Posts by aniron

Bad Press for JWs in D.C.

The Washington Post
14 October 2005
Metro Section, page B 1

Uncertainty’s Second Wave
Hurricane Katrina Evacuees Face Life After the D.C. Armory
By Theola S. Labbe
Washington Post Staff Writer

The shelter for New Orleans evacuees at the D.C. Armory was about to close, but Stella Oselem wasn’t worried. After weeks of kindness from strangers, Oselem, 78, decided to accept an offer to live in a private D.C. home with someone who shared her Jehovah’s Witness faith.

But soon after she moved in, her host went on a trip and put her with another family. Then, about a week later, the second host told her to leave to make room for out-of-town family members, Oselem said.

With dwindling options, she found herself this week at a walk-in center for Hurricane Katrina evacuees at D.C. General Hospital. She clutched a white slip of paper, a referral for a hotel in Rockville.

“Thank God, I got it,” Oselem said of the 14-day hotel voucher sponsored by the American Red Cross. Her social worker said she would try to get Oselem’s name on a federal housing list for a senior citizen apartment.

For many of the dozens of hurricane victims who moved out of the armory shelter in the final days before it closed on Oct. 4, the adjustment to post-shelter life has been problematic.

After moving out of homes twice, Oselem seemed less certain about staying in the Washington area, her caseworker said. Abuhatab planned to visit Oselem at the hotel today to explain that it still is not safe to return to her New Orleans neighborhood. Together they would pursue other options.

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Another example of JW's caring for those who need help

239

Watchtower Gives Up Explaining 607 BCE Date!

by VM44 in

this is a very important observation, that the watchtower has not tried to explain in print why 607 bce is the year for the destruction of jerusalem for the last 17 years!!!.

all that the watchtower has done over most of the last two decades is to repeat over and over the year "607bce" in its publications as if it is an unquestioned fact!.

the last time an explaination for the year was attempted by the watchtower was in 1988 when the "insight" volumes were published, but since then, no explaination for the validity of the year has appeared in print.. this must mean something, but what?

aniron

Scholar is someone who is hanging over the edge of a cliff face by his fingertips. But the edge is slowly crumbling away. He keeps moving his hands to what he think is a firmer place, but gradually too that starts to crumble. Yet people are holding their hands out to him calling to him to take their hands and come up to solid ground. But no, his pride and arrogance will not let him do so, he believes his way is the best and doesn't want to be proved wrong. Even at the cost of his life.
There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death. Prov 14:12

30

The story of my life (part 9- 1975: the date comes)

by onacruse in

jw
friends

how often does it happen that we can be asked, rather like on the witness chair in a trial: "what exactly were you doing on the night of xx-xx-xxxx 30 years ago?

" and actually be able to answer that question?

i know exactly what i was doing during the evening of september 30, 1975: i was fervently praying to jehovah that i would be found worthy, in spite of all my weaknesses and failures, to find his favor and live through the next day, the day that armageddon was happening.

aniron

I always have trouble with the 1975 thing.

I became a JW in 1971, not because anyone told me Armageddon was coming in 1975. In fact through my "bible study" etc, the Elder who took it, never raised it. When I did find out, the attitude was "Yeah well it might or might not be" from others.

In 1974 I married a JW sister, and there was about 4-5 other weddings as well that year. A couple of them even bought houses.

There was no noticeable increase in the congregation numbers. We had 80+ publishers and it never seemed to increase.

1975 came and went, in fact my first child was born in September. Others also had children that year.

I know others I have met since, have said their congregation were really geared up for Armageddon to happen. Elders sort of doing a count down, so to speak. Have met guys who gave up their jobs to preach full-time etc.

But in the congregation I was in it was like "Lets wait and see" . I tend to put it down to the Elders we had who were elderly, 2-3 of them been JW's since the 1930's so may have thought "We've seen this before" lets keep a level-head about it.

9

JWs are going to love this...

by Ellie in

jw
friends

'god told me to invade iraq' - bush .

friday, october 07, 2005. source: ananova.

us president george bush has said that he was instructed by god to invade iraq and afghanistan, according to a new bbc series.

aniron

Just who's word are we taking that Bush actually said all this during a private meeting. A Palestinian who would probably love to see Bush made a fool of and put America in a bad light anyway.

And lets face it the BBC is so politically biased against the USA, they fall over themselves to get anything that makes Bush look a fool. If someone had told them that Bush had wings, wore white robes, and played a harp at that meeting, they would believe it.

