You know , It is not only us who are saying these things..The old timers in my family are more critical of the Org.than I am, when they get together and speak their mind.
Where did it all go wrong?
by THE GLADIATOR 31 Replies latest jw friends
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THE GLADIATOR
Thanks for explaining conkers Gopher. At school swapping conkers or giving a choice specimen to a mate was a friendly thing to do.
Flyinghigh said: The WTBTS doesn't want to admit they are wrong all at once.
They have made so many changes with their blood policy, voting, time of the end predictions and interpretation of the bible.
As Witnesses are regularly told not to serve with a date in mind, we could ask whether these failed prophecies matter that much to the membership? The real difficulty facing Jehovah's Witnesses today is not the challenge of picking themselves up, dusting themselves off, and starting all over again. It is whether they are unanimous in the belief that their God is really directing the Watchtower Society.
After more than a century of false prophecy, changes and broken promises it is clear that they have got it all dreadfully wrong. Either the Watchtower Society does have the world’s only special line of communication with God, or they have been guessing. Have they proved themselves to be “faithful and discreet?”
They used to say that - Time will tell.' Time has passed, time has told and they are found wanting.
The problem is that after more than a hundred years of claiming to have the truth, they have got so much wrong and made so many changes. There are too many questions hanging over them.
Have the Watchtower Society demonstrated the correct way to run a society?
Do they have the right to indoctrinate their children into such a narrow cultural mindset?
Are they the perfect model for the world to follow, as they claim to be?
Do they have knowledge that will lead to everlasting life?
Have they dealt with the members in their care in an honest and straightforward way?
They used to say that - Time will tell.' Time has passed, time has told and they are found wanting.
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johnnyc
If you all weren't here complaining about how meetings are getting shorter, there would be a thread about how JW's aren't adjusting to the times in keeping the same rigorous schedule. I guess all those here prefer the intense weekly meetings that JW's had....? I think not. I also get a kick out of those people who talk about the good-ole days when they were in the truth. In reality, there were apostates then who felt the same way you do now, and the only thing that is different is your current perspective based upon your existing association with JWs. There are JW's today who will not be in the future and who will look back on today with great affection.
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THE GLADIATOR
Johnncy
You have an interesting take on the whole Watchtower saga. In your few posts you come across as someone who is an observer in the JW V Ex-JW conflict. You said in another thread:
The beliefs many of you held as sacred, and worthy of spending countless hours spreading to other people, are now the focus of your malcontent. Now, you spend a lot of time working against the very thing you once promoted.
This is what happens when people change sides but they need to work through the emotional baggage that they carry before they can be as detached as you.
It seems you have never been involved to any degree. You have never been chewed up and spat out by the Watchtower machine as many here have?
I left by choice and have fond memories of the time when I was able to believe that I was part of a wonderful organization that offered the answers to all of life's mysteries. All I lost by leaving was my family and my religion. Freedom has its price.
What price have you paid to arrive at where you are?
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DoomVoyager
You can witness via e-mail now instead of going door to door? Where the hell do you get your info?
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jwfacts
Well written post, made me laugh.
I actually believe these are good moves on the part of the Governing Body. The only way the WTS will survive is to go mainstream, and these are just moves in that direction. The less taxing the Witness schedule is, the less likely the hanger-oners are going to care enough to leave. There are still 6 million JWs and growing (sort of), so it is not all bad for them.
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THE GLADIATOR
Doom Voyager: You can witness via e-mail now instead of going door to door? Where the hell do you get your info?
It has always been acceptable to Witness by letter writing and count the time. Emails are letter that can be sent free. We used to do this on rainy days and to start our time at 7am. It is particularly suited for Jehovah’s Witnesses living on disability benefit which covers most of them!
The secret is get a demon free computer. Then, if you take say, 10 minutes to write a letter, then send it to 10 people you can count 100 minutes on your report. Hit them with another email and count 10 return visits.
Get organized for email preaching and you could achieve all you pioneering hours with the touch of a button. This cyber miracle was all predicted in the bible:
‘The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a might nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.’ Isaiah 60:22 NWT
Hope this helps!
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iloowy
> They imagine lawsuits and rioting villagers with pitchforks,
> torches and nooses (shotguns?), outside their Bethel headquarters.
> Well hey, it's possible ain't it?
Yes. But they will see this as a sign of the great tribulation...
--ILOOWY -
JWdaughter
Russell started the WTBTS when the written word was king. Paper, ink-they had credibility. If someone printed it, it must be true. Newspapers exposed corruption.
NOW, we know how little credibility the written word has, we know that people misquote and lie outright. Newspapers are going out of business, and the written word, on paper, is becoming obsolete. The internet is exposing things that folks don't want exposed. Yeah, there are lies out in the net, but part of that is why we are all so much more skeptical, cynical. We know that we need to investigate-not take anything for granted. There is more information than anyone could ever read online-heck, there isn't TIME to read all the WT crap anymore-so much else to see, read, do! -
johnnyc
Gladiator: I know that many people here have hurt over one thing or another. I agree with what you say about most people being able to look back at a time they found the WTBTS a source of great encouragement and spiritual growth. The point I am furthering is that during the same time many here found the WTBTS their "spiritual rock", there were apostates then who despised every utterance made by the WTBTS. So what would be the "good-ole-times" to you, is a time of impiety from the WTBTS for another. This seems to be an inevitable cycle which is due to repeat itself endlessly.