to all active jehovahs witnesses.
if jesus returns tomorrow and starts judgement day what will you say to the following?.
here is the christ, or, there!
Rooster,
Why are you only allowed to start one thread per day?
Jesus will ask: "why did you follow after these men who started a religion with teaching based on Egyptian Pyramids."JW’s will answer:
I didn’t know they taught things based upon the pyramids, besides we have the truth & why are you judging me Jesus? I was supposed to be judged by "JEHOVAH"!
LOL, loved it....boy will they be in for a big surprise when they find that out
have you ever been called on the carpet due to a bible studies activities?
yesterday afternoon i had an amazing recall of events from over 30 years ago.
i was a pioneer with 7 or 9 bible studies and one study was joseph.
“brother, did you know he would be going down on a sister? A sister mind you!”
I think the elder is pissed because A) they get to have oral sex and I cant! or B) mad that the study didnt go down on him
" {wt jun 15 1957 370} .
" {ga feb 4 1931 293-4} .
" {wt jun 15 1957 370} .
The Watchtower does not have everything wrong. Many of their teachings are definitely found in the bible. JW's are mostly morally conscious people too. Spirituality can often a way of life for many of them. By no means was my entire 20 years of association with them a terrible experience. You do develop friendships. You do enjoy the goody-nights, the association most of the time, and can also appreciate the unity that exists around the world. (Though I need to add that such unity is also enjoyed by other religious denominations such as with Mormons, World Wide Church of God, Seventh Days Adventists, Evangelicals etc.).
But for the entire JW experience to work, one simply must have an extremely strong, convincing faith, that the Watchtower Society IS that One True Faith On Earth, as they claim. The, "This IS God's Only True Organization", is by far the most important element of all the elements involved with being a JW. With this conviction, a person can easily accept all that comes with the faith, that might otherwise be considered less than desirable. Yes there is quite a bit asked of you; there are many meetings, parts on the meetings and preparation for those meetings. Field Service, preparation for service, demonstrations in front of the congregation for service, donations to cover the expenses of literature for service and other things too. Association is limited, holidays and birthdays are excluded, and most do live a simpler, less exciting life. Yes, it also does definitely divide families. Yes, you may have to cut-off very close people, including your very own flesh and blood. But the fact is this: IF one believes with all his heart, that this organization alone is God's organization exclusively, then all of these things along with the thousands of other things peculiar to JW's can be accepted and even embraced fully and completely. Jehovah's Witnesses absolutely do believe this about themselves because it is taught throughout the many different meetings, assemblies as well as throughout most all of their literature. I was one for almost 20 years, up until just this past year. This is what I was taught and believed for most all of that time. Having that as a foundation then, that this *ALONE is God's Channel*, is what kept me going whenever some doubt would arise. This driving force allowed me to just look the other way when I did see certain things that just did not quite jive. Certain teachings that made me do a double take, were all put into their place due to the sole fact in my mind that this was God's Organization. And I am convinced that this is how it is for most of the 6 million Witnesses around the world today.
Now, if somebody, or some thing comes along and actually hammers away at that one major, core-belief (that this alone is God's Organization), if something is learned that completely challenges this foundational trust in the WT Society, then from my experience, the entire JW belief system can collapse like a house of cards. The demands of their highly structured routine THEN become too much to bear. The having to shun good friends and family members no longer makes any sense. The many sacrifices such as giving up holidays, birthdays, voting, college, sports, casual dating, facial hair, yoga, etc etc start to look foolish and perhaps even embarrassing. Allowing a loved one to die by refusing a blood transfusion now seems preposterous. Watching a good,moral person be labeled and shunned solely based on their walking away from a religious institution now seems grossly unfair and extremely unchristian. Once again though, by fully believing that the WT Society IS God's True Faith all of these things are tolerable. Take that faith away and none of it makes sense any longer.
Excellently written, thank you Vinny!
for those not familiar, i faded from the organization many years ago and my wife hasn't been to any meetings or service in about 5-6 years either.
though she insists she's still a jw so we don't celebrate holidays and the children aren't allowed to participate in holiday activities at school.
i was content for many years to just let her do her own thing, but when the children started going to school i noticed how confusing it was for them.
