Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  59

  Our JW Friend told by Elder "Satan is using a Pedophile to Break your Faith"

  by flipper in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was given permission by a jw friend of my wife and me to post this experience.

  she's anonymous and posts on the board.

  she is married to a witness still but is fighting on behalf of children in her congregation to not be a next victim of a pedophile who attends her congregation.

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  Doubting Bro

  wow, just wow.
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  32

  1914 is going down.....done away with.......

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  leaving wt: if 1914 goes, they cease to be a religion, imo.

  but, that's another thread.. since leaving wt said this on another thread........i gave him his "another thread".....is so wish i had walked away in 1995 because right away i knew we had just thrown 1914 out the window......since now there was no timelink to the date........no more the end will come during the lifetime of those alive in 1914. i am afraid i disagree with leaving wt on the thought the religion would fail if they totally dump 1914, only because of their history..... they had staked everything on jesus coming invisibly in 1874 and taught that for about 50 years......then kicked 1874 out the window.....and they stuck around after that.

  does anybody know how/why they changed this teaching from jesus coming in 1874 and then decided it was 1914?.....................thanks....................oompa.

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  Doubting Bro

  oompa & sir82 - I certainly can see that happening. After all, they've done it before with the 1874 to 1914 end of the Gentile Times on even lamer reasoning (uh, we missed some years). Sir82, the 1935 thing is brilliant. That would take out the whole problem with the fact that Jerusalem wasn't destroyed in 607.

  I'll add a new thought (the WT writers should pay royalties):

  Does this adjustment mean that the "faithful and descreet slave" only began feeding the "domestics" after 1935? Since Matt 24:45-47 states that the Master "upon arriving" finds the "slave" already doing this important feeding work, evidently, Jesus was pointing to a period of time prior to his arrival in which this worldwide feeding program was already taking place. Certainly, there is ample evidence that Bible truths began to shine forth with the work of Charles Russell and in earnest in 1919 when blah blah blah
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  11

  No motivation/depression/for those people still in.

  by easyreader1970 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this message is not necessarily intended for those people who are no longer in the organization or who were never in it.

  it's primarily directed towards people who are still in but who don't want to be (likely for family reasons).. i won't go into details (read my profile if you need more info), but the bottom line is that i'm still associated with the wbts because i enjoy waking up to my children every morning.

  by extension, i guess i am happy waking up to the wife, too, but deep down i know she loves the wbts far more than she loves me ...so since i prefer to see them every day as opposed to every other weekend and not being demonized, this is why i am still here.. to the point.. i really want to know how some of you cope who are still inside, on a long term basis.

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  Doubting Bro

  easyreader1970,

  I've gone through spells like that. I'm in a similar situation to you, although you wife seems more zealous for the WTS than mine does.

  You ask what some do to cope. I try to compartmentalize the WTS to the two times a week we go to the hall. I've gone in service, but won't speak at the door or if I do, just read a scripture and leave. It really sounds like you're suffering from clinical depression issues which may go beyond the WTS. Maybe seeing someone could help? Do you have anyone in real life that you can talk to?

  Throw yourself into doing things with your kids. I find they can really help you focus on what's important. Pick one thing to do even though your not motivated. Push yourself to do it. Once its been accomplished, you may find that you'll be motivated to try the next thing.

  Don't let the WTS suck the life out of you. I look at it as a battle for sanity. Don't let them win.

  I'll also give you the WTS advice - More Study, prayer, meetings and service!!! LOL
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  72

  SIT DOWN!.....i am going to the meeting next week for sex....

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  actually...i am just hoping that mo/betta sex is just a huge fringe benefit (really hoping that!!!!!!!

  ) ......i may start going one or two times a month........and it was an idea handed to me by my friend bonnzo here.

  he is a great guy all around....who loves his old pioneer mom enough to keep going to the meetings a bit instead of doing what we would both like to and walk away......actually we both would probably prefer that all our family and friends walked away and then it would not even be like walking away.

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  Doubting Bro

  oompa,

  I understand what you're saying. In many ways, I envy the stand that you've already taken. It seems like you'd be regressing, but life is too short to make yourself miserable simply to make a point. Your wife must realize that you don't believe, that you'd just be going occasionally to make her happy. Here's the thing, you can't unring the bell. You'll never be a believer in the WTS again.

  I still go with my wife mainly 1) to keep track of the crap that is being spewed and 2) to keep the peace. Honestly, I would do much tougher things to make her happy. Do I believe a word of it, hell no. She knows that too.

  I think each person's situation is different and you need to do what you think is right. Good luck buddy.
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  20

  What is the general "mood" these days of Dubs at meetings and assemblies?

  by Alpaca in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been inside a kingdom hall since 1998. back then, the change in the 1914 "generation" teaching was still sinking in and the "mood" then was one of confusion and head-scratching about what it all meant.. it is difficult for me to imagine how the "mood" now could be anything other than one of disappointment and doubt...even if it is not openly expressed.. do you think at some point there will be critical mass of doubts (and doubters) that will just start spilling out when dubs realize that others around them feel the same way?.

