Posts by NanaR

42

Why does it seem to be unhappy people who are attracted to the JWs?

by new boy in

jw
friends

i have had time to think about this........... i was an attendent for many years.......... and looking up and down the rows at every family that was seating there in the khs........... no one was happy!.

i think of my mother (who brought this religion into our house)......she was one of the most unhappy and miserable people you would ever meet!

she was a spiritual orphan with few friends and no real family to speak of.. she got the "good news" back in 1950, that "the world" was a bad place and god, would soon be killing most everyone......she was thrilled!...............

NanaR

I was an attendent for many years.......... and looking up and down the rows at every family that was seating there in the KHs..........
NO ONE WAS HAPPY!

Think about the "ain't it awful" mentality that the JWs present at the doors. The whole focus of the message is that the world is falling apart and Jehovah is going to fix it -- very soon....

So you're right, the whole thrust of their lives is living for a "future" reward. What is required now is "obedience" and "endurance".

Not surprisingly, the areas of increase in the JW org. are in lands where conditions really are lousy. When people don't have anything to begin with, or any hope of anything, the concept of a perfect paradise is pretty tantalizing.

Also, think of how long some of those folks have been "enduring". Most didn't believe they would ever finish high school, much less need a decent pension to live. Some gave up plans to have children; very few obtained more than the most basic education.

If they weren't unhappy to start with, they will be before long...

I was born into it. I wouldn't say that I was never happy about anything, but then personality-wise I never really fit in the org. structure. I'm an ENFP -- other than being a true natural extrovert (can't shut me up - hah!), I was a square peg in a round hole. I think it was my "P" tendencies that drove them the most crazy -- most JWs feel like they HAVE to know everything in advance.

NanaR

63

Have you abandoned the hope of everlasting life?

by Fisherman in

do you still believe or nurture in your heart "living forever in a paradise earth" and even never having to die in "this old system"?

or do you now belive in life after death as a spirit being in heaven?

or have you abandoned the hope of everlasting life?

NanaR

I have decided to concentrate on being a good person in THIS life. I feel that so long as I do that, I can safely place my everlasting future (whatever it may be) in the hands of Someone Else. When I left, I really believed that I was "sentencing" myself to everlasting death, and I came to terms with that possibility. Now I believe that it is counterproductive for me to dwell on circumstances beyond my control (destiny beyond death), so I am concentrating on living well RIGHT NOW.

NanaR

32

Lost and looking for answers

by LynnTink in

this is my story.

i was born a jw and never knew anything else because my parents shelter from everything but for other reason.

from the time i can remember my dad beat my mom.

NanaR

"I love God and all his beautiful creations around us. I need some kind of beleif system or faith in something. I don't want to be controlled and told what to do anymore. Please help me I feel I am starting over at 40."

LynnTink,

Your story is very moving. I am so sorry for all that you have had to endure!

I can empathize with your "lost" feeling. I was raised a JW and never knew anything else. So when I started moving away from the "organization" (I was in my 40s at the time), it was really hard for me to come to terms with what were MY foundation values.

At the time (mid 1990s) I had only one really good friend who was not a JW. He was my boss, and he was a very devout Christian (Disciples of Christ). After talking with him a bit, not about religion but just about life in general, I found out that HIS core value was the phrase "First, do no harm" that is part of the oath doctors take.

What a revolutionary idea, I thought, to consider first what possible harm could come as a result of things we do!

Now, at least ten years later, I have finally started reading the Bible again. I am reading the Gospels at present, and dwelling on the words of Jesus recorded there. Putting aside all questions of doctrine, such as Trinity or God-in-the-flesh or whatever, good men and women of all ages have found strong moral and ethical values in the gospels. I also decided that I NEEDED to pray, so I began that process by simply reciting the Lord's Prayer as one might teach a child to do.

After calling myself an "ethical heathen" for many years, I am only now finding a spiritual life. I say "only now" because as a "cradle JW" I was really only taught to "reason" on religion. I don't remember ever being taught how faith was supposed to FEEL. For me, right now, faith is becoming a personal connection and identification with Jesus' words recorded in the Bible. I am starting to sense the emotional meaning of unconditional love.

