remember the district conventions of yester-year?.
say at some football ground ... possibly on the terraces on blankets or deckchairs and under plastic sheeting if it was raining (i'm talking about uk assemblies here, lol).
there would always be a handfull of brothers who would tape record the sessions with the old piano-key tape recorders strapped to the fencing and every half hour or so they would wander down the steps to change the tape or check the batteries (i think it was an excuse to walk around).. c'mon ... own up ... was that you?.
Yeah old people still do it. U can usually spot them with their cow's lick hair do greased back...and their tartan tie and mission brown suits...frowning at all the squirming kids sitting in the row in front who might disturb their 'transmission'.
My ex's father still does it...AND he takes notes. Some elders have been pre-selected before the convention to deliver a talk to their local congregation at the very next meeting which is always about the highlights of the convention.
Beck
it seems that i'm a dangerous man.. last time we went over to vist my dad in canada, my sister rang the local congregation to warn them that i was going!.
wow ... i feel like 'the jackal' or something ... international danger man!.
what sad pathetic little lives they lead ...
Simon aka Hannibal Hector
Fear is a terrible thing...and your family let it dictate their lives...like most/all JW's. They fear that they are displeasing Jehovah for having contact with one who is rubbing his eyeball...they fear that their JW friends might see them in your company and will report them or just talk/gossip about them.
Sad to know that they choose to live this way...but good to know that you choose not to.
Beck
jws are generally afraid to discuss prophecy with each other.
they are reluctant to express their.
feelings because they dont want to look like they are doing independent thinking.
What JW's are thinking about?? Sex.
Nooo...kinky sex!
in chat tonight, i was discussing self-defense measures i used to teach when i was on the lecture circuit showing women and men how to protect themselves from physical assault in a violent situation.
you can never be sure when you might find yourself in an ugly situation and it is always smart to think ahead of what to do if you find yourself in one of these situations.. this thread wont be very pretty and the methods i mention below and the ones you may add in other posts may be downright terrifying.
you may also find the information im going to tell you violates many state and local laws but it is your choice if you want to be carried by six or judged by twelve.
Good suggestions...I have printed off your list and will put them on my fridge at home...for the household to ponder over.
Personally...I feel that any issue of the WT would scare off any would be attacker!!
Beck
as i read many of the posts here i see people asking questions like "how much longer will it be till the wt is put out of business for killing people with their blood stand" or "how much longer can they keep up in light of all the scandals"?.
the simple answer is they can keep up perpetually because it is the money!
look the facts of the matter are that the wt is not so much a religion as it is a conglomeration.
Its the Money Honey...I agree zugzzwan...it's always been the money keeping the borg alive and kicking. Widows and pensioners are encouraged to dig deep to donate to the KH fund...but are discouraged from financially supporting the needy causes that are run by babylon the great.
Beck
with me, i use my own common sense..i will try to smell a rat, but smelling and seeing one for sure is two different things.. ozie person huh?
i think this stands for australia?.......i would like to visit there someday, maybe i will.
Just felt like posting on an old thread lol...how dumb is that.
Wondering if you ever did make it to aussie or not.
Beck
went to a borg assembly the other day.
the only thing i remember is them preaching fear and guilt, fear and guilt.
i heard a jw sister say how she pioneered because she felt so guilty.
WP...it is hard enough living with 'ordinary' fears then the complex issues we had to deal with in the borg. Doing the most simple thing...the most ordinary thing...fear makes it all the more difficult...fear of displeasing someone...or fear of stumbling. And to be seen doing 'less' then others in similar circumstances to ourselves (ie. childless couples pioneering)...fear of appearing weak or not as spiritual.
Beck
i have been doing the fade for about a year now from the jw religion.. today i atteneded the service of a non-denominational church and my dub ex-wife's boss was there and saw me.. so i fully expect that by tomorrow that the local gestapo elders will be aware of the fact that i was at another church.
what do you want to bet i will be getting a shepherding call next week, even though i have not seen these loving bothers in many months.
what a joke!.
Stealth
I know this sounds cowardly...but you're better off not being confronted...avoid them at all costs....I'd go with the hide suggestion.
You can prepare a scriptural response if you want...in the anticipation that they are going to visit you. But that will only put you in a position where they can pry into your head...and they may find out stuff about your spirituality that is none of their business. I'd just avoid a situation arising...because they will eventually tire of trying to find you at home or trying to locate you. Don't forget that what they (the elders) do is unpaid (monetary) labour...so they are not going to spend too much hours on trying to find you at home to find out if it was indeed you who was seen at babylon's palace.
Good luck.
Beck
one of my brothers in an elder in his congregation and the other is a co. they have both told me that they don't beieve that jehovah's witnesses have the truth and they are aware of the hypocrisy in the organization but they don't care.
they will never renounce their membership in this organization.
when asked why they say that they love the adulation given to them by the brothers.. the are always the first to be invited to the homes of the friends, they are sought out for advise and it makes them feel like big, important men.. the truth is that this organizaation does serve a purpose for some people.
Good point Dutchy...the qualifications to be an elder was never 'faith' anyway...only the things seen by other elders...the things you can easily 'pretend' to be faithful in...like field service hours or regular meeting attendance. One's faith is demonstrated by one's works...one's works can be fake...artificial...a con...deceitful... hypocritical etc.
You say: "If you are "in the world" and you are someone with a menial job or someone who is a loner and doesn't have many friends and male and then you come into this congregation and you begin to rise through the ranks and given more and more "privileges", why this can be a real rush for some of the men and actually tends to reinforces the belief system proferred by the Watchtower"
I have seen many a "Deliverer" join the JW elder ranks...from a simpleton to an elder...what would you choose??
Beck
with all the stories coming out on the board, which i know gwen and i greatly enjoyed reading them, prompted me a few weeks ago to start my own.
this is part one, and thanks to amazing, duncan and hillary for their inspirations and getting me motivated.. cheers!.
part one...the early years.. this will be a work in progress folks.. as i write ill post the parts.
Enjoyed your story Zev...like everyone else...looking forward to Part II?
I love true stories...and I love 'love' stories...((warm fuzzies))...and I love happy endings!!
Beck
