Posts by Doubting Bro

28

Went to District Convention this weekend with no Badge brother talks in 3rd person to Witnesses "Who's this guy? A study? WTF

by Witness 007 in

a brother who's a friend of mine introduces me...but i have no "keep on the watch" badge so he stares at me...then where the badge should be...then back at me...turns to the brother with me ignoring me and says "who's this guy?

is he a study.." he had a smug ass#ole look on his face.

like people without badges can't talk.

Doubting Bro

@lm - welcome to the board! The same thing happened to me on a business trip. Only I forgot my jacket but had my books. One of the elders in the hall approach me and I told him I was an elder visiting from another state. He told me the hall wasn't friendly (he had just moved there) and spoke with me both before and after. The rest ignored me. And I even commented several times!! I was really shocked. What if I had been an interested person. Man, they didn't even do "lovebombing" correctly.

One time I was on vacation and went to the memorial at another hall. I was completely ignored except for another visiting JW. I was a young MS at the time but still was thinking that this congo was seriously jacked up. Now I know they all are!!

007 - the whole badge thing is insane. I never wore a badge unless I was an attendant or working in some function that required one. Now, I make it a point of never even bothering filling one out. I would say that at least 33% of the folks don't have one. That guy was an a-hole

16

CO/DF'ing Rumor Rationale

by metatron in

jw
friends

in the past year, there have been many rumors about changes in the co arrangement as well as disfellowshipping.

i think that there is a solid legal rationale for these proposed changes that relates strongly to these two areas.. it's called 'deep pockets' and the chain of command.. consider the fact that elders are appointed by the watchtower society and have the power to expel members from the entire organization.

this is very different from the first century during which you could be tossed out of one synagogue/church but accepted somewhere else.. the elders send out records of each disfellowshipping to headquarters attesting to the fact that the organization is strongly centralized.

Doubting Bro

I do believe the younger guys are more pragmatic and will be more likely to take the advice of legal. Much will depend on who is appointed to the GB over the next 2 years or so.

LD - Its funny but I actually DID think that the reason they were making me write so many notes in my Flock book was to avoid liability. I recall one CO that was organized enough to give all the new elders in his circuit a written note that showed where to make notes in the Flock book. He got in HUGE trouble from his DO and Bethel for that move! It's one of those moments that you file away but always remember.

Ultimately, any moves they make are inspired by 1) money or 2) legal liabilty which really means money.

I really think they are going to try to find a way to institue tithing. That would help resolve their financial issues at least in the short term.

29

Today show mentions Garrido's wife was JW

by purplesofa in

jw
friends

interview with geraldo rivera starts about 3:00. .

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32639477#32639477?gt1=43001.

Doubting Bro

My apologies. We were just discussing this at work today and I'm still a little worked up.

18

Cantleave's latest update

by cantleave in

jw
friends

ok, i couldn't let it lie.

i showed my wife some of the scientific inaccuracies made by the wts over the years .

my wife was concerned that i have been reading apostate literature.

Doubting Bro

cantleave - very interesting discussion. I think it's great that you and your wife have such open communication. I can't really offer any meaningful comments since I'm too much of a sissy to have the big conversation with my wife (although I've made comments over time and she knows I don't really believe it anymore).

I will say that you will find it a relief to get off the BOE. Just that alone improved my attitude quite a bit! Good luck

29

Today show mentions Garrido's wife was JW

by purplesofa in

jw
friends

interview with geraldo rivera starts about 3:00. .

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/32639477#32639477?gt1=43001.

Doubting Bro

What?? LD - do you know what they are accused of? The kidnapping and raping of a young girl who they imprisoned for 18 years. It is alleged that Garrido is the father of the girls 2 children. I only say alleged because he hasn't yet been convicted but there's no doubt in my mind that he was guilty and his wife enabled and assisted him.

Prison is too good for folks like this. They don't need to be in the gene pool.

I haven't heard any news outlet mention any JW connection. The only thing I've seen so far is that he was handing out religious tracts. Despite the WTS claims, others do engage in "preaching".

Doesn't really matter what religion this sick perv was associated with. I hope the system doesn't let this girl down again and deals with these two.

45

What's with all the 'Imminent' nonsense?

by AK - Jeff in

could it be that the proximity of 2014 is at the heart of it?.

i have no contact with jw's - except on this board - but my wife does at times with her family.

imminent is the cry of the sky for the jw's it seems.. i recall the years leading up to 1975 with a lot of that sort of thing.

Doubting Bro

Sir82 - How did you keep a straight face??? LOL that's crazy! A friend of mine (obviously a conditional friend who would drop me at a moments notice if instructed by the WTS) conducts the WT. I spoke with him the week before his DC and he was lamenting the fact that he was going to tell his audience that this DC could be the last one this side of the big A but didn't get a chance. My response: that's ok, you can say it next year!

I have a feeling he's not going to be my friend much longer but I couldn't resist.

Seriously, I've been hearing this stuff ever since I can remember. Perhaps they need to look up imminent to see what it means? I don't know any scales in which close to 100 years is imminent.

30

PRIVATE PROPERTY! KEEP OUT!

by highdose in

how many times have we all seen that sign in the minstry?

also " no salesman" , " no harkers" etc.

in my congo it was the policy to ignore these completly, the poor people who just wanted to be left alone never had a chance.. i on the otherhand used to use it as an exhuse to fast forward on to the next house and finish up the ministry quicker.... what was your experiance?.

Doubting Bro

The WTS wrote a letter to the congregations basically informing everyone that if they took a door with a no trespassing sign they could be prosecuted and that the WTS would not stand behind them (what a shock, right). They said to write letters, make phone calls, etc. I know a few folks that were fined for trespassing after disregarding a no trespassing sign. The WT legal department was called (this happened maybe 6 months before the letter came out) and the legal department said this pioneer was on his own!

15

The End...Finally!

by XJW4EVR in

jw
friends

this morning the bastard that attacked my wife with the intention of raping her was sentenced to 25 years to life plus five years.

he must serve a minimum of 30 years.

thank god for the three strikes law (i know that some of the liberals on this board may not join me in my gratitude for the voters of california's wisdom in making that law).

Doubting Bro

Glad to hear that the justice system worked! I hope you guys will finally be able to heal.

21

Do JWs pave the way for Agnosticism/Atheism? My story.

by Open mind in

most j.w.s i grew up around werent superstitious.

friday the 13th, walking under ladders and spilled salt were for the blind and the ignorant.

we had been set free and knew better.. to be sure, some j.w.s had their own special theocratic superstitions.

Doubting Bro

Absolutely! I had a very similar experience to you in that even though I was raised JW, my parents never really attributed good or bad things to the influence of spiritual beings other than to say "Satan's system" is doing this or that or "we need the New System". Otherwise, I was taught that to succeed, you need to work hard.

I think JWs are trained to be so skeptical of "organized religion" that once we realize that God doesn't have a "channel of communication" on earth, doubting his existence is the next logical step.

Miss your comments by the way!

91

Questions From Readers Nov 15th 2009

by dozy in

the latest flip-flop (allbeit a minor one.).

the "wise instruction" (as described by the society) given is that sisters now have to wear head coverings when interpreting sign language public talks.. differs from the previous instructions that sisters didn't need to do so.. .

w02 7/15p.27 questions from readers.

Doubting Bro

bennyk brings up a good point. Aren't women in FS teaching others? Granted, they're teaching WT doctrine but still they are teaching the public. Shouldn't they be wearing head coverings?

I guess they'd rather have the rank & file talk about this than some of the other issues they'd rather avoid.