Posts by Doubting Bro

31

Comments You Won't Hear at the 9/9/07 WT Study (ENDURANCE)

by WT Comments in

q7) although some are afraid to speak in public or to attend a meeting, how do they show endurance?.

q22, 23) of what can you be sure as you await jehovah's day with endurance?.

official encouragement comes from the pages of the wts publications such as this fine example.. how would you respond?.

Doubting Bro

There was one interesting comment yesterday. The MS that was reading answered an aux question from the conductor about how we should treat folks with depression or phobias. I think the answer he was looking for was to "encourage them to go out in service and to the meetings". However, what he got was a tirade from the MS (a college grad) about how depression was a real disease and that those suffering with it needed help, not more pressure. I wanted to applaud. Of course, some other hard core JWs chimed in with the go out in service answer. But, at least a positive point was made.

I just can't bring myself to comment at these insane meetings anymore. It is interesting to me that the WTS is admitting in this article how depressed and discouraged the average JW really is. Too bad their solution is the complete opposite of what their supposed leader Jesus would say.

I can just imagine the Pharisees of Jesus day giving the same speeches to their congregations.

162

Blondie needs encouragement

by blondie in

jw
friends

i have been battling an incurable illness and will be able to post less and less.

i will post my email, and any help you cna asend my way will be appreciated.

there is treatment but no cure and no cancer yet.

Doubting Bro

Blondie,

Just saw this post. I'm so sorry to hear about your health issues. Your input here has been a great source of help for many (including myself). While we'll miss your frequent posting, your health is of primary concern. I wish you and your family the best and hope that a cure is found soon and in the meantime that the treatment will make things a bit better for you.

13

How many elders did this?

by Bumble Bee in

jw
friends

5go had a thread here - the service overseer nearly cried from the podium that mentioned something i never realized, elders having to chip in from their own pockets to cover expenses.. how many elders here had to do that, and what was the average amount and frequency that you had to make up the shortfalls?.

bb.

.

Doubting Bro

My congregation always had money in the bank so it was never an issue. As OTWO mentioned, there were times when a person needed something and the BOE would take up a collection (among the elders and sometimes the MS) to help the person out. I can remember several occasions where that took place and it was mainly for some of the elderly members of the congo. I still think local congregations should have a "needy widow" fund but at least that particular BOE saw that it was a Christian thing to do and at least tried to help out when possible. I understand that may not be the norm but it certainly should be.

29

"we're not hiding anything" says the Bro on the Service Desk

by MinisterAmos in

jw
friends

i think i found where they put all their lawyers, they go on the service desk to spin tales of deceit and half-truth.

so i call up to voice my displeasure with having been asked to distribute "the end of false religion" when the wt already knew that it was ridden with molestors yet called itself "clean".

the bro said "that means clean in comparison to the others" ummm ok

Doubting Bro

To me, this is what makes the claim of a spiritual paradise so insane. Either a restoration of "true Christianity" has taken place with JWs, its been "refined" (which according to the Rev book has already taken place) and JWs exist in a spiritual paradise or none of that (ding, ding, right answer) has happened. If none of it happened, then the rest of what they claim they've fulfilled from Revelation doesn't fit either.

I love to hear the explainations how Jah's clean organization can have such scumbags. I believe the appropriate illustration would be "would you drink a glass of water if you knew there was even one drop of poison"? JWs often use that when talking about so called false religion. Why doesn't the same apply to all religion?

23

How the WT Study is Used by the Governing Body

by AllTimeJeff in

now that i have been out of the borg for a while, it has occurred to me that one of the biggest weapons they use to keep everyone indoctrinated is the watchtower study.. elders are told that the wt study is the primary way that the faithful and discreet slave feeds the flock of god today.

it is easily the most formulatic.. consider, the content is 100% controlled.

(i would also add, made up fiction.

Doubting Bro

Exactly. That is why they have now instructed WT conductors to not introduce additional material and to stick to the program. Control!

