Posts by Doubting Bro

34

Active witnesses? Please help?

by Ahava in

hi,i'm lost and a little sad.

i actually like the jw faith.

some might call this faith cold, strict, dogmatic but they're just trying to follow rules and give back to god.

Doubting Bro

Ahava,

Welcome! You will find that the majority of people here are either ex-JWs or are associated in some way with the faith but no longer believe. But, your taking pause before committing is a good idea. I like how you've come to the real heart of the matter. Is the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses really the sole spokesman of God and is the JW religion really God's earthly organization? If you find indisputable evidence of this, then obviously that's the way to go. If there is any doubt about it or actual evidence to the contrary, then you have your answer.

I'm born-in, multi-generation and after taking a hard look at the religion of my youth and family, I decided that there is more evidence that they are not lead by God than that they are. Unfortunately, once you get baptized, in order to leave you have to put up with having all current members shun you. Perhaps you don't have close family in so it doesn't really matter, but many of us have the majority of our families in the religion so it makes it a tough choice.

I found the jwfacts.com site to be very well done and really eye opening.

13

Who are the 144,000?

by Canadian Sunshine in

if i am understanding correctly only 144,000 will go to heaven, to be with jesus and help rule?

these 144,000 are witnesses only.

there is over a million jw world wide, what happens to the rest of the faithful followers.

Doubting Bro

I'll take a quick shot for you. This is the abridged version

Do the rest of the JW go to heaven but not see Jesus?

Those faithful JWs and actually everyone who dies prior to the start of Armageddon (with some specific exceptions that aren't really material) are scheduled to be resurrected during the literal Millennial reign of Jesus directly after Armageddon. These ones have to face a final test after the 1,000 years when Satan and the demons are released from the abyss they are placed in during the battle of Armageddon. Any who follow them are destroyed forever. Any who die (which includes all non-JWs and any JWs like me who are but don't believe a word of their BS) at Armageddon are destroyed forever.

Who are the anointed? Are they here on earth? How do you become anointed? Who says if your anointed or not?

It's one of the least understood things about JWism. Interesting, prior to 1935, all JWs were considered anointed.That's the year the came up with the "earthly" class of Christians when they realized that 144,000 literal number including all the Christians in the 1st Century wasn't going to work out for them. It's a "conviction" an individual has. Also, in order to be on the Governing Body which are the top leaders of the religion, you have to be anointed. So, some recent appointees suddenly go their calling a few years before being promoted. The number of anointed (yes, they measure everything) has gone up in recent years which flies in the face of their doctrine. No explanation has been given.

Lastly, what about Christians from other denominations where will they go? Christians that believe in Jesus, the bible .. what happens to them?

Either they die prior to Armageddon or they are killed by Jesus and the angry angles. JWs believe they are the only "real" Christians. Everyone else is part of false religion.

Let's review, its a cult!

18

JW and communion

by Canadian Sunshine in

a few years ago i attended the kingdom hall during "easter" as my mother in law asked me to come to a service.

i was hesitant at first, being a christian and a believer in jesus, she told me that jw believe in jesus and to come see for myself.

i finally agreed to go.

Doubting Bro

CS,

Yeah, it is super confusing. You correctly point out that the scripture refers to them as 1) Jews with 12,000 out of each tribe (but they don't correspond exactly with the tribes of Israel), and 2) male virgins.

To me, the insane part of the teaching is that the part about them being Jews (spiritual Israel in JW speak) and male virgins are symbolic but the 144,000 is literal. Either its all symbolic or all literal. It makes no sense to pick and choose but that's what JWs do on virtually every aspect of their unique teachings.

18

JW and communion

by Canadian Sunshine in

a few years ago i attended the kingdom hall during "easter" as my mother in law asked me to come to a service.

i was hesitant at first, being a christian and a believer in jesus, she told me that jw believe in jesus and to come see for myself.

i finally agreed to go.

Doubting Bro

JWs believe that only a literal 144,000 "true" Christians will go to heaven. They refer to these folks as "anointed". They believe that the Eucharist was established as a covenant to rule as kings and priests with Jesus. Therefore, only the individuals that are anointed are allowed to take the bread and wine. That number is supposed to include all of the anointed that have ever lived, back to the apostles.

As you can see, the math likely doesn't add up and obviously the scriptures having to do with that number are symbolic (if you believe in the Bible which is appears you do).

Most elders are not anointed and there are only about 18,000 or so that partake in the emblems each year. I'll let others go into more detail.

12

Interview with Giordano an Apostate

by Giordano in

tell us a little about yourself and your family.

my mother introduced me to her jw world when i was 12. i had to attend the weekly book study....boring!!!!

plus the disney tv show was on tuesday eve 8 to 9 and once a month they did a space show......no matter how hard i tried couldn’t get out of that bk study.

Doubting Bro

Thanks Gio!

17

Interview With An Apostate: LoveUniHateExams

by LoveUniHateExams in

me too, i had to have a study with a jw.

then, a month or two later, another one of my ‘worldly’ mates (dan) asked me “are you going out with emma?” i told him no.

dan had also asked rob himself and rob had said that he wasn’t involved with emma.

Doubting Bro

Thanks for the backstory! 100% agree with Simon's comments about how powerful these are.

23

interview with an apostate- morpheus

by _Morpheus in

when i saw simons thread and the "interview" series of threads that came from it i really enjoyed reading the life stories of those that shared.

a bump for newer people seems like a good idea and i figured i would add mine as well.

again, thanks to simon for the concept of a guided interview thread and the template.. tell us a little about yourself and your family.. hmmm... easy question, hard answer.

Doubting Bro

Interesting read Morph!

12

Appointments

by asp59 in

how big you think the percentage of reaching out for appointments in organization is base on:.

a brother wanted receive praise from other'sb wanted to marry thought having appointment would make that possiblec wife push him if he was marriedd pressure from other'se a career pathf possibility to dominate/control othersg he wanted to have appointment cause of love and wanted to help others..

Doubting Bro

For born-in males, D (peer pressure) starts at a very early age. Honestly, my motivation was simply that it was expected I hit the next rung on the ladder. Actually, I was a little late since I was in my early 20s when appointed a MS. It's hard to explain to non-JWs the peer pressure that the cult puts on you to perform. Especially if you are stupid like me and believed them to be God's organization.

16

I got my first teaching job!

by paradiseseeker in

in case you haven't read me, i am a spanish pimo who is preparing himself to become an english teacher.

well, i just wanted to share with you that i've been called to work in a high school and my first week of work has been amazing!

this job is not permanent, it will end in july, but finally i got rid of many doubts about my adequacy for this job: i love it!

Doubting Bro

Congratulations! A teacher passionate about their profession is a gift to their students.

20

Brothers with hearts. Where are they?

by stillin in

one poster here mentioned how, after he was appointed as an elder, things took on a more "corporate" feel.

i was an ms and as such went, dutifully, to the bi-annual meetings with the co. i was sorely disappointed.

i had imagined sort of a round-table discussion of trends and potential difficulties in the congregation, along with a coordinated effort to help people out.

Doubting Bro

Yeah, being an elder was the beginning of the end for me. I work in corporate America and often thought that the politics that I saw in the office was nothing compared to what I experienced in the Borg. My first elders meeting was a huge disappointment. It was a quick adjustment for me, subconsciously, I just thought of being at work and acted accordingly.