here's you chance, tell the organization how you really feel about the shunning arrangement.
merry magdalene has inspired me, and a fresh, right-off-the-press group has been formed, .
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/comebackmom/.
Excellent idea. I think the whole shunning thing should be hammered globally throughout the media and will see if I can get some articles printed. Everyone that i tell about shunning is horrified at the thought of it. I think every means possible needs to be used to alert people.
At a time when manipulative fundamental religions are causing so much havoc in the world I think people will be more interested and willing to act against the WTS and this evil practice.
i left the org slightly before the change in the "generation that was alive in 1914" thing was announced and wondered, what were peoples in the congregations reactions after this was announced and did it you notice people falling away because of it?
has it had a damaging effect?
I was in bethel in 93 and realised there was not Holy Spirit directing things. That led me to think Armageddon could be wrong, led me to wondering how would they deal with the whole generation issue. So when the generation thing was changed I was half expecting it, and half devastated as here was proof that the WTS has mistranslated the bible. But I still floundered around in the org for 10 more years.
In my congregation it was all excitement, new light, everyone trying to explain it properly. I am not aware of anyone that stopped going to meetings over it. Remember that the Watchtower made the new teaching difficult to understand and then kept following up with the idea that the New System is about to come. I spoke to several people that the new teaching meant the end could be another 100 years away, and no one agreed with me, it was the same as ever, the new system is about to happen.
However i think the stats speak for themselves. There has been virtual zero growth in the developed world for the 10 years since.
i will start by apologizing for the following rant and i hope i do not bore everyone but this is on my mind.
i had an epiphany.
it may have been a segment on the today show, a short piece about catholics and celibacy that started the thought process.
Nice to hear your story and I am sure many here would love to know more about how active you still are with meetings and how that part of your life is going.
In regards to celibacy etc, the WTS has always pushed celibacy and not having children, to a greater or lesser extent. In the 40's Rutherford said to put it off as the end was almost near. I remember in the 90's the DC with a part entitled "Responsible Child Rearing in the time of the end". A lot of guilt tripping over Armageddon being just around the corner and to remember Mat "Woe to the suckling mother". I reguarly spoke to JWs that said they would love kids, but not in this evil system, they would wait till the New System.
Even priviledges such as the Ministerial Training School are only open to single brothers (though to be fair Gilead training is generally given to Married Couples)
the day i was told i was going to be d/f i my wife also did a test and found out she is pregnant.
yesterday she went to the doctor and she is already 9 weeks.
i can't think of a better way to move on and create a new and wonderful life.. i am 36, going on 21, and have a 19 yo step son and 13 yo step daughter that i love dearly.
Thanks again all.
DarkKnight, definitely looking forward to getting together again. There are a few more Aussies that want to meet too so we can organise a group again.
Lostlantern, welcome to the board. I just read your posts and see that you are wanting a child too, so wishing you all the best with that. Once you make that stand to move on you will find life gets better, so dont stress too much over the very difficult time you are going through, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Robdar, I don't mind what we have. As i have lived with a girl and a boy both can be enjoyable. Have more fun going out with the son, but the daughter is far easier to live with.
let's say you have 20 seconds (give or take) to make an impression on a jw.
to say something that will stick in their head and make them really think.
because you know, that once they realize you are an apostate, they will shut down anything else that you have to say.. what do you say?.
I liked Doof's one;
Is the WTS directed by Holy Spirit?
I know many JWs that have laboured over this internally. They come up a semi satisfactory answer, but are always on shaky ground with it. Any answer they give can be counteracted.
Yes, the bible says HS guides the elders. - So how come they appoint wrongdoers?
Yes, Holy spirit chose the F&D slave - What scripture shows that it would be the WTS? When were they chosen? (1919) Oh, and what did they teach when they were chosen in 1919?
Yes, the HS is the reason for such growth in the Organisation - But haven't the 7th day and Mormons grown at the same rate?
Yes, we have the most love, we don't go to war - Funny but don't the 7th dayers say exactly the same thing?
Yes, that is why our doctrine is right - But didn't JWs say the end would be in 1914, and then 1925? Didn't they used to say to worship Jesus? Didn't they say the last generation was in the 1800's, and then the 1900's and now sometime in the 2000's?
often what we accept in society, is based on how and where we were raised.
for example, in some countries it is okay to have more then one spouse and arranged marriages are how you marry.
often we take these examples, and others that happen elsewhere, and label them as just wrong.
only if they both worked to support themselves.
The OT was full of polygamy, even encouraged it. I a man died his brother took his wife. I think it is dependant on the circumstances. When war decimates the population of viril young men then it is necessary.
Tha being said, in Aust it does not work. With equality women do not need to be married to live comfortably. And they expect so much after reading all those magazines that it it impossible to satisfy just one lady. I can't keep up with one wife, let alone a harem of them.
the organization is so deceitful that they will tell the watchtower readers that the elders should deal mercifully with wrongdoers but in private letters or correspondence thru the circuit overseers, they will tell the elders not to allow "leaven" within their midst.
they say it's better to disfellowship and see whether someone's truly repentant afterwards rather than taking a chance to contaminate the congregation.......another example of their being two-faced is that they will tell the brotherhood not to buy homes, cars, vacations, etc.
unnecessarily as it could signal materialism, yet the watchtower society spends more money on real estate than we could ever possibly imagine but it's ok for them..........can you think of other things that show that the organization is hypocritical??
As VM44 said, the Aust bethel needed a lawyer for their legal department so they took a CO into bethel and then paid to put him through uni.
i personally feel no particular need for institutionalised religion, but recognise it is a benefit to many people.
however i am constantly asked, "where do i go to now?
what is the best answer to give someone?
I have been dieing to check out the Bahai, I personally think all religion points the same direction and Bahai is a pacifist religion that seems to recognise that. I also love the concepts of Buddha, however many exJWs are not ready to start on that journey.
this has probably by far the hardest adjustment my husband and myself have had to make.
sometimes we feel like we just dont really belong anywhere.
sometimes we still act and think like jw s even though we are getting together a nice network of new friends.. my question is, does it get easier with time to feel like you belong somewhere?.
What you feel is normal. It takes a long time to rewire your brain, to learn not to judge people by JW standards and to be interested in the same things as everyone else. I have heard people say they it took 2 years to fit in.
I lived a double life for a few years trying to get to know how to be a worldly person, so it is hard to say how long it takes if you do it cold turkey. At first I never had anything to say. Now I am well and truly comfortable with normal people and the last few times i was with JWs i could not believe how pathetically narrow their lives and minds were.
You will get there. It just takes time to learn who the real you is and what you are interested in. Then you will find many wonderful people with the same interests.
Tetra, i cant believe it has been only a year for you, you know so much about non JW ideas I assumed it was built up over years.
OH NO, my post number 666.
i personally feel no particular need for institutionalised religion, but recognise it is a benefit to many people.
however i am constantly asked, "where do i go to now?
what is the best answer to give someone?
Speaking to people is more spiritual than being lectured from a pulpit. I like David's idea of shooting pool and discussing things.
The suggestions are interesting sounding Churches though I feel like I should check some out before recommending any.
I went to a Penticostal Church in London once and it just wasn't my thing. A long lecture about how important it is to donate, then some signing and dancing. It was bad enough being a stranger without having to dance in a light hall.
