Posts by apostrate

22

If only............

by tresdecu in

jw
friends

....charles taze russell's mom and dad didn't have sex back on that night in june of 1851.... weird that a married couple getting horny could affect so many lives 164 years later.. just a random friday thought.

.

apostrate

Not that it really makes any difference, but.....

Charles Taze Russell was never a Jehovah's Witness.

Nobody ever died refusing blood transfusions or medical treatment in CT Russell's time.

Families were never torn apart as a result of shunning in CT Russell's time.

Bible students under CT Russell's leadership were free to associate with anyone they wished and to celebrate any "worldly" holidays they chose.

I am not a CT Russell defender or apologist. Russell was just another goofy cult leader with some shady business practices, but his "bible students" were pretty much free to think for themselves with no adverse consequences. Again, I am not aware of anyone dying or being killed following his goofy teachings.

Judge Rutherford is the real culprit here. He commandeered the Watchtower estate and assets after CT passed on, he turned what was left of the "bible students" into Jehovahs Witnesses, he established the "model" for what we now know as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Again, I don't mean to sound like I'm defending Russell, but someone like Rutherford would have found some cult to take over had it not been the Watchtower.

44

I'm not so sure a bigger awakening is going to happen anymore

by bradford in

jw
friends

when i left in march officially i started reading the forums here.

i had this excitement that more people would be leaving soon because of the crazy broadcasts, the crazy "new light" that the gb was dishing out, and more recently the australian royal commission lighting up geoffrey.

this past saturday i had an elder stop by to chat for the first time since i left.

apostrate

When I realized TTATT back in 1998 I felt about the same as bradford. If an average joe like me can see through the WT for what it really is, thanks much to the internet, then it's just a short matter of time until the WT is completely out of business.

Over the next few years, when driving by a Kingdum Hall and noticing their parking lots filled to the max, I couldn't help but wonder, "What's the matter with them??? If I can see through this, why can't they???"

I took me a little while longer to realize that many just do not care what their religion teaches, one way or another. They have found a social club that they feel comfortable with. It fits them like a well worn shirt.

1914, 1925, 1975, 2014, it just doesn't matter. Whatever the preacher says is fine with them. Many people like not having to think, and to have someone else make their decisions for them is all the better.

The only people who will end up leaving are those who individually stumble on to their own "Crisis of Conscience".

75

Lurker trying to gain clarity

by questioningmyfaith in

jw
friends

hello all, i would like to first say that i am basically questioning my faith in god.

i am not negative towards the wt at all.

so honestly i am to concerned with more ad hominem attacks towards the wt because i still love the organization and the people in it.

apostrate

questioningmyfaith,

It sounds to me like you are about 95 per cent JW and about 5 per cent doubter.

When you talked to your elders, did they encourage you to get out in the field service more often and remain firmly within "Jehovahs modern day ark"?

If I were you I would listen to them and do just that. Get right back in there and give it 150 per cent!

I know that's what I did! I was once right where you are at right now. So I listened to the advice of the elders and jumped right back in determined to be the best damn JW there ever was!

And, you know where it got me? The deeper that I dug my head into the Organization, the harder that I tried to be a super-duper JW, the more things began to become crystal clear.

I realized that I was trying to live a lie! And the more I realized that if this really wasn't working for me, how could I go out door-to-door and endorse this "religion" with a clear conscience?

Yep, go out in service more, place more magazines and books. That was always the stock answer I got when seeking advice from the elders (no matter what the question was).

So I would advise you to go out in service more and place more magazines and books. Then come back here after a while and let us know how it's working for you!

Seek truth and you will find it!

39

The Paranormal

by Peony in

jw
friends

i'm interested to know if anyone has been to see a medium/clairvoyant since leaving jw's.

i must admit now i can make my own choices i seem to have a fascination with it although haven't acted on it as a) am i just jumping into believing another load of rubbish?

and b) what if it really is the demons pretending to be loved ones!!

apostrate

I realize that this link that I have listed is a cartoon, mostly, but it raises some good points for one to ponder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAnFbZQw1Jk

39

The Paranormal

by Peony in

jw
friends

i'm interested to know if anyone has been to see a medium/clairvoyant since leaving jw's.

i must admit now i can make my own choices i seem to have a fascination with it although haven't acted on it as a) am i just jumping into believing another load of rubbish?

and b) what if it really is the demons pretending to be loved ones!!

apostrate

Peony,

Read and heed the post above by jws. You obviously have access to the internet, use it! Research "cold readings", skeptics, illusions, and magic tricks.

