Posts by problemaddict 2

I think I have a really good idea. It seems you are leaning to help. That is of course fine. They are your parents. Their treatment of you isn't going to dictate what kind of human beings you are and that is virtuous in my mind.

Of course nobody would judge you adversely for not giving it to them (unless you are wealthy and have a bunch of disposable income).

I would offer very kindly if you decide to give it to them, to have them come over and eat dinner, and meet their grandson, and you will give it to them after the meal. This accomplishes so many things its hard to list.

If they say, well you know we can't do that, act surprised. I mean...they aren't suposed to be talking to you at all right? if they come, give them the money, then invite them over a couple weeks down the line for dinner again. Maybe your kindness will make a crack. If they decline and pull out all of the JW nonsense, ask them why it was ok 2 weeks ago?

I really think this is a good idea. it allows you to take the high road AND allows the opportunity for them to either see the light a little, or be exposed to THEMSELVES.

Make sense?

25

To Scully--A Tribute!

by Atlantis in

if you are a new person to the board you might want to send scully a pm thanking her for her hard work and dedication.

the boe project owes her for helping it to get started.. example:.

several years ago there was a website called (dirtclod.com) who had the courage to display the boes right out in front of everybody.

problemaddict 2

Kudos to Scully and to atlantis. people you will never meet, and whom you may never speak to, are grateful to you.

36

The "most honest people" on earth....?

by stuckinarut2 in

have we noticed how often the society uses comments like this?.

"jehovah's witnesses are the most honest people...etc".

while it may be true that witnesses as a whole are decent, law abiding people, are they truely "honest" when the very foundation of beliefs are based on mistruths?.

problemaddict 2

JW's are neither better nor worse than the general population really. They are just a segment. There are JW's that are outstanding citizens, kind, and thoughtful. many live their beliefs with integrity, integrity which can even put them at odds with their own religion at times.

Then there are JW's that steal, don't pay their debts, take advantage of the system, lie, molest, murder, etc.... They are probably in the same % as the population as a whole.

There are plenty of articles talking about the need to get business dealings as signed contracts for the sake of peace in the congregation. Is this because they are the most honesest people in the world!? No, its because they are just people.

We could make an argument that some of the beliefs which transgress normal human decency make them LESS moral or honest than others. The things that quickly come to mind

Concept of "theocratic warfare"

Blood refusal and death even for children or family members

Shunning of those who transgress a law or think differently, carried out in secret meetings where noone may be present but the men judging.

56

Hello, fairly new, studying for around 7 months, just thought I would introduce myself.

by Conanthebeliever in

hello everyone, i hope you are all ok. .

my name is conan, i am 25, and from the uk.

i have some brain damage, so i apologise in advance if my syntax is off or i go a long way around explaining things.

problemaddict 2

I have no idea why the beginning of my post is gone above......so it looks a little weird. I think it was just pleasantries, explaining I was born into the faith, yadda yadda.

56

Hello, fairly new, studying for around 7 months, just thought I would introduce myself.

by Conanthebeliever in

hello everyone, i hope you are all ok. .

my name is conan, i am 25, and from the uk.

i have some brain damage, so i apologise in advance if my syntax is off or i go a long way around explaining things.

problemaddict 2

Conan,

But, I did decide in my 30's (Im still in my 30's), that there was one particular doctrine I did not feel was biblical. That was the MANDATORY refusal of blood transfusions or certain blood products. Its is not supported in scripture as it elevates the symbol of life above life itself, and has many misunderstanding embedded into it. I was content to live with my doubts. The problem was that if I taught this to others, it bothered my conscience very much. You see what you don't already know as a bible study, is you are not allowed to think and feel differently about these things. If your bible trained conscience allows you to take a transfusion in an emergency, or some other forbidden item, you would still be disfellowshipped from the congregation for doing so.

I stopped attending meetings as a esult of this and other things I disagreed with. I didn't disagree angrily, nor did I try to get others to think and feel the way I did. Still......friends I have for decades, called me to tell me they would not be communicating with me anymore. Mind you I have a family, I'm a moral person, raising two small children, I try to live with integrity and help others when it is in my power to do so......its not like I left and grew a beard and started listening to Metalica! Haha.

Still, these otherwise reasonable young guys i lived with and shared moments with over the previous decades just wrote me an e mail saying they regeted that we couldn't "kick it" anymore.

The hall is nice and friendly, as long as you are new, you do not think for yourself, and you never question what you are being told.

that however is not living an authentic life my friend. While JW's may dismiss something like JWfacts.com as lies and false without even reading it, it is far from factually inaccurate. I personally used to come online and argue with what I considered were "apostates". I was thoroughly convinced I was correct, and that the rest of the world was going to die soon if I didn't help them.

I am thankful at one point I decided that I would follow what was logical and the evidence no matter where it led.

My gentle suggestion, is not to get baptized. Once you are, you are subject to the unscriptural practice of disfellowshipping based on a misunderstanding of several scriptures.

Keep learning. And once again, welcome to the board.

25

Inviting disfellowshipped to the memorial

by wannaexit in

jw
friends

i read in a european ex jw forum that this year they are making a special effort to invite not only the inactive but also a special effort is made to invite all disfellowshipped.

.

i don't know if this as always been a common practice, or something started anew so they can boast about the numbers of attendees..

problemaddict 2

I'm not disfellowshipped, but I have faded pretty decently. I really hope this doesn't get them thinking about contacting me. If they did, I am not sure it would go well.

17

Memorial Non-Attendance: The Single Most Impactful TTATT Witness to JW Friends & Family

by AMNESIANO in

note: the following is submitted in full recognition of and with compassion and due respect for those who, due to personal circumstance, feel they are unable to employ this powerful strategy.. ---.

anyone who has awakened to ttatt and has conscientiously left the organization--especially a once-prominent, highly-regarded, studious true-believer from a celebrated multi-generational tribe of jws-- after decades of devout, high-profile "serve-us," who continues to put in an annual appearance at the memorial thoroughly subverts and undermines, by this one act, any hope s/he may entertain that his/her departure will stir family or former friends to question the whole watchtower bamboozle.

by this one concession s/he assigns him-/herself by every single jw to their handy and dismissive purgatory: the "spiritually-weak.".

problemaddict 2

Someone that I know that used to attend asked me when he found out I didn't go anymore this exact question.

"So are you a 'go to the memorial' ex JW, or no memorial JW". His question was interesting to me, because the assumption on his part and I believe many others is that if you attend the memorial, DEEP DOWN you still feel the way you used to.

Since I heard that question....I no longer attend memorial. I am hoping my wife stays home this year for the first time.