i have been reading and enjoying the posts here for over 2 years.
i have been a witness for over 30 years.
i am going to the meetings just to keep peace in the family.
Dear Toobad,
Toobad, we don't know who we are, we could hang out at the up and coming blah, blah, blah, D. convention. I did what you did last year, got the same price the Society did, and like you said all the elders and their families were there, it was booked solid when I called. So, I did the next best thing and pulled out my frequent stay card and got the same deal for my family, no one knew the difference.
Welcome, and I look forward to reading your stories.
OC
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and what other measures can be taken against a jw who does something the elders dissapprove of, short of disfellowshipping?.
(this may sound like a dumb question but i was never a jw)
I have found myself taking zero interest in anyone at the meetings, I think I could be very good friends with some of them, but why bother, because they would all cut you off on a moment if the CO or Elders told them to do so, whether that be from the plat form or just in private marking you as a bad associate.
OC
yesterday (monday) i was off school and work, and i told my mother i would go out in service.
so monday morning i got up, got dressed, drove to the hall, and there was no one there.
i fell asleep in my car while i waited, woke up to wave at a brother, then fell back asleep, and then woke up, looked around and left.
Dear Richie,
So far I have not communicated very much on the forum, but I am an avid reader of most of the posts and subjects. I have always enjoyed everything you write, you have a sense of humor like none other that I have seen, you never fail to make me laugh. I think you are hysterical. I think this great sense of humor you have is what will keep you going in light of all the bs we all put up with when it comes to this organization.
Give your mom a big kiss and just let her know you love her no mater what she thinks or does.
OC
the wts is building a huge new construction in brooklyn.
if they are laying off 1200 bethelites what do they do with all the new space.
is all the brooklyn property used for watchtower related things or is some of it leased to others as a realestate investment?
Brooklyn does not print publications any more, so they don't need so many people at that location. The people at the Watchtower farm do the printing for this zone not for the entire world, this is a big difference from many years ago when many of the books were printed and shipped, most of the printing for other countries is taken care of by printing facilities in other parts of the world. Now they make use of out source providers for many things, they have huge printing presses that do work of many many young brothers, so things are very much different now than before.
Not sure of the building proposals on the table, but one thing is for sure they don't need any additional buildings for printing or housing those coming to labor in Brooklyn.
OC
well, today marks the start of my special assembly.
most of you have allready gone.
wish me the best, i'll post anything absurd i hear.
Drew Sagan, is that you in the picture, and is that your real name? And if so, how can you still go to an assembly? If your "apostacy" is public knowledge, I mean...(just curious...)
My thought and question to the letter, I know if it were me I'd feel like someone was recognizing me, perhaps you want to speed up the discovery process. OC
i'm so happy to have found this site.
i'm not a j/w, but my son is.
several years ago, he became involved with a j/w, although she was being shunned at the time.
Dear Riverwatch,
Let me share some good news for you!
I have friends who have "wordly" parents, they have always stayed in touch with them and take trips with them and to see them. They LOVE them and wish only good things for those parents. You can sort of give your son a place to go that is not full of JWism when he needs that. The key is to let him come to this on his own, he may stay a witness forever, but he will always love you. I think your kindness to your daughter in law will never be forgotten and create a special bond between you to; however, please be sure not to sound like an apostate when talking with them, by this I mean, as you learn things on this board and others you will learn things that JWs don't know to much about, and if you bring those things up to loudly or to often you will be labeled bad association.
Your grandkids will also LOVE you especially if you are a kindly person, which you seem to be. I know of plenty of grandkids who travel to see "wordly" grandparents, your son may even allow you to give Christmas gifts to them, although I would be careful about ever taking them to a church service, this would really set them off. I have wordly aunts and uncles and really love them, wish I could of spent more time with them. The upside to your grandkids being raised as a witness is that for the most part they will be taught to be respectful, this of course does not happen with all the young ones but it is taught and encouraged.
