Posts by blondie

30

Experiences After Leaving

by Freeatlast2024 in

i am writing to ask if anyone cares to share their experience and/or offer advice for people leaving.

i was raised in the religion, and both my parents died when i was very young.

i recently stopped associating because my conscience no longer allows me to preach or support the organization.

blondie

DOC, both of those books Crisis of Conscience (Ray Franz), of course.

I also strongly encourage reading Combating Cult Mind Control (Steven Hassan). I put it off and once I started it I couldn't put it down. I was moved to contact Ray Franz and have some delightful conversations with him while I was a PIMO. All his words confirmed by thoughts and feelings. I late read Steven Hassan's book and called him and asked why Jehovah's Witnesses were not listed. I wrote to him and showed how the WTS matched up many his signs of a cult. And finally convinced him to add to his list of cults, and provide direct help to members.

Over the years, I made it a point to visit Ray and his wonderful wife, Cynthia at their home and have nice informal chats, see what Ray was doing online and at in-person talks when invited to do so. I met the ex-elder that Ray had lunch with that led to the WTS considering he had associated with a disassociated person so was labeled as having disassociated himself. But not Cynthia although she too had associated with that same disassociated person.

There are so many wonderful people that have books, online podcasts and Youtube presentations that help and the wonderful Barbara Anderson and others who have given their time and energy to help lawyers combat the WTS child abuse policy.

Thanks to all of you that in your own way have supported others hurt by the WTS.

21

2024S147**A&R

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

a&r means announcements and reminders.. 2024**s*147. here:.

https://pdfhost.io/v/diikuykdl_untitled_1 .

petra!

blondie

Thanks, Drearyweather for that comprehensive description. Some of I knew from my days long ago, but some are new to me. Thanks again, Blondie

73

JWN, 23 years posting Blondie

by blondie in

jw
friends

can i call you friends, i think so after 23 years posting here.

i am dismayed how jwn is being "dominated" or taken over by a few posters, peppering the comments.

in the past, the admin did not approve of this and did remove some posters from jwn.

blondie

Thanks almost everybody, for sharing their same concerns. This is not a place to promote religious beliefs. Starting your own discussion board might be more productive. I have not reported anyone ever even at the KH. Simon, sorry for what happened, illness in the family deserves quality time. But sharing experiences, asking for help dealing with the hurtful words and actions from the WTS and its members, is very helpful. This board helped me so much to heal and go forward. I would like it to still be the same way for people reading and/or commenting here. And to Ozziepost, my long-time buddy on JWN, I'm sorry with the loss of your wife. You two were always so loving and an example to us. There have been jws that have gone onto a religious group that supports them. Others have left the WTS and chosen not to reassociate with another group. Each choice is the one that works for them. I have progressed through several stages and changes in my choices in this area. We should treat each other with the respect and love we were not shown in the WTS. Love, Blondie

31

October Elder's Letter Delayed- Big Announcement at Annual Meeting

by Newly Enlightened in

https://youtu.be/93h5zpbil6k?si=ffatfxjuxmj_na9i.

blondie

A new songbook originally came out because many of those songs had songs lifted from other religious sources (I thing date was 1928, no I was not alive then but I had a copy of it from my grandmother. Some songs no longer agreed with current WTS teachings. The songs were stilted. The music was simpler. Many songs were composed by jws who composing skills were questionable. I was the piano player for many years at the Kingdom Hall, played at weddings until the discl type came, then cassettes...But it was hard to get the wedding party to go down the aisle trying to time their steps to the canned music. I was called into play the piano at those weddings many times. I find that too many jws have had little experience in a personal setting, or sang the songs more than at the meetings. I am sure many of the above reasons why they need more and edited songs. I do have musical training on piano, organ, and guitar. Love, Blondie

8

Fifty years ago today

by JeffT in

jw
friends

october 6th 1974 debbie and i tied the knot.

the elder that performed the ceremony managed to personalize it a bit for us.

seems like something worked.

blondie

50 years, wow, just 33 for us. And still happy together.