41

Your Opinion: What Do You Think Of Legally Going After Individual Elders?

by minimus in

jw
friends

since the society has told the elders that they are basically on their own, why don't we give more thought to suing the elders-----not just the watchtower society?.

when i was an elder ii was very concerned that i might get sued and be liable in a lawsuit.

it was one of the reasons i didn't want to be an elder..

Doubting Bro

I was very concerned about that when I was an elder. I can think of several senarios where an elder could be potentially at risk. I got into the habit of not giving my personal opinion on anything. If someone wanted to know what the WTS take on a particular issue was, I'd research and give the printout to the person.

20

144,000 Changes Coming ?

by Poztate in

in the may wt questions from readers they did away with the 1935 cut off date to be part of the original anointed class.

they taught any anointed after that date were replacements for those who had "fallen away".

over the years that doctrine has slowly fallen apart.

Doubting Bro

At the BS this week, there was some discussion about how the number is going down and that's a sign the end is coming. However, the numbers reported in 1987 (I still use the old book!) show I think 8800 or so (I don't have a copy in front of me). He totally skipped over the fact that in 20 years, that number has barely budged. I mentioned to my wife after we got home because I would have drawn way too much attention from him ( I think he suspects I'm not with the program anymore).

This was the first time I talked about the May WT dropping the 1935 closing of heaven teaching. She only response was that the conductor wasn't the brightest and probably unaware of the "new light".

If they did go to a symbolic 144k, they would actually be in line with what consensus opinion. That's why I'm not so sure they'll do it. They can point to the "many are called, few are chosen" to explain why its taken over 2000 years to select 144k.

43

new september 2007 Kingdom Ministry Qbox

by patientbrother in

brothers i absolutely had to join this web site once i saw the new km for this coming month, has any one else had a chance to view this?

i'm absolutely flabbergasted for the first time in my life, what about the the apostle paul and the bereans?

didn't he encourage them to go and find out for them selves the truth?

Doubting Bro

Patient Bro, Welcome to the board!!

I can also relate to your situation as I have a wife that is not about to leave and pretty much my entire social circle is in. I still go to meetings and outside some brief discussions with my wife, no one realizes that I no longer believe the WTS is Jah's organization.

The Sept KM is really just the tip of the iceberg. There's the sexual abuse scandle, the UN relationship of 9 years, the whole 1914 doctrine, conflicting messages on blood, lack of caring congregations. All that stuff adds up. The more you read and research, the sicker you will feel. But, knowing the "truth about the truth" is better than just ignoring the facts. You will be in for an emotional ride.

Being able to vent here has been a vaulable resource for me and I'm sure it will be for you.

Look forward to your comments!

30

A warning would be fair

by greendawn in

given the often devastating consequences of disassociation and disfellowshipping isn't it fair that those studying with the jws should be explicitly warned about these precedures in advance so that they know where they walking into?

so that they would be able to better judge whether they want to become jws and potentially risk losing jw family and friends at some future time?

how many of you would get baptised into the cult if you really knew about the policies of dfing and shunning?

Doubting Bro

For converts I agree. Kids don't have a chance because many families shun the kids even if they are never baptized and just walk away. I always found it ironic that when a non-JW family member gives a JW family member grief over their religious choices, the JW talks about persecution. But, when a JW spouse decides they don't want to be a JW or a kid decides that's not the path for him/her, the pressure put on that person is often much more than a non-JW would ever subject a JW to. And, in many cases, whole families break up over a JWs choice to not be a JW. It really makes no sense. Nice double standard!

41

Elder for 30 years, lost privelages due to WT Education policy

by justhuman in

this is a really good one.

an elder who was serving for more than 30 years, faithfull to the organization at all means, has lost his privelage due to the wt education policy.

the reason was that he allowed his son to study at the university.

Doubting Bro

When they flipped back on college a couple of years ago, we had the elder's school a few months afterward. They said at that school that "elders should be setting the example" in regard to NOT sending their kids to "higher education". I took that to be a threat that if you were advocating going to college either in word or in deed by sending your own kids, there would be consequences and the possibility of losing your position.

I doubt they will ever put this in writing but I'll bet that some local BOEs got the same impression that I did and there are probably some COs that will back them up.