Doubting Bro

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Posts by Doubting Bro

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  25

  Why Would Someone Like me Leave the "Truth"? Part 1

  by cantleave in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the title of this series of threads is rhetorical.

  i am going to answer it with my own experience.

  before i do that, i want to discuss what we are told through the literature and the instruction that is given during meetings, assemblies and conventions, for the reasons why people leave the truth.. the watchtower of 15 november 2008, in the article help them return without delay indicates people leave because of the following:.

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  Doubting Bro

  cantleave - really interesting!
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  33

  Serious advice needed... being df'd without the brothers hearing my side???

  by edlewiese in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ok i have asked several of my friends and they have never heard of being chased by a committee before.

  so i am hoping someone has some insight.. .

  i'll give you background and yes i am not innocent in the situation but what i was raised to believe is being contradicted by the actions of the elders.. .

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  Doubting Bro

  Sapphy is dead on.

  Can I ask exactly what this letter you signed said? If it just said that you recognize that he is "scriputally free" (code language for admitting that you've had a sexual relationship with someone), without going into any details, you may be able to argue that 1) you didn't understand what you were signing, or 2) that because of his previous abuse you were coerced into signing it.

  Your ex obviously wants to date (or is dating) another JW and that's why he's doing this. But, if you don't want to get df'ed then you would pretty much have to play by their rules and tell them how terrible he was because they will take that letter as a confession and if you're not there to defend yourself, it will be a 2 minute meeting.

  I like Scully's idea of going after the individual elders for slander but that's going to cost money. Putting it out there may make them back off. I personally would love to see someone do that because I know the WTS would not defend their individual elders.

  Of course, the whole thing is clearly unscriptural but then again, that's the WTS for you.
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  33

  New here-question about calls from the elders

  by hoggieman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been looking around here for a while but this is my first post.

  my wife and i have been fading not so smoothly.

  i pretty much know this is not the truth but am still undecided how i feel on various issues and i am still sorting them out.

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  Doubting Bro

  tt - nice response
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  33

  New here-question about calls from the elders

  by hoggieman in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i have been looking around here for a while but this is my first post.

  my wife and i have been fading not so smoothly.

  i pretty much know this is not the truth but am still undecided how i feel on various issues and i am still sorting them out.

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  Doubting Bro

  First welcome!

  The problem I see is that since you spoke to both your mother & your sister, they have their 2 witnesses if they really want to hold a JC they can.

  WAC's advice is dead on. Is there a local example of something that wasn't done "properly" and that you could use as a source of your frustrations? Or is there someone in the hall that has been "stumbling you"? Or, you said that your dad left and was an elder so you could say that you were thinking about that and it caused you to temporarily have some doubts but your taking the course that WAC suggested.

  Then, if this blows over and you fade, try to move to a KH that doesn't have family (if that's possible). Having a relative on the BOE can be either very good (to make things go away) or very bad depending on your relationship with that person. If this is your mother's brother, he's probably hypersensitive to "apostacy" given that his brother-in-law went that route.

  Good luck!
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  9

  Proof that children being baptised at WT conventions

  by moshe in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the wt had an international convention in trinidad this past week and here is a picture of a young boy being baptised- get them early before they can undersatnd what they are getting themselves into.

  how old does this boy look?

  for story: http://guardian.co.tt/features/life/2009/12/30/keep-watch.

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  Doubting Bro

  10 tops
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  16

  Then What?

  by tjlibre in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  after knowing what i now know about the wt and the gb.

  now that i can see the real spirit behind this organization, now that i have convinced my self that i dont need this religion or any other organized group to have a personal relationship with god and his son... i wonder, whats next?

  should i stay as part of the conscious class, a less committed jw for the sake of my marriage and emotional stability?

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  Doubting Bro

  I hear you. I'm sort of in the same spot in that I see that JWs aren't even close to the truth, yet leaving would create such heartache and pain that it doesn't seem worth it. I'm hopeful that one day my wife will come to the same conclusion because I'm not leaving without her.

  TJL, the one piece of advice I'll offer is that you don't have any specific time pressure so don't do or say anyting rash. Learning that your belief system was misguided can be tramuatic. I recall a sick feeling coming over me when I was forced to admit JWs don't have the truth and never did. It's very similar to the grieving process and from first hand experience, I went through all the steps.

  This board has been a fantastic plan to vent frustrations so continue posting. It will get better.
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  21

  Did You Know Anyone That Celebrated "Family Day" Instead of "Christmas?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i knew a few families that wink wink did not celebrate gift giving for christmas.

  instead, they celebrated "family day".

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  Doubting Bro

  Yup, my family started doing it a few years ago since between my siblings and I there are 7 kids. We never gave gifts to the adults (although we all give something to my parents). Sometimes its on Christmas Day, other times the day before or the day after, depending on when it falls. This year it was on Christmas day.

  Reminds me of Sinfield when Kramer invented a holiday called Festivus. It was a celebration for any non-Christians. "Festivus for the rest of us".

  To me, it respresents a bit of rebellion for WTS rules. They don't want us to gather as a family and celebrate each other. BTW, my dad is an elder and one of my brothers just got appointed.
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  30

  Please Join in Celebration! My DFed brother is coming to dinner!!!

  by Open mind in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  we're killing the fattened young bull and having osso bucco (spell?

  ) tonight.

  i'm going to the airport right now to pick up my long-time dfed, over 20-years shunned, gay older brother!.

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  Doubting Bro

  OM - that's awesome!
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  22

  A JW attending funerals at a church.

  by garyneal in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my mother-in-law attend the funeral of her father-in-law (my wife's grandfather on her father's side) at his church (a baptist church).

  before we went in the church, she (mother-in-law) told me that she wanted to warn me that if they get into the singing and praising of god, don't be surprised if i see her not participating.

  i said, "because of that whole, interfaith thing, right?

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  Doubting Bro

  I've gone to numerous family furnerals as well as those for coworkers and non-JW family of JWs. This was as an elder and as a rank & file. Never had anyone question it. Same for weddings.

  The last furneral I went to (non-JW family), my dad & brother (both serving elders) were upfront with the rest of the family (mostly JW). Only one JW family member that should have been there wasn't and the rest of the JW family thought he was way out of line.

  Of course, many of them didn't bow their heads during prayer or say amen. I don't have a problem with them not saying amen and such. After all, I don't say amen to the prayers at the KH because I don't agree with them.

  It really depends on the local situation but I would say that most JWs I know don't have a problem with attending furnerals.
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  52

  Facebook condemned

  by straightshooter in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  my wife told me that at the last meeting, the elders announced that youngsters going to the skateboarding park were no longer to have any privileges in the congregation.

  this is to prevent jw youngs to be rounded up if a drug raid was made at the skateboarding park.. also because of individuals requesting that they be friends on facebook that contain bad pictures, that anyone with a facebook account will automatically have their privileges removed.. sounds like the pharasees protecting the people by adding additional traditions upon them.. .

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  Doubting Bro

  I know at the current CA program there is mention of social networking sites and how they could potentially be dangerous. Not an outright condemnation but I know lots of self rightous elders that could take that and run with it.

  They already have a terrible time of retaining young people and stuff like this ALWAYS backfires.