TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  34

  How far will they go?

  by careful in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i've been drawing back lately and looking at the big picture going on in the org, somewhat like slimboyfat has also been doing, but i am wondering about different possibilities.

  so the current gb has modernized recently in various ways.

  they have done a strong and sudden about-face regarding the electronic world, from viewing the whole thing suspiciously and condemning bros. use tablets from the platform to suddenly embracing them and causing the r&f to do so to such a degree that old ones are spending hundreds of dollars to buy devices that they have no clue how to use; they have heavily embraced this media for their message, very much like the churches have been doing for years, especially with their jw broadcasting and their caleb and sophia animations.

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  TheListener

  I see all the changes they've made so far as business changes. They seem to only change things that affect their bottom line.

  If they feel allowing people to dress how they want and to have facial hair would result in higher donations, they will do it.

  But I agree with others that once they relax the personal rules that dubs live by all bets are off and that their control using the BITE model won't be able to keep going. I feel that dubs love to be martyrs and pride themselves on standing out in certain ways - dress and grooming being one of them.
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  40

  Returning

  by Doubtfully Yours in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was a member of this community a long time ago and have lurked for years.

  well, i am back and still thoroughly conflicted, with my heart/loyalties as divided as ever.

  please welcome me back, hear me out, and make me feel as welcomed as before.. the wtbts has changed so very much in recent years that i feel trapped in a completely different religion altogether.

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  TheListener

  Godzoo, as usual your post states your feelings in a direct manner. Although I didn't see any comments on the thread where someone was asking to be love bombed out of the fake truth.

  What I read was an OP and several follow ups of people trying to survive and find whatever small amount of happiness they can while dealing with the reality of their situation.

  DY, glad to see you post again.
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  17

  How could i have ever let myself get involved with this cult? pains me when i think about it.

  by goingthruthemotions in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  when i think about where i am at now in my life, in my marriage, with my kids.

  why did i get involved with this cult?

  i have brought out the cult personality in my wife and there no turning her back.

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  TheListener

  Hang in there GTTM. We all have bad days, even couples who don't have the witness issue have others to deal with.

  For me it was all about the kids. I put all my effort and straight to raise my kids to not be dubs. That added even more stress on my marriage but I considered, and still do, my marriage as secondary to my kids freedom.

  My kids are free and my maritam stress goes up and down. Probably a lot like yours. Hang in there and enjoy the good times and if you can, stay focused on your kids.
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  48

  Massive Plunge in Number of New JW Congregations from 1990 to 2014

  by steve2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  in a separate thread on the very latest figures for the current world wide annual report of jws, discussion turned to how "we'll know decline has really set in.

  one of the posters said: .

  the figure that interests me most is the number of congregations.

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  TheListener

  My anecdotal evidence comes from shirt tail relatives in the US northeast. They had 1 congregation in their area in the 1980s which split into 2 congregations in the early 1990s. Now both congregations are nearly empty and they are considering merging.

  I've heard them say that attendance is way down in most of the congregations in their area. Their area is suburban.
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  45

  Don't know what to do

  by looter in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm in a crazy situation.

  about a year ago, i was going to get baptized.

  it was all planned and arranged until ttatt was learned.

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  TheListener

  Great advice everyone. My thought was to talk with the elders. Perhaps even stalling your dad by saying you want to study more and get your service hours up....all lies just meant to buy you time.

  While slowing them down by seeming sincere you could talk to your school counselor, find an alternate safe place to live and find some sort of job that would help you get ready to live on your own or with some roommates.

  There's no easy answers when dealing with fanatics like the witnesses. Best of luck.
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  22

  A lot of "forbidden" talk is going on among witnesses

  by nevaagain in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  me and my wife are still "in".

  we had the "talk" a couple of times, but shet is not ready to leave yet.

  while a couple of years ago she started crying on the thought that i am an "apostate" and even gave me an ultimatum until she would rat me out to the elders (never happened), now i sense that she might is a little bit more open to the the thought to leave one day .... anyway, all out friends and family are still in the truth and whenever we are meeting with other witnesses topic #1 is always the recent changes to the meetings / conventions (reduced to one day) which always lead to the changes to the magazines and the recent lay offs of the special pioneers and bethelites.

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  TheListener

  I've heard similar talk among my wife and a couple of her friends and relatives. Mostly they try to not talk about witnessy stuff if I'm around so I don't hear a lot but I hear enough to know they're confused by all the changes. Sort of happy and sort of confused. In the end it seems they all feel it must mean the end is around the corner....What will happen when the end doesn't come real soon?... I have no idea.

  Right now there's a zealous sister who was assigned to my wife to get her more involved in the congregation. This happens every few years. It works for awhile but my wife is truly apathetic and so far all attempts to really get her to be more active only work for a little while and then burn out the person assigned to help her. We'll see what happens this time.
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  58

  I gave the elders some ammo to use

  by atacrossroads in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was having dinner at olive garden with my cousin who was disfellowshipped for apostacy.

  a holier than thou pioneer couple saw us.

  if that was not enough i saw her take a picture of me with my cousin.

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  TheListener

  Wow ATA that is really great! I can't believe things have moved so fast in your situation. Congratulations on your husband and the baby!
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  22

  Powerball Jackpot up to 1.3 Billion Dollars. Do you think the governing body bought any tickets?

  by My Name is of No Consequence in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what if the governing body members bought a ticket or somehow obtained one.

  then the unthinkable happens...they won!

  how would they be able to hide that?

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  TheListener

  MNNC, If I win the lottery at this point in my life - I would buy as many lots of land next to the KHs in my area and build adult stores, strip clubs, liquor stores and masage parlors.

  With one fell swoop I would offend half the dubs and get richer off the other half.
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  12

  shunning is bad

  by Sabin in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i had a phone conversation last night, i'm not proud of myself but that is how the cookie crumbles.

  started off all well & good then up came the arc which i was informed was all propaganda & the oct 2012 polices i got from the internet are apostate & not true.

  so i lost the plot, completely lost it, & let out everything i was feeling.

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  TheListener

  Sorry to hear about the argument Sabin. But, since you and your daughter have a loud relationship in general maybe she'll think about a few of the things you said. You just never know.
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  49

  The wonderful things you hear AFTER you step down as an elder!

  by redpilltwice in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  well, well, that was quite a heartfelt welcome on this site four days ago.

  thank you all for the encouraging replies.

  one of them was this one from magnum: "hey now, don't just pop your head in and disappear.

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  TheListener

  Great post RPT. It's great to hear a current account of how some brothers are feeling. It's been to long for me to have any current stories to share. Thanks and I hope you keep posting, especially while the current mood of the congregation and elder body is fresh on your mind.