I remember the 1st congr. I was in had about 10 kids. 5 were kids of elders, 1 a kid of a MS and the others belonged to pubs. Fourteen years later I learned that most left the "truth" - 1 kid whose father was an elder ended up in jail for armed robbery, another kid of an elder is an alcoholic, 3 lead very disfunctional lives having been married and divorced a few times. Another ended up running away and disappearing. Out of all these kids I knew in that congr. I think only 1 remained a JW in good standing. Jesus said you can tell a rotten tree by the fruitage it produces. By his definition then the Watchtower is certainly one very rotten tree. I feel very sorry for kids growing up in this religion. They are the real victims of this sick and twisted religion and I hope to God it gets choppped down soon.
Posts by cbew
-
141JW Kids Leave the Organization: Facts
by Maximus inthe october 1 watchtower 2001 features articles on training children "properly" and dealing with a "prodigal child.
the latest inside u.s. figures reveal that 86% of jw children leave the fold, with some 29% who eventually come back for reasons of family ties, most never "reaching out.
" that means over half leave permanently.
-
-
-
52
Door-to-Door Work - Most Inneffective Work of the 21st Century
by Black Man inknockin' on doors when nobody's home, processing ten of thousands of hours that u know are fake, refusing to embrace modern-technology to further the work just adds up to the most ineffective public relations campaign of the 21st century---yep, you guessed it the house-to-house work.........
-
-
cbew
Great posts. Yes, the door to door work has never been effective in locating new converts and bringing them in but it is an effective channel for the distribution of their literature and bringing in the $$$$. Like any business organization it has to have an outlet and distribution channels for its products. If you figure at least $5 to $10 dollars in donations per month per publisher ( either paid for by the publisher or donations received in the field ) you are looking at approx. $360 million to $720 million comming in to enrich the WTS publishing empire. Great business when you figure it costs nothing to the WTS for this distribution outlet. It has always been about the $$$ otherwise why keep doing the HH work when it is so ineffective.
-
67
Ran into two JW's in service today, I was on !!!, it was classic !!!
by run dont walk inwell, for some reason i was up extra early today, understand i am night person and usually sleep to 11 or so today i was up at 9 and decided to take the dogs out before it got to hot outside.
i hadn't been gone 3 minutes and as i came out of my street onto another i bumped into 2 jw's (females) getting out of their suv.
they asked do you have a couple of minutes.
-
-
cbew
Good for you. Wish I could have been there to see the expressions on their faces. And oh bye the way did you remember to count your time on this RV? Ha ha just kidding. What a relief not to have to do that anymore. Since leaving myself I have made it a personal goal to speak to as many JW's that come to my door or encounter on the street as much as possible. Remember these br. and sis. are just as much victims as we once were. I have produced a good "tract" that I show them that provokes an immediate response. I included a picture of the May 15, 1984 Wat about the "generation" that will not pass away. Remember that Wat with a picture of elderly people on it with the caption "1914 - The generation that will not pass away ". They wish they never printed that article. Anyways showing that to them does make them think. I have already talked to 2 br. and 1 sis. and already one was very shocked and surprised. Hopefully this leads her to question more. Anyways if anyone wants a copy of this "tract" feel free to email me at [email protected] and include in the subject line "Witnessing to JW tract"
-
40
I attended my first meeting at a KH!!
by playdrums infor the memorial service i went with my girlfriend.
she's the jw.
i also brought my best friend.
-
-
cbew
I have read somewhere that the actual practice of rejecting the bread and wine is a ritual practiced in certain Satanic occult circles. Anybody hear the same thing? Wouldn't surprise me though as the whole relgion has its foundations from the occult and freemasonry. Russell was heavily involved in astrology and pyramidology himself. Glad to be out nonetheless and have no desire to return whatsoever. I was able to celebrate the memorial with a few ex-JWs and all of us partook. First time for me and I must say it is certainly a unique and happy occasion. Jesus said His sheep will hear his voice and come to him not to some intermediary organization claiming to have Christ's authority.
-
38
For those of you raise in the "truth" a Question
by obiwan ini myself was raised in the "truth" til i was df'd at the age of 21. i have often wondered that if i were allowed to grow up just as every other child did in the u.s. would i have been interested in looking at the organization and taking interest?
do any of you think and wonder the same thing?
-
-
cbew
I was not raised in the "truth". I came in a young man in my late teens but I would like to offer you a different perspective of why anyone in the world would become a JW. The JW's called on me at a very vulnerable time in my life. I was living at home with my parents at the time and they were going thru a seperation at the time. A year earlier my younger sister had also ran away from home and we did not know her whereabouts. It was at this crisis time of my life that the JW's came with their positive message of paradise. This sounded very appealing and of course I fell for it hook line and sinker. Also, if you are a newbie to the Kingdom Hall you of course get lavished all the attention. A couple in the congregation took me under their wings and for the first time I felt like I had a stable family in the "truth". There was no internet available at the time nor did I have access to any critical information exposing the Watchtower, so naturally I took in everything they said at face value without examining the other side. Although I did have some doubts I learned to quickly put them aside as we were told to do and just "wait on Jehovah" for further clarification. So at first I did not see any of the negatives of the JW lifestyle nor did I know anything about the past history and teachings of the Watchtower. Had I known their past history and teachings I certainly would of hesitated in getting baptised. Once you are in, however, it becomes much more difficult to get out as your whole life now revolves around the JW cult. The first few years in the JW cult I was on a newbie high and I did enjoy my life as a JW. It wasn't until much later after being appointed as a MS, and elder that I began to see much of the hypocrisy and double standards. I was not until I got online with the internet in the mid 90's and after the change of the generation teaching that I began to do some serious investigation. Needless to say, once one begins to do this investigation it doesn't take long for one to discover the truth about the "truth". A year later after I had started my investigation I made my decision to exit the cult. So that is my story and how someone in the "world" can be hooked into this cult. In retrospect, if they had not called on me at such a vulnerable point in my life I probably would not have gotten involved. I did have many doubts at the time but had learned to submerge these doubts because of emotional and spiritual support they offered me at the time. I still have a great love for many of the brothers and sisters I left behind and it is my prayer that they too one day wake up and come out from this cult.