Happy Romantic Valentine's Day Para, I think it's great that your wife is coming around
Being in ontario as well, snowed in here a bit......I had a discussion with my children's kindergarten teacher, and i told her that I dont mind that my kids participate in the classroom holiday activities, but that they probably wont be actively participating (like bringin in valentines cards, christmas cards..etc.) I explained that while it doesnt bother me, it would get back to my in-laws (die-hard JW's) and that they would practically burn me at the stake for getting my kids to participate in ''pagan'' holidays....
she was a little confussed when I told her that my family are not speaking to me, but that the kids are unaware of that as they are too young to understand...(tho they probably pick up on the fact that grandma only takes them, and never mommy)
....maybe one day my hubby and I will be able to celebrate freely the holidays with our kids, especially birthdays, as those days are special to both him and I...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c5pufzqoq_a.
.
lisa.
They will have him in the back room for some counseling. PS: The women all looked Amish.
LOL! The women were downright scary looking....they looked like they were wearing dresses bought from the 80's that weren't EVER in style! gross.
Someone tell that first sister to BUY A BETTER BRA AND WEAR IT! *shudders*
that dancing brother looked like my brother! lol...save the dance moves....entertaining! glad that young brother had some FUN!
hi everyone, i recently joined this forum as i'm close to being df.
i am suppose to meet with a judical committee soon but was thinking that i don't want to go through those personal questions that i'm sure the elders would ask.
does anyone know, is it better to just tell the elders before, say like on the phone, that i want to be df and not go through the committee?
Hi Thinking,
I would rather not give them the power of letting them disfellowship you, since they will anyways, I would rather beat them to the punch, and tell them that you are leaving this brainwashing cult, and that you no longer want to have company with men who worship a man made organization. Tell them you will be sending in your letter of disassciation. Since they announce the same thing for people who are DF'd and DA'd, take your power back and leave on your terms.
i've had in the past studied a little about the bible with jws but have yet decided to be baptised.. i've just read lavenders' moving letter to her son and her love and well being for him is very obvious.
i do like the bible teachings very much and to this day i'm very interested in the end of the system of things which will very soon come to fruition; i'm a very strong believer, however i must stipulate to all, in retrospect i'm not sinless.
one of the posters says that jw's ask you to do a liitle bible study with them, attend one of their meetings and when you get baptised you have to do exactly what you are instructed or else.
Well JWs believe that everyone good and bad, elderly or baby, that is not a JW, will be put to death by their God and that will be the end of the system. I find that prospect quite appalling - I have no wish to live in a world under judgement of a god who will slaughter babies with impunity. Luckily I dont believe any of this is true and will continue trying to make the world a better place rather than look forward with relish to its destruction.
I agree with Crumpet's comment.
To rejoice in the destruction of Billions of INNOCENT people just because they DIDNT TAKE A BIBLE STUDY is sick and cold hearted.
They are a cult,
I know, I never would of said that when I was on the inside...BUT, in my mind, I always thought they were overly controlling...
From Hasson's observations about the Moonies and other cultic organizations, and reports from cult-awareness organizations, some additional identifying characteristics of their definition would be:
Recruiting work performed by all of the members (although they may deny that is what they are doing).
People not allowed to discuss criticism of the leader(s), the doctrine, or the organization, or read information that is critical of the religion.
Members trained to disbelieve criticism of the religion as lies from Satan.
Members spy on one another and report improper activities or comments to leaders.
Members taught to suppress anything which might reflect negatively to outsiders about the religion.
Usually, the doctrine is absolutist and the ideology is internalized as "the Truth."
Members told to avoid contact with ex-members or critics, even their relatives.
Members instilled with a deep fear about ever leaving the organization, and anyone who does depart is of the devil.
Emotional control - terror of being caught and punished by leaders.
Disciplinary action administered by group leaders, which may involve excommunication for such things as questioning organization policy or doctrine.
People foregoing education and career interests to perform recruiting and other organization endeavors.
Advocate socializing only with other members in the organization.
Many cults believe the apocalypse is very near and may even predict dates.
Fear of separation from the organization.
Belief that their's is the only true religion.
From the foregoing information let us examine the questions posed in the February 15, 1994 Watchtower article:
WT-Q: Would it be accurate to refer to Jehovah's Witnesses as a small fringe religious group?
Considering that the Watchtower organization began from a small congregation of "Bible Students" started by C.T. Russell in the late 1800s, which sprang out of a congregation of Second Adventists, we might ask: At what point in time or numbers did the Watchtower Society advance beyond the point of being a small fringe religious group? Was it before or after they were chosen by Jehovah God to be His channel of communication to the whole world through the pages of The Watchtower in "these 'last days' before Armageddon"?
