Posts by AllTimeJeff

41

Surrounded - Yet All Alone at the same Time

by offgrid5150 in

jw
friends

i've been lurking for a while,but figured i'd introduce myself.

i was born in, and i'm 30 years old.

it's hard to just read as a guest, and not share with anyone eventually.

AllTimeJeff

Hi there!

This will be a long journey to wake family up and somehow fade. No clue how I will do this, but figured id check in for some support :)

Be smart, be vulnerable, be patient. This place will have its theological arguments from time to time, but one thing most of us KNOW is that JW's are a cult, and that leaving is not easy. On that score, you can count on great support and advice from a variety of people from different backgrounds who used to be JW's.

Best of luck to you. Remember, be patient, this will be a process.

6

Don't Ever Forget, the GB only makes Practical Decisions, Not Ones Based On "Faith"

by AllTimeJeff in

i have been reading a lot about the downsizing of branch offices and congregations lately.

i know of a few being downsized personally.

this addresses two critical issues that the gb is facing.

AllTimeJeff

cantleave, I couldn't believe it myself. They direct everything financial, and sign off on all things "spiritual" like their latest attempt at bad Bible translating. Do you think any of those guys speak Hebrew or Greek?

54

Hello, its good to be back, seriously!

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

for the last year or so, the opening lyrics to gloria estefan's "always tomorrow" have been howling at me.. i've been alone inside myself, far too long.

never really wanted it that way, but i let it happen..... .

(btw, the message in that song is great for former jw's, if you want to think about the lyrics that way....).

AllTimeJeff

cantleave, I would probably be more "ahead" right now if I allowed myself to be more honest and vulnerable. I pretended to be ok far too long. I didn't want to admit how much they hurt me, wasn't going to give them the pleasure. But they did. It's actually easier to deal with when I say "Hey, you hurt me." Then, I can move on.

The real issue is, people need people. I was in an artifical world, and now, I am in real life. Let me put it a better way: I need people, and I am tired of pretending that I don't. No one understands where I come from like you fine folk. :) That appeals to me... To just be

53

Jamaican Branch Office Closing

by jw07 in

i'm from jamaica, montego bay to be exact.

if there are other jamaicans here, feel free to let me know.. with that said, it was announced at our last meeting (a letter was read) that the branch office (bethel) in kingston would be closing, and affairs would soon be directed from us hq.

now the branch office here is a large compound built on acres of prime real estate.

AllTimeJeff

I hope that the society helps & finds places for the volunteers.

They do. Sadly, their prayer is usually "Keep warm and well fed" as they walk on by

70

JW morale reaching new low

by kneehighmiah in

jw
friends

many friends i've spoken with are becoming discouraged.

because of this it's becoming tempting to privately share my views with friends, but i know this is still too dangerous.

most witnesses in my circle are intelligent free thinkers.

AllTimeJeff

Morale is low for a lot of reasons, but mostly, because this is an "end time" cult that always has to explain why they are never out of time. You can't keep changing your big foundational teachings like "the generation" teaching and not expect it to raise some internal eye ball rolling at the least.

Also, the GB continues to be naive about the role of the internet in their current malaise. While they have adapted pretty well to it for their own devices, (they had no choice) the other end of that stick is, it does give their flock tacit permission to look at what others are saying and what evidence is out there against the Borg. (all on your smartphone of choice, except for Blackberry users)

So who cares if they don't leave. When you read about the Conti case, 20k+ pedophiles, emotional and spiritual abuse from real people, of course it's going to make your morale low.

53

Jamaican Branch Office Closing

by jw07 in

i'm from jamaica, montego bay to be exact.

if there are other jamaicans here, feel free to let me know.. with that said, it was announced at our last meeting (a letter was read) that the branch office (bethel) in kingston would be closing, and affairs would soon be directed from us hq.

now the branch office here is a large compound built on acres of prime real estate.

AllTimeJeff

I wish I didn't lose my old missionary handbook, but one thing that was stated in it and they make very clear at Gilead: If you sin and get DF'd, the Borg doesn't have to pay your way back. They can kick you out of the home and into a very strange, unforgiving land on a whim.

These days, you have to be pretty nucking futs to want to be in the "special" full time service.

6

Don't Ever Forget, the GB only makes Practical Decisions, Not Ones Based On "Faith"

by AllTimeJeff in

i have been reading a lot about the downsizing of branch offices and congregations lately.

i know of a few being downsized personally.

this addresses two critical issues that the gb is facing.

AllTimeJeff

I forget which 70's GB'er said this after the committees started running in 1976, but Ray Franz reported he said something to the effect of 'We are supposed to be a Governing Body and I haven't been doing a lot of governing lately.....'

The GB is interested in "Governing", and their first and foremost role as an executive is cash flow. Forget food at the proper time, any changes in doctrine will always be about them, so, whatever. But make no mistake, when the financial statement hits, and the credits and debits aren't where they feel they need to be, they will change anything to correct that issue.

19

BEHOLD! THE GRAND CLIMAX IS AT HAND!

by Brother Mike in

dear friends of jwn,.

the time is now.

it is time to prepare for the "grand climax".

AllTimeJeff

I think what has changed is he's having a bad week.

74

The Gall Of WT To Give This Advice To Pioneers:

by JW GoneBad in

this past week's wt study lesson was entitled: 'pioneering strengthens our relationship with god'.. under the subheading 'remaining in the full-time service' in par 14 the wt has the nerve to give this admonition to pioneers: .

'desiring to learn from jesus' example, a pioneer does well to keep in mind that the more material things he has, the more he will have to maintain , repair, or replace.'.

i don't think the gb or anyone in the writing department has the freedom to speak on giving adivce on the matter of 'material things' given the fact that wt has close to a billion dollars in real estate and loads of money in various bank accounts; given the fact that gb is currently building themselves new living quarters with who knows what sort of comforts and other amenities.

AllTimeJeff

If you see how GB's live, their rooms, the adulation, the fact that they don't have to cook, or even clean, it just blows your mind.

They play the game of fake humility very well.

54

Hello, its good to be back, seriously!

by AllTimeJeff in

jw
friends

for the last year or so, the opening lyrics to gloria estefan's "always tomorrow" have been howling at me.. i've been alone inside myself, far too long.

never really wanted it that way, but i let it happen..... .

(btw, the message in that song is great for former jw's, if you want to think about the lyrics that way....).

AllTimeJeff

Ditto Rip!