Posts by Wasanelder Once

29

Not an elder anymore?

by ivy in

i just found out from my son that my father is not an elder anymore.

he has no idea why.

of course i called home, but no one is there, probably at a meeting.

I am on the way out physically. My eyes are too wide open to sit and listen to the sound of the watchtower studys and other meetings. WHen I was a kid I felt absolutely spooked by the rosary at my G'pa's funeral. Now the meetings sound like that. People are moving thier lips but saying nothing sensible. I dont comment any more. When I do I get mobbed, "Oh we miss your comments". That's because they were always my comments and not by rote.

Short answer, I don't know if there is such a thing as a real "Jehovah's Witness" so I don't know if I could be one either. Jehovah listens to me when I talk to him, he listens to the little kid in India heating himself with cowshit on the streets of Calcutta where he lives. Can't believe He'll kill him for not taking the magazines.

Seeking peace with those in the Fam still in captivity in the Spiritual Paradise. Gotta Fade. Can't replace family you've loved for 48 years just to make a point that no one gives a rats butt about anyway.

Love the air out here.

W. Once

36

S*its about to hit the fan with my in-laws

by pratt1 in

brief history:.

both my wife and i have faded from the borg for about 10 years.

we still maintain close relationhips with the dubs in our family on both sides.. my wife's sister has not only faded, but she has become an ordained minster, thus my mother in law calls her an "apostate" and refuses to have any contact with her.. her 4 year old daughter will stay with my family for about 2 weeks in august.

Wasanelder Once

Tell Granny to reread the words of the True Prophet of God for he has spoken thus:

"Another sort of loss may be felt by loyal Christian grandparents whose children have been disfellowshipped. They may have been accustomed to visiting regularly with their children, giving them occasion to enjoy their grandchildren. Now the parents are disfellowshipped because of rejecting Jehovah’s standards and ways. So things are not the same in the family. Of course, the grandparents have to determine if some necessary family matters require limited contact with the disfellowshipped children. And they might sometimes have the grandchildren visit them. How sad, though, that by their unchristian course the children interfere with the normal pleasure that such grandparents enjoyed!" w83 1/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers

Her "unchristian" Daughter has the right to tell her to "take a hike" and the Gov. Body is telling Granny HANDS OFF!

So tell her to be a good Jahonadab and stay clear of those Baal priests like her daughter.

Tell wifey that she's telling her sis, I DONT RESPECT YOU AND I CANT BE TRUSTED WITH YOUR CHILD. Granny has rules to follow tell her if she's gonna fall on the sword for the Lord she should take it to the hilt!

Move on.

Wasanelder Once

7

canned responses

by carla in

jw
friends

husband claims that there are no 'canned responses' taught at the kh.

the fact that i partially saw a little sheet of his that did in fact have canned responses to a householders questions & comments makes me think he just considers these suggestions.

isn't part of the meetings on tues & thurs specifically geared toward how to talk to non jw's?

Wasanelder Once

When I was pioneering a CO once complimented me for my "Presentations". ( We used to know them as "Sermons" ya'know? The whole "Back Call" before "Return Visit" days?) Anyhoo, he said most all of the publishers simply say, "Big book, Red book, 50cent book, you want it?" I thought that was funny. How about these, sound familiar?

1. "We were in the Neighborhood talking to our neighbors about > _________________________ fill in the line. (Sound Familiar?)

2. "If you could ask God one question, what would it be? > (Hmmmm, worked great.)

3. "Do you think we'll ever see a time when it will be safe for children to play in the street again? (Ironic, aint it?)

I remember when I came to a door with a young person in tow and the people were laughing and making loud and crude comments from inside about us. They were especially rude. WHen the young lady answered the door, I began, "Have you notice we live in times where people seem to care little about the feelings of thier neighbors? Do you think that kind of selfish unkindness is pleasing to God? We are attempting to show interest in our neighbors by bringing them a message of hope." Then I shared the magazines which I think she took out of guilt. So you see, mostly its a canned response, but then again not always!

293

A newbie's impression on this board, pros and cons

by smelly onions in

cons.

i don't know who is scarier, the jw's or some people on this board.

man, r u guys bitter?

