Briand

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Posts by Briand

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  20

  A Chinese Meal with Fred Franz

  by VM44 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the beginning of the book, "the orwellian world of jehovah's.

  witnesses," one of the authors gives a personal experience where.

  he and others were treated by fred franz to a meal at a chinese.

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  Briand

  I will try to do better.
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  38

  Why believe Revelation or Last Days?

  by Seeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  those of us who used to be jws, i have a question for you: why would any of us think revelation has anything to say about the 21st century, or that we are in the last days period?.

  when we left the jws, we did so because of their false teachings.

  we saw through their faulty reasoning about why we are in the last days.

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  Briand

  The folks I was involved with really ate this end time stuff up. Most dispemsational oriented views of the bible truly into end times. Funny Dispensationalism is neither biblical nor historic. True the early Christians were apocalyptic in nature but they were not in any way dispemsational. The early Christians were actually confessional and sacramental in view and in structure. I don't by the RCC point of view that they were Catholic in the modern post Trent sense but they were neither fundamentalist or some hiding remnant that popped up in the 1800's. The funny thing is fundamentalism itself is not some old early belief that came back for the "end times" but it to is a modern response, in my opinion to science and technological advances. I guess in a way of trying to make the Mythos literal. This one shift in view truly tips the balance of religion and reason.
  If one is honest one sees that most of the crazy cults of the last 200 years were spond from end time pre trib Dispensationalism. A mixture of a modern historical facade and 18 th century romanticism. The problem is it just does not work, if one wonders the effect, just take a look at y2k. This was played up big time in the fundamentalist circles, they truly wanted the world to end that day. When it didn’t they went looking for a new boogieman to parade around.
  I believe people can have whatever faith they wish, but some beliefs can, and often are, destructive. The whole end time scenarios along with the KJOism, young earth creationists, and later reign eschatology to name a few truly do hurt people and congregations. I have seen whole groups of people split over things like the KJOims or end time beliefs. The tragedy is that the real ministries where people truly need help get hoisted to the back burner.
  I mean Benny Hinn can rake in 180 million a year in his hey day. That is sad to say the least. Most of these people give their lives savings, and more important their time to groups that could care less about both.
  Even in the main stream there is a sense of program over people, belief over believer. What is truly sad is that people will trample all over their truth in order to protect it. It is so schizophrenic that people just loose all sense of reason and self.
  I have sat in rooms with people droning on about Satan and demons and then they spout some tripe that Bob larson or some other talking head spouted on some show or videotape. I mean it is really scary that people go down this road. I believed in hook line and sinker, and it cost me 17 years of my life, which means nothing to the people I called my friends.
  I don’t buy it any more.
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  13

  Secret Watchtower Writer Exposed

  by jst2laws in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  watchtower writer exposed.

  sat through the watchtower today, both my wife and i grumbling under our breath, this is a joke.

  we today have clear evidence that this foretold enthronement.

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  Briand

  I find this reminds me of a picture I have of a bible study I went to some 15 or so years ago. All of the people around this table are gone. Most of them ended their time in our church through somekind of pain and life being destroyed. One lady went nutz, along with some of the young men, one lady went down to Columbia as a missionary after her fiancee went nutz after he went off his medz because psychology is of the "devil". There was such potential in this group to, I mean people were really being helped in big ways. But the second it went beyond the elder's control they killed it like some rabid dog. It is truly sad to see how many people are chewed up and spit out of religious institutions. What a loss.
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  20

  A Chinese Meal with Fred Franz

  by VM44 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  near the beginning of the book, "the orwellian world of jehovah's.

  witnesses," one of the authors gives a personal experience where.

  he and others were treated by fred franz to a meal at a chinese.

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  2. 
  3. 
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  Briand

  It is easier to hate an unseen enemy.

  I agree with that, it was never hard for me to know I was hated. When people get right in your face and say "I hate you". I never minded that much, because I can deal with something blatant, it is the "we are doing this for your good" crowd that I always had trouble with. As far as money goes, I never got one penny when I was in ministry, usually full time. I worked two jobs on top of what was expected.

  I truly thought this was "God's will" (tm) until I see me living in a traitor and other people who are in the "ministry" (tm) driving new cars and taking vacations all the time. But I made those choices no one ever forced me, and there is a pay off. The ministry I was and still am in is beautiful and the people are grand. I admit I get jealous and even envious at times. It is the condescending that gets to me the supper spiritual folks looking down on other people and judging these other peoples lives.

  I never hated any of these folks, I do hate the destruction of lives alot of this stuff caused though.

  thank you for your insight.
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  11

  Hello and some comments

  by Briand in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i would like to commend all of you for your courage for what you have shared here.

  it is hard to open ones self up and seek healing through the pain.

  it seems often, that which we hold the most dear, our faith, can do the most harm.

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  Briand

  it was the Plymouth Brethren folks that I lived in a house with from 6 to 10 people. It was great at times and hard at times, sometimes we had homeless people live there which was a blessing but some were dangerous, which I do not mind but it makes it hard to relax. The excommunication's was a convenience for the elders, having people come back to the church was never the desire. Getting rid of the problems was. Jesus himself would have been tossed out the door if he got in the way of the program. I then lived in a ministry house for people with disabilities for some years until I got in the way of the program and was shown the door. People are funny about that, I never was "caught" in some horrible "sin" (tm) so I could not be 86ed out the door for good but one can be ignored to death also.

