Posts by alanv

33

I finally did it

by doublelife in

jw
friends

i told my mom that i'm not going back to the meetings.

i wasn't planning on telling her that but i've been going through some hard times with my husband and just got fed up with her hounding me.

so she asked if i'll still consider going back to the meetings and i just flat out told her no and that it wasn't up for discussion.

Welcome to the world of the faders. Good descision to fade rather than disassociate. You probably feel you would really like to tell the WT to shove it, and disassociate yourself from them, but if you can fade it is so much better if you have family in the org. Make no mistake, however close family members are to you they and JW friends would totally reject you if you formally said you want nothing to do with them. So good for you. I wish you well.

14

I have to give GREAT THANKS!

by its_me! in

i wanted all of you to know how much you have helped me in the few short weeks that i have been here.. i was starting to sink into a very deep and dangerous depression, wrestling with the lies that i have been taught all of my life, and feeling like i was evil because i did not want to follow anymore.

fearing that i was deeply offending god and hurting him.. since being on this site, the weight is starting to be lifted.

the thick veil of fog is slowly starting to clear, and i feel like i can live!

alanv

its_me. As I write this I must say I have tears in my eyes. I am so glad you are finally free. You're right this is a wonderful site for helping people get free from the WT.

I guess we will never know how many others are being helped, but I wish to add my own thanks to everybody as well for all the help and encouragement I have had, just by reading their comments. Thank you all.

18

Seen this???

by mouthy in

the bossert was one of the several hotels that the jehovahs witnesses acquired and renovated during the 70s and 80s.

by 1984, when the witnesses purchased it, the building had been reduced to a sad condition by age and neglect.

the witnesses performed an excellent restoration, reproducing the mahogany windows and replacing 2,500 square feet of bottachino classico marble with stone from the original italian quarry.

alanv

kret. I think you are absolutely right. Ray Franz the ex governing body member who obviously new the gov. body members very well, did say that generally they do mean well.

Just go over the top with their organization worship.

They may not have swiss bank accounts, but they do have a good life.

They do have better apartments in Bethel than the boys. Also they regularly go all round the world and are able to mix business with pleasure.

So free board and lodging, nice car and regular holidays. Can't be bad.

7

What is the deal with the ORG, and the U.N?

by its_me! in

i keep reading about it on this site, but i don't know what it is about, and i don't know where to look on the internet to find reasonably accurate information..

alanv

it's_me, trust me there are many, many of us that feel the same way. Personally I realized something was wrong and I was able to fade away

It was after the onset of the internet that I really found out what their history was.

If you want a good book to read try Crisis Of Conscaence by ex governing body member Ray Franz. It is very, very good an honest. Not bitter at all. You can download it as well which is great.

13

If reading the Bible as a JW, why bother meditating?

by Crisis of Conscience in

i was inspired to write this based on a post in another thread.. as a jw you are told to read and let the bible speak to you.. that would mean that you could reach a different conclusion on a certain scripture or account.

but that may not coincide with what the fds has as an explanation or conclusion.

this in turn, according to the standard makes you wrong if you "want" to be humble and wait for "new light.".

alanv

Although they prompte bible study, they say it needs to be done in conjunction with WT publications, not by itself or heaven forbid with worldly books

13

I asked a question.........

by iknowall558 in

20so the one that had received five talents came forward and brought five additional talents, saying, master, you committed five talents to me; see, i gained five talents more.

i will appoint you over many things.

22next the one that had received the two talents came forward and said, master, you committed to me two talents; see, i gained two talents more.

alanv

In 1919 they had got practically everything wrong if you compare to what is said today. It is a ridiclous atatement they make, saying that Jesus inspected them and found they were doing so much better than other religions.

27

Memorial partakers

by etna in

jw
friends

i think its probably too soon, but if anyone knows how many partakers of the emblems this year?.

.

etna.

alanv

If there is increase in the attendance of a particular country, then that country will probably announce it in the highlights section of the Kingdom Ministry in a couple of months. Very unlikely they would report the partaker figures though, unless maybe it goes down

6

How much of a religion's doctrine can one disavow and still consider himself a member?

by behemot in

jw
friends

its a good question: how much of your religions actions do you have to disavow before you feel comfortable just walking away from the whole damn thing altogether?.

what aspects of your faith did you eschew before you finally stepped away from it for good?.

source: http://friendlyatheist.com/2010/04/06/if-you-dont-agree-with-that-are-you-still-religious/.

alanv

I think most people would say they could never completely agree with everything in their religion, which is why most witnesses stay in theirs hoping that things will be sorted out in the future.

Problem comes when you realize that actually most of what you believe is rubbish or lies, then it is time to move on.

15

new watchtower, new songbook, new funeral arrangement gasps!!!

by make yourself in

ok so i went to a jehovah witness funeral last week and i noticed a lot of changes.

first of all it did not start with a prayer, and they had one brother come up in the beginning and talk about the diseased relatives family and their qualities then had another brother come up and do the scriptures and then the brother who came up at the start to close with a prayer and no song.

and also there was only one prayer the whole time and that was at the end.

alanv

white dove, that gave me a good laugh. Thanks

11

John the Baptizer: Mystery and Folklore

by cameo-d in

i found something interesting that has just recently (2 wks.

ago) been uploaded into wiki.. it is a coin, described as "20 grani, order of malta, 1742. obverse depicts the head of john the baptist on a platter.".

you can see the image here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/file:20_grani,_order_of_malta.jpg.

alanv

cameo- d

Thanks for the explanation. May well be right