Posts by donny

65

The year the end finally came: the YEAR OF THE BIG LIE

by Terry in

you have to understand three things to comprehend the significance of 1975.. 1975 was the end of the watchtower society as we who lived in the 50's and 60's once knew it.

it would forever change because it was exposed for all the world to see as a group of liars and deceived dupes.. it all began with a baptist farmer named william miller who sat down with only his bible and a concordance and a crackpot idea that a .

a "day for a year" and the gentile times meant something profound which would effect his own day and time.

donny

Wow Terry!!!!! that was the best post about 1975 and it's origins that I have ever read. I could feel the excitement of the times as you explained the mentality of the period. I came into the religion in 1982 and you virtually heard nothing about 1975 which was only seven years in the rear view mirror. When it did come up, it was alaways laid at the feet of over zealous brothers who read into it more than they should have. However I have since heard the Brother Sonotco tape about 1975 and understood how folks got "over zealous." Thank you very much for a very heart felt and moving post!!!

Donny

44

Do you believe in Ghosts?

by Thechickennest in

jw
friends

just curious.....what is your feelings post witness about the super natural?

donny

No, I do not believe in anything supernatural because I have never experienced anything yet that did not have a rational explanation. While I have an open mind and will not say anything is impossible, I do not believe in ghosts, demons, psychics, fortune tellers, ESP, alien abductions, angels, etc.

36

Unrealized hopes and dreams - crappy reality of life

by tartarus in

i am thankful to jehovah's witnesses who taught me the bible.

i still believe it is the word of god.

i have studied other spiritual traditions and have compared different teachings and haven't found one that gives such a positive outlook on the future.

donny

Welcome to JWD! Like you, I became disallusioned in the last couple of years as a Witness, and even more so the first few after I left when I realized that an afterlife is really just a dream created by some folks along time ago as a way to keep people in line. Back in those days it would be very hard for a ruler to control masses of people without having them believe that the ruler has a "God" on his side watching and recording everything you do and if your bad, watch out because if the ruler does not catch you, then "God" will. After I came to terms with that reality, I have learned to enjoy life in the present instead of sacrificing any and all joy for something always in the future stream of time. So get out and enjoy life!!! After all, Life is a rock, but the radio rolled me!

3

When did the study edition of the Watchtower start?

by donny in

just curious as i have been out of the loop over the last couple of years.

when did they start the study edition of the watchtower and how often is it published?

.

donny

Just curious as I have been out of the loop over the last couple of years. When did they start the study edition of the Watchtower and how often is it published?

18

why i disbelieve

by inkling in

the following is a response to a jw friend who still occasionally tries to save my soul, or at least understand it.. his questions are in italics.. i have not yet sent this email.. ========================= what exactly is it that makes you disbelieve there's a god, or makes you unsure he exists?

i think a more sensical question is what makes you so sure he does?

when debating the existence of something invisible, the burden ofproof rests solidly on the shoulders of the believer.

donny

Very good post. I could not have said it better.

28

Captives of a Concept

by Mickey mouse in

jw
friends

what a fantastic book!

i really enjoyed it.

i loved the way don cameron refused to get bogged down with arguing for an alternative scriptural interpretation to the witnesses.

donny

I agree that this is one of the best books I have read about the Watchtower Society since Ray Franz's "Crisis if Conscience." I got Don's book about a month ago and I was more than pleased with it. It hit so many of the points that I pondered back when I left in September of 1992. Like Don and Peter Gregerson, I tried to convince myself that it was God's Organization and I went back and looked at the teachings between 1914 and 1919 when Jesus was supposedly reviewing all of the Christian religions. After just a two day review I knew that there was no way he selected them as the faithful and wise servant. Don's book tackes this issue regarding this concept which binds the JW's and completely deflates it. Great book Don!

From another "Don"

6

Did you work on quick builds or other projects just to avoid meetings?

by donny in

i was part of the north texas quick build group for some five years and we seemed to be building a new hall about every six weeks.

i was also up at the denton (krum) assembly hall for most weekends in 1990 and 91 as the hall was being built.

how many of you joined these work groups just to get out of meeting attendance and field service?

donny

I was part of the North Texas quick build group for some five years and we seemed to be building a new hall about every six weeks. I was also up at the Denton (Krum) Assembly Hall for most weekends in 1990 and 91 as the Hall was being built. How many of you joined these work groups just to get out of meeting attendance and field service? I know I did because I would rather swing a hammer and tote heavy objects than to listen to Brother Williams talk about various types and ant-types.

20

Fort Worth TX DC report (Friday June 27)

by TJ - iAmCleared2Land in

family just got back.

a couple of interesting things.. they have teddy there.

jaracz is the visiting gb member.

donny

makes you wonder why they just don't utilize the Assembly Hall in Denton and save the expense of renting.

I never got to see the inside of the finished Denton Assembly Hall. I worked on that thing for the better part of two years, but I came to my senses before the AH came to its completion.

19

Bluegrass fading

by hobbitLore in

jw
friends

not the actual bluegrass here in kentucky, just a family here that have decided to stop being part of jehovah's witnesses.. .

my wife and i were both raised in the organization and it is still a difficult journey for us.

her family is still active and that makes it tough for us to go quietly.

donny

Yes, Welcome to JWD. Your story makes very good sense. My story was very similar in that you start comparing what you are taught against what the evidence is and you begin to see a lot of dicrepancies. I also had a hard time with the "vegetarian lions and tigers" teaching as well. You can plainly see that many animals are designed for eating meat. But my biggest issue was how could Jesus in his right mind choose the Watchtower Society as the "faithful and discret" slave in 1919 based on what they were teaching. They were teaching some of the most bizarre and ludicrous beliefs and yet they want us to believe that Jesus could not find anything better.

20

Fort Worth TX DC report (Friday June 27)

by TJ - iAmCleared2Land in

family just got back.

a couple of interesting things.. they have teddy there.

jaracz is the visiting gb member.

donny

Ft. Worth is where most of the DC's were when I was attending back in the 1980's and early 1990's. Because Jared Hardie pretty much ran the conventions and was a former Bethelite, he always seemed to get a governing body member to speak at the convention. By the way, is Jared Hardie still running the Ft. Worth conventions? He is the slim black guy who speaks quite well and was one of the few I believed lived the life of a real JW. God, I am so glad that part of my life is behind me!!!!