you all like miracles?
wanna hear some real miracles that have happened?
this is all true folks!
Ugh. I always hated these stories. Even as a loyal JW, I could not square that circle. Why did Jah intervene in this minor instance, but other JW's died no problem. Was their faith not as good?
I really hate it when I hear about the miracle of getting time off for the assembly! that one is more insulting than all the rest.
im in the process of drifting out.
my entire family are jw's.
my wife and her family are too.
Hey PE,
A lot of people here including myself, can really understand what you are going through. I was your typical golden boy. MS, pioneer, gave the parts, been ont he circuit, "need-greater", foreign language congregations....etc... My wife the same. Pioneered since she was 12 for 17 years.
I stopped going 3 years ago, and it was rough. I made some mistakes, I have lost close friends, but I caught myself before I blew up everything. So I still have JW friends, a couple of which I have been able to get out, and my wife came around (which I can't tell you how unexpected that was), she just had to take her own journey and be assured of my complete love and loyalty to her.
The thing that made me pump the breaks was knowing that my lack of patience, desire to just be left alone, and wanting to get things off my chest (I was an idealist who started out thinking I could change things), led to conversations that were ALWAYS going to go poorly. Once I realized this, and once I really woke up to the idea that the elders were just guys.....who weren't really my friends.....that had no real say in my life, I was able to politely say no thanks and change the subject. I didn't have to give reasons. I completely took control, and was kind and direct. It changed everything.
Take care of your wife first. You will find the opportunity to put in a couple things here and there. Your immediate family is all that matters in this case. But do not push it. Pay attention, be a great person, and love her. That will speak volumes.
the elders can't make you do anything. if they call for your report, kindly let them know if there is anything to report, you will let them know. If the elder in your apt complex asks you to meeting or service, say no thanks but you appreciate the offer. then wave and go get some tacos.
These basic things you would do if it was ANYONE else get lost when its an elder or someone in the religion. Its part of the training. Acknowledge the control is has over you, and it will free you from it.
Thats my 2 cents.
i was reading in another forum, that a letter to the elders instructed them to speak to anybody who persists in wearing tight pants.
if changes don't happen then the instructions are to disqualify him from being a publisher but it won't be announced to the congregation.
i am am curious to see if this letter will surface.
Thanks for the letter guys.
Wow.....still living in the 50's these guys are. The thing that is really something is how subjective these comments are. "So-called metrosexual style". Can you imagine some 60 year old elder with a God complex trying to figure out what this even means? None of these young guys or girls are walking into the congregation like Boy George. Imagine the minutia they will be arguing over.
A womans "masculine" style of hair. What does that mean? Flatop? Is it if she has muscles?
Its so subjective, I just see these guys tripping over themselves offending people, and simply comeing off an unhinged. I think this can only be good.
it's been reported on this forum that bethel speakers at this summer's conventions are asserting that the establishment of the united nations in 1945 was predicted in advance by the witnesses.
this is being presented as validation of the claim that the witnesses are god's one true organization directed by holy spirit.. .
the basis for this claim originates with a public address entitled, peace - can it last given by n.h. knorr at the new world theocratic assembly, on september 20 of 1942. .
I remember this assertion, and appreciate TJ's research here as I do elsewhere. Its fairly basic even.
what amazes me most, is that these assertions are easily dispelled with just some basic research, yet they STILL put it out there. Is it arrogance, or are they just dumb? I see no other possibility.
so here an update on my current situation, in a nutshell i've been trying to quietly fade for the past 5 months.. well, my mom somehow found out that i am currently fading and that i live with my boyfriend (for more info on this check my previous posts) i told her yes i live with him and yes i no longer want to be a jw.
anyways, yesterday she met my boyfriend.. awkward.
and after lunch she pulled me aside to tell me that the po came up to her (he was part of my jc when i was reproved) he said to her "someone came to me and said - i cannot say who so they will remain anonymous- but that your daughter is living with someone" my mom confirmed and apparently he told her that i have one week to confess this, and if i don't my parents are obligated to tell them everything.. what kind of nonsense is that?
I don't like to lie. it isn't part of my character. But my mother is old. I don't want to cause her pain. So I would lie to spare her of that. its the loving thing to do. In this case, I would lie to stop a great injustice that would affect my life, my potential children, my parents, and others. If Raven isn't causing harm, I say do what you have to, to finish out your fade.
why is this the first time i have come across this?
my husband showed me a video about how the jws invest in stock like cinemax, disney, companies producing war weapons, alcohol and much much more.
if this is true, there are tax records to show for it right?
