Posts by Apostate Kate

49

John 8:3-11

by Zico in

3the teachers of the law and the pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery.

they made her stand before the group 4and said to jesus, "teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.

5in the law moses commanded us to stone such women.

Apostate Kate

I read this scripture during the meeting last night (I now spend the meetings just reading my bible)

That is what happened to me. I started reading entire chapters for every one Scripture referenced in Watchtower literature. I started to see a world I had never seen before. I found an awesome being named Jesus who was nothing like the Governing Body.

This Jesus taught unconditional love, he met people where they were at, he did not insist they change and then come to seek him. The only ones who Jesus got angry with were religious people.

Matthew 5:7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.

Matthew 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called sons of God.

Matthew 5:41 Whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two.

Matthew 5:42 Give to him who asks you, and don't turn away him who desires to borrow from you.

Matthew 5:44 But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,

The kind of love Jesus taught is love in action. It is more than a word or discription.

Matthew 22:39 A second likewise is this, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'

This love is agape love and is a moral love. Neighbor means all fellow men. There is no teaching of Christ's that can be translated to say JW shunning and disfellowshipping practices are godly.

Luke 6:35 But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing back; and your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind toward the unthankful and evil.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another.

WTBTS love in action; not one charity, food pantry, orphaned childrens home, widows fund, homeless shelter..nothing. Watchtower love in conditional love, not the love of Jesus.

31

What do you drive and why did you chose the vehicle you have?

by JH in

jw
friends

.

i love japanese cars, easy on gas too, and that's why i drive a corolla.

also it has 4 doors

Apostate Kate

I drive my moms old 1986 Nissan hard body truck. She started having trouble with her leg when she drove, probably due to the clutch. It is a tough old truck. We live out in the boonies so when it retires I'll go looking for another good old truck. I don't like payments either so I put money away to use cash.

We have a boneyard out back. It came with hubby when we got married. Probably about 12 vehicles out there not running. The ones running are; 1951 GMC bus, 2004 Star (Suzuki?) motorcycle, Eagle Summit, dirt bike, and my truck.

I bet I could win Jeff Foxworthys redneck yard contest.

8

dogs and LIFE

by hamsterbait in

jw
friends

doubt this will realy make a thread - .

i am just dumbfounded that the average american family dog is fed more animal protein per week than the average indian gets in a month.. how can we justify taking fish from protein starved peruvians and feeding them to our dogs?.

is it fair to say that the birth of an american baby is a greater disaster for the world than that of 25 indian babies .

Apostate Kate

As for as I know....Americans have opened their wallets and hearts to starving people of the world for ages on top of ages. I have often thought to myself WHY are there so many starving people in the world when the more prosperous countries and so many large companies and charities give, give, give and it never ends starvation.

My comment was not a political one, just an honest observation, not the why's of it all. The sad fact is the powers that be in other countries grossly misuse funds that the US gives. I had to buy my way in and out of Peru on my visit 20 years ago with money and liquer. Nothing has changed. Most often than not, political, police officials do not act as we do in the US. When we find corruption we put it on the cover of Time magazine. McDonalds is now destroying the health that many countries has enjoyed for many generations. They should have a disclaimer; For Every Double Beef Patty You Eat, It blows up so many inches of anciet rainforrest in flames. The American media sells and sells and uses psychology to do so here and abroad. There are better ways to feed our dogs too. It only take one egg laying chicken per large dog. 1 Cup of rice and a handfull of veggies. Chickens live off of table scraps, a little grain, and bugs. This is a serious topic and not about guilt. It is about the degree in which we want to take personal responsibility for it all. We have to leave a healthy earth for our grandchildren, political corruption or not.

8

dogs and LIFE

by hamsterbait in

jw
friends

doubt this will realy make a thread - .

i am just dumbfounded that the average american family dog is fed more animal protein per week than the average indian gets in a month.. how can we justify taking fish from protein starved peruvians and feeding them to our dogs?.

is it fair to say that the birth of an american baby is a greater disaster for the world than that of 25 indian babies .

Apostate Kate

We Americans are killing ourselves with overconsumption. I would not be surprised to find out that American dogs get more protien that a large percentage of ther worlds population. Some nasty stuff goes into dog food though. The American lifestyle is responsible for some of the destruction of the South American rain forrest due to our desire for cheap beef.

I'm not sure what to think about the Peruvian comment. I'm thinking you must have read something about Peruvian fisheries selling fish to the US for dog food? Most Peruvians get protein from eggs, lamb, chicken, guinie pig, frogs, mackeral, trout, llama, veggies and beans. The sea cities are different from the Andean villages. They consume far less protein than we do. Poor families in any third world country suffer terrible malnutrition. Children suffer the most.

I am a vegan for many different reasons. The biggest is meat eating is very destructive to the environment and for our bodies. It takes a lot of food energy to fatten up a cow at a horrid feedlot. The grain and water used to produce a pound of beef can be used to produce many many more pounds of life saving plant proteins to a starving world.

