Posts by TheListener

7

Governing Body 3.0?

by Think About It in

jw
friends

wts gb 2.0 is fully in place now with the death of barr.

out of the current gb members, who would be considered members of gb 3.0, or has that group started yet?

the jw's might as well face it......their armaggedon is not coming and their gb could go on and on.. .

TheListener

I guess I consider the original GB guys from the 70s and 80s as GB1.0

All those directly appointed by GB1.0 would be GB2.0- from G. Losch to current

Any new members apointed by GB2.0 would qualify as GB3.0

30

End of an era: The original members of the Governing Body have all died

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

the reported death of governing body member bro.

barr marks the end of an era.

many of the original members of the governing body were around during the days of president rutherford.

TheListener

Me too. And then I got to know Losch. Hardcore and not open to change in doctrine. The rest of the GB2.0 seem to be lining up the same way.

I'm of two minds on the matter. One, I would like my family that is still in to have an easier time and less stress so I want the GB to loosen their grip and allow the witnesses to become more mainstream. However, I also feel like I want the GB to continue tightening their grip and making the lives of their members even more controlled than ever before and coming up with even more crazy doctrines.

One will keep my family as witnesses but their lives will improve (and probably our relationships) and the other would hopefully free a lot of people including my family which would also improve our relationship and their lives.

113

High Profile Case: Seeking Reinstatement

by headisspinning in

but our situation is very difficult and quite high profile.... i was raised as a jw and my mother was very strict and abusive.

i got baptized at age 14.. my mother actually called on my (present) husband's mom in service.

she was on the initial call resulting in his mom coming in the truth and him being raised in it from about age 8 or 9.. despite a very abusive step-father, he followed his mom's lead and came into the truth.

TheListener

A lot has been said and probably will be said still.

All I can add is that anyone who allows an organization made up of imperfect individuals to dictate who they can and cannot associate (even saying hello) with does not understand how under the influence their thinking is.

Your loved ones love you but they withhold that love because imperfect individuals tell them to. Imagine, that with the stroke of a pen those same imperfect men could undo all the pain and damage done to millions because of this doctrinal belief.

You owe it yourself, your husband and the children to investigate the Bible's viewpoint on disfellowshipping. Pray, read, study and meditate on this doctrine learning as much as you can from all sides to determine its validity. Like a judge in a court case look at all sides of the issue before deciding whether you feel this is an appropriate understanding of the Bible.

Remember, there is freedom with Christ. He said he would lighten our load not increase it to an unbearable amount. He died for us while we were sinners, he didn't wait for individuals to be as good as possible first.

I will pray for you and your family.

30

End of an era: The original members of the Governing Body have all died

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

the reported death of governing body member bro.

barr marks the end of an era.

many of the original members of the governing body were around during the days of president rutherford.

TheListener

It is now fully GB2.0 as other posters have said. However, many of those on the GB were appointed in part by Jaracz and as such probably harbor his hardcore philosophies.

From what I've seen so far they are capable of tweaking existing doctrines but not capable of creating the fanciful doctrines of Franz.

129

I was BANE...I have an apology to most of you.

by Botzwana in

jw
friends

i was bane and i think i got banned because everytime i tried to log in i couldn't.

i was defending the society as best as i could.

something has happened in the last few months.

TheListener

I now feel that something lives on after we die. I am not certain how it all works, but I am certain that something of us returns to God to await resurrection. There was a debate on the old Touchstone Forum and the biblical texts and logical arguments presented (by both sides) finally convinced me that something lives on after we die.

I never realized that as a witness I claimed to believe in Jesus while at the same time dismissing his lofty position. It was constantly saying Jehovah this and Jehovah that. I, and most witnesses I knew/know, used the name Jehovah at least 100 times a day. It was almost as if it was an unconcious lucky charm (even though I would never have said lucky). Now that I'm out I don't think Jehovah is as good a name for God as say Yahweh. But, I don't use any name as a talisman anymore. I figure if children aren't supposed to call their parents by their first name out of respect perhaps I should tone down my use of God's name out of respect as well.

I have read and plotted on a piece of paper Revelation chapter 20 (and read other individuals thoughts/studies as well). Sounds dumb when I type it, but it helped me sort out the timeframe of things a little better. Especially if you tie in 1 Thess. and 1 Cor 15.

I have read a lot of books and information on the Apostle Paul and first century christianity. I have treated it much like a history lesson and have come to see that things weren't always they way I had been taught and imagined. At the very least I learned alternative thoughts and understandings on first century historical issues (related to christians) that I always considered a particular way.

I guess what I am saying botzwana is that many things you believe now you believe because that is what you were told and you were shown specific information to back that opinion up. Now you are just starting out on the road of discovery for yourself. Am I wrong about my thoughts above? Perhaps. The point is I decided for myself based on my relationship with Jesus Christ, my study and my discussions with fellow christians. I feel great that I can love Jesus, his father, my fellow christians and myself while still learning and gaining knowledge without feeling pressured to conform to a particular individual or groups philosophies or creeds.