  The rebukes for crying because one's father died, the anger at little things like your hair is to long or you don't wear nice clothes ( even if you don't have nice clothes because, like an idiot, you give all your money to the "church" (tm).

  As stupid as it may sound I still deeply love Jesus, though I often do not have the foggiest idea who he is . But that's another post.

  Take care.
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  11

  First Meeting

  by tattoogrl333 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i went to my first jw meeting, there were actually two but i only stayed for the first one.

  it was actually kind of fun.

  there was role play and that was funny, everyone was laughing and people were soooooo nice in fact most new who i was already.

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  Briand

  Doesn't it seem rather strange to you upon reflection that "most [people]knew who you were already"? Why? First of all, you were a visitor. But secondly, your bible study conductor has been talking about you in field service, discussing your progress, telling her friends that you were going to be coming to the meeting perhaps.
  Discussing your progress? Yes, your progress towards baptism. And all witnesses are encouraged to encourage their Bible studies to begin meeting attendance as soon as possible, the better to -- love bomb -- oh, no, er, the better to further your progress in learning about Jehovah and His Organization.

  Now that hit it on the head, almost every religious service I have ever been part of I felt watched. In my old faith tradition I was being watched, just like everyone else, making sure we toed the party line. I mean we folks lived together, did everything together, it was nice for awhile but you put yourself under the whims of other people. Most of the time these folks could care less if they totally devastate your life. I mean being someone's friend to try to convert them, but not just being their friend as a human being.

  We had schedules we had to follow. If a person was not "born again" (tm) at a certain time we were to move on to better ground. Families were chucked at the whim of an elder or bible study leader. But if you were sick or needed money or needed help the "sorry we're closed" sign was hung out toot sweet. I mean lives were just trashed and no guilt was ever felt. You are correct that there is such a utilitarian view of the person. What role will they fill, the "saved" role, the "erring" brother role, the "humble" bible study leader role, the "elder"role and so on. Our group was much like the JW's with all their end time scenarios. The "88 Reasons Jesus will come in 88" then the sequel " The 89 Reasons Jesus will Come in 89". The "Left Behind" series is real big with these folks. One thing that is truly striking is how easily people are blown off, I found it hard to realize that half the singles group got canned with out even a peep.

  Friendships and deep relationships, or so I thought, were just tossed with out even a thought. Funny how the "world" is more dedicated to folks then some of the "true believers". Funny I still love the people I went to church with deeply, and at times have gotten back involved in their lives, especially when they needed help. I find it sad thought the wasted lives.
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  37

  Can anyone help me?

  by aud8 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  can anyone out there ease my mind?

  i am about to disassociate myself and feel so scared.

  what if i'm making the wrong decision?

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  Briand

  the elders would like to feel that you are now doomed to die at Armageddon, this is because they have been taught in a judgmental, unloving religion

  Our faith tradition believed that God would send all the "Non believers" (tm) to "hell" (tm) for ever and ever and we would watch them burn in heaven with great joy. I think back now on that whole idea and quite frankly get sick. I mean why would God send little babies to hell. What you said true. Take care.
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  11

  Hello and some comments

  by Briand in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i would like to commend all of you for your courage for what you have shared here.

  it is hard to open ones self up and seek healing through the pain.

  it seems often, that which we hold the most dear, our faith, can do the most harm.

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  2. 
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• 

  Briand

  I would like to commend all of you for your courage for what you have shared here. It is hard to open ones self up and seek healing through the pain. It seems often, that which we hold the most dear, our faith, can do the most harm. I have never been a member of the Jehovah Witness faith, but did study with them for sometime.

  When I became a "born again" "Christian" I often "did battle" with other groups that were not of the faith tradition I was. This often included those of the JW faith. We sometimes had dueling book tables at college, where we would see who had the better "pitch" to the "heathen". There are similarities to the faith tradition I was in, one of them was shunning or excommunication. In our group it was almost always political and done out of convenience, often to cover up mistakes made by the leadership.

  In fact our group chucked the whole singles group, a vibrant, group of some 25 or so folks. Many people were just plain devastated. The leadership often played the cover your fanny game by scaring people or intimidation. The group we hated the most were Catholics, most of the folks in the congregation were ex Catholics and had a great anger towards that faith tradition. I guess the thing that finally did me in was that aspect of what I call "true believerism". The idea that this group or that group is of the devil and all but us folks are going to hell. I mean we made decisions about peoples eternal destiny while having coffee. That is truly arrogant when one stops and things about it.

  I must admit I admire the caliber of the people I have read here. It takes great strength to overcome spiritual abuse. Many of you have had great trauma and I respect your seeking healing. I hope to share more later.

  Brian
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  51

  What are your PET PEEVES? Register them here!

  by Spartacus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what ticks you off, makes you grind your teeth and go absolutely nuts!

  !

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  Briand

  I guess my own selfishness and pride?