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  Doubting Bro

  I'd also describe the general mood as auto-pilot. Most folks try to put on the fake smile but lately they haven't even bothered doing that. Also, about 5 minutes before the meeting starts, most are in their seats already. At least 30% come in after it starts and there is a stampede out the front door as soon as the prayer is done.
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  20

  What is the general "mood" these days of Dubs at meetings and assemblies?

  by Alpaca in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been inside a kingdom hall since 1998. back then, the change in the 1914 "generation" teaching was still sinking in and the "mood" then was one of confusion and head-scratching about what it all meant.. it is difficult for me to imagine how the "mood" now could be anything other than one of disappointment and doubt...even if it is not openly expressed.. do you think at some point there will be critical mass of doubts (and doubters) that will just start spilling out when dubs realize that others around them feel the same way?.

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  Doubting Bro

  Here is the breakdown in our congregation:

  Males 60+: 12 total, 4 elders, 1 MS (% that are "servants" - 42%)

  Males 50 - 59: 4 total, 1 elders, 0 MS (% that are "servants" - 25%)

  Males 40-49: 5 total, 0 elders,1 MS (% that are "servants"- 20%)

  Males 30-39: 3 total, 0 elder, 1 MS (% that are "servants" - 33%)

  Males 18-29: 8 total, 1 elder,2 MS (% that are "servants" - 38%)

  I notice that here, the percentages drop off immediately. We have 2 former elders and 3 former MS. We also have quite a few females that are either divorced or married to "unbelievers". I think the number of publishers is around 120 or so. The 18-29 group will probably drop in totals as most of them are at the low end of the group. That group typically has the most df'ing.

  As the older ones pass away (most of the elders are elderly), there will be no one to step into their shoes.
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  22

  Questions for FormerMormon

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you accumulate additional wives through attrition or serial monogamy.

  i didn't want to threadjack, so i started a separate thread.. do you get all the previous wives back in the afterlife?.

  i recently read you get your own family in the afterlife, to share with your 4+ wives and spirit children.

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  Doubting Bro

  Did any of you EXJWers feel the same way? You may have thought people respected you, then you find out on the outside that everyone thinks your church is a freak show?

  Exactly - As rebel8 says, nothing like knocking on the doors of kids you went to school with and feeling like you want to curl in a hole. Oh, and not (insert normal childhood activity such as playing sports, joing clubs, birthday parties, holiday parties, etc)Ah, memories....
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  22

  Questions for FormerMormon

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you accumulate additional wives through attrition or serial monogamy.

  i didn't want to threadjack, so i started a separate thread.. do you get all the previous wives back in the afterlife?.

  i recently read you get your own family in the afterlife, to share with your 4+ wives and spirit children.

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  Doubting Bro

  You wonder if that show is going to end up with everyone back at the compound and in a showdown with the Feds, Waco style.

  I'm not exactly sure why they even introduced the Russian chick, but it sounds like she's leaving the "family" anyway. I really thought the daughter's plan to go to school out of state was a good one. Its kind of interesting to see how Bill's kids from Barb (especially his daughter) are repulsed by the whole thing.

  Too bad HBO can't come up with a JW show. I guess it would be just way too boring!!
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  20

  First century governing body?

  by lostsheep82 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  my anointed step dad always mentions about how the first century christians had a governing body also.

  where in the bible does it actually say that?

  to me governing body is just a dictatorship of men who think they are right and can control, no different than the governments....governing body set rules, and ultimately decide your future as far as i'm concerned.

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  Doubting Bro

  Sir82,

  That was at the last "elders school" (not the current one the COBOE is attending). I distinctly remember the person giving the talk was a local heavy weight and he specifically said that he was reading this directly from the outline and he seemed very uncomfortable with the stretch. At the time, I was starting to doubt and was also very uncomfortable that that "logic"

  On topic - if there was a first century GB, how come Paul wasn't on it? Wasn't he directly selected by Jesus to be an apostle to the nations? And, how come the only time they really interacted with Paul was with the whole circumcison issue referred to in Acts 15.
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  22

  Questions for FormerMormon

  by rebel8 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you accumulate additional wives through attrition or serial monogamy.

  i didn't want to threadjack, so i started a separate thread.. do you get all the previous wives back in the afterlife?.

  i recently read you get your own family in the afterlife, to share with your 4+ wives and spirit children.

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  Doubting Bro

  Whoa, I just got a major headache trying to wrap my mind around that teaching! Thanks for sharing that, its interesting. Seems like the LDS has the same problems with their teachings on the "ever after" as the JWs has with the "paradise earth" teaching. Neither can handle practical, simple questions.

  Bottom line, I can see the LDS is just as big a cult as the JWs because the theme of both is to put the religion above any personal relationship. They do the exact same thing about trying to leaverage the believer against the doubter and there have been cases where elders have encouraged the believing spouse to leave on the grounds of "spiritual endangerment".

  Really interesting regarding the wedding ceremony. The JW ceremony doesn't go quite as far as the LDS but does really stress that in their opinion, no marriage can be sucessful without "God" (they really mean the WTS). More time is spent on each persons duties as opposed to the celebration of the couples love.

  BTW - My wife & I regularly watch Big Love. I slip in comparisons to JWs all the time (not the polygamy but the other stuff).