36dc8/ (historical financial data 2022-2023, including names of directors)

Total assets: 49,169,344 NTD (around 1,638,978.13 USD)

財團法人台灣南區耶和華見證人 - south

https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-1082571-ebdf0-1.html

https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/38f9c30a-e159-4a23-898f-ab1ff7237f9b/ (historical financial data 2022-2025, including names of directors)

Total assets: 81,751,251 NTD (around 2,725,041.7 USD)

財團法人台灣南區耶和華見證人 - north

https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-863390-1c3f3-1.html

https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/544137a5-02cc-4bd4-acb0-2b20acb5b862/2022-08-29/ (historical financial data 2002-2023, including names of directors)

Total assets: 87,265,368 NTD (around 2,908,845.6 USD)

財團法人台東耶和華見證人 - east

https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/544137aa-9e68-479c-8458-2b20acb5b862/2022-10-21/

https://foundations.olc.tw/name/%E8%83%A1%E5%BE%B7%E8%B2%A1/ (historical financial data 2019-2022, including names of directors)

Total assets: 13263942 NTD (around 442,131.4 USD)

---------------------------------------

最近稍微研究了一下，找出了關於台灣耶和華見證人財務狀況的一些資料。雖然這些資料沒顯示出他們具體收到了多少捐款，或者匯了多少錢到國外，但可以看到各個法人實體歷年來的資產狀況。

此外，資料也顯示了台灣分部的長期核心成員（有些成員曾出現在《守望台》的文章中）。

主要的法人實體為：財團法人台灣耶和華見證人

以下是該組織目前的登記資訊、董事會成員及在台資產：

• 司法機關登記：https://aomp109.judicial.gov.tw/judbp/whd6k/q/JZdS7FxRdFR5WxVf1UYI9o9oZ3FrXSOM3W_OoaHGNUc5hG_Kbu51bkpu5tqq
• 歷史財務資料 (2015-2023)：https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/5518411e-2b14-4d92-acc9-17deacb5b862/2020-10-28/
• 資產總額：172,548,141 元新台幣（約 5,751,604.7 美元）

除了主體之外，還有其他的地區分支法人：

財團法人台灣中區耶和華見證人

• 登記資訊：https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-869107-59d28-1.html
• 歷史資料：https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/c16a73cd-2ba1-4454-9351-e6df72a36dc8/
• 資產總額：49,169,344 元新台幣（約 1,638,978.13 美元）

財團法人台灣南區耶和華見證人

• 登記資訊：https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-1082571-ebdf0-1.html
• 歷史資料：https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/38f9c30a-e159-4a23-898f-ab1ff7237f9b/
• 資產總額：81,751,251 元新台幣（約 2,725,041.7 美元）

財團法人台灣北區耶和華見證人

• 登記資訊：https://www.judicial.gov.tw/tw/cp-144-863390-1c3f3-1.html
• 歷史資料：https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/544137a5-02cc-4bd4-acb0-2b20acb5b862/2022-08-29/
• 資產總額：87,265,368 元新台幣（約 2,908,845.6 美元）

財團法人台東耶和華見證人

• 歷史資料：https://foundations.olc.tw/foundations/view/544137aa-9e68-479c-8458-2b20acb5b862/2022-10-21/
• 相關資料：https://foundations.olc.tw/name/%E8%83%A1%E5%BE%B7%E8%B2%A1/ 
• 資產總額：13,263,942 元新台幣（約 442,131.4 美元）

所有這些法人實體的登記地址與全國總部的地址相同，且登記的成立目的也完全一致。

So, my network has come through for me again. People are receiving their assignments and discussing them openly, which has made its way to me, and now the rest of you.

As some of you may recall from my previous posts on the topic, they were demanding 4000 out of 11,000 ish JWs to volunteer to help the convention. I'm not sure if they met that number or not, but I'm sure that there will be some kind of announcement if they did once it's done and over with.

All prospective volunteers had to sign up through their JWhub account. They were all required to send full length, or at least waist up photos of themselves, to the branch via JW hub. This was used as their profile picture.

Then they were interviewed in phases.

The interviews consisted of personal questions about your relationship status, whether or not you had a car, could obtain a car, and willingness to volunteer for pre-covention, convention, and post-convention activities.

Interivews were conducted via zoom and people were often assigned an interview time, and then made to wait in the zoom room for a brother to interivew them. A sister would act as the secretary and ask other personal questions before the brother would enter the zoom room 5-15 minutes late. It seems like this was purposeful to collect more information (as from what I've heard, the interviews all ended on time).

