Ex-Jehovah's Witness recounts her disfellowshipping and family estrangement in today's Huffington Post. A poignant read.

by Balaamsass2 in

a thoughtful read in today's huffington post.

it reminded me of how glad i am that 1st gen and i left the cult together and worked on keeping our closest relationships alive.

it wasn't easy.

Balaamsass2

A thoughtful read in today's Huffington Post. It reminded me of how glad I am that 1st gen and I left the cult together and worked on keeping our closest relationships alive. It wasn't easy. I think this would be an excellent story to share with some on the fence who will grasp the ridiculous cruelty Watchtower demands of family.

"

I Flew Across The Country For My Mom's Wedding. When I Arrived, She Uninvited Me.

"My phone pinged before I stepped off the plane ... My mom texted: 'Trisha, I love you very much, but I can’t let you come to my wedding.'"

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ex-jehovah-witness-mom-wedding_n_63c85bc1e4b01a4363842c89?d_id=5418777&ref=bffbhuffpost&ncid_tag=fcbklnkushpmg00000063&utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=us_main&fbclid=IwAR3ENdZWbinb2YY8N5MJhPn6RyRUDBw5xm32BaNONLseMT2QWckquxktHnM

94

New GB

by XBEHERE in

jw
friends

gage fleegle.

jeffrey winder.

anyone know them?

Balaamsass2

Since Bethel discourages psychiatric care, when Bethel boys hear voices from "God", they must be "anointed".

20

How do JWs know that millions who were martyred as Christians before the 20th century did not have the heavenly hope?

by Vanderhoven7 in

as i understand it, jehovah’s witnesses believe less than 145,000 faithful christians existed prior to the twentieth century.

the other sheep christians did not start forming until after 1914. that means jehovah’s witnesses view millions martyred for their faith in christ prior to the 20th century as merely professed christians.. the question is…how do witnesses know that those millions who perished for their faith in christ were not christians at all?.

Balaamsass2

3000 visibly were anointed at Penticost right after Jesus's death. Easily 144,000 were "anointed" soon after and before the last apostles died. IMO. A huge historical blunder most JWs never think about.

43

Sunday January 15 is my 76th birthday. I answer some of your questions.

by Terry in

jw
friends

happy birthday 2 me!!.

sunday is my 76th birthday and i know that you want to know how it "feels" to have outlived my usefulness, to have lost my natural beauty (being reduced to wrinkles and flab), and constantly walking into a room not knowing why i'm there.

you also are curious as to how i can continue to find a reason to live since none of my kids think my opinions have any possible value, most of my facebooks friends i wouldn't recognize if i tripped over them on my way into starbucks, and my monthly expenditure on bird treats exceeds u.s. spending on the military.

Balaamsass2

Happy Birthday from the ass and 3rd Gen!!!

You survived another year!...Armageddon never came, and you never got to pet lions and tigers and get all that free fruit from the Chaquita banana lady in the Swiss Alps! We are just a few years behind you. :)

7

The real numbers for yearly report.

by Hellothere in

what do you think are the real numbers for yearly report?

they can't be real the ones watchtower published.

last 20 years i have seen large groups of young people in my area abandon watchtower.

Balaamsass2

I agree. Steady declines are occurring in most areas with internet access.

However, I think Watchtower is combating this by making it "easier" to be counted as a JW, therefore changing the definition of what it means to be counted as one.

Even younger children are pressured to be baptized, thereby "juicing" membership temporarily.

"Active" publishers are now ANYONE with a heartbeat elders THINK participated in ANY type of service for 15 minutes.

"Pioneer" hours have been reduced so almost anyone can qualify, thereby keeping the numbers up.

"NEW" congregations in some third world areas are any group of people who can arrange some benches under a tree, where ANYONE can "PARTAKE". Lack of training, internet, and literacy results in a religion that most first-world members would not recognize as "Jehovah's Witnesses".

Personally, I think many people will stay on the membership roles in name only because of family and social pressures. Humans love to be part of a "tribe". ie: in many areas almost everyone professes to be Catholic, yet the majority of people only attend a few times a year to keep the family happy.

My 2 cents

4

Jehovah's Witnesses in the news....UK Ex JW Celebrity to host new documentary on JWs.

by Balaamsass2 in

rebekah vardy hosting a new documentary.