21

When you were a JW true believer, what were you most afraid of?

by under_believer in

jw
friends

it's been pretty well established that all religions use fear as a motivator, to some degree.

the jw's have honed this practice to a near art form.

what were you most afraid of when you were a jw?

Apostate Kate

It's been pretty well established that all religions use fear as a motivator

I disagree with this statement. It is not well established. Mainstream religions today, most of them are love based, not fear based. They are charity oriented not works oriented.

21

When you were a JW true believer, what were you most afraid of?

by under_believer in

jw
friends

it's been pretty well established that all religions use fear as a motivator, to some degree.

the jw's have honed this practice to a near art form.

what were you most afraid of when you were a jw?

Apostate Kate

1. Jehovah

2. Demons

3. The World

17

interesting experience....

by hallowedbethyname in

hello all.. just wanted to pass along an experience that i had about a month or so ago.

i was invited to a jw wedding of a friend of mine.. also invited was a 'marked' brother who is a very close friend of the bride.

he was recently marked after the invitations were sent out, so he came along with his 'worldly girlfriend'.. anyways, long story short, about 10 upstanding jw's decided to make a stink just before the bride and groom were to enter the reception hall to do their first dance.

Apostate Kate

The WTBTS can't allow the true unconditional love taught in the bible to spread amongst the brotherhood. If they allowed that kind of love they would lose all control.

A couple months ago I went to a wedding where the bride and groom were not JWs, but some of the family were. I had gone to their KH about 30 years ago. The one cousin that is my age was so mental at the wedding. She was like a glazed over walking zombie. The relationship between her and her mom was odd. She may be disfellowshipped for having a child out of wedlock, but they still were too good to socialize with the likes of me. They were better people being disfellowshipped JWs' than me, because it was my pastor husband who was officiating the wedding.

I just wanted to talk.

We were praised for the service by everyone but the JWs. They just could not bring themselves to say there was anything good in us. It was so obvious! We glowed with joy, peace and happiness. They were gloomy unhappy and mental. Later we were snubbed yet again when the others were invited to spend time with them and we were told not to come.

Later I asked my sister, so what did you do? LOL....they were drinking and gambling....we were not even good enough to go GAMBLING and DRINKING with them. mayube they just didn't want us to see.....dunno..just ironic...

23

I've having a hard time dealing with the present time in my life

by Undecided in

jw
friends

i don't have any problems that i am dealing with but i can't seem to enjoy the present.

everywhere i go i recall the past life with my family when i was young and they were alive.

i remember the houses we called on when i was a jw with my dad and mother, cousins etc.

Apostate Kate

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{undecided}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

I'm sorry you are feeling that way.

It would not hurt to tell your doctor how you are feeling. It could be physiological and treated.

Love~Kate

14

If you could sit down and talk to a loved JW family member.....

by Apostate Kate in

jw
friends

what do you think would work today to convince them that the wtbts is not the "only voice of god on earth," the only "true religion," the only correct understanding of the bible?

do you think telling them about the un, or the false dates, or the pedophile problem would work best?

would you try to shove the wizards curtain aside?

Apostate Kate

Thanks for the link Inbyathread. I ran off hundreds of them years ago and since AOL has crashed several times. When it happens I lose all my bookmarks.

Swan I understand that. We have to respect our grandparents. I am going to be preparing materials and seminars for Christians and non Christians who are interested in learning more about JWs and how to reach them, both religiously and secularly. The "Danger at Your Door" pamphlet is good for both.

I think back to when I went door to door and rarely did anyone know exactly who I was or what I had been brainwashed in. Rarely did anyone have anything to say to me that could have helped me out of the clutches of the org. It was ultimatly a Christian who had said a few words to me that helped, but many years had passed without ever being challenged intellectualy, spiritually, or any way.

Partly due to the fact that as JWs we knew it all. Or thought we did. It would have helped me alot I think to have been challenged by someone who really understood where my head was at as a JW. I want to help prepare people to talk to dubs when the oppurtunity arrises, help them know exactly where a JW's head is at so they can meet them where they are.

14

If you could sit down and talk to a loved JW family member.....

by Apostate Kate in

jw
friends

what do you think would work today to convince them that the wtbts is not the "only voice of god on earth," the only "true religion," the only correct understanding of the bible?

do you think telling them about the un, or the false dates, or the pedophile problem would work best?

would you try to shove the wizards curtain aside?

Apostate Kate

So maybe an essay written in a basic form showing evidence of healthy happy lives outside the organization would be helpful. Then I could go on to use the Bible to show it does not teach that people are saved by works. I like that idea.

There are several more papers I want to write, one for Christians to understand more about how to help JWs when they come to the door. It is not enough to say "I have my own religion thank you" when they could, if prepared well ahead of time, be able to help them see that they are being controlled by men, not the God they think is in control.

I have a really great handout pamphlet called "Danger At Your Door" that I ran off of Witness Inc. Not sure what the address is now. Maybe Witnessinc.com. Last time I visited it had not been updated in years but was still up. This pamphlet is really a good one but I'd like to write one more personal with my contact name on it.