AK - Jeff

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Posts by AK - Jeff

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  81

  Do you think of yourself as an apostate

  by barbar in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  many of the people on this site say that they are apostates.

  but that is not the way i feel about myself.. i am not angry with the "witnesses" or the organisation, i don't feel that i wasted my life.

  i just think that i was stupid to believe it for 30 years (well sort of believe it, i did have severe doubts on and off).

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  AK - Jeff

  There have been - over the century and a quarter history of this organization - millions who have, in the literal definition of the word, apostasized! Most have quietly exited and just got on with life - although many have struggled to do that well, after the borg's mind warp.

  Mostly those who visit this site and contribute are of a different nature - we are vocal [at least here] about our leaving, in various stages of healing, and for many that includes bitterness and great anger. But one thing is for sure - and this includes the current witnesses who cloak the reality and live a double life inside/outside the organization...... we are all apostates!!! It is not a dirty word to me any longer - but we fit the definition as has been posted here a thousand times.

  Yes we are!

  Jeff
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  44

  Getting out...terminating Bible study

  by PClark in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i have been visited by a local jw woman weekly for almost 4 years and started weekly study about 1 year ago.

  friday things took a more serious turn and i am very uncomfortable.. i need advise on how to stop the meetings (without being offensive) and still get away from this madness before it gets out of control.

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  AK - Jeff

  PClark-

  You will be asked the standard guilt-inducing series of questions like;

  But, where did you learn God's name was Jehovah?

  Were you not thrilled to learn that God has a 'people for his Name'?

  You have made so much progress, why throw that away and lose out on life?

  I wish I had had the guts to just walk away 30 years ago. But I, like many here, swallowed hook line and sinker. You have not - so just tell them that you wish no further contact. I sensed in your posts that you are afraid that you will lose the friendship of this witness when you discontinue the study, that she will stop coming over. She might. But your future is involved. The natural terminus of a study with Jehovah's witnesses is becoming one of Jehovah's witnesses. If you do not wish that to be the case - then there is only one answer - terminate the study.

  Good luck to you

  Jeff
• 
  11

  Your favorite CO/DO criticsim at the assemblies?

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at the circuit assembly, there is always a part on the program where the co gives specific counsel needed in the circuit.

  often this was rather droll, but at times some interesting 'foolishness' became obvious.

  one i remember was a co that spent about 5 minutes deriding one elder (whom he did not name of course) for spending a saturday arranging the icons on his computer [this must have been 10 years ago when windows 3.1 was still the rage].

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  AK - Jeff

  At the circuit assembly, there is always a part on the program where the CO gives specific counsel needed in the circuit. Often this was rather droll, but at times some interesting 'foolishness' became obvious. One I remember was a CO that spent about 5 minutes deriding one elder (whom he did not name of course) for spending a Saturday arranging the icons on his computer [this must have been 10 years ago when Windows 3.1 was still the rage]. His sin? He should have been out in service instead. I would have hated to have been that brother in the audience, especially if any others knew who he was.

  Any others remember these talks and foolish subjects?

  Jeff
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  37

  Spirit appointed elders reveal information. Elders are disfellowshipped

  by garybuss in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  elders meet scriptural requirements before being 'appointed .

  by holy spirit.

  ' knowing this will strengthen your confidence.

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  AK - Jeff

  Gary-

  Good thread - thanx.

  Personally - in 45 years of association, and 32 years baptized, I never heard of a disfellowshipping in which the reason was not known. It usually went like;

  "did you hear the Brother Hormone-Raging was disfellowshipped for fornication with Sister Hotts?",ect.

  Jeff
• 
  30

  An Apostate Myth

  by nicolaou in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  having read both of ray franz' books and more recently 'the gentile times reconsidered' by c. o jonsson you'd be forgiven for believing that losing the 607 b.c.e date for the destruction of jerusalem would end in disaster for the society.

  sorry but i just don't think so.. i'm sure many of the long-time witnesses who know the history of the society would truly have problems but most of the dubs just don't care!

  think about it, remember all those dubs you used to hang out with.

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  AK - Jeff

  Now, if they wanted to change it, here's how. First come up with an alternate method of calculating 1914. Use it to fortify the modern chronology. Then gradually switch emphasis from the old calculation to the new, while still officially retaining 607

  I know, I know!!! Why not use the inside passageway measurement of the Great Pyramid?

  Oh wait a minute - they already have tried that. Rats!!!!

