Posts by Hannah

13

Universal Soverienty

by emptywords in

one of the biggest tests for me when learning with the jw was why god permitted wickedness, suffering, cruelty ect... they say because of the issue involving jehovah'suniversal soverienty, satans challenge to gods right to rule..gen 3:15. and how we are all involved in this issue (job).

also people will have to know i am jehovah (ezekiel 36:23: 39:7) the sanctification of gods name is placed as the highest importance for the issue of u. s.. i have always had a problem with this, as for me i can't understand how god could allow so much cruelty just to prove satan a liar and through inhereted sin we to are involved in this because adam was our fleshly father.

does this sound egotistical to you, or am i really evil for even thinking that there is something wrong with all this.. so do you see a connection with " why god has allowed wickedness, and the issue of his universal soverienty"..

Hannah

Ah, yes. The issue of universal sovereignty. Like almighty God himself has to prove anything to anyone! Just imagine if our governments and judicial systems ran things the same way.

Why is it that all of humankind must suffer for millenniums just because a woman, who was perfect, spoke to a serpent (like this happened all the time) and was coerced into eating a fruit. Makes no sense. Why not give us all the same chance Eve had instead of allowing billions of humans to suffer needlessly because of her.

But of course, this wouldn't teach anyone anything. All the universe is watching. God changed his plan and now he has set a time table. After all, this is just a short period of time to God. Right? And compared to forever, this is just a drop in the bucket.

I could never stomach this canned answer.

32

Did You Like Your Congregation?

by minimus in

jw
friends

the hall i was in the last few years was not a bad place.

most of the people were middle class, some had college educations (like the po and his wife); they generally weren't over critical.

of course there were a few elders and publishers that were pains but for the most part the people in that hall were pretty decent.

Hannah

Interesting topic. I've been in a few different congregations in my life and was treated differently in each one. I often wondered why this was, but it I think it has to do with status.

For example, growing up as an elder's kid and teenager, I always was in the clique. I seemed to know everyone and assemblies were actually fun. Then I "drifted" away and married a "worldly" guy. Shortly after, my husband and I were baptized and started going to a new congregation away from my family. Things were different and we had to build a reputation on our own, but since most people knew my dad, it made things much easier.

However, once we moved to another city where no one knew us it was an entirely different story. It was as though we were the "disgusting thing" to stay away from. We had a very hard time there. Seemed no one wanted to make space for new friends. My husband and children always had to work in service alone together--week after week. Once we asked an elder from a neighboring congregation when their meetings were so we could attend. Hoping our children would be able to meet some other kids. His response to my husband was, "When you become and elder you can come visit when you give a talk". Needless to mention, this is when my meeting attendance started to decline.

I believe the tone of the congregation is set by the BOE. Other factors are whether there is a lot of people moving in and out, or if it is a stale congregation with generations of related and interrelated people attending.

12

Silenced Witnesses a reality in Denmark

by Manjana in

jw
friends

today we just settled a new society in denmark.. silenced witnesses is the name.. the pressrelease and our home page, will come in the air, the 8'th of july.. sincerely manjana.

Hannah

Congratulations! I wish you and all those you help the very best.

27

What do you think?

by jaguarbass in

jw
friends

my wife of 35 years and i were talking last night.

i was raised a witness.

she became a witness on her own volition at about 13 years old.

Hannah

I really feel your pain. Big hugs to you. Anger is such a difficult emotion overcome, especially once it consumes you. This board is a fabulous place to come to because we understand the anger, the rage of feeling as though you sacrificed your whole life for nothing. Always wondering what my life would be like if I were raised "normal". There are so many wonderful and caring people here that want to help you.

I have to agree with Hortensia that there are places to go for help for those of us with little or no money. It really is worth the effort.

18

IDIOTS Welcome

by Satanus in

the internet is a great tool for learning.

it's also a place where even idiots can get a hearing, attention which they often crave, and often, if their ideas are wacky enough but strongly and coherently presented, they often get followings.

take, david icke for example.. idiots, who wouldn't get as much as a sniff from those who know them, can get all the attention that they want on the net.

Hannah

I personally do not buy into any of this, but David Icke articulates his conspiracy theories well. However, he loses all credibility with his alien and reptilian beliefs.

