the watchtower's greatest strength is its ability to get 6 million people to put their lives 'on hold' and obey them without.
question.
by getting publishers to reject critical, analytical thinking, the directors and governing body continue their rule.
I think we have a similar experience downunder - my only reservation would be on this as a sign of the imminence of the Society's death - I think that's still a long way off. Nevertheless there can be no doubt that the "life" has gone out of the Borg! Oh happy day!
Ozzie - I think I agree here. A long way from the defrib machine I fear. But it is good to see such 'negative' reports as the annual.
Jeff
i have only been a recent user of this site.
the other night i explained what it was i was spending time reading online some evenings when my boyfriend is out and tried to explain how it is helping me finally let go of the jw beliefs that i have clung to for so long.
i thought he would be pleased, but he got really angry and now is very difficult any time i try to use the internet at home.
Crumpet -
Sorry to hear that. It is tough to leave this organization intact mentally and emotionally. Some never seem to recover entirely. There is a ton of b-s to shed, and the average Joe just cannot understand that. I have had a hard time explaining to some on the 'outside' just how affected my thinking and worldview are in relation to the 'real world'.
We all need to heal. Some slow, some fast. He needs to understand that. Maybe a book on Cults would be good for him to read in order to support you - what is the book by Steve Hassan? anyone?
Jeff
i ran into a young jw i hadn't seen in probably 12 years, anyways, she was the presiding overseer's daughter, perfect little jw... she's now 25 yoa, she is still an active witness and in fact a sympathizer to their crap but dressed in a low cut top, belly showing, carrying a beer, trolling for guys out a hot spot on a friday night with a "worldly" friend.. she talked to me for 5 mins and told me she had been df'd for a year but how horrible it was, she is reinstated and doing good..... but everything about her looks said she wasn't a good little jw.. i think more and more hypocrites are being raised in the organization.
i wouldn't be able to stand leading a double life, i would much rather be honest and not hiding who and what i am... but there are more young jws, including ones i would never suspect, that are jws by day, and regular people at night.
i think they are falling into the "sunday morning christians" mentality and carrying tons of guilt around with them.. i just wish they would wake up.
It may sound horrible, but I really wish I could go back and do that! I think I would rather lie to myself, and be loved by my family! I cant say that I dont believe that most of its the truth, I have only a handfull of arguments. And I do believe Jehovah knows this, and wont let me die in armagedon because Im human and imperfect!!!!!!
Doesn't sound horrible to me - just sounds human.! My daughter is thinking of getting Reinstated due to a desire to associate with her grandma before Grandma dies.{she is 80 and in poor health] I encouraged her to do that. Grandmas should not have to sacrificed due to the teachings of a publishing company in Brooklyn, should they? Just my opinion Jeff
i ran into a young jw i hadn't seen in probably 12 years, anyways, she was the presiding overseer's daughter, perfect little jw... she's now 25 yoa, she is still an active witness and in fact a sympathizer to their crap but dressed in a low cut top, belly showing, carrying a beer, trolling for guys out a hot spot on a friday night with a "worldly" friend.. she talked to me for 5 mins and told me she had been df'd for a year but how horrible it was, she is reinstated and doing good..... but everything about her looks said she wasn't a good little jw.. i think more and more hypocrites are being raised in the organization.
i wouldn't be able to stand leading a double life, i would much rather be honest and not hiding who and what i am... but there are more young jws, including ones i would never suspect, that are jws by day, and regular people at night.
i think they are falling into the "sunday morning christians" mentality and carrying tons of guilt around with them.. i just wish they would wake up.
Seems to be two sorts of double-lives
1- Nobel type - one who stays in to maintain relationships that would shattered, or waiting till they can exercise the God-given right to free speech, ect without parental censure.
2- Just those who want to play games with thier identity.True hypocrites and imposters.
