Posts by Alive!

24

Jehovah's Witnesses - People of Integrity

by Saved_JW in

when i think of integrity, a lot of positive connotations come to mind.

i think of individuals grounded in principles, who do not operate on opinions that change based on the breeze of political or social change.

a life that is directed by a code of morality, not on capricious emotions.

Alive!

A good post for those quietly reading and questioning things.

Having integrity was always important to me - so when painful doubts about the organisation and the Watchtower could no longer be pushed away, I then had to manage a rough time whilst I struggled with 'losing' my integrity. The integrity that was built on a certain premise - loyalty to the FDS/Christ's self professed brothers was/is synonymous with loyalty to Jehovah/Christ Jesus.

This imaged 'integrity' battled with a grittier integrity - and as time goes on, peace becomes achievable - thank goodness!

The OP struck a chord with me - I recognised that major hurdle for witnesses, and how hard it is to deconstruct the image of group integrity ( and the dishonest nature of the organisation) and let personal integrity emerge.

33

A new member

by Kurteousmaximus in

hi... i am new and after nearly 20 years after being disassociated at 15 i would like to make contact with others who have similar difficulties.

my mother was disfellowshipped shortly after my rebellion and had all ties with both her mother and brother cut and that remains the case.. just really hacked off with not being able to put things in the proper place in my life after all these years.

for the record i don't know if i believe in god but am searching for some peace as i seem to self destruct on a regular basis.. any ideas anyone?.

Alive!

Hi there,

I was a convert in my 30s and have faded - some 25 plus years later.

A close relative described my loss of trust in the religion as being a traumatic event - and she is right. Years of mind altering influence, fear inducing doctrine is hard to shake.

Am happy to be influenced in a way that builds my character, but I can see the watchtower influence is unhealthy.

The latent fear, the sense of unreality is gradually leaving me - I have my own relationship with God. It's my journey and I feel safe and secure these days.

The cult control certainly damaged my general sense of well being.

Welcome dear - enjoy the precious moments and hopefully the unhealthy effect of cult group control will loosen its grip....a work in progress :-)

It's never too late to heal.

65

Introducing...ME

by Heartsafire in

jw
friends

long time lurker here.

i'm a fifth gen born-in baptized jw.

to say i've been struggling with doubts is an understatement.

Alive!

Hey :-)

52

Deaf Aotearoa flooded with complaints about Jehovah's Witness church

by OrphanCrow in

deaf aotearoa flooded with complaints about jehovah's witness churchkashka tunstalllast updated 15:22, october 6 2015deaf aotearoa has asked the jehovah's witness church to respond to claims of a deaf information database.new zealand's deaf community is fed up with unsolicited house calls, claiming the jehovah's witness church is targeting deaf households.deaf aotearoa has received multiple complaints from around the country and says church members visited certain homes because they were aware a deaf person lived there.

the organisation released a statement on monday, saying it was looking into the possibility the church holds a database listing the details of members of the deaf community.jehovah witness spokesman rod spinks said there was no such database and deaf people were not being targeted.the deaf aotearoa statement was posted on the group's facebook page, and received a flood of comments from frustrated people.one woman said a group of jehovah's witnesses had come to her house and asked "for the deaf person who lives here.

" she said they refused to explain how they had her details and didn't visit her neighbours.another said church members had turned up at her work and asked for her by name.hamilton man royce flynn said he had been visited six times over the last nine months, despite repeatedly saying he was uninterested in the house calls.he said the church members were always able to sign and also brought deaf people along, which lead him to believe he was being singled out.flynn said contacted local police, who told him it was a privacy issue and referred him on to the office of the privacy commissioner.he said he had been been in contact with local labour member of parliament sue moroney.deaf aotearoa acting chief executive jill dean said complaints about the church were a recurring issue.

Alive!

No 'database' !

I am SO SO SO glad that I no longer represent this lying, dishonest group of self professed 'ambassadors of Christ'.

Of COURSE there is collected data for the deaf in the territory,.

Just like the foreign language groups who went through phone books pulling out all the Spanish/French sounding names.