The assignment breakdown so far is as such:

The bethel congregation, as well as the commuter congregations, do not have any congregation assignments. Go figure.

The southern congregations, which are closer to where the event will be held, have assignments. The rural congregations in particular are responsible for taking 50+ people to service with an emphasis on taking them to indigenous reservations.

Besides the "ooh and ah" effect, thi sis probably calculated as Catholic missionaries spent like literally hundreds of years preaching to indigenous people in Taiwan and as such, while the ethnic Chinese people are usually Daoist the indigenous are primarily Catholic.

They are well known for having a willigness to discuss the Bible, or at least have more postive interactions with bible thumpers due to a belief in Jehovah (the Chinese catholic bible, heheben 和合本, uses the name Jehovah and it is a name indigenous people are familiar with).

Volunteer translators are assigned to accompany them and help the congregation with communication, but in practice, when you have 100 people descending on a series of reservations, there is no way to translate for everyone. In that regard, I would imagine that the "delegates" won't actually be doing service, but will be standing next to locals and it will give off the appearance of great interest. Of course, it should be noted, that while there are indigneous Jehovah's Witnesses, 90% are ethnic Chinese in Taiwan, so that should say something about their true success with this segment of the population.

Individual assignments are being handed out as well.

There is a whole committee working on dressing up ethnic Chinese as native indigenous, in their garb, learning their dances, songs, so that they can give a very indigenous show to the coming delegates. They of course are happy if the few indigenous JWs are willing to do it themselves, but there is not enough. The rest of the year though, indigenous culture is not something the branch is interested in.

They will also be visiting the Taiwan Indigenous Culture Park, among other places. Again, this is so that they can see indigenous dance perfomances (even the ones that indigenous JWs are banned from doing for being spiritistic). I do know the specific dates they will be arriving at certain events, but I'll refrain from listing them.

Another interesting thing that I have noticed is how the assignments are being given. From what I've heard, the younger, prettier, and thinner you are the more visible of an assignment you will have. Ability to speak English is a factor, but not that important if you are a young single sister that is considered beautiful.

If you are a bit older, overweight, but speak English very well, you will be given a less visible position like lost and found versus being assigned to the English department. This department is apparently full of young single sisters that do not speak English. It's okay though, they're practicing scripts so that they'll be ready by the time the convention comes.

That's it for now, there are more details that I have heard but I am still waiting on further confirmation.

The governing body loves to tout how Jehovah's Witnesses, as the only true Christians in existence, are proud to be no part of the world. Yet, as is often commented upon here, this could not be further from the truth.

Throughout most of history, people went to sleep not long after sunset. After all, it was dark and there was not much that could be done without sunlight. Sure, fire existed, but nightlife, as we know it, did not really exist until electrical lighting became common.

Prior to this, most people had a rest cycle known as biphasic sleep, wherein they would sleep early in the evening for a few hours, wake up for a couple hours, and then sleep again until morning.

This is the natural sleep cycle of humans.

Now, I'm not suggesting that the current, single 8 hour block is harmful, but rather it is a bi-product of societal shifts.

Certainly, it's not political to sleep for 8 hours, but one would think that the governing body would desire to encourage a lifestyle that was closer to what Jehovah intended. Wouldn't he bless them for it?

But what do we see instead? 99% of congregations have at least one meeting that occurs well after sunset. Bethel work continues until 5 pm for most, and they praise those who conduct studies at 10 pm at night.

They subscribe to a structure from Satan's system, which as I recall, is a big no no for Jehovah's Witnesses.

Is this the biggest deal in the world? Not at all, I just found it humorous. When you read the Bible, even the Jews do not have many activities that go beyond sunset, and even then, i twas typically in a much smaller community wherein one could simply return to their lodgings in a matter of minutes (walking). Yet, JW planning does not take this into account.

As a child, I remember hearing people rip on other churches for only having one service per week, or for having optional services. Yet, this is a holdover from a time when biphasic sleep was most common.

In fact, multiple church services didn't really become common until the 1920s. Christendom had the problem of too many people crowding into their churches each week and they wanted to ease their capacity burden. So, our double mandatory meetings per week was just another case of jealous Rutherford trying to compete with other churches since his was so small.

Of course, again, the difference was, a second meeting in Christendom was one that you could choose to attend. If you were tired, there was no need to attend a second mass, but Rutherford, not understanding or caring about the purpose of something, decided to hop on a bandwagon as ensure that any underlying kindness was sucked out of it.