Posts by Alive!

14

When you were in

by Esmeralda001 in

coucou,.

i hope you are well?!

i have a few questions that i'd like to adress (if you don't mind of course).

I was a convert - I had a widish circle of non witness friends, and throughout life made 'good' friends easily....but, I did have low self esteem which was painted over by what appeared a super abundance of confidence...so a bit of a complex thing going on with me. I'm always looking out to see if I have met with approval - a little tiring I can tell you :-)

Back to 'then' - I had lost my parents and was mourning their loss. I was searching for answers.

I didn't expect to find them in the bible - so when a very successful 'business person' who was JW started talking with me - I was fascinated. Really fascinated and excited. The bible prophecies all seemed to 'fit' - the JWs hated religion apparently - yay!!! Me too!!

Slowly but surely I was introduced to a wide range of born in witnesses - the 'nutty' ones were introduced to me with a wink and a warning. Dozens of born ins would seem to seek out our company - and would say how reassuring and encouraging it was to see us 'get the truth'.

Fast forward - over the years we experienced and observed some terrible betrayals amongst JWs, the culture was concerning. I surpressed internal red flags - after all, doesn't love cover a multitude of sins?

Ultimately it was the deceit, the dishonesty of our publications which started to weary and depress me to a point where I was forced to ask myself - is this really the truth? The sneaky and coercive 'voice' I heard in our publications - the switch and bait tactics.

Somehow, this didn't sound like the voice that Jesus promised. Would Jesus treat a sincere, tender hearted follower with such dismissive words, belittling any concerns?

Keep searching - don't stop with the JWs - there is a good reason that people who do not have a 'healthy ego' join cults.

I was one of them - I just made a fantastic impression of being well balanced - but underneath, years in the org damn near destroyed my mental and emotional health.

Take care

Et bisou petite. X

29

Local Needs part given after Ministerial Servant left the organization

by cappytan in

jw
friends

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbb8rt2bem8.

some crazy cult language in this talk.. some highlights:.

18:15 - obey.

Alive!

Leaving-quietly .....great points.

When I caught the 'strange stories' point in this (cough) talk etc - immediately came to mind the strange stories regarding the resurrection of 'ancient worthies' - Rutherford explained that they would live in America, in the current culture and society of that time, what was that? 1920s right?...really?

As God's only channel - do not the FDS tremble a little, that a former brother was inspired to prophesy such strange and false stories?

Do they not tremble a little that dated predictions by the 'brotherhood' have been made using 'inspired' stories around ancient pyramids?

Aren't they a little Fearful of their own mouths????

32

Peer presure to use Ipad

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

earlier this season i advised my retired father to ignore the use of a tablet during his kingdom hall congregational visits.

his response was hopefull, but between the lines i could hear he had no choice.. yesterday he showed me his new 600 euro 64 gb ipad air 2. he had no clue what he has to do with it, he told me one of the elders will install the jw.org apps.. so, i feel he had to deal with presure to buy this ipad and i think he is not the only one.. do you recognize this?.

gorby.

Alive!

I've visited a local church - just as an observer......songs are shown on a huge screen up on the stage. Easy.

Each pew has bibles placed ..... No iPads, ever.

No dressing up, no 'witness bags' or 'meeting bags', no special leather bible covers wth special inserts for the reasoning book or whatever .... No special anything.

Just people who can turn up as they are and worship as they feel moved (the point is....its SIMPLE)

No one under pressure to look like a corporate branded 'christian'.

I can think of many JWs over 60 yrs who would feel so 'left behind' .......

15

Another Up Building Field Service Experience

by ThomasCovenant in

the following was from a friend of mine:.

yesterday for the first time in the 2 years we've been living here.

two 50+ year old women.

Alive!

I remember staying at a relative's house (not a JW) and one Saturday morning....'Knock knock'.....I'm standing at the kitchen door and so looked on as he went out to the porch....

Two JW women over 50 something.....with magazines on Satan.

After a quick initial greeting.... The conversation went like this....

'did you know God's word, the bible states that the world is lying in the power of the wicked one...that's the devil, Satan'

'Well, to be honest - I'm an atheist, so I don't believe in God'

'That's interesting - We find many people say that today ....thank you for expressing your thought...so do you think God will allow Satan to cause wickedness in the world forever?'

'Errrrr....well, like I said, I don't believe in God'

'May I just read you this interesting scripture in this paragraph?' ...( without pausing goes onto complete her rehearsed presentation) .....then 'do you not agree with this?'

'Errr well, I don't believe in God or the bible soon I'm afraid you are wasting your time' ( all this said with a sweet smile and a degree of bemusement)

'Well, I'm sure you'd find this article very interesting - I enjoyed it and I'm sure you will too - I'd like to leave the magazine with you and come back to hear your comments at another time'

This was getting very painful - I was fully 'in' at the time - but I remember the quiet internal desperation I felt - is this the best we can do? Listening to one of our 'presentations' from an eye witness perspective and other side of the door perspective was ..... Unsettling.

But then again - I've heard a lot, lot worse.

