"One of them, a prophet of their own, said, "Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons." Titus 1:12
Sorry, that's all I remember about the place. Enjoy your trip.
Posts by paulE
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10Crete.
by Englishman inwe're thinking of holidaying there at the end of july.. anybody here ever visited crete?.
got any advice for us?.
englishman.
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paulE
You may want to try this approach. Tell the CO, this story. You could call it a Parable, yeah, a paulEline Parable.
The mailman knocked on my door this morning. He told me that the Postal Department had come to the conclusion that they, Postal Workers, were the only ones who could understand the meaning of the mail that was sent through the system. So, instead of just putting my letters in the mailbox, they would have to read and explain my letters to me. He opened a letter from my dad and read it to me. Dad said that my brother loved me. My mailman explained that what dad meant was that my brother was not really my brother, yet, that maybe, if I was good, he would be my brother in a 1000 years or so. Dad concluded, saying that he would come to visit me when he could. The mailman said that this meant that my dad would be here tomorrow. I grabbed my mail out of his hand. "I want to read it myself." I concluded.
"What do you mean by this?" the CO will ask. "Why do you speak in parables?"
Then you quote Matthew 13:13, with adjustments it says: "Therefore, I speak to you in parables, because seeing you do not see, and hearing you do not hear, nor do you understand."
Hey, it might work.
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What Made You Realize The WTBTS Was NOT The Truth
by Kevin inmy wife is a jw.. i've been trying to point out the errors of the wtbts but she just doesnt want to hear it.. i'm wonder if some people could share your turning point in regards to your relationship goes.
with the society.
what made you realize that the society was false.
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paulE
I couldn't understand how the WTS could teach that things were so wrong doctrinally in 1918 that Jehovah sent his people off to "captivity to Babylon the Great." Yet, at that very same time, those doctrines were judged by Jesus to be such "healthy spiritual food" that he appointed the WTS over "all his belongings".
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Does the Watchtower Society stunt personal development and growth
by truthseeker inwith so many "responsibilities" given to the witnesses by the "faithful and discreet slave", there is little time for them to do anything these days except sleep - and that is when they're not out preaching at unearthly hours in the morning.. .
the enormous pressure to perform, and to be under the watch of the elders to make sure you perform, is a draining experience.. .
a book i have on sociology says this regarding jehovah's witnesses, when discussing sects, that "they require intensive commitments and demonstrations of belief by members.
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paulE
Theocrat, you know this doesn't count as field service time. But, you are making as much headway as you would at a door. None.
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What is the WT fell?
by paulE inwhat would be the consequences to society in general?
would there be enough psychotrist to handle 6,000,000 new patients?.
would office buildings be scrambling to find new janitorial services, since all the "pioneer janitorial service" operators would find real jobs?.
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paulE
What would be the consequences to society in general? For example:
Would there be enough psychotrist to handle 6,000,000 new patients?
Would office buildings be scrambling to find new janitorial services, since all the "Pioneer Janitorial Service" operators would find real jobs?
Are there enough job openings to handle all the unskilled, uneducated people who were no longer employed at Bethel?
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Has this happened to anyone?
by Purza inso my mother opens the door for a discussion (via email) and i totally freeze up.
i find it almost impossible to tell her how i feel about the jw religion.
when i finally figure out what i want to say, she completely dismisses my thoughts.
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paulE
I had tried to explain my concern about some JW doctrines to my wife of twenty plus years. She is a very intelligent woman, a real Bible student. She wouldn't listen to a word. She seperated, I was endangering her spirituality. Before I was df'd, we met for lunch to make an effort to work things out. I again tried to explain my beliefs about 1914, and F&DS. She sat there, her eyes glazed over. When I gave up, she gave me her "terms", that I drop the foolishness and get back to active JWism. She said that I just needed to study more. The real problem was that I had studied too much, enough to see thru it.
What's worse is that I remember talking to some with doubts during my elder days. I tried to answer questions, but always ended by telling them that they just needed to study more, trust in Jehovah, draw close to Jehovah, get to the meetings regularly, spend more time in service. Yeah, that will solve everything. I may have even spouted those stupid phrases to some of you here on this board. If I did please forgive me. Believe me, I begged the true God to forgive me, many times.
