Posts by Alive!

1

Today's Text: Nothing is permanent--especially not real estate, know what I mean?

by sd-7 in

"do not be loving the world or the things in the world.

"--1 john 2:15. wt comments: "satan's system seems to be permanent and real.

nevertheless, one day it will come to an end.

Alive!

I'm fucked.

I followed a lie.

5

Old Memories Revisited - or - How to Stop Worrying and Love WT Indoctrination

by undercover in

jw
friends

i remember when i was a kid, how the importance of meeting attendance was continually drummed into our heads.

through the magazines, meetings, and especially traveling overseers, it was stressed that missing just one meeting was akin to allowing satan into our lives and would jeopardize our everlasting life in paradise earth.. one particular bit of 'advice' stood out, even to a small child: even if out of town relatives showed up on meeting day, you shouldn't let that cause you to miss a meeting.

i remember trying to play that out in mind... 'welcome, grandpa!

Alive!

Done4good - absolutely spot on.

6

Is There a Liar in London Bethel????

by The Searcher in

it's come to my attention - via someone who attended mark sanderson's televised talk to the u.k - that an elder's wife was upset at a blatant lie by a bethelite speaker, prior to mr. sanderson making an appearance.. it seems that the "supporting act" from mill hill - mr. paul gillies - informed the nationwide audience that the britain branch was waiting for planning permission for the new branch, and would provide updates when news came in.. it turns out that mr. gillies was lying, in order to let the governing body member get the prolonged applause later, for announcing that the permission had been given the day before!.

naughty mr.

gillies!!

Alive!

Telling lies, twisting truth - seen it, heard it - it's all part of the JW culture.

It's pervasive.

Some days, hours - I could die.

Just had a text from a sister overseas who is visiting a friend dying from cancer, she said how the love and support is keeping our mutual friend in wonderful spirits.

Every day I fight a cancer of my heart - alone, bereft of familiar human comfort.

And she knows it.

We lose our lives for searching the truth. Wait, more accurately we lose our lives for rejecting lies.

57

"Normal family affections and dealings" continue - If only?!?

by LHS123 in

i am new to this forum - it is only a couple of weeks since i have allowed myself to acknowledge and research my doubts.

i am trying to be fair by reading both sides of the story and considering jw official explanation of confusing matters.

one of the issues i have been looking at is shunning - and i was shocked to see the misleading information about shunning on the jw.org website: .

Alive!

Hi

Its painful and unnerving to stand back and objectively read WT statements (like this one) and realise that they are NOT frank, honest or without deceit.

The more I carefully listened and analysed, the more I began to hear a tone, an attitude, a persistent voice coming through.

A dishonest voice. I didn't like it.

22

is this still a belief? no 'marraige' after being resurected?

by sowhatnow in

i was having a discussion with my sister yesterday, and she said to me,'mom told me that if dad dies at armageddon, she cant get remarried in the new system' .

i told he i have never heard such a thing, but i do recall that it was believed that anyone who dies now, cannot be married in the 'new world' because they are to be as angels in heaven.. she said , so why be resurrected if yiu cant live your dream of having a loving mate and perfect children?

god is still dictating to you how you will live.

Alive!

The teaching regarding no marriage in the resurrection "but they will be like the angels".

.

Right, so the average conscience stricken JW devotee is extremely afflicted by any words coming from "the platform" or the publications.

I can think of many brothers and sisters who desperately wanted Armageddon to come before their beloved died...part of their hope and joy was wrapped up in the hope of life forever with their beloved. Death brought conflicted loss on more than one level.

Then this recent update - "we cannot say".

Well, the WBTS shouldn't have said at ANYTIME - but they did.

I think of the emotional acrobatics witnesses have to manage in order to think their way through all this, the aching grief and then the aching hope.

Instead of making their own stumbling journey to work out this and that, proceeding at their own pace, the JWs are thrown here and there over issues that can really torment them.

It's wrong.

18

Many christian faiths have an EARTHLY resurrection belief.....

by EndofMysteries in

i was surprised to learn many other mainstream christian religions believe in a physical earthly resurrection.

even catholics.

it seems the belief is that as of now one goes to heaven to wait, then in the future will have an earthly resurrection.

