Posts by problemaddict 2

my wife is a "zealous" regular pioneer who never talks about the bible or "the truth" and who has no interest in conducting a bible study with anyone.

this is how one remains a jw.. i decided to start a new thread to discuss this, since i didn't want to veer completely off the topic of the original thread.. i can relate to what rufus said - not concerning my wife, but other close jw family members.

problemaddict 2

Just my 2 cents based on my own experience. I am a thirty-something, and most of my friends are the same age more or less. I think there are a few catagories these people fall into that helps explain what you have noticed.

1) Believe its "the truth"....but.....meh. - These are the ones that were raised in it and came back later, that had kids and felt like they shoud raise them in the hall. The ones that go to meetings, don't study, show up for social events, can't explain a damn thing, and would get defensive if you attacked their faith. They probably wouldn't shun you in private if you were disfellowshipped. They won't discuss "spiritual things" outside of the hall. They don't comment.

2) Status workers - This includes the serve where the need is great, but really just live near a beach in Peru, class. They do stuff, like join the RBC, go to another country, because its fun and gives a sense of community. Quick to tell others about their exploits, they usually do so because its impressive to the group back home. these people will talk about events, more than actual biblical matters. This can also include (and usually does), young elders, workers in construction that volunteer, people that go to international conventions, people that attend whatever special school is the hot topic, etc...

3) Faders - Yep.....this is a group now. Fading wether they know it or not. the truely apathetic, in their heart know it is a pile of nonsense but go anyways because of family, class. Not eager to talk about anything "spiritual".

4) True believers - There are still some. People that had been in it forever. My mother for example. Her only regret in life besides her son leaving, is that she couldn't serve shoulder to shoulder with Christs brothers sooner in life. An attack on the GB is an attack on God to them, without them ever putting that together. EVERYTHING somehow relates back to the end, the new world or whatever. Plane crashes? Their families should know about seeing their loved ones again. I hope none of our brothers were on the plane. Gas prices down and economy on the rebound? The world is lulling people into a false sense of security. You can't win. Don't try.

5) Everyone else - Generally normal people giving over their minds. The congregation is a social structure, and they like it. Nothing wrong with that, and they probably won't bring up anything bioblically related because they aren't that interested.

On a side note, we have had lots of people visit us recently from other places in the world. ONLY when there is a lull in NORMAL conversation, is the default......so what the ministry like here.....or what did you think of last weeks WT? ONLY........when the conversation dies. Speaking about doctrine is simply impossible because only one viewpoint is allowed. ANY deviation from that viewpoint no matter how benign creates an uncomfortable conversation almost immediately.

18

VOW OF OBEDIENCE AND POVERTY

by Coded Logic in

i didn't know the wtbts had an order.

anyone ever heard of the "order of full time servants" aka "the order" within the jehovah's witnesses?.

(below is a legal document from the wtbts).

problemaddict 2

Let me add, the religious order of JW's, also most likely includes CO's, and special pioneers given a stipend by the branch and that respond to their direction. this is not new.

18

VOW OF OBEDIENCE AND POVERTY

by Coded Logic in

i didn't know the wtbts had an order.

anyone ever heard of the "order of full time servants" aka "the order" within the jehovah's witnesses?.

(below is a legal document from the wtbts).

problemaddict 2

Oh jeez. Not these two again.

If I'm not mistaken, this was something you used to sign (or similar to it), if you joined the ranks of bethel. Something probably similar with circuit overseers.

I remember reading something similar when I was maybe 20 years old (a fair amount ago now but not quite double).

It uses some odd language but then again.....we are talking about Jehovahs Witnesses right? Mountain out of a molehill here in my opinion. No special order exists, only the constant diatribe that if you sacrifice enough of your time and life....you are somehow special. Language notwithstanding...the "order" is Bethel.

4

Half a Billion Babies Article on JWTrumpet

by ApostateChick in

hey guys... check out this article.

though it is written satirically, it really does shine a light on the cold, hard "truth" that the witnesses believe.

can't have it both ways, jws.

problemaddict 2

So faith strengthening.

21

DEMONS: the torment I suffered

by Terry in

jw
friends

when i was in my teens i wanted a room of my own, but i lived with my grandparents whose house was very small.. my uncle had been living in a little one room bed-sitter way out in the backyard.

he married and moved away and i moved in.. it was quite isolated and the ceiling was six feet from the floor.

unfortunately, the top of my head was four inches higher than that!

problemaddict 2

I remember odd stories like this. Is it just me.....or are these MUCH less common now a days? I wonder why that is?

28

Top 10 Signs that Jehovah's Witnesses Want to Disfellowship You:

by OnTheWayOut in

i've posted these years ago and was reminiscing, so i thought i would share the laugh with you again.. top 10 signs that jehovah's witnesses want to disfellowship you:.

10. there's two guys in suits staying all night outside your home in a four-door sedan.. 9. an elder you spoke to on the phone calls and asks you to repeat what you said the other day, but asks you to speak slowly and clearly.. 8. suddenly, jw friends stop by and ask an awful lot of the same questions.. 7. your laptop computer was moved, left on, or is missing.. 6. you left your car unlocked, it was thoroughly searched by someone but absolutely nothing is missing including your gps which was searched too.. 5. your boss asks if you are in trouble with the law or someone, stating some really polite men were asking about you and left some "tracts.".

4. someone picked up the cigarette butts around your back porch.. 3. the bartender at your favorite nightspot asks if you have ever before seen the guys in the corner booth that have been ordering "cokes" all evening and pulling out a camera everytime you order a beer.. 2. you receive registered mail and you already served on a jury this year.. 1. your jw mother who finally had accepted that you will never go back starts begging you to either go back to the kingdom hall or move with no forwarding address.. .

problemaddict 2

Are we doing this Jeff Foxworthy style?

If you come late, leave early, but are NOT the life of the party.......you may be disfellowshipped.

45

HELP ME COMPILE A LIST OF DISCARDED WORDS AND PHRASES from the WTS

by Terry in

jw
friends

in fort worth, texas around 1959. gradually i became aware of the argot.

special, private language).

jw's had these phrases they used over and over again.. upon first hearing, these words and phrases stood out as odd, weird or awkward.. however.

problemaddict 2

I think "one of the friends", is an interesting phrase that at least in english has a very specific meaning.

"The friends", being a term for your fellow worshipers is the main definition, but it also seems to carry with it the added value of being a "serious" JW.

I would add that one.

I remember as well the PURE LANGUAGE district convention. Many WT articles followed with that same phrase. It seems to have vanished.

12

TROUBLED MAN EXPOSES ELDERS CULT MENTALITY IN DOVER UK

by raymond frantz in

troubled man exposes elders cult mentality in dover uk.

(watch the video till the end).

breaking in to kingdom halls and disturbing peaceful meetings is hardly the way to go when it comes to positive activism .nevertheless these incidents seem to become more frequent recently as the watchtower vehemently refuses to engage in a meaningful way with the problems of policy and doctrine that seem to trouble many jehovahs witnesses .that, coupled with the ever extending ex- jehovahs witnesses community and their harsh disfellowshiping practises is creating a new era where disturbances of that short will only become more frequent.

problemaddict 2

Nothing about this is good. Leon isn't moving on. He makes the JW's look reasonable and patient.

"Why was I raised this way". - Who knows? Asked the people that raised you!

This dude does nothing but feed the paranoia. One way or another, we have a choice to live life the way we want to. we all have to deal with the good and bad of our parents decisions. In the end, the religion is bad. But it is just a religion.

This guy is just ranting. It does ZERO good, for anyone involved. Its seriously cringeworthy.