BluesBrother

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Posts by BluesBrother

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  13

  Poll: Successful Reactivations by Elders?

  by Room 215 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all,.

  all my experience is that once a jw begins to question the organization, a irreversible progression sets in that leads inexorably to a total disaffection with the organization that no amount of ``shepherding'' can change.. so my question to you all is: can we document one single case in which a disgruntled ex-jw was successfully reactivated/restored to loyal dubdom?

  (my impression is that the efficacy of elders' ``shepherding calls'' is a myth, a total waste of time).

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  BluesBrother

  Rip Van Winkle,
  I enjoyed your post. Perhaps some of our criticism is harsh ,in the sense that the Org makes it hard for elders to prioritise shepherding,although lip service is paid to it. The platform assignments and Clipboard jobs are more visible and are the things on which an elder is valued by the body. From experience it was hard to make time fort visits and I still recognise that I did not do enough of it. The rules of the jobs,especially secretary specify that an elder has to perform some quite mundane jobs so it is hard to delegate . I recall being severely critised for refusing to actually count the books in the Lit Cupboard, i left it to the Lit Servant and would have signed his report- but the instruction was that I was supposed to do it personally.

  Re C.O.s- My theory is that the men that you and I recall were experienced of the world before they took "The Truth". Probably fought in the war etc, and "knew people " - too many today have pioneered from school and have no experience of life, only spoonfed by the Org,they do what the book says .

  Still I am glad they leave me well alone.
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  29

  Reading C of C

  by startingover in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i read crisis of conscience some time ago and it had a profound effect on me.

  i just gave it to my ex-bethelite friend to read (he had already discovered the "truth" about the truth on his own).

  he's about halfway through it and is in the anger stage.

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  BluesBrother

  When I ordered it I had to get them to promise to call me at work ,not home, in case I was found out reading apostate lit. But I did and it was moving, fascinating , and from what I know of the Soc. really an inside view.
  I was impressed with his lack of bitterness and angst. still sounded like spiritual man
  I guess it finally nailed the coffin of any belief in the Org.f
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  14

  "False Brothers and JW's on this Board"

  by Erich in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  sorry, folks, i must do it... .

  yesterday, i got hurt in my heart, and my stomach-ulcus' almost exploded, when i read as follows: .

  yk: what type of "falsely posing jw's on this board" did you mean ??

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  BluesBrother

  Speaking as a "Slithering betrayer" I will no doubt attend the meeting tomorrow - to support and accompany my wife, and to keep alive the one thread that remains of the marriage. I do not believe it deceitful to attend and quietly listen. I do not comment or even sing any more.

  We should be well used to the ranting of blinkered Watchtower clones who repeat what they are fed from the Org. Ignore it.

  I like your thoughts about the depressed we have done some assisting ourselves, there is certainly a need in the congs!
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  18

  My Experience Growing up as a JW

  by MissSC in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have never really shared my experience growing up as a jw, but feel it is time to share.

  i am 26 years old and was raised as a jw from birth.

  i left the jw when i was 14 by actions and 21 by a written letter, because i was baptised at the age of 11. .

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  BluesBrother

  Welcome aboard! That was a powerful first post and a shocking story .my heart goes out to you.
  Like you I was brought up in the "Truth" and baptised very young.
  But I am glad that you are now able to go forward and make a life. Some of us did not find out about the folly of it all until we had already given 40 years to it.
  This board is full of people who need to talk, and no one else understands where we are coming from.
  Keep trying to help your Mum. There is plent of information on the net to help reason with her, to get her to think and question it all, not so that she feels "Opposed" by you.
  Keep on posting!
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  22

  Practice of JW concerning Facial Hair

  by Reborn2002 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  im relatively new to the board, but i wanted other people's opinions.. growing up in "the organization" i pretty much blindly adhered to all instruction as a teenager.. as i got a little older, as most here im sure, i began to see how some practices were imposed on the flock without any biblical backing.. one that bugged the living hell out of me was the restriction of being allowed to grow facial hair.. i was literally removed from carrying the mics and reading at bookstudy because my sideburns were too long and i wanted to grow a goatee, hence i often showed up with stubble.

  i was taken to the back room and told i was being "too worldly.

  " when i questioned the elders why it was unallowed by the society and that i wanted scriptural evidence and backing for their imposed regulations, i was scoffed at and told i should do as i am told.. i told them where they could stick their "priviledges" .

