Posts by Doubting Bro

21

Grandma's in the Hospital- Help on a "JW in the family" problem

by OnTheWayOut in

jw
friends

a bit long, but i really need to vent, and i really need your replies.. my uncle is a jw, his wife and son and daughter-in-law are jw's, too.. they all moved away from family over 15 years ago, serving where the need was greater.. they went out west to new mexico, then other places.

they all broke off all contact with their .

parents (my uncles parents who are my grandparents, and my aunt's parents who i don't know well).

Doubting Bro

OTWO,

You are being a good grandson trying to hunt down your uncle. I see why you are angry. Still, since you asked for opinions, I would definately try to track him down and let him know what is going on with his mother. I think your right about his sanity.

Its weird that he didn't leave contact information with is old congregation. They haven't forwarded his records, even though he was an elder and its been six months? Very strange.

There is only so much you can do and it looks like you've already done quite a bit. I doubt his old CO has any contact information since the old congregation hasn't sent his records over. If he's got a nonpublished number, its going to be even tougher to hunt him down. A PI could help, but personally I wouldn't go that far.

Sorry, I guess I'm not much help!

37

Gilead

by AllTimeJeff in

i will use my other thread today to talk about gilead.. one must apply for several years to show they are serious, unless you know a gb member or another heavy in the service dept.

a couple first gets a long app in the mail usually after several years of applying at the dc.

it is over 115 questions.

Doubting Bro

Jeff,

I've really been enjoying your posts and your unique prespective.

The Camels(!) The word of God, The bible
Job (Chapter 1) Jesus
Job (Chap 2-42) The 1900 year old FD Slave
2 Kings 1
Elijah Rutherford administration
Elisha Knorr Administration

Wow, I've been a JW my whole life and thought I knew much about what the Borg teaches. But, these types/antitypes really take the cake. Gee, I wonder why these didn't make it into the Bible Teach book???

I'm going to check out that video. Its sitting on our shelf unopened. By the way, I saw that you said you met several folks in the Art Department. Was whoever did the Noah & David videos DF'ed for the job they did? No joke, my book study (it was at my house at the time) reviewed them for a SM part and the whole study started uncontrollably laughing because it was the worst cartoon we'd ever seen!!

58

BIG ELDERS MEETING ON THE BLOOD ISSUE! SHOCKING CHANGES AFOOT!?

by Gill in

jw
friends

i have just been informed that something is going in with the blood issue within the borg.. a large meeting is being held this weekend with local elders and also many elders from all over the country/the united kingdom and members from the bethel and hospital liason committee to discuss the blood issue.. is anyone else aware of what this is going to be about?.

i wondered whether this would be part of the expected or possible changes that the organization is expected to announce this year that might lose them many members.

any elders here know anything?.

Doubting Bro

When elders are called togeter, it is for circling the wagons. The fractions are becoming an issue because many JW feel to take a fraction will cause them to lose out on ev life. The GB can't say that this is an adjustment, or else they will open themselves up to the mother of all lawsuits. But despite what was stated in the 2000 WT and the subsequent WT's local elders still don't understand what it is and how to explain it or answer questions.

Exactly. I've heard nothing about a US meeting. Although I've turned in my resignation as an elder, none of my elder friends in other parts of the country don't know yet and I spoke to one a few days ago and nothing was mentioned. ATJ is spot on.

Most of the elders here don't understand despite the lift 5 years ago. I believe many of the JWs believe that the only reason the WTS said it is permissible to use fractions is to reduce liability in lawsuits (at least that is how a few folks explained it to me when we were talking about the latest KM insert). They've been conditioned to react as if taking blood is a mortal sin and they will be destroyed if they do it. I honestly think that if the GB made it a non-DAing offense, the majority of JWs, especially the older ones, would still refuse blood.

36

On our way to PA!!!

by AuldSoul in

jw
friends

ice and snow flurries most of the way there, and bitterly cold ... but we are thrilled.. a bad day today thanks to my father.

thanks, dad!

your prayer didn't work.

Doubting Bro

Terrific AS!! Congrats on the new job AND the new location. Sounds like it will be a good thing to get your wife away from your Dad's influence. Best wishes to you both!!

20

JW members are slowy Awakening!

by Gill in

sometimes you wonder if the wtbts will ever come to a dead end.

but, it is always encouraging when you hear of the gradual awakening of individuals who have been trapped in the cult their whole lives.. walking home from school yesterday i felt a tap on my shoulder and turned round to see a jw i have known since he was a little boy.

he has been a window cleaner since leaving school and is married with three children.. straight away he said to me: ' my wife has gone to university!

Doubting Bro

My family is still all in (although my sister is a semi-fader but still a believer). Maybe once I come clean, I'll have a chance to lead them out!! Someone has to be the first to wake up, right??

Gill, thats a great story and I'm glad that couple has taken steps to plan a future.

