Pudgy

Lett also stated that we should not judge anyone on any subject about which the Bible is silent.

I fully agree with that, but people have their own standards about every conceivable subject and do judge others accordingly. 

I may judge someone for any reason I want … that is what Adults should do. The Universe will “determine” if that is good or bad, automatically.

If I ride a motorcycle or skydive, or choose to carry weapons, as the Apostles did, is not a theocratic issue.

Tyranny is when you think it is, and have the power to enforce it using Congregational Authority attributed to God, or beat scripture to fit whims of lunacy.

5 hours ago, George88 said:

, God is guiding His chosen, responsible people today through the ever-changing norms of this world.

How could you have POSSIBLY missed that GB notice No. 2023- 8 as narrated by GB Bro. Stephen Lett several times SPECIFICALLY STATED the reason for the change on beards was that they were conforming to THE EVER-CHANGING NORMS OF THE WORLD.

Did you even WATCH the video even once?

 Stockholm syndrome is a psychological response where hostages or victims develop positive feelings, empathy, or even loyalty toward their captors or abusers.

It often occurs in situations of intense fear, isolation, and perceived threat to one's life. The term originated from a 1973 bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, where hostages developed a bond with the perpetrators. Even loyalty.

The syndrome involves a complex interplay of psychological mechanisms, including identification with the aggressor, survival instincts, and a coping strategy to endure the traumatic experience. Victims may rationalize their captor's behavior, empathize with them, and form a sense of dependency.

As usual, Georgie, as always you have missed the point.

I am sure everyone who comes here fully understands the symbolism …

…. but many hate how it has neen consintamtly been misapplied as a tool to manipulate the Brotherhood, to maintain ecclestical power to keep the money waterfall flowing.

Remember it was Aaron that misrepresented Jehovah by making the Golden Calf,  declaring

“This is Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt!”.

He convinced the Jews to contribute tons of gold to the project.

Someone should have searched his tent.

There is a reason that above the circuit or district level there is ZERO accountability for contributed funds to the Brotherhood.

I have carefully considered your agenda driven perspective, and what I see is a classic case of Stockholm Syndrome.

57 minutes ago, Anna said:

Jehovah's heavenly organization was obviously never against beards because all the angels had them, including Jesus. 

Since neither have any physical bodies, and any beards are just human artist’s concepts, and neither is there any air to support flapping giant wings (… not to mention shoulder blades as big as a hippo’s … and robes with wing holes …), I like to visualize Jesus’ and the Angel’s beards being giant multi- colored light year diameter Brillo pads. 

Of course, this beggers the question, do the wings molt and the pads rust?

I suspect “Leader” back in Jesus time had a nuanced connotation quite different than the common usage of the word today. 

Everything does have to have an exact label to make precision communications possible. Like “stairs” are inside a house and “steps” are outside a house. Like the word “Leader” today is rather innocuous, but the word “Fuhrer” conjures up a mental image quite different.

For a long time Cornell University in Ithaca, NY used a completely different set of mathematical symbols for Quantum Mechanics interactions than Stanford University in California, which affected the flavor and weight of thought processes.

To avoid  being caught in semantic traps, either someone else's of one’s own it’s important to understand labels.

Thats why I have a Brother Labelmaker, and keep at least a dozen cassettes of black-on -yellow label maker tape on hand. (.. which are actually in a box in a desk drawer, not on my hand …).

The labelmaker resembles an early Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 100 tablet computer because of the keyboard and two to eight line only LCD display, so I have even labeled my labelmaker with a label that says Labelmaker and on the label of my Labelmaker I have a small label that says Label.

It’s like when you order dragonfly ice cream for the frog, and honey ice cream for the bear 

…. don’t get ‘em mixed up !

When I was in Jr. High School, my History Teacher was a WWIi veteran that always wore a suit that looked large on him, and walked with a cane. Many years after his death I read that he lost both legs in a battle. I always knew him, and everyone else knew him as “Mr. Tolliver”.  

One day I asked him how he spelled his name, and he replied “T-A-L-I-F-E-R-R-O”.  I replied “THAT’s not how you spell Tolliver!”,

He replied “That’s my family name… for generations it had been pronounced and spelled that way. I should know.”

So do I, when I use any term, including “bankrupt”.  

Your extrapolations are occasionally invalid. This is one of those times.

Perhaps just a “bad hair day”?

..

Frankly Scarlett, I don’ give a damn!  

YOU made the assertions without proof, Georgie. 

The total irrelevancy of that comment staggers the human imagination.

…. Add to that the fact that the KKK was invented by and staffed by Democrats, and that Trump has never worn a hood, and doesn’t even wear a hat.

That is like saying you would only listen to KKK members if they wore fitted sheets.

George88; You OBVIOUSLY did not recognize that Stephen Lett gave as the reason  for the  change is that THE WORLD APPROVED.

Watch the Video.

Three times.

I wonder what REALLY prompted this out-of-the-blue with no indication dramatic change?

Not some esoteric contrived fantasy explanation to maintain authority ….

THE REAL REASON?

Read carefully the following. Print it out if you have to .

What it is being admitting to is that the GB had been terribly WRONG since the time of Judge Rutherford, and persecuted the Brotherhood and exiled them and chastised them publicly and privately since then.

How many thousands, or tens of thousands of Brothers have been chased away AND had their lives ruined because they could not tolerate this irrational tyranny?

2017 was an interesting year … in a  February 2017 issue of the Watchtower the GB ADMITTED, one time only, that they “were not inspired of God, nor infallible” (paraphrased). 

THIS was circulating at that time. 

You know, someone really aught to send Bro. Lett a copy of the Before an After beard pictures. I think it makes him look very distinguished in a very positive way.

In addition, it would set a very positive example.

Oops. July 7, 2019, I did use the word bankrupt, in a completely different context.

14 minutes ago, Pudgy said:

35 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

I thought it was 1975 that bankrupted you. You have said that often enough—quitting that fine job in Africa and all.

No, I have never, to my rememberance, used the word bankrupt here on the Archive before. I have never once said that before.  
 If you can show I am wrong, I stand corrected.

If not, you are extrapolating.

And for Anna…. what I said is what I meant. (… unless of course it is irony, satire, parody or intended as a joke …)

…. and the above superfluous quotes were a computer glitch during the few minutes the site was not responding ….

20 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

I thought it was 1975 that bankrupted you. You have said that often enough—quitting that fine job in Africa and all.

..

groan

what program do you use?

I am happy the Brotherhood, and my sons, are now free of this tyranny.

It would have helped,  had there been an apology for all the ruined lives.

There was not.

The reason I endured all that is that this was being multiplied all over the Earth by Brothers everywhere and I could not cave in on this issue.

…. but I look at the price I paid, and it bankrupted me.