Bobcat you are so right about the Watchtower deciding what matters are conscience. There are loads of things the bible does not speak about and yet the
Watchtowery determine how you should view it. Only a few things they leave for the witness to decide themselves. They would much rather dictate on everything, but 9% of things is not a bad percentage when it comes to control.
so, i'm new here and i've decided to finally tell my mom the truth about jws.. and sorry for the long post.
i'm at my wits end.. here's some background:.
i grew p in a congregation in california, i'm not a born in, though i was raised in it from 5 - about 20. arond 20 i pretty mch faded out, bt the emotional ups and downs were jst all too much.
Hi rather be in hades. (hope you don't mean that)
It is actually a mistake that many of us make when we find the truth about 'the truth'. We tend to throw in everything we have learnt about the organistion to our loved ones who are still in..
The trouble is most things will be brushed off as old light and that they now have new light. One way round that is to show doctrines that had one meaning then changed then went back to the old meaning.
However the main way to get through to anyone is to show how God would not have chosen the Watchtower organistion in 1919 because they were no different to any nother religion at the time. And in fact their ideas at that time was even more wacky than many other religions.
It's great that you have realized yourself about the org, but maybe take it a little slower when explaining it to others. Great to have you on board though, and you will find life will get better for you now that you are finally free of the orgs lies and double standards.
the summer assembly was hot and sticky, it was long on rules and stingy on deep scriptures.
the speaker warned us about the online discussions of greek and hebrew, which are running ahead of the organization.
did you know there are brothers who are trying to check the accuracy of the new world translation?
If you go to the Topix website and type in Jehovah's Witnesses, you will find several there that regularly post. The ex witnesses on the site regularly show up the apologists and you can check past topics that have been dealt with if you want to.
basically, i have a couple of questions about the current rules regarding disfellowshipping and shunning.
by current i mean since 1999.. sorry, but i have to put a bit of my history to clarify my situation.. i was a born-in who was baptized in 1983. got married to a sister in 1984. then the kids came.
by the mid-1990s my wife and i had become increasingly irregular, so that by 1999 we were both inactive and only went to the memorial and conventions.. in 1999 i committed adultery, confessed to the elders, and had a judicial committee.
Since the Watchtower changed the baptism questions in 1985, a witnesse has to vow to work with the organisation, (i e follow their doctrines.) If you do not, clearly you are showing you know longer wish to be a witness.
The society have already shown that if witnesses do not follow the doctrines, then they are within their rights to say you are no longer a JW.
They may or may not make an announcement, but either way the witnesses know how they should treat someone who has rejected 'God's channel of communication.'
that's the latest i heard at the current convention i'm attending now.
it came straight from the bethel representative.
i was in the administration department when i heard him say it.. part of the reason for this according to him will be to reduce distribution cost as it would be virtually eliminated in countries like the u.s, canada.
I am very pleased the society is at last encouraging use of the internet. More and more witnesses and their studies will be surfing and will come accross the many other websites that talk about JWs but show the downside of being a witness.
increasingly, i find myself resistant to any form of religion that dictates exactly what i should believe, what i should wear, down to the last skirt to meeting, or what i eat, what i read, what i watch, and denies me my god-given right to think for myself and to use the brain he gave me.. that's what i've gained from the watchtower.. thank you, watchtower!
you've done a good thing!
.
I think although most of us have had bad expieriences with the Watchtower, we need to remember the good things it gave us as well.
I know I grew in confidence by enrolling in the Ministry School and going door to door. Also I had a great social life, always having someone to go around with or to have round socially.
Having said that I gave it all up when I realized how they had been deciving me for the last 20 years or so.
I am very glad I am out of it, having the freedom now to use my own brain to work things out rather than rely on the Watchtower.
it was last updated in 1985. does the watchtower still print it?
could a jw place an order for one at the kingdom hall?.
Does anyone know why they produced it when they were already using the Emphatic Diaglot. Was it to slant the translation toward their doctrines?
losch visit 2009/10 he said "jw's will be the only remaining religion when the un rules in the near future!".
he said this with such arrogance and smug certainty!
what deals would have to be done and how would this manifest itself if they were to remain as the only religion?.
Looks like Losch needed a nice holiday so he flew to Australia. One thing you can be sure of with the governing body, they will have all the bases covered. Even if what they are saying is the opposite to what they have said before. That way they can quote what they got right in the future and just forget the cock ups.
hi friends,.
i have a very nice jw friend who is willing to hand me some old copies of books / magazines that they are throwing out.
he comes with a long background of the cult so he has many years of literature (50 years possibly).. which are the essential books / magazines i should try to get off him to help me in my evangelism to the witnesses?.
Surely it is best to see what is available on the Watchtower cd rom online. Then you can ask for anything before that time.
on youtube there is this man who recorded is judicial commitee, the point i am making is that the elders viewed his material on youtube as stated on the recording.. my question his are elders allowed to view apostate material but not non-elders?
when did this happen?
!.
