by highdose 26 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
In all my 30yrs of being a JW (raised in) NOT ONCE did I ever read a Yearbook. Had no desire to!
And NO....did not believe the stories in there. I used to call the book "Aesop's Fables Part 2" whenever the latest copy came out - because in my mind, the stories were always too far fetched to be real.
The major problem with publications in general is that you don't get the complete story.
To keep this short, let me say that we knew a brother from our area who became a missionary in Africa. As he was traveling with several others, there was a road block by some rebels. They explained who they were, showed them the literature and eventually were allowed to pass through. The Yearbook (I forget if it was yearbook or a WT/Awake) mentioned his experience about how the angels protected them when they showed the rebels their literature, clothing, etc. The actual events as told were true.
However, when the brother told the story himself, it wasn't just JW's that were let through. There were others (I believe a group of 7th day Adventists) that were also detained and also allowed to pass. In fact, they let them go through even faster since the rebels were more familiar with their work in the area. So when you leave the 7th day Adventists out of the account, it's much easier to speak about Divine protection.
So it's not always what is stated in the articles, but what is left out.
Rub a Dub
No I did not believe them especially after I learned the stories given from the platform at conventions were baloney too, like onthewayout already said.
I have personal first hand experience of this. As a CO was looking for a certain experience to be given at a convention and the elders in my hall told him to speak with me because I always had good experiences in service. But I did not have the specific experience he was looking for so he had the audacity to ask me if I would "embelish" one of my experiences to make it fit the convention. I said NO. And he was dumbfounded that I would not lie for the organization. He kept saying, its just stretching the truth a little. \
When I refused to do it, another sister in our hall did it. The whole time she was up there giving her "experience", I was angry and told my hubby right then and there her experience was bulls**t and I knew it. He kept shushing me so none of the others around us heard. I was sooo mad that day.
I never even read the yearbooks
But when an example from the yearbook was brought out in a talk or a comment I believed the majority of them and thought wow that brother/sister has some faith!
Now when I hear them at meetings I try not to be so obvious when I roll my eyes. I'm sure 99% of them are only 1% truthful, and the rest is all BS
rubadub said:
"It just gets to be too much when someone is quoted as saying, "Jehovah provided me a pioneer partner, or a place to live, or some money for clothes for the assembly, or whatever ....... "
I couldn't agree more, that is a reason i quit helping one particular sister, all we ever heard from aiding her was that, "Jehovah provided I am so gratefull to Jehovah" so i told her the last time she asked for aid, that no you say Jehovah will provide well learn to wait on him until he provides and I left it at that, needless to say, "help" wasn't fortcoming from anyone especially Jehovah. She had to get herself out of the fix for a change and of course "J" provided. What horse pucky.
Isn't it always in Africa that the brothers and interested people walk 20 miles in one direction every week to meetings, encounter aligators in rivers, and they to carry their clothes on their heads through those rivers because their canoe sprang a leak? Balony.
Yes, I believed it but it was a bit hard to when I read those kinds of stories. I mean, I would never have done it, meaning that I was not as spiritual as the brothers in Africa and India. I think that is exactly the reaction the WTS wanted to get out of people who read their convoluted stories.
Guilt, guilt, and more guilt.
aligators in rivers,
No, dear White Dove, they are crocodiles....very ferocious....and usually the brother only has one leg, too.....
what i remember most about the yearbooks were the constant stories giving praise for the career of being a janitor. EVERY "and he put Jehovah first" story had a brother giving up a real career to be a fucking janitor. What in the fuck is wrong with those senile idiots on the governing body? I mean COME ON. The only career that lets me say "I"M PUTTING JEHOVAH FIRST" (Whatever the FUCK that means) is being a janitor?
There is something REALLY wrong with people who would write such trash.
Yes, Quandry, you're right. I forgot. That brother (always a brother in these stories) lost his leg the last time he crossed that river, but he......PUT JEHOVAH FIRST AND TRUSTED THAT HE WOULD GET ACROSS THAT RIVER UNSCATHED! *Q the roaring clapping*
I have been one of the Experiences,on the Assembly Stage..
I was a little kid at the time..
The story given from that stage was no where near what happened..
There were elements of truth..
But..
The real and whole story,was never told..
Many people on this board have had the same experience..
Thier storys were "Doctered Up" too..
I would be very surprised,if the yearbook was any different..
&
