Posts by Athanasius

40

When You Left The "Truth" Were People Shocked?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i faded and when witnesses realized i had abandoned the faith, they were shocked!

no one would've ever believed that i would've left!

no one!!

Athanasius

Ten years into my fade I bumped into an old JW friend who I hadn't seen in 20 years. We were both shopping at Costco and he asked me how I was doing and I said fine. Then he asked if I still attended the South Congregation. I said no, that I was and Episcopalian and attended St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. When he heard that, the guy acted like he swallowed his tongue and was choking on it. Then he excused himself and quickly fled the scene.

Interestingly the year before I met my old Latin Teacher from High School. I had witnessed to him a number of times when I was one of his students so he knew me to be a JW. When I told him that I had left the JWs and became an Episcopalian, he said: "I'm not surprised. I always felt you were too smart to stay in that religion."

In my experience it seems that the JWs were shocked and the so called worldly folks weren't surprised at all.

16

Watchtower Lawyer Says No Probing

by Marvin Shilmer in

jw
friends

watchtower lawyer says no probing.

ive added a new article to my blog showing a statement one of watchtowers lawyers made to medical researchers about jehovahs witnesses deciding privately to accept transfusion of blood.

i think readers will find his assertion rather surprising; but maybe not.

Athanasius

Does this mean that the Watchtower has a "don't ask, don't tell" policy regarding blood transfusions?

9

I found a July 1st, 1920 Watchtower magazine- Millions now Living will never die!

by moshe in

it was in a box of old wt books i had given to me.

several sections are underlined- all about the new light concerning the "millions now living who will never die".

perhaps this is the first official, mention of rutherford's new end-times dogma.

Athanasius

Interesting find, Moshe. I subscribed to several Bible Student magazines back in the 1990s. These Russellite groups send their speakers to major cities through out the U. S. and their schedules are still listed on the back cover of the magazine. "Evidently" the Watchtower discontinued this practice long ago.

62

Real Jehovah's Witnesses (djeggnog, StandFirm, etc), I'm trying to understand you.

by pirata in

jw
friends

i'm an active jehovah's witness.

i've obviously lost my faith, that's why i don't feel bad posting here anymore.

i'd probably be disfellowshipped as a division causing, teaching, apostate, faster than you can say "maher-shalal-hash-baz" (isaiah 8:1), should it be found out that i was posting here and did not repent of the things i've said and stop participating in this forum.

Athanasius

It looks like "2057 1pnt 428571" likes to combine Watchtowerisms with Conspiracy Theories. He/she is probably one of those fringe JWs who attend Memorial each year and reads an occasional Watchtower but has limited association with the JWs.

62

Real Jehovah's Witnesses (djeggnog, StandFirm, etc), I'm trying to understand you.

by pirata in

jw
friends

i'm an active jehovah's witness.

i've obviously lost my faith, that's why i don't feel bad posting here anymore.

i'd probably be disfellowshipped as a division causing, teaching, apostate, faster than you can say "maher-shalal-hash-baz" (isaiah 8:1), should it be found out that i was posting here and did not repent of the things i've said and stop participating in this forum.

Athanasius

Hi Punkofnice,

I think 1pnt may have indirectly answered your question in her answer to the question regarding whether she counts her time posting on JWN. 1pnt said:

"So, I'll let God's great clock and timepiece, Michael the Great Prince, keep track of the hours, LOL."

How many JWs do you know who minimize the importance of recording and turning in their time to the boys in Brooklyn? A real JW would no sooner neglect the GB's mandate to turn in their time than they would ignore the Watchtower's warning to avoid apostate forums on the internet.

62

Real Jehovah's Witnesses (djeggnog, StandFirm, etc), I'm trying to understand you.

by pirata in

jw
friends

i'm an active jehovah's witness.

i've obviously lost my faith, that's why i don't feel bad posting here anymore.

i'd probably be disfellowshipped as a division causing, teaching, apostate, faster than you can say "maher-shalal-hash-baz" (isaiah 8:1), should it be found out that i was posting here and did not repent of the things i've said and stop participating in this forum.

Athanasius

Looks like 20571pnt428571 refuses to answer Yknot's question:

"I am curious are you a study, baptised publisher, born-in, raised or convert etc.

What exactly is your association to the WTS?

