TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  14

  Demons and Their Children

  by Darth plaugeis in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  on the urban myth post someone mentioned a story how the demons hated jah's children in the truth, because jah killed the demons children during the flood.

  i have heard that story about the flood, and the nephilim, millions of times and never made a connection that god actually destroyed the fallen angel's offspring.

  the nephilim were always portrayed as monsters and evil, but who really knows.. interesting point.

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  TheListener

  I thought it was the lioness that hunted and the lion just slept and ate?
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  108

  Fight with wife over watching Avatar escalates to near-separation--true story

  by sd-7 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's true because it happened to me last night.

  i knew it was trouble when she started looking at my kindle.

  once she got to the short stories i wrote 3 years ago, autobiographical, some of it involving her, i knew i wouldn't be going to bed before 1:00 (it was 11:40 p.m. by then).

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  TheListener

  I'm passive aggressive and it ain't pretty.

  She locks the bedroom door at night? That's not cool. What if you just wanted to stand over her and stare at her while she slept?

  It feels easier to stay and stick it out and blame yourself for what's wrong. It feels easier but is isn't. You need to get a professional counselor to talk to so you can get this stuff off your chest and get some seriously professional advice.

  Always feel free to vent here.
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  91

  Newly Exiting JW's ( Last 5 years ) How are you Doing in Life? Let Us Know

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  considering the fact we've had so many newbies here i thought it would be good to just open it up to you folks to see how life is going for you since you exited the witnesses ?

  it's hard many times to move on- however with lots of ex-witnesses on the board here who have been through similar experiences - perhaps those of us who have been out awhile can give you someideas on how to move on in your post jw life to make it a little easier .

  so fire away newbies and recently exited jw 's.

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  TheListener

  I would just like to say that reading everyone's posts is very encouraging. It's so great to know that I'm not alone in my situation.

  It's so easy to get a "poor me" syndrome and lose sight of all the others who are undergoing something similar. There is strength in numbers, even if we only know each other through this website.
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  91

  Newly Exiting JW's ( Last 5 years ) How are you Doing in Life? Let Us Know

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  considering the fact we've had so many newbies here i thought it would be good to just open it up to you folks to see how life is going for you since you exited the witnesses ?

  it's hard many times to move on- however with lots of ex-witnesses on the board here who have been through similar experiences - perhaps those of us who have been out awhile can give you someideas on how to move on in your post jw life to make it a little easier .

  so fire away newbies and recently exited jw 's.

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  TheListener

  I had a good JW life. Everything was just fine... then I realized it wasn't what I thought all along. I woke up rather quickly but faded for a very long time. I went to my last meeting and DC in 2005.

  I am very happy now. I enjoy reading and studying my Bible and spending time doing things that I enjoy. It's great to have hobbies and not feel guilty about them.

  However, my marriage has taken a direct hit. We seem to be more roommates than marriage mates. We discuss nothing spiritual (ok once in great while I use a biblical analogy or say something that I've learned).

  We seem to have come to an unspoken agreement on how to deal with my not being a witness and her remaining one. But, now the kids are getting older and they continue to muddle up the demilitarized zone that we've set up. So far the kids have been left to make their own choice about their witness-ness. They are supported by us regardless of their choices but it still puts quite a strain on the family.

  A point for others in a similar situation or someone who may be in this situation one day:

  A mate who is super zealous is easier to stand against than one who is luke warm to the truth but stubborn in their belief. The lukewarm spouse gives in just enough to make you excited and not want to push more so as not to rock the cart. However, they are stubborn and will only bend so far thus giving the unbelieving mate false hope again and again. Picture the monkey grabbing for the nut only to get shocked again and again - never learning his lesson. As the unbelieving mate you feel like if you push your unbelieving agenda with yourself and with the kids - the believing wife will suddenly move into action and belief war will have begun.

  hmmm.... just my thoughts.
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  36

  Finally got CoC!!.....Not really what I had expected.

  by JediMaster in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  ok, so i finally picked up coc from my local library last night.

  and started reading it like crazy.

  i think i read about 70 pages which brought me close to the end of the second chapter: "governing body".

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  TheListener

  I really enjoyed CoC. I also enjoyed ISoCF.

  Having an extensive Wt library but not being a scholar Ray's books (and this website) helped me see how the WT society has contradicted itself and changed the light many times.

  It was definitely a case of "I've always felt that way but didn't know how to express it" as I read the book.
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  18

  wife awakening

  by diamondiiz in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my wife was reading a few bits of coc and she read most of gentile times reconsidered and she says she's not buying the dates anymore and i can tell she knows it's not the truth.

  she is starting to feel depressed about it and is feeling "hollow" on the inside.

  she said that you can't argue all the evidence that points to 586/7bc for jerusalem's destruction and you can't separate dates from wts dogma - she finally is getting it :) historians are making stuff up to cover up 607bc.