Seems most that have to do the double-life thing are good people who just have no real choice at the moment - and it brought on not by a desire to be hypocritical - but a need to carry on with life and relationships until a change in situations - I fall in that category at the moment. Soon though I will prob not - as most of my relatives in have died or left now. One or two more and I will emancipate myself with no dread.
Sad how a Publishing Co does this to us - isn't it?
Jeff
i've lurked a bit here a few times and i still can't figure out if this is a site of devout believers who're having crisis issues or if it's an anti-jw site.
personally, i'm basically just curious.
i've been out of the wtbts for a long time now [25 yrs] but my mom is still active and some of my relatives are also.
Hayley
Welcome! All sorts are here. We won't disfellowship you for thinking or expressing it - at least they haven't me yet -
Jeff
man!
i cannot believe all the attention i got yesterday.. i am a forum celebrity now.
i do sign audigraphs.
hey - I got "senior" membership now - did the requirements change? I thought I needed 500 posts - sorry off topic.
Two great things in one day - a picture that goes with my identity [after months of trying - thanx to IP_SEC] and Senior status.....
Sorry Jeff [happy at the changes]
man!
i cannot believe all the attention i got yesterday.. i am a forum celebrity now.
i do sign audigraphs.
I noticed that neither defd or gaba will answer any reasonable questions.... Gee that sounds like regular field service - how much time you countin' gaba/defd? Better check with the service overseer to see if this is ok - you might be outa' your territory
Jeff
.
i finally got an image to load on my profile.... all thanks go to ip_sec who took the time to help me thru the process with a pm... thanx for the help...... jeff [ of the me thinks i am computer literate - but obviously am not club...]
I finally got an image to load on my profile.... all thanks go to IP_SEC who took the time to help me thru the process with a pm... Thanx for the help.....
Jeff [ of the Me thinks I am computer literate - but obviously am not club...]
next time you are walking down your main street....or go to your favorite store or restaurant...or go to your doctor or dentist.....or to your kid's school or city hall or the local golf course....or maybe your favorite vacation spot...... think like a guy/gal in a wheelchair for a minute............. is your town accessible ?
are there ramps or steps into buildings ?
if you had to use a wheelchair...could you do the things you do now ?.
Good thread rwagoner -
Main street in our little town seems pretty in tune for those who are wheelchair bound. All the crosswalks have been 'ramped' at the curbs - the crossing buttons seem low enough so they can be reached. The library is bad though - steps at all the doors - although there is a ramp at the back that can be used to get to a door - but looks out of the way to me.
I will think more about that - you have made me aware. Thanx man/
Jeff
i have other sheep.
john 10:16 is one of those overused scriptures that seem to prove the dual destiny doctrine.
(john 10:16) 16 ?and i have other sheep, which are not of this fold; those also i must bring, and they will listen to my voice, and they will become one flock, one shepherd.
Sheri said;
I wonder when will we be having New Light on why the figures are not going down as fast as in the past, just taking 1987 figures from 1992 (8683) in 5 years a drop of 125, but since 1992 (12 years) only 113 drop in the count,of course couldnt all being replaced, or maybe so.
Sheri - this was one of my primes in leaving - I went to the Berkeley Mortality Tables and did an extensive year-by-year calc using the memorial partakers in 1941 down to today. [I used '41 since after the Rutherford shake down of the 30's the number had finally settled in to a steady group of heavenly proclaimers].
Anyway - point is that at this time it would be very likely that if the group that partook in 1941 was annually decreased by age-year that fewer than 1500 would remain. And that number by 2005 would be falling by 10 or more percent annually. That obviously is not happening is it?
This convinced me to look deeper into what I had accepted for 40 years as 'truth'. 607 was my first search on the web - and of course no one with academic credentials ever accepted 607 as correct - so out I came with time and knowledge.
Jesus was right - "the truth will set you free".
I think you are right - they will have to try and find a way and cover their a$$es soon on this one - but maybe the plate is just too full with all the covering up they are doing on other fronts. Besides - maybe they don't wish to call attention to it too much. That might be counterproductive to the cause.
just my opinion
Jeff
