Posts by Andyman

30

To celebrate or not to celebrate

by Dubby in

jw
friends

i wonder how much validity is in the wt teaching that it's wrong to celebrate holidays.

did jesus followers in the first century really not get involved in nationalistic activities?

is the celebration of one's nations independence at odds with jesus and the apostle's teachings?.

Andyman

Up until the thirties the society celebrated holidays just like everybody else. Jesus was supposed to have given them all authourity because they were the "ONLY" ones doing things the right way. Well at that time they were still celebrating the holidays, including Christmas and birthdays.

My opinion is that the "JUDGE" was a lonely man who had a drinking problem. His wife and son lived clear across the country. This makes a person very unhappy during the holidays. I believe this had a lot to do with the holiday "ban".

My own opinion is that it should be up to the indvidual whether they celebrate or not. Romans 14 talks about it being a matter between you and God, nobody else should be pushing their opinions on you.

Those who want to celebrate should not invite those who don't over to get them involved, and those who don't want to celebrate shouldn't be out condeming those who do celebrate.

This is my opinion on the issue.

As for the 4th of July, well this is the day this country declared it's independance. This is the day that the U.S. signed the Declaration of Independance which gives us all the freedoms we have today. Without these freedoms the WBTS would not exist. The society uses the "freedoms" of this country to promot their beliefs, yet condems those who celebrate this freedom. I don't agree with them.

I took us years to get out of the JW mind set about holidays, but we feel that it is between us and our creator, not the boys in New York.

As for the 4th, well lets just say that my kids can hardly wait for night fall!!

Take care.

Andyman:

9

Call 911-Fire-Fire -don't do it!

by spectromize in

jw
friends

for all of you who are thinking about da or df, my advice is don't do it.

you are falling into a trap that the wt has set for any who disagree with them.

wouldn't it be much more productive if everyone who left, held on to their status even if they didn't go to the hall and exposed some of the bull****t ?.

Andyman

Thanks Roamingfeline, I am looking forward to reading that letter.

Yes, I to am considered inactive, but I still live in the same place, so I see first hand how the JW "love" works. We haven't been DF'd or DA'd ourselves, but we still get the old "shunning" treatment from most of the old congregation. Rumors come and go. Mostly from the same sister who started them all back when we were still active. Things never change!

Seems like when ever somebody gets upset and complains about this P.O.'s wife, my wife and I get blamed for "stirring things up". We don't even talk to anybody, except for business purposes, yet we still get blamed for things. Oh well at least they are still thinking about us.

Take care.

Andyman:

4

I don't like the drugs, but the drugs like me?

by Pathofthorns in

jw
friends

is it just me, or is there an unusually high number of young ones in the truth smoking and doing drugs like ecstasy and dope?.

is it that these people are doing this out of rebellion or simply that they like to live in a fantasy world?.

i've talked to a number who seem to think that they will live a double life for a while, then come back in five years "because they know its the truth".

Andyman

I know that there were a few young ones who got involved with drugs back when I was still active. Most of them around here get hooked on "alcohol" which of course isn't so bad if you are a JW!

Many JW young ones come from homes where alcohol is widely used, and abused. They see there parents using and it just becomes natural for them to pick up the habit.

Prescription drugs are also a big problem with many JW's. Anit depresents like "prozac" get passed around like candy. I have seen "pain killers" and "valuim" abused by JW's also.

They condem worldly people for "using" drugs, yet they "share" what ever they have with each other. Doesn't make sense to me.

Experimenting is a common thing among young ones, expecially when they see there parents doing it. Doesn't matter if they are JW or not, it happens. I think many young JW's are trying to cope with the problem of being "different" from everyone else, and drugs and alcohol help them, they think, to cope with this stress.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Andyman:

9

Call 911-Fire-Fire -don't do it!

by spectromize in

jw
friends

for all of you who are thinking about da or df, my advice is don't do it.

you are falling into a trap that the wt has set for any who disagree with them.

wouldn't it be much more productive if everyone who left, held on to their status even if they didn't go to the hall and exposed some of the bull****t ?.

Andyman

Hey Roamingfeline;

I would like to hear more about that letter. Do you know where a person can get a copy of it?

Thanks in advance.

Andyman:

6

The voting issue?

by Andyman in

jw
friends

now last year the society came out with an article on voting that completly confused everyone.

many jw's thought they could vote, but from what i hear the c.o.

's have been telling them nothing has changed.

Andyman

Now last year the society came out with an article on voting that completly confused everyone. Many JW's thought they could vote, but from what I hear the C.O.'s have been telling them nothing has changed. JW's don't vote!

Well I have this Australian brother that is telling everyone on another site that voting IS AND HAS BEEN FOR 25 YEARS A CONSCIENCE ISSUE!

Anyone ever heard this before? Anyone from Australia like to comment on this? Is it really different down there, can JW's vote if the want to?

