Posts by problemaddict 2

16

weird questions people ask you at the KH?

by Truthexplorer in

so i meet sister ott zealot.

she says ah .... its lovely to see you; how are you doing.

i said yeah i'm fine thank you!

problemaddict 2

I recently was asked two of these. One of them thought he was funny....and he kind of was. Just not in the way he thought.

"How is the WORLD treating you". (supposed to make me think I suppose)

I said things are great. My business is growing, my boys are healthy, my wife and I are healthy, no debt, a few good friends that we are tight with like family, and we live in beautiful sunny San Diego. What could I possibly complain about right?

I am sure his head exploded.

My wife made the comment that you are damned if you do, and damned if you don't. If we are doing terrible and life is rough, then its because we lack direction, gods spirit, and the protection of his org. If we are doing really well, Satan is somehow blessing us (does he do that?), and making it seem like everything is great out there.

Its hilarious to us now.

37

Apostasy Trial - Part 2 - Satan is Using Google

by berrygerry in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=373zbncuuoq

problemaddict 2

The thing is....when we are all at the end of our rope we are not at our best. These kind of meetings are usually being had with people beaten, damaged, and broken to a certain extent.

This guy was a bit all over the place, but what else could he do? His wife left him, his friends left him, he was about to be cut off from the only social structure he ever knew. These elders weren't as bad as most. Except maybe the "where does google come from....if you really think about it" guy.

The questions are there to attempt to just throw you into a box. Don't believe in God? then lets just do this. But that isn't what this is about. This is about someone being accused of apostasy, for sharing with his wife things he learned to be true, that caused him to question the religion of his youth. The way to go here is to walk in and say, why am i being accused of apostasy? I'm not an apostate....are we done here? And then to find the logical inconsistencies.

But.....we all suffer to leave in on form or another. We are bloodied by the time we get courage to go, and even tape a meeting. I think this guy did as good as anyone could do. I certainly did not have the courage to tape any of my meetings (non-judicial). So kudos. One day i would really like to see someone go in there with full loads, and a plan. Maybe I can still do it some day.

27

What I Learned Today

by OneFingerSalute in

just thought i would share what i learned today sitting for several miserable hours at the circus assembly.. while i took "notes" i just cannot stand trying to type out all the details.

so suffice it to say the entire program can be covered with these few observations.. do more!

give more!

problemaddict 2

The double down on disfellowshipping is really a noodle scratcher for me. I'm just not certain what it is really accomplishing.

27

Have anyone here ever told a elder he is full of poop.

by James Mixon in

jw
friends

i wonder what the report to the branch would say.. he said " me, you and the wt organization is full of poop".. do we df him?

?.

problemaddict 2

In the last meeting I had with elders once I had left a hall, but before I had gotten the courage to leave, I got to say something very gratifying.

This was not a JC, but there were 5 elders present from 2 kh.

At the beginning they asked me to hold my comments until after they were done talking. In hindsight.....I wish I would have laughed and made comments when I saw fit. But at the time I was being more calculated in order to avoid blowing my top and getting DF'd.

At the end of what essentially were diatribes about "not debating beliefs, listening to the slave, and respecting lordship" (the elders lordship.......not kidding), they looked at me and said......so?

The following is the best i can recall, but is not hyperbole.

"Well guys......this has really been a hoot. While I am sure this little meeting is to try to convince the new brothers in my hall that your letter of slander holds some validity, it won't work. You haven't' succeeded in labeling me in any way that you saw fit. My reputation in the hall I have been in for 9 years, is still great. The people in the congregation know me, and I know them. You two however are another story. And you have betrayed yourselves with your own words.

Gentlemen (I refused to call them brothers), when Jesus spoke to his disciples in front of the Pharisees he said something I am sure you are familiar with. He pointed at the Pharisees and told his disciples "they Lord it over the flock, but with you let that not be so. For whoever is fist will be last, and last will be first.....".

Are you guys familiar with the greek word translated "Lord it over". actually its not just one word, but there is an interesting definition of it if you look at possible renderings in modern english. It easily could be translated....they "insist on their own authority, but with you let that not be so".

Are you two aware that you just went on a rant for about 15 minutes about Lordship and authority? Someone might even say your protest borders on insistence. Yet because you are so detached from reality, you would never conflate what you just did, and Jesus words, because it would....it DOES, render YOU the Pharisee.

This is unfortunately fitting as the congregation constantly uses this word in connection with you guys.

anywhooooo....I have no idea how you guys are still elders. Details of my encounter with you guys were sent to the branch and while I'm sure they won't remove you since you used to be a CO, it will at the very least detail the embarrassing encounter, and be on your record back east. Maybe it will make you think twice before trying to flex on the next guy. So.....I think that 45 minutes of my life is all I can give to you.

Later.

---------------------------------------

It was pretty gratifying. Never spoke to those dummies again.