55

Will Lack of Leadership Sink the JW Ship?

by Seeker4 in

jw
friends

i see serious problems with the leadership of the witnesses on two important levels: locally, in smaller bodies of elders with marginally qualified men carrying heavier workloads, and internationally in a lackluster and unimaginative governing body.

there are no nathan knorrs, or fred or ray franz's in this pathetic group!

first, the local elders: .

Doubting Bro

I hope every male JW becomes an elder. It is the fastest way to get a JW to see that the Org. does not follow the teachings of Christ. And for those who reach out (to be elders) for love of God and brothers, it is the way out for them. The WTS doesn't want men w/ a Bible trained conscience because a bible trained conscience will condemn them.

Amen, Zack. Had I never been an elder, I wouldn't have believed have of the stories I've read here. Unfortunately, the horror stories have the "ring of truth" as they say. The fact that this is just a book publishing business is apparent to anyone who has been an elder for more than a couple of months. I agree they won't allow sisters behind the curtains until they absolutely have to.

Edited to add: Blondie, I completely agree with your assessment that sisters will be handling many duties before the WTS closes shop. But, the big difference between using sisters in the past and the future (other than probably things being done with a bit more organization) is the reasons behind using them. In the past, they were used because there were no baptized men in the area yet growth was taking place. Now/future the will be used because males in leadership positions have vacated. Although I admire the WTS for its ability to spin bad news, I think its going to be a tough sale to the rank & file.

33

Ron Frye's book on Elder Confidentiality

by Confession in

i'm still making my way through what is an excellent book by ron frye, former jw and c.o.

i found one of his comments interesting.

on page 68 he speaks affectionately of his wife mavis.... "i especially depended on her because she was observant and discerning.

Doubting Bro

My wife is way more observant of things and better at reading people than I am. So there were times when I would bounce stuff off her regarding general congregational things (like why don't the pioneers get along, etc). But, I took someone asking for confidential help seriously and never told my wife or anyone else something told to me in confidence. The only time I can see violating someone's confidence (elder or not) would be if someone was going to get hurt if I didn't (like a child abuse case).

I have enormous trust issues anyway, so if someone ever violated my confidence, I would be crushed. So, applying the Golden Rule, I can't ever see doing something like that.

It does eat away at you, having many people confess crazy things and then not being able to talk about it with your best friend.

55

Will Lack of Leadership Sink the JW Ship?

by Seeker4 in

jw
friends

i see serious problems with the leadership of the witnesses on two important levels: locally, in smaller bodies of elders with marginally qualified men carrying heavier workloads, and internationally in a lackluster and unimaginative governing body.

there are no nathan knorrs, or fred or ray franz's in this pathetic group!

first, the local elders: .

Doubting Bro

My last two congregations:

#1 - Before- 8 elders (me then, 2 above average (by WT standards) 1 in his 40s 1 in his late 50s, 3 average (would do some things if forced) 1 40s and 2 in their 60s, 2 space fillers both in their 50s.

No MS that could be promoted ever.

- Now - 5 elders (1 resigned, 2 moved out) ( 2 above average, 2 average, 1 space filler)

#2 - Before - 8 (me, 0 above average,4 average - 2 in their 40s, 2 in their 60s, 3 space fillers - 1 in his 40s, 1 in his 50s, 1 in his 70s)

Now - 7 with me resigning.

2 MS that could be promoted in the next 3-5 years.

19

Green light on higher education since 1995

by Fatfreek in

---if you believe what oroborus21 (aka -eduardo leaton jr., esq.

) claimed on an earlier thread in a different section.

that statement actually was off topic and that thread is so long i didn't have the patience to wade through and challenge him on it.

Doubting Bro

And there is a recent letter to the BOEs dated 12/6/6 which instructs elders to

"set the proper example when it comes to education. No doubt you also want to help young ones and their parents to appreciate the "excelling value" of divine education and not to be swayed by worldly pressure to pursue higher education. University education is designed to promote a life engrossed in advancing self-interest in the present system, not Kingdom interests. (Matt 6:33, Phil 3:8). Through articles in our publications such as the one in the October 1, 2005, Watchtower entitled "Parents - What Future Do You Want for Your Children?" help parents to encourage their children to pursue theocratic goals and the full-time ministry. By doing so, young ones will enrich their lives now and build their future with Jehovah's organization."

What I get out of this is the same message that was delivered at the last KM school. Telling elders to set the proper example is code for we may remove you if you or your children are pursuing higher education since you're not setting a good example for the rest of the flock and have no freeness of speech on the subject. Also, its clear that elders are to try to talk parents and kids out of going to college (again not new, there was an demontration at the last KM school which showed how you could do this). There was a green light given in the early to mid 90s but it is a big RED one now.

71

A Letter to the Governing Body

by truthsetsonefree in

(km 6/03 p. 1 par.

9 building for an eternal future, w87 2/1 p. 15 par.

(km 11/88 p. 4 par.

Doubting Bro

Ditto what Quandary just said!

Nice job.