I know I was told from day one "JW's don't vote"!

I would like to get everyones view on this so I can link it to this brother and he can check out what everyone says for himself.

Also If there is a difference in Australia, and they can vote and have been able to for 25 years, then I owe HIM an apology.

Thanks.

Andyman:

18

The Beginning of the End

by SolidSender in

jw
friends

i've got my own opinion on this but i'm very interested to hear from anyone who has viewpoints on what impact they think the internet is going to have on the wtbs say over the next 5 - 10 years.-solidsender

Andyman

Hi Waiting;

I agree that the society targets the poor, and that they are looking for a better life. But I think that even the poor, people on welfare, etc. in the U.S. are making more money than those in third world countries.

I was talking with someone on another board from a latin America country that just recently went to the "donataion" arragement. They made the comment that the publishers thought they wouldn't have to "pay" for the magzines any more, and when they found out they had to not only "pay" up front, but return all "donations" it caused a pretty big uproar.

I know that in most congregations in the U.S. there are heavier contirubtors than the third world countries. I have seen brothers who have stacks of magazines in their box for field service. Now I don't really think they place this many magazines, but it sure looks good when they are pushing for "elder" postions.

I have heard that just in the last couple of years the society is cuttig costs because the money just isn't coming in like it used to. Now I may be wrong, but I am assuming that this is because of the drop in memebership from the more wealthy countries.

I do think they will survive, but I think they will be cutting costs more and more in order to keep their present standards up.

Take care.

Andyman:

18

The Beginning of the End

by SolidSender in

jw
friends

i've got my own opinion on this but i'm very interested to hear from anyone who has viewpoints on what impact they think the internet is going to have on the wtbs say over the next 5 - 10 years.-solidsender

Andyman

Yes I agree that 3rd world countries will grow, but they don't have the money that the industrialized nations do, so that will hurt the society where it hurts most, the pocket book!

They will have to come up with something more mainline to keep the present JW's from dropping away. Like 7 said every click of the mouse make the society a little bit smaller!

Take care.

Andyman:

24

Qualified to be elders?

by Andyman in

jw
friends

this is an issue that really bothers me.

the elders are supposed to be looking after the well being of the congregation.

they are supposed to be helping those in need.

Andyman

The vasectomy thing is kind of strange. I did some research on the matter and thought it was a no no, that was 6 years ago. My brother in law is the P.O. and he had one about 13 years ago, and his wife told my wife there was nothing wrong with it! Go figure. I think it was because his wife wanted no more kids after having two in here first marriage and then 2 more in her mid thirties. She don't like kids very much anyway.

I just thought it was strange that he went ahead and did it when he was an elder, later becoming the P.O. and now tells others they can't have privledges if they get one.

More of that good old double standard I guess.

Take care.

Andyman:

8

ARE we The Seed of Satan?

by Martini in

jw
friends

how do you react when the brothers are quick to point out that the error of those in the org.

today who 'shrink back' on their faith and obedience to the faithful and discreet slave class are the seed of satan and rebels similar to korah ,dathan and abiram also miriam.

the inference is that the fate or end result for todays rebels will be similar to that of those rebels of old where they incurred 'god's wrath' upon themselves and their offsping which led to god's annihilation?.

Andyman

Well Jesus point out the errors of the Pharisees, and we all know he wasn't the "seed of Satan"!

The Pharisees condemned Jesus and trie to do everything the could to discredit him, it didn't work.

I think the society is in much the same boat as the Pharisees. They have a lot of skeletons in the closet, and they don't want their dirty laundry aired in public. I think they will do and say anything to keep brothers and sisters from finding out about these things.

So are we the "seed of Satan"? The society would sure like everyone to thing so!

Take care.

Andyman:

24

Qualified to be elders?

by Andyman in

jw
friends

this is an issue that really bothers me.

the elders are supposed to be looking after the well being of the congregation.

they are supposed to be helping those in need.

Andyman

I have to agree with 7 and Pathofthorns, I have never met an elder that I feel like I can talke to.

I tired several times, but it was like they weren't hearing anything I said. Their reply was canned. It was like they knew what to say, without getting involved in the problem. It always got turned around to wher it was ME that needed to corrrect my thinking, or just get out in service more and things will get better.

One elder I talked to kept changing the subject. I was pointing out the problems in the congregation, and he kept saying "yeah, but" and then changed the subject. I kept bringing it back and he kept changing it.

A good counselor trys to help who he is talking to to make better choices. They don't TELL the person how to change, they help them. The elders simply tell you what you need to do to be a better JW, and thats that. Then if things don't get better, it is your fault not thiers.

I thin it all boils down to what the P.O. said to me one day. He said "we have to think about how it makes the society and the congegation look." Doesn't matter what is right or wrong, just how it makes the society and the congregation look.

Take care.

Andyman: