Posts by Alive!

55

"High" education

by Esmeralda001 in

did any of you guys disregard the wt recommendations and pursue a career.

if you answer "yes": was your journey easy?

are you happy with the end result?

Alive!

The 'higher education' thing is truly confusing.

On one hand the org cheerfully utilises the skills of degree qualified members....then they slap down the notion of wanting to get a university education as being 'prideful' when addressing the rank and file. It doesn't leave a great deal of room for self accountability - choices come with a tick of approval or not.

Interstingly, the GB spread the idea that if you go to University, you endanger your spiritual health....and potentially could draw away from your Heavenly Father...

Yet, I have attended two different churches in the past couple of years, both highly populated with qualified doctors, nurses, teachers etc ( and other professions requiring a degree) - I've got to know a few of these people ( including extended family etc and add to that my own extended family) - their heartfelt love for God and neighbour seems pretty sound to me.

PS - Thats not meant to be a church promotion! It's just an observation.... University did not lead these folk into the dens of black iniquity!

39

JW Talk

by Alive! in

was sipping my coffee, browsing here and there, and then focussed on reading here regarding arc, picked up some world news on same subject - and wondered if jw org would publish any information on their news site.. then, i flicked to jw talk - anything in their public news forum?

a newish headline 'australia and jehovah's witnesses' or something like that - i entered link - web page error, not found.

nope.

Alive!

Hilarious @Orphan Crow !!!

23

Changes to reporting

by Formerbrother in

so it seems placing literature is not so important anymore, now that we live in a digital age.. we are being pushed to show videos instead.

this is the new reporting from next month, just hrs and any literature placed in one box and then how many videos you showed in another box.. bib changes for sure..

Alive!

All this must feel very unsettling for the elderly JW.

Some must feel quite redundant...unable to afford the tablets, unable to afford a data plan for service - some would feel absolutely overwhelmed by the whole thing.

39

JW Talk

by Alive! in

was sipping my coffee, browsing here and there, and then focussed on reading here regarding arc, picked up some world news on same subject - and wondered if jw org would publish any information on their news site.. then, i flicked to jw talk - anything in their public news forum?

a newish headline 'australia and jehovah's witnesses' or something like that - i entered link - web page error, not found.

nope.

Alive!

Isn't this a sad reflection of life in the KH?

You know, there will be forum members on JW talk who will take note and perhaps ask themselves some serious questions.

It makes me want to YELL!!!!

10

Another example of selfish wordly people..

by defender of truth in

jw
friends

storm desmond - how kindness is keeping cumbria afloat.

read here:.

today, we are grateful to receive warnings that help us not to have a selfish attitude like that of most in the world.

Alive!

It was the generalistic "worldlies are bad" - that was yet another constant trigger for me to want to yell "NOOOO"!!

If you dared to suggest that "wordly" people can actually be really, really nice (Heck I was not born in - so I knew the truth of this) then the retort would be "Ah yes, we may find the odd nice person, but what are their motives? Do they have a love for Jehovah?"

What can you say? Nothing will appease them when they simply refuse to appreciate that "worldlies" are humans who can love, self sacrifice and all manner of unselfish things.

12

ARC: WT cf VAG

by Joe Grundy in

(i never was a jw).. as a retired child abuse professional, i followed (and continue to do so - it's an ongoing process) the arc proceedngs closely.

my understanding is that the purpose of the arc is to establish what current practices exist in various organisations and institutions, how those practices compare with accepted best practice, and what organisations and institutions need to do to bring their procedures and policies into line with best practice.

(and to find a way to compensate victims for what's been done wrong).. wt is case study #29 in the arc process.

Alive!

I have to say, that the crime of child sexual abuse IS about the deviance of the individual - I haven't a problem with that. But, the organisation when asked to assist with the inherent problems of child abuse within organised communities, failed to weep for the hurt done to victims.

12

ARC: WT cf VAG

by Joe Grundy in

(i never was a jw).. as a retired child abuse professional, i followed (and continue to do so - it's an ongoing process) the arc proceedngs closely.

my understanding is that the purpose of the arc is to establish what current practices exist in various organisations and institutions, how those practices compare with accepted best practice, and what organisations and institutions need to do to bring their procedures and policies into line with best practice.

(and to find a way to compensate victims for what's been done wrong).. wt is case study #29 in the arc process.

Alive!

The JW team did little to inspire trust or respect in the face of the ARC commission, overall.

The sad thing is that brought out into the "broad daylight" and being brought into scrutiny - the JW team appeared out of their usual habitat, where they never have to answer questions or be accountable etc.

They handled the questions and the whole process as they would answer a "readers question" - always framed within the JW thought process.

They were asked honest questions - the JW team did not give a "good witness".

They even failed to appear as simply "dellusional and yet pious" - they came across as something else.

I don't believe there would have been any non-witness in that court room who would have been moved to listen with true respect, to have had their "eyes opened' to the deep christian integrity of the JW organisation.

The JW team, overall, displayed something uncomfortably deceptive...

39

JW Talk

by Alive! in

was sipping my coffee, browsing here and there, and then focussed on reading here regarding arc, picked up some world news on same subject - and wondered if jw org would publish any information on their news site.. then, i flicked to jw talk - anything in their public news forum?

a newish headline 'australia and jehovah's witnesses' or something like that - i entered link - web page error, not found.

nope.

Alive!

Thank you Anakin.

It seems from reading here that JWs are not talking about the ARC in the congregations; and are shutting the mouths of eachother even in the relatively safe environment of a closed forum.

I noticed that you said there had been one member who tried to be rational and reasonable, but was 'dealt to'.

Thanks for the updates.

21

How do you overcome SHUNNING after leaving the organization and move on?

by suavojr in

jw
friends

it amazes me how many of you have left it all behind, including family, brothers and sisters, friends and a full network of people.

i for one cannot find the courage to breakaway, and this causes me great anxiety and stress.

it eats me alive to think that if i open my mouth everyone i know will simply turn their back on me.

Alive!

We haven't left 'family' in the organisation - as in blood relatives ( so, so grateful for that) - but we left a life of over 20 years, memories and friends who felt like family.

I grieve the loss - every year we would holiday with a small group of friends, we had so much fun. We really did.

I was 'aunty' to many of our friends children, I was there for the significant times in their lives.....engagements, weddings, births - and yes, baptisms.

It's all gone. We keep our distance because it is too hard for everyone to stay close.

We are not D/A or disfellowshipped - we just couldn't bear the manipulative and coercive words coming from the platform, the publications and more importantly the GB. We felt that the culture was sick, diseased. Couldn't do it anymore.

Its tough, to be honest.

77

Feeling rejected

by Esmeralda001 in

just a little disclaimer: english isn't my first language (i'm from france) thus the poor writing skills.here is the situation: i'm not a jw.

however, i'm in the process of becoming one.

in fact, i'm studying with the jw's, and i'll proceed to become an unbaptized publisher as soon as i finish the first book.to make a long story short i was introduced to the truth when i was 18een.

Alive!

So Esmeralda,

You have a congregation in mind that seems 'quiet' - mainly elderly etc, you say.

You do realise that congregations do change. People move around.

You cannot insulate yourself from the possibility of dealing with an unpleasant person who could make your life feel hellish.

Warning - what you are experiencing now with this unpleasant family is not 'unusual'.