Posts by Quandry

26

For the over 50 crowd: What advice...

by serendipity in

jw
friends

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for those of you who are over 50, what advice regarding living a meaningful life would you give to the younger crowd?

do you wish you took a different path earlier in life?

Quandry

Great advice from all. Lenny, I am impressed and proud that at 55 you would become a volunteer firefighter.

My one piece of advice follows this theme. Join the world of mankind. Do for others. Even in the Borg I admired ones like Mother Theresa and her self sacrifice. I wanted to make a difference.

At 54, I am back in College. Stinks that I have to work full time so the going is slow. But I am determined. I also work with children and am determined to make a difference and treat them with the view that they are important and can have success in life.

Since I recently have found myself without friends, I am struggling to make new ones. I enjoy the company of some ladies at work of various religions. We've had some interesting discussions. I am able to listen without wondering how I could counter their beliefs with "the truth."

36

Big Announcementitis - JWs and 'Postates

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

what is it with jehovah's witnesses and apostates and "big announcements" - they are as bad as each other.

witnesses are always on about big announcements in the pipeline - just to end up being disappointed.

like the time they reduced the pioneers hours - big wow.

Quandry

What was the Tacoma Dome Parking Lot Scandal? I never heard about it.

28

DID YOU HAVE PROBLEMS WITH ELDERS IN YOUR CONGREGATIONS?

by badboy in

jw
friends

any takers?

Quandry

No, no problems. I loved it when elders spent over two hours trying to force my teenage daughter to admit to fornication when she hadn't and no one had accused her of it.

No problems when the father of another girl told us that the same elders wanted to examine samples of his fifteen year old daughter's panties.

I loved it when they called my child a liar, made her read the scripture in Rev. that she was filth in God's eyes, and would burn in the fire with the devil and his angels, then df'd her, without explaining why to her or offering any counsel.

I loved it when other elders then told us that we MUST forgive these men, because God forgives us. Mind you, they never appologized to my child.

I loved it when later the C.O. told us that he'd write a letter to my daughter to "reach out to her" and then months later when asked where the letter was, he told us he "changed his mind and no longer thought it was a good idea."

I loved it when they told us that we should "ACCEPT WHAT HAPPENED BECAUSE GOD HAD ALLOWED IT."

Now they shun my husband and I also. But guess what? That part I have no problem with.

36

My mom calls to chew me out about my college... YIKES!!!

by FreedomFrog in

jw
friends

so, i was happy and celebrating because of getting good grades in my courses, well i get a call from my mom.

at first the phone call was just "hi, how are you" then she laid into me saying my "problem" (meaning my divorce) was because i was putting my education first and not jah.

she goes on to tell me that the "talk today" was about people murmuring as israelites and bad things happened to them.

Quandry

If you do not make enough money to support yourself and your children, will your mom agree that you should all move back with her? You might ask her how she feels about that.

You know, back a few years when my child was small, and of course I did not work because I must go out in service, and my husband was washing windows because he didn't want to get a job working nights or weekends because he didn't want to miss meetings, we had a hard time getting along. I had to hang clothes on the fence for awhile since, when the dryer quit, I didn't have money to fix it for awhile. There were no vacations, health insurance, or new clothes, only second hand.

A few years later, I talked to my husband about going back to school, but by then he was an elder. No, that would be setting a bad example, he said.

More years of no vacations, second hand clothes, etc.

I finally decided to take a class at the local community college, but by this time I had to get a full time job, because the bills just added up and there was no other option.

But-I kept hearing about some in the congregation that were allowing their children to go to college. I decided to go back to school, only now I still have to work and it's a slow process. But I have a goal. I will get my degree.

I am proud to hear of your good grades. You go!!! Keep your goal in mind. You are accomplishing a fine work, and encouraging your children to get a good education. What if there were no doctors or nurses or other professional people because they were all witnesses? They certainly have Drs. and nurses and lawyers (aplenty) on staff at the WT headquarters.

42

Problem with an elder

by Zico in

jw
friends

i have a friend in my congregation.

he's completely indoctrinated, and genuinely believes everything the organisation teaches, but he's still a good person, and he stands up for things when he knows somethings wrong.

as you can imagine, this often causes problems, and there is an arrogant elder who he has had many run ins with in the past.

Quandry

Agapa,

In this brother's post, he says that his friend has made every effort to discuss his differences with this elder, his uncle.

Perhaps you are young and are unaware of some of the tactics the elders will use, or the way they have treated many in the congregation.

I wish I was unaware. My husband and I were in this organization for over thirty years. We were the diligent bathroom cleaners, always obedient. My husband was an elder.

Can you imagine the shock and dismay we have been through to know that men who are in positions of trust would abuse that trust by using lies, slander, berating speech, accuse a child of being a liar when they do not admit things the elders have predetermined they did, and tell a child that they are filth in God's eyes, and will burn in the lake of fire with the devil?

Don't think we didn't write many, many letters to the Society. We were told by them that we were causing divisions by not being friends with these men, and that God would judge them if they did anything wrong.

