Wasanelder Once

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Posts by Wasanelder Once

• 
  25

  Overheard at the S.A.D.: Only Witnesses Understand Eph. 5:28-33

  by under_believer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at our special assembly day, there was a visiting speaker from bethel.

  don't remember his name, but he was a humorless and austere gentleman who was very clearly a company man.

  he said many questionable things, especially in the way he generalized about "the world" and "worldly ones.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Look, if the kids went to Bethel instead of Disneyland, at least they'd be gauranteed to become "Goofy".

  Boo, hisss...... I hear ya.

  W.Once
• 
  10

  PO showed up to encourage me. Haven't seen him for two years.

  by Wasanelder Once in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yesterday the po (15 years my junior) pulls up in his truck, finished with service and interested in saying hello.

  he shoots the breeze for a few minutes and i show him the apt.

  we're remodeling.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Yesterday the PO (15 years my junior) pulls up in his truck, finished with service and interested in saying hello. He shoots the breeze for a few minutes and I show him the apt. we're remodeling. Then he asks, "Do you think you'll ever come back?" He knows I've consciously decided not to return, that's obvious. I tell him that I'm not encouraged when I attend the meetings because of the petty backbiting and lack of love.

  PO: "That's just people, you can't let them get between you and Jehovah."

  ME: "It's their love that is supposed to be the identifying mark of True Christianity. If I go there and don't find love, what does that indicate to me? I think I'm smart enough to not go and sit amongst people who are false to their belief. It doesn't mean that Jehovah's not God. It doesn't mean I don't beleive in the creator. It just means I'm smart enough to recognize where the abuse is and avoid it."

  PO: "But like a child Jehovah expects us to do things that are out of obedience, things we don't want to do."

  ME: "True, there is benefit in obeying wise counsel even if its distasteful. I feel confident that in this I am better off. Jehovah knows where I stand. Its between me and him. I know you have the litany of meetings, service, study, prayer, etc.. I can pray anytime, which many JW's dont do at all. I can read the Bible anytime and talk about the creator if I wish. I don't have to attend the kingdom hall to do that. It's not where your ass is, its where your heart is that matters. Many JW's including elders and Pioneers are going through the motions. If I don't want to be there, that's what I am avoiding. THe Faithful slave says to cut short a family Bible study when the family is enjoying it most so that you don't kill thier joy. If you force it you run the risk of running them off. For me, I stopped when I found I wasn't enjoying it any more and it had become a drag. In fact, it was to preseve my spirituality. It may not be a popular choice, but I'm not encouraging others to do it and I'm not trying to convice anyone else to think the way I do. This is my personal choice."

  PO: "But the Faithful Slave says that meetings are a commandment".

  ME: "But the BIble doesn't. Unless there's been new light on that since I haven't attended. (He shakes his head no.) Therefore it is a suggestion that we attend, not a commandment. I'm still free to decide if I want to honor that suggestion, right?"

  PO: "Yeah".

  ME: "OK, you know where I stand right now. If I feel compelled in the future, I will attend."

  Poor slob just couldn't contend with it. Then he brings up: " Some say you are angry . You wont attend because of people and how they've acted. Myself included. They say you don't like me."

  ME: "Well, I've been angry in the past but I've let that go. It's counter productive. Those same individuals say they don't like you either."

  PO: "Publishers don't like elders. How long will you hold things against others?" He then began to discuss an elder that we know and how his wife has to work two jobs to support him because he's ill. (MD of some sort) He checks her WT to make sure its highlighted and is on her about service etc. The PO says, "he treats her like a publisher." Boy was that telling. Why? Because this shows the dumbass PO sees that as the way you treat a publisher, not your family whom you love. Talk about making my point for me. He can't even see it.

  ME: "I'm not holding the past against others, I'm just not giving them the opportunity to treat me falsely in the future. That's a basic part of self worth, protecting yourself from abuse. I don't need it, especially from God's true congregation. There's a mindset of doing things according to requirements that keep people from feeling they have to be friends and or compassionate towards others so long as they are towing the party line. I have no use for that kind of thinking, you know I never have. I disagree, publishers don't like insensitive elders who treat them like a statistic and not a friend. I know, I've been there and seen how it goes."

  PO: "So many would be encouraged if you came back".

