Posts by Alive!

65

My Introduction - An ex-elder's story of waking up later in life.

by doubtfull1799 in

background:.

my parents got the “truth” while i was in primary school.

i was baptised at 14. i loved school and was extremely studious.

Alive!

On reading your OP, I identified with how utterly painful and 'unreal' this late age awakening must have been for you.

I was a convert, a dedicated convert.

I found that little by little my personal intergrity felt violated by the 'tone' of the Watchtower - and so I started to dig deeper.

A few years ago, I had tried to reach a beloved relative with a couple of our publications - and was knocked back when they answered with an expose of misquotes, that is quotations placed out of context, unashamedly reframing the original thought of the original writer.

I knew this was not the way of 'holiness'.

This was just a small ( relative to other unacceptable issues) but defining point in my Watchtower life. You know how it goes.

It's been a hard, hard and hurtful path.

'They' do so much damage. They truly do.

35

"would you drink a glass of water if it had just a tiny bit of poison in it?"

by stuckinarut2 in

no doubt we have all heard that well used "illustration" in public talks etc over the years:.

"if you were handed a glass of water that looked pure, but were told it has just a tiny drop of poison in it, would you drink it?".

the society has used that illustration at length to say we should avoid all influences of every part of the world.. but, as we know, the society has had a track record of errors, false ideas and doctrines.

Alive!

This illustration used to impress me.

So much used to impress me.

Then one day, over time, more and more....I heard a certain 'tone' in the voice of the Watchtower magazine.

That same 'tone' started to become apparent in public talks and assemblies.

It wasn't a 'tone' that left me feeling uplifted, spiritually safe, secure.

I had to walk away.

58

baptised nearly 51 years

by Phoebe in

jw
friends

been reading this site for awhile now.

i have had a long and often tragic life as a jw.

my story is so long because i'm pretty old :) i feel sad i've been locked in fear and guilt for my entire life.

Alive!

Hi Phoebe,

I just popped in here and your intro caught my attention, so please may I add my voice to this thread of lovely welcomes and encouragements.

I'm 60 years old and wearily said 'NO!' to all that Watchtower 'stuff' three to for years ago. We walked through some seriously painful days, as you can understand.

I started this post with the words 'popped in' as I haven't contributed here for awhile - slowly but surely life has taken on a new breath of its own and I can actually be happy and at peace with myself and with God....living apart from all the WT chaos and the hurt that goes with it.

Yes, I keep faith, stronger than ever, yet totally understand why many don't after the manipulative and dishonest faith bending tactics of the WT.

Like others here, I want to send you words of support. You are not alone here.

Keep brave dear.

Love Alive x

56

"You Wouldn't Believe How Many Have Crawled Back To The Meetings"

by minimus in

jw
friends

that's a comment i heard from an elder i haven't seen in over a decade, yesterday.

i mentioned it all on my other thread.

i responded that i knew of no one that was crawling back to the meetings and gave him an incredulous hearty chuckle.

Alive!

'A believer'

When I read Minimus account of this conversation, I didn't flinch when I read the quoted phrase 'crawling back' .

I know a few elders who I can imagine using such wording - with their own style of humour. I've heard worse amongst elders when talking about the flock and individuals - so really 'crawling back' wasn't so out of the ordinary to my ears.

46

New Resolution?

by NikL in

jw
friends

had our midweek meeting last night.

they had a resolution to send an extra (i wanna say $1100 but i only remember it was at least $1000) per month to forward the kingdom preaching work etc.. you know how they work in the kh...no one votes against anything.

i abstained as i almost have always done.

Alive!

I noticed that everything about 'donating grandmother/widow' is not only healthier and generally 'weller' in her blue ladies suit and blouse, but her hair is a perfect silver blue coiffured halo, so she appears abundant in 'blessings'

it's not fair or right -as every illustration is carefully framed, and the message is clear.

And how sad, the message to the lonely and elderly who may relate to the 'hungry/empty larder' illustrations is that just like Widow mark 2, they should show up looking smart and beautifully turned out to the KH, despite being hungry?

Well fine, but an interim illustration of the widow making a call for help and getting a warm, practical response with food before heading out to the meeting is the only 'sane' picture story that 'sane' people would approve.

Horrible. This illustration is horrible.

So thankful I don't have to spread their brand of 'christian' encouragement anymore.