Can you imagine the disgust some have experienced when, after their child was sexually molested by a member of the congregation, sometimes even an elder, they were told the molester was sorry, and that if they spoke about the abuse with anyone in the congregation, they would be disfellowshipped? Worse, yet, how about the girls that, at eleven or twelve years old, were told that they must have done something to invite the abuse?

How about the ones on this forum who have been expelled from the congregation for merely asking why the WT Society would join the UN? After all, it IS a fact.

Do the elders know that you are a poster on this forum? You may find out how expendable you are if you ever let them know. You may find out the humiliating way they can and do treat people in the back room. No, maybe not all elders are this way, but a very sizeable number, as is apparent by the numbers posting here.

42

Problem with an elder

by Zico in

jw
friends

i have a friend in my congregation.

he's completely indoctrinated, and genuinely believes everything the organisation teaches, but he's still a good person, and he stands up for things when he knows somethings wrong.

as you can imagine, this often causes problems, and there is an arrogant elder who he has had many run ins with in the past.

Quandry

Zico

Agape is living in a dream world where the elders are always the spiritual shepherds they are supposed to be. Have you read some of the posts on this forum? Some of the elders love to "Lord it over others" for whatever reasons. Obviously this man has power because he is able to keep your friend from being a MS.

My teenage daughter was df'd after being lied to by a committee, slandered to others in the congregation, falsely accused, and made to read a scripture that she was filth in God's eyes and would burn in the fire with the devil and his angels.

At a meeting with other elders to discuss this, we were told we must "accept what happened because God allowed it."

Have you ever been lied to by an elder? My husband and I have.

The elders even made reference to my family from the platform, not naming us, but comments that we knew were directed to us.

Others on this forum have been treated similarly.

Doesn't this poor obedient brother know that he is expendable? His crime will be "disregarding counsel" if he goes ahead with the party and serves alcohol. He could be df'd.

As to laying bare his fault between you and him alone, the elder obviously does not think he has faults, just authority. He is, after all, appointed to his position through HOLY SPIRIT, and is like MOSES, and not to be disobeyed.

Unfortunately, your friend will find this out.

17

ex-Bethelites - How many people at Bethel were anointed?

by Lady Lee in

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i read an interesting question on one of my threadshow many people at bethel were anointed?

how many of those were on the gb?can you estimate the percentage of people at bethel who were anointed vs non-anointed?

Quandry

Joe

Yes, wouldn't you expect maybe some sort of suggestion box for the annointed scattered earthwide to send in their insights and "new light" to the headquarters? How do they contribute their direction as members of the slave class?

It all does boil down to a few, very few men deciding for the entire group of witnesses. If only the annointed can be on the Governing Body, it is curious how they keep finding younger and younger "annointed" when we are so far from 1935, at which time the initial "sealing" of the annointed supposedly took place.That was over 70 years ago. What will they do a few more years from now? How can there be a constant number of annointed every year? Many questions such as this always plagued me when I was "in." Only now I can feel free to actually wonder and think about them.

26

raised in the truth?

by bluebeads in

jw
friends

i was just wondering what constitutes as being brought up in the truth.

my mom was baptized when i was 7 and my dad got dunked when i was 11. right now i don't really consider myself as being fully raised in the truth because even though i've been going to meetings since i was 6 i just slept/doodled through them.

my mom didn't study with us kids and my dad didn't start the family study until i was 12. i'm turning 20 in a few weeks... i've known life before the truth and it was much bettter, everyone was soo much happier.

Quandry

I feel also that you should tell your parents about this man. Number one, this certainly made you uncomfortable and ruined your day. It was to say the least creepy. I would not as your parent want him counseling you alone in a car about sex. Just hearing about this make my skin crawl.

17

Need mature advice on this one..........

by Sunnygal41 in

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is there anything that says that it consitutes an illegal act for a brother who served in a committee to then be the one to give the talk to the congregation?

Quandry

I am afraid that what will eventually happen is a lot of people in will be frustrated and angry, and rightly so.

When my teen daughter was disfellowshipped after hours of the JC trying to force her to admit to something she was not even accused of, yes, fornication, we appealed. The JC lied, slandered our family to others, an appeal committee chairman lied to us, etc. Would you believe another elder, not on the JC gave the "warning talk" to the congo while the case was under appeal-just to get the gossip started. Then, my family was berated from the platform (not overtly, of course, but remarks that we knew applied to us) for appealing the decision to df. Other equally incredulous things were done. We wrote letter after letter to the great and powerful Oztower Society.

The letter we received back from the Society would make you want to run down the street screaming. It was a whitewash of what happened.

Don't think they are bound by rules. They make up the rules as they go along. The cards are all stacked in their favor.

They are MOSES and their sacred pronouncements must be accepted and abided by or YOU are the troublemaker!!

17

Going through a tough time....

by Xandria in

jw
friends

for those who remember me and those who care, i am going through a tough time.

who ever said make lemonade out of lemons life handed you... had it wrong.

tequila!

Quandry

Maybe you could go through a technical school for a job in the medical field. You are almost guaranteed a job upon completion. And you can get assistance with the school fee.

Hang in. Been there. Things are better for my family now. Hope soon it will be for your's too. Keep working hard and try, try to keep your chin up.