Posts by Alive!

64

"Apostates " how honest are we?

by closed in

as i mentioned in another post i used to serve as an elder for 2 decades.

i was involved in a number of jc.

some i dealt with are good friends now.

Alive!

So many great comments @closed.

Slimboyfat, finkel and bluesbro - excellent points.

32

How this Jehovah’s Witness feels about the Australian Royal Commission

by Simple Minds in

i know the arc is old news i know i am preaching to the converted but i had to express how i feel because most of my jw friends and family dont want to hear .

so this is how i feel.

i have faithfully served as a jehovahs witness for over 25 years..

I well remember facing trusted JW friends with hard questions, putting it to them that this could be an exercise in thinking through how we'd answer such questions from non witnesses, who sincerely expected fair and honest answers from those who claim to have 'the only true religion' and who are the only ones who speak on God's behalf.

They turned their backs. They didn't want to think or 'help' me by searching for a healing and honest answer.

I know how it feels to work through the shame of who I once thought we were, to what time has revealed us to be.

I didn't hear the 'voice of Jesus' in the ARC witness stand, giving the right words to 'the brothers' - I heard something quite different.

It's OK - take one hour, one day at a time.

Dont panic - which is what I did I guess - I went a bit beserk, said too much, lost ground accordingly.

Take your time, protect yourself. ((((Hugs))))

49

Slightly different approach - JW my tradition

by closed in

hello everybody :) i have been visiting this forum for some time.

i noticed that many can't really free from the past in the org despite many years outside of jw.

i was awaken with a bang.

Alive!

Totally understand that having family raises all sorts of concerns - especially when you see them doing fine, the thought of dropping any bombs would not be something that feels 'right'.

49

Slightly different approach - JW my tradition

by closed in

hello everybody :) i have been visiting this forum for some time.

i noticed that many can't really free from the past in the org despite many years outside of jw.

i was awaken with a bang.

Alive!

'You suffer a lot and you hate a lot'

When I converted to be a witness of Jehovah I believed that I started training for a time when I'd have to stand up and be counted.

I believed by taking a stand, in the workplace, amongst my non witness family and friends - that I'd be strengthening my character.

Good luck to you and your family with your somewhat duplicit acceptance of half truths for the sake of comfort.

That's not spoken in hate - but think about it and what it could ultimately do to the shaping of your character and that of those you love.

You belong to a church that has no freedom of speech, open communication in the spirit of truth is not tolerated.

Its not good. Is it?

25

JT & Lady Cee Why we left the Jehovah's Witnesses - Part 2

by JT-LadyC in

jt further expounds on why we left the watchtower.

why we left the jehovah's witnesses part 2.

Alive!

Excellent video - I particularly liked the reminder of how we were taught that we were in a separating work, seperating the sheep from the goats - and that teaching changed overnight.

For those who say the 'core' JW doctrines are sound......well I think believing that mere humans are doing a separating work of fellow humans using publications full of errors 'in the time of the end' is profoundly satanic....if you believe that 'satan' is the father of the lie.

I was relieved when that 'doctrine' changed - but looking back, it was a wicked teaching. It was a soul destroying lie, causing intense anxiety to many....including me.

27

Demonic art in the watchtower?

by Lost and adrift in

does anybody remember a rumour or maybe it was a truth?

?...something about hidden pictures or symbols in the artwork of the watchtower.

was it one of those urban legends?

Alive!

I always felt the illustrations were.....a bit yuck. But rapped myself on the wrist for not seeing them through 'humble eyes'

Havong said that - it seemed to me, there was never any 'error' in how illustrations appeared. The revelation 'lobster claw' was 'out there' - no artist would let that bit of crappy 'handy work' go to print - it was a terrible representation of a hand, in fact, nothing like a hand.... Yes, it DID look like a proper 'claw' hand - it really did 'stand out' as being apart from the rest of the hand representations in that picture and I can't help wondering if the art crowd just loved having a joke, chucking something like that in....

