Posts by CloseTheDoor

160

"The organisation is imperfect, but it doesn't affect my relationship with Jehovah"

by Alive! in

i've noted active, devoted jw's state the above.. and, it's not a problem for me to remain trusting of god, i just don't trust religions or men.. recently, a member of this forum stated that he remains an active jw, in the family of god's people, wanting to encourage and do good - whilst recognising that the pastoral leaders (the gb) have shipwrecked the faith of many, being unsound scripturally etc, etc.. stop and think about this - the bible says to not follow after those who lie and hurt the faith of "little ones".. the pharisees were accused of traversing over lands and expending much energy to make a single convert - only for that convert to end up worse of than he started off with.. it's one thing to not believe this is the 'truth' and feeling the awful pressure of managing ones life, trying not to lose ones family.. it's quite another thing to declare oneself to be a christian believer of god's jw household, and somehow believe the god of love would use corrupt liars to parade as jesus' brothers in the urgency of last days.

really?

and, to then visibly promote faith in corrupt men, and try to bring converts into a place where the rulership is wrong.. some of us are dying from hurt here.......give me a break..

CloseTheDoor

Remember, too, that you have made a dedication to Jehovah God himself, not to a work, a cause, other humans, or an organization.

53

Ties at the Kingdom Hall

by CloseTheDoor in

couple of weeks ago an elder took a young man aside and crawled all over him after the tms for wearing a "skinny" tie.

it was one of those 2 inch wide ties.

nothing bright or scandalous about.

CloseTheDoor

I definitely like those animal ties. I can only imagine what would be said if I wore something like that.

160

"The organisation is imperfect, but it doesn't affect my relationship with Jehovah"

by Alive! in

i've noted active, devoted jw's state the above.. and, it's not a problem for me to remain trusting of god, i just don't trust religions or men.. recently, a member of this forum stated that he remains an active jw, in the family of god's people, wanting to encourage and do good - whilst recognising that the pastoral leaders (the gb) have shipwrecked the faith of many, being unsound scripturally etc, etc.. stop and think about this - the bible says to not follow after those who lie and hurt the faith of "little ones".. the pharisees were accused of traversing over lands and expending much energy to make a single convert - only for that convert to end up worse of than he started off with.. it's one thing to not believe this is the 'truth' and feeling the awful pressure of managing ones life, trying not to lose ones family.. it's quite another thing to declare oneself to be a christian believer of god's jw household, and somehow believe the god of love would use corrupt liars to parade as jesus' brothers in the urgency of last days.

really?

and, to then visibly promote faith in corrupt men, and try to bring converts into a place where the rulership is wrong.. some of us are dying from hurt here.......give me a break..

CloseTheDoor

done4good said:

This is a good thread.
Watcher, Close the Door, Jeramy:
I understand where you all are coming from. Several years ago, I was where you are today to some extent. None of you would even be here, if you thought 100% obedience to the GB was necessary to be a JW. None of you obviously think that way, at this point in your lives.
This is where things may get a bit harder, however. As you begin to question the veracity of the GB's teachings, and management style, at some point you need to ask, "If this is the truth, where did it all go wrong then?". What about that "light that gets brighter"? The GB taught you to judge other religions as "false", and their leaders as "corrupt". How do you know that the one you are still choosing to follow is not equally corrupt, just different?
These are tough questions that you will need to ask, and there will be many more along the way. If you keep an open mind, you will find some of the answers initially disturbing. Try to understand what cognitive dissonance is, because this is what will prevent you from logically drawing the correct conclusions, and resorting to rationalizing your particular "understanding" of things. Also, don't expect to have all of the answers immediately. Try to become comfortable with the fact you are learning. Learning is good, always.
d4g

Thanks for the thoughtful post. I was born in a time when loyalty to the GB was not enforced, or rarely hinted at, if any. We were told to verify everything published in the publications with the Bible. Sadly, this is no longer the case.

I don't follow the GB. I am suspicious of 100% of what they say and do.

4

3 things you didn't know about Rutherford

by Coded Logic in

i never realized rutherford was so devious and delinquent.

just found this on a debate forum: .

1) forgery:after c.t.

CloseTheDoor

Many old timers (both Bible Students and JWs) are aware of those three points, especially Bible Students. When these serious issues are presented to younger generation JWs, they don't care. Now, if you could wrap those facts up in a GB produced video and slap a JW.org logo on it, the kiddies would eat it up. But that aint gonna' happen.

For most old timer JWs I know, including myself, Rutherford was/is an embarrassment to them. His name makes me cringe.

35

behind the curtain: literature offer for the month

by Magnum in

i was an extremely sincere, zealous pioneer.

i really cared about the people in the field.

i thought their lives were in danger.