I know this is not what you would of wanted for your son, but, I have learned as well in my life is that your kids grow up and make their own decisions about things and not all of them are ones we would have like to see them make.
Hang in there, and hopefully you will see that you can still have a close relationship with your son and daughter in law and grand babies.
Sincerely,
OC
obviously, there is no answer to this, i just think it's an interesting ??.
my personal opinion is that within 10 years, the wts will be a shell of it's current (and especially former) self.
it may not even take that long.
WT could go on for sometime. The Eygptian religion went of for several centuries, they lived and died thinking and worrying about an after life. Witnesses want to live forever, just like those Eygptians, not any different when you think about it. The Eyptians use to build for the most part useless pyrmids used for burrying one or two dead persons, the Witnesses spend their life carrying out what a few men tell them to do. Build Kingdom halls, preach about faulty doctrines, etc..
The WT has lost many members in the past, but this does not mean they will die, they might just learn to operate on a different level. They have enough in real estate to last them for many years if they decide to sell of this and that to help fund the organization, don't forget that when many of the older ones die they sometimes leave their earthly assets to the Society, so don't put you hopes to high that they will somehow disappear.
I understand that there are still Quakers, who would of thought they would have survived this long. Catholics have had plenty of problems that most of us would think would have killed them off as a religion. Preists molesting alter boys, endorsing war on both sides of the line, they have had attendance problems and also problems getting people to be Preists and nuns, but somehow they are able to continue.
OC
if the jehovahs witness cult was a movie.
what type do you think it would be.
comedy horror?
I think it could make a great Comedy,
They could show two sisters in a heated argument as to who's call (return visit) it belongs to.
They could show a sister barking at the brother in charge as to which side of the street gets worked first in field ministry.
Or a sister or brother complaining to the Watchtower conductor as to why they were not called on to answer.
How about all the goofy mistakes on the glorious building projects that could be rather entertaining especially if you show the brother fighting as who is right on the correct building method.
Yep, I think you have something there, this could be a great comedy if done right, so funny it would make you cry.
OC
this is what i see in the circles
just miss one and you're colorblind to some extent.. .
and the results below.
Thanks,
Thought I could see colors, got only "ONE"
That sucks, so now I wonder what I am not seeing.
OH well, what you don't know I guess you can't miss.
That is why I must like blue so much, the top left is the one I could see.
OC
found this question from reader in dear abby.
"this is difficult, but i have no one here i can confide in.
i'm ashamed, confused and unsure.
Found this question from reader in Dear Abby.
"This is difficult, but I have no one here I can confide in. I'm ashamed, confused and unsure. Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as I am finding it more difficult every Sunday. Without going into specific beliefs and asking questions that can only be answered by faith. I will simplify: Is it better to go to church for the wrong resasons than not to go at all? I don't think I am fooling "Him" - and I know I'm not fooling myself. The others, including my wife, are, if not wise to me, suspicious. I don't like my hypocrisy, but I'm afraid of the reactions - and repercussions - should I "out" myself and stay home. I'm uncomfortable masquerading every Sunday, being the loyal husband and worshipper while being untrue to myself. Help (Or am I beyond it?)Signed: - Beyond a Rock and a closet
Abby's answer:
Dear Between: I have always believed that husbands and wives are members of the same "team" and should be able to level with each other, so I'm having trouble understanding why you are maquerading and hiding the way you feel. I also believe that people can communicate with God in their own way, wherever they are, because God is everywhere - not just confined to church property.
Because you are left feeling empty and unfulfilled by the Sunday sermons, you may need to look elsewhere for spititual fulfillment. However, until you find the courage to express you feelings and stand by them, you will remain forever between a rock and a closet.
I find this an interesting question that most of us probably have been faced with and for some have found the answer. Sounds like this guy could be a witness or perhaps a member of some other high control group.
What you say?
If any would like to tell Dear Abby about how this situation has affected you, you can write her at: Dear Abby, P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069 or you can go online at www.DearAbby.com
Sometimes she will devote an entire day to those subjects that get alot of mail.
OC
