There are so many different "funding programs" with the JW's. No one can keep up!
Vote with your wallets! Take the $ and go on vacation or take your spouse out to dinner. The freedom is incredible!
last night our congregation read a letter for the global assistance arrangement combined with the traveling overseer assistance arrangement.
the "recommended" amount was $15 per publisher, which was well over $1000 for our hall.. it seemed steep.
our congregation does not have this type of money.
There are so many different "funding programs" with the JW's. No one can keep up!
Vote with your wallets! Take the $ and go on vacation or take your spouse out to dinner. The freedom is incredible!
i was invited to a small get-together by a long time friend.
we both served as elders for years.
he is in his late 70s.
back at the end of last year my now ex got what he thought was a printed form letter from a woman at a kh down the street from us.
i insisted it was handwritten.
a few days go by and i decided to write this woman back.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_h68ktwpim&feature=youtu.be.
"The Kingdom work is expanding at an accelerated pace."
Really? You just spent 3 plus minutes telling the audience that we are cutting back or cutting out special pioneers, Bethelites and slashing the magazines again. I guess it's kinda like May's broadcast..."we don't coerce members to donate" and then you spent another hour begging and guilting members to donate more.
You just can't make this stuff up!
hi.i've been pouring over this site for the past few days looking for some advice and i hope there is someone here that can help a guy out.
i'm desperate.....short bio: i came into the organization after high school and shortly after married a wonderful girl who was born-in.we have been happily married now for nearly 20 years and things were well until 2015 hit.
by the way, i currently serve as an elder and have the ""privilege"" of being the "watchtower overseer".. either here nor there, we were told we would never have children but late last year my wife became prego!!
Darkknight
I read your post yesterday and did not know how to respond until now. You and your wife must feel a sadness that others can not understand. Everyone deals with grief differently.
I think you received some excellent advise from others. Take it slow. You and your wife are going through some tremendous emotional turmoil. Move slow with your wife, you don't want to overwhelm her right now. You have a perfect opportunity to step down from being an Elder. You will receive a ton of nosy JW's that just need to know all of your business (including other Elders). You DO NOT need to share anything with them. Tell them it is personal and leave it at that. I have never met a more intrusive/judgmental group of people in my entire life.
As time moves on just make little remarks or statements that might get your wife to think about everything there is wrong with the JW religion.
When I think back, I stopped at the liquor store every Thursday night, after the mid week meeting. I didn't know why I needed a drink so bad on Thursday. Now I spend Thursday evenings either taking a walk with my spouse or going shopping. I never stop a the liquor store unless I just want to enjoy a glass of wine with dinner.
Be strong and be there for your wife. She is the most important thing. Keep us all posted on your progress.
Keep posting on here. It does help to hear from others who won't judge you and have been through their own personal battles.Take care.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ja4z2-sf4ky.
I guess the GB and Stephen Lett never heard the statement, "never let them see you sweat."
They ARE sweating. So happy to see.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=plrw9u-n1z2m8peenfmbdxmvbdkum0ce1n.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uppgsfl6o5k.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9j8ivkmkvk.
I watched the first few minutes (that's all I can stomach). Splane is commending grown adults of how well they came in and sat down in a timely/orderly manner. It's like he is speaking to a bunch of 5 year olds.
What a waste of a Saturday!
boy oh boy did i feel paranoid at today's wt.
not only are we to watch our associations outside of the congregation, but also watch our associations 'within' the congregation.
this was emphasised by the wt study conductor.
"WT's methods break the spirit, stop the growth & often kill the person!"
We are seeing so many JW's that are on prescription meds and an over abundance of alcohol to deal with problems they are having. When they go to the Elders for assistance, they are told to go to meetings more, more field service, etc. You always need to do more! Nothing is EVER good enough! These ones are not getting the professional help they need so badly. If they left this destructive cult and received professional help maybe they would have a chance. Sad!
i awoken today and realised immidiately i'm 44 today... and after 3 years of being out, decided to acknowledge my birthday.... i'm off out to treat myself to a big hearty breakfast with cup of tea in the local weatherspoon's by the massive pond full of weird bird-life, later today i'm giving myself a gift of a 90 minute relaxation session in a float tank down by canary wharf in london.... only really have 2 close friends (it's a slow process trusting people agian) and they probably won't be able to see me today, but i'm sure i'll have a belated surprise from them both.... the first thing i did when i remembered was to rush to the computer, connect to the web and put on stevie wonder's 'happy birthday', as i listen to it, tears stream down my face... all those years of my life stolen ' but..... i'm free....'.