"reputation and virginity...you only get one"
this dude lost me in the first minute. No way am I giving this guy 90 minutes of my time.
"singer, songwriter, bible teacher"
gtfo
why is this the first time i have come across this?
my husband showed me a video about how the jws invest in stock like cinemax, disney, companies producing war weapons, alcohol and much much more.
if this is true, there are tax records to show for it right?
There are many reasons JW's are nuts. This however is a non-issue, and is not made by someone who understands investment and finance. Suffice to say, the WT will accept stock, money, trust assets, etc... Many of the people that donate these things don't even know what they have.
For example.....if I take a pension, do I always know what the pension fund is invested in? My 401K is divested in lots of things, and in mutual funds which are made up of several companies. Do I scrutinize each one of them for moral ambiguity? Impossible.
This isn't something that gets headway with JW's, and its one of those things that gives them flames to the "apostates say the darnedest things" routine.
I also hear they are part of the illuminati and funded by the rothchild empire. Give me a break people.
in the very near future the gang will be down in a bunker,cellar awaiting the police,military to break in and take them away to camps or executions .
(paranoid much) this is the foretold "prophecy" of the governments turning on religion and saving them for last.since the couple portrayed as simplifying their life by getting rid of a lot of material things is shown to be (about) the same age in the bunker we know it must be any minute now that it will happen.
i have been out for over 35 years and things seem to be getting more bizarre each year.. when did this doctrine really become main stream?
The "bunker series". I almost want to go, just so after something crazy I can stand up like......"I'm out!". Take off the tie and be like that is too batshit for me.
But......I'd have to go to do that.
so here an update on my current situation, in a nutshell i've been trying to quietly fade for the past 5 months.. well, my mom somehow found out that i am currently fading and that i live with my boyfriend (for more info on this check my previous posts) i told her yes i live with him and yes i no longer want to be a jw.
anyways, yesterday she met my boyfriend.. awkward.
and after lunch she pulled me aside to tell me that the po came up to her (he was part of my jc when i was reproved) he said to her "someone came to me and said - i cannot say who so they will remain anonymous- but that your daughter is living with someone" my mom confirmed and apparently he told her that i have one week to confess this, and if i don't my parents are obligated to tell them everything.. what kind of nonsense is that?
Ravan,
Noone can say how this will go because it really depends on the elders. Truth is you should have never told your parents what you did. Once you tell people, you kind of open yourself up. But.....whats done is done, so here is my gentle advise IF you are trying to avoid the big D. If you don't care, you know what to do.
1) Your parents are going to put the org above you. Sad but true. Most of us would have done the same at one time. I personally would not tell them the truth. I would say you lied to them before. You don't live with someone. Or tell them you got married. None of anyones business. I don't know. Whatever you want to do.
2) They need 2 witnesses, and if they are going to use them, they have to be named. They cannot use "anonymous" witnesses. You always have the "right" to face your accuser. So just deny it. If nobody has your address, and you live an hour and a half away, deny it. Bothers call you, you can invite them to eet you at a starbucks 100 miles in your direction, to tell them no you don't live with anyone. Act harrassed. You haven't been to any meetings, aren't causing trouble, and don't appreciate being "policed". You know they love you and want to help you and you have their number.
3) Stay away from loaded language or direct questions like "do you want to be a JW anymore"? Answer I have been a JW all my life, I will let you guys know if I would like your help. DOn't be tricked into it, simply deny the allegations, and if they won't even provide the name of the accuser, it has no validity. Explain, you would like to be left alone, and you consider this bordering on harassment. You aren't bothering anyone, and live far away. this is causing you undue stress, and you don't appreciate it.
Anyways.....there is my 2 cents.
would making fun of an elder, co or governing body member, be considered brazen conduct or some other wt sin, like apostasy?
.
is it an actionable judicial matter, even?.
I was once counseled for "not respecting Lordship" in regards to the decision making of the elders.
This guys hated me. If he could have done more he would have. The meeting didn't go as he liked (there were 4 elders in it....long story), but lets just say it ended with a quick lecture on Jesus words regarding the Pharisees "lording it over the flock" and his ignorance as to what the original language and intend of jesus words were. Then a cherry on top of it really doesn't matter what you think, you don't qualify to be an elder, and are a stain n the congregation.
I walked out. No reproof, no nada.
Sometimes we forget that you cannot legislate opinion.