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  BluesBrother

  a long running dispute this one.

  I seem to rememember that in the 60's they wanted us not to look like hippies, since - at least to the Org- beards were associated with the rebellious anti authority movement.

  Always was contentious though and,at least in the U K ,I believe that it has relaxed a bit.
  I rember the consternation at K H when a visiting speaker turnedup with a beard! should we send him back? Too late,the non elder chairman had started the meeting. But we sent a strong letter to his congregation

  it gets me still, when they say "If he was really spiritual, he would shave it off to accommodate OUR views . Pure manipulation and self importance
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  13

  Poll: Successful Reactivations by Elders?

  by Room 215 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi all,.

  all my experience is that once a jw begins to question the organization, a irreversible progression sets in that leads inexorably to a total disaffection with the organization that no amount of ``shepherding'' can change.. so my question to you all is: can we document one single case in which a disgruntled ex-jw was successfully reactivated/restored to loyal dubdom?

  (my impression is that the efficacy of elders' ``shepherding calls'' is a myth, a total waste of time).

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  BluesBrother

  Good point. I recall Peter, whom I spent a lot of time with "Helping him to recapture the joy of the Truth"- but it didnt work and he finally left. And there were a few others over the years.

  Incidentally the quality of the "shepherding " often leaves much to be desired. There were times when I cringed at some of the stuff the other elder said ,when I was out on the usual 2 man visits.. if the truth were known I probably dropped a few bloomers myself. well intended of course.

  The previous poster is right though . no one wants to come and talk to me although I have been inactive for 3years now . So much for care and attention.
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  2

  The "Moses Trap"

  by moman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  upon talking to an old friend & (card carrying dub) awhile back,he unwittingly inserted a shoe into hiz gaping orafice.. .

  although, this person & hiz family are straining under the heavy yolk of the borg, he insisted that the wt waz not a false prophet, but just made a mistake,az all humans do.

  the example he cited waz the (old moses one), thus setting the trap on himself.

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  BluesBrother

  Had a long discussion with Mrs Bluesbrother about this yesterday.
  NB The Society claims to be spirit directed but not inspired .

  So they can fall back on "Human weakness" when words fail to come true ,or say that the light still has to get brighter. but still command authority from the flock.

  Basically, they wantit both ways. Its funny how it seemed to make sense to me at one time!
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  26

  Are you doubting?

  by YoYoMama in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  james 1:5-8.

  "so, if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking god, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him.

  but let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about.

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  BluesBrother

  Hi Yo Yo! do I detect a case of deja vu since something similar to a previous post, but I like your style..

  Q. do I doubt Jehovah God?
  A. No. No No - He is eternal and trustworthy and The GOD. After all, in the words of James ch.1:5 he gave me the wisdom to see that the doctrine of Armaggon is ungodly and immoral.

  Do I doubt WBTS? definately yes.
  After being let down, having spent best part of a lifetime serving their ends and experiencing the same failed expectations as the rest
  of us on this site.

  Incidentally, Thi Chi, I love your sign off signature.
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  20

  ZERO FOUND THIS-ELDER'S MEETING

  by ashitaka in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  zero did all the work and found this.

  just wanted to post it on a thread, because some lurkers might not want to go off site to look at stuff.

  hats off to zero.. .

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  BluesBrother

  God ! I am well out of all that, Your brilliant post brought back the dull as ditchwater delivery of these meetings, and endless sessions and the strangeness of an all male assembly hall meeting.

  secular esearch - who the hell do they think they are? we will see if this comes down into the congregation meetings .Other posters have made the comparisoms with Mediaval Catholic Church.

  Scully. I love your point about the oxymoron "inactive publisher" it had never struck me, thats one to remember when the inevitible confrontation comes with elders. Thanks to all.
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  6

  101 Excuses for the GB

  by Mindchild in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have to tell you that.... new light is just a plain old excuse that has been used now by the society for over a hundred years.

  as mindchild has been a very bad apostate and has often criticized the borganization today in the spirit of fair play, i thought i would offer mine and hopefully your services to set them up with better excuses for being so ..uh, plain wrong so many times.. here are a few i thought of, can you add any more?.

  no we didnt say that!.

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  BluesBrother

  We dont need an excuse, we just change it anyway.

  And the innocent trusting souls who make up the congs will believe it ,just because we say so.