DB

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Posts by DB

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  61

  What was the JW breaking point 4 U?

  by ashitaka in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we have a thread that asks why we became jw's, so i became curious as to why some of us have left.

  what was the last straw for you?.

  mine was the treatment of my wife.

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  DB

  I have read this thread with great interest. I am still active (I was just out in service yesterday...yippie for me!). Anyway, while I am still in, my heart and mind are pretty much out.

  Almost all of the comments made above hit home. Prisca made an excellent observation about the scribes and pharisees in modern-day form. I have always felt that the application was not really fulfilled in Christendom, but rather in congregations of jws.

  Then there was the generation thing in 1995. For years prior, I had checked almost every issue of the Awake, looking at the masthead and waiting for their "before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away" change or get deleted, and sure enough, it happened. The article that explained the change did not convince at all, and their blaming "some of Jehovah's people" for speculating about certain dates angered me, since it was the FDS that fostered such speculation. I remember sitting at that WT study, thinking, hey, I never came to such conclusions on my own, this what I was TAUGHT to believe. We were TAUGHT to expect the end within a certain time-frame; we did not make it up on our own, and yet that is what was being implied.

  There were many other factors responsible for my heart and mind not really being "in" the organization, there are too many to mention here.

  Oh, berten, I like your idea of slipping out to the local arcade, LOL! There is a Dunkin Donuts not far from my KH, and I have been thinking of slipping out to enjoy a snack and some coffee during the meetings. During circuit assemblies, I have been known to leave and snack in the car for awhile. I also used to go driving around during the sessions with another brother when I was a teenager. I guess old habits never die, LOL.
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  20

  The elders visited me yesterday.

  by voltaire in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, it's finally over.

  last saturday i talked with an elder about how i feel about the wt.

  we talked for about 3 hours.

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  DB

  Voltaire, when the df you, they will still need to contact you to inform you of their decision. Until then (unless their proceedures have changed) they can make no announcement.

  Thus, if you want to, simply avoiding contact with the elders will keep them from anouncing the dfing, if you want to go that route. On the other hand, maybe you'd rather just get the whole thing over with. Can't blame you.
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  16

  KM article "How Will They Hear?"

  by DB in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  perhaps this topic has already been addressed, but at last night's service meeting we discussed an article in the kingdom ministry (jan 2001) called "how will they hear?".

  it dealt with the fact that there are perhaps billions worlwide who have not yet been witnessed to.

  the articel mentioned that the jws "trust in jehovah" (i guess its always the case when they have no answers) that those people, mostly concentrated in asia (especially china and the sub-continent) will have their hearts read by god and that he will know who are righteous and who are not.

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  DB

  Thanks to all who read and posted!
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  4

  Agonizing Questions

  by Defender in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  gal 1:8. we have the apostle paul clearly warning the galatians, to the extent of invoking a divine curse, about believing other versions of the good news than what paul had originally published.. the question is which good news should i believe?

  the one published by the apostle paul from tarsus, or the one from charles taze russell from allegheny, pennsylvania?.

  john 6: 53,54. we have none other than jesus christ himself, our supposed leader, telling us in no uncertain terms that unless we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we will not have everlasting life.. the question is whom should i trust with my everlasting prospects?

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  DB

  Good questions Defender!
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  28

  service meeting event

  by nytelecom1 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it was truly a joy to see br.

  and sister "--------".

  last night, after 5 years of not attending meetings.. it was the loving sheparding our elder body provided .

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  DB

  Good one expat, and thanks for your post on the thread I started (How Will They Hear?).

  nytel, thanks for your post on that thread too.
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  16

  KM article "How Will They Hear?"

  by DB in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  perhaps this topic has already been addressed, but at last night's service meeting we discussed an article in the kingdom ministry (jan 2001) called "how will they hear?".

  it dealt with the fact that there are perhaps billions worlwide who have not yet been witnessed to.

  the articel mentioned that the jws "trust in jehovah" (i guess its always the case when they have no answers) that those people, mostly concentrated in asia (especially china and the sub-continent) will have their hearts read by god and that he will know who are righteous and who are not.

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  DB

  Perhaps this topic has already been addressed, but at last night's service meeting we discussed an article in the Kingdom Ministry (Jan 2001) called "How Will They Hear?". It dealt with the fact that there are perhaps billions worlwide who have not yet been witnessed to. The articel mentioned that the jws "trust in Jehovah" (I guess its always the case when they have no answers) that those people, mostly concentrated in Asia (especially China and the sub-continent) will have their hearts read by God and that He will know who are righteous and who are not. Thus, they caution that such large masses of people not yet preached to is no indication that "the end" is far off.

