Posts by invictus

30

Now I`ll be disfelowshiped for sure ...

by invictus in

jw
friends

well after two months of silence i got a couple of phone calls from my "best jw friends".

probably motivated by november watchtower instructions, they were nice asking about a family, kids etc, and then came "the" question: when are you going back to the meetings?

i told them again reasons why not ,yet they tried to be sympathetic by warning: as long as you do not go around and bad-mouth the organization we can still be friends.

invictus

Well after two months of silence I got a couple of phone calls from my "best jw friends". Probably motivated by November watchtower instructions, they were nice asking about a family, kids etc, and then came "the" question: when are you going back to the meetings? I told them again reasons why not ,yet they tried to be sympathetic by warning: as long as you do not go around and bad-mouth the organization we can still be friends. They even suggested this compromise : to keep on going to the meetings, to arive just before the meetings and leave as soon as the meeting is done; that way I am free to keep my freedom to have doubts yet I would not be loosing out to receive Holy Spirit and knowledge?! I don`t know what happened to me because I started to laugh so loud my tears were coming down;I just couldn`t control myself.Somehow I managed to excuse myself and told them I will be calling later.

Well I did call later but the conversation was like talking to a wall and expecting a response - futile.They already made their judgement that I am under Satan`s attack and he is feeding me lies,and no mater what I say they will not even think to check those information out because they do not want to fall in the same trap.I am sure that I'll be reported to the elders. My response - I put a Christmas wreath on the door - for the first time in my life!

Whatever they decide to do I do not care - they have no authority or power over me or my family. Thankfuly our whole family got out intact,and for friends - well we`ll just have to meet new ones.

Again I would like to thank this forum and all fine people that post - it is nice to have a place where we can find understanding and support and be able to tell our stories.

Invictus

35

I'm back...restored...renewed...reloaded

by Yerusalyim in

simon has restored my limits...thanks simon.

ya know...if i insult someone...i generally don't mean it...and i usually apologize for it....the topics that got me in trouble are ones i feel very strongly about.

people i know are in harms way...being shot at...and dying...many here would say there's no meaning to those deaths...which takes the heart out of a soldier and makes it harder for them to concentrate and stay out of harms way.

invictus

glad you are back and feeling better.

take care.

Invictus

75

My dad died too

by Brummie in

jw
friends

november 9th, i got the call at approx 5.15am that morning and have just arrived home from his house in the midlands for the first time since then.

age 65, very happy man regardless of his illness, had all his wits about him but didnt have any lungs left to help him make it through, suffered a lot.

never became a witness inspite of mom and 3 of his children being jws for years.

invictus

My deepest sympathy, may you have strenght and peace to deal with it during this hard times.

take care.

Invictus

31

Do You Consider The Ones You Left Behind In The Organization as Bro/Sis?

by AwakenedAndFree in

jw
friends

do you consider the ones you left behind in the organization as brothers and sisters?.

the ones who don't shun me are my brothers and sisters!

i have a friend/sister who is still in the organization.

invictus

No, they are more like "good strangers and bad strangers",that`s all.So far our neighbours and co-workers seem to be better friends than witnesses, because they do not put any condition to their kindness and help.

Invictus

33

Hi all

by AJN in

jw
friends

i was a jw about 15 years ago and have been reading these forums for a while.

it took a long time to get over the fear of armageddon for sure.

my 18 year old is still a jw (we live at opposit ends of the world) and i have found your information really useful as i am preparing some kind of telephone 'presentation', as it were, regarding jw beliefs and the difference between jw and the other christian churches and what the message of jesus was.

invictus

welcome to the forum AJN

42

Welcome HICFlygirl to the forum!

by Joyzabel in

jw
friends

welcome hicflygirl.

you have a wonderful sense of humor.

i feel like i'm part of a group again.

invictus

WELCOME HICFLygirl

Invictus

9

Mankind's Search For God Book

by stillajwexelder in

jw
friends

imho one of the best publications the wtbts has ever released -- it actually gave useful background information on other religions.

i honestly would recommend that people have a copy on theor bookshelves.

however, it has never been studied -- either at congregation book studies, in the theocratic ministry school as instruction talk material -- why?

invictus

Probably to prevent brothers curiosity specially if it is seen as a sign of approval from society : well, society printed this book so it must be ok if I do some research for my book study questions?

