Posts by Athanasius

42

Elders? Ministerial servants? Pioneers

by lv4fer in

jw
friends

i'm just curious.

how many of you were elders or ministerial servants or pioneers?

were you an elder or ms or pioneer when you realized it wasn't the truth or a had you stepped down already, were you "weak" when you realized it?

Athanasius

I held all three positions as one time or another. However, I was an elder in 1984 when I began to have doubts. In the early 1970s when Ray Franz was on the GB, the organization began to liberalize some of their rules and regulations. We jokingly referred to this as Watch Tower Vatican II. But after Ray Franz was removed from the GB the organization became very oppressive. I read Crisis of Conscience in March 1984. At the time I was Theocratic School Overseer and a Congregation Book Study Conductor. I think that the JWs still use those terms. I was also averaging 20 hours a month in field service.

However, after reading C of C there was no way I could remain a JW in good conscience. So in September 1984 I resigned as an elder and by October I had ceased attending meetings.

Sincerely,

Athanasius

131

Last Post - My Most Painful Public Confession

by Amazing in

jw
friends

my most painful confession

note to simon: i will use some expletives, but i hope that they will be retained as this is intended to be an otherwise civil and thoughtful post to all my fellow ex-jws.

please read on, as this is most painful.

Athanasius

You will be missed Amazing. Your posts were always thought provoking. Wish you a speedy recovery.

7

Did you think you were the only one?

by sleepy in

jw
friends

.

when you were first realised the truth was wrong did you think you were the only one?.

i did.i had worked out the gentile times could not be right, but had not realised what this ment about the governing body etc.i knew there were apostates, but i thought these were just people who hated the religion.i was ready to research and find out the truth about the organisation.then i looked on the internet and found that thousands of people had beaten me to it already..

Athanasius

When in 1984 I first read Crisis of Conscience which helped expose the Watch Tower as a false religion, I knew that I was not alone. However, today the ExJWs are more numerous and better organized than 20 years ago.

Sincerely,

Athanasius

19

Favorite Bible passage?

by Happy in

jw
friends

i was just wondering what some people's favorite scriptures are.

one of my favorites is .

matthew 7:1-5 .

Athanasius

1 Corinthians 13:1-8 (Revised English Bible): I may speak in tongues of men or of angels, but if I have no love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal. I may have the gift of prophecy and the knowledge of every hidden truth; I may have faith enough to move mountians; but if I have no love, I am nothing. I may give all I possess to the needy, I may give my body to be burnt, but if i have no love, I gain nothing by it.

Love is patient and kind. Love envies no one, is never boastful, never conceited, never rude; love is never selfish, never quick to take offence. Love keeps no score of wrongs, takes no pleasure in the sins of others, but delights in the truth. There is nothing love cannot face; there is no limit to its faith, its hope, its endurance. Love will never come to an end.

21

360 Furman up for sale

by Patriot in

jw
friends

how you guys doing?.

sorry if this was discussed already but i havent been around lately.. my sis and bro in law had some of their witness family fly in and visit them last week.

they decided that they wanted to visit bethel here in nyc.

Athanasius

Interesting report, Patriot. Please keep us posted as to new developments.

Sincerely,

Athanasius

35

JW Catch Phrases

by pr_capone in

jw
friends

what are some of your favorite jw catch phrases?.

"food at the proper time".

"spiritualy weak".

Athanasius

This System of Things. I don't know where they came up with that one, but only the JWs use it.

20

Elder Says That We Must Guard Association W/ Bros.

by minimus in

jw
friends

2 elders mentioned in their parts in the tms and sm, that just because a person is a witness, it doesn't mean that they they are acceptable association.

if someone misses a lot of meetings, rarely goes out in field service and is not the best example, we should not want to associate with such ones.

i clearly see a line being drawn in the sand.

Athanasius

It sounds like the Kingdom Governing Body (KGB) is trying to rally the troops for one last stand.

6

Like Cracks in a Dam

by D8TA in

jw
friends

kinda had a thought today: .

ever see that movie called force 10 from navarone?

it's about a u.s. commando squad (escorted by some british agents...you know, they always need the u.s.'s help...heh heh) in ww2 given the task of destroying a bridge in europe as to prevent a nazi crossing.

Athanasius

It is possible with all the bad PR that the Watch Tower may become more mainstream. Didn't this happen to Armstrong's World Wide Church of God?

15

Hi All

by ELHOIM in

jw
friends

!, what a god- dam excellent site.

i left the jws 7 years ago and still have a sister in there.. my mother has also now left and as a result has been banned from seeing her grandchildren by my sister, yet her father inlaw a jw and convicted peodophile ( he repented so its all ok now!!!

) can have unrestricted access because he's part of jehovahs wonderfull organization.

Athanasius

Welcome. Glad to have you with us.

17

How much did you give to the WTS?

by freedom96 in

jw
friends

there is a lot of talk about the wts wealth, and even perhaps the idea that they are running out of money, hence the reduction at bethel.. i grew up a witness, so most of the time i really didn't have money to give.

i really preferred toys and things like that.

as i got older, and got a job as a teenager, then again, my money was spent on more expensive toys, and spending money hanging out with friends.. i got married young, and stayed active as a witness for about 4 more years.

Athanasius

Though I didn't give the Watch Tower much money, I still wasted 30 years of my time.