Posts by stirred but not shaken

8

History of the church/Christianity, etc.

by Joe Grundy in

i have learned a great deal from some of the very erudite posters on this site (thank you).. for many years i've been interested in the history of the development of christianity, not only from its earliest days but through the reformation, etc., and through to the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries when denominations, sects, cults took off in all directions like exploding fireworks.. i was aware, in broad terms, of luther, calvin and the development of protestantism from which so many denominations and sects (including jws) arose.

i was vaguely aware of the schism (1,000 years ago) between the western (catholic) and eastern (orthodox) churches and was tangentially interested as to why it happened (if the 'east' was the home of christianity, how come the 'west' disagreed with it?).

i was quite interested to read, while living in cyprus, a greek orthodox english language bible which had a large section in the back about the schism.

stirred but not shaken

83

Blown away-- where to go from here

by All for show in

jw
friends

i stumbled upon this website a few weeks ago due to the jw.org ridiculousness, since then i haven't been able to pull myself away.

the thoughts, feelings, and concerns i have had the past few years aren't just mine.

it's global.

stirred but not shaken

You can expect that even the most loving and trusted friend or family member will shun you if you have been institutionally marked. They don't want to lose the loyalty identity and then be corrupted by Satan's wily ways. Remember the loyalty is to the interpretation of what Wt. thinks the bible teaches then enforces it through intimidation. It's done in other high control religious groups as well. Very revealing!

I say this after spending 60+ years at a very visible level and aquiring friends in many States and several countries. Our only crime was questioning and reverently seeking answers to transient, and obvious flawed teachings of fallible men (the last attempt to study the Revelation book was a hoot). NOT ALLOWED. You'll be guilty of causing or inciting division. You must "wait on Jehovah", even if it's been wrong for decades, even a century. While knowing the real truth is a relief, starting over is tough at this stage of our lives. Having a clear(er) conscience helps. We didn't come to this site until we had already concluded that the Wt. Society wasn't interested in the truth..preservation but not truth. Many well thought out, detailed and documented "studies" have been sent to the writing department detailing problems with long time doctrines that have no support in academia, get shelved and lost, only after the sender gets warned and counseled and even censored. You'll likely experience some of this, but you're making your move at a good time in your life. You've got a lot of time ahead of you.

31

WT for this Sunday...You are My Witnesses

by Legacy in

wt 7/15/2014....page 27...question # 17...what will we consider in the next article...paragraph 17...but how can we be jehovah witnesses and at the same time be witnesses of jesus....well well well...i think they really got the point...all through the greek scriptures, that's what jesus has been saying...we are to witness about him....in the hebrews scriptures was about jehovah god, most of the world got that.

now jehovah, put another spoke in the wheel his son...jesus...that's who paul has been talking about all along...that he was witness of jesus, paul knew who god was.

i think the society monitors sites like these & others & found out....they may have been, uh...wrong....wonder how are they going to spin this one off....i won't read the next article just yet... comments anyone ..... legacy.

stirred but not shaken

Thanks Wanna, checking history where I've contributed...worked. Great!

31

WT for this Sunday...You are My Witnesses

by Legacy in

wt 7/15/2014....page 27...question # 17...what will we consider in the next article...paragraph 17...but how can we be jehovah witnesses and at the same time be witnesses of jesus....well well well...i think they really got the point...all through the greek scriptures, that's what jesus has been saying...we are to witness about him....in the hebrews scriptures was about jehovah god, most of the world got that.

now jehovah, put another spoke in the wheel his son...jesus...that's who paul has been talking about all along...that he was witness of jesus, paul knew who god was.

i think the society monitors sites like these & others & found out....they may have been, uh...wrong....wonder how are they going to spin this one off....i won't read the next article just yet... comments anyone ..... legacy.

stirred but not shaken

Sorry if this is off topic, but instead of copy and paste certain threads (or parts of), how does one "mark" the thread? This particular thread has some points I'd like to have on record. Thanks

9

A scripture that sums up what awake/fading JWs must endure.

by BU2B in

jw
friends

just thought i would share.

it hit home.. .

put no trust in a friend, have no confidence in a loved.

stirred but not shaken

And when you start and eventually do fade, another scripture comes to mind: "All this I have told you so that you will not go astray. They will put you out of the synagogue; in fact, a time is coming when anyone who kills you will think he is offering a service to God. They will do such things because they have not known the Father or me." John 16:1-3 NIV. Has anyone experienced that? All you have to be is marked, let alone DAd or DFd. So perhaps before one fades, the wisdom of Micah 7:5 seems to apply. Thanks for that scripture.