I wish you the very best on your journey. A friend once told me (as I was exiting the witnesses) that the road I was embarking on would be a long and lonely one, filled with pitfalls. He was right, but he forgot to mention that it would end up being the most rewarding road I ever went down. I have never felt more fulfilled in my life and at peace with myself.

Good luck botzwana!

113

High Profile Case: Seeking Reinstatement

by headisspinning in

but our situation is very difficult and quite high profile.... i was raised as a jw and my mother was very strict and abusive.

i got baptized at age 14.. my mother actually called on my (present) husband's mom in service.

she was on the initial call resulting in his mom coming in the truth and him being raised in it from about age 8 or 9.. despite a very abusive step-father, he followed his mom's lead and came into the truth.

TheListener

Head is spinning

Welcome to the forum. Please, always feel free to vent and discuss your thoughts here. We are not trained counselors but we can be a friendly ear.

I wish you and your husband the best.

TL

129

I was BANE...I have an apology to most of you.

by Botzwana in

jw
friends

i was bane and i think i got banned because everytime i tried to log in i couldn't.

i was defending the society as best as i could.

something has happened in the last few months.

TheListener

Welcome to the board...again.

Keep an open mind and heart and you'll do fine.

When I read CoC I fully expected a hate filled rant - I thought that seeing that would help me get back to meetings and studying again.

WRONG.

Instead I found logical and lovingly presented information (I say lovingly because I can't think of a more appropriate word).

Read it, love it.

I remain very much a christian. The one thing I realize since being out of the witnesses is how much I neglected Jesus. When I was a witness I heard some worldly people say we didn't believe in Jesus. That was so dumb to me because we mentioned Jesus a lot and believed in him. But, I didn't understand until a couple years after being out that I didn't have a relationship with Jesus. Just think, he is our redeemer, savior, judge, king and more. God has put him in charge of absolutely everything (except God himself). That was not something that we talked about at the meetings or in service.

Good lck.

56

Another newbie.

by TimeBandit in

jw
friends

just beginning to open my eyes...my aunt, flyinghighnow is helping me along.

glad to be in a place where people understand.

i guess i'll be seeing you all around.

TheListener

Hi TimeBandit. Welcome to the feast.

34

Is the information on JWfacts.com accurate?

by Nobleheart in

jw
friends

i'm researching and going through so much material to try and find out whether jw doctrines and beliefs are based on the bible, as well as if they're consistent.

i'm a jw currently and i have many doubts at the moment.

fortunately this site is helping me so much, as there's always someone who's posted the same question i had in mind.

TheListener

Welcome Nobleheart. 607/587 was one of my first topics to research as well. For someone who wasn't really trained how to do biblical research it was a real chore and eye opener. I am so glad I went through it.

Sounds to me like you are doing the right stuff. Good for you.

If you have the WT CDRom check out this quote from the Isaiah Prophechy book I:

Chapter 19, Page 253, paragraph 21:

Isaiah goes on to prophesy: “It

must occur in that day that Tyre must be forgotten seventy years, the same as the days of one king.” (Isaiah23:15a) Following the destruction of the mainland city by the Babylonians, the island-city of Tyre will “be forgotten.” True to the prophecy, for the duration of “one king”—the Babylonian Empire—the island-city of Tyre will not be an important financial power. Jehovah, through Jeremiah, includes Tyre among the nations that will be singled out to drink the wine of His rage. He says: “These nations will have to serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jeremiah 25:8-17, 22, 27) True, the island-city of Tyre is not subject to Babylon for a full 70 years, since the Babylonian Empire falls in 539 B.C.E. Evidently, the 70 years represents the period of Babylonia’s greatest domination—when the Babylonian royal dynasty boasts of having lifted its throne even above “the stars of God.” (Isaiah 14:13) Different nations come under that domination at different times. But at the end of 70 years, that domination will crumble. What will then happen to Tyre?.

I changed a portion of the text red. When I first read this it just jumped out at me. I have found this information/admission/theory in no other WT publication (if anyone has please post the location).

13

a "bloody" question - components vs. fractions

by inbetween in

the official wt rule on blood is, whole blood and the four primary components are forbidden, fractions from those are conscience matter.. now its clear, that the medical world only uses the term fractions.. its also clear, that there is no direct bibilical reason for dividing blood into permitted components and forbidden fractions.. .

however, there is one argument of apologists, that has at least some value, if the premisse is true:.

the problem with components is, that when they are extracted, they still contain small amounts of all other components, so they still resemble whole blood, only the percentage is different.. an example to illustrate (simplified):.

TheListener

Yes, the "pouring out the blood" rule is one of the main reasons dubs can't accept autologous transfusions.