Posts by phil78

11

i need help learning about ths religion.....i have no one else to ask

by needinfo in

phil78

I was also brought up in this religion. I only decided to leave this year, but was unhappy and uncomfortable for mabey 5.

The important thing to remember is, it is not illegal to do non-society research. By that i mean, how can you get an un-biassed opinion of this religion, if all your research is done in the societys publications. You are only going to read what they want you to read. Remember, if you were a catholic, the society would encourage you to look outside your religion, and to evaluate for yourself if the catholic teaching are correct. You would be coached to look to the bible. You would then be given "study aids," namely the watchtower and awake. These would lead you to find the answers they want you to find. Study the books, go to the meetings, and then WHAM, your in! Now they tell you you can't look outside the org for answers and other opinions. You're not allowed have an opinion on a subject that differs from the societys. Does this seem fair and just?

There is much guilt associated with what you are trying to do. This is bred into us, and takes a while to shake. Just do what your heart tells you to do. Don't live a lie, it will eat you up. Take things slowly. If you find that you want to stay a witness, then do it. But there is a point of no return, where you can't go back to normal witness life, and ignore the things you now know. Ask lots of questions, and dont accept every answer to be right.

Doing this does not make you an apostate. The definition for apostate is: "One who has abandoned one's religious faith, a political party, one's principles, or a cause." It is a word loosely used by the society, and it strikes fear into the hearts of every witness. You are not abandoning your faith. Personally i feel that i have strengthened it. My faith is my beliefs, and i follow the bible. The bible is a personal book, and much of it is writen to reach the individuals heart. To learn you beleifs from a publication, and to parrot it over and over again steralises the feeling of being touched by the real "truth". I do not follow the Watchtower and Tract Society of Pennsilvania. I follow my heart.

There are many great witnesses that sincerely believe they are in "the truth". These make up the majority. But they wont understand what you are doing. Cruise along quietly. My wife and i chose to "drift" away. I haven't been to a meeting in 6 months, and no asks for me. They just think that i am slack, and put work first. They can think what they want.

I hope this helps a bit.

Phil

21

"A Jehovah--Take Ovah".......NEW YORK POST

by minimus in

jw
friends

todays online edition says the dumbo neighborhood is up in arms over the fact that the watchtower has gotten approval to take acres of prime industrial land (taxfree) and that the watchtower will be offering little back.....the watchtower countered that there will be less crime if they're around and that they will renovate 2 neighborhood parks and install security cameras at york street subway station.

phil78

Just goes to show, the society is fast loosing sight of what its main objective was suppost to be, and thats preach to the nations. I never did contribute, not even once. I always felt money was being wasted on non-essentials, like new up-market cars for the travelling overseers. And on that note, i remember when the society wanted to give the overseers these cars, they devided up the purchase price by the number of congregations, and we all bought these cars. THEN, they want to upgrade 3 years later, so they make the offer that any brother can make an offer to purchase these cars back from the society. So the society gets these cars for nothing, plus we all paid extra for the servicing, and then they are able to sell them back to us. And no one says anything.

1

New System, is it real?

by phil78 in

i read a thread recently asking was anyone upset about loosing the new system - or words to that effect.

i shooda asked then, but whats that all about?.

isn't the teaching correct?

phil78

I read a thread recently asking was anyone upset about loosing the New System - or words to that effect. I shooda asked then, but whats that all about?

Isn't the teaching correct?

31

As a JW, Did You Ever Get Away With Anything That Was a DF'ing Offense??

by minimus in

jw
friends

if it had become known, would you have possibly gotten into major trouble and either be put on restrictions or recieved disfellowshipping action?

phil78

Well, never got into anything that serious myself....

But a good friend of mine, she was around 25, started going out with one of the other boy in the cong. He was 17. He was hungry for IT..... and she was ravenous. No one caught them, but it was the subject of many whispered conversations in the hall. They eventually got married, in a park. We couldn't figure why they didn't use the hall.

It came out later they were busted by her mum just after they were officially engaged. Her mum let herself into her daughters bedroom, just as she was coming out of her onsuite bathroom. She quickly pulled on her bathrobe and closed the bathroom door. She was standing talking to her mum, and then the bathroom door opened and her fiancee walked out with his towel around his waist. They confessed all. Sex in the carpark during meetings, in the cinema, in their loungeroom. It had been going on since nearly straight after they met.

To make this just a bit juicer, her dad was our Presiding Overseer. He did tell the other elders, and a unanomous decision was made not to further the issue. This was told to me by the girl, after their marrage broke up after 10 months. He felt used, she felt like a babysitter.

Phil

35

How Many People Are Less Stressed Since Leaving The Witnesses?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you feel better----emotionally and mentally since stopping meetings and living under the rules of the witnesses?

i've heard reports of better physical and mental health since persons have left the organization.

phil78

I myself have not been to meetings for about 4 months, and i feel fantastic. Witnessing hours, pre-study, meetings, answering up, talks/assignments, forced smile's, all these things take effort when yr not under their spell.