20

JW.org to be regarded as fulfillment of the signs of the last days.

by jwfacts in

i struggled as a jw to accept that the good news of the kingdom was ever going to be preached in all the inhabited world by jws, as there were many parts of the world with few to no jws.

there are not enough to cover the 3 billion plus people in asia to allow everyone to get a chance to hear the message.

it also was offensive to me that jehovah would kill those billions that had never had a chance to accept the watchtower message.

stirred but not shaken

For those of us who remember the 3 to 8 min. sermon and the placing of 3 books for $1.50, the Wt. & Aw subscription campaign (K.H. thermometer and all), evening dd witnessing before the bookstudy... will probably recall how much hype there was announced at the DCs about what has been accomplished. Like literature stacked multiple times as high as the Empire State Bldg. and mass baptisms. These were signs that the work was being accomplished and the Kingdom would soon be taking over earth's affairs. It was immediately imminent.

Of course that was 50 years ago or so. To those in attendance at those large DCs, it seemed very real. The preaching work was being accomplished, if not already reaching it's climax. We had a part in the separting work. It was a remarkable fulfillment of Bible prophecy. We all believed that. Fast forward to 2014. The measuring device (Empire State Bldg.) will have to be changed to some cyber space device, but the hype will remain the same... "look at what Jehovah is accomplishing"! The world is being put on notice..again. Reality is that while there is no end to the rhetoric of the advancement of the preaching work, how many people really know what that message has been or is presently. What do you think a survey would reveal? Just ask my neighbors down my road, let alone those in remote places where literacy is a challenge. So the message (adjusted) might be getting published then and now, has little or no retention because nobody knows what it is. Pity the person who has but one opportunity and is given a witness by bro. or sis. disshoveled (few teeth missing and generally unkempt with poor verbal skills..I know of several like that). But they read a scripture, offer the literature and now it's up to you.

To believe that the world has received a witness to Jehovah's satisfaction with just that scenario is a precious leap in faith.

4

George Storrs (early Russell associate) had some class

by stirred but not shaken in

from the book "a separate identity" p.248 & 249 by schulz and de vienne there is a quote from storrs that is prefaced this way: this wasn't the first time barbour and storrs had clashed.

though not naming barbour, after the 1874 failure storrs addressed barbour's dictatorial exclusivity and failed predictions:.

"teachers who manifest a disposition to exalt self and make it appear that they are something remarkable, are unmistakably false teachers.

stirred but not shaken

Londo. For sure! Adjustments, progressive light and listen obey and be blessed, would have had Storrs exasperated. The cursory mention of him in the Proclaimers book gives but sparse information. His rebukes about setting dates and remarks like the one mentioned earlier will never be published in a WT publication, unless it's about some other group. He was, as it would appear, a sincere truth seeker not afraid to be wrong and would accept correction if justified.

4

George Storrs (early Russell associate) had some class

by stirred but not shaken in

from the book "a separate identity" p.248 & 249 by schulz and de vienne there is a quote from storrs that is prefaced this way: this wasn't the first time barbour and storrs had clashed.

though not naming barbour, after the 1874 failure storrs addressed barbour's dictatorial exclusivity and failed predictions:.

"teachers who manifest a disposition to exalt self and make it appear that they are something remarkable, are unmistakably false teachers.

stirred but not shaken

From the book "A Separate Identity" p.248 & 249 by Schulz and de Vienne there is a quote from Storrs that is prefaced this way: This wasn't the first time Barbour and Storrs had clashed. Though not naming Barbour, after the 1874 failure Storrs addressed Barbour's dictatorial exclusivity and failed predictions:

"Teachers who manifest a disposition to exalt self and make it appear that they are something remarkable, are unmistakably false teachers. Whether this is done by words or deeds it is the same thing: they "seek their own, not the things that are Jesus Christ's (Phil ii. 21). This is the case with all who set themselves up for prophets; claiming to be somebody with special authority to command obedience to their teaching, and denouncing such as do not comply with their claims, though they can give no demonstration of Divine commission by miracles or otherwise. Such person, not unfrequently (sic) give something like prophetic utterances to amaze and astonish those duped by them, and when their prophecies fail, they, with amazing impudence, attribute the failure to something else than their folly, and invent another prophecy equally absurd, to continue their power over those who have unhappily fallen under their influence."