'

8

Hope and Reality

by Alive! in

for a long time, i've been moving into a place of utmost hope and faith.

universal reconciliation.

as a converted jw - i began my conversion with the joy that there is a hope for something we all would love - a world where each of us sees our fellow kind as a true brother.. i don't think that's an unhealthy way to live.. but - i'm living with the effects of corruptive thinking from a 'sect' - a divisive sect and judgemental sect that has hurt my sense of self.. it's terribly painful to have completely believed one thing, and then completely believe something else.... well that's how it feels to me.. i've read of some here who were jws for years, then became devout born agains for years and now are confirmed atheists.. wow.. how do you cope with the frivolous nature of your 'beliefs' - beliefs that were 'truths' for you in their own time.. i'm struggling - anyone else?.

Alive!

Thanks for all your comments.

Much appreciated - it's all a weird and sometimes not so wonderful roller coaster ride.

I'm so grateful that my husband and I survived together.

8

Hope and Reality

by Alive! in

for a long time, i've been moving into a place of utmost hope and faith.

universal reconciliation.

as a converted jw - i began my conversion with the joy that there is a hope for something we all would love - a world where each of us sees our fellow kind as a true brother.. i don't think that's an unhealthy way to live.. but - i'm living with the effects of corruptive thinking from a 'sect' - a divisive sect and judgemental sect that has hurt my sense of self.. it's terribly painful to have completely believed one thing, and then completely believe something else.... well that's how it feels to me.. i've read of some here who were jws for years, then became devout born agains for years and now are confirmed atheists.. wow.. how do you cope with the frivolous nature of your 'beliefs' - beliefs that were 'truths' for you in their own time.. i'm struggling - anyone else?.

Alive!

For a long time, I've been moving into a place of utmost hope and faith. Universal reconciliation.

As a converted JW - I began my conversion with the joy that there is a hope for something we all would love - a world where each of us sees our fellow kind as a true brother.

I don't think that's an unhealthy way to live.

But - I'm living with the effects of corruptive thinking from a 'sect' - a divisive sect and judgemental sect that has hurt my sense of self.

It's terribly painful to have completely believed one thing, and then completely believe something else.... Well that's how it feels to me.

I've read of some here who were JWs for years, then became devout born agains for years and now are confirmed atheists.

Wow.

How do you cope with the frivolous nature of your 'beliefs' - beliefs that were 'truths' for you in their own time.

I'm struggling - anyone else?

The only 'truth' I want to hold is about hope and life for all of us.

But, I struggle with the shame I feel for falling into a cult. How do others cope?

40

What was your ''the last straw that broke the camels back'' moment

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

there is a limit to how much straw (long yellow grass) a camel can carry on its back.

if you keep putting more straw on top, it will finally break the camel's back.

when you are at the last straw you are finally angry and will not take any more.. my moment (to stop attending all watchtower meetings) was after the harsh treatment from the elders and fellow congregation members of my second cousin who was disfellowhipped as a teenager.

Alive!

My husband made a comment the other day - he observed how some 'weak' born in JWs, those immersed in their own materialistic lives, who half heartedly turn up for meetings and give lip service to minimal field service - but by golly - got to shun someone? Absolutely hard core. They 'perfect' this part of their Christian life!

LOL.

40

What was your ''the last straw that broke the camels back'' moment

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

there is a limit to how much straw (long yellow grass) a camel can carry on its back.

if you keep putting more straw on top, it will finally break the camel's back.

when you are at the last straw you are finally angry and will not take any more.. my moment (to stop attending all watchtower meetings) was after the harsh treatment from the elders and fellow congregation members of my second cousin who was disfellowhipped as a teenager.

Alive!

Talesin - too many deaths.

(((hug)))

40

What was your ''the last straw that broke the camels back'' moment

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

there is a limit to how much straw (long yellow grass) a camel can carry on its back.

if you keep putting more straw on top, it will finally break the camel's back.

when you are at the last straw you are finally angry and will not take any more.. my moment (to stop attending all watchtower meetings) was after the harsh treatment from the elders and fellow congregation members of my second cousin who was disfellowhipped as a teenager.

Alive!

Thanks so much for posting the illustration.

For thinking 'lurkers' - please consider what the message is from the men who call themselves 'Christ's Brothers'....Christ's 'ambassadors'

It's a message to the world.

If you, a caring witness could feel disturbed - imagine how this looks to a someone who you are trying to 'reach'

It's wrong - and you know it.

40

What was your ''the last straw that broke the camels back'' moment

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

there is a limit to how much straw (long yellow grass) a camel can carry on its back.

if you keep putting more straw on top, it will finally break the camel's back.

when you are at the last straw you are finally angry and will not take any more.. my moment (to stop attending all watchtower meetings) was after the harsh treatment from the elders and fellow congregation members of my second cousin who was disfellowhipped as a teenager.

Alive!

By the way, I could quote loads of doctrinal issues and false prophesies - but it was the sense of discomfort I got from 'hearing' a voice and perceiving a message through their incalculation tools that was absolutely unsettling.