CloseTheDoor

We have always been able to offer just about any piece of literature we wanted to, as long as it was published by the "Mother" (a.k.a. "Organization"), and as long as it wasn't anything too old (for example: Russell's or Rutherford's books). However, if you wanted to offer only the Bible to householders, it wouldn't be very long before you were questioned about your motives by an elder or an overzealous nosy pioneer sister. Most would be peer pressured into going along with the "suggested" literature offer.

I have often only offered Bibles, certain tracts and brochures. But it is difficult to have a quantity of Bibles and carry them in your service bag. Plus the literature counter only stocks so many at a time.

If you've ever read the old "Kingdom Ministries" from back in the 20's, 30's, and 40's, (called "Bulletin" and "Informant"), it is easy to see how it was all about movement of printed matter. It was even more obvious in those days.

35

behind the curtain: literature offer for the month

by Magnum in

i was an extremely sincere, zealous pioneer.

i really cared about the people in the field.

i thought their lives were in danger.

CloseTheDoor

The literature placement has always seemed very random to me. Makes sense now that it would simply be stock movement. Not surprising.

Zoos, this page gives some additional information on how the Org has changed the belief in the resurrection back and forth over the years. http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/resurrection.php

9

This Good News of the Kingdom - Zion's Watchtower - Zionism - The End

by LAWHFol in

i hope you're all doing well.. i haven't written for a while, my previous screen name was objectivetruth btw.

i look forward to resuming some good conversations with my jw.com family.. i haven't been active much of late, however a topic that i have continued to consider & study is modern day israel & the early watchtower's teachings on this topic.. this is part 1 - i'll post multiple posts, to help readers follow my train of thought.. first i'll cover the teachings and overall belief's of the watchtower on the jew's , israel, and god's plan for the jew's.. i've read a lot of the early publications.

the 2 most insightful publications, for me to read were (links to the book's in pdf format highlighted in blue) :.

CloseTheDoor

This is a subject I have studied for a long time. I tend to agree with much of what the Org taught many years ago on the subject - pro-regathering of a literal people, not being replaced by a "spiritual Israel".

35

behind the curtain: literature offer for the month

by Magnum in

i was an extremely sincere, zealous pioneer.

i really cared about the people in the field.

i thought their lives were in danger.

CloseTheDoor

The Insight volumes, published in '88, say that the Sodomites will be resurrected, which is not in line with current wishy-washy Org. teaching.

160

"The organisation is imperfect, but it doesn't affect my relationship with Jehovah"

by Alive! in

i've noted active, devoted jw's state the above.. and, it's not a problem for me to remain trusting of god, i just don't trust religions or men.. recently, a member of this forum stated that he remains an active jw, in the family of god's people, wanting to encourage and do good - whilst recognising that the pastoral leaders (the gb) have shipwrecked the faith of many, being unsound scripturally etc, etc.. stop and think about this - the bible says to not follow after those who lie and hurt the faith of "little ones".. the pharisees were accused of traversing over lands and expending much energy to make a single convert - only for that convert to end up worse of than he started off with.. it's one thing to not believe this is the 'truth' and feeling the awful pressure of managing ones life, trying not to lose ones family.. it's quite another thing to declare oneself to be a christian believer of god's jw household, and somehow believe the god of love would use corrupt liars to parade as jesus' brothers in the urgency of last days.

really?

and, to then visibly promote faith in corrupt men, and try to bring converts into a place where the rulership is wrong.. some of us are dying from hurt here.......give me a break..

CloseTheDoor

When I was young, a relative told me that when I see things go wrong, and not get corrected in a humble manner within the organization, and when those in leadership start becoming slave masters wanting people to notice their works, then I should look to Jehovah and Jesus.

When I dropped my rose colored glasses, I began to see that my relative's words were wise and made more sense then than they did back when first stated.

I was born in the Org., so it took longer for me to see things as they really were. I am still active. I don't have faith in the leadership as I did when I was a kid many years ago.

Because they hated knowledge, and they did not choose to fear Jehovah. They refused my advice; they disrespected all my reproof. So they will bear the consequences of their way, and they will be glutted with their own counsel. (Proverbs 1:29-31)

13

Eighty-Four year old drives her disfellowshipped son to meetings and sits inside Kingdom Hall.

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

i have a customer who's son is a jehovah's witness.

he was disfellowshipped over a year ago.

this is the second time he's been disfellowshipped.

CloseTheDoor

I've seen so many drunk elders it's not even funny. One was DF'd after nearly 30 years of the problem being known by the other elders.

Another elder died of cirrhosis of the liver. He and his wife would buy beer by the case almost daily. He also sat on a JC to disfellowship others for doing the same thing him and his wife did. No one ever wanted to talk to him because of his alcohol breath.