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  TheListener

  Fantastic! I also want to know how you got her to read it?
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  7

  Could Facebook Defeat The Watchtower?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  if you've been on boards such as this one for a long time, you may have noticed a profound change in what's posted.

  on the old h2o board, you commonly had long, detailed debates concerning every aspect of watchtower doctrine and history.

  while i thought i was very well informed in this area, i was often amazed at the stuff that came up that i'd never heard about.. and the discussions about 607 chronology were mind-numbingly extensive......... ...........but all that's over now!.

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  TheListener

  Metatron,

  You're Hari Seldon reference is spot on. Since I stopped being a witness I have thought that the Foundation series does have some parallels to the dubs and their theology.
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  65

  Governing Body 2.0

  by drew sagan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i borrow the phrase gb 2.0 from alltimejeff, who used it yesterday in the post about theodore jaracz's death.. i was interested in starting a thread that addresses the new leadership regime that has emerged within the wts, especially in light of changes (albeit mundane) the organization has undertaken over the past 15 years or so.

  while few of us have had close contact with the men in charge, changes they have made in recent years surly reflect a definable leadership style.

  it also reveals a little bit about how they view the organization and its future.. from what i can put together, it seems that there a few obvious things to note.. - 1999 seems to be the sea change year in terms of gb appointment and might be seen sybolically as a turning point in terms of leadership for the group.

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  TheListener

  Flipper is right, and AuldSoul years ago, when they say not to expect a softening with new GB members.

  -my initial thoughts were that with one less meeting, shorter Sunday talk and a few other changes that a softening was on the horizon. Now I see that in reality the mental control is tighter. The WTS controls less physical time of the dubs but more mental control.

  The newer members that make up GB2.0 were COs and DOs. Who controlled that department? Jaracz.
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  65

  Governing Body 2.0

  by drew sagan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i borrow the phrase gb 2.0 from alltimejeff, who used it yesterday in the post about theodore jaracz's death.. i was interested in starting a thread that addresses the new leadership regime that has emerged within the wts, especially in light of changes (albeit mundane) the organization has undertaken over the past 15 years or so.

  while few of us have had close contact with the men in charge, changes they have made in recent years surly reflect a definable leadership style.

  it also reveals a little bit about how they view the organization and its future.. from what i can put together, it seems that there a few obvious things to note.. - 1999 seems to be the sea change year in terms of gb appointment and might be seen sybolically as a turning point in terms of leadership for the group.

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  TheListener

  Thank you for that link Betsy,

  I didn't want to cut/paste Barbara's article (or even portions thereof), however, Barbara's footnote #17 sums up my feelings about the Nethinim. It is/was used as a proving ground for new GB members.

  Instead of helping the GB grow and expand mentally it has actually made them more insular. Only those individuals who fit the already created GB mold get sifted through and eventually join the GB. The rest are consigned to OS prospects and Nethinim status forever...
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  65

  Governing Body 2.0

  by drew sagan in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i borrow the phrase gb 2.0 from alltimejeff, who used it yesterday in the post about theodore jaracz's death.. i was interested in starting a thread that addresses the new leadership regime that has emerged within the wts, especially in light of changes (albeit mundane) the organization has undertaken over the past 15 years or so.

  while few of us have had close contact with the men in charge, changes they have made in recent years surly reflect a definable leadership style.

  it also reveals a little bit about how they view the organization and its future.. from what i can put together, it seems that there a few obvious things to note.. - 1999 seems to be the sea change year in terms of gb appointment and might be seen sybolically as a turning point in terms of leadership for the group.

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  TheListener

  Neverendingjourney,

  I'm not sure I agree with you on this point for two reasons.

  1. The Nethinim article essentially created a third class of non-anointed Christians who would assist the governing body but who would not formally be a part of the body. It did not, contrary to the impression that many Witnesses and former Witnesses hold, pave the way for non-anointed to sit on the governing body.

  2. The article was essentially ignored after its publication. I read somewhere (perhaps from Barbara Anderson?) that this particular article was an embarrassment to the governing body due to the strained parallel used, which only served the purpose of giving a few Bethel-heavies bragging rights. If I'm not mistaken, the concept as laid out in the Nethinim article has never resurfaced.

  I think the real catalyst for adding members on the GB, as mentioned above, was the generation change and a realization that more members needed to be added to the body simply because the original members were getting too old and feeble. The old timers probably realized it was better for them to add new members and leave their mark on the direction of the organization for years to come.

  I believe, as you, that the catalyst for adding more members was the realization that the end wasn't as near as it was once thought. I just think that the GB1.0 was too nervous to add a bunch of new guys to the GB without "introducing" them first. The Nethinim article served as the introduction. Who knows, maybe the GB1.0 wasn't sure which of the butt-kissers to actually appoint so the Nethinim position allowed them to openly test the candidates.

  I also agree that the Nethinim parallel has not been reiterated or discussed since its inception. But, I think it served its purpose. It allowed the GB time to select specific members for addition to the GB and it did so without upsetting the JW applecart.

  I believe the doctrinal changes show us one thing for sure. The GB1.0 truly believed that the end was near until the mid-90s; and once it dawned on them that it wasn't they put doctrines in place that allowed for date pushing and body enlargement. They still seem to be in that same mode. Which means the GB2.0 may not feel the end is imminent either.