It's amazing how two consenting adults can be disfellowshipped for touching each other, but you can't get disfellowshipped for a few false prophesies that adversely affected the lives of millions.
Yep, I'd say that's pretty imperfect.
one of the most common "defences" of jw organization is that "the brothers" are imperfect yet still strive to follow god's word.
"sure, they make mistakes," so the argument goes, "but so did god's people in the past, including in bible times.
" the key point is their readiness to keep studying god's word and learning from their mistakes.".
It's amazing how two consenting adults can be disfellowshipped for touching each other, but you can't get disfellowshipped for a few false prophesies that adversely affected the lives of millions.
Yep, I'd say that's pretty imperfect.
thanks for all the kind words- yes i will come back and be present ...
what did I miss?
Well, uh, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but the generation that saw 1914? They did in fact, actually die. #darkjwhumor
Great to see you!
when in conversion, you sometimes get carried away and the talk becomes all about you.. then, you remember you're in a conversation, say you're sorry, and allow the other person to talk.
she goes on about what's happening in her life, you listen and ask some questions.
she tells you more and then shifts the dialogue back to you.
I always appreciate it when a person lets me know sooner rather than later that they don't belong in my inner circle, and won't be mailed any invites. ;)
because of this site i realized that there were many people who were active jehovah’s witnesses really didn’t believe in god at all.
i’m curious how many people believe in god?
i’m not interested in debating why you shouldn’t have a belief in a god or should.
I have learned that this topic is not two dimensional. For me, it's an ongoing journey, but no, I don't go to church and do not talk to or pray to a specific entity. I do explore "spirituality" in its many aspects. I do my own thing. I'll never do group think again as a condition of "worship", whatever you'd like that word to mean.
i ask this question for the following reason.
i was sitting at the kingdom hall thinking about all the rules, procedures, policies, teachings that each member must follow ......or else!.
at the watchtower study we are reminded of the paradise earth where we will all be the same and happy.
I would strongly suggest that nostalgia isn't the way to go. I do understand that the GB 2.0 is even more cold than the original version, but it wasn't a cake walk either. You still had no freedom of thought or speech, and had to fake it to make it at all if you had a mind of your own.
Joy was never something any version of the Governing Body was about imo. And yes, it's even worse now, but it was never good before.
i`m sure you have all noticed the ever increasing number of newbies and lurkers who have visited this site over the past months and i am sure we could all collectively welcome them to this site and support them on learning the ttatt .
and helping them to navigate how they can look up older publications and quotes of the wtb&ts that they would rather remain hidden.. we all know jehovah`s witnesses /governing body never apologizes for mistakes they make they just don`t mention them anymore and explain it away as new light from god.. actually a big cop out.. welcome to all you who are new to this site .. every day their seems to be someone new posting which is great .. and if this is any indication of what is happening in all other ex jw sites the wtb&ts are in deep trouble .
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Hello to all the newbies. You've got a lot of people who've been through everything here. Many great people and stories.
As a former Gilead missionary, I saw the rot directly. I have no desire to bring down this cult, I personally believe that it will burn out on its own, but what I saw while going through the Gilead at Bethel was the final straw. I have seen first hand the damage done to people, and how much the Governing Body will put their financial considerations over the people. (Pedophile stories like Candace Conti are just the tip of the iceburg.)
As Morpheus told Neo, if you choose the red pill, the only thing to be offered is the truth. THE REAL TRUTH, NOT THE BULLSH*T THE GB RAMS DOWN YOUR THROAT. Hopefully you'll find yourself as much as you find out the real truth about the Borg. As I like to say, live well and become who you can become, it's the best revenge against the Governing Body.
to the person who reported me to the elders from here - thank you for making me be able to leave the organisation a whole lot easier and sooner than i'd planned.
you did me a huge favour 😊.
I had always been fearful when planning my exit. When it happened, I freaked out for about 3 days or so. That was pure hell. When I went to the other side, and the deed was done, I had a smile no one could wipe off of my face for two straight days. Just total relief.
Your mileage may vary, but don't be in fear of these pricks. I have learned the hard way how much fear was deep baked into the old me. That's ultimately how they roll. Once you lose your "godly" fear of these old twerps in the GB, you have the rest of your life to mold into what you can create it.
Live well, it's, the biggest f*ck you to the borg.
i've already posted in this forum but i haven't told you my story.
nowadays i'm a pimo in my late 20s from spain.. i was born in the cult and i can say that during my whole childhood and most of my teenage years i believed in this.
however, i felt that here was something wrong with me, as i wasn't comfortable telling people i was jw, talking about jw stuff, nor did i feel "excited" and "grateful" whenever a watchtower publication told me that i should.
Hi there. What you are doing is very brave, and what speaks to me is your plan to leave, understanding that is the only way to become your whole self. While I know many who choose the fade, I think if you are ever going to personally fulfill your potential, leaving is the best way to become who you really can be.
But it's not always the happiest path, especially at first. When I left, I left all my family and friends behind and essentially started over with no one, outside of internet boards, which I really appreciated. Sounds like you have friends outside. To me that is a huge key. I chose a bit of isolation, not knowing at first how to make friends, or be a friend. That will always be my #1 piece of advice to anyone, create a support network for yourself (outside of this board ;) as soon as possible. This place is such a huge part of my recovery, but it doesn't replace the excellent help real life interactions with in person friends can have.
My last thought is this, choose to be happy in spite of what has happened. By all means heal, but also forgive and let go of the past. Take the good and don't be bitter. Best wishes!
i was born january 15, 1947in mt.
carmel hospital, detroit, michigan.. within six months of my birth, my mother would bundle her baby boy into a blanket and board an american airlines propeller-driven plane--in effect, leaving my father behind--to return to her hometown, ft. worth, texas.. my dad had an excellent job working for cadillac as an inspector.
it was a union job.
As always, well said. I can relate to the over compensation.
something just dawned on me today as i processed my assimilation into the real world (thanks to our new poster, @jester, giving me a major throwback to my first post).. when you're a jehovah's witness, you really are in some sort of la la land.
things which are perfectly normal are acts of eating from the table of the demons.
things which are horribly grotesque and extremely unjust are branded as "righteousness".
The nomenclature of JW's is unique to their own. How do you reframe work? Call it a privilege. How do you stifle a voice? Call them comments, then make that a privilege.
I like this post. I personally so was ambitious at my arrogant JW peak that I viewed each "privilege" as something to gain and conquer, and I rated myself based on the age I achieved them. I had to be a young MS, then Elder. (accomplished) Mic Handler since I was 9. (insert sort of not really funny, but funny, punch line here). Whatever it was, to some JW's like me before my awakening, a privilege was a notch on the JW bedpost.
The ultimate privilege? Become one of the anointed. Who's gonna check you on that? Just play the game, make sure you have the long con going on, be in the traveling work or missionary for 20 years, make sure you network so you can kiss some GB @$$, and then suddenly, YHWH picks you. Next stop, GB 2.0 (or is it 3.0 soon???)