Posts by umbertoecho

27

Paraplegic JW example used at assemblies

by Alfred in

it seems like every time our circuit failed to meet the field service goals set by our co, the very next circuit assembly would invariably include a talk that mentions a chronically ill paraplegic sister who would dial the phone with her tongue to make return visits or conduct bible studies... i must have heard this experience at least 6 or 7 times in the past 20 years or so.

and every time i heard this recycled talk, they would add even more guilt-inducing twists to it.

to me, it eventually became way to difficult to believe...

umbertoecho

I always feel nauseated when I see incredibly old and infirm brothers and sisters supposedly going out on the work. The agonizingly slow exit from the car as a walker is put in place for them to grasp and shuffle to a door. The panting and sweating and the complicated ritual of somehow getting a magazine or pamphlet out of their bags (this is usually done by the younger sister who is accompanying the elderly one) This example of infirmity and the "dedication" being shown to us younger ones is well designed to create guilt at the very least. For..." If sister Bridget can go out on the work with her cancer and her hip replacement only a few months behind her. And if sister Bridget can struggle through this exhausting process in order to bring the truth to someone. Then you have no excuses to hold up to the society. You are selfish and lazy. You are not applying yourself with all of your heart are you?

I have seen this so often within the congregations that I have attended and I wonder at the indignity of it all. I must sound harsh but really, it makes me think of pilgrimages on hands and knees to some sacred site. I seems to be all for show and as a means of publishing the societies expectations toward all who can still walk without aids. No excuses allowed.

By the way, I am not a young person by any stretch of the imagination. So this is not a rant about youth versus age. It's just an observation about how far a group people will go to make a name for themselves.

Imagine the horror some of the householders must feel upon opening the door and seeing this woman who can hardly stand up. It's a summer morning and the sun is already stinking hot. How must they, the householders feel when confronted by this sort of "witnessing".

62

WT is shorting literature orders by congregation with a problem contributing enough for literature $3500 just for mags

by oppostate in

at our meeting last night there was a talk about having run out of magazines for the last three months.

it's expected this will continue to happen.

the "branch" has not sent the requested number of magazines.

umbertoecho

I went to a meeting a few weeks ago. I had my place saved by my sister who has always been in the org. She saw I had no magazine and went off to correct that situation.

Nothing. Nothing happened. I was refused a magazine, was refused a copy of it. They used to photo copy one if there were not enough. Don't know what to think of this, but it felt very strange to me. I had to sit through this meeting without a study magazine. I have never known the society to do this before.

12

JW Elder Promoting His Business on YouTube

by Samuel in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doizc34ilso.

the person appearing in this video was the presiding overseer of a congregation in which i was serving.

i had served in a lot of congregations over the years and had seen a lot of crazy goings on, but this particular elder was high up on the "crazy list".

umbertoecho

Has anyone heard of Johnston........Johnson? He is or was a JW and had this Magic Pill to put in the tank to make petrol last longer. He was in the congregation close to me. He sent people overseas "friends" of his. I don't know what became of him. I do recall my family saying this...."Perhaps his misconduct is being covered up by Jehovah, in order to keep the societies image clean". He was still in, so to speak, when conducting this shonky business scheme and made millions from it.

Not kidding, this is the actual truth of what I heard from my own family.

18

THEOCRATIC KENOSIS: the Watchtower Organization's ultimate goal for humanity

by TerryWalstrom in

ever wonder why jehovah's witnesses have almost nothing but words instead of love?.

every wonder why jw's praise their corporate leaders rather than jesus?.

every wonder why faith is only demonstrated by allowing children to die and molesters to escape, or disasters to be welcomed through obstinate demonstrations of loyalty to the org?.

umbertoecho

Thank you for this post Terry.

It's very true that once a person has emptied themselves out...so to speak.....in order to take in the religious instruction of the JW religion; only to find they are a very cold breed of people who are confused about their own teachings and afraid of their history.........And once a person starts to investigate this religion and finds the many many changes to doctrine......Well. Everything sort of falls apart for them. Myself included. We have become so hollow we don't know where to turn. I think there is a saying from a Jesuit source about " ...give me a child until he's seven......and you can have him back after that...." Not the best paraphrase I fear, but close enough to the point. A child raised in this religion will rarely find freedom or the peace "within" once they have been taught that everything outside of their version of Godly living is wicked or evil........especially other religions.

This was the case in my family where only one remains fully fixed into their beliefs and practices. Nothing can shift this sister of mine when it comes to extending the sort of kindness or mercy to "all" that believe in the Christ. No matter how nice they are, they are not good enough and very likely they are blinded by Satan and their good deeds are suspect........, for they are still in "the world". She has been avidly awaiting the end for so long now that both she and her husband are unable to think in any other way. Interestingly, they have recently taken out insurance for their respective funerals. This says a lot me about whether they can allow themselves to re-enact the 1975 fiasco that they completely bought into.

