Posts by TheListener

7

Old Hat

by Phaedra in

jw
friends

15 years ago i joined this forum under a generic alias.. if it weren't for the fact that i have close family weaved into this tapestry of a religion i think i could have moved on long ago.. when you're connected, you're connected.. to those in the same boat, you're not alone.. we get it, and you.. hugs,.

phae.

TheListener

I get it too. My wife and family are still in but I've saved my kids, I think. I read here to stay informed on the latest WTS information. I would love to find the one argument or idea that would save my wife.

The stress level caused by raising kids with one witness parent and one who faded is really really high. At each stage of your kids lives there are decisions to be made and each parent has a completely different view on most of them. It feels like if anything goes wrong with the raising of the kids it's the non-dub parents fault.

16

Crisis of Conscience

by WasOnceBlind in

wow, what a great book.

i started reading it today and have not been able stop.

im already 80 pages in!

TheListener

I've always wondered how Cynthia felt about Rays crisis of conscience. Did she follow him out right away or did she still believe everything even as he was mentally free.

4

Discussion with my wife

by New day in

jw
friends

i had an interesting conversation with my wife today.

she revealed that she had been deeply hurt by bros and sis reactions to her as she has not been to meetings for a while due to physical and emotional probs.

when she meets jws in the street they cannot cope with her and are often very cool towards her.

TheListener

Great conversation. Maybe your wife is a lot like mine, doctrine doesn't matter, it's a social club. That may be the best way for you to reach her real personality. Imho the more supportive and loving you are the more contrast she will see between the dubs and you.

26

why report more partakers?

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

of all the threads here about the number of partakers increasing, i don't recall theories as to why they report this.

they could stop reporting numbers altogether or lie.

instead they say, in essence, "our teachings about end times and heavenly hope are still wrong"..

TheListener

I think the witnesses have always had a more than average share of crazies. So why are so many people partaking the last few years? Why the increase? You'd think that the elders would kindly talk to some of the partakers and explain things to them and the number would go back down.

Each year the GB are probably praying that this will be the year of a decrease in partakers. I'd love to see a huge partaker increase. That would really freak the dubs out.

52

Why do I suddenly want to start reading JW literature and going to Kingdom Halls?

by yogosans14 in

jw
friends

is good calling me back or am i just letting my emotions get the best of me?also i really want to be closer to my jw family.

btw i was never baptized and i consider myself a born again christian i go to a baptist church and wath televangelist and i have expirenced gods presence like never before but sometimes i get fearful and think "what if jws are right and i'm wrong" than i'm screwed!but if there wrong and i'm right it doesn't look to good for them.. i would prefer if nobody posted "god isn't real" type comments.

i truly believe he is real but i respect why some are atheists..

TheListener

P err heaps choosing a couple core dub beliefs and really investigating them will show you that they aren't right.

It worked for me. I used to wake up freaking out that the new system was coming and I wasnt going to make it. It took a lot of research and time to finally get over that fear.

26

why report more partakers?

by rebel8 in

jw
friends

of all the threads here about the number of partakers increasing, i don't recall theories as to why they report this.

they could stop reporting numbers altogether or lie.

instead they say, in essence, "our teachings about end times and heavenly hope are still wrong"..

TheListener

I think the leaders are 100% bought into the fact that they are Gods chosen ones so reporting the higher numbers doesn't bother them.

If you are 100% a believer then if the numbers are higher there is a godly reason and you must figure it out, not hide the numbers.

I don't know just my thoughts.

31

has anyone seen vidio on youtube about why they changed cover of songbook search youtube jw.org embarrassment

by poopie in

jw
friends

any thoughts.

TheListener

OMG the soldier with his penis sticking out is hilarious! I grew up with that book! I don't know if it's intentional or not but it doesn't matter to me - it's just so funny and weird.

26

With two questions, i recieved two lies from some cart witnesses.

by brandnew in

jw
friends

today i walked up to a group of cart witnesses and picked up a watchtower.

i opened the watchtower up to the first page , and asked one of the witnesses if he had read it.. lie # 1... he said he read it.. i ask my second question to a woman witness sitting next to him , who by the way was hard to tear away from her cell phone..... "whats this watchtower about?

, "........ lie # 2 ... she said she read it , but forgot "exactly" what the main points were about..

TheListener

A lot of born in dubs that have reached late middle age or older do read the magazines all the way through. Don't ask me why

40

WT is trying to scare off memorial partakers

by cookiemaster in

i don't know how many of you still participate in the sunday wt study, but i unfortunately still do.

even though i was asleep half of the time, i did notice something i thought i should share with the rest, in case you haven't noticed.

a lot of the paragraphs were worded strongly against partaking and used clear language of intimidation and discouragement toward anyone thinking of partaking.

TheListener

If they are able to discourage enough partakers and the number drops it will probably only be a temporary drop. It seems newer ones are having a harder time not participating in the emblems. At least that is what I have heard from the few friends I still have contact with. Maybe they are not studying with new ones enough or aren't being blunt enough when they study.

61

KH 1st timer, could use some advice

by rathernotsay in

jw
friends

hey people, .

i am soon going into a kh for the first time and i could use some advice around etiquette etc.

i know next to nothing besides the fundamental beliefs of jws, i personally dont believe in any religion, and that stance isnt ever going to change, however i don't want to come across as rude or disrespectful.

TheListener

Hi rathernotstay. I'd just like to say that you need to remember that your wife is under a lot of pressure to "win you over without a word" into the organization. The pressure comes from the congregation members and not just the elders and of course from herself as well. You really need to remember that she truly believes that you and the kids are destined for eternal death if you don't convert and that can be a strong motivation for anyone but especially a mother.

You will need to be very cautious with your children because she and the congregation will do everything possible to indoctrinate them at every turn. If they need to be sneaky and underhanded they will because it's their eternal life at stake.

I wish you the best of luck.