Posts by umbertoecho

57

Shall I go to the meeting? Would you?

by KateWild in

hi guys,.

i might go to the meeting.

i stopped going in my heart properly in nov 2013, but i went to a couple of meetings to support a love one that was df'd and tried to teach them a little ttatt.. now another df'd loved one is coming to see me today and will likely encourage me to try and get ri'd, and i want to support her.

umbertoecho

Kate Wild.

Sometimes I go to a meeting. I go to see what is happening and to see if I have made a mistake in refusing this religion in the past. I can't explain it very well, it's just a sort of 'compulsion' sometimes. I even kid myself that I believe it all..........until the meeting starts that is. And then some terrible twisting of scripture happens or is not even used to substantiate some claim. This happens quite a lot nowadays.

Then there are the boast fests. These have become truly amazing spectacles of sheer arrogance and self righteousness. And then there is the blatant money grabbing that happens at every meeting. It's so materialistic compared to when I was young. Or perhaps I did not notice it.

I suppose you may still have a lingering niggle of doubt and going with a friend may be one way of allaying that doubt. I'm guessing, that's all. I may be completely wrong Kate.

113

New letter, re: Fully Utilizing Kingdom Hall Auditoriums

by suavojr in

jw
friends

let the merging begin!!!.

to all bodies of elders in the united states branch territory.

re: fully utilizing kingdom hall auditoriums.

umbertoecho

Over here in Australia, in the West. There is going to be a greater emphasis on using the auditoriums for assemblies, which in turn will be smaller assemblies held with greater frequency. I think it will be up to seven assemblies (all the same of course) to make sure everyone gets the same information.

The reason given, is that the the venues are way too expensive to rent for the large assemblies we used to have. I asked if there was some problem with money. "Yes" I was told. I kept a low reaction rate to this as I don't want to raise suspicion. This did come from an elder though.

58

My introduction and confession

by elderINewton in

jw
friends

well another big bad elder here just wanting to say sorry.. i'm sorry that so many were treated like crap, and shown that god's love is not to be found around jehovah's witnesses.

i'm sorry that inadvertently i've likely taught many to judge and as such see that racism permeates every corner of the jw world, else why else would someone be of the world, or even inactive.

i'm sorry i sat in on a jc, and voted to df.

umbertoecho

Hello. Please don't be unkind to yourself. You did what you thought was the right thing to do at the time. Everyone here seems inclined to bear no grudge or harm. That's how it should be hey?

21

JWs With A Financial Interest In The Org

by JW_Rogue in

through personal experiences which i'd rather not relate because it would give away my identity i have come to a realization.

many brothers own businesses that a greatly supported by witness activities.

when local congregations need some service they will prefer to do business with a jw.

umbertoecho

Ministry Cars, is one business that is JW owned. Bennet signs is another.

It would not be hard for the society to deny the used vehicle one as the number and wording is very WT. They are a litigious mob and would have no problem taking some company to court if it was riding on the WT logo etc

. Ministry Ideaz is another online shop for all things WT. I saw the receipt whilst taking care of an elder and his wife's house. I must look up some more. I know for a fact that the car one is WT based, even if loosely. There are also the large signs that have to be made for each respective hall or assembly.....

10

Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act

by Oubliette in

in light of anthony morris' latest propaganda piece, i thought it might be informative for members of our community to see what is typically required of mandated reporters.

here is what a credentialed teacher in the state of california must agree to as part of their licensing and credentialing.

(this is a requirement of both initial credentialing as well as renewals).

umbertoecho

We have very similar laws here in Australia, especially in the school system. For me to become a mere Teachers Assistant, I had to go through many checks and have an updated card at all times. Infact, I could not begin to study until I had a card authorizing me to do so.

It's a very thorough method of weeding out the wrong types. Of course, some mistakes do happen. It's a rarity though. Most of the elders in this country, at least those in the states that require it, have working with children cards. I'm not sure how many states require it at this stage.

4

Bertrand Russel On God

by Brokeback Watchtower in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asvg5kf97hw.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=scc7gy227cc.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unlu-gepmaw.

umbertoecho

Ooh, Thank you for this link. I do love his thinking processes. I have discovered some tremendous thinkers with an almost transcendental ability to express themselves and maintain a humility that I deeply love.

21

New grandson!

by mimimimi in

our youngest son and his wife (matt and star) welcomed a baby boy yesterday at 7:04 p.m. ivan tomas, 7 lbs.

11 oz., 20 1/4" long.

he is their second child.

umbertoecho

How lovely. Congratulations. It's lovely being a grand mother.

30

What started me on the path to waking up about the lies the WT teaches?

by oppostate in

it was a simple question: isn't jesus my "mediator" if i put faith in him like the scriptures say?

the research to that answer, from the w79 4/1 p. 31, was mind blowing.

how dare they deny me a belief firmly stated in the scriptures?

umbertoecho

Finding an article about the UN on the internet. That was the beginning of the end......Then seeing the different questions in the baptism book Organized to do God's Will. It was the bit about associated with the JW organization. They had taken holy spirit out of it. Also, the lack of Christ in every way possible, the org relegated him to ...nothing really. They sure didn't like it when I asked about Christ's headship.

Since then (two years ago) I have been struggling to get the indoctrination out of my head. Some days I succeed and other days I feel afraid that I have made a mistake. The child abuse issues have been informative and important in regard to the orgs willingness to fight tooth and nail for it's money and reputation. That really is disgusting to me. Oh! I was in a really crappy congregation where there were a lot of cliques that went back years. No one new was allowed into this selective group of assholes. That helped me a lot. No love in that hall and very little kindness toward others. I watched them tear a few sisters and a gay guy to pieces.

He was not in a relationship and trying so hard to live up to the orgs rules. Very sad.

56

Hello Everyone

by MarieK in

i hope everyone is having a good saturday.

i've visited this many times in the past month or so, joined yesterday and finally got the nerve to post!

needless to say, i'm super nervous, being new to this whole experience.

umbertoecho

Hello MarieK. I'm glad that you are here. It took me ages to sign up, then ages to feel as though I could post. It was a relief not to be attacked for my thoughts. It is a good site with so many very smart people, who know their stuff.

It's not all about attack, although at times people have a good old rant to let off some steam. It has been a good experience for me and it will be a good one for you as you realise that people "out in the world" are not bad at all. If anything, they are broad in their thinking.........

3

Would the WTBTS ever do this?

by ABibleStudent in

i know that jws like to boast about how virtuous jws and the wtbts are and believe that the wtbts abhors child sex abuse.. if a co is equivalent to a catholic archbishop, would the wtbts ever df a co and support him being prosecuted for child sexual abuse like the catholic church is doing to wesolowski, who paid to have sex with children ( http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33491956 )?

i wonder if this news will appear in a watchtower or awake.

i doubt it for obvious reasons.. peace be with you and everyone, who you love,.

umbertoecho

The WT would only show the crimes/sins...... of other religions. Never their own, for they love to point the finger at Christendom, whilst claiming to have a "cutting edge" approach to child abuse and zero tolerance for it in their ranks.