17

Were there any unofficial predictions in your congregations?

by badboy in

jw
friends

.

i understand that carey barber?

once told someone that the end of the world would came before the awaji bridge was built.. were there any similiar predictions?

aniron

I was married in 1974 ... was told by a few that meant our married life would start in the New System the following year.

First child born September 1975 ... Told he would not be going to school end will be here before then. Goes to school 1980.

Told he will not finish school end will be here ..... finishes school 1996.

He was told it better to pioneer, rather than a career as end will be here soon. Goes and finds himself good job instead.

He leaves JW's 2000 ..... got married this year now 30 yrs old.

Still being told by his mother that end is near.

97

What silly rules did your congregation make up?

by weinermcgee in

jw
friends

elders were famous for making up stupid rules with no bible base at all as an ego trip i guess, what were some of yours?

i am not talking about the stupid rules that we all had to follow, just the congregation specific silly ones.. 1. having to button your jacket while on stage (this was later changed due to all the elders having a beer gut).

2. suits only or no privledges.

aniron

I thought some of the petty rules we had were stupid. But American JW's and congregations seem to be going for some kind of record in out doing each other. Boy! Do you have some weird ones.

Could never understand the one about two-door cars ????

Anyway having looked through most of them these caught my eye.

1. Plain white shirts only for men, no patterns or colours allowed.
2. Normal neckties, no bow-ties, cravat’s, pocket squares, etc.
3. No casual style "slacks" with blazer, had to be a matching suit!

1) I never wore a white shirt in all the time I was a JW or went to a meeting. Even gave Public Talks in coloured shirts and patterned ties. Especially when a CO turned up who and wore the most garish ties you could think of.

2) This one to went outthe window when one Circuit Overseer wore bow-ties and pocket squares. Another CO we had wore cravats.

3) Again we had brothers who gave talks went on service wearing Blazers and slacks.

All our elders were concerned about as as long as it looked smart and neat, it was OK.

64

Do Must Dubs Have Pre-Marital Sex?

by tall penguin in

it's not often talked about but in my experience a lot of witnesses have sex (or something like it) during their courtship.

and most of them never go to the elders about it.

recent case in point: my dear friend got married this past summer.

aniron

In one year when I was a JW, about 8 years ago, we had 9 weddings at the Kingdom Hall, between March and September. The couples who married range from 18 to 27 in age. I remarked to an Elder we hadn't had so many weddings in a year for a long while. He said "Yeah its nice, its just a pity none of them where virgins when they walked down the aisle."

Recently having met up with some other ex-JW's, it seems its not uncommon. As one of them remarked she didn't think that anyone in her congregation between the ages of 16 to 25 hadn't had sex. She'd had sex with at least three JW brothers, one who was a Min Servant, Elders son.

My wife and I started having sex when we got engaged, which was 10 months before the wedding, and that was nearly 30 years ago now. Our attitude was that we were getting married anyway, so why not. She was 20, I was 22. In fact I don't think either of us coerced the other into it.

We got married round same time as another two couples, who we were friendly with. We used to meet for dinner parties occasionally. It used to make me laugh, because on such occasions the WT says we should talk about "spiritual things", we talked about sex. I can say one thing that the WT's attitude to oral sex and sexual positions certainly did not affect any of us. Like hell were we going to let them dictate to us what we did in our own bedroom.

Though I've been out of the JW's now for 5 years, I know from contacts, particularly those who know my children. I get told its all still going on among the young ones in the congregation.

But of course they give the impression that all is fine and that no such thing happens in the congregations of Jehovahs organisation.

68

This One Is For Scholar And His Celebrated WT Scholars

by Honesty in

i have some quotes from several respected bible linguists regarding the new world translation: .

dr. julius mantey - "a manual grammar of the greek new testament" calls the new world translation "a shocking mistranslation".

dr. bruce metzger, late professor of new testament at princeton university -"a frightful mistranslation", "erroneous", "pernicious", and "reprehensible".

aniron

I am a dedicated and baptized Jehovah's Witness and in good standing.

You wouldn't be in "good standing" if they knew about your participation on this and other forums.

Very hypocrital.

31

Jehovah's Witness Debate in Southern CA

by Unclepenn1 in

jw
friends

for anyone who lives in so cal and is interested, we are having a formal debate between a jw and a christian pastor.

the topic of discussion will be the trinity.

the event is wednesday, oct 5th, at 7pm at the rock church in san diego, ca.

aniron

Our Pastor has often offered JW's a debate on their teachings. Even sent requests to local Kingdom Hall. Even offered to either go to the KH or use a local community centre. He has never received a reply yet.