Posts by lovelylil

75

Were YOU Gossiped About In The Congregation?

by minimus in

jw
friends

do you know who the worst offenders were??

the elders.

the elders, because they were "shepherds and overseers" believed they had the right to talk about you, your family, your job, your personality and so forth.....they pick apart any male in the hall under the guise of seeing whther someone "might qualify for privileges".

lovelylil

not only gossiped about but for three years certain eldereses tried to make my life a living hell. They were jealous becasue my experiences were often used in our KH and were upset because my hubby was the account servant and these "sisters" tried to influence the way money for the hall was spent. Their elder hubbys were totally hen pecked and did everything they said. Anyway, they tried to get me to influence my hubby and I told them the accounts were none of my business and if they had a problem with that, they could send their elder husbands over to explain to my why they, as sisters, should have any say in how the KH's money was spent.

From that time on, and for the next three years, they called me the man of my family, said I was the one who hen pecked my hubby, called me a bad mother, they said I made up all my good experiences even though some of their husbands were witnesses to some of them. They said my kids were stubborn and bad association, and that I had mental problems.

Most of these rumors got back to me by my friends. I then tried to resolve it by pointing out the scritpures about slander to the elder's wives but they laughed at me. I tried to bring them before a judicial committee by going to the PO whose wife was not involved. But my witnesses where called by the elder husbands and told if they said anything, they would be promptly disfellowshipped. So they called and told me they were too scared to say anything. My hubby was furious and resigned as a MS. By the way this was the Hingham MA congregation.

I had to go to a CO in order to stop it. Things calmed down for a while, then resumed. Thankfully I was out of the WT a few months later. This experince actually helped my hubby and kids to see that all was not kosher in the WT world.

56

Do you believe that Demons really Exist.

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

the reason why i have asked such is question is that i served as a congregation elder for 12 years.

i served as the presiding overseer for 10 years, and as chairman and media spokes-person for a particular region.

during my time within the organisation that being almost 30 years, i have concluded that there is, as far as my own experience is concerned grave doubt in my mind as to the existence of the devil and his demonic hoard.

lovelylil

greendawn,

That makes sense is similiar to what I believe. So when the bible says Satan entered Judas it merely means, satan influenced Judas. Not that he physically entered him? That would make sense.

So I think in the OT when they mention Satan he is in physical form and when Jesus saw him also, but sometimes the bible says satan but means his influence? Anyone else have an opinion?

56

Do you believe that Demons really Exist.

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

the reason why i have asked such is question is that i served as a congregation elder for 12 years.

i served as the presiding overseer for 10 years, and as chairman and media spokes-person for a particular region.

during my time within the organisation that being almost 30 years, i have concluded that there is, as far as my own experience is concerned grave doubt in my mind as to the existence of the devil and his demonic hoard.

lovelylil

Little toe,

Thanks for the book reference. I am going to read it. I am a Christian and a bible reader, as you know from my previous posts. But, lately I have been questioning whether Satan always refers to an actual person or is representative of what the nature of evil is.

I started questioning because I was reading that during the last supper, Jesus mentioned to the disciples that one of them at the table with them would betray him. Well, they all responded by saying, not I. Then Jesus said the next one who dips his bread is the one. And of course that was Judas. Next, the bible says "satan entered into Judas", however, no one seemed to notice this occuring, not even Judas. They just went about thier business as usual. So I started thinking that maybe here what Christ meant is that "evil thoughts" entered into Judas not Satan himself. Because how could this have happened under the Apostles noses and they not notice or make reference to it? Does this make sense, or am I way off?

I admit not everything in the Bible should be taken literally. There is a lot of good information of morals and every day living and hope for the future. But, we need to understand from what perspective where the bible writer coming from and what they did believe about satan and demons. But somehow we do have to reconcile that with the claims of actual demons in the bible. I always wondered though, how come no one today has seen satan or these demons? Or does anyone believe their has been possessions?

