News And Links For Ex-Jehovah’s Witnesses: Governing Body Letter, Reduced Magazines

First, a reminder for those who are interested, I am now on Facebook, Google+, and Twitter (though I don’t tweet very much). Feel free to follow me or–even better–say hi!

Governing Body’s Letter re. Reduced Magazines

The Governing Body has noted the growing tendency for people to obtain reading material from the Internet and has carefully weighed the effect this trend is having on the printing industry and on our ability to obtain paper and equipment for printing. Based on these changing conditions, effective with the issues of January 2013, Awake! and the public edition of The Watchtower will be reduced from 32 pages to 16 pages. These magazines that we distribute to the public will….

Jehovah Witnepedia – Exciting and Dedicated Jehovah’s Witness Research

Jehovah Witnepedia is your own personal Jehovah’s Witness Wiki! We’ve started it off by adding our dear friend Lacy Beatty’s Issues With Jehovah’s Witnesses, a therapeutic range of articles that raise some really important questions.

Dear Watchtower: Why the insults and name-calling?

For acting out of conscience, it’s certainly uncalled for to be shunned as an apostate and viewed as dead by family and friends. But according to the July 15, 2011 Watchtower, I’m also “mentally diseased” because it states that all apostates are mentally diseased.

For me, one of the most messed up things about the whole “mentally diseased” issue is the fact that many Witnesses don’t seem to get why it’s a big deal.

Another View of a Kingdom Hall Takeover

Mental Illness in the Origin of Civilization, Religion

Spikins argues that this technological tool revolution may have been triggered by a greater tolerance for people with traits on the autism spectrum. “I’m not saying that someone who isn’t autistic wouldn’t understand this technology, but that the innovation is more likely to come from someone who is systematic and has that unique focus on precision,” she says. Spikins also notes that other hominins, including Neanderthals, show few signs of tool innovation and never reached the level of sophistication achieved by our ancestors.

This probably fits better under news for atheist readers, but it was too cool not to sneak it in. I don’t know if I embrace these ideas fully. Some of the comments to the article are well taken. Still, it’s interesting.

Special Report: Mormonism besieged by the modern age

Did the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints know that members are “leaving in droves?” a woman asked.

“We are aware,” said Jensen, according to a tape recording of his unscripted remarks. “And I’m speaking of the 15 men that are above me in the hierarchy of the church. They really do know and they really care,” he said.

Finally, I will begin attending college in a few weeks. I am stepping down from my full time job and going to work part time so I can focus on school. Never been to college before. Wish me luck, guys. 🙂