for the uk it was 275 (that they're willing to declare anyway).
i don't know how that compares with last year.. how about in your country?.
You gotta be able to keep climbing the ladder.... or a bunch of new age type believers..... couldn't give up the old hope of goin to heaven.... couldn't stand to be in "paradise" with the brothers... lots of reasons why the numbers climb.
Why not. Those newer guys on the GB suddenly found themselves annointed didn't they?
i have already read c.o.c.
and im not really interested in more about the doctrines.. i have read about the book "taking back your life", and mr. bohm has been pestering me about reading the book "releasing the bonds" by steven hassan.. which other books would you recommend?.
love, miss bohm.
The four presidents was one of the final nails in my coffin!
even after years of study at awake u?.
taken from a yahoo group discussion:.
> on local needs this week, wash hands after using restroom.
who the hell are "the elders"?
being an elder is supposed to be a "privilege".
elders are supposed to be "shepherds" who care for the flock.
Hi All,
Yes I was an elder once too... I strived hard for it. I was a bit of a hard playing, drinking young man, as were my other friends. We would go away most weekends and drink ourselves into oblivion, hardly do any door to door, a real token server. At one stage, I had a couple of discussions with two of my friends, and we decided we either had to get in properly or get out. Sdaly we chose to stay, bought into the whole mythology and then tidied up our acts. Got going door to door, answering up, being helpful and so on. In no time I was recommended as a MS.
At the same time I started courting my now wife, we got married and I kept my head down trying to please everyone. We had two children, I accepted posts serving food in the cafeteria at circuit and district assemblies, and tried to generally help run things in that department. What I didn't get was that my wife was having a real struggle. She had to manage the children, while I rubbed shouldres with the local elite! I saw this as her sacrifice, she shouldn't complain about it really, it was for GOD after all.....
Eventually the call came. Rushed to the back of the hall after the CO visit... "Do you know any reason why you shouldn't be appointed as an elder?" What do they expect you to say? This was my hopes and dreams coming true! Years invested in the process. My wife and children invested in my ambition!
Wasn't too long and I got to be on my first judicial committee! WOW the big league! Life and Death in ones hands....
then more and more, in my time as an elder, nearly 12 years I was on every JC bar one. Gutted plenty of people, sentenced them to death! Thankfully since leaving I have been able to apologize to nearly all of them.
Luckily when the time come to leave this madness, my wife and teenaged children were all in favor. They saw the light before I did. We escaped together. So what an absolute waste of time it was.
They say it is abvout serving, not about position. What BS that is [not bible study either!!!]. It is all about looking the goods, model family, family study, helping others, pleasing those men who are higher up the ladder than you. You can never be good enough.
The whole arrangement is based on mock humility. So long as no one sees you bleeding, your wife or children bleeding, so long as you can keep up the pretense, give the talks, look the part, say the right things, don't piss off the wrong people. What a massive juggling act, then some one critisizes you for some supposed misdemeanor, what was it all worth?
I am so glad to have nothing to do with it. Mind control at it's absolute worst. You will never catch the dangling carrot!!! NOt ever!
is it alowed to watch / read harry potter movies (books) in your area?.
in my country (eastern europe) it is viewed mostly as "unexemplary" , although many kids have harry potter dvds at home, but nobody talks about it .... at circuit assembly one speaker warned, that "some might be tempted to watch a movie, with a little witch .... (of course it is very dangerous and we must stay away!!!)".
when i started my departure several months ago, i made sure my son has all movies on dvd and i openly talk about it with dubs who visit our home - how nice the movies are - ... nobody so far dared to react.... albert .
We had a guy taking the watchtower study absolutely decry Harry Potter. This was then backed up by comments from others.
After the study, I asked him whether he had infact seen any Harry Potter movies at all... it was a very strong comment, he hadn't. I said I have and it isn't how he described at all. It was a story written for kids to use their imaginations! Like Enid Blyton's Faraway tree.
I was an elder then too!!!!
In the mid seventies, a family that i knew caught an elder peeping through the bathroom window at their 12 year old daughter...... I bet there were red faces all round. They didn't persue it, he had a very lame excuse as to why he was there! One of gods chosen holy spirit appointed!
new to this and as a nonbeliever i would like to ask how many people lost their belief in a god after leaving the wts.
what opened your eyes?
what made the light get brighter?
After wasting forty years, I am done!
i have been asked about a situation in which a former witnesses ladies now ex-husband has been caught exposing himself, and this has gone on for at least 15 years.
he has also exposed himself to some close family members.
the question relates to the wt explaination of "porniea".
B the exB, Thanks for the input. Open to interpretation, certainly. Spiritual danger.... that's a good line that I will suggest to her. So technical, so much rubbish.
Yes the ex needs much help. He is getting "spiritual" help from the cong.... that's good to know, it is sure to help..... NOT! See a professional, I doubt it.
i have been asked about a situation in which a former witnesses ladies now ex-husband has been caught exposing himself, and this has gone on for at least 15 years.
he has also exposed himself to some close family members.
the question relates to the wt explaination of "porniea".
Thanks, I did say to her that I think that as far as I can remember it sounds like it could be argued in her favor. Like you say, just say it is so, and it is.
i have been asked about a situation in which a former witnesses ladies now ex-husband has been caught exposing himself, and this has gone on for at least 15 years.
he has also exposed himself to some close family members.
the question relates to the wt explaination of "porniea".
Hi, Fair point...why are you bothering. This woman wants to be able to satisfy her jw family that she has been wronged, and wants to be able to justify, using jw logic that she is able to move on with her life. She would like to be able to do that with the possibility of being able to still speak to any of her family that might still want to talk and have contact with her.
I know it is twisted, but then that is what happens after you have been in and are moving away from this destructive sect/cult.
