OnTheWayOut

Joined

• started 589 topics
• posted 21,823 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by OnTheWayOut

• 
  38

  Trolley cart "witnessing" is getting ridiculous

  by oppostate in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i really fail to see how much actual "witnessing" is occurring with the trolley carts.publishers, usually pioneers, just stand or sit there not engaging anyone and count their time.. the only thing i notice that it's accomplishing is brand exposure for jw.0rg so the public is exposed to the logo and literature/poster card headlines.. take for example this "evening" witnessing by a pioneer elder while on summer holiday/vacation.. .

  is this not a wth kinda moment when you consider the years of slaving, knocking on doors, business territory and bible studies we had to keep performing so we weren't branded a "weak" publisher?.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I was visiting Yosemite National Park and right smack in front of the Main Visitors Center, two JW men with their carts just sitting on a bench talking to each other. They probably weren't even allowed to approach people, they certainly were not being approached by anyone. Total waste of "time" probably so that they can say they are pioneering.
• 
  23

  "Belief" and "Faith" are Simply Emotional Terms for Ideas and Opinions (long post)

  by xjwsrock in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this is my current bottom-line conclusion after starting to see through the jw game 3 to 4 years ago and going through my own process of waking up.

  it helps to write it down and put it "out there".

  i hope it helps or resonates with you in your own personal process.. basically if i were given 10 seconds to say something to an active jehovah's witness that i cared about it would be the headline above.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  By the way, God speaks to anyone who can listen to a recording of the bible or read it for themselves. And for the record, every person will definitely have a face to face encounter with God. Everyone.

  Perry posts a wondereful example to demonstrate how true the opening post is. He lists his emotional opinions and goes on to the above quote.

  Most of us have read the Bible and were misled by some sincere deluded "true-believer" among Jehovah's Witnesses and already know that there are many different sincere (and con artist) takes on the Bible.

  Thanks for being the "Devil's Advocate," Perry.
  
  
  
• 
  16

  That Most Uneven of Judicial Procedures~The Gradual Lifting of Restriction After Reinstatement

  by TMS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  those with substantial experience as jws will likely agree that judicial matters are handled with considerable inconsistency.

  elders certainly vary in skill level, understanding, compassion or even knowledge of the talmudlike watchtower rules.

  the punishment and, it is actually punishment, for similar offenses can result in anything from private or public reproof to disfellowshipping or sometimes an elder will choose to simply offer private counsel without even bringing the matter before the body of elders.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I would look at it differently if you know it's not the truth.

  Reinstated with restrictions- no public prayers, talks, comments, no assigned responsibilities at the Kingdom Hall.
  
  YOU ARE GOLDEN! ENJOY THE BREAK! I would never attempt to get "privileges" back.
• 
  15

  Tullamore DEW

  by JRK in

  1. social
  2. entertainment

  i have settled in with a nice bottle of tullamore dew.

  i have previously never tried any irish whiskeys other than jameson's.

  i was wondering if there are any other irish whiskeys i should try.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  The internet says that budget-minded people can try "2Gingers"

  I wish you asked when my wife could have asked an Irishman on the street.
• 
  30

  How to Fade - The Basics!

  by The Searcher in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this really works.

  i've already applied the basics of this with one elder who "offered" us a shepherding visit.

  we've been totally ignored since!!!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  My fade was completely different in that I kind of scared them with my discussions of doubts. But I don't recommend it. Go by the general rules The Searcher laid out here.

  If you are pestered by elders, miss many meetings and say that you need money, need a ride, need groceries, need someone to cook for you when you are depressed or in the pains of arthritis. They hate actually helping people in need of any kind of monetary or physical assistance.
• 
  41

  They Don't Have A Secret Elder's Book

  by pale.emperor in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  "they don't have a secret elder's book" so said my mother.

  "all of our publications are open to everyone.

  we all have the same information and nothing is hidden in this religion.".

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  millie210
  I think it may have to do with the Elders School they attend where they are given information to write in the margins of their book, some of which gets rather detailed and somewhat strange.
  It is a brilliant move though, that way if an elder acts on it, and a law suit or some type of complaint resulted, well...
  its in the elders handwriting NOT the Societys!

  That's the main thing. They all have virtually the same thing in the margins, but it's all hush-hush super secret, so secret that it couldn't be printed, but must be added on the fly in your handwriting. And you are supposed to fall on your sword if ever asked, saying the margin notes are your own understanding of what has been taught.
• 
  14

  Don't know if I'm hearing things.

  by Bigdummy in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i went to the hall with my wife on sunday.

  i try to be there for my wife at some meetings.

  because she is still neck deep in the beliefs and she understands my fading and doesn't.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  The request to those listening to "research the Jehovah's Witnesses for yourself" is just a mantra called out for the benefit of those already indoctrinated. It will cause them to believe that any such research would only lead back to belief in the doctrines. If anyone starts serious research, they will be told that outside sources are lies and Satanic manipulations and to only trust the internal writings of Watchtower.
  

