Posts by OnTheWayOut

27

Why do people "come back"?

by kairos in

jw
friends

i know of several examples of ones that "left the truth" for up to 20 years, only to suffer through the reinstatement process and feel like they are finally back on track.. how does this happen?.

i personally know of one example where a father of three, leaves jws, abandons wife and family, lives as a gay man then comes back 20 years later as a partaking member of the anointed..

OnTheWayOut

Well, besides UCANTNOME and a handful of people who "go back" for the sake of loved ones, people do not typically go back when they figure out that it's a cult or that it is not "the truth."

My sister-in-law got pregnant and disfellowshipped. She was out, had nothing to do with JW's. Her son, from that pregnancy, nearly graduated high school, then she went back. She went through the grueling reinstatement process, apparently so that her son would embrace "the truth." So in more than 16 years, she never looked at the facts of Jehovah's Witnesses.

We need to educate ourselves and, when possible, our loved ones.

13

Confusion over the parable of the prodigal son

by economy in

though parable of prodigal son is superlative in quality as it graphically picturizes the scientific law of cause and consequence, its conclusion defames god.

when the prodigal son returned repentant, his father showed his delight saying: let us celebrate this by killing a fattened calf.

(luke 15:23) such a concept (let us rejoice by giving maximum pain to another innocent living being) seems to be interpolation for the following reason:.

OnTheWayOut

The "lost son" goes and enjoys his FAT TUESDAY before sacrificing all during his season of LENT, then the "father" is glad he returns to the church and celebrates in the great feast of EASTER.

I hope I showed you how people can make up anything from the Bible. They can even try to make up a vegetarian message out of it.

This parable appears only in the Gospel of Luke. It is made up by the author. It is the third parable in a series, the first about the lost sheep, the second about the lost coin, this one about the lost son. The god of the Jews is a cold killer and the authors are trying to make a kinder, gentler image for him, so this parable shows how forgiving and festive God can be.

It has nothing to do with a message about killing animals. The author (known as "Luke") may say it is kindness to save a cow on the sabbath in the previous chapter, but then I don't know where you read into the story that killing a calf is "maximum pain." If your personal beliefs reject eating animals, I am sure you can find things in the Bible to support your beliefs.

26

Can we verify that Watchtower is on lockdown right now?

by Newly Enlightened in

there is a rumor going around that watchtower is on lockdown right now and the news media parked outside, circling like vultures every since the abc nightline report, is there anyone that can verify it true or not?.

https://youtu.be/ilbvzop6uua.

OnTheWayOut

I saw another facebook report from the same source. I believe it was posted yesterday. Now, THE GATE TO WATCHTOWER is closed with the excuse that it was St. Patrick's Day, but the source doesn't believe that is the real reason and hints that this is so that the press cannot come in and ask about the court case and child abuse policies.

Edited to add: When the sensational story doesn't seem to be believed, it's funny how the tame story comes out but still hints that the sensational one was true. A gate is locked, probably to keep the press out. Sounds almost like lockdown with press outside. Well, it's actually nowhere near that.

49

Hasta la Vista,.. I'm outta here

by insidetheKH in

jw
friends

the time has come to leave this forum.

this is my last post.

mission completed.

OnTheWayOut

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MKZSqd5Y8nA

49

Hasta la Vista,.. I'm outta here

by insidetheKH in

jw
friends

the time has come to leave this forum.

this is my last post.

mission completed.

OnTheWayOut

I think the mission was to further his worship of jw.org and the Watchtower.

7

Richard Dawkins Promotes ABC's Expose of Child Abuse in the Watchtower

by cofty in

the story is painfully familiar.

children are sexually abused in a closed-off cult that is averse to secular justice.

the victims either dont dare accuse their influential tormentors, or, if they do, no one believes them.

OnTheWayOut

All coverage is good coverage. This won't reach too many JW's, but a few atheists will have something about which to ask the cart monitors.

19

Why a JC if the adulterous mate is forgiven?

by snugglebunny in

supposing a man's wife has had an affair, confessed all and genuinely regrets what's happened.

the husband, after much soul searching and agonising, realises how much he still loves her and how much both of them want to rebuild their shattered relationship.. why should that woman then have to sit in front of a judicial men-only committee and give a blow-by-blow account of her affair?.

how would that make her husband feel, knowing that his wife is sharing intensely private stuff about her affair with several other guys?.

OnTheWayOut

My OP refers to a real actual situation. The husband was not a JW, so no input was sought from him. He was actually furious at what he perceived to be an outright intrusion into his private life and begged his wife not to attend.

I am not 100% sure on the rules, and I know this option would not be mentioned to the "worldly" husband. But I believe he could still insist on being present for any judicial matter with his wife. He is her "head" according to them. Insisting upon being there could have, at the very least, caused the committee to just forget about the whole thing.

19

Why a JC if the adulterous mate is forgiven?

by snugglebunny in

supposing a man's wife has had an affair, confessed all and genuinely regrets what's happened.

the husband, after much soul searching and agonising, realises how much he still loves her and how much both of them want to rebuild their shattered relationship.. why should that woman then have to sit in front of a judicial men-only committee and give a blow-by-blow account of her affair?.

how would that make her husband feel, knowing that his wife is sharing intensely private stuff about her affair with several other guys?.

OnTheWayOut

Unless an offender is an elder (or higher), or is the family member of an elder (or higher), and even sometimes then- breaking any JW rules must be met with some kind of punishment.

The husband in your situation could sit in on the judicial meeting and cause it to be less graphic (if at all).

11

Telling Parents About TTATT

by ivanatahan in

jw
friends

my parents are zealous jecultah's blindnesses, but my sister and i are not.

because of this, we are limited in our abilities/opportunities in life.

mu parents hate my sister because she went to college and started a full time job and thus isn't able to go to meetings or service.

OnTheWayOut

You are baptized and Dad is an elder. Dude, you will almost certainly have to figure out how to do this without parents' help. Just try to keep them in your life and don't try to wake them up by badmouthing/questioning JW teachings.

11

Telling Parents About TTATT

by ivanatahan in

jw
friends

my parents are zealous jecultah's blindnesses, but my sister and i are not.

because of this, we are limited in our abilities/opportunities in life.

mu parents hate my sister because she went to college and started a full time job and thus isn't able to go to meetings or service.

OnTheWayOut

School counselors eat this stuff up. Maybe not as much High School counselors, but sometimes them too. Certainly the college counselors want to try to help. Talk to your H.S. guidance counselor straight up about wanting to go to college with your obstacles- JW parents. Talk to your sister. Get your options. Try to earn scholarships, but even if you are at a point where it is time to leave High School, don't give up. You may find some ways to do this without your parents help.

In my opinion, you will have to confront your parents sooner or later about this. Especially if you are not baptized, be ready to say what you want to say- I WANT TO GO TO COLLEGE. I WANT A CAREER. If they don't support you in your decision, tell them you will have to do this without their support. Then go talk to a college counselor about how to do this. You may be able to live with your sister, or live at college if scholarships or counselors find a way to help you. You may need to go to a lesser college for a couple years and then try to transfer to your "good university."

As far as avoiding shunning from your parents, it is important to do what you can. If you are not baptized, and even if you are, you will probably have to keep the JW bashing to a minimum. (But I did like "Jecultah's Blindnesses.") Don't work so much on getting your parents out as much as you work on having the life you want. Then as time goes on, read things like Steve Hassan's books and try to apply methods slowly to helping your parents. The main thing would be to really let them know what you DO want, not so much what you DO NOT want, stick to your guns, let them know you will do what it takes and you hope to have their support or at least their presence in your life.