it's becoming unbearable for me to attend another meeting.
i dread coming to the weekly sunday public talk and watchtower study.
the talks are ''repeats'' of a ''repeat.
RULES & REGULATIONS:
Right before I started my ‘Fade’ I was afraid my facial expressions at what I was hearing from the podium would be noticed.
I had no family there (thankfully) and there was no excuse for me to still be sitting there wasting my time and making myself nauseous. Very soon thereafter I stopped going.
we have several non-jdub friends who are busy stockpiling foods and goods for the impending societal collapse.
some are happy enough to be called preppers, others are not, but say that looking at the deteriorating condition of the world that it's only a matter of time before the shtf and they want to be prepared to protect themselves and their families when it happens.. contrast that to the jdubs who are actively telling people that the end of the world is coming, but aren't preparing in a practical way because they have been brainwashed by a "jehovah has always protected his servants" mindset from the gb at hq (who laughingly have no reason to be concerned because they're hoping for a quick getaway up to heaven when the jw 'end of the world' comes!).
the most the average jdub has is a go-bag rucksack in case they have to quickly leave their house in the event of a natural disaster like a flood or a wildfire.. isn't it better to be safe than sorry?
LOST IN THE FOG:
In the case of some JWs, they act like it’s going to be Exodus II and that some miraculous event is going to occur!.. My question to one of them was: where are you going?
Other than that, I do see the sense of being prepared at least to the best of your ability. There is a YouTube video I like with a sensible guy called 13 Things Not to Do When the SHTF. It’s practical advice that anybody can use. We can’t all be true preppers because what if someone lives in an apartment. They obviously can’t have an underground bunker, etc.
He makes a good point that it should be about sheltering in place with your supplies, unless somebody is forced to leave.. If people bug out and hit the road they have to have a destination..or else they are just a ‘glorified refugee’.. (I’m sure there is also the danger of what people would encounter on the roads on their way to wherever.😮)
any news how things are at bethel just now?
been thinking, strange they have gb members giving speeches when they look so depressed.
but maeby there is not many others too choose from.
FISHERMAN:
So, you insist on believing there is ‘No downsizing’ at bethel and that word is an ‘excuse’ to spare people’s feelings..So, Therefore, ALL the people let go in the last decade or so had a ‘personal fault or negativity’ which led to them being kicked out.. It’s very loyal of you to keep defending the religion and denying that they couldn’t possibly 🙄 engage in the cruel worldly practice of downsizing. Nah, not them!
I’ve been out of the religion over 22 years. In that time I did run into ex-bethelites. They were younger and I don’t know if they left voluntarily or were asked to leave. One thing: they were reluctant to talk about their experience and I sensed it wasn’t all good.. So, surely some Do leave because either bethel wasn’t what they wanted Or they didn’t get along for whatever reason. As you said, people come and go there.
I don’t believe as you do and I’m still of the opinion they were mostly let go because of downsizing/restructuring/cost cutting. In the case of those older ones: if they had some personal fault or negative aspect, I imagine they would have been sent home ages ago. I can’t imagine bethel suffered the presence of anybody they didn’t like for decades.
I’m curious to know what other people on the forum have to say about this. I don’t see the sense of going back and forth on this with you. So, let’s hear it from other posters here!
any news how things are at bethel just now?
been thinking, strange they have gb members giving speeches when they look so depressed.
but maeby there is not many others too choose from.
HELLOTHERE:
Be glad you never listened to that ‘old timer’ who suggested you try to go to bethel.
I’m sure other people went to bethel expecting to be there til the ‘new system’. However, it didn’t quite work out that way for some of them as we have seen in recent years!.. Whether they were let go because of downsizing (which the above poster does not believe happens there) OR there was some fault with them - they are still Out and have to make their way in the world.
any news how things are at bethel just now?
been thinking, strange they have gb members giving speeches when they look so depressed.
but maeby there is not many others too choose from.
FISHERMAN:
…Further to what I said: if the ‘negative’ you were talking about refers to somebody’s advanced age or some other factor they can’t help - this is still about downsizing and getting rid of people, in my opinion.