In those days, and unbeknown to me.........Armageddon loomed hugely for them. They were planning their lives around it. She was particularly cold toward me in those days, refusing to have me visit. ( I wasn't baptised or close to it. Just living my life and raising children) I had no idea that the end was just around the corner..........It was three years ago, after commencing to study again. That I discovered all of this incredible turmoil and change that had occurred. I feel they were shaken up when all of this happened but they re grouped around their faith or religion even tighter in some ways...(barring the funeral fund) Now it is totally impossible for them to leave, for what will they go to? Their entire lives are coloured by the associations formed in the kingdom hall and the shifting doctrines. They are not happy people by any standard, they have one son who is an elder.........a snotty upstart type and another who was gifted but didn't quite make it and so is on drugs and very likely damaged to the core with an inner guilt.

Must stop here for I didn't intend to go on and on and on...........

.

2

changing user name

by umbertoecho in

i really need to change my username.

could someone assist with this please

umbertoecho

I really need to change my username. Could someone assist with this please

2

Supreme Court of Canada Overturns Ban on Physician-Assisted Suicide

by Heaven in

epic news today in canada!

this has been a long time coming and i for one am glad.

i have no qualms about using this if i'm not aging well.. supreme-court-overturns-ban-on-physician-assisted-suicide.

umbertoecho

I need to delete my account or change my user name. I can't find out how to do it or how to contact the moderators.

Could some one help out here

39

Doing away with Calculating How Close we are to THE END

by FusionTheism in

the watchtower study edition, august 2015, "keep in expectation!

" article:.

paragraph 3: "after looking forward to the end of this system for what may seem to be a long time, however, some may wonder, do we still have sound reasons to keep in expectation?

umbertoecho

The witnesses who came to my door, when pressed by me about how long they thought we had before Armageddon said. " We think it will come in our life time". This woman was about sixty years of age. My family are saying the same thing too with a great sense of anticipation or eagerness. A young sister, about thirty years of age, came to see me last year to ask me to hurry up as she felt the end was so very close. She felt worried about the things she had done wrong and was trying to put right. She has never done anything particularly bad, except to fret because she has not married and had a child. She said that this was selfish of her and she should be content with what she has. The poor woman has been reproved twice in 2014 for partying and going on a few dates.

So, essentially they really do think the end is just around the corner again.

10

What do we have to say to ourselves about this video...we are being exposed..

by jdub1991 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdvt_gyq-ls&feature=youtu.be

umbertoecho

Don't fret, many would have watched this and may still be digesting the information and ramifications of it. You are not left hanging here. I watched it early this morning from Australia and I was upset but not surprised. I wonder where this was done and other such things but the main issue is that there is "exposure" of this damaging religion and a riveting and heartfelt atmosphere in all that she conveys.

9

The visit with elder and wife outcome

by umbertoecho in

where to start in regard to my visit with the elder and his wife; a wife who sat mute throughout the discussion.

they arrived on the dot and we engaged in talk about the weather.

this could have gone on for some time but i brought it around to the reason for this particular visit.

umbertoecho

FayeDunaway

I was wondering when someone would come up with that one. A bit of satire never hurt anyone did it?

9

The visit with elder and wife outcome

by umbertoecho in

where to start in regard to my visit with the elder and his wife; a wife who sat mute throughout the discussion.

they arrived on the dot and we engaged in talk about the weather.

this could have gone on for some time but i brought it around to the reason for this particular visit.

umbertoecho

stuckinarut2 I don't know why he chose to start this discussion on the topic of abuse. Perhaps he is aware of the negative press that is swarming the online community. Perhaps it is due to something my own sister mentioned, as she is in that hall. She had tried to drag me into this discussion of the societies purity once. I could not accept her position on it and therefore the societies. She, of all people, new of our past but developed amnesia. All this led to me refusing her white washing methods as per the society. She flung insults to my retreating back I recall.

So who knows why this happened.

Doc, I have no doubt that this is the conclusion that will be reached and a sad one at that. I had always believed so solidly in this religion.

Steve2 I tend to agree in this opinion and wonder if it is worth the exhausting effort. The main intention here is conversion. Considering I was a month away from baptism, I suppose I am or was considered "One that got away"

westiebilly 11 I thought it was risky of him to choose such a scripture as that written by Paul. It proved nothing at all. What it did do, was cause him to flounder as it dawned upon him that he was actually agreeing with me to some degree.

The point is, I am not trying to score points or brag. I think it would be saner for me not pursue this study with them as it will lead to some huge misunderstandings. It really is time for me to let go of this hopeless hope that I have clung to for decades. This site has enabled some of that decision making along with another. I suppose I will go it alone and place complete trust in my imperfect reasoning powers.