Posts by chester

being good jw's, they are against all "pagan" holidays, yet my mom took advantage of the boxing day sales, and my step-father accepted his christmas bonuses.

Boxing Day
The day after Christmas, the Feast of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is better known as Boxing Day. The term may come from the opening of church poor boxes that day; maybe from the earthenware boxes with which boy apprentices collected money at the doors of their masters' clients.
Nowadays, we often see, in certain families, gifts (boxes) given to those who provide services throughout the year.

"Boxing Day" is listed in the Canada Labour Code as a holiday.

15

A Discussion With An "Anointed" Elder

by Defender in

jw
friends

an elder from my congregation visits my wife and i whenever he is in the area.

it has been a while since his last visit.

he used to come in uninvited and unexpected.

chester

Defender,

Thanks for your very thought provoking post. The information is very much appreciated.

I too came from a Catholic background.

Chester

20

news from the d.c.

by zev in

jw
friends

i have nothing to share that already hasn't been posted by other good people who take notes.

i slept as much as possible.

one thing that i can say.... if i hear any of these expressions over the next week, i'll hurl on whoever says them.. gods earthly organization {substitute jehovah for god for any of these}.

chester

Zev,

Thanks for the rundown on the DC.

Glad you were able to survive it.

Chester

19

Is it right to get people out of the org?

by sleepy in

jw
friends

i gather that most on this forum would agree that jehovah's witneeses do not have the truth they cliam to have.. but to what degree do we inform friends and relatives who are still belivers of this.. for many (assuming they come to the same conclution) it would come as a relief , but for others could it do more harm than good?.

for instance an elder in my hall recently died from cancer which he had suffered from for about a year.. what kept him going and happy through pain and suffering was the belief that he was in the true religion favored by god and would recieve a resurection.. imagine the heart break he would had suffered if people had convinced him that the society was a sham.. imagine others say like my parents who are in their 50's and have no pension who look forward to the future paradise.. would it be right for me to covince them that thier dreams for for future are all flawed.. i am still in my 20's and i'm not the type to get depreesed and all that, but i have to admit to being gutted when the truth dawned on me that all my hopeds and beliefs were likely wrong.. but can we be certain to such an absolute degree that all that witnesses belive is false?.

do we really have the right to preach with coviction to others that they are wrong, just like we preached when we belived?.

chester

Sleepy,

If I had acess to the information that is available to me now I would never have come into this organization.

Back when I came in, Ray Franz's book C of C was already written but I just found out about it within the past year. (my stupidity) I should have done my research. But back then access to this information was not available like it is today. (no internet)

This information was kept from me along with a lot of other things. Was it right for all of the facts to have been kept from me?

so I ask you, "Is it right to get people out of the organization?"

I agree that for some it would be too tramatic but I feel that we should try to make the information that we have available to them and let them do their own research and make their own decision.

I know I am glad that I was able to find out "the truth about the truth."

I totally agree with what DannyBear said

But when the WTBS enforces their draconian 'cultish' policies, that tear families apart, push individuals to thoughts of suicide, instill fear of men, the way this org. does, they deserve no quarter. Only derision, just like any other cult, that sujects its members to abuse.

"

Our goal should be to inform them. Let them make their own decision as to whether or not they want to leave.

When it comes to ones we know who are interested in coming in we should be especially diligent in making information available to them
so that they have the facts "just the facts, Mam", as Joe Friday would have said.

Chester

21

Secret Posters Hedging Their Bets?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

since i found sites like this on the internet i have been constantly amazed at the great number of people who post here and yet do this in secret.. so many people seem to be trapped in a situation where they desperately want to leave the jw religion behind.

so many people seem to be unable to do so for fear of losing their families, fearing that a da'ing or df'ing decree will separate them from the people that they love.

some posters are even elders and ministerial servants.. so, can you guys tell me how you manage to lead a life that is so complex?

chester

Zev,

My e-mail is open.

I need all the help I can get.

Chester

76

Why Are You Here?

by larc in

jw
friends

the question, "why are you here?

" is simple enough, and your answer may be straightforward.

however, when i asked that of myself, i find that my answer is pretty complicated.

chester

larc,

I have to say that zev expressed my feelings almost exactly of why I come to this forum.

I post here and read here, because i find other peoples experiences facinating, and helpfull to me. I need the support of this forum. Of the people in it and who want to help me and others like me. The facts and stories related here are of a help that one could only imagine for me.

I find that I have a lot in common with a lot of people here on this board. I am a grandpa too. A great grandpa in fact.

A lot of the things that redhorsewoman says here are my exact sentiments most of the time.

I can identify with jurs in that she has said that she can't understand how she could have gotten caught up in a cult such as this.

The way she dealt with the elders was a big inspiration to me because I know that I will be dealing with them one day in the some kind of way. I wish I had the courage to do it the way she did. I can't at the present time because my wife is still entrenched in this organization.

I would like to be of help to people who want to know the truth about the so called "troof".

I see so many young people who are caught up in this cult. They are unhappy but they don't even know why they are unhappy. Brainwashed from birth. It is so sad to see that.

Chester

9

Hi Folks Newbie on Board

by urkel in

jw
friends

thought it would be rude to post without at least saying hello, and i look forward to hearing from you all.. .

i think yerusalyim is the best poster on the board.. urkel

chester

Urkel,

Welcome to the board.

The people here are great. Being here has helped me greatly. I hope it does the same for you.

Regards,
Chester

18

Convention Summary

by Moxy in

jw
friends

as promised, here are my observations from the three convention days here in hamilton, ontario.

i hadnt expected to say much since many like lostmyreligion and bibleexaminer had already discussed it a lot.

actually i have quite a few things to say, hopeful meaningful things.. a few general observations: .

chester

Moxy,

Thanks for taking the time to give us this information. It is very much appreciated!

Bringing it back to the top.

Chester

21

Secret Posters Hedging Their Bets?

by Englishman in

jw
friends

since i found sites like this on the internet i have been constantly amazed at the great number of people who post here and yet do this in secret.. so many people seem to be trapped in a situation where they desperately want to leave the jw religion behind.

so many people seem to be unable to do so for fear of losing their families, fearing that a da'ing or df'ing decree will separate them from the people that they love.

some posters are even elders and ministerial servants.. so, can you guys tell me how you manage to lead a life that is so complex?

chester

zev said

and every word, action, must be watched ever so carefully. even if i'm surfing the net, i'm almost being watched over my shoulder as she doesn't trust me anymore, thinking that everything i've come to know has come from the net. well, that just isn't true.

Zev,
That is exactly the same thing I am going through with my wife.

Chester