  ME: "Well, I'm never going there to encourage others who care so little about me that they wont call or visit or even show concern when I'm sick. I have no need of friends of that ilk. You're here after a year or more. I expected the pep talk, but would rather have you come to see me and invite me to have coffee or see a movie or play chess or whatever. I know that encouraging me is "True" friendship, but its hollow without any real contact besides this sort of quasi-official visit".

  PO: "I'm not here on any judicial call."

  ME: "I know, you would have had another elder with you, i'm not stupid. Its just that there is no action behind your words or the words of the others who haven't spoken with me for two years. No service or meeting attendance and a person is out. Out of the hall, out of mind and out of heart no matter how much they have shown love to others. I'm sure its because they assume that the love they were shown was under compulsion just as their own has been. There was lots more but its too much to talk about. I'm not into championing any doctrinal BS. I'm not gonna change them and I want family able to have contact without repercussions. I just left it to his judgement that I'm spiritually weak and down for the count right now.

  This fellow was raised a witnoid and is rock solid hooked into it. I felt as sorry for him as he was for me I'm sure. All in all I think I bamboozled him to stay off may ass. I've always been able to use the witnoid speach against these morons. Hook in the nose and around the ring they go.

  Here's hoping you have as nice a visit with your ex-PO as I did. (not)

  W.Once
• 
  39

  Did anyone really buy into the "Universal Sovereignty" issue?

  by loli in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am new to the forum, but not new to jw indoctrination.

  even as a child, i would ask myself, "why would the almighty creator need to prove anything to anyone, including him/her/itself?

  really, one of the few scriptures that i do actually agree with is that 'god is love.

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  Wasanelder Once

  The WT CD Library doesn't go any further back than 1950. That's the earliest I've found any reference to the "Issue of Unversal Sov." Here's the quote. I don't know when the focus was taken off of "Vindicating" his name and place on the U.Sov. issue, but it was discussed as far back as this:

  w508/15p.257AnsweringtheFoesofHisGovernment

  27

  We will keep our integrity to God in vindication of his universal sovereignty and his right to rule his creation, this earth and all people permitted to live on it. In Theocratic obedience and faithfulness we will march on toward the New World, rejoicing in all further expansion of his kingdom, for there will be no end to its increase even this side of Armageddon. If we keep on sowing his Kingdom message, we shall reap returns for eternity, for God will give his promised increase. Let Christendom go on sowing to the wind by pursuing the futile course of this old world; she will reap the whirlwind at Armageddon. We who have sown to the interests of Jehovah?s Theocracy by Christ will reap the increase of thousands of other Kingdom adherents, the "other sheep" whom the Good Shepherd will yet gather into the "one fold" of everlasting safety.?John 10:16.

  W.Once
• 
  7

  In Memory of Jennifer Mansell

  by Gill in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this jw woman was disfellowshiped around 1973. she had criticised an elder for insisting that his group go out in service every saturday but never going out himself.

  apparantly it was his family day.

  he would go out on sunday and would then criticise his group for not going out on sunday as well!!.

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  Wasanelder Once

  I know that these days they can have a JC for "loose conduct" in such instances. It supposedly means that finding fault with duly appointed authority is spiritually loose conduct and punishable by DF'ing if unrepentent. I have never heard of that card being played in the early 1970's. I think it was thought up in the 80's during the time of the big Bethel apostacy. Are you sure that's why she was DF'd? Sounds like there may have been other issues. Either way its certainly sad.

  W.Once
• 
  5

  A Biography of Charles Taze Russell

  by Kenneson in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in 1959, page 63, the divine plan of the ages denied that the watchtower society ever published a biography of charles taze russell.

  the writer certainly was not very knowledgeable.

  had he checked early watchtower magazines, he would have located russell's biography in the dec. 1, 1916 number.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Could they have been referring to the fact that they have never published a biography of Russell in "book" form? The thrust being that they have not deified or elevated him to worshipful founder status as have some, say Christian Scientists and Mary Baker Eddy by means of an official biography book? This was a no brainer for me, kind of nitpicky. They are worse on the big stuff. This sort of piffle is grasping at straws. I think it detracts from the real issues, ie: 1914, 1975, Flashing new light and such.

  Whatever floats your boat.

