2008 JW Annual Report showed a -3% in Zimbabwe. With the downsizing of the Bethel there, the morale may drop additional. It is sad the condition there in that country. The Watchtower may have provided a quick fix dream for the people there but won't be able to help in any long term reality. I don't see how any JW organization can prosper for any length of time for such third-world countries.
Posts by Gayle
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14ZIMBABWE BETHEL ON IT'S LAST LEG, BETHEL GETTING CUTS. . . Email making the rounds.
by whereami inand we sometimes think we have issues here.... .
oh jehovah how much longer until you're vindicated.
remembering our brothers in zimbabwe.
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55
District Convention Friday pm talk - “Answers to Questions About the Last Days”
by yadda yadda 2 indoes anyone have a report on the content of this talk please?
any "new light"?.
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Gayle
Hi Cabasilas and Aunt Bee, I so appreciate you getting these and other tapings on this site. I will listen to this later. But has anyone listened and do you have analysis on that talk yet? Or basically, the same old, same old?
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105
I'm a Neutral Jehovah's Witness
by Martini indear brothers and sisters,.
i martini, will confide in you that i have become a neutral jehovah's witness.
i wonder if i'm not coining a new phrase here!.
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Gayle
There are many of us who left long ago, myself over 20 yrs ago also. Many here were ministerial, elders, pioneers, Bethelites and missionaries. We have moved on with our life in a positive spirit/attitude. There seems to be a surge of previous JWs finding exJWs online. Since my life was impacted deeply for near 30 yrs, I still have an interest in the organization and truly enjoy getting updates/news regarding the organization.
Now the Internet has impacted the WTS and through it the organization can be exposed worldwide. We here can get updates all around the world, before even possible to JWs. Here, new literature (or 'new light') comes out and is scanned and many here are very developed in critical analysis skills. The organization has done many hurtful things toward it own people, mostly its youth and now we are seeing a reaping of what it has been sowing all these decades. With the voices of us who have "been there, done that" we can help many from becoming JWs and possibly some who are having second thoughts and they can review and get in-depth knowledge of the organization not otherwise available.
Fortunately, you didn't get baptized so your mom can still talk with you. Unfortunately, many/most JW youth got baptized and therefore for different reasons got disfellowshipped and have family members who are not allowed to speak with them. Too many people have been so deeply hurt by this action and the WTS would never apologize.
I am not sure what "neutral JW" is either. There may be a range on that definition among exJWs. But it indicates to me someone not totally devoted, dedicated according to the JW standards. Most JWs would use the term "weak". They may