Alive!

Before I studied the bible with witnesses over 20 years ago - I had zero knowledge of the bible.

My understanding was that mainstream churches taught heaven and hell - and my understanding of the trinity was the version explained by the WBTS. Three headed God etc. You know how it all goes.

Last year I went to a local Baptist church and listened to the pastor talk about a glorified earthly resurrection onto a glorified earth...

WHAT? He asked the congregation to "bear with him" as he recognised that there were some listeners who would have imagined an eternity in heaven.

He joked - "I'm expecting a full inbox of emails after this".

Researching, I have found that a hope for universal reconciliation and glorified physical life has been understood throughout the centuries.

When I studied with the witnesses, pre-Internet, I thought they were the only ones who had pulled up this understanding from the scriptures. NO!

Absolutely NO.

48

The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

by paradisebeauty in

this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

Alive!

LOL @ Faye

48

The shift: from follower to wanting to leave

by paradisebeauty in

this week has been the week when my whole way of thinking shifted.

i still cannot believe how this can happen so fast.

over a period of seven days i went from not even imagining that i could ever not be a witness to wanting to get out of this organisation.. .

Alive!

"I was wondering how did the shift in thinking happened to you? Was it gradual, was it sudden?"

Hi there - I'm relatively new to posting on this forum, have been away from meetings, FS etc for coming up to three years in a few months time.

I converted and was a dedicated JW for well over twenty odd years.

I never, ever dreamt I would be at this place in my life - I mean NEVER!

My shift in thinking initially came from factual exposure to the WTBS's habit of misquoting and taking statements from published documents, in order to drive home the WTBS argument.

I was shown this by a non- witness recipient of the Trinity brochure and our blue creation book. At first it didn't really sink in - but as fresh evidence of further dishonesty came to light, I roused from slumber!

How often do we agonise over stumbling people on our ministry, praying for the right words, kicking ourselves when we didn't have the right scripture at hand. This work meant peoples lives.

Really, wouldn't you be furious if you found that your own carefully crafted words were taken out of context - and then published in an argument which you would strongly contest, along with your name, as if this had your very own seal of approval?

Yet WTBS has a track record of dishonouring other humans, taking their words and twisting them - and publishing them on a global scale.

They claim to be the spokesperson for God. The ultimate, the only channel for the hope of salvation in these "end times".

If I were the victim of this incredibly disrespectful practice - I'd say that I'd be severely stumbled and not the least bit interested in this "life-saving" literature.

Enough.... Please!

So cognitive dissonance kicked in harder and harder - another turning point was the illustration of Jehovahs earthly organisation that showed the GB at top of the pecking order sitting around a boardroom table in their Pullman executive chairs, all the way down to humble stackable chairs for the publishers and no Jesus in sight.

Then I snapped and was free.

It did my head in, LOL.

Getting much better...

30

"Evidence" of a "smokelike pall"... This was the last straw for me back in 2008. Fade began with this:

by DarioKehl in

from that nutty red book of insanity, the grand climax at hand book, chapter 22, paragraphs 7 & 8. .

i had my doubts since childhood.

i went along with it to please people.

Alive!

2007 was a difficult year personally - I didn't remember studying the book until memory was jogged by last post.

Man, just 8 years ago this book was still hot to trot.

Would they dare push this book out there now?

30

"Evidence" of a "smokelike pall"... This was the last straw for me back in 2008. Fade began with this:

by DarioKehl in

from that nutty red book of insanity, the grand climax at hand book, chapter 22, paragraphs 7 & 8. .

i had my doubts since childhood.

i went along with it to please people.

Alive!

I'm sitting here and it's ALL coming back to me.

The vile illustrations, the mad, bad interpretations.

They wouldn't dare place this as book of the month on the public trolley cart today....not exactly in keeping with the nu-look of JW.org.

YET, it's only some 20 years since this book was very relevant to the "religion" - why on earth did we have to study it 4 times! What was that all about?

Just 20 years ago it was our spiritual plat du jour.

I'm thinking of all the intelligent, reasoning people amongst the worldwide congregations, and how we all studied, answered and regurgitated it all.

Unbelievable.

The power of mind control.