Storrs was once a Millerite, as was Barbour, but abondoned them after the "Great Disappointment". He obviously took a more balanced and practical course. He was disappointed in the relationship between Barbour and Russell. He should have been around to editorialize on what became of the ISBA and the now followers of Wt. teachings.

Reading this book details many of Russsell's early associates, but Storrs stands for truth as he could find it and express it.

79

I know 2 of the Elders on the Ray Franz JC

by James Jackson in

when i read coc, i was stunned that the 2 elders (theotis french & rob dibble) were on ray franz judcial committee.

i have known these men for over 20 years having done rbc and convention work with them.

they are still elders today which means they were in their early 30's(which is unheard of for a case of this importance to have inexperienced elders to sit on) on this committee.. without revealing myself, i have never tried(but have wanted to), ask them about their on having to judge a former gb member.. then out of the blue, about a year ago, i was mentioning how hard it is trying to get younger ones to volunteer to one of these elders, and he says"this is nothing compared to to sitting on the committee that had to disfellowship ray franz".

stirred but not shaken

Dis Member. Have you tried this appoach yourself or know of anyone that has, and were the results positive? I know what you're saying, and it would seem like the right thing to do...but..I really don't want to derail this thread, but feel that "response" is very relavant. I'd be looking for a favorable or positive response. It took knowledge, tact and other learned techniques to convince them to change and accept our theology and convert. That was the "prize" we sought. The difference now is, that they know you've defected in some way and they have been warned by the constant flow of information from the org and other friends, that you are to be held at a distance even if you haven't been DFd or DAd. Since I and others like me are interested in helping them see the real truth,.. knowledge, tact and technique are still good tools, and to be used to get positive results. Being abrupt and forthright may not get the desired response, in fact it will likely deepen their resolve. From my own experience, I would have put up a walled, immoveable, defense, had I been approached by one of my long time mentors intent on exposing "my beloved organization". Unfortunately we're in a delemma that is, to say the least, frustrating. Something has to set their alarm off, and to initiate that successfully is the technique I, for one, would welcome. I have literally hundreds of friends and at least 75 relatives involved with this organization and would like nothing more that to help them "see the light".

JJ is probably experiencing something similar. In my opinion, you can't just tell your wife that her new dress makes her butt look big. It may be true, but you won't get the desired response. Perhaps if you installed a 3 part, full length mirror, she would see it for herself. I'm hoping that mirror finds it's way into a few of those loved ones posession.

79

I know 2 of the Elders on the Ray Franz JC

by James Jackson in

when i read coc, i was stunned that the 2 elders (theotis french & rob dibble) were on ray franz judcial committee.

i have known these men for over 20 years having done rbc and convention work with them.

they are still elders today which means they were in their early 30's(which is unheard of for a case of this importance to have inexperienced elders to sit on) on this committee.. without revealing myself, i have never tried(but have wanted to), ask them about their on having to judge a former gb member.. then out of the blue, about a year ago, i was mentioning how hard it is trying to get younger ones to volunteer to one of these elders, and he says"this is nothing compared to to sitting on the committee that had to disfellowship ray franz".

stirred but not shaken

Dis-Member. I'm in a similar situation. Served with extensive priveleges for many years and helped many "into the truth". At least a half a dozen became elders, and all became good friends. They're just as indoctrinated as I was. When I meet them now by accident, they're uncomfortable and make an awkward attempt to converse. The "switch" has gone on. It's called Satan alert. CAUTION! So I'm wondering what kind of response you think you'd get if you went back to all those that you studied with and tried to reverse what you had taught them? JJ is doing some balancing. Coming off as a raging apostate, or even a calm one, will close if not slam the door. You gotta pick your time and place..and that ain't easy.