Who here actually believes the Illuminati exists?

6

Hey more on weddings!

by why??? in

hey everyone...just to piggyback off of the wedding vs birthdays...something i wanted to say for a while.

ok so we're not allowed to celebrate birthdays but we can have wedding celebrations.

the reason for not having birthdays and most other holidays is the pagan!!!

Hannah

I think that would be a great question for the readers. However, I doubt it would ever be published. The WTS will probably send your elders a letter stating how you're questioning the society. That's what happened to my daughter.

42

good in jehovah's witnesses

by John Doe in

jw
friends

i thought it might be nice to see some positive things mentioned about jw's.

now, i know mentioning these things may be hard given the experiences here, but i've yet to find a group of people who don't have something positive about them.

if there weren't something positive, no one would ever join.

Hannah

It's all a front. People who are attracted to the JWs because of their sincerity and kindness will soon find out that it fades after time. Once they get you hooked, reeled in and baptized the wooing ends. You're on your own baby.

Even the sweet elderly who hand out candy to the kids at the meetings will drop you like a hot potato if you leave.

I am trying very hard to think of one good thing, but I just can't. Now that I'm on the outside looking in, I can only see the whole thing as a scam. I just feel sorry for those who haven't realized it yet.

20

August 15th Watchtower 2007: 1935 A GENTLE REMINDER

by AlphaOmega in

lest you forget.... .

this provides another chance to highlight the change.. .

Hannah

Funny how things just "change" suddenly and no one seems to notice or care to.

10
In 1935 attendance worldwide at the Memorial observance of Jesus’ death was 32,795. Of these, 27,006 partook of the emblems as being the remaining ones on earth of the 144,000, whose hope is heavenly. Later in that same year, the identity of the great crowd flashed clearly into view. These meek persons, who look forward to life eternal on a paradise earth, also exercise faith in Jesus’ shed blood; they come to Jehovah in dedication, submit to baptism, and serve God zealously with the happy prospect of passing alive through "the great tribulation." At the Memorial of 1987, attendance was 8,965,221, with only 8,808 partakers. This indicates that millions today either are of the great crowd or are interested in becoming of that number. Will you be "able to stand" as one of these during ‘the great day of the wrath of Jehovah and of the Lamb’? It means your survival to take steps to that end.—Revelation 6:15-17; 7:14-17.
Watchtower 1984 12/15 pg.10

There are many more references, but I don't care to look them all up. Just proves that the "food" they feed their mindless "sheep" with is nothing more than a pile of s#*t!

37

AlanF Interview with Creation Book author Harry Peloyan 1997

by besty in

this has possibly been posted before (i hadn't seen it) - i found it a fascinating read - well done alanf for fronting it up..... it can also be found online at http://www.reexamine.org/wtobserver/apps/pbcs.dll/article86c8.html?aid=/20040309/history/204007.

interview with a watchtower society author on wednesday, 27 august 1997, i met with harry peloyan for about 1 1/2 hours in the lobby of the 25 columbia heights bethel office in brooklyn, new york.

my purpose was to discuss problems with the creation book with him, since he is its main author.

Hannah

"Make sure that your use of quotations and statistics harmonizes with the context from which they are taken."
-Benefit from Theocratic Education, page 225, published by the Watchtower, Bible and Tract Society

No wonder the WT ~~rags~~ mags rarely reference any quotes or other material.

Before my husband saw the light get brighter and left the borg, he refused to believe that anything the WTS wrote was misquoted. Even when I presented proof from the cited references in the Creation book he refused to look at it.

JWs are programmed to believe everything they read in the WT literature is fact. They will not look into any "worldly" publications for research purposes. Growing up, my elder dad always made me use the bound volumes to research info for my papers. Needless to say, the cited references didn't go over well with my teachers. My dad never understood why.

12

What to say about the magazines. June 2007 (Morals,Money&Family) 2nd half.

by LtCmd.Lore in

jw: "where does the bible say that?".

jw: "by the bible!".

" open the family happiness book to page 169, and read the first two sentences of paragraph 17. then ask for a response.

Hannah

This had me cracking up! Loved reading it, and I would definitely try these at the door but unfortunately the dubs only show up here about once a year. I say keep it coming. It's a very entertaining read! Thanks Lore.