A Testimony of Filth?

Perry

At age 23 I became a witness after being raised in it from infancy. That made me a 4th genreation witness. The first Hall I went to was the Airport Congregation in Houston. The Presiding Overseer left his wife and beautiful little girls for some chick at his office. His wife started dressing seductively shortly thereafter. I felt so sorry for her for being abandoned. She was already really cute IMO.

The next Hall I attended was the Carrollton Congregation in Dallas. I was only there for a few months, long enough to get baptized and learn from an elder that "the bible wasn't written for the Great Crowd but only for the 144.000. Why wasn't I told earlier about this?

After that I attended the Forrest Congregation in Dallas where the PO was disfellowshipped for hosing around on his wife and several elders were later removed for God knows what. While I was regular pioneering there, a ministerial servant started sleeping with another ministerial servant's wife. Both of them were regular pioneers. She had two teenage sons.

After that I moved to San Antonio and attended the Lockhill congregation when shortly thereafter a married elder was removed for doing something with a really cute married pioneer sister who was also removed. They used to go make calls with each other alone while I was left to door knock alone.

After that I called it quits and moved away to college. When I returned to San Antonio an old JW friend saw me riding my Harley and waved me down. We went to go get a beer and he told me his wife left him and their three kids and ran off with an elder who had four kids. She moved to her fathers' congregation where he was an elder to plan her reinstatement with her new husband... the ex-elder-now-husband. They were all mercifully re-instated while my buddy battles the bottle to cope.

My friend has been a wreck ever since and is thank god out of the borg. However, last Saturday he stopped to administer first aid to a family of victums in a car wreck. He has training in EMS stuff. The father in the car recognised him and said hey ****** is that you. Then my friend remembered him as an elder. The elder's daughter told him congratulations on his youngest daughter's wedding the previous Saturday and that it was so beautiful. My friend look stunned and said, "My youngest daughter got married"? They changed the subject quickly. My friend wasn't even notified about the wedding. The ex-wife threatened everyone with silence. You guessed it the young daughter married a JW ..... the cycle continues. A while back, my parents lectured my new wife and I for three hours about how they could not ever see us or our new baby because I didn't go to the Hall anymore. (The real reason was that I accepted Christ). Several weeks later my brother who was an elder was disfellowshipped for hosing around on his wife. When I pulled up to at least drop pictures in my parents mail box of their new grandson, he stopped by, opened their house with his own key and proceeded to tell me how he eats with mom and dad most every night now that he's getting a divorce and is disfellowshipped. I don't cheat on my wife but I'm not good enough to be in their presence. Apparently neither are my children (we're pregnant again).

Why don't long term witnesses get the overwhelming proof available all around them that adherence to WT teachings does not improve morality, in fact it probably makes it worse?

What-A-Coincidence

ahh yes...the future princesses of the earth

saki2fifty

A testimony of Filth? Absolutely... A testimony of Filth, for those involved... not the congregation/s. Otherwise, all religeous organizations are Filth.

Arthur

Why don't long term witnesses get the overwhelming proof available all around them that adherence to WT teachings does not improve morality, in fact it probably makes it worse?

I think the problem is that most Witnesses do not have their conscience trained by the Bible (as they so often claim); but it is trained by the Governing Body.

The publications and assemblies constantly throw around the cliches about having a "Bible trained conscience". But is this really the case with the rank and file Witnesses? No. It is the Governing Body a.k.a. faithful slave that dictates to the r&f what their conscience should and should not allow. The whole having a "Bible trained conscience" is a myth and a smokescreen. It doesn't exist.

The Bible contains basic dictums and principles about cleanliness, morality, and love. But the GB does not trust the "flock" to make intelligent, rational decisions in these areas. They believe that it is their job to take these principles a step furthur, and micro-manage people's lives and thoughts. And this is the problem.

I think that many JWs dutifully follow the "theocratic legislation" that is passed by the GB out of an irrational reverence for a committee of men. Every Christian religion with at least a particle of rationality will always pay lip service to "following scriptural principals". Yet, often, it is religious legislators who decide what it is that the Bible is saying.

JWs love to ridicule Catholics who follow all of the decrees issued by the Pope. But how are they any different? Every decree that is passed by the GB regarding healthcare, hobbies, education, entertainment, and even marital sex is expected to be followed to the letter. So, the whole "Bible trained conscience" platitude is a sham. If the GB were to issue a statement that eating Snickers Bars was unscriptural, most JWs would go along with it; and even applaud the GB's "wisdom".

There is an old proverb that talks about those who are forced to accept dictums and ideas; but don't really truly believe in them deep down inside. I can't remember who said it. I am paraphrasing it, and it goes something like this:

" A man convinced against his will is of the same opinion still"

What-A-Coincidence

we had a stupid local needs on respecting the elders 2 month ago.

p.o. passed a WT clipping on how we should respect the elders when they make mistakes.

Since I have been arguing with my mom about this she told me "I told you so, we should forgive their mistakes!" I told her, replace the word mistake for sin. She had no comment.

Yes. Testimony to filth-o-rama.

saki2fifty

No offense people, but how can you classify and entire organization or congregation as filth when only talking about relatively few incidents. Sad story however, for i've seen the same.

Arthur

but how can you classify and entire organization or congregation as filth when only talking about relatively few incidents.

I agree that to characterize 6 million individuals in a negative light due to the actions of a few is irrational. However, I do think that the organiazational authority structure (the way the GB dictates to everyone in detail, what their conscience should and should not allow) does contribute greatly to individuals going through the motions and dutifully following organizational decrees without really developing the true characteristics of morality, chastity, decency, and love deep down inside their hearts. Again, this is not the case with many individuals, but I do think that this phenomenon is a significant factor that is relevant to the thread.

outoftheorg

Saki It is not a relative few. It is at about the same level of society in general.

The reason that it is so disturbing, is that the wbts loudly claims to be the happiest, most moral, and only organization directed by Jehovah, through the holy spirit.

The wbts slams all the other religions for activities of this sort, as being controled by satan.

It is the hypocrisy of it all that is so disgusting.

Outoftheorg

saki2fifty

I agree that to characterize 6 million individuals in a negative light due to the actions of a few is irrational.

And I thought I was going to be slammed... well put comment.

But yes, "outoftheorg", agreed. When one puts themselves above others, claims to be the happiest, moral, etc. people out there, it is a bit disgusting. But are they really doing that? Does the WTS publicy state those claims, do they state they are these things? No. The organization (as well as other orgs) has to set guildlines regarding morality for their followers and those followers try to adhere to the best of their ability. Unfortuneately in the minds of some, the JW followers adhere to those guildlines with utmost devotion... which in return gives the false image of this filth thats being talked about when something wrong happens.

... but am rather impressed with the strong community here.

Arthur

Saki It is not a relative few. It is at about the same level of society in general

I was stating that it was relatively few who were doing things such as having affairs and sleeping around with other members of the congregation. These things may have been an epidemic in some congregations, but this was not the case in the congregations that I attended over a 20 year period. However, I did say that there is an organizational problem with the GB operating as religious legislators, and micro-managing people's lives that I believe contributes to these kinds of problems.

A Testimony of Filth?

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