  W.Once
• 
  37

  NEW TRACT

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  sorry if posted elsewhere.

  the new tract (kingdom news 37) was released last night.

  letter read to congregation.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Lets face it, the Awake is only once a month. That frees up the presses for running Tracts of the size we are seeing. They can run the equivilent of half the magazine's pages, each part back to back being one tract. So, run 1,000,000 Awakes? You have some 8,000,000 tracts a pop. Now they will hand them away guilt free. Same amount of paper, just not in magazine form. Its just away to get the bookbags out of the hands and make the whole process easier for new and old alike. No stress, no conversations and no asking for money.

  How easy it will be to scatter the seeds of troot.

  W.Once
• 
  25

  Do elders feel any different after they are appointed?

  by dido in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i`d like to ask all ex elders and current elders (lot`s of new ones on the forum today), if they feel any different after they were appointed?

  like a special portion of `j`s spirit`, or did they feel the same?

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  Wasanelder Once

  I was one of those who was doing everything that elders did, long before I was appointed. It just stamped my activities as official. Of course they heaped more on me at that point. As has been said, it was then that I saw the rotten core of the congregation for what it was. I wanted out... If I hadn't had so many assignments in the Circuit that made me feel like Jehovah was compensating for the local Jackasses I might have resigned sooner. Eventually i had enough.

  No special feeling except the feeling of accomplishment stated above.

  W.Once
• 
  21

  Did anyone else wonder why?

  by Jerohobobonadad in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i always thought that if you want to do 6 or 60 hours a month in field service, why make a big fanfare about it and become a pioneer or whatever?

  i always thought if you want to go out loads, then go out loads; why do you need a group of "elders" to approve of it and make an announcement?

  i've read about a few on this board who got turned down for pioneering.

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  Wasanelder Once

  To "Regular Pioneer" used to be more challanging. You had to put in 100 hours a month. This was at great personal sacrifice for most. To give more incentive, there is a Pioneer Service school available to those who are "appointed" to Regular Pioneer and do so for one complete service year, September through the following August. This was quite an incentive. Two weeks surrounded by others making the same sacrifice of time, etc. was really a nice perk.You got your own textbook and intensive training in how to be an "Uber" witnoid.

  Of course there was a discount on all the literature when it was charged for. Free food at the district convention was provided for the Pioneers too. The Pioneers always received the first copies of the newest releases. So, the rationale about pioneering was the support and the various breaks given to "defray" the costs of doing so. Now its no big deal in those respects. Seventy hours a month? Big whoop.

  I suggest you get a real job instead and plan on retiring instead of schlepping magazines all over town that people will throw away or use in thier birdcage.

  W.Once
• 
  41

  The most annoying issues you found within the organization were ...

  by The wanderer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  untitled document <!-- .style1 {font-family: verdana} .style2 {font-family: verdana; font-style: italic; } --> the things that seemed to bother us the most before leaving the organization there were a number of.

  things that used to bother me within the organization.. for example, the time that the organization use to.

  absorb, it seemed that i gave more than i received.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Purplesofa,

  It was actually: Pragraph read: Answer expected to be given stated, Question asked, Answer not accepted until answer expected to be given, that was given, is repeated.

  How do you spell INDOCTRINATION?

  Personally, I found it annoying that no one could help anyone else see where they were making a mistake if they ranked above you in a system without rank.... Right. You could counsel laterally, but not up. No publisher could correct an MS or an Elder and rarely a Pioneer. A Pioneer couldn't correct an MS or and Elder. A MS could not correct an Elder etc. I got reemed once for talking with a MS (friend) once about an article I read. He felt I was counseling him and he told the PO who came and gave me a rash of crap about it. I set him straight and wouldn't let him play that game with me. I said, "the only difference between me and you pal, is that you're appointed by Holy Spirit and you just haven't let it appoint me yet."

  Guy was a twit.

  W.Once
• 
  9

  Was you like this when you was a little child?

  by skyking in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  3 min long video watch and see if you can remember back as a little child, could you of made your parents happy?.

  http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8136172464983968081&q=%22obsession+the+movie%22&hl=en.

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  Wasanelder Once

  Isn't she the cutest little bazooka toten baby whacko you ever saw? Allahlallah be praised for such a true young, islamic girl. I wonder if she can count her time for talking on the television? Would a return visit entail a car bomb? Parents just keep whoring thier children to the God of thier war mongering elders.

  God is great. People are shit. ...No, wait, reverse that and apply it to both.

  W.Once