Posts by bradford

106

Walking a thin line - Resigning Elder

by Sanchy in

jw
friends

warning of a long boring post ahead.

i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.

i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.

bradford

You can vent here.

Hate to say it, but in the org you really can't vent to anyone. They will try to understand, but they will not listen to what you are really saying, and you won't tell them how you really feel and think. It's like a half hearted half truthful conversation that will leave you at the mercy of the orgs procedures when they eventually rat on you. As an elder you know how that will go. If you step back, breathe, take care of you and yours, people will stop hammering you.

It's going to be a long, difficult road ahead one way or another. See if you can meet up with some work friends or people from here, I know it sounds weird but talking to someone about leaving the truth is more inspiring than any conversation you've ever had about someone coming into the truth.

Good luck and please ignore ice's comments, that is just silly.

61

Jehovah's Witnesses Latest Music video advice picking a marriage mate

by Watchtower-Free in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay5of0nxm44.

bradford

Feel sorry for the ones that chose poorly (according to the video) and now are guilt shaming their mates for not being a good head/supportive wife.

Or they are just quietly wishing they could have a do over.

Not so subliminal messages:

people at work are bad, mmmmkay.
People who laugh or text during a meeting are bad, mmmmkay.
Guys sit with guys.
Girls sit with girls.
No mingling until you are ready to make a move. Just sit back and observe the "appearance" given by people at the Kingdom Hall and JW gatherings. Such a good indicator of who a person is right there.

27

Kinda Sad Re: Cart "Witnessing"

by Captain Schmideo2 in

jw
friends

slightly redacted for privacy of those involved.. so, this is "park witnessing" in oklahoma.. the parks in this community are basically walking trails and some tatty playground equipment.

most of the time, sparsely used, and today was a very blustery day.. notice the justifying comment- "quite a few" checking out the cart.

i am sure they were..... .

bradford

Every time I see or hear about cart witnessing I just hear that amazing cart song..

28

What precisely is TTATT.

by atomant in

jw
friends

pardon my ignorance but lm a newby in here.lve tried researching it but l cant find a definitive answer.ls it dealing with one particular subject or multiple subjects?.thankyou in advance.regards atomant.my mistake.i meant ttatt.sorry.

bradford

Remember all the warnings in watchtower publications about the apostate websites that distort the truth and blatantly lie? Turns out the opposite is true. TTATT is the stuff the watchtower tries to scare or guilt people from finding because they know it will completely turn you away and stop supporting the cause with free gas, money, labor, and more importantly, your time and life.

Examples of TTATT:

Jerusalem was not destroyed in 607.

Jesus didn't come in 1914.

The governing body isn't even a thing, nor did Jesus select a body in 1919 or 1918.

They distort the past and distort texts of the bible to paint their own picture.

39

To all JDub lurkers: How can you continue to preach knowing that you are telling lies?

by macys in

this is a damn serious question.

you must know by now that jerusalem was not destroyed in 607 bce and that 607 was initially picked by ct russell by using his "pyramid scheme" measurements.

there is no hiding these facts yet you continue to preach this nonsense.

bradford

@macys

I've had elders say to me "you don't need to preach about the governing body or holidays or dates. All you need to do is talk about paradise, Jehovah, very simple things. All the other stuff will sort itself out in due time."

He was the only elder (not even from my congregation) who stopped to talk to me when word got around that I was out. He agreed he didn't buy the dates, the teachings on the generation and a wide variety of subjects..

HOWEVER. As some have already replied here, people are 2nd, 3rd, 4th generation witnesses with no family or friends that are not Jehovah's Witnesses. They have to choose between rebuilding their lives from the ground up, including jobs in many cases, going through custody battles for their kids, being shunned..and living a lie half-heartedly.

I was lucky enough to cut my losses at some friends and a few family members after being a witness for only 10 years, along with not having to worry about a messy divorce or kids. I have friends still in that I speak to regularly who want to leave, are on the verge at times of just walking away, but they cave under all of that pressure. I don't fault them for it. When they are ready they are ready. I can't imagine being in their shoes.

It took me a while to understand what that was like, and I still don't think I fully can grasp it.

42

Why does it seem to be unhappy people who are attracted to the JWs?

by new boy in

jw
friends

i have had time to think about this........... i was an attendent for many years.......... and looking up and down the rows at every family that was seating there in the khs........... no one was happy!.

i think of my mother (who brought this religion into our house)......she was one of the most unhappy and miserable people you would ever meet!

she was a spiritual orphan with few friends and no real family to speak of.. she got the "good news" back in 1950, that "the world" was a bad place and god, would soon be killing most everyone......she was thrilled!...............

bradford

Thinking back to when I joined and the people that joined my congregation it is a similar pattern:

Me: just been arrested twice, friend got into car accident and would end up having permanent brain damage, Iraq war started and a couple friends were headed there. .could say I was vulnerable.

Person no. 1: recently divorced, having "demon" attacks

Person no. 2: single mom, recently divorced, new to the area, worked in a warehouse, no education

Person no. 3: alcoholic, recently in jail, no job, no car

Person no. 4: debilitating illness, illiterate, elderly

I remember dreading the nicer areas where people had an education, families, nice homes, nice cars. Subconsciously I was thinking why the hell would they want anything to do with this. .let's hope they don't answer the door so I don't have to try and engage them in a conversation.

32

Writing my Disassociation letter

by Bebopin in

today i am working on writing my disassociation letter.

i successfully faded a year ago.

but i feel like i can't keep looking over my shoulder anymore i just need to be completely rid of this cult.. any suggestions on letter and it's content?.

bradford

The letter won't get the attention you think it deserves. You will eventually get a phone call from a couple elders asking if you want to meet. They want to make sure you are sure and of the right mindset to make the decision you have made. .what you decide there is up to you.

Good luck.

I regret sending my letter. I feel like I could have done a lot more good fading and working under the radar. If you have any hopes of slowly working on friends or family to see the cult for what it is think hard about falling into the trap of disassociating and playing right into what the organization would want from someone who has found the real truth.

34

FAVORITE DRINK....

by brandnew in

jw
friends

me personally.....i think....if it was meant to be mixed ...it would come in the bottle that way.. that said...bacardi gold.

bradford

Balvenie double wood scotch or Angel's Envy..both so good.

25

When did district conventions become regional conventions and why?

by slimboyfat in

i think it was gary and heather bottings' book the orwellian world of jehovah's wifnesses that noted the function of the habit of the watchtower organisation of changing organisational terminology periodically.

congregations became companies and then back to congregations again.

circuit overseers became circuit servants and then back again.

bradford

I think this is just regular old marketing and rebranding as new pieces move in and out of departments who make these milestone changes.

The reality is they can market this crap however they want, it isn't helping any more.

51

New NWT deception at Genesis 8:22 to indicate earth remains forever.

by jwfacts in

i could not find mention of this before.

i was reading genesis 8:22 in the niv and was surprised i had never noticed that this verse gives the impression that the earth will not remain forever.

genesis 8:22 stated by god after the flood, when promising to never again destroy all living creatures.. as long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never cease.

bradford

Couldn't the WTS just say the phrase "as long as" doesn't mean there is a finite time for the earth, but instead, the wording means that no matter how long the earth is remaining (forever), the important part of the verse is that there will be seasons and days and nights.

It is a testament to their deceptiveness in choosing doctrinal-friendly wording. Nothing earth shattering, pun intended.