  Jehovah's Witnesses do not have doctrines, we have the truth.

  Just another mantra- really just psycho-babble. This one is designed to make one think that "churches" have beliefs based on what men have said and Jehovah's Witnesses have teachings based on truth. As long as you hear "the truth" in the statement, it has some effect.

  
  
  
• 
  7

  A Kingdom Hall Visit OR an Evening at Bill Cosby's Home

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. social
  2. humour

  remember that this is humor.

  rape is wrong.so really, i would rather go to bill cosby's home for an evening (and to be fair, even a gay version of bill cosby) than go to the kingdom hall.. at both, you would know that your hosts would keep the conversation clean.

  bill stays on the high road (while speaking).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Londo111, yes. So nothing compared to a Quaalude, a pudding pop, and a ride home after a nap.

  JRK, good point. You are raped at both. One does their best to make it enjoyable or at least tolerable.
• 
  7

  A Kingdom Hall Visit OR an Evening at Bill Cosby's Home

  by OnTheWayOut in

  1. social
  2. humour

  remember that this is humor.

  rape is wrong.so really, i would rather go to bill cosby's home for an evening (and to be fair, even a gay version of bill cosby) than go to the kingdom hall.. at both, you would know that your hosts would keep the conversation clean.

  bill stays on the high road (while speaking).

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  Remember that this is humor. Rape is wrong.
  
  So really, I would rather go to Bill Cosby's home for an evening (and to be fair, even a gay version of Bill Cosby) than go to the Kingdom Hall.

  At both, you would know that your hosts would keep the conversation clean. Bill stays on the high road (while speaking). Certainly at the Kingdom Hall, there would be no cursing. So you are likely to get a lecture on refraining from talking dirty at either place. At either place, you will be in the presence of someone who thinks they are experts on parenting and morals. At one place, you would be expected to dress nicely. At the other, you can be casual. Your host is even known for wearing loud sweaters.

  Bill would give you a nice relaxing drink. At the Kingdom Hall, there's only a water fountain and people would whisper about you if you went to it more than once. At the Kingdom Hall, there would be pressure to visit again. Bill would understand if you never come back. And if you did come back, maybe Bill would help your career. Coming back to the Kingdom Hall again would only help them, not you. At the Kingdom Hall, even holding hands is discouraged. No such problem at Bill Cosby's home. He will freely offer his hands to you.
  
  You can sleep through the whole thing at Bill's home without anyone nudging you or constantly saying "Stay awake." The "conversation" at the Kingdom Hall would probably be about depressing things such as the end of the world and how Satan controls everything. Bill is liable to entertain you with the simple saying- "Netflix and chill."

  When the evening winds down at the Kingdom Hall, that's it. You can either clean the bathroom or just leave. At Bill's, you will probably get a pudding pop and he will certainly arrange for a ride home if you are groggy.

  At one place, they attempt to steal your whole life away from you and damage you deeply. At the other, you might get damaged deeply if you can remember anything, but your host will only steal a few hours, maybe try it again on another night, then get bored with you and let you go. What happened at the one place- it may take decades but people will eventually believe that you were violated. At the other, people will defend the host to the death and outsiders still don't understand much at all about how anything wrong is happening.

  I know that people shouldn't trick other people into doing things they wouldn't do. Whether you are physically assaulted or mentally assaulted, you will learn that you went into a male-oriented culture that just doesn't give a damn about you.
• 
  29

  The Elders want to meet with me and the hubby... Lol lol lol

  by Sevan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so the elders called wanting to meet with me and my husband.

  most likely because i told a concerned jw friend of mine that i really care about that i wasn't coming back and a couple of the issues i had.

  i didn't bring up any so-called "apostate" information, just told her about the australian royal commission and that there are a lot of unscriptural teachings and that the gb apply scriptures that are about jehovah and jesus to themselves, which is idolatry.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OnTheWayOut

  I think you have an answer for them:

  [YOU] have never helped me when I have been in need. Never visited me when in the hospital, never helped me move, never helped me with family issues, never visited me or even called me when I missed meetings for several months one year, never helped me when I was out of work and had no money (my "worldly" family did thank you very much), etc, etc. And in the last 20 years, [YOU] have never called on me for a shepherding visit that I did not specifically ask for. I think I have had a total of 4 shepherding visits in the last two decades, all at my request.
  I am fine, thanks but no thanks.

  ...or shorten that to almost nothing and enjoy the day, forget about them.