Anyway that can add some information on this, I would like to listen to their views. Including you, LT. thanks.

10

Judgement Day

by LaCatolica in

jw
friends

*it is believed that everyone will get judged on judgement day...not as a group, but individually.

why are jws so freakin' concerned with what any one person does with their lives?

why do they care if one of its members "smells the coffee" and thinks for themselves?

lovelylil

LaCatolica,

you can see how the reasoning of the witnesses is just so crazy. As a catholic (when I was younger) I had much more ability to make up my own mind about things. As a witness, you are under extreme pressure to do what the WT says, And the shunning and disfellowshipping is just a means to control people. Once you are in, the WT makes it almost impossible for you to get out with your family and dignity in tacted. I hope they realize, God is going to judge each one of them too. And the whole thing about turning mothers even against their own flesh was always very distrubing to me.

One thing I remembered from being a catholic is how very rare it was or still is to hear of someone being excommunicated. But in the witnesses, very common which shows they are interested in getting dissenters OUT as FAST as they can so as not to sway others. I tell everyone that as a Catholic, I had much more freedom than as a witness. And that is true. Although I am not either one because I am enjoying being a free agent. But the WT has a lot of nerve to say everyone besides themselves were chosen by God.

One thing the elders used to say is just because we see people doing bad things in the JWs, does not mean they are not approved by God. Men are just imperfect so they will make mistakes. Then, they would go on and completely bash everyone in other religions for all their mistakes. HELLO! Doesn't that line of reasoning go both ways? Anyway, have a good day.

17

If the Bible is in such a mess is the Quoran God's final version?

by Spectrum in

at least this is what the muslims claim.

until i had come on this forum i didn't have a clue as to what complex and convoluted problems biblical text offers upon scholarly examination.

i never took the muslim claim seriously i was quite derisory about the whole thing but now i have to give it more thought.

lovelylil

Spectrum,

have you read the whole OT in its entirety? By this I mean, every word? I think you may have read parts of it that speak of the killing of other nations, but did you read the parts when God says they were killed as a lesson also and that when he brings them back from death, he will do everything in his power to teach them the lesson they needed to learn. And will then explain to them that if they refuse to turn away from their bad deeds, even after they are given many opportunities to do so, then he will take their lives again, with no hope of bringing them back?

But the point is, they are coming back from death. They are right now in a peaceful state. That is all I was saying. It is hard for many people who have not heard the true gospel of Christ to understand why in the OT God seems bent of just destroying. It is impossible with that slanted view to reconcile it with "God is love" which many chrisitans preach.

I agree, if you just look at some OT accounts and do not really understand what the bible is about, which many Christans do not, then it is hard to understand Gods total plan. Most christians believe in hellfire or that the 2nd death is held out at this time, which it is not.

Anyway, if you do not believe the bible is inspired of God, than that is your choice anyway. I dont think people have to believe the way I do. I only responed to show not all of us Christans are approving of a God that is ready to kill innocent people. We fully understand the purpose behind it and know that usually God is ready to forgive and that he wants to save everyone and reconcile them back to himself. I think It was greendawn who said this period of man is just a blip in the whole span of time. When everything is reconciled back to God, we will not even remember this short time span.

So, believe me I have listened to myself and fully understand what I am saying. faith in God and his plans for us is not something everyone has at this time. And that is o.k. , I just don't want your or anyone else to think we are deranged and following some evil God.

There are always two sides to every story. Anyway, I thank you for your input.

10

Judgement Day

by LaCatolica in

jw
friends

*it is believed that everyone will get judged on judgement day...not as a group, but individually.

why are jws so freakin' concerned with what any one person does with their lives?

why do they care if one of its members "smells the coffee" and thinks for themselves?

lovelylil

LaCatholica,

You make great sense. they use the disfellowshipping as a fear thing to keep people in their religion. Only God will judge and he judges us based on how much knowledge we have. If he judged people who never heard of him or his son (as most in the world are not Christian), or people who cannot follow the bible commands due to any number of reasons, therefore they are not fully dedicated to him, what kind of God will he be?

