i realize that prayer is a really personal thing, but representing a group in prayer has become so full of cliche's that i just want to vomit sometimes.
co week almost every prayer has the phrase "special week of activity" in it.. then there's "please look after the sick and afflicted.".
not so much anymore, "please bless this food and the hands that prepared it.".
No longer close eyes during prayer, unless I need a quick snooze.
Although, in the Spanish side, this is a bit dangerous because some brothers' prayers are soooo damn long that I fear really falling asleep and begin to snore.
Another nice benefit of being awakened, prayer means nothing. Cannot even remember the last time I honestly prayed. Only pretend when in presence of the JW deceived.
Prayer is nothing more than wishful thinking or self-insight, brief meditation type of behavior.
DY
watchtower october 2017, par 11, page 28 - "very soon the political powers of satan’s world will form a coalition that is bent on the destruction of god’s people.
's] have anything to fear?
not at all!........at that critical moment during the great tribulation, the angelic soldiers of jehovah of armies will come together to protect god’s people..."[j.w.'s].
But this kind of fear mongering keeps the money and full support flowing towards the WTBTS.
It's a business model of sorts.
DY
.
.
tell me me more about your just & loving god..
We really don't know who God is. The evidence in every day life points to an egomaniac, nasty entity.
Based on what I have experienced thus far, do not feel very motivated to respect much less worship.
DY
watchtower october 2017, par 11, page 28 - "very soon the political powers of satan’s world will form a coalition that is bent on the destruction of god’s people.
's] have anything to fear?
not at all!........at that critical moment during the great tribulation, the angelic soldiers of jehovah of armies will come together to protect god’s people..."[j.w.'s].
Same old same old...
Copycat rhetoric from early 70s, early-to-mid 80s, mid-to-late 90s, 2007-2011, and now they'very jumped on the doomsday horse yet again.
Remember when the UN declared a year of peace in the mid 80s?! Oh my god, what an crazy time inside the JW world!!!
Same sentiment now, specifically all those that have come in within the last 5 years or so.
It's cyclical.
DY
some congregations were known as liberal and others were considered very conservative.
back in the 1970s a nearby congregation made all speakers who gave public talks a white shirt to wear.
if a speaker came in wearing anything but white they were brought into the library and were given a white shirt!
No crazy/loud color suits/ties/shirts on the platform!
Understandable.
DY
it looks like these attacks in europe are going from weekly, to daily, it literally gives me chills to think about traveling to europe with my family.
that is very unfortunate.
.
Whatever the crime, when the perpetrator gets killed, I am at peace.
DY
so i've been thinking a lot about why i stayed a jw for so long even though i had always had doubts about the doctrines.
i was born into the religion, left and came back as an adult for another decade.
some of the things that come to mind (besides the threat of shunning-and this isn't to minimize that very real threat) was:.
Absolutely LOVE my JW family and friends.
No doubt, my life would be mere existence without them.
Their crazy JW notions are quite manageable.
Hey, how about the crazy notion of many (specially the wealthy and scientists) about colonizing Mars.... MARS...!!!??? A planet completely inhospitable to mankind!!!
Oh yeah, I can definitely deal with the JW delusions.
DY
elders ,co ,do ,branch overseers ,gb ,missionaries has "sinful" lust got the better of them..
I got a few juicy stories from the Spanish side.
Elders committing adultery while at the same time participating in committees to disfellowship others for the same sins; elder committing adultery for YEARS with step-niece; elder committing adultery with much younger regular pioneer; elder sexually abusing children of undocumented sister, thinking to get away with it because of their illegal status; adolescent boys, sons of prominent elder, raping young girls and getting away with it; young elder raping young sister and getting a slap on the wrist; oh... so many more happening even as I type these words. It will never stop.
This is why, if our beliefs of Armageddon and God's kingdom on earth are real, ALL there will be only by the grace of God because we sinful humans will do the craziest stuff.
DY
so he tries to prove that we are living in the last days without any evidence, but instead a series of unsubstantiated assertions ("never has there been a time with so much lack love and affection").
and uses things that are not even part of the so-called "sign" (abortions, pollution).
then proceeds to ridicule the "ridiculers," stereotype them, and declare they are only fit for destruction!.
Oh my God...!!!
I heard the whole speech and what's worse.... agreed wholeheartedly with it. My feelings exactly about the state of morality nowadays.
The vast majority of Millennials, etc., say stuff like "what is morality?", "what is right/wrong?"
No apologies.
DY
in the past few years, kushner cos. and various investment partners have paid the watchtower more than $1 billion for property in brooklyn heights and dumbo.. and there's still more..... http://www.brooklyneagle.com/articles/2017/5/31/first-look-kushner-cos-makeover-jehovahs-witnesses-headquarters.
yet the r&f can't seem to find the presence of logical mind to question where all that money is spent, when members are struggling financially and continuously asked for more, while being chastised for higher education and holding jobs that might interfere with pioneering.
ugh .
The WTBTS is rich, no doubt. Reason why whenever they say at the assemblies that there's some sort of deficit, I do not contribute one more red cent than what's reasonable.
Same for KH contributions. I calculate # of publishers and monthly expenses, then contribute just enough to cover the bills if all pubs contributed the same amount.
They'll start practicing what the scriptures teach in terms of greed and being content with having basic needs covered.
DY
