Posts by Pahpa

5

A UNITED BROTHERHOOD !!!

by the max in

hi everyone, ive never been on any forum before, of any nature, i came accross yours by accident and have been amazed at how uniform all our experiences are re our time spent as jw,s accross cultures, continents, ages and the sexes,(fitly united) but only in grief !!!

im from ediburgh, though it could be anywhere in the world, and as long as i was under the wts( loving umbrella) i could be assured of that life sucking negativity.i spent 9 years of my life allowing non enteties,human scrotums to suck the very marrow from my bones,i ended up devoid of any life, unwilling and unable to defend myself from constant harrassement and character assassination.

the anger has subsided and im ok,but like some of you still a bit disorientated.

Pahpa

I noticed recently that the word "brotherhood" is being used more to describe

Jehovah's Witnesses. I wondered if this is a parrot- like response to various

articles written by the Watchtower writers. For anyone who has experienced

this "brotherhood" realizes that the congregations are breeding grounds for

gossip, slander, jealousy...etc. The myth of a loving and kind

organization of believers is soon dispelled once a person becomes a

member and associates with those who are petty and vindictive.

6

Could someone please clarify this...?

by Pika_Chu in

i've been told over and over that the catholic church was trying to prevent people from reading the bible a long time ago, by keeping it in latin, so people wouldn't understand it.

'cause they hate jehovah, etc, etc.

can someone please clarify this so i can refute it?

Pahpa

It's plain that the policy of the church today differs from that in history.

Whenever an organization has authority over its members, it does not

want to relinquish its control. In the case of the Catholic church, it

wanted members to be totally dependent upon the church for inter-

pretation of scripture. Likewise, sects like the Watchtower discourage

personal Bible study so that members rely on their "governing body"

for "the truth." The end result is similar. It is the threat of excommunication

or disfellowshipping for "independent thinking."

57

Has anyone left still believing it was the truth?

by FollowedMyHeart in

it seems that most xjws have left because at one point in their jw life something happened that made them start to think something wasn't right with the religion.

when i left, i still believed the jws had "the truth".

i was dying inside, trapped and unhappy (another poster's words, but describes exactly how i felt).

Pahpa

People leave the organization for many reasons. Some no longer believe

the doctrines of the Watchtower Society. Others experience the hypocrisy

that exists within the organization. Many of my friends left because they

no longer believed the prophetic interpretations coming from the

leaders even though they may hold to the doctrinal teachings regarding the

trinity, hell and soul. (Of course, these were incorporated into the

Watchtower belief system from other sources that predated the

organization by centuries and are still debated by Bible scholars

today.) "The Truth" is not an organization. Jesus plainly said

"I am the way and the truth and the life." (John 14:6)

11

house to house vs. in private homes

by DesirousOfChange in

does not matt 10 suggest that the household would not be those already in the faith?

"not deserving" or "does not take you in or listen".

matt 10:12-14 -- 12 when you are entering into the house, greet the household; 13 and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it; but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you.

Pahpa

If going "house to house" was a regular practice in the 1st century,

one would expect many references about it in the New Testament.

But, alas, it is lacking. On the other hand, we have plenty of examples

for the public ministry of the disciples in the temple, synagogues and

other meetings places where the public met together. No doubt that

personal testimony about Christ to friends and family helped to

spread the word. But Paul makes it quite clear that only "some" were

to be "evangelists" in the early church. (Eph. 4:8-1)

55

The Watchtower, a cult that worships the FDS and GB!

by VM44 in

with the continual emphasis that the watchtower places on following and trusting the fds and the gb in particular, one can only come to the following conclusion:.

the watchtower (and the jehovah's witnesses) are followers of a cult that worships the fds and the gb!.

essentially everything in the bible refers to the fds/gb.. everyone must listen to and follow what the gb says.. everyone must consume the "rich spiritual food" provided by the fds and the gb!.

Pahpa

When a person attributes salvation, redemption and life to an organization

rather than to God, it becomes a substitute for God. The Watchtower

has done this. It convinces its members to look to them for these

powers. The "loyalty" that belongs to God alone is given to imperfect

men. The Watchtower can use whatever twisted reasoning it may...

but God will judge differently.