Gods plan is to use the coming kingdom to teach all nations how to live in peace. Only after he removes all the obstacles that keep people from serving him, will he then judge us as individuals only, not as a group. The total annihilation theory of the Witnesses is taught by stringing together many scriptures that do not belong together. The WT does this a lot. It is the social order, and religious organizations that will be broken down not all the people in them killed. This is a figment of the WT's imagination and quite frankly was never taught by the first president Russell. You may be surprised to know Russell did not feel the WT was God's only Org. on the earth.

Anyway, nice post.

43

Armageddon, Inc (1940) - The last critical article there was on JWs!

by VM44 in

"armageddon, inc" was an article published in the september 14, 1940 issue of the saturday evening post.. it was written by stanley high and was a critical review of the jehovah's witness religion as it was then.. this was 65 years ago, and i do not know of _any_ articles since then that have been published in a major magazine that attempt to analyze or examine the jehovah's witnesses!.

there have been many articles published over the years about jws, particularly when conventions are being held in a town.

the local papers will usually do stories about them.

lovelylil

Excellent article, thanks so much. I copied onto my computer to read it again later and send it to friends.

17

If the Bible is in such a mess is the Quoran God's final version?

by Spectrum in

at least this is what the muslims claim.

until i had come on this forum i didn't have a clue as to what complex and convoluted problems biblical text offers upon scholarly examination.

i never took the muslim claim seriously i was quite derisory about the whole thing but now i have to give it more thought.

lovelylil

spectrum,

thanks for your reply. I went to the link to check it out. I can see where people are coming from but a seemingly contradiction is not always a contradiction when you understand the whole bible and do not just look at one account.

I am certainly not saying I support wiping out whole nations for any reason but I know in the bible accounts specifically, those nations were standing in the way of fulfillment of bible prophecy. And unlike today when man is behind killings like the ones in the bible, we know that God is the one who actually endorsed them. That is, of course if you believe the Bible. As far as all the details as to how they were in the way of God's plans, I do not know.

I do know that ALL of those nations are coming back in the future. In prophecies in Ezekiel and Isaiah, God has said that all the nations that were killed by him would be coming back in the resurrection day for a chance to learn about him and decide if they want to serve him or not. They are all named, those coming back, sodom, gemorrah, tyre, sidon, egypt, all of them.

I know it seems on the surface that God is a vengeful, destroying God bent on killing but when you understand what the future will bring and the fact that these people are not in pain but at peace and will be brought back, you tend to view things differently.

I will not go into the specifics right now as I know a lot of people on this board do not believe in the bible. And I totally respect their opinions and choices, so if anyone wants to know about which nations will be resurrected, they can contact me by pm and give me their initials and an address and I can mail them more information.

17

If the Bible is in such a mess is the Quoran God's final version?

by Spectrum in

at least this is what the muslims claim.

until i had come on this forum i didn't have a clue as to what complex and convoluted problems biblical text offers upon scholarly examination.

i never took the muslim claim seriously i was quite derisory about the whole thing but now i have to give it more thought.

lovelylil

Carmel,

thanks for the name of that book. I think I will see if I can get a copy it looks interesting.

Star,

you make a great point because sometimes we Christians feel God only cares about us or blesses us and that is not true. It reminds me of this scripture;

Acts 10:34,35

34 Then Peter began to speak: "I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism 35 but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.

23

"FLUFF" Things I do in the shower-------------

by vitty in

jw
friends

now i cant be the only person who does 2 things at once eg eat and post on jwd but-----------.

-----------while im having a shower i use a conditioner in my hair that you have to leave on for 2 minutes, so a person who doesnt like wasting time, while i wait i spray the shower and doors with cleaner wash the floor with a sponge with my feet.

then when ive rinsed my hair i rinse down the shower and hey presto a sparkling shower !

lovelylil

I remember that Seinfeld, I stopped eating salad for a while, YUCK!