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?
After escaping from one "Organized Superstition" I would be reluctant to get into another one. I tell people that I'm a devout athiest.
But if you really feel a strong need to belong I agree with others that the CatLicks are best. For one thing, all you have to do to join is say "I'm a Catholic" . You can aquire a few accessories, crucifix, Rosary, etc. and it is easy to learn to genuflect.
we're all familiar with the bombshelter in san diego known as "beth shan," but did you know the original intent of the watchtower property in south lansing, ny?.
(bolds are mine).
endurance by faith in jehovah.
I remember reading this memoir of Barbers before. I have spoken to many who knew him and he sounded like a very kindly (but misled) man.
The irony that strikes me is the JW's exploitation of the freedoms available in the US at the cost of thousands of young mens lives. It is fair to say that there would be no WT Society today were it not for the freedom enjoyed under the US Constitution and Bill of Rights. They refused military service themselves and liked to stick their thumbs in the eye of patriotic people during wartime by refusing to salute the flag. Go stand on the street with the Watchtower in Bakersfield, Ca. at the height of WWII, when all the young men in town are away fighting a war, as my father did and you get your head cracked open, as he did. "Hey, we were persecuted for our faith!". Well, duh. They got off lightly. Try that position in Nazi Germany or Communist Russia and China. They don't persecute you, they exterminate you! Under those regimes you couldn't have huge assemblies or own real estate for your huge publishing factory, etc etc.
possibly someone else who was around in the 1975-1980 time frame will remember this:.
it seemed to be that prior to 1975, the message on children was "wait until the new system".
however, it seemed to me at the time that after 1975 there was a popularization of child bearing.
I remember when we heard that Bro. Knorr got married. It was kind of unsettling because, at that time, the Society's stance on young people getting married was like "yeah, you can marry, but it would be better if you spent your time and attention solely on the preaching work. People who get married are those who can't control their sexual urges" Better to marry than masterbate!
for anyone facing my situation i recommend not being scared.
it is not money i am after, what it would be good to achieve is make the wts so scared of publically announcing anyone that they end up changing their d/f policy.. this is what happened.
for anyone facing my situation i recommend not being scared.
Here in the US of A tomorrow is a national holiday to mark the birth of Martin Luther King, Jr.
I think his famous words apply to you. "Free at last...Free at last!"
anybody have the current 'time requirements' for reg.
publishers, pioneers, etc..?
also, can you tell me what are the duties of a ms besides holding the coveted microphone?
I was always put off by the "time"/"liturature placed"/"bible studies held" reporting requirement. It seemed to be at odds with a couple of principles expressed by Jesus.
1.The Widows mite. She gave all she could, even though it wasn't very much.
2. Public showy prayers. To impress others with you piety.
I was still an elder (but on the slippery slope) when I challenged the new CO in his meeting with the elders. He told us that he was going to tell the cong. in his closing talk that if they were 'irregular' or not meeting their service quota that they "could not consider themselves to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses". I knew several sisters in the cong. that had unbelieving mates and were making a huge sacrifice just to get to the meetings, often bringing along their small children. I told him in front of all the elders what I thought of his proposed comment and I didn't mince any words. I was angry. He got very defensive about it but on Sunday he did not mention it in his closing talk. I wrote a detailed letter to the Society of the situation and I then got on the phone to elders in the next cong. he was going to visit and gave them a heads up. They objected to it also and I believe he dropped that tactic in future visits to others.
are there jws who prepare for the tribulations they assume are around the corner?
when i visted the us once in 1999 i met a few guys who were expecting a global meltdown due to the millenium bug.. as a consequence they had generators, guns, ammo, tins of food, bottled water, fuel, all kinds of stuff to help them through a civil disorder situation.
does anyone know or remember any jws who have prepared like this?
Oh yeah, I forgot. I always assumed that we would kind of be safely out of the way just observing the carnage, like Romans watching the games.
I never heard of anyone preparing in a material way. As long as we were meeting our hours and placements we were safe. This left a large percentage of JW's in LIMBO, a miserable way to live. But that's a subject for another thread.
are there jws who prepare for the tribulations they assume are around the corner?
when i visted the us once in 1999 i met a few guys who were expecting a global meltdown due to the millenium bug.. as a consequence they had generators, guns, ammo, tins of food, bottled water, fuel, all kinds of stuff to help them through a civil disorder situation.
does anyone know or remember any jws who have prepared like this?
The Societies color illustrations of Armageddon on various publication covers made a big impression on me when I was a kid. I always imagined thet it would happen like this, even as an adult. Someone should publish this Rutherford era artwork. It really was kind of cool. They typically showed the following elements:
-A lightning bolt (laser beam?) has just struck a building which is in the midst of crumbling, bricks flying, people in the foreground screaming and holding their heads. Often one of the buildings shown being destroyed was a Christian church.
-A huge crack in the earth swallowing people and cars.
-People with ragged clothes and big sores on their bodies wandering around looking hysterical.
-Some kind of Catholic clergy, a Bishop or Pope in full regalia, with expressions of terror on their faces as they see the Vatican crumbling and you know that they know they are dead meat!
(Back in those days they really focused on the Catholic Church. I remember my Grandmother saying, every time a picture of the Pope was on TV, "(haruumph!), that old dirty Devil!")
This is quite ironic as one of the points they liked to make was that Joe Hoba would never coerce anyone to serve him through fear like those that taught hellfire, and eternal punishment. After all wasn't this the whole idea of the Job story? Shunning is their hell and they can make it happen NOW if you don't shape up and quit asking embarassing questions, you apostate Motherf----r!.
gee, i must eat lasagna about 2 times a week, like i just did now.
yummy.
i have french fries with just about every meal (lunch and dinner) not breakfast....you fools .
I haven't drank any Kool-Aid in over twenty years if you know what I mean.
gee, i must eat lasagna about 2 times a week, like i just did now.
yummy.
i have french fries with just about every meal (lunch and dinner) not breakfast....you fools .
My favorite bedtime snack is microwave popcorn sprinkled with parmesian cheese and cayenne pepper accompanied by a glass of ice cold tomato juice.
i don't want to start a thread judging people here i'm more interested in your experiences and beliefs without people starting to fight.
do you still hold certain org views, are certain things taboo to you even though you may be out and have been out for years?
think they will handle it the same way all of us are handling it.
No, I dumped everything was was unique to JW's. (of course, murder, stealing, etc. are not exclusive JW concepts).
From a practical point of view though, I wish I had held on to not celebrating Christmas. Jeez, what an expensive pain in the ass!