59

Kendrick " Letter of Introduction " from Elders regarding Candace Conti Case

by flipper in

as many of us saw in the pbs news hour program and the abc news nightline program the elders from one congregation failed to communicate properly to the elders in another congregation concerning the child molester jonathan kendrick when he moved to a new congregation.

i have parts of this " introduction letter " from the fremont congregation to the oakley congregation elders so you can read it for yourself and decide how irresponsible these wt appointed elders were.

dated 1/16/98 it opens : .

problemaddict 2

I don't recall reading that letter before. It must be the very definition of indefensible.

You know......I understand the court ruling. I get that the duty to protect from a religious institution is going to be a hard case. Its a slippery slope that could be widely defined. But I think any human being who looks at this case, instinctively knows the wrong. Their "conscience bears witness" if you will.

For the society to use the defense that they don't have a duty legally to protect young ones, is just mind blowing. I realize that may be an over simplification. I wonder though how McCabe can just sit there and defend the actions of this elder body that recommended this guy as being "interesting" and "helping young ones".

Eden said it right. If this guy had expressed doubts about the slave.....no way that would not be on his letter. Molest a kid and come clean about it. Nah....we don't have to let anyone know.

Sick.....and ignorant. Truly a people disconnected from REALITY.

11

"Neither can salt water produce fresh water." - James 3:12, RNWT

by 88JM in

i noticed this verse the other night and thought it looked so obviously ridiculously provably untrue that there must be something more to it.

surely even a bible writer must understand that desalination isn't witchcraft?.

new american standard bible:"nor can salt water produce fresh.".

problemaddict 2

I don't know guys. I think we are reading too technically into it. Its essentially saying you can't dip a bucket in the ocean and draw out water that isn't salty. Obviously this is true. I'm no bible defender, but I don't think I would go very far bringing this up as an inaccuracy, when future desalinization isn't really the point of the statement.

This might be grasping at straws.

56

Question for atheists and nonbelievers

by pressman in

i profess to teach the truth to you all and get you to all to think and believe.

believing in christ through his words and not through evil religious cults, like hoj and jw, can and will save you.

do you all realize that every time you are victorious and receive something of value through your hard work and sweat, it was our holy god who blessed you.

problemaddict 2

Are we being pranked?

91

Setback

by EdenOne in

i saw this coming since my mother-in-law's funeral .... the congregation's "love-bombing" over my wife had its impact.

i watched her drawing closer and closer to her friends in the congregation.

then she decided she would attend the memorial.

problemaddict 2

Eden,

My heart breaks for your situation my man. So much progress, and she just ends up doing jumping jacks in the quicksand because its familiar. Her mental state is a huge factor in this. What she has done (right or wrong), is familiar to her, and comes with ready mix just add meetings and stir...."friends".

Of course reality is very different from this world, but she is foregoing it.

I personally agree with the advise to love-bomb her on your own. Let her bring it up. Be a great husband. Smile, joke, love her, and be open. Respect what she is telling you, keep your anger in check, and the opportunity WILL arise to talk with her some more. When it does, appeal to what you already know, and don't unload the barrels on her.

I don't really know you guys so who can say what will or will not work. But if you love her.....then love her. Love her the same way you would if she was dealing with an illness she had no control over. Does that make sense? In the mean time, if you are happy as an introvert, no problem. Make an effort, go out with her, and make plans. Go out and do stuff. Movie, walks, take yoga together. Ha!

32

Conventions, Kingdom Halls, Relief Funds, and Other Financial Scams and Schemes of Jehovah’s Witnesses

by Watchtower-Free in

a few seconds ago this hit the net todayhttp://jwvictims.org/conventions-kingdom-halls-relief-funds-and-other-financial-scams-and-schemes-of-jehovahs-witnesses/.

conventions, kingdom halls, relief funds, and other financial scams and schemes of jehovahs witnesses.

jehovahs witnesses often note that at their meetings (like church services), they dont pass a collection plate.

problemaddict 2

One glaring ommision I think from this article.

Why the "deficit" for each day of the assembly? Yes he mentioned utilities and incidentals (although i am sure property tax can be high), but the calculation of the deficit is very intriguing.

I know that some here know better than I do. Something about a $ amount per publisher assigned as what that assembly should bring in?

Anyone?

48

How many here gave up having a family for the sake of the "truth"?

by stuckinarut2 in

this is a sensitive topic for many of us i know, but i am wondering how many here actually gave up the idea of having a family "in this system" for the sake of "kingdom activity or service"??.

start the count here with my wife and i.

problemaddict 2

My wife and I were on the track to Gilead, already need greating, and refused children. NONE of our JW friends have kids.

She got preggers by accident, but I was already "waking up". We were stressed and upset.....but not like we thought we would be. We purposely had a second, and both are still very young. Being a mom woke up my wife in part, and its the greatest thing we ever let happen.

I see our friends without children getting to the point where they may not be able to have any....and I just wonder if they will be happy at 60.