It’s just a question of WHO to get rid of!
any news how things are at bethel just now?
been thinking, strange they have gb members giving speeches when they look so depressed.
but maeby there is not many others too choose from.
FISHERMAN:
While I agree that what you say may be the case on a secular job, I doubt this is what has been happening at the bethels. Maybe here and there it could be about somebody’s ‘negative’ attitude..But not this.
No, I think these people were gotten rid of because of downsizing, pure and simple. The economy is atrocious, fewer contributions and restructuring are probably what contributed to it.
While I don’t like the religion and don’t care for people who helped to publish literature that knocked careers, it is certainly terrible to have to start over and function in the ‘world’ in late middle age!!! A young guy might be on his feet in a few years. Somebody who is 55+ will have a hard time.
Ironically, If they worked for secular employers (that they knocked), they’d at least have gotten a payout plus they would have paid into Social Security. But, No, they are just joining the rest of the ‘needy’ people in the congregations looking for handouts. Glad I’m not around this!
any news about how going back to kingdom halls and door to door ministry going right now?
are there many people at meetings and meetings before going out in service as congregation?.
ROAD TO NOWHERE:
Don’t laugh. Even if the rifle on your wall didn’t shoot and belonged to your grandfather, if Witnesses on Zoom saw it they would comment and you would get a phone call saying it ‘stumbled’ people and you must remove it.
I don’t know about anybody else, but I would refuse to tolerate this intrusiveness and commentary. The camera would be Off..on principle alone.
As SMIDDY3 says:..anybody who would put up with this should have their heads examined. Sadly, JWs are like the proverbial frogs in the hot water who don’t realize they are slowly being boiled. This is what happens when personal boundaries are broken down and people don’t speak up. I would have spoken up and been considered a ‘problem’.
This is just one of many reasons I’m Glad I’m Out of the religion.
https://www.foxnews.com/world/new-zealand-government-tries-seize-guardianship-baby-parents-demand-unvaccinated-blood-surgery.
i swear to allah how the hell do ex-dubs not see through these anti vax grifters and con men.
the whole pandemic to me has been nothing but a huge pstd trip back to my childhood.
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
Very sad situation. Many people just don’t know what to think about the Covid vax. Is it or is it not safe?
Somebody is still applying the term ‘anti-vaxxer’ to people who just don’t want the Covid vax. That’s okay. I’ll just post my own comment:..True anti-vaxxers are against the childhood vaccines most of us have gotten.
lol .
w54 5/1 p. 277 par.
17 - some of the “great crowd” are now serving in position of “princes,” .
DESIROUSOFCHANGE & DIOGENESISTER:
Very funny 🤣 but you nailed it. That’s about the size of it.
Even when I was active in the JW religion, it didn’t sit well with me that these modern-day aspiring ‘princes’ would somehow be elevated over the faithful ones from old times.
I didn’t really buy it..among other things.
pimo , as i said i`m going out on a limb here and i might upset some people ,but i really don`t think this is a real strategy that works and doesn`t help the person who is still in.. while you may be doing this to keep the peace in the household and keep relations somewhat stable in the family arrangement ,it`s not helping the person who is still under the control of wt/gb to break free from it ,and isn`t that what you would really like to happen ?.
and are their children involved as well ?
that`s another issue ,the longer they are subject to this control the harder it will be for them to disengage get free.. maybe you should re-evaluate what you could do more to help your partner / spouse or whatever to free themselves from this bondage they have involved themselves in.. [ of course their may be others who are quite happy to have their partners/mates under the control of the wt/gb.
SMIDDY3:
I agree with you and think the PIMO strategy (physically In and mentally Out) should best be used by somebody who is ‘Fading’ from the Witness religion and quickly headed for the door.
What I imagine is the worst is if somebody is a PIMO and still serving as an elder and has no intention of leaving!!!.. This is total hypocrisy!.. Not only is this religion the pits - but there are so many phonies and fakers it’s hard to even know what the REAL number of believing JWs is.