If you are having trouble with the first commandment to "Love God" (I know I did, I wasn't even sure he existed as I felt betrayed by "his" people), then you may find it helpful to go directly to the second, "Love your neighbor as yourself". You may find, as I have, that there are many truly good and kind people in the world as a whole, and by showing love TO them you can receive much love FROM them. And I really have come to feel in my heart of hearts that it is through the love of those around us that GOD (whoever or whatever he/she may ultimately be) speaks to us.

I wish you well on your journey.

Ruth aka NanaR

6

A tiny entry on the credit side of the ledger

by Duncan in

dear everyone,.

sometimes, like probably everyone here, i get to thinking about all the wasted years (not to mention all those countless, endless, slow-motion hours) spent in serving the watchtower.. what a waste!

in my case 20 years maybe my 20 best years (age 5 to 25) - utterly wasted time , along with all the missed and spurned opportunities.

NanaR

Excellent!!

Guess the little blue bombshell didn't have a long-lasting effect...

Congratulations on your win :-)

NanaR

68

Just What Is The WT Up To Now?

by lovelylil in

has anyone heard about what is going on inside the organization these days regarding those who claim to be "anointed" christians?

i have had at least three different people now who live in different areas of the country tell me that the elders are systematically pushing out people who claim to have become anointed within the last few years.

these would be younger ones who are now professing the heavenly rather than earthly hope.. i find this interesting for several reasons.

NanaR

"Rutherford really boxed in the Society with this teaching."

I believe the issue is CONTROL -- the anointing with Holy Spirit is the ONLY teaching left in the JW doctrine that is totally personal. The anointing occurs between God (actually Christ, but we're talking about JW doctrine here and they even leave Christ out of his own "marriage") and the one who receives it.

For all the years that I was active, a person's status as an "anointed" one was untouchable -- even when the society representatives did not believe it was genuine. But since Rutherford and his successors managed to convince the majority that they do not have a heavenly hope, I don't suppose it was really a huge issue in the past.

Congregations with many anointed now would be the Borg's worst nightmare. How would they go about "proving" that someone had not received Holy Spirit when it comes directly from God? And on what basis would a JC of GC elders judge an anointed one?

Have there been any updates on the idea that the WTS is trying to identify a "New Anointed" apostasy?

NanaR

14

The best decision of my life

by YoursChelbie in

jw
friends

was leaving the watchtower society the best decision of your life?

the benefits have been so great, my peace of mind has been great--better than i thought i would feel on the "other side.

" after deprogramming my mind from the cult mindset everything seems clearer, brighter.

NanaR

Was leaving the Watchtower Society the best decision of your life?

The best decision of my life was to marry my husband.

A very close second to that was our decision to have children.

Right behind that was my decision to go to college at age 43...

That and some serious interference by the elders into my family prompted my decision to stop going in FS. Which lead to less meeting attendance. Which finally lead to my deciding I was no longer a Witness.

So it is #4 on my list of good decisions :-)

NanaR

10

Doctors Lawyers

by Yesterdays Child in

jw
friends

in all my years in dubland i was just wondering ; how many here had doctors or lawyers in your congs?

in the 20 years of my wts days i dont' remember any.

NanaR

My father was a Witness and a Chiropractor.

Also, the doctor who sent my mother to Mayo Clinic for surgery in 1944 was a medical doctor and of the anointed. His name was Dr. Boggs, and he practiced in Charleston, WV.

I don't remember any others though...

NanaR

2

Beyond their control

by NanaR in

i have been thinking a lot lately about the relationship between jesus and those who are "born again" by the spirit.

it occurred to me that this is the only relationship in the jw religion where the "organization" or the fds does not intervene (see recent threads regarding jesus as mediator only of those in the new covenant according to jw doctrine).. since the number of those partaking of the emblems at the memorial has remained basically unchanged over the last 20 years (increased some years, decreased others, but no steady movement in either direction), i was wondering what the future might hold with regard to jw doctrine regarding the heavenly class.. i read another thread that indicated some congregations have taken steps to decide who is "truly" anointed.. if the sealing stopped in 1935 except for replacements for unfaithful ones, why does the number "wobble" instead of decreasing?

people born in 1920 (15 in 1935) are now 86 years old if still living; and we know that not all of the anointed were young folks in 1935. so, faithful or unfaithful, they are passing away.

NanaR

I have been thinking a lot lately about the relationship between Jesus and those who are "born again" by the spirit. It occurred to me that this is the ONLY relationship in the JW religion where the "organization" or the fds does not intervene (see recent threads regarding Jesus as mediator ONLY of those in the new covenant according to JW doctrine).