And I don't want to be over critical about the whole art thing - but I do agree that every picture was CAREFULLY chosen.

After all .... The FDS tells us so.

So, regarding the black guy on the song book, with the dodgy thumb - replaced by an Asian guy.....may I ask a question regarding that picture of just a few persons, carefully placed and dressed....am I right in thinking the little girl's skirt and top do not meet, exposing her bare tummy? The skirt waist band gathers somewhere low on her hips.....

Forgive me if I am wrong.....and my eyes deceive me - but if I am right.... Why dress her like this? Most JW children are very neatly groomed and dressed.

Am I wrong?

142

Governing Body Member Gerrit Loesch Must Eventually Take The Witness Stand In Child Molestation Lawsuits

by frankiespeakin in

with many more cases in the offing the zalkin lawfirm will press the issue again and again and force gerrit loesch to testify.

what say you?.

.

Alive!

Mr Toole's assertion that he didn't know what 'theocratic warfare' meant was unbelievable to me.

He said he was baptised after the dated article which was presented in court - and so would not have read it.....

I'm a lowly R and F and I knew about theocratic warfare - it was talked about..and discussed and articles pointed to it.

My heart lurched when I heard Toole's witness. I felt sick.

'Do not worry about what you will say when hauled in front of courts in my name as I will give you words to speak'.....wasn't that what Jesus said?

I didn't hear the words I'd expect to be said in the spirit of Jesus.

I'd strongly urge anyone with questions to put aside time to systematically go through the video recordings of the ARC.

13

Governing Body Member Geoffrey Jackson's Empathy For Survivors Of Child Abuse Hypocritical

by Brokeback Watchtower in

so says the royal commission.

which we all can agree.

his expressed sympathy is a hollow sham and it is the same way with all the governing body's expressions of love and concern for all loyal member captured by their organization into servitude.

Alive!

That Jackson hadn't bothered to read or become fully informed of the victims' cases... Yet apparently was up to date with the witness statements ......

It must have been difficult with a very sick/dying Father to worry about - however, both my husband and myself have had sick and dying parents but our secular responsibilities still had to be scheduled... We couldn't just take three months out from caring for things and demands that we had accountability for.

He was in Australia - he should have insisted on showing up at the Royal Commission as a representative of the GB.

That they passed him off as just being in the 'translation department' was utterly deceitful.

60

Those keenly following umbertoecho ARC Brief Update.

by MightyV8 in

i feel it is comfortable to say,.

yes her arc hearing has come and gone.. yes her hearing was so powerful, her allotted time was tripled!.

yes, information handed over "mind blowing" response from arc.

Alive!

Hi umbertoecho

Years ago we stayed for about a year or so in a congregation whilst on a travelling/working holiday.

An elder's wife came out in service with me and for some reason downloaded her terribly isolating experience as a mother who discovered that all her children had been sexually abused and what happened when she took it further.

I remember her pain - and my internal shock that she had experienced terrible treatment from some - she was practically shunned and 'marked' for seeking justice.

Thet was my first window into 'behind the scenes' - and at that time I had no idea how global the situation was.- bless you umber (((( hugs))))

20

Reasons for NOT Returning

by Saved_JW in

i left the watchtower in the winter of 2008. my first year out was by far the most difficult.

i had every intention of returning to the watchtower for the very purpose of being able to speak with my friends and family.

i had already concluded that the teachings were not the "truth" [after reading crisis of conscience] so coming back was more emotional then anything.

Alive!

Thank you for your excellent post Saved JW.

If someone was looking for 'a Christian' reason not to be a JW - this provides a great example.

When I look back, I see an unhealthy emphasis on 'looking good'

The buildings were kept in tip top condition - renovations and redecorating was a constant thing in our circuit - spending hundreds of thousands and a huge amount of manpower on needless projects, working bees....replacing perfectly good chattels and interior furnishings with new, new, new.

Sadly, the same level of care was not given to the downtrodden souls and hearts of those in need.

An in-law made the comment 'that religion eats it's own'.......