WT-Q: Cult members often isolate themselves from friends, family, and even society in general. Is that the case with Jehovah's Witnesses?Is it not true that Jehovah's Witnesses discourage their members--especially their children in school--from associating with "worldly" friends and relatives, saying Witnesses "are no part of this world"? (John 15:19) What is meant in the Reasoning From the Scriptures book, on page 189 under "Bad associations" where 1Cor.15:33 is cited to discourage friendship with anyone not among Jehovah's Witnesses? Are Jehovah's Witness children in school allowed to participate in the extra-curricular clubs and social activities, including sports?
WT-Q: Do the Witnesses use deceptive and unethical techniques to recruit members?
Perhaps it may depend on what one considers deceptive or unethical. If you were to out-right ask a Jehovah's Witness--who has either come to your door in the house-to-house "witnessing" work, or got your name as a survivor of someone deceased out of the obituaries--if you ask whether the Witnesses are there hoping to recruit you into Jehovah's Witnesses, they would usually deny it. However, ask them if it is true that their mission is to find "other sheep" to bring them into the Watchtower's fold before Armageddon, because everyone living except Jehovah's Witnesses will be destroyed--how might the average Witness respond? They will try to impart the impression that you have the hope of seeing your deceased loved ones very soon in a paradise earth--but will have to be pressed to admit this is only if you join them and survive Armageddon.
WT-Q: Cult leaders are knownto use manipulative methods to control the minds of their followers. Is there any evidence that Jehovah's Witnesses do this?Based on the foregoing information about the techniques of cult mind control, one must determine whether the Watchtower Society employs any number of these tactics to direct and bind the loyalty of Jehovah's Witness members to the organization.
WT-Q: Is their worship cloaked in secrecy?According to the book Crisis of Conscience by former Governing Body member, Raymond Franz, most of their organizational policy making regarding doctrine, worship and disciplinary actions, including disfellowshipping procedures, is done in closed meetings of the Governing Body.
WT-Q: Are they following and venerating a human leader?
Does the Watchtower Society no longer teach that the Governing Body and the "annointed" remnant are the collective mediator between the majority of Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ?
WT-Q: Pointedly, are Jehovah's Witnesses a cult?Well, considering the The World Book Encyclopedia definition, various dictionaries, the Watchtower Society's definition, or that of recognized cult-awareness advocates, it would seem to depend on your preferred definition of the word 'CULT.'
i have 2 alias's.
i only use this one anymore but i started out with 2.. makes me wonder how many members jwd really has?.
does anyone else have multiple alias's?.
newbie here who only uses this ID...
well it is 4:00 a.m. in the morning and i can't sleep, so might has well write.. everything at bethel is seniority........"how long have you been here?
" if you wanted a better room you need some seniority, rooms would go up on a bid system.
if you were a new boy, and all your friends were new boys, it could be a year or two before you got a decent room and 10 years to get a room with its own bathroom, pre towers days.
another great read!
I love all your posts about your bethel experience...
as for the gay thing, Ive always had a problem with how the JW's view them....(many hate them, and not just their sexual preference)
my mother was always ignorant about gay people, she said, ''if only they saw the light from god's organization, they would strip off the old personality and become normal''...
ARE YOU KIDDING MOM? yes she is THAT naive.
I countered, ''oh really??? many are BORN THAT WAY'', she said, ''no, they CHOOSE to be that way''.sheesh!!
''Mom, if that was the case, then you can choose to be gay too. do you feel gay?'' she was offended. i said, ''see?? they cant change to be hetero anymore than you can change to be homo.'' she didnt say much after that.
then I said, ''If homosexuality is from imperfection, then why do so many different species of mammals practice homosexuality?'' she said, ''animals are imperfect too''...''oh I see, there were two chimpanzees in the garden of eden, and the female enticed the male to eat from the bamboo tree of god and bad, so now all animals inherited sin''....
sorry for hijaking this thread...
my sister-in-law wants to come out here for the convention this year.
i believe it's just an excuse to come and see my boy, but whatever.
they ususally stay at my parents' house when they come out.
Canada is still here...frozen but here
As for sisterly love, Oh i know alot about that, since I have loads of sisters and sister-in-laws
one who did call and was sickenly sweet as pie to me on the phone, who asked to speak to her brother (she never calls him my husband), and then invited him to her wedding. how nice. im not even officially DA'd or DF'd. (unless they announced something about me in the hall that I dont know about)
my other sister took what I wrote to her in an email and printed it out for our brother to read, and says, now that smacks of apostate talking...I was merely telling her my feelings about why I did not go to meetings anymore....*sigh* oh well, such is the love. she is no longer speaking to me,and now, neither is my brother.