If you are a publisher of the good news of the kingdom......then what you posted above is a lot of self-justification but it wouldn't fly with Elders/CO. They would instruct you to stop all activities and properly apply all that energy to supporting the ministry locally...... that is why we have 'territories'!"

How about it 20571pnt428571? Are you afraid that if the elders found out what you are doing here that you will be reproved?

62

Real Jehovah's Witnesses (djeggnog, StandFirm, etc), I'm trying to understand you.

by pirata in

jw
friends

i'm an active jehovah's witness.

i've obviously lost my faith, that's why i don't feel bad posting here anymore.

i'd probably be disfellowshipped as a division causing, teaching, apostate, faster than you can say "maher-shalal-hash-baz" (isaiah 8:1), should it be found out that i was posting here and did not repent of the things i've said and stop participating in this forum.

Athanasius

Hi Yknot. I doubt that 20571pnt428571 will answer your questions about his/her JW status. If 20571pnt428571 is male, he is certainly not reaching out for responsiblity in the congregation.

As Outlaw and AlanF pointed out, most JW apologists on these forums are not JWs.

If these apologists are JWs, they are not good JWs. When you think about it a good JW, who attends 5 meetings a week, spends numerous hours in personal study for these meetings, auxilarary pioneers 30 hours a month, and works a secular job, wouldn't have time to waste on forums like this. Moreover, a good JW would obey the GB's mandate and shun apostate websites.

I was just thinking about my years as a JW. Monday night I'd get home from work, have supper, conduct the family study, then while the rest of the family watched TV, I had to study the CBS lesson for Tuesday since I conducted the group that met at the KH. Tuesday night, get home from work, have supper, then off to the CBS. I was also the TMS overseer so Wednesday night was taken up preparing for the school and a part on the SM. Thursday night was TMS and SM and if there was an elder's meeting sometimes I didn't get home until midnight. Friday night, if I didn't have a JC meeting, a PT to prepare, or a CA part to rehearse, I'd schedule a shepherding call or two. Saturday if no CA or DA that weekend, morning was meet for FS and two hours placing magazines, afternoon was home maintenance if our CBS group wasn't scheduled to clean the KH, evening wifey and I might go out for dinner and a film if Theocratic responsibilities didn't interfere. Sunday if no CA or DA that day, morning FS, afternoon, PT and WS. Also one Sunday each month I gave a PT for an out of town congregation. Almost forgot about the week of the CO's visit and all the extra meetings it involved. I don't think that the demands on a person trying to be a good JW are any different now than when I was a JW.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but none of the JW apologists have admitted to their elders that they visit this forum and discuss spiritual matters with known apostates.

86

Do You Folks Wanna Hear My Story?

by Farkel in

jw
friends

i've already written "my story".

i've been "out" for 35 years.

but that is not a story that contains the little stuff.

Athanasius

Yes, please tell Fark.

98

Robdar!!

by beksbks in

jw
friends

explain yourself woman!!!

oh and congratulations!.

Athanasius

Congratulations Robyn, and many happy anniversaries. Also happy New Year.

My wife and I will be celebrating our second anniversary this March, and yes, I did marry the Russian gal.

9

Looking for Gospel Commentary Suggestions

by XJW4EVR in

i am going to spend all of 2011 in the four canonical gospels.

i have a number of commentaries on the gospels already, however, i am looking for new ones to research.

i am interested in scholarly and popular, liberal and conservative, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated..

Athanasius

Hi ExJW,

There are several Commentaries that I've found helpful. One is the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture. This commentary has 29 volumes and covers both the Old and New Testaments, plus the Deutero-Canonical Books. Six of the volumes are on the Four Gospels. It's published by the InterVarsity Press, and is scholarly and conservative. An important feature of this Commentary is as the title says, it's commentary written by the ancient Christians.

The New Interpreter's Bible is a 12 Volume set with commentary on the Old and New Testaments and the Duetero-Canonical Books. This commentary uses both the New International Version and the New Revised Standard Version for the Bible texts. However, only two volumes are devoted to the Four Gospels. It's published by Abingdon Press and is scholarly and conservative.

You might also want to look at the Anchor Bible, now published by Yale University Press. The Anchor Bible is a new translation with commentary. The Anchor Bible has 8 Volumes on the Four Gospels. It's scholarly and liberal.