"rebekah vardy reinventing herself as a documentary host after wagatha christie ordeal.

the mum-of-five, who is married to football star jamie vardy, is reported to be turning her hand to documentary making and will soon film a show about jehovah’s witnesses.

Balaamsass2

Rebekah Vardy hosting a new documentary. "Rebekah Vardy reinventing herself as a documentary host after Wagatha Christie ordeal

The mum-of-five, who is married to football star Jamie Vardy, is reported to be turning her hand to documentary making and will soon film a show about Jehovah’s Witnesses. https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/rebekah-vardy-reinventing-herself-documentary-28957585

37

Serena Williams allegedly baptized this weekend

by neat blue dog in

.

not sure if this is fake news or not..

Balaamsass2

There was an interesting thread about this on Reddit yesterday. She is the new JW cover girl. I guess her hubby may remove the thread. :) lol

21

Face-Masks - don't stop infection OR transmission!

by BoogerMan in

pores in surgical face-masks = 600 microns.

coronavirus = between 0.125 & 5 microns.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qomrgfyfdie&t=227s.

Balaamsass2

Having wasted many years of my life listening to dribble from the cult of Watchtower, may I suggest reading and applying information from REAL research from reputable sources to avoid further waste of precious time and energy? Years ago I had the opportunity to be trained in rescue and HAZMAT response for a level 4 Bio-hazard research facility for a major California university. HUNDREDS of researchers worked at the facility around killer pathogens daily without getting sick. EVERY DAY..including myself. Of course, UV lights, negative pressure, forced air supply, and hazmat suits were di rigor...but many areas only required eye shields and standard-issue surgical masks....because... they work. And yes most workers had PHDs and MDs AND electronic microscope access to test these masks and didn't learn virology from YouTube, Christian Broadcast channels, or Q-anon websites. Please don't replace the cult of Watchtower with a new cult.

NATURE MAG. NEWS FEATURE
06 October 2020

Face masks: what the data say

The science supports that face coverings are saving lives during the coronavirus pandemic, and yet the debate trundles on. How much evidence is enough? Quote:" The moment a person breathes or talks, sneezes or coughs, a fine spray of liquid particles takes flight. Some are large — visible, even — and referred to as droplets; others are microscopic, and categorized as aerosols. Viruses including SARS-CoV-2 hitch rides on these particles; their size dictates their behavior."

https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-02801-8

76

Front row seats watching the collapse of watchtower

by Indoubtbigtime in

i’m a pimo ministerial servant and i won’t fade because i want to keep my front row seats watching what happens next few years.. my predictions are that this current governing body will slowly die off and the current younger helpers will be the next gb.

they will eventually have new light that they were wrong about 1914 and the overlapping generations.. the new light will be something on the lines of the last days are now because of king of north king of south pushing each other etc etc.

they will do their very best to burry old literature and try to change the past trying to make it sound like they were right all along just as they have done for 150 years now.

Balaamsass2

Based on watching the actions of still-in family and old JW friends I think many will stay in to simply support their "tribe" but with a LOT less time, money, and energy...much like many Italian and Spanish Catholic families I know who attend "church" a few times a year, for weddings, funerals, etc.

Headquarters has shrunk the facilities and personnel and therefore cut the red ink to a minimum. They will be able to comfortably live off a vastly reduced donation base for many years, simply selling off real estate assets as needed.

42

Have you ever been on a congregation picnic?

by LostintheFog1999 in

were you ever on a congregation picnic?

i was on several occasions.. the arrangements were often announced from the platform after the closing song and prayer by the last elder up on the platform.. sometimes it was included in the service meeting announcements as "on saturday we're meeting at 10.00am at the kingdom hall for field service, and after field service for anyone who wishes, especially for the younger ones, we will be having a congregation picnic meeting at the beach carpark on seaview road.".

well, according to the new elders manual you won't be hearing those words again.

Balaamsass2

The last congregational picnic I remember was about 1992. Watchtower had been actively discouraging them since the 80s if I remember correctly.

When we had a "fun" book study group/home I would organize some "unofficial" group activities in the 2000s. Some other elders would complain about us, however. lol. :)

Balaamsass2

Posts by Balaamsass2

I Flew Across The Country For My Mom's Wedding. When I Arrived, She Uninvited Me.

Face masks: what the data say