esw1966

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Posts by esw1966

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  9

  POLICE RAID AT BETHEL/ KINGDOM HALL

  by edmond dantes in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  suppose there was a police raid at a kingdom hall and they discovered a confiscation cupboard, anyone got ideas on what the contents of the locker might be .i have a list maybe you can add to it.. item reason for confiscation.

  chess set warfare simulation.

  world's best cigarettes/ a book bad for health written by a russian, ivor chestikoff.. u.n .library card, name on it, fred franz say no more.. charles atlas body building course ,1920's don't need it armageddon will be here by 1940. victorian oil lamp old light.

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  esw1966

  Well, that was anti-climactic!

  What a dream come true! I would have loved to have read what they found!!!
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  10

  'Easy' argument to disprove jw teaching? - Needing input...

  by esw1966 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  thinking out loud - my belief is that jw follows a false gospel.

  that they got it wrong.

  now, how to 'prove' that to a family member who is still jw?.

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  esw1966

  Thinking out loud - My belief is that jw follows a false gospel. That they got it wrong. Now, how to 'prove' that to a family member who is still jw?

  I am figuring they have accepted individual 'truths'. (A+B+C) And then they just figured, as I did, that it all added to D. I feel that if they added it all up they would see it doesn't add up. Here's my thought process:

  Ask them, 'How do you escape Armageddon?' 'How is it you gain righteousness?'

  Their whole premise is that Jesus died only for 144,000. That he is only the mediator for the 144,000. That only the 144,000 get undeserved kindness. (grace)

  So, basically that leaves everyone else out. Thus, we are all in the same boat - destined to die. The only thing that next separates us according to jw teaching is that 'the great crowd' gives the 144,000 'a drink of water' and the rest of us don't. The 'great crowd' supports Jesus' people.

  That means that by becoming a slave to man and worshipping man, they gain the bread crumbs that have fallen off the table and maybe get life. That is there only grasp at life, otherwise, they are no better than any of us. So it is a race to see who can be the best brown noser to gain someone's graces.

  If grace is applied only to the 144,000, then what in the Bible really applies to the 'great crowd'? The only part of the Bible that applies to them is the kiss up part. There is no forgiveness only rewards for servitude. (Is that the gospel?) That path to 'eternal life' is called idolatry in the Bible.

  Then have them read the Bible and see if that is what is being taught? The Bible teaches none of us can work for any righteousness and that it is a gift not deserved. And that by putting your faith in Christ, his righteousness is transferred to us lovingly and free.

  Does this argument hold merit? Do you see any holes in it? Is there a simpler way to say all of that? Is it a way to get a jw to think?

  I'm confident in my new beliefs, but I am going to move back to my old state next year and I will be seeing my dad, my sister, and my daughters, and whomever else and I will have to put up a 'defense' for my faith. I am also interested in helping them out of it. Is this a good line of reasoning that is simple for them to investigate on their own and will it work?
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  24

  When you were an active JW, what did you pray for?

  by JH in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  no matter if god granted what you asked or not, what did you pray for ?

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  esw1966

  I always thanked God for the life I was given and prayed that despite my sin that he would show kindness to me and grant me life.

  He answered it! I got kicked out of jw against my desire and found it to be deficient! I found Christianity, love, life, and grace!
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  66

  Hello!

  by MisfitMeL in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as you can probably tell, it's my first post here!

  i've visited this forum several times over the past few months and i've just decided to join and wade into the community.

  i'm looking forward to some interesting conversations and meeting new people.. .

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  esw1966

  Welcome to the forum!
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  17

  Kingdom Halls.....

  by lavendar in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  can a witness go to any kingdom hall they want ....... or are they "assigned" to a certain one according to where they live??.

  lavendar .

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  esw1966

  You are STRONGLY encouraged to go to the hall you are assigned to and live in its territory. Elders can ask you to come into another hall's territory if they need help or if they feel it will greatly benefit you.

  Done on your own, it can be viewed as not following 'organizational arrangement'. (boy, I picked that bad boy out from the past! wonder if that is still the current vernacular?) Usually, such ones are looked at as independant and troubled.

