JWN, 23 years posting Blondie (page 6)

OnTheWayOut

I certainly don't have 23 years here. I was active here for many years, but many years ago.
I don't mind the crazy differences in paths that we all take, but I wish people would not bully the ones who take very different paths. JWN became too political when I left. I don't mean it has it's own politics. It does, but one can avoid threads or comments that are more scriptural or less scriptural, more opinion than fact. But JWN became a bullying place for actual politics, particularly American politics.

I see that it's mostly back to JW stuff now, so that's good. If a poster wants to post a bunch of scholarly Bible stuff, I can skip past it or make a comment about it. I feel that actively walking up to JW's or zinging JW's at your door is done more for your benefit than for that of the JW on the receiving end. So JWN can be more for our own benefit that that of the readers when we post our strong scriptures, feelings, political leanings. Hey, some of you all really need to post your stuff because nobody in your life away from the keyboard would listen, so go for it.

But, yeah- it's hard on newbies to navigate this place full of such differences. I do like Blondie's thought that "We are here partly to help people trying to leave the WTS, clarify or more correctly 'confirm' their observations with personal experiences and questions of the intent behind the WTS ever-changing doctrines and policies."

It would be great if we could mainly do that. Again, it does seem that it has returned some (IMO).

LV101

Who removed Free's (?) great YouTube link of Steve Miller Band, 'Take the Money and Run'! Is he already defrocked? I can only find ole Garth's, etc.😥

stan livedeath

Take The Money And Run - YouTube

LV101

Thanks, stan livedeath. There's many and finally found the one linked (Chicago concert) that miraculously disappeared. It's better than Costa Mesa (Pacific Beach, Cali) concert. I'll check your link out! Appreciate. Wow --is Steve Miller old and working on new album.

careful

Thank you, Simon, for dumping the trash.

Rattigan350

"Stopping believing in the WTS/GB does not = stopping believing in Jehovah, Jesus and the Bible."

Here's my position on this:

Have you ever heard the phrase: 'While I may not like my family (mother, father, brother, sister, inlaws, aunts, uncles, whatever), if anyone attacks them, I'll defend them. Family is still family.'

While I may not like the elders or the Watchtower in how things are done, if anyone attacks them, I'll defend them. There is a difference between disliking someone and having them or making them as an enemy.

I told a person on another site that all that attacking of the GB is making him an enemy of the JWs. What good does that do? It doesn't accomplish what he thinks it does. It just makes people with that agenda feel better. So does throwing eggs at your neighbor's house.

If there are problems in the organization or religion, then fix them. We don't need to wait for the Governing body permission. Just do what needs done.

The elders in Israel went to Samuel and demanded a king. Jehovah was against that but he gave them that.
David wanted to build the temple. Jehovah didn't need that but he had Solomon build it.

But I guess people would rather call names and sit by and insult. That's the problem I have with people who leave working at the WTS because of their consciences. What does that do? Ray Franz had the power and authority to fix many things. It's like jury nullification. The people have the power. The power resides with the people even in a theocracy.

"I get that the disappointment and wrong doings of the WTS/GB led to the anger/hatred of them."

I don't get that.

Why is there so much stupid stuff out there like people complaining that in 1969 an Awake article said that we won't grow old in this system. As if everything hinges on an Awake article. As if the organization shatters because a writer was overzealous in his faith. They didn't have a governing body back then, just the President and VP and the board of directors. Yeah, mistakes have been made, but the ones that made them are dead and gone.

Why do people talk about Beth Sarim, Russell, Rutherford, etc as if that changes anything.

Or the current governing body. They didn't start anything, they inherited it all. They are taking a more liberal stance and are overruling long held precedent. Rowe vs Wade was overruled by a Supreme Court that inherited it, when they don't like to overrule precedent. Give it time. The main problem is that they are constrained from changing things because Damned if they do, damned if they don't. IF they change 607 or blood transfusions, they will get so much flack from that, it is better to leave things alone.

nicolaou

Rattigan350:
Why is there so much stupid stuff out there like people complaining that in 1969 an Awake article said that we won't grow old in this system. As if everything hinges on an Awake article.

Because it wasn't just one article, it was decades of the same indoctrination year in year out, month in month out ad nauseum. That one article is quoted often simply because it typifies the prevalent attitude at the time so well.

People are pissed because it affected their whole lives.

BluesBrother

As another old timer, although not as long as Blondie, I do share her sadness wren this board descends into meaningless arguments.

You know it is not the religious stuff that offends me but the political. There is a place here for political comment , I know but it should not overwhelm the Ex JW reason for being.

Anyway despite an occasional grumble this place is invaluable for the the nuggets of information I learn … long may it continue!

KerryKing

Rattigan350 a lot of what you say makes total sense for a corporation, but unfortunately not for the body of Christ, which is what they claim to be.

Their lack of honesty, transparency and humility is the main reason people turn against them, we can all forgive an honest mistake, but when the same mistake is repeated over and over again, with zero apology or repentance for the harm caused, and still demanding absolute obedience, well, then it's time to take a good hard look at the entire corporation and all of it's leaders.

Diogenesister

However, these long quoted from someone else's work are best shared through a link, frankly,

I agree Goowy. It's also good to summarise links in your own words do that people can decide whether to have a look.

Many of these posts are not so much an expression of a point of view - just poor attempts at conversion imo.

JWN, 23 years posting Blondie

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