I'm a Neutral Jehovah's Witness (page 2)

claudia

I also send all my love out, and thank you all. I started here because i had no one i felt comfortable discussing certain issues with, as i am being pressured by my family to get baptised.

Caudia, I think that all of us who 'grew up in the truth' got 'nugdged' for baptism. It appears that of late, we are getting younger and younger baptismal candidates. My advice to you would be to wait until you are certain. Be firm about it, after all it's your life. Your parents should respect that you are mature enough to take this very seriously and you may want to reason with them along those lines.

Martini

Dear Friends,

I wish I had more time to spend with you here.Most times all I have time for is to take a quick look and read what all of you are saying without making a reply, but rest assured I will as soon as I can.I am also of the impression that the same goes for all posters here, so let's not get discouraged if participation isn't what we would like it to be...got that Simon:).

Just a thought to those posting here,I'm not too concerned about your status within the Organization. After reading about and dicovering how badly our disfellowshipping policies are affecting former witnesses, I have nothing but compassion for these individuals and their families. Having said that I would still talk to you, even in person if I had to,so long as we can respect one another with fine manners of speech and conduct or as some call it good etiquette,OR heck with just plain good old Christain love.

Claudia,
You raise an excellent subject at this time.
I agree with Frenchy, baptism into the organization is a very serious proposition.I read somewhere that getting baptized is like commiting the 'unforgivable sin'.When you stop and think about this, there is much truth in that so long as your not a baptized publisher the brotherhood will tolerate your lack of living up to the 'status quo'.Even if your were to fall into sin the consequences are not nearly as devastating.
Take your time and weigh out all your options first.

Frenchy,
I think we can be thankful for your input Frenchy given your experience with the Org.Too I can appreciate that your example was not intended to bash the elders or the Org. but simply to support your point.I am hopeful that this DB can continue to
distinguish itself as being a reflection of witnesses who have sincere and honest questions and doubts about our worship with a view to finding realistic solutions and compromise with the organization.

Brothers, is this too much to ask for?

I can see we are all approaching our open-ness with prudence and this is good.
Prov 15:28
The heart of the righteous one meditates so as to answer,but the mouth of the wicked ones bubbles forth with bad things.

Thanks again friends.Talk to you later.

Martini, who can feel the warm winds of change are a comin! Praise Jah.

Frenchy

Thank you, Martini for those gracious words. I would like to express my gratitude as well to all here so far that have shared in our discussions for the fine way in which they have conducted themsleves. It's so pleasant to be with reasonable people. Thank you all.

Stormy

I think all of us from time to time feel like giving up. We just have to rely on Jehovah for our strength to make the right choices.

Edited by - Stormy on 17 April 2000 23:17:39

Frenchy

Stormy, that's an interesting nickname. I have a friend named "Gail" who's nickname is 'Stormy'. "Gail", "Gale"... get it?

Nice to hear from you.

PrettyBaby

*hmmm..."I'm a Neutral Jehovah's Witness"...sounds a bit like "I'm a Bored Jehovah's Witness"...with a descriptive phrase like "tired of the rountine," it makes it sound like you are in a dull marriage...*L* Perhaps you need to look inside for the answers to this one...like, what can I do that would rekindle the zeal I once felt for the truth...how can I develop a closer relationship with Jehovah, especially if I am feeling "Neutral."

I don't think regular attendance at meetings was ever intended to turn into an inconvience to anyone...the truth is in us...and it is our job to find it, and to find happiness in it...but hey, that's just my opinion...*warm smile*

Wishing you find as much love and joy as you have to offer...

~PrettyBaby~

Ben

Hello, Pretty Baby! I know I'm speaking for everyone here when I say that it's nice to have you on board! (Roar from the crowd!)

I hope that you will be a poster and not a lurker.... Hehehehe!

waiting

It's one thing to be an active member of a religion that you truly feel is saying the truth.
Even if you can be spiritually damned if you try to find out if they really are telling the truth.

As long as they were treating me somewhat honestly, I was always counseled to "be quiet - it's just the locals who act that way. Our whole Society is really straight forward - and besides - it's the truth, where else can we go?"

Well, I was quiet, and they treated my family (on different occasions) terribly. I finally decided to look around, surely someone could explain to me why this was happening to us! Our beloved Society was covering up a situation and blaming us instead of our elders - and then told our CO not to talk to us! We know this because he told us those exact words - about the Service Dept. telling him not to talk to us.

I guess I have been in neutral for some time. When in the Watchtower study, I always answer at least 5 times, accurately, and can still read the entire issue of the Watchtower at the same time.

Our speakers are mediocre, and if it's not written word for word for them - they really don't reason well at all. So I sit and read the Bible or Watchtowers.

I haven't gone to a meeting for three months, only on Sundays for the last year. A brother stopped me in the mall recently, wanting to know why I wasn't at the meetings? I said I was doing a lot of studying and thinking. "But you need to be at the meetings!" I said I'm trying to do right by my conscience. "Don't follow your conscience. It's more important to be at the
meetings." Robert, do you understand what your're saying? "Well, if you're conscience is wrong - don't follow it". I just patted his arm and told him I was really trying.

My husband told another close brother that we had been "studying the older WT books." I could have killed him! "Why are you doing that?" I told this brother that I wanted to be sure what I was being made to believe was the truth. And there was nothing wrong in studying. "Your problem is that you study too much."

In other words, a person's conscience, reflection upon Jehovah's actually Bible, and reasoning in our own minds is not as important as going to the meetings.

Curiously, upon discovering the Internet - I found I have to use a dictionary all the time! It's been so long since I've read big words!!!!!!

RedhorseWoman

Wow! Waiting, you have expressed my feelings so poignantly. I had often wrestled with the guilt of feeling bored because I knew what was going to be said before it was ever said.

I never really studied in school but always got good marks....I couldn't understand why it was a requirement to study and underline the publications when it was so easy to pick up and recite the answers.

I always wondered why thinking was discouraged...why Biblical points could not be discussed....why Bible Study meant quoting sentences from the publications, but "putting it in our own words". That is not study...that is recitation.

Not follow your conscience? How odd. What else do we have to guide us as to what is right?

I'm a Neutral Jehovah's Witness

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