Wasanelder Once

In some basic ways I understand what S.Onions is saying. If you were molested it was by the actions of a very ill person and not an organization, of this I'm sure you are aware. It doesn't matter if Russell sold miracle wheat or what was written in the KM that month, it was the sick desires of the perp that made you a victim. Nothing taught by JW's encourages that action. Yes the ORG does carry the guilt of not exposing it, there you are right. This is no little matter, agreed. Whether you or I were Jehovah's Witnesses did not cause you to be molested . Ok, the WTS makes a "Paradise for Pedophiles". Pretty damned simplistic if you ask me. What about the family members who knew or didn't want to believe? That happens in all families where this scourge invades. Its more prevelant than you may be aware and it doesn't change the fact that the perps need to be taken down. Anger is normal and at least you have an organization to tear apart. It is a bit like a little dog nipping at the heels of a bull, gonna get kicked back by the big sucker. Maybe in the meantime you can draw a little blood and avoid ulcers from holding it in. Eventually you gotta let it go. Time will take down that Mother of an Organization! IN the meantime, please, take a deep breath and go get help.

24

I was wrong, CT Russell was something of a prophet after all...

by jaffacake in

jw
friends

i am reading studies in the scriptures (1911) thy kingdom come..on page 145 ct russell describes what is wrong with religions of his day and their sunday schools & bible studies, ie people belong to earthly religions or organisations.

was he describing other sects of his day, or did he forsee what his bible students would eventually become?

methods hinder real growth in knowledge of truth...guarded, pointed questions, with prepared answers and no time left for the bible hungry student...bible study, skilfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas...brief sessions [one hour] more agreeable than bible study...they are led to feel they have performed a duty, and a sacrifice.

Wasanelder Once

Why so harsh Lawrence? They're only having fun.

8

Jehovah Witnesses Live in a Conflicting Environment (link)

by Bryan in

jehovah witnesses live in a conflicting environment.

for over 125 years the watchtower bible & tract society has been proclaiming the end of the world is nigh.

it is to be replaced with a new order where only those espousing their beliefs will live.

Wasanelder Once

Here am I, another victim of the "Don't waste your time in college, just Pioneer" attitude. I went inactive months after baptism but the lingering guilt of being inactive and wanting to "Return" always hung over my head. I traveled to see if this brotherhood really existed. It does, but its a brotherhood based on groupthink. It took me another 15 years of returned "activity" 9 of which as a pioneer, ministerial servant, elder, substitute Pioneer school instructor, blah blah blah, drone, before I said to hell with this. Now I'm attending university to get a degree I should have had when I was 20 something. I'm in my mid to late forties but what the heck, better now than when I'm in a wheelchair or something.

Dont pioneer, go to school and have a career and be ready to retire. The society aint gonna turn thier dumbo site into a retirement home for old Jdubs with cars that are worn out from collecting addresses all day.

82

Are you an Irritating Bastard?

by gumby in

how many of you ex witnesses out there became irritating bastards to family and friends when you left the organisation?

did you push your believing mate right out the door with your verbal assaults?

did you send out a long letter to all of your witness family and friends telling them what a lying cult the watchtower organisation is?

Wasanelder Once

After nearly thirty years doing God's will wholesouled I left. No I find myself less of an irritating bastard for sure. There are real advantages to not being home on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the last few decades, all the reruns of Friends and Frazer are new to me! Even Mash for that matter.

29

Not an elder anymore?

by ivy in

i just found out from my son that my father is not an elder anymore.

he has no idea why.

of course i called home, but no one is there, probably at a meeting.

Wasanelder Once

Ivy,

I deleted myself as an elder in the mid 90's. I was pioneering at that time and had just had assignments of releasing a new brochure at the district convention, being the substitute instructor for the Pioneer Service School, congregation Service overseer and was being prepped for substitute CO while I was awaiting word on an application to the Ministerial Training School. I was concerned when the announcer at the District convention announced each speaker as a "faithful brother for (insert years since baptism)". I had been inactive for over 11 years and and wanted to make sure they didn't make that mistake with me. I went to inform them so they wouldn't do that. The Convetion Chairman said, "Dont worry about it, no one knows. That brother ahead of you is a Circuit Overseer who has been disfellowshipped in the past. Its not a problem. I asked that he NOT announce me as faithful for "so many years", yet they announced me as faithful for over twenty years. (Wrong) This really struck me as dishonest. I could see if I had a little three month indescretion or something, but they were saying my 11 years of time off for bad behavior was still counted as faithful service. Kinda frosted me a little. That and all the corporate talk and condescending statements about those I felt were the beloved brothers turned me off more than I can say.

