i went back into this forum a little ways and found quite a bit of discussion on the walsh (1954) for those newly out or those who don't know of what i write, you should really check it out.
anyone who is a jw or studying with jw should see material from this trial.
my take away...the printed materials of the wtbts were to believed over the bible and if you didn't believe the wt teachings over the bible, ( even though they admit to false prophesy )you would be disfellowshipped and deserving of death.
I remember reading about this Walsh trial years ago at the beginning of my ‘Fade’ and thought it was very damning.
I was particularly shocked to read where (somebody) said that unity was important and that everybody had to believe something no matter how wrong it was and that change had to come from the top - or words to that effect. I thought it was all about ego and extreme arrogance.
were you ever on a congregation picnic?
i was on several occasions.. the arrangements were often announced from the platform after the closing song and prayer by the last elder up on the platform.. sometimes it was included in the service meeting announcements as "on saturday we're meeting at 10.00am at the kingdom hall for field service, and after field service for anyone who wishes, especially for the younger ones, we will be having a congregation picnic meeting at the beach carpark on seaview road.".
well, according to the new elders manual you won't be hearing those words again.
I remember a particular congregation picnic that might have been held in the ‘80s or so.
It was so-so. They may have meant well but there were still cliques. I had seen a friend who was walking around by herself. She said nobody was bothering with her and she ended up eating her ham and cheese sandwich by herself.
I don’t remember any picnics after this and I don’t know the exact reason or reasons they stopped.
i feel like i am burning another "friend" bridge.
i just can't seem to keep the lies the wt prints to myself!
i don't know how the pimo do it!
HOSER:
Thank you for understanding.
When I experienced this indifferent and uncaring attitude with certain Witnesses that I tried to talk to, it was yet another rude awakening to me even though I was ‘Out’ and retired.. I wondered if those people were in unreality? But, it is as you said about them viewing me negatively just for ‘who’ I was. They didn’t give a fig about me.
This made me cringe at the thought about how screwed I would be if I didn’t follow my gut! I would be up that famous creek without a paddle.. I’m so Glad I listened to my common sense and my father’s ‘worldly’ wisdom!
i feel like i am burning another "friend" bridge.
i just can't seem to keep the lies the wt prints to myself!
i don't know how the pimo do it!
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH:
As Thomas More has said: you cannot hope to make fully PIMI JWs see the sense of anything you say!
A personal rude awakening has to happen to these Witnesses in order for them to wake up! And even then, it’s a personal journey that nobody else can do for them. I learned this because I tried, in vain, to tell Witness friends/associates what I went through in the religion with the shunning/criticism because of my career.
These JWs weren’t swayed because of what I went through!.. I got two types of responses: some admitted that what I experienced was unjust and they were affected themselves.. The second type of response indicated that other JWs were not really sympathetic - almost like it wasn’t really ‘important’ what happened to me in my life!! This was a real eye-opener and I was glad I followed my gut all those years ago!
I feel it isn’t my problem if people want to stay in the religion. I’m just Glad I got the hell out.
may 2023 bring you happiness health and love!.
what are you thinking will happen in 2023....positive or otherwise?.
I wish everybody all the best and hope everybody on the forum has a wonderful New Year’s celebration!
Be safe and happy! 😊
the answer is a definite no!.
because every doctrine that is unique to jehovah's witnesses is not in the bible.
the unique doctrines of jehovah’s witnesses are the ones that only jehovah’s witnesses teach.
LOSTINTGEFOG1999:
Totally agree.. I remember when I was brand new in the Witness religion and they were talking about that Cedar Point thing.
I absolutely did Not believe that any biblical prophecy pertained to their convention or their religion in any way!.. I just wasn’t buying it. I thought they were deluded and flattering themselves.
Naturally, I kept my doubts and my opinion to myself. But, the presumptuousness of what I heard should have made me walk out the door then.. I could have saved myself from unnecessary aggravation!
i am a historian and the period of english history from henry vii to elizabeth i is my specialist area.. i was talking to an ex-jw about the time when tyndale first translated the bible into english with his intention that everyone from the ploughboy upwards would be able to read and understand the scriptures.
it dawned on us both that this was a significant point in english history.. just having access to the bible in hi their own language allowed the common man to understand what god wanted him to understand.. it was and is, so simple.. why then oh why then do jehovah's witnesses think that they need a fds to explain it to them?
when in the 1600s just having a bible written in english was enough for people to understand the word of god?.
LOST IN THE FOG1999:
I am in total agreement with you. By the common man having his own bible, he can see for himself what God wants him to understand.
Nobody else has any right to set themselves up as an intermediary (no less making divine claims)! 🙄
curious.
time goes by so fast.
who remembers 1975, the ray franz incident, the generation change in 1995, the blood fractions, alternative service, participation in ochr, aid afrique, the historical research by james pellechia, jolene chu and johannes stephan wrobel?
DING:
Speaking of ‘superior authorities’, I remember the religion saying ‘We are supposed to be in subjection to the superior authorities’.
I assume they included themselves in this. But, I get the impression they do not think they are in subjection or accountable to anybody.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11573103/active-shooter-throws-molotov-cocktail-jehovahs-witness-center-colorado.html?ito=amp_twitter_share-top.
.
NOWWHAT?
I am inclined to agree that the only ones brought into the religion nowadays are a little ‘off’. They’re lied to and told ‘it’s a brotherhood and they’ll be taken care of’. All Lies!.. But, I digress.
This is yet another terrible tragedy in the JW religion. And even though we don’t have all the details..it seems this person needed professional help. Who knows what he was told? In the news articles it mentioned incendiary devices. This indicates to me that there was animosity towards other people there. Was he enraged because he was a victim of gossip or shunning? Who knows?
from the faq as captured on the website with this question (how many jehovah's witnesses are there worldwide?
) led to this question of mine who do the organization sees as a jehovah's witness?
the organization answers: .
THOMAS MORE:
Right on the money!.. As an observer, I also suspect their real number is half of what they claim.
With regard to halls being sold: this is almost like a game of musical chairs for ‘faithful’ JWs. But in the game of musical chairs it is a chair that’s taken away when the music stops and somebody is left standing. In this hypothetical game, it’s a hall somewhere that is sold and JWs have a mad scramble to go somewhere else. It makes me wonder if it will get to a point that either they are all sold or the nearest one so far away they can’t get to it. In which case the JWs would be left ‘standing’ or abandoned. Not saying this is going to happen but it makes me wonder.
With regard to the elderly passing away rapidly this is true. Unfortunately for the religion, they are the old faithful that they will never see the like of again. Also, they contributed the most to the religion (and useless KH renovations). They were the ones most likely to reach into their pockets to give money to broke pioneers. I often wondered if there was a little guilt there because they pushed poverty/pioneering (even though THEY lived comfortably).. It was these older ones who tried to get ME to quit my job.. Thank God I didn’t listen.
In my opinion, I think things in congregations will never be the same once they’re gone!