Invictus

11

math problem

by peacefulpete in

ex 12:40 isreal in egypt 430 yrs .

this leaves 30 years of habitation in egypt in peace.

gen 41:46,53;45:11 joseph 39 years old when israel and sons move to egypt.

invictus

peacefulpete,

thank you for posting this - I remember noticing that discrepancy 400,430 years in Genesis ,and when I asked elder we were studying with ,he just shrugged it of as: oh it is just rounding numbers, we should not be too picky about this things;main thing is to learn to love Jehovah... I swallowed it hook,line and sinker.And after couple of other instances where I was corrected in that way I really beleived that it is problem with me being too critical and that I should focus on the big picture - pleasing Jehovah and not questioning every word from God`s written word.

Well, that is probably the reason I stayed so long with them - I forgot to trust my own instincts. Well no more.

thanks again for posting.

Invictus

42

Did you recieve help?

by shamus in

did you ask or recieve help from the elders?.

if so, were they helpful?

i did once... they're help was more troubling than not.

invictus

The only help I ever asked from elders was to give us a phone call from time to time, to help us feel that somebody cares.We were very down at that time - health poblems, loss of loved ones. We even talked to a CO ( very kind man) about what was happening to us(it was a shepherding call that he initiated); when he heard he said: I didn`t know that so much came upon you, in your case it is really true when it rains it pours.Then he asked us what we need and we said if somebody can just call or come for 5 min visit,just to talk and get our minds of the problems.He then turned to two brothers that came with him and asked: Now brothers this is not much to ask, is it? Can you do that?

Brothers were so eager to offer their help:Of course I will personaly do this and I will do that...Just empty promises.As soon as CO visit was over,we were treated like lepers.No love and no compassion. They gossiped how we are week and not relaying on Jehovah, how we mourn too much and too long, how we need to help oureselves first by regularly coming to the meetings were we can get all the help from loving brothers. All we got on the meetings was Hi and Bye and It`s nice to see you...

Actually I am pleased that they treated us like that, becuse it helped us get out sooner from "united and loving brotherhood."

Invictus

5

Coincidences,What Do You Think?

by Blueblades in

jw
friends

recently,two posters,happy out and tyydyy posted topics that mirrored my exact recent experiences.. happy out's car crash was my experience this past thursday morning.i was hit by two tractor trailers on the njtpk.the airbag did not deploy enabling me to steer clear of on -coming traffic as i was spun around.

they made lane changes and fish-tailed swiping me from one lane to the next,it had been raining and the roadway surface was slick.. i ended up facing sideways,drivers side facing on-coming traffic at 60 mph and higher,front end into the wall divider.i quickly reversed myself and moved to the far right lane shoulder,thankful that the car was able to move after the front end hit the wall.the state troopers said this happens a lot and the trailers don't even realize that they side-wiped someone.they were long gone,no injuries to anyone else,no other collisions invovled.i walk away with out a scratch,front end damage to the car will be repaired,i was shaken up to say the least and thought this was it for me.. this was exactly one week after my brother died at the same time of morning,9:20 am.coincidence??

?i mentioned this to happy out in his post.. then,tyydyy posts that he finds his brother after 22 years.this two was my experience as i told him in his post.one of my sisters found me this past week, after twenty-something years which lead to finding four of my six sisters,still looking for the other two.coincidences???.

invictus

Blueblades,

first of all I am glad that your accident was without injuries.You really had a share of bad things happening.I hope you are doing ok.

from my own experience I am beginning to believe that some things do happen for reason and that not all coincidences are just that but they do happen with purpose - sometimes to protect, to warn, to teach or to make us think.

our escape from war-torn country was miraculous in a way - I felt that just the right people were in right places for the period of time to help us leave.It was like being in a closed room with no exit out, when suddenly small window would appear and so we could squeeze through.that series of events was too much to be coincidental.

There are signs on the road of life - we just need to learn how to read them.

Invictus