10

I think Watchtower online library filters results it does not like.

by NikL in

i was trying to find that scripture that talks about recognizing a false prophet.

in the watchtower online website, i did a search for the words false prophet and filtered it for scriptures only from the bible which brought up zilch in the way of results.

i did a google advanced search for the same thing and it brought up the scripture i needed which happens to be deuteronomy chapter 18:20-22 which reads... 20 “‘if any prophet presumptuously speaks a word in my name that i did not command him to speak or speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die.+ 21 however, you may say in your heart: “how will we know that jehovah has not spoken the word?” 22 when the prophet speaks in the name of jehovah and the word is not fulfilled or does not come true, then jehovah did not speak that word.

Alive!

That scripture must give them grief, it really points the finger and requires a lot of explaining to dodge the implication.

13

Jehovah's Witnesses DO break up families

by UnshackleTheChains in

this recording was the final straw for me.

https://youtu.be/ks2ld6pjybo.

Alive!

So glad I have no children under the control and authority of these sick men.

Clearly, she was 'policed' and spied on by those in her congregation.

I remember when a dear sister who I loved as a true sister was being treated for cancer.

Her eldest daughter sadly informed her that she'd be 'limited' in what she could do for her highly respected Mother. Why? Because she knew that her Mother had limited and discreet contact with a disfellowshipped daughter who was a struggling solo Mum, and had been helping with childcare and babysitting.

Looking back, it's clear to me that the culture of JWs is steeped in this kind of crap.

I thought it was just a few instances that came to my attention at the time, forgetting how the pile of instances was a fast growing heap - but in truth, I was in denial about the prevalence of ugliness throughout....and in truth I witnessed years and years of this mind messing craziness.

Deeply ashamed.

6

WTBTS/CCJ.W.'s incriminate themselves

by The Searcher in

we are deeply indebted to wifibandit for such revealing documentation.. https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/5690963588546560/november-1-2016-all-bodies-elders-re-using-maintaining-kingdom-halls.

incidents: .

38. when property damage occurs, quick action can go far in preventing further damage.

Alive!

Sad.

24

Been witnessing today - first time in over 2 years!!

by The Searcher in

and it felt wonderful!!.

i went into the city to where i knew there was a "cosmopolitan witnessing" trolley, because i wanted to ask a simple bible-based question.

the trolley was attended by an elder and a sister who was another elder's wife.

Alive!

That must have felt very satisfying Searcher.

It was satisfying to read of it - in that it truly puts the spotlight on the poor scriptural understanding that is promoted as 'truth' by JWs.

It seems an indoctrinated JW feels no accountability for what they teach but when 'pulled up' looks for a 'way out' and uses the 'you are attacking our organisation card'

Your simple highlighting and exposure of John 5:29 should have shocked that 'preacher' to his boots when you think about it, if his heart was softened towards honesty and truth instead of rigid pride.

It seems to me, an honest Christian would have turned a little pale at your ability to turn his teaching on its head - he should have declared 'Forgive me if I'm somewhat speechless and shaken, in all my years of reading this scripture and applying our literature's understanding, I have never truly understood that we have the wrong end of the stick, I may need to sit down. Please, talk with me further sir..." but no, it sounds like he slipped into auto mode, not looking at you as some one who gifted a real spiritual insight, but as an attacker of his 'org'.

But this is the culture of mindset the 'org' creates and continues to spread - very sad.

Freedom of the children of God?

Well.....perhaps not.

19

We are imperfect

by HereIgo in

i can't tell you how many times i have heard this while growing up as a witness.

every time i questioned hypocrisy in the org i was told " well we are imperfect" and its was beyond annoying.

at what point does "imperfect" turn into just not christian?

Alive!

It's kind of amusing in a warped way.

And I like the OPs point re accountability - certainly, one wonders at what point would an indoctrinated JW have to concur that certain things surely fly in the face of being a spirit taught Christian....

One example - just two decades ago, JWs were taught that if a 'wordly' person was delivered 'the ring of truth' by means of a Watchtower by a JW and at that same time was given 'a good witness' and rejected this - then they had received their chance of salvation and had rejected it and if they died the next day, there was no chance of a resurrection - they had been judged. Remember that anyone? Remember the sighs? 'Oh well, they've had a good witness' - What? A witness that Armageddon was coming within the lifetime of the generation that saw the events of 1914? For sure. Without doubt. Be warned.

Tell me, on what level and at what point does the teacher/believer become accountable for spreading this lie about the salvation of God.

Stop and think about it - it's downright wicked. To judge others like that.

About time they owned this. I see no shame or despair that they misrepresented a 'God of truth' - nope. They are just imperfect men...really? How about the forgiveness that they bestow on themselves re such things be accounted to others who are not JWs.

What is that scripture about judging others?