-
52
The Reinstatement Process & How It Works
by minimus inpreviously, we considered what might go on at a judicial meeting.now, let's see what the reinstatement process entails.
let's use the example of fornication.
you have been disfellowshipped for this sin and now you want to seek reinstatement.
-
-
cbew
As has been mentioned on this thread the whole reinstatement process as well and the 3 man JC meeting is completely unscriptural and open to abuses of the most grievous kind. I remember one brother who had moved into our congregation and applied for reinstatement after being out for over 10 years and after meeting with him was told to do the usual things ( get to meetings, study etc. ) and patiently "wait on Jehovah". This brother did exactly as we had encouraged him to do and after 8 months approached the body again for an answer. He was again told to keep doing what he was doing and just keep on "waiting on Jehovah". After 6 more months past he again approached the body and ask why he was not reinstated. Again he was told the same thing. At this point I then questioned the PO about his particular situation and was informed by him that the "sin" he originally committed was having doubts about the organization and questioning certain organizational teachings. Therefore, it was felt that in order to protect the congregation from his "apostate" leanings we had to be absolutely sure of his loyatly. Apparently any that leave for these reasons have a much harder time returning and are made to undergo a more humiliating wait. After nearly two years of this humiliating treatment he was finally reinstated.
-
39
What REALLY Happens During A Judicial Meeting
by minimus inyou're in front of 3 elders and are being asked all types of questions.
you are afraid that you might get disfellowshipped.
the elders tell you that you must speak the truth, since jehovah hears all and since jehovah hates a liar.
-
-
cbew
As a former elder who sat on the other side of Judicial Committee meetings I am truly ashamed of what I took part in. Often times in these judgements there is no real justice or mercy being served. I remember one case I was on where the decision to disfellowship had already been made by the PO who also sat in on the case. Before we met with this unfortunate brother the PO gave his whole biased opinion on the particular case and implied strongly that for the sake of keeping the congregation "clean" we had to disfellowship despite anything the brother may say in his defense. We had decided the case even before we met with the brother. To this day I am ashamed that I went along with that decision as I learned later of the personal grudge this PO harboured toward this brother. As I later learned in other cases I sat in on, this abuse of authority was often the norm rather than the exception as a large percentage of judgments were often influence by personal biases and feelings of the elders. Abuses in authority and power often happen in these judicial hearings and this is one of the factors that led me to resign and eventually leave the organization.
-
76
STOP Talking to Your Family OR ELSE!
by UnDisfellowshipped in" (the watchtower july 1st 1963 issue, page 411).
" (the watchtower july 1st 1963 issue, page 413).
" (the watchtower july 15th 1963 issue, page 446).
-
-
cbew
This latest counsel is more signs of a desperate organization trying to impose more controls on dissenters. One really wonders whether this mother got reinstated because she really believes the WTS or because she desired to restore family relations. While serving as an elder I knew of many that came back just for that reason and not because they really desired to be good JWs again. Any thinking person can see this for what it really is - emotional blackmail. Hopefully many still in will wake up and see the ugly truth behind this lastest tactic.
-
25
6 months out and at times doubtful
by Leander init was in may of this year that i resigned as a minsterial servant and stopped attending jw meetings.
i made a fairly clean break from my congregation without the typical disassociation process.
while some areas of my exit were very smooth others were extremely difficult.
-
-
cbew
Leander
Take comfort that you are not alone in your situation. I recently left myself and at times it has been very fustrating and discouraging trying to show the ones you love the deception and lies of the Watchtower. I read somewhere once that comming to accept the truth about the Watchtower organization is like someone comming to the realization that their mother or father ,whom they love and respected all their life, is a murderer and liar. The mind just does not want to accept such a truth no matter how much factual information is presented as it shatters their sense of security and everything they have come to believe and accept. The best thing you can do for your wife now is not try to force the issue in a confrontational showdown. Show her love and respect her feelings and opinions but at the same time gradually share with her the truth about the Watchtower - doing so in a nonconfrontational way. Eventually she may come around and see the organization for what it really is. Another wonderful avenue open to us from our loving Creator is prayer. Do pray for her. Ask God to help free her from her mental bondage and no matter what do not give in or give up. Hope this is of help.
-
25
6 months out and at times doubtful
by Leander init was in may of this year that i resigned as a minsterial servant and stopped attending jw meetings.
i made a fairly clean break from my congregation without the typical disassociation process.
while some areas of my exit were very smooth others were extremely difficult.
-
-
cbew
Leander
Take comfort that you are not alone in your situation. I recently left myself and at times it has been very fustrating and discouraging trying to show the ones you love the deception and lies of the Watchtower. I read somewhere once that comming to accept the truth about the Watchtower organization is like someone comming to the realization that their mother or father ,whom they love and respected all their life, is a murderer and liar. The mind just does not want to accept such a truth no matter how much factual information is presented as it shatters their sense of security and everything they have come to believe and accept. The best thing you can do for your wife now is not try to force the issue in a confrontational showdown. Show her love and respect her feelings and opinions but at the same time gradually share with her the truth about the Watchtower - doing so in a nonconfrontational way. Eventually she may come around and see the organization for what it really is. Another wonderful avenue open to us from our loving Creator is prayer. Do pray for her. Ask God to help free her from her mental bondage and no matter what do not give in or give up. Hope this is of help.