  Jeff
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  23

  I am getting that Crisis of Conscience book

  by inquirer in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i am going to read this think you know.

  a ex-bethelite (i've never been keen on jw titles!

  ) he should provide me with a lot of interesting information!

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  AK - Jeff

  I read both of Franz' books, twice. I am no 'Franzite', but I do stay in touch with Ray from time to time. We have not had the opportunity to meet face to face yet, but I hope to someday.

  That said; I would suggest that no single individual has had a greater impact in the matter of aiding others to leave the organization for 'Religious' reasons. Many have left for other reasons, but for those of us who were deeply ingrained with the cult and it's teachings, his books were invaluable. I do not know how my wife and I could have escaped had his books not so clearly opened our eyes to false dogma, especially the culpability of those at the 'top'.

  Raymond Franz is not perfect. But to his credit, he sacrificed comfort and community at the age of 60, to stand up against the watchtower wrongs. I heartily reccommend those books to all who will read them. My personal copies are now on loan to the local Lutheran Pastor, as his interest in the control aspects of the organization have been piqued.

  Ray's unique perspective cannot be denied. He is obviously well read and a capable author. While I cannot speak to the issue of his efforts to gain 'sympathy', I certainly did not see that.

  The reading listed above I agree with also; Penton, Jonnson, Cameron, Wilson.

  Sorry to get on a soapbox - and all are entitled to their own opinion about Ray Franz - but tens of thousands might never have had the guts to leave without his books.

  Just my opinion

  Jeff
• 
  8

  The 2004 Statistics -

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i know i saw a thread on this but can't find it - sorry.. i counted 63 countries with 0% or negative growth reported.

  that is fully 26.8% of all countries in the report.

  there could be more since 29 countries are listed in the 'other countries' line - some of those could be negative also, but they are all clumped and so impossible to know.. baptisms were 262,000. but growth was only about 124,000.

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  AK - Jeff

  I know I saw a thread on this but can't find it - sorry.

  I counted 63 countries with 0% or negative growth reported. That is fully 26.8% of all countries in the report. There could be more since 29 countries are listed in the 'other countries' line - some of those could be negative also, but they are all clumped and so impossible to know.

  Baptisms were 262,000. But growth was only about 124,000. 2% growth.

  I remember when active we would spend hours highlighting the positives of the report and comment at the WT study about it - I see little that can be commented on positively. I bet no one will mention that there were 63 that stepped backwards.

  Jeff
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  29

  Diary of a nobody

  by New Worldly Translation in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hi, i'm new to these forums so i thought i would share some experiences of when i was a jw.. i was born in 1976 into a staunch jw family.

  my grandparents, parents, aunties, uncles, cousins etc etc were all jw's going back to the 1950's.

  when i was a child my parents, like a lot of jw parents, didn't let me have worldly friends.

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  AK - Jeff

  NWT

  You are 20 years younger than I was when learning the 'truth about the truth'. I will hit 50 this year, having spent virtually all my life believing the fantasy until a few short months ago. It will take a little time to find a real life to live - I am still working toward that myself. But each day it gets easier and clearer, as the fog disipates and the sun shines.

  Good luck to you. Welcome aboard!!

  Jeff
• 
  8

  Welcome New Worldly Translation!

  by Valis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  greetings and welcome to the forum!

  always nice to have another uk member on board!

  sincerely,.

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  AK - Jeff

  Welcome NWT!

  It is a tough jump from one life to another - huh?

  Recommended reading list - Captives of a Concept by Don Cameron Available at lulu.com I think. Helps get ones head on right about how we could go a whole lifetime believing the lie.

  Just my opinion

  Jeff
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  27

  Did the bookstudy overseer ever phone you for your "time" and nothing else?

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this happened fairly recently.

  my book study overseer who never calls if i am absent at the meeting, will call me with clockwork regularity at the beginning of the month and ask for my field service report.

  has this ever happened to you?

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  AK - Jeff

  THIS was one of the major reasons that I began peeking at boards like this one. Thhe lack of love that I felt, and the fact that the ONLY time I'd get a phone call was to report my TIME!

  Amen sister! I looked at the inverse of Jesus statement "by this all will know you are my disciples, if you have love among yourselves" and began to see that this could not be the 'truth' I had believed for 45 years [baptized 32] - it took a little more to convince me - but now I stand a proud and official 'apostate'

  Praise be to God!!!! [with a little evangelical tilt to the voice]

  Jeff