There is nothing more I would like than to be visited by an elder. Trouble is when I tell him how I feel about things now I would leave myself open to disfellowshipping. I think this is true of many that have faded. We have all learnt so much abour the org. since leaving it would be really good to tell the elders those things. But as I say we can't. They have us over a barrell as it were. So all we can do is help people anonymously, or at least away from the prying eyes of the elders.
Posts by alanv
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24So.....do you or don't you want them to come after you?
by Quillsky ini've noticed an interesting dichotomy in these discussions.
as a starting point, i understand that we are all different --- there is no "we" here except that we have all been, or been involved with, jw's.
but this is interesting..... some people complain about being "hounded" by elders and shepherding calls and previous "friends" and so on.
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18
Please explain the point of being Good?
by Brocephus ini never understood the point of being good and righteous if the only punishment for not doing so was "nothing" i would die and nothing would happen.
just nothing, no hell, no pain, no regret... just nothing.. on the other hand if i am good.... i have to deal with the jw's and their rules and boring meetings forever!!!
no worldly girls to sneak around with on saturday night.. no keg parties to sneak off too on friday?....
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alanv
It depends on what is meant by good. There are many things the society disapprove of which do nobody any harm. So we could reason that is perfectly all right. Other 'bad things as Terry says will hurt people so most people would call that bad.
The old adage to do unto others as you wish them to do to you is a pretty good benchmark.
The reason JWs try and be good is because the carrot is living forever in a paradise earth. If that were really true it would be well worth living a 'good and righteous' life. Unfortunately it is not, so we have to set our own standards of what we feel is right or wrong
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38
How Did YOU Finally Leave The Organization?
by minimus inwas it a long process?.
is it still ongoing?.
did you have a long range plan?.
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alanv
Thinking back, I didn't really give it a lot of thought or the possable consequencies. I had gradually realized that so many things simply did not make sense. I was a mini. servant at the time and I remember 2 elders coming round and more or less saying if I don't have and report a bible study with my son then I would be taken off as a mini servant.
I just thought how shallow these people are. From then on I just did less and less until I completely stopped going to meetings and on the doors. My wife was upset but was o k about it. All her family were in so it was difficult but I just new it was all wrong.
Since then my wife and all her family have died and I am still around. A bit ironic really considering they were all expecting to live forever.
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7
A Little Light is a Little Dark.
by jwfaith33 inthe watchtower society claims that all their changed beliefs have scriptural backing since the path of the righteous one is like a bright light that gets lighter and lighter until the day dawns.
so gods people today cannot be expected to have the correct understanding on the scriptures.
of course the watchtower society wont use the word correct.
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alanv
I think they would say the imformation we have from the first century is in the bible, which was written by men who were inspired by God, to right what they did.
The governing body today do not claim to be inspired like those early christians so they will make some mistakes.
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The Governing Body is Powerless (Without Comradeship)
by acolytes inthe governing body is powerless (without comradeship) and comradeship is one of the great needs for people.. the price for this companionship is a persons individuality, as individual love is exchanged for communal individuality and communal love.. because of the humun need for comradeship the governing body can teach whatever they like and demand what ever they like from the masses.. iam glad i exchanged comradeship for an individual life and freedom .. acolytes..
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alanv
I think you're right acolytes. I'm sure the reason I hung around so long was because of the great social life. Always someone to go around with. Friends who agreed with practically all you said which always makes us feel good.
Much harder in the real world but at least you know they are genuine friends, and won't drop you as a friend the moment you decide to disagree with something in their religon
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The view on abortion, website article
by Lekore injust for fun i decided to have a quick look on the wt website and the first article was of abortion and why it is wrong... http://www.watchtower.org/e/200906/article_01.htm.
what really suprised me is the lack of any scriptual support that the religion used here, normally persuasive arguments are flooded with verses and religious examples.
linked with this, i think it's interesting that so many "studies" here are used to support accounts of mental trauma from abortion when i was under the impression that the wto was far from scientific.
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alanv
There is a Question from readers about abortion in the 15th March 1975 Watchtower pages 191-192. In it they cite Exodus 21:22-25 which implies if you take a life even of an unborn child then the punishment is death.
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alanv
I can only imagine you got reinstated so you are able to speak with friends and family again. If you still regard the WT organisation as false then you are now in a position where you can gradually fade away. This is by far the best way if you can do it successfully. I would be interested to here your story
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12
Awake! A simple way to show the flip-flopping....
by Quillsky inthis was the stated purpose of awake!
before the generation-change of 1995..... why awake!
awake!
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alanv
Thanks Quillsky, I think you realize that this has been dealt with before but it may well be that there are many new to this board that haven't seen it, and it is always good to have a clear record of something that can be searched for at a later date.
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Scary stuff.... I've just realized that I could be disfellowshipped at any time
by Quillsky ini like to think that i have escaped the cult completely, since i, and members of my close family, faded away years ago.
however, i have recently realized that my "elder" uncle, my father's older brother, could technically have me disfellowshipped, such as if he figures out that i post on an "apostate" message board (i've tried to direct my cousin here), or sees me smoking in a restaurant in the small town we all live in, or hears from my father that my boyfriend and i have been away for a weekend together.. so i've recently discovered this fear.
although i believe i'm "out" i'm still trapped in a way.
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alanv
This is exactly why JWs are regarded as a cult. All you have done is say you no longer want to be one. You need to find out how members of the family would regard you if you did diassossiate yourself. Try showing the following quote from the Awake July 2009 page 29
Although the Bible makes a clear distinction between true and false teachings, God allows each person the freedom to choose how he or she will respond. (Deuteronomy 30:19, 20) No one should be forced to worship in a way that he finds unacceptable or be made to choose between his beliefs and his family. Does study of the Bible lead to family breakup? No. In fact, the Bible encourages a husband and wife who practice different religions to remain together as a family.—1 Corinthians 7:12, 13.
You have found it unacceptable to worship the JW way. Therefore you should be allowed the freedom to live your life as you see fit Good luck.
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A disfellowshipped person shunned me!
by keeshondgirl injust curious of anyone else's experience with this watchtower behavoir.. i ran into a df person 2 weeks ago and she tried hiding from me, my guess she was embarrassed and knew i shouldn't talk to her, but i approached her anyway.
we hugged and talked briefly.
she told me she was disfellowshipped, she knew i wasn't attending meetings.
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alanv
If you want to simply fade you must be very careful what you say anywhere. As your husband says you sound like an apostate and if it gets to the elders you could find them hounding you. If you come accross as no longer believing the faithful and discreet slave it could make you liable for disfellowshipping. Particularly if you were baptised after they changed the baptism questions that includes the statement that you believe all the unique JW teachings, then you could be in for a rough ride.