16

Anyone Here With an "Earthly Hope"?

by Quendi in

since the memorial is a little more than two weeks away, i thought i would raise this question, particularly for those of us who have left the organization.

do you have what the wts calls the "earthly hope"?

i know many ex-jws have renounced religion altogether and don't believe in any of these things.

Pahpa

Interestingly, many Fundamentalists believe that they will reside on

earth after being with Christ in heaven. Select verses in Revelation

speak of a "new earth" when New Jerusalem descends from heaven

and "the dwelling of God is with men." It speaks of a time when

"the nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will

bring their splendor into it." The difference between them and

the Watchtower is timing. These events occur after the millenium.

Whereas, the Watchtower promises the earthly hope to those

surviving Armageddon...meaning only Jehovah's Witnesses.

18

ex-pioneer/ex-elder reveals his disappointment/disbelief in wt doctrine to elder/friend?

by TheLoveDoctor in

yesterday i spoke with an elder i worked closely with just up to a year and a half ago for 3.75hrs about doctrine, gb, teachings that jehovah/jesus/anointed/holy spirit aren't working to well and have been giving us mixed signals (evidently?

) ha ha evidently get it!!!

ge apparently everyone is getting brighter as the day draws near.. since ive been inactive 3 months coming from the so called top 2.5 years ago pioneering and eldering and never missing meetings, i don't believe i could fade and live a lie.

Pahpa

The only thing that the elders in a Judicial Committee want to

establish is whether or not a person recognizes the organization

as God's spokesman today. All other matters take second place.

If you question a particular doctrine, they will ask if you doubt

the F&DS's views...and thereby deny its role as perceived by

the Watchtower. They do not make the distinction between

doubt and apostasy. Nor do they act as loving brothers

and shepherds.

22

DF Question

by TheLoveDoctor in

if 1 elder definetly knows how i feel of governing body and some of thier doctrine, he knows as i admitted viewing and researching apostate liturate can they still disfellowship me if i refuse to meet?

right now the 1 brother would talk to the body they would need 2 witneses or one more brother to determine if thier should be a jc yet i know and they know it would be obviouse for the need for one, could the just form one and if i refuse to meet could they df me anyway?.

Pahpa

Skypilot

I've known cases where a person was df'd on the basis of a single

"witness" testimony. For example, there were two elderly women

whose relative was df'd. This relative forbid the elders to interrogate

the women. But they sent a "spy" to visit them and ask them questions

about their views. On the basis of this single testimony both women

were df'd. It is important to realize that many of the rules and regulations

are bent when elders are determined to eliminate suspected members.

22

DF Question

by TheLoveDoctor in

if 1 elder definetly knows how i feel of governing body and some of thier doctrine, he knows as i admitted viewing and researching apostate liturate can they still disfellowship me if i refuse to meet?

right now the 1 brother would talk to the body they would need 2 witneses or one more brother to determine if thier should be a jc yet i know and they know it would be obviouse for the need for one, could the just form one and if i refuse to meet could they df me anyway?.

Pahpa

The GB can disfellowship a member "in abstentia" if that member refuses

to meet with the judicial committee. I know a brother who requested

the names of his accusers, the precise charges made against him and the names

of the committee members before he would appear before them. The elders

refused to answer any of these questions. As it turned out, it was

later learned that two of the elders who were the accusers were

also members of the judicial committee judging the case. The elders

disfellowshipped this brother "in abstentia."

22

DF Question

by TheLoveDoctor in

if 1 elder definetly knows how i feel of governing body and some of thier doctrine, he knows as i admitted viewing and researching apostate liturate can they still disfellowship me if i refuse to meet?

right now the 1 brother would talk to the body they would need 2 witneses or one more brother to determine if thier should be a jc yet i know and they know it would be obviouse for the need for one, could the just form one and if i refuse to meet could they df me anyway?.

Pahpa

The GB can disfellowship a member "in abstentia" if that member refuses

to meet with the judicial committee. I know a brother who requested

the names of his accusers, the precise charges made against him and the names

of the committee members before he would appear before them. The elders

refused to answer any of these questions. As it turned out, it was

later learned that two of the elders who were the accusers were

also members of the judicial committee judging the case. The elders

disfellowshipped this brother "in abstentia."