  I told an elder when I moved out of the territory that I would like to continue with my old congregation. He said no. If I did, that would have been a big no, no! I would have been rebelling against the authority.
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  4

  My ex, the jw, is applying for Mental Disability!

  by esw1966 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i can't believe what is going on back home in wisconsin!

  my ex-wife, who is a jw, lost her job, lost her rental home, and has now taken my 3 daughters to live with her mother and step-father in law.

  this was all done in secret and was spilled accidentally to me through the girls.

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  esw1966

  I can't believe what is going on back home in Wisconsin!

  My ex-wife, who is a jw, lost her job, lost her rental home, and has now taken my 3 daughters to live with her mother and step-father in law. This was all done in secret and was spilled accidentally to me through the girls. They say they are planning to live with them 'forever'. That she is not looking for work and is applying for mental disability.

  I believe it is a symptom of the religion. I know she has difficulties, but I believe it is made worse by a works based false gospel.

  I hope the best for my girls. What do you think this will do for them or to them? It sounds kind of sad to me. I am hoping to graduate from Surgical Tech next spring and move to Madison, WI so that I can be more helpful to my daughters.
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  11

  Guilt

  by joelbear69 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as many of you know i have been battling extreme anxiety and depression for almost a decade now.

  well, generally i do okay, taking things one day at a time.

  i recently had to make the decision to extremely limit my contact with my parents who .

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  esw1966

  Hang in there. It gets better!

  I think it is good that you limit your association with those who hurt your well being. Do not feel any guilt for limiting your time with those who hurt your well-being. Hopefully, it will make them see themselves and their actions for who they are and what they are doing.

  Most likely, they will feel justified by the borg and they will never see reality for what it is. That is why YOU need to take care of yourself and get yourself to a more secure and happy state of well being.

  I've left all I knew as well. If I dwell on it, it can be confusing. When I try to rectify it, I only frustrate myself for days. In the end, for myself, I do my best, I offer myself to them on occassions to reach out to them in order to help them and to say I have not shunned them. But the best thing for me is to focus on my life. I am in school now for Surgical Technology and am loving it! My future is looking bright! Living a good life and being whole is your best answer to their garbage.

  You will find wholeness away from them for now. You need that. Go for it!
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  57

  How much does a house cost in your area - Is it affordable???

  by Witness 007 in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  where i live in australia nice newer 3 bedroom brick houses go for $220,000 up.

  i think this is reasonable.

  (aust.

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  esw1966

  I live in Bellingham, Washington, USA.

  There are 13 homes under $250,000 in the whole county! Those houses are all rotten. The median income is $50,000 a year for a family. I'm not sure who is buying those houses!

  My rent is $850 a month for a 'two' bedroom, they turned our living room into a 'bedroom' with no closet by putting up French doors. The place has about 600 square feet! (TOTAL)

  It sure is beautiful here though. Mountains and on the ocean. A great place for retired people from California......

  (I'm going back to Wisconsin hoping that I can buy a house there!)
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  47

  "This change shows how close the end we REALLY are..............."

  by Warlock in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  according to one of my relatives, the co said, on a recent visit, that the offer of "everlasting life" will be brief and to the point.. when street witnessing, if people refuse, do not chase them.

  in the door to door work, if someone is not interested, do not persist, just leave.. according to my relative, these changes really show "how close to the end we really are".. why is it that every change is interpreted as "this change shows how close to the end we really are"?.

  i have come to realize that the wts are masters at jerking people around, and i really hate it!.

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  esw1966

  Isn't that the truth!

  I remember when they stopped charging for the mags and began asking for 'a donation'. I thought that showed how close we were.

  It sure is great to be free of all that!
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  15

  Saw somethin really cool last weekend, take a peek. Zanex Engagement Pic

  by wanderlustguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a friend here that recently became engaged, and i was priviledged to be present for the event and took pictures for them.

  i am posting this particular picture for a few reasons.... for the couple, i hope the future holds as much beauty as this place we call home.

  i hope you are always able to look towards it together, as a team.

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  esw1966

  Very cool!

  Good luck to the happy couple!