A lot of JW's see through the "Truth", but can't bear to leave family and friends. It's hard when your whole life is tied up in it. Just be patient. Things are in turmoil in the congregations. There is still hope that someday, when the time is right for her, she will listen to you.
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wasted life
by littlemike inleft 2 years ago and surf nearly every night.
i was an elder for 11 years did circuit assembly items etc.
in fact i did everything the society said.
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paulE
Welcome littlemike,
I know exactly how you feel. I had similar "priveleges" for over 20 years. Your life has not been wasted. Your life has just begun! The guys at this board have been wonderful in helping me get past my pain.
I'd think twice about writing your story. I attempted that, filling page after page with details of unloving action, hypocracy, etc.,etc.,etc. The more I wrote, the more I remembered, the angrier I got. Soon I would be right back in the same rage that filled me while I was "in". After a while, I got tired re-living the past. I'm 57 and I didn't want to spend the rest of my life still under the emotional control of JW. With one quick touch of the "delete" button, my JW life went away. Maybe the hours of writing and remembering served a purpose. Maybe the delete button became symbolic of my decision to turn around and see what life and God really had to offer.
I
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Let's bring these enemies of freedom and human decency down to their knees!
by Jonty Parkin inpreviously, i was content to go my own way and allow my erstwhile brothers and sisters go theirs.
after all, if i am honest, i am equally delighted to be able to ignore/shun those myopic, sanctimonious little turds, as they are to ignore/shun me!.
however, having read many of your posts, i'm downright bloody livid, not neccessarily with the aforementioned "myopic, sanctimonious little turds", but those grumpy, stubborn, conniving deceitful old gits in brooklyn who have created this society of "myopic, sanctimonious little turds"!.
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paulE
Hi Jonty,
I think that there is evidence that these guys are quickly going to their knees. I recently visited the e-watchman site, the guestbook. Hundreds of active JW's including elders comment there. They seem to be in a panic. Some are describing their recent meeting with elders investigating them for mentioning the NGO thing. (just a rumor, but I heard one sister was investigated after she was overheard speaking of the NGA-National Gallery of Art) Seems to be a real witchhunt going on.
As Blondie insightfully points out in her Watchtower reviews, much of the current info published in the WT is in response to "apostate" expose' of WTS dirt.
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What Is YOUR Concept of "God"?
by minimus inis he/she "real"?
are you now unsure of "god's" existence?
do you ever pray to "god", anymore??
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paulE
I definitely believe in Almighty God, the Creator of everything. And I see many evidences of his existence and continuing love for us. As Dan-O said, there is just too much order in the universe to be an accident. The outstanding example of his love is the death and ressurrection of Jesus. Another example of his love that each of us has experienced is that he helped us get out of the JW organization. Without divine help, it would be easier to escape from Alcatraz than that place.
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Hello, I'm new here
by paulE ini've visited this board before and enjoyed it very much.
i was disfellowshipped many years ago, then went through 7 years of not even thinking about jws.
three years ago i started studying the bible.
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paulE
I've visited this board before and enjoyed it very much.
I was disfellowshipped many years ago, then went through 7 years of not even thinking about JWs. Three years ago I started studying the Bible. At first it was very hard to study without going back to the "default settings" established by 45 years in the WTS. But, I disproved many doctrines to myself and felt comfortable that I was o.k., past the endoctrination.
Yesterday, I had a customer who had heart problems and was afraid that he was near death. I had started a Bible discussion with him. He said that because of facing death, he had been studying the Bible for a year. He asked me many questions and we had a very good discussion. Finally, he asked me if I was a preacher and where my church was located. I told him that I was not a preacher, that I did not attend church, that I was a Bible student.
The man continued to ask Bible questions, saying that the church that he was studying with was not very satisfying spiritually, and that he wanted to go where he could develope the faith and love that he had seen in me. Finally, I asked what church he was attending. He said Jehovah's Witnesses.
For some reason, I just couldn't continue the conversation. I wanted to warn him, I wanted to tell him my experience, I wanted to tell him about NGO's and pedefiles and 1914 and 1975 and on an on. I wanted to tell him to run like hell. But, I couldn't. Today, I feel like that organization still has some hold on me. I hate that feeling.