Personally, i did my homework on this subject at the same time that I did my homework on the Watchtower. One thing that I noticed was how much the WT employed many of the same tactics as the "psychics".

There is a psychic out there named John Edward (not to be confused with former politician John Edwards). This guy is the worst of the worst in my opinion. He is just not that good at what he does, and yet he is one of the most popular.

54

August Study WT "Prepare Now to be a Good Little Drone in the New Order"

by JW_Rogue in

i thought paradise was supposed to be a delight?

not according to the august study wt, on page 20 paragraphs 4-12 it outlines how much paradise will be exactly like being in the org today.

still following rules, waiting on jehovah and obeying those taking the lead.

apostrate

Back in the 70's an elder stood on the platform and let everyone know that in the New System we can't just live wherever we want. Everyone might rush to the West to get 'em some ocean front property. No, no. The Society will tell us where to live.

It's just like a stand-up comedian said back in the 80's:

"A Jehovah's Witness came up to me and started preaching to me. I told him that I wasn't interested. So he said, "What's the matter? Don't you want to live forever on the Earth?"

"Not with a bunch of Jehovah's Witnesses, I don't!"

96

Ray Franz was an Idiot

by vinman in

ray franz who gave us insight into the gb due to a crisis of conscience was an absolute moron, with absolutely no critical thinking skills whatsoever like all of us have.

i mean, to have a conscience based on some magic man in the sky.. how stupid can you be?

in search of christian freedom?

apostrate

"Your intentions have nothing to do with your lack of information or misplaced certainty."

Viviane,

I am a tough elastic polymeric substance made from the latex of a tropical plant.

You are an adhesive substance used for sticking objects or materials together.

What you say rebounds off of me and adheres to you.

Hey Viv! You and I should team up! We could be the next Sonny & Cher! I do play a little guitar.

8

Did Adam and Eve have Leukaemia?

by notsurewheretogo in

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3218171/oldest-known-case-leukaemia-unearthed-7-000-year-old-skeleton-belonging-40-year-old-woman-bears-scars-blood-cancer.html.

a 7,000 year old skeleton has been found with leukaemia...7,000 years is nearly the age of our first ever parents adam & eve is it not?.

so is this skeleton eve?.

apostrate

Adam died from an STD he contracted from Eve.

96

Ray Franz was an Idiot

by vinman in

ray franz who gave us insight into the gb due to a crisis of conscience was an absolute moron, with absolutely no critical thinking skills whatsoever like all of us have.

i mean, to have a conscience based on some magic man in the sky.. how stupid can you be?

in search of christian freedom?

apostrate

No I'm not. And you are not reading my post in the spirit in which it was intended.

In my mind, comparing you to Joan Rivers is an extreme compliment. And I am ecstatic that you have responded to my post regardless of what you say to me!

You have made my day!!

34

The origin of the name and masthead illustration of The Watchtower

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

thanks to the great "watchtower history" blog with historical information about the pre- and early bible students years, i became today aware of the origine of the name the watchtower and the masthead illustration in front of the old magazines.. in c.t.

russell's younger days, his mother and other relatives died and were buried on the family plot at the allegheny cemetery.. it must have been a defining moment voor the young ctr.

look at his inspiration to choose the name and masthead of his magazine.

apostrate

Christendom and their steeples.........what a bunch of dicks!!!

Here's a partial list of phallic symbols that true Christians (aka Jehovahs Witnesses) would want to avoid:

1. Hot dogs (weenies)

2. A 12 inch straightedge (a ruler)

3. A 5-string banjo

4. Coca-Cola in a bottle

5. Arrows

6. The middle finger

7. A neck tie

8. The number 1