47

2024 Annual Meeting Doctrinal Change

by Listener in

a change to their doctrine came from jackson.

this isn't a transcript of his whole speech but i thought i would try and get some of his main speech in writing.. at around 1hr26 minutes he starts talking about some dangerous thinking in feeling there is some wiggle room in regards to the schedule for the gt.

but you see, we need to be careful about what we are thinking about the number of anointed ones left on earth.

blondie

Here is a link to a discussion with the number of the anointed numbers up to 2023 (no stats for 2024 yet) Yes, the WTS has never really give an explanation of why the increase, but the author of this piece uses statements by the WTS and then explains why this is a problem. Site is run by an ex-jw Bethelite and this site has been up for around 20 years, constantly being up with new information from the WTS. Many other topics that might quickly answer some of your questions.

https://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/memorial-partakers.php

19

The World Today

by peacefulpete in

jw
friends

i've been meaning to share some recent experiences that defy the usual tropes about the 'world gone to hell' or 'people now days".. as some of you may remember i was seriously ill for a while and had to close my business and shop.

now, as it seems i have beaten it, i put up a sign again advertising that in a limited way i'm back.. what amazes me is how many times over the past 2 years customers and even competition have written and called to express their concern and best wishes.

just last week i had a personal visit of someone who i thought of as a rival, come in and shake my hand sincerely happy to see me up and around.

blondie

Phizzy, so sorry to hear about your wife dying. Processing is hard. But having friends to support is great.

47

2024 Annual Meeting Doctrinal Change

by Listener in

a change to their doctrine came from jackson.

this isn't a transcript of his whole speech but i thought i would try and get some of his main speech in writing.. at around 1hr26 minutes he starts talking about some dangerous thinking in feeling there is some wiggle room in regards to the schedule for the gt.

but you see, we need to be careful about what we are thinking about the number of anointed ones left on earth.

blondie

I vote in every election, try to help proven good people (by their actions, not their words, see how their promises worked out) to get re-elected, money and my time, local and national, especially local. I don't try to predict the future, or based on current events and past ones, that this will happen. I have lived through 3 times on the earth being on the brink of WW3 (I had military contacts and behind the scenes of what the public were not being told). I see that now, some or too many similarities. I hope that people today and world leaders are starting to see this. I am trying to be positive and do practical things I can. I don't ascribe to any WTS teachings on this matter, or other religions predictions. I have seen too many fail and be adjusted. I hope things work out, or do what I can to be part of the solution, not the problem, I try to value all people as we are all in the same boat, the earth that is.

164

How did JWs arrive at a clearer understanding of what the Bible teaches than other Christian denominations?

by slimboyfat in

for jws who believe that jehovah had a hand in reviving the truth in the nineteenth century this is enough explanation for how jws managed to achieve a closer approximation to early christian beliefs and practices than other groups.

but is there an explanation for this phenomenon that doesn’t rely on supernatural intervention?

new testament scholar james dunn explains the difficulty of interpreting the biblical texts in this way:.

blondie

I was curious about how the WTS depended on quotes of people outside of the WTS, to confirm the WTS teachings. Can they not use the scriptures to do that? Did Jesus quote Jewish bible scholars of his time or before? And there were "bible" experts, Sadducees, priests, Pharisees, and many bible readers know how Jesus felt about them. These groups developed an alternate book to the Old Testament to teach the "common" people what those scriptures really meant, and it has become known as the Talmud (not the Torah), approximately 600 statements and the Jews were required to follow that, that is the religious leaders opinions. Many times the scholars the WTS quotes from, on further examination, actually believed in things totally contrary to what their "bible" says. I wondered that for many years. I have been in the WT library at Bethel and read many WTS books not available to jws outside Bethel. That was eye-opening to me. I would be wary of using outside sources (that the WTS has not held in high esteem) to support. (Once again reporting, not supporting the WTS ideas) Love, Blondie

47

2024 Annual Meeting Doctrinal Change

by Listener in

a change to their doctrine came from jackson.

this isn't a transcript of his whole speech but i thought i would try and get some of his main speech in writing.. at around 1hr26 minutes he starts talking about some dangerous thinking in feeling there is some wiggle room in regards to the schedule for the gt.

but you see, we need to be careful about what we are thinking about the number of anointed ones left on earth.

blondie

DisgruntledFool, not a fool in my opinion. You provide a good example of what the WTS has "adjusted". But have seen the light, or as I call it an AHA moment.