Posts by humblepotato

240

Introduction - Any Believers?

by Believer in

i’ve been reading it for a few of years off and on, but have been a little too ... maybe ... timid to join.

i left the watchtower organization almost 20 years ago but never abandoned my faith and belief in god.

i knew the gb/organization didn’t represent god, so when i lost my faith in them, i managed to keep my faith in an all wise benevolent creator.

humblepotato

I am currently a believer.

I see "evidence" of a creator... but not proof.

But I also see "evidence" of evolution... but not proof. (Evolution in itself DOES exist, but the idea that life sprang from a common ancestor and evolved into what we know today, without the help of a so-called creator, is what I'm talking about. Lot's of evidence... it's not just undeniable proof. It's all to easy for me to say "God did it.")

It just takes a lot of reading, studying, critical thinking, and pondering. But like you... I just can't imagine that this life is all there is. Even if the "afterlife" is a fairy tale... it currently brings me comfort.

But it is VERY interesting to listen to all the different view points. Even if you don't agree with what is being said, it might intrigue you enough to do some research on said disagreement and form your own opinion.

Welcome, by the way!

70

Witness Carts - A Vehicle for Significant Decline

by slimboyfat in

i was stalking to a jw today about her recent experience on the carts and with being a jw generally.

until this conversation i considered the carts as just an ineffective preaching method and a harmless waste of time.

but now i wonder if the effect of the carts might be to produce noticeable decline in jw numbers.

humblepotato

I agree with the decreased morale for sure!

When it first started in our congregation, everyone was excited and wanted to do it. Selfies and pics all over Instagram! Well, time and time again of 0 results ... it's like pulling teeth now to get someone to do cart witnessing because the friends don't enjoy it anymore.

16

JW.org videos....look like....

by Anders Andersen in

.... i just looked through some videos on the scientology and the mormon youtube channels.animated whiteboard animations, bad acting, compelling music...it's all the same as jw.org...or the other way around.the similarity is very striking to me.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghjomvjadbghttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxf3pwvjoka.

i wonder why that is....

humblepotato

I think they all use the same cult handbook!

20

Which Public Talks did you enjoy giving/hearing? And which ones did you dislike giving or hearing?

by humblepotato in

jw
friends

i was just going through some of my talk outlines and i've decided to git rid of quite a few of them.

i'm still serving, but as time goes on... there are many subjects i will not teach anymore.. i got rid of the outlines dealing with blood, the field ministry, and ones talking about 607 and 1914. i can barely stand hearing them let alone give them.

in fact, talk 41 "stand still and see the salvation of jehovah" is one i got rid of because its whole point was about having blind obedience toward the gb and the elders during the great tribulation, and that we need to start practicing obedience now if we want to survive.

humblepotato

I was just going through some of my talk outlines and I've decided to git rid of quite a few of them. I'm still serving, but as time goes on... there are many subjects I will not teach anymore.

I got rid of the outlines dealing with blood, the field ministry, and ones talking about 607 and 1914. I can barely stand hearing them let alone give them. In fact, talk 41 "Stand Still and See the Salvation of Jehovah" is one I got rid of because its whole point was about having blind obedience toward the GB and the Elders during the Great Tribulation, and that we need to start practicing obedience now if we want to survive. (Cultish anyone?)

I did keep the ones that talk about mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and comfort. Those usually don't get too heavy into doctrine and your basically just talking about being a decent human being. (Which I guess is a stretch even for some in the "truth".)

But it got me curious, what kind of talks did you like hearing or giving? No matter where you are in your fade, everyone feels differently about them. Do you just hate them all? Or are there any that still bring back good memories? If I can make someone feel valuable and worthwhile and not make them feel guilty for not doing more, then I count that as a good day!

13

Isn't it wonderful how, even now, Jehovah helps his people? Prayer is so powerful.

by paul from cleveland in

“i have to thank jehovah god for this,” serena williams told the crowd after receiving the trophy at the australian open in january, her sixth win there.

“i was down and out and he helped me today and i just said prayers”.

humblepotato

Wow... embarrassing.

63

New Spiritually Weak Label: Not Using Tablet/iPhone

by Doubtfully Yours in

with last night's meeting it became official: here in the states is a must to keep up with 'jehovah's org' that one fully jumps on board with this tablet/iphone crap.. so, now, all of us that up to this point have refused to follow the wtbts in their electronic/wireless revolution will deal with the browbeating from the 'spiritual' ones.. already receiving lots of grief from hubby and rest of the family/close friends when seen at the meetings with paper publications.

damn it!!!

am i alone in this resistance???!!!.

humblepotato

In my part of the US (the Mid-west), smartphones and tablets are certainty encouraged, but half of the congregation is old and doesn't want one. And nobody really seems to care or say anything about it.

Having said that, I do believe that as time goes on... there will start to be more and more pressure to get one and use it.

22

How Many Elders And Ministerial Servants Are There In Your Congregation?

by Village Idiot in

i'm curious to see how much manpower a little congregation - a hundred?

- requires to keep it running.

humblepotato

60 Publishers

4 Elders

4 Ministerial Servants (only two are really used)

19

Things I Never Knew When I Was A Witness!

by disillusioned 2 in

there are some things that as a witness i never knew.

maybe i was just going through the motions, attending meetings and not listening much.

never was very good at personal study or underlining answers in watchtower or book study (i never ever answered up) was too shy.. i never knew when i was a witness that they taught that jesus had looked down on the earth in 1919 to see who was serving god most accurately, and of course he chose a small group of bible students living in america!

humblepotato

No... I didn't know most of those things when I was asleep. I am still in (family, friends, work) but I am awake now. And it wasn't until I was awake that I started digging and learning about all the lunatic things this organization has done, or currently IS doing.

I knew about the 1919 judging from heaven because it was beat to death in the Revelation Climax book. The other things are either barely mentioned in passing, (such as the Proclaimers Book mentioning Rutherford's mansion for the prophets), or they are ignored entirely.

Think about it: there is a reason they only let us go so far back in the publications on the Watchtower Library. Not everything is made available for a reason. And that's because even they recognize it's crazy!

6

April 11, 2016 BOE Re: Literature Offers for September and October 2016

by wifibandit in

april 11, 2016 to all bodies of elders re: literature offers for september and october 2016. .

reminders for those assigned public talks s-141-e 4/16.

humblepotato

I liked how it had to remind us to say POSITIVE things about the organization and people in the congregation. I wonder if they've been having a problem with that! LOL

29

Is the 'growth™' still being hyped?

by punkofnice in

when i was a member of watchtower corporation, i regularly heard how it must be the true religion because of the growth™.

(phenomenal, apparently).. i wonder if they still hang onto this?

has it been boasted about at meetings recently?

humblepotato

Yes.

This weeks mid-week meeting features a video called Sail Amsterdam which hypes peoples reception to the "truth" in that area and how hard the brothers are working to keep up with the growth.