Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  126

  MY BROTHER-IN-LAW HAS DIED

  by Mary in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is one post i had always hoped i would never have to do, but after a long and brave battle, my beloved brother in law has died.

  i have done a couple of threads on this in the past, so many of you know the battles he was facing.

  he had been diagnosed earlier this year with myelodysplastic syndrome and the mortality rate of this disease is quite high.

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  Doubting Bro

  Mary,

  My condolences to you and your family in this terrible time of loss. Your post gives us a glimpse into how special he was.
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  13

  WT Annual Meeting is tomorrow, 3 October, 2009.

  by Open mind in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  anyone going?.

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  Doubting Bro

  I was just thinking about that. There were some rumors about new GB members but there have been very few leaks (that I've seen at least) on any changes. Leads me to believe that nothing major will come out.
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  57

  I'm new, let me introduce myself

  by no lies please in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been lurking here for many months.

  i served as an elder for many years, and regular pioneer for much longer until recently.

  i'm also a mts grad and was used extensively on the circuit and district level.

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  Doubting Bro

  Welcome NLP!! Your description of grieving was exactly my feelings as well. You will likely progress through all the phases (denial,anger,bargining, depression, and finally acceptance). Glad to hear that you don't have family in. That will be a major help!

  The ride will be bumpy but this board is a great place to vent.
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  51

  Everything About Being An Elder is Weird (my misc rambling memories of being an elder)

  by AllTimeJeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for any brother who is a jehovah's witness, the goal is put before them to reach out for the privilege of being an elder.

  i can only speak for myself, but being born into the religion, i wanted to be an elder since i was 5. i would have much rather wanted to be a doctor or engineer, but those are the breaks..... i'll skip the part about what it takes to reach out, all the crap you have to put up with as a ministerial servant to get appointed, and go straight to the reality.. i know many elders who sincerely just wanted to be shepherds.

  i did want the spotlight.

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  Doubting Bro

  ATJ,

  Your post brings back memories for me. I was 29 when appointed and did about 10 years or so. I never dealt with a pedofile but many of your experiences are similar to mine. I was an a$$hole for at least the first few years too. I cringe over some of the things I said and thought.I know I should continue to beat myself up over it, but it still saddens and disappoints me.

  Being an elder was nothing like I thought it was going to be. Being a company man sucked even worse.

  Exactly!

  And, the political games that I noticed in multiple congregations and at the circuit and district level were enough to allow me to just consider for a moment that "apostates" actually had legitimate points. I honestly can't imagine that there are many elders who actually think holy spirit is guiding them, at least at the local level.
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  15

  New Age Requirement for MTS

  by garlic81 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at our 2 day circuit assembly this weekend they made an announcement for those interested in attending the ministerial training school to meet with the do & co at 9:20 behind the stage this morning.

  they said that there is a new revised age requirement, and it is 62 or older.

  he again clarified 62 or older, single, and a ministerial servant or an elder.. do you think they feel they've put enough young brothers through the school and now they want old retired individuals who they can send anywhere?

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  Doubting Bro

  I'm sure it's 62 or younger. I have a friend who just started MTS and he's in his mid-40s. They've expanded from 50 to 62.
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  63

  Yay for Womanhood! Female Min.Serv's under consideration.

  by cattails in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the "priscilla" deliberations.. gb subcommittees now re-considering role of women in the organization.. example of phoebe as "diakonos" revisited.. could women be appointed to ministerial servant positions in view of the need in congregations?.

  what's your take on latest rumors?

  http://www.extjforo.com/foro/showthread.php?t=14821.

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  Doubting Bro

  I call BS on this one. Lots of examples of local congregations using women in roles traditionally reserved for men in the borg, but there's no way they are going to give these ladies a title. As Blues Brother brought out, they just released a QFR which requires women to wear head coverings when signing for the deaf. Now, they're going to allow women to be promoted to MS? It just doesn't fit into what we all know about the WTS.
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  6

  Kingdom song 149

  by possible-san in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  kingdom song 149.

  "it is impossible for god to lie".

  http://www.mediafire.com/?jk2kyyrljnr.

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  Doubting Bro

  I wonder if this is one of the songs cut from the new song book.
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  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

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  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.

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  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
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  16

  CO/DF'ing Rumor Rationale

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. 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.

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  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.
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  29

  Today show mentions Garrido's wife was JW

  by purplesofa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  interview with geraldo rivera starts about 3:00. .

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

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  Doubting Bro

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