My wife only decided to break free this week. I understand its early days, but on Saturday she was crying, saying she wanted my help to get to the tuesday meeting. She was stressed what others would be thinking about our absence. I said if she needed my help and motivation, then it wasn't something she really wanted. We talked for a bit, and i got her onto THIS site. She read post's about breaking free, and slowly and un-obtrusively floating away. Tuesday came and went. She is all smiles. She answers the phone when i call with a calmness in her voice that i have NEVER heard before. If this is a sign of things to come, I say

BRING IT ON

PHIL

20

What's a Typical Weekend Night Like For You??

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you go out and party?

do you just relax and veg??

knowing you don't have to get up for saturday service or a sunday meeting, how does that affect your weekend nights?

phil78

Just to broaden the thread a little, i am quite amazed at the amount of witnesses who do go out clubbing and partying till the wee hours of the morning, and return to clean up and go to a Sunday morning meeting. I used to when i was 18, but quit it by 19 to try and put more effort into the "truth". It didn't help. I met up with a lot of other witnesses, even bumping into ones my parents age, ripping it up on the dance floor, trying outrageous drinks, and then going to the sun meeting, and witnessing in the arvo.

But for me, now, just enjoying family life, trying not to work to much, and taking it as it comes is my weekends.

Phil

3

Watchtower CD

by PointBlank in

the last time i invested in jw propaganda was to purchase the latest version of the watchtower cd.

that was the 1995 copy (paid $50 for it btw).

the jw that ordered it for me accepted the money as a donation.. my question now is this: what is the latest wt cd version and is there a way to get it?

phil78

Ask someone close (in location) to burn and send you a copy. I would, but mabey there is someone closer than Australia!

Unfortunately, like all pirated media, this would cheat the society out of their earnings.

What a pity.

32

They came by today

by czarofmischief in

so my wife is standing at the door, waiting for me to finish my morning ablutions so that we can go out, and she asks me to go to the door.

i met a very friendly couple who wanted to talk to me about jehovah.

i informed them that i was raised as a jehovah's witness and that i had been disfellowshipped for about (and i had to think about this) five years now.. and the dude was offended by my existence.

phil78

Czar and Jankyn,

Congratulation on the way you handled these situations. We all want to be able to react in the moment, the way you do, but although we are taught in the ministry school not to have "fear of men" we do fear these men. Like an abused spouse, we can dream all we want about leaving and breaking free, but untill we mentaly wake up, and decide for ourselves that * they have no power over me* only then can we make ourselves free.

And when the opportunity arises, when we need the strength to stand face to face with an elder and not be intimidated, we need not be afraid of these nothings, men who are probably piss-ants at work, but wield a mighty sword in the cong. Their power is all in your own head, take it away from them, and they are just ants again.

Sounds dramatic, but thats how i'm readying myself for my day, when they give me a shepherding visit. Oh, i just remembered i got a talk asigned to me for tuesday in 2 weeks. If i just give it back, whould that upset anyone? I'll let u know.

Also, anyone who remembers my first post 2 weeks ago, my wife is recovering nicely after her transfusion. And she has tentitavely decided to join me on the long walk out. Thank you to SCULLY, who's personal intrest might have be the contributing factor. Thank you Scully.

Phil

30

CO visit: what's the big deal?

by M.J. in

jw
friends

i'm an outsider who was once told by someone at the local kh that the whole cong.

was abuzz with activity because the co was there to visit that particular week.

the whole meeting schedule was changed for the week, people were putting extra hours in service, etc.

phil78

Our C.O. is a cranky old barstard. He makes big issues about small things, like the fact we were using cloth towels in the bathrooms, instead of paper towels. Actually put his hand up in the middle of the meeting to have his gripe (he had just returned from the bathroom.) He has the bro's in the sound box under strict instruction that when he is speaking, his mic is to be turned up 2 notches louder than what is normaly used.

I just missed his visit, so i guess that means that now the elders (who have not had time to call me for months) (i'm not complaining!!!!!!!!!) will be calling me to arrange a sheperding visit. They will have gotten a rap over the knuckles for my absence. Will want me back for his next visit. I really dont give a flock.

65

Do you remember when you first Googled "Jehovah's Witnesses"?

by Funchback in

i remember when i first googled "jehovah's witnesses".

i was sick to my stomach because i feared that i was disobeying jehovah.

although i was scared that i would find something "apostate" or "demonic", i still continued to click on different links.

phil78

Hi

This is my first post, and the first step to walking away. My life had been one confusing mess until i decided to REALY search out the truth about the religion i had been brought up in. Although reading your posts and double checking your statements has been enlightening, i still reconise that there is a long way to go. At 26, i do feel like i am starting again, but i know i can never go back. I am thankful i finally gathered the courage to google, and hope my wife will decide to join me. She doesn't know yet.

That all for now, but thanks to all who put so much research and effort into their posts.