Posts by Cygnus

38

ARE JW hopes fading?

by hamsterbait in

jw
friends

how often do you hear:.

"how much longer can it go on?".

"i'm tired (of waiting, being ill, poor, disappointed)".

The hope started to die in the '90s. In 1991 a JW friend of mine for 13 years, I was his best friend, was engaged, and we sat in his driveway and talked about the difficulties of being married with the tribulation and persecution being so near.

How often does anyone talk about that now?

When the Cold War raged, and the UN strong-armed ideas, and there were all kinds of problems, the Watchtower and Awake had something to chew on. 9/11 was bad, Katrina was bad, but they turned into positives. The human spirit wins out. Gods on the other hand remain quiet.

48

so what are the "anointed" you know/knew like?

by nowisee in

there were two quite old females in my congregation.

sweet.

but then they died.. i met several members of gb.

Cygnus

I only knew one. Walt Blackman was his name. He must be dead for some 20 years now. Very warm person. His son was a creep though.

349

The 1914 Doctrine and The Threat of the Egibi Business Tablets

by VM44 in

could the watchtower and the jehovah's witnesses survive the discarding of their 1914 doctrine?

the doctrine that in 1914 the end of the gentile times took place, jesus took up rule in heaven.

for some reason the jws think the outbreak of world war i in 1914 is proof their prophetic calculations were correct.

Cygnus

So then what true religion have you found that conforms to your now so-called superior logic or are you still in spiritual darkness having abandoned the one and only true faith?

Last Thursdayism. Can't prove it wrong and it fulfills every spiritual need.

44

hello, i'm new :)

by MRSJG in

jw
friends

new to the forum, new to the truth.

trying to get a better understanding of what i'm looking for.. .

i'm a young married mother of three beatuiful babies.

Cygnus

Ray Franz... was disfellowshipped for eating with a df'd person.

Just as a matter of clarification, he was DF'd for eating with a disassociated person who also happened to be his landlord and employer. And, this was before the 1981 Watchtower that defined such conduct as a disfellowshipping offense.

65

Sect or cult?

by Cady in

jw
friends

so i finally decided to get my a** to the library and read some real research on cults.

the book i'm starting with is "psychodynamic perspectives on religion, sect and cult.

in the introduction they mention margaret thaler singer's definition of a destructive cult as an organization in which:a leader claims divinity or special relationship with god.

Cygnus

I believe that if pressured properly, JWs would gulp down the proverbial Flavor-Aid. Look at the reaction from 9/11. If the world suffers a gigantic catastrophe, JWs would think "Armageddon" and their next thought would be to find the elders for directives received from God's channel in New Jersey.

***

w91 9/15 pp. 17-18 "Help Me Out Where I Need Faith!" ***

12

To ensure their salvation, Noah and his family needed to exercise faith. This meant following instructions and the leadings of God’s holy spirit. During the great tribulation, it will be just as imperative that we follow the leadings of the holy spirit and obey Jehovah’s instructions through his organization. Then we will have no reason to worry and ask: ‘How will our spiritual and material needs be satisfied? What provision will be made for older persons or for those requiring special medical care or treatment? How will Jehovah make it possible for us to survive into the new world?’ With strong faith, all of Jehovah’s loyal servants will leave everything in his capable hands.—Compare Matthew 6:25-33.

13

Once the great tribulation has started, doubtless our faith in God will be greatly strengthened. After all, we will see that Jehovah is carrying out what he said he would do. We will be seeing his execution of judgment with our own eyes! But will we personally have enough faith to believe that while destroying the wicked, God will preserve his people?

------------------------------------

What if "preservation" means a new understanding that death and resurrection are paramount to "surviving" the tribulation?

65

Sect or cult?

by Cady in

jw
friends

so i finally decided to get my a** to the library and read some real research on cults.

the book i'm starting with is "psychodynamic perspectives on religion, sect and cult.

in the introduction they mention margaret thaler singer's definition of a destructive cult as an organization in which:a leader claims divinity or special relationship with god.

Cygnus

I prefer not to label JWs as this or that, but rather say, JWs manifest cultlike characteristics, and are a sect based on the International Bible Students.

6

HELP!! Need to find a professor who will talk about JWs to press

by Seeker4 in

jw
friends

i'm working with another journalist on a couple of newspaper articles re:jws.

there is a quick build coming up in our area, and he's doing a background piece on jws, i'm doing a personal article about my life as a witness and reasons for leaving, and there will undoubtably be coverage of the quick build.. the journalist is not a jw and has no witness background.

he called today to say he's looking for a professor who will talk about witness growth, and whether it has been affected by the pedophile scandals.

Cygnus

Does it have to be a professor? Several years ago I mentioned the JWs to a client who I knew to be a professor at the University of Buffalo on cults and sects and was quoted often in the newspaper and he knew next to nothing about JWs.

9

Any here use metal detectors?

by orbison11 in

jw
friends

well i have had a life long dream to get a metal director...and i did yesterday,,,i am so excited,,,,,,with visions of finding that hidden treasure .

i am on my way out to the school field out my back to start my ventures.........in my research many many have found valuable items,,,,rings, coins, etc so wish me luck .

orbi

Cygnus

Treasure hunting is cool. I can remember 25 years ago playing baseball with the worldly kids from the neighborhood and some dude would be out with his metal detector. Just don't get it near me. I go through municipal buildings or airports setting off their detectors because my chest is full of stainless steel after heart surgery 3 years ago. ;)

44

hello, i'm new :)

by MRSJG in

jw
friends

new to the forum, new to the truth.

trying to get a better understanding of what i'm looking for.. .

i'm a young married mother of three beatuiful babies.

Cygnus

Thanks, MsMcDucket. I've been around the block a few times.

I think that honesty is vital to your relationship with Jehovah and with your family.

An honest person cannot be a Jehovah's Witness. I don't say that frivilously. JWs would rather not hear honesty from dissenters, and for honesty to exist, dissent must exist. My ex- mother-in-law, when I told her I was to be DF'd, broke down crying and said "If I have to choose between Jehovah and you I have to choose Jehovah." Very sad. I can't prove the existence of an ancient semitic tribal war god worshipped from a mountain with a liking towards burning flesh and human penis foreskins, but I sure know I'm here.

27

Barb Anderson & Linda Jahn interviewed on Mark Furman Show, Spokane, WA

by AndersonsInfo in

thought you'd like to know that today at 11 am pacific standard time, which was 1 pm tennessee time, i was interviewed for an entire hour by mark furman on 1510 kga, the big talker show, originating in spokane, wa, population 250,000. former jw, linda jahn, was interviewed from 12:00 to 1 pm.

all this attention to our cause originated from the disfellowshipping and shunning of joel jahn in davenport, wa, a few months back.

at that time joel wrote a letter to the local davenport newspaper explaining the wt disfellowshipping policy used against him because he spoke out against the religion's child abuse policies.

Cygnus

That's cool. I wonder if I'd pee my pants if interviewed, but probably not. I've dealt with a lot of tough guys before, and hell, I used to knock on strangers' doors and tell 'em my god was gonna kill 'em and what's more ballsy than that?