  It seems to me that this is another case of the WTBS backing themselves into a corner on time prophecies. They have been preaching the "end" at hand for over 100 years now, and there are still possibly billions that have no clue as to who the jws are. So now, it's all left up to God anyway, which makes me wonder why we in the USA and in most other countries are still calling on the same people over and over again, as if they have to hear our message repeatedly in order to be judged righteous (or not) by God. In some lands, people are being witnessed to once a week or even more. But we will never be allowed here to even cut back a little on our service. We are still expected to average 9-10 hours per month, talking with the same people time and time again.
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  6

  Hours it Takes to Get One Baptized Publisher

  by Smoldering Wick in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  marlon.

  location: wales uk.

  just a thought a quick calculation in 2001 it took around 4,438 hours to get one baptised publisher.

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  DB

  For years, at Circuit Assemblies especially, I have marveled at how few have been getting baptized. Figure 800 pubs in the circuit averaging 9 hrs per month for 6 months (the general span between assemblies) equals 43,200 hours combined for the circuit over the 6 month span. We average about 6 people baptized at each assembly, most of whom are born and raised as jws. Subtracting them, we average maybe 2 "new ones". So jws are devoting, in my area, 21,600 hours per new disciple every 6 months, on average, or 3,600 hours each month combined in field service on a monthly basis.

  BTW, a few years back, we had ONE person baptized at a circuit assembly. The speaker gave the baptismal (dismal...it's always a bore), and was shocked to see only one person rise when it was time for the vow. It was rather comical at the time, but even then I thought, man, things are tough, all that time spent for one disciple.
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  49

  BEARDS letter from GB

  by Shane in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  watchtower.

  bible and tract society of new york, inc.. writing department phone (718) 625-3600.

  25 columbia heights, brooklyn, new york 11201-2483, u.sa.

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  DB

  When I served as an elder, we had a brother who wanted our opinion on his growing a beard. The PO, and older brother, felt that wearing beards was still considered to be a sign of "rebellion", pointing to the 1960s and 1970s when, in his estimation, people wore beards to signify their restless and rebellious attitude. Another elder was more in favor of beards, and my attitude was, what's the big deal? Let the guy wear one if he wants. In fact, it was even a shame that we were discussing such a matter. Also, we had nothing from the Society (such as the letter in this post) to assist us in making such a decision.
  As it turns out, the brother moved away anyway, and the point became moot, at least at that particular time.
  I'll say one thing, if he had decided to grow a beard, and stayed with our congregation, there is NO WAY he would have been extended privilages. It just would not have happened with the mind-set that prevailed among those elders.
  Also, around that time, some younger brothers, a couple of yrs out of high school, were not wearing socks to the meetings. Their bare ankles could be seen when they would sit and cross the one leg over the other. Well, you guessed it, this became an issue, and the body of elders met to discuss it. It was decided that this look was overly casual and potentially offensive to others, so these brothers were told to wear socks or else risk not being assigned privilages. Again, one elder, the same one who had a more relaxed view on beards, was not concerned about the no-socks look. But the body decided otherwise. Personally, I felt that, while the look was a bit casual, it was, like the beard issue, not a big deal. But you'd be surprised...no, wait, you would NOT be surprised, lol, how many people made an issue out of such a thing.
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  10

  The Duped Generation

  by ISP in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so much promised to so many which resulted in so much disappointment, despair and misery.

  what future for the young?.

  because all the evidence in fulfillment of bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years.

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  DB

  This thread rightly points out one of the most misguided pieces of advice that the WTS has given (or anyone else has given, for that matter). Here we have an organization that claims to be directed by holy spirit and yet dispenses advice that is clearly proven wrong. And if any jw dare question such advice, they are seen as spiritually weak or rebellious.

  I am of the 'generation' spoken of here, being 10 yrs old in 1968. Though a primary reason why I never went to college was the cost, this mindset was firmly entrenched (still is) in the jw culture. In fact, back then, and through the 1970s too, it had become somewhat fashionable for jw kids to quit high school (a jw girl I had been dating at the time did just that, before I met her). But hey, why not, right? Like the WT said, of what use would a good education be? If we only knew.
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  16

  I JUST GOT CRISIS OF CONSCIENCE!!

  by terafera in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just got back from barnes and nobles... i finally got it!!

  woohoo!!.

  i may not see you guys for a while... i cant wait to read it.. .

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  DB

  Six, you hit the nail on the head. I just read the two chapters that were displayed on another thread recently, and, yes, strong emotions indeed.