Since the number of those partaking of the emblems at the memorial has remained basically unchanged over the last 20 years (increased some years, decreased others, but no steady movement in either direction), I was wondering what the future might hold with regard to JW doctrine regarding the heavenly class.

I read another thread that indicated some congregations have taken steps to decide who is "truly" anointed.

If the sealing stopped in 1935 except for replacements for unfaithful ones, why does the number "wobble" instead of decreasing? People born in 1920 (15 in 1935) are now 86 years old if still living; and we know that not all of the anointed were young folks in 1935. So, faithful or unfaithful, they are passing away. Just how large does the borg think the apostasy after Russell was? And are there any "memorial partaker" numbers recorded prior to the 1960s? (Recently, I couldn't find numbers for memorial partakers in a 1960 yearbook that I have).

My question I guess is this: How can the borg come between Jesus and his "Bride"? And are we going to see a reaction because they are furious that this relationship is "beyond their control"?

Perhaps someone who is still "in" can comment as to whether they have noticed any reaction to the recently released "increase" numbers for Memorial partakers in 2006. And I would also like to know if any direction has been provided regarding counting or "screening" partakers at the 2007 Memorial this coming spring.

Thanks!

NanaR

2

Looking for a Kingdom Ministry

by Junction-Guy in

jw
friends

do any of you have that kingdom ministry from last year?

i believe in december.

in that particular issue they were telling the jw's not to send their disaster relief checks with "hurricane katrina" on them, but rather make the checks out payable to the "worldwide work" i would love to get my hands on a copy of this?

NanaR

Dave,

I don't have the links concerning it, but here is the KM article from 11/05 KM, pg. 3:

Quotes are in italics, my comments are red.

------------

km 11/05 p. 3

How Can We Help?

1 The question “How can we help?” is often raised by Jehovah’s Witnesses when they hear of a disaster that has occurred in some part of the world. As the account at Acts 11:27-30 shows, Christians in the first century provided a relief ministration to the brothers dwelling in Judea because of a famine that took place.

2 In modern times, our organizational charters have permitted money to be used for charitable activity and to provide humanitarian assistance to those suffering from natural or man-made disasters and in other times of need.

(As a tax exempt charitable organization, we have to at least APPEAR charitable...)

3 For example, last year many brothers contributed toward helping those affected by the tsunami disaster in South Asia. This heartfelt response in the way of donations to the organization’s relief funds was very much appreciated. However, when donations are earmarked specifically for a certain disaster, it is necessary in some countries to use such funds only for the purpose specified by the donor and within a certain period of time, whether the needs of our brothers have been cared for locally or not.

(In other words, we might want to use the money for something else...)

4 Consequently, it is recommended that donations for humanitarian and relief assistance be made to the worldwide work. This fund is used for relief efforts as well as for advancing the spiritual needs of the Christian brotherhood. If, for some reason, a person wishes to make a relief donation separate from contributions to the worldwide work, it will still be accepted and used wherever there is a need for relief assistance. However, it would be appreciated if such donations are made without restrictions as to where and how the funds may be used.

(So we don't have to justify that new condo for the GB...)

5 Our directing donations primarily to the worldwide work allows for more funds to be available for use in connection with all features of the Kingdom work rather than being held only for future relief needs.

(After all, you know we're short of money -- we just told you we're laying off Bethelites)

This is in harmony with the spirit of Ephesians 4:16, that we work together to give what is needed “for the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love.”

----------------------------------------- end quote

Typical of the JW mindset.

Even United Way lets contributors designate HOW their donations are going to be used. This is very fishy. It prevents the WTS from having to account for funds designated for a specific purpose -- so noone knows how much was actually received OR spent on relief work.

GAG

NanaR

21

How did Rutherford do it?

by NanaR in

back at the time that rutherford revealed the "new light" regarding the great multitude as an earthly rather than heavenly class, how did he manage to convince people to stop partaking of the emblems?.

i have wondered about this for years.

my grandmother was born around the "turn" of the 19th century to the 20th century.

NanaR

"Humility may have a part to play."

My grandmother was very meek and humble, so that is a likely reason.

My grandfather on the other hand was exceedingly arrogant. I expect after his shenanigans he figured it would be too much to partake (he used to partake as well).

Thanks jwfacts,

NanaR