Why not be honest? Why not say there is a special mission that targets the deaf with a 'life saving' message - why not be transparent?

Ooops. I think I may have SHOUTED.

138

My Mother Died Two Weeks Ago

by Perry in

jw
friends

none of my jehovah's witness relatives called to tell me or my family.

just found out this morning.

Alive!

So sorry for your loss and the deeply distressing way you heard the sad news.

10

And doing God’s will.

by StephaneLaliberte in

my father is still in the truth but keeps in touch with me from time to time.

the other day, he sent me an email about how the generation could be a 120 years like it was for noah.

so, i responded saying that itd be a good thing if it turned out to be true; that he may believe it to be true, as long as he doesnt judge people who dont feel the same way.

Alive!

I know plenty of witness parents who would communicate in exactly the same way with their children.

Some close friends of mine have styled their communication with me in the same way - always seeming to need to have the last word about what God's will IS from the WT.

Its not enough for them to exchange Christian encouragement with someone like me, I have never said I don't believe - they see themselves having to somehow adjust or correct a simple or basic Christian expression with something like your Father would say.

It kind of rankles ( it used to hurt) knowing they think that the Lord of the Universe has disowned me because I don't attend the KH - although these days I feel a growing sense of pity for them.

37

On the realization you will not "live forever"

by problemaddict 2 in

something struck me last week.

i have been dealing with what i can only describe as a fear of death.

i'm not old and not in bad health.

Alive!

Many of this planet's human population throughout our known history have believed they will live .... Forever.

Maybe, if we keep questioning - we can't help but wonder if there is a reason for that.

Why, I ask myself, did my own inner 'heart' hurt for something extraordinary, wonderful, eternal?

Why, I ask myself, did my 'heart' lurch, leap and 'want' to respond to a higher good and purpose?

Why have other humans long before me/ you/ us have been motivated to give up their earthly life for 'principals' (when really, as mere animals one would think they'd have surely stuck to the basics of self nourishing/ procreating etc.

Many questions.

Let's not kill the questions.

124

My Mom Is Dying

by minimus in

jw
friends

i just wanted to say that my dear 89 year old mom is terminally ill and will soon pass.

she is on morphine and hanging on.

she has been a devout witness for about 60 years and a wonderful mother.

Alive!

A gentle human to human hug coming over the seas to you.

I remember how time slowed right down the last day or so when my little Ma passed away.

Precious hours.

Take care X

22

The new changes is a clear indication that we are one step closer to the end...

by RobertT18 in

jw
friends

that was today's topic over a group chat of my cong's young jbots.

apparently the rumors are circulating everywhere i go, even people from the spanish congs are talking about it.

what's really sad is that the majority of people are already seeing this as "clear" signs of the end coming.

Alive!

I just know I couldn't be in any kind of JW group conversation of that sort without screaming 'STOPPIT' and thus perhaps attracting negative attention.

:-)

8

A First Stepping-Stone For Bethelites & Lurkers?

by The Searcher in

for potential new-arrivals: .

if you are one of the many who are facing expulsion from bethels around the world in the near future - or simply a sincere j.w.

acts 13:31 - "who are now his (jesus') witnesses to the people.

Alive!

In the year I was starting to really squirm and feel a tightness of breath about the ongoing declarations coming from 'our leaders' - I took to reading the bible even more.

A thought I kept in mind, was something that is often said amongst witnesses 'we are the only ones who use jehovahs name'

Every letter in the NT is begun prayerfully - 'to God our Father......." Etc.

The name of Jesus, his title as Lord or Christ is used liberally.

One afternoon in service with a lifelong pioneer, we were talking of the scriptures and the promises, the forgiveness and so on. I deliberately sprinkled my comments with the phrase 'our Lord Jesus Christ' and 'God our Father' (not overly to the point of weirdness!!)

At one point I finished a comment saying something about our Lord Christ Jesus ( having not mentioned Jehovah once) and my pioneer friend giggled "Alive! You sound like one of those born agains!"

I laughed too. I said actually, I was just following the pattern and language of the scriptures and letters from the apostles.

I started up the car and quickly said 'so where next'

My own words haunted me!!!!