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RipVanWinkle

Hi,

I chose the screen name of RipVanWinkle because this fictious characher went to sleep and awoke in a different world. Different setting and must have suffered emotional shock. Coping skills needed to be learned.

I sometimes feel a little like him. I didn't go to sleep, but I am living in a different world since late 1970's and early 80's.

I'm not new to Jehovah's witnesses. Really quite an antique. Since I've been active for more than 50 years. Doesn't that qualify me for being an antique? I thought antiques were valuable but don't feel valued.

I know that there have been many changes in the org. When a parent makes a mistake even intentional, it does the kids good to hear "I'm sorry, I was wrong." We have heard this org. called "our mother". Has "our mother" outgrown this parenting skill?

This is not my real issue though. It's the fact that we have been told in the literature and the talks that shepherds are here to help. Yet when an unsuspecting person goes to them for help, not only do they come back empty handed, their confidential talk is spread abroad and later used against them. They become the object of the "spiritual KGB" The caring shepherds have vanished to be replaced by men who are looking out for themselves (their egos) and those who might offer some "pork" to them under the table. Failure to accomodate their wants can be detrimental to your spiritual health.

Then the pubs are told that THEY are the problem their attitude is at the wrong latitude.

I have learned a lot of good things from this org. for which I am grateful, it's just that the walk doesn't match the talk and I am feeling the need to put my feelings under lock and key not openly expressing my concerns.

What has happened over the past 25 or so years? Does anybody feel that a positive change can come? What do you think?

RVW

think41self

Hi Rip,

Like your choice of screen name, it certainly fits the way many of us felt when we left, or were just thinking about leaving.

Do I think there's any hope of the society changing? Not a chance. They have a pretty good thing going, from their point of view. Why mess with success?

I don't know if you're just new to this board, or if you've been checking out others, but welcome:) I also can't tell from your post if you are still a JW. Either way, you can find a lot of help on this board, and others like it. So let us keep hearing from you:)

think41self

RipVanWinkle

Think:

Thanks for the welcome. Yes I am an active witness. My family represents 5 generations of witnesses.

RV

cocolocoii

Hi!
I still a witnees but kind of inactive. I go to the meetings just to please my wife, but I see to the hypocracy of this organization.
Finally my eyes has open to see the reality of life. There is not any organization behind God. Look how the org. only demands more time, resources, and money. They don't even care about their own people. What about our brothers and sisters in other part of the world who Doesn't have hardly anything to eat or wear clothe? Does the org. helps them in any way? The only thing they tell that people is to wait in Jehovah's kingdom. They don't even provide decent kingdom halls for these pour brothers. In the contrary they encouraged them to donated even what they don't have to please Jehovah and be blessed by Him.
That is not the way the first century christian behaved. Paul encouraed the brothers blessed with material things to contributed more to help the ones who were poor. But this is not the case.
Ohhh! But if they helped the brothers in any way they blow the thrompet to let every body know that they are true cristians.
Looks like they forgat What Jesus said about giving without making an spectacle of that.
Pharises!

NothingMan

Rip, Bienvenidos!

Your question as to whether or not the "orginization can make changes or improve" is pertinent. As far as being possible, I believe so. God many times improved groups of people he was dealing with. There have been some new people on the Governing Body recently. I knew one of these men and I feel he will add a fresh new spirit to the group. If I was perfect I would love to bash J.W.s. I am not, so I search for the good within them. Are there good things about this group? Yes. Are there bad things? Yes. Really, I hope for there improvement and if they choose to, yes, there is great reason to see a better orginization. It's there choice.

Hope we hear from you again
"life should be fragrant, roof top to the basement" Bono of U2
exit stage left>NothingMan

RipVanWinkle

Hey!

I appreciated your post! I share your sentiments somewhat. I too am somewhat familiar with one of the new GB as well as with a couple of the old. Have had one as a guest and he and his wife were delightful. I also am personal friends with a couple who have been appointed to new positions in the legal corporations.

I too believe that the Bible's message has the power to change peoples' lives and I've lived long enough to see it happen over and over again. However, I've also seen how the focus seems to have gotten fuzzy. If there were no pubs there would be no need for elders, ms, DO's, CO's etc. Somehow enough have lost sight of the word "servant" and now want to be served. I have had too many close friends who have becomed disillusioned because of the rough, uncaring treatment received. They have been badly bruised and those who are in a majority position to help are blind and deaf. So some of us try to take up the slack to encourage such ones to raise their eyes to the "Ones" who can read our hearts and minds. But how long before relief comes?

I cannot understand how those in positions to make decisions (Brooklyn) cannot feel, hear, and act on behalf of such suffering ones like Jesus who quoted Isa. 61: There are those who are brokenhearted and broken in spirit and no one seems to notice. Those whose spiritual life is oozing from them and they are passed by on the other side of the road.

Where is the "Good Samaritan"? Where? How can we boast when so many suffer??

BTW how did you come across that name?? Is it a humble name?

RVW

metatron

Welcome Rip!

I'm very surprized by the number of ex-Witnesses I
encounter who have been in the organization for many
decades. It ain't just kids leavin' anymore.

Knowing that we believed this dumb stuff for so
long should keep us humble. I just wish the Society
would stop acting like a cult and make real brotherhood
their goal. Preaching how the "end is very soon" isn't
going to work much longer.

metatron

RipVanWinkle

Hey Coco!

Read your message and I can feel your anguish. I guess I keep thinking about what happened during the days of Israel. When there was a good king in power the people prospered. But when those came to power who did not rely upon Jehovah the whole nation suffered. Yet Jehovah had a purpose (His Son Jesus would come from this nation) so he put up with them until is purpose was fulfilled then he divorced himself from them.

I too sometimes become very depressed at what I see and then I remind myself that "it's between me and Jehovah - not those people". Each one cannot keep himself alive- I cannot look to men for life. So if I can receive some "nourishment" from whatever the direction to help me grow or at least maintain my current status I use it and share with others. Perhaps better days will come. Maybe not during my lifetime, but I cannot help but believe that there is an Almighty power that has brought all that is around me into existence and must surely have a purpose.

Coco, I take it that English is your 2nd language? You do well. Are you from an European country?

RVW

waiting

Hey Rip,

Nice to meet you. I've been a jw for 30 years, inactive now for a year. My husband's 4th generation jw, been in 50 years, also inactive.

We stopped going after dealing with the Service & Legal Dept. on a messy business deal with our local KH. Attorneys, etc., involved in the sale. Legal dept. told our attorney to go ahead and sue the local elders, but that there was no way we could touch the WTBTS. In fact, their attorney said that elders were sued all the time.

The the Service Dept told our CO to not speak to us after we approached him, and he call the Service Dept. with our file number. They told him that they "would handle us." We've been waiting to be "handled" for about 1.5 years now.

I clicked onto the net to see if anybody else had experienced anything as rare as this in our spiritual Paradise. Ohhhhh, yeaaaah.
Didn't stop reading for 6 months. Still read, still crushed by finding out that I was duped.

Not all bad, but found so much that just doesn't add up for "God's Only Channel to Mankind."

waiting

hippikon

I kind of see the org going the way of early Christianity after the apostles died off. As expectations are not met and the GB die off more compromises will be adopted. The same thing happened to the Lolards, Waldenses the Anabaptists etc. There are already big cracks in the wall of the Watchtower. as far as moving away from the original position of neutrality, the generation, clergy class etc.

What do you think the Watchtower look like in another hundred years or 500 years for that mater? Will they still be preaching the final generation?

Hi! I'm new.

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