When I deleted myself the brothers were SHOCKED. The PO was never a fan of mine, I always lobbied on the side of mercy from the Body of Elders when dealing with brothers with low on hours while struggling to meet thier responsibilities at home or in the congregation. This hypocrite was always hard on brothers to do what he didn't do himself. His son was appointed a minsterial servant when he had not reported field service for six months. They just filled in the blanks and "Blink" he was in. Of course he had "time", he just "forgot" to submit it. The same PO wanted to delete Ministerial servants who missed reporting two months of service or reported less than 10 hours a a month. Dont get me started. Was another life, another time. The jackass is divorced now but Jehovah has kept this dear brother an elder. (He moved away... too late.)

If your father has deleted himself as an elder its always a good thing. It means he's stepped off the treadmill and is thinking. He's thinking about himself, his family and his relationship to Jehovah and others. Dont be anxious. He will be ok. It smacks of freedom either way. I hope the door doesn't hit him in the butt on the way out!

37

Whats the deal with fading.

by mtbatoon in

jw
friends

i'm not trolling here or trying to upset, i'm not attacking anyone personally or trying to force my opinion on others but having read a lot of people experiences on leaving the org i really can not understand the point of fading.

i understand that people risk losing contact with family members and friends but really what type of friend and how good a family member are they if they are willing to shun you for not holding the same beliefs?.

a bit of background might be in order here.

Wasanelder Once

So many of the Brothers and Sisters, (uh, cough, hack, choke) are there in name only. What they said when they stood and answered thier baptism questions meant simply, "I will join this here club and be good so you can see I'm trying. I will take on the evil world and that old lion Satan as he now goes for that target on the back of my suit of spiritual armour. I know I done bad and this little show will take it all away."

In time it becomes rote behavior and the going is the same as shopping for milk, ya gotta have it or you cant have your cereal. Then again you can always have a bagel. There are always choices. Those who "Fade" have realized its just A CHOICE. No one has authority over them. No one is keeping score. No one is racking up integrity points. Sure the Society has thier little integrity record sheets, ie; Publisher's Service Record card, but these are no longer viewed as valid by the faders. We see them as quaint and controlling piffle that the diehards pin thier hopes on. Forget it. We fade, we enjoy people for who they are and just dont worry if some major point is made by DA'ing or calling some fanatic mindset on the carpet. Those who are sheepishly enjoying thier theocratic lifestyle are welcome to it. "Faders" take thier time because it is in fact THIERS. If you want to make some universal point to the masses, write a letter and tell them to go take a flying flip. I'm enjoying life and using thier own rules to consternate them by living FREE.

24

Them thinking that pioneering is equal to my full time job!

by LongHairGal in

this was a topic that annoyed me and i got into a bit of an argument years ago over this.. some sister (who never worked a day in her life i might add) with the cushy life, affluent husband thought that because she pioneered it was equal to me having a full time secular job.

there were others there who naively thought the same thing.

somehow i gave them an inferiority complex because i worked so they had to dream this up to make themselves feel better.. while i agree that someone who pioneers may be physically tired at the end of the day, there is no comparison to what i have to deal with in going to and from and being on a full time job.

Wasanelder Once

Though hard to believe by many cynics, there were a few of us who pioneered out of a sincere interest in others. Sure there was the inherent guilt of the devoted that moved some forward, but all in all it was for me a genuine interest to be of help to others that made me shop second hand and "stay single for the Kingdom's sake". When that is the motive pioneering should be a full time job, different than a secular job but no less tiring mentally. (Unless of course your job is stacking ammo.) Sincerely, the self righteous, self sparing and self promoting "Pioneers" will diss you every time. Remember, the more worldly you are, the more spiritual they are. Those doing it according to the dictates of thier hearts will only ask you to join them for the day, whether baptised or not.

I was glad to get off the treadmill once I realized I was helping create more George Romero movie extras. I stood back and saw the pioneer hour requirement shrinking like the sincerity of those who pretended to meet them. I decided that Jehovah was more interested in where your heart is than where your body was. Work full time and drop the guilt. Use your head and let go of bitterness. Be here now.

If you believe in Jehovah, remember He could care less about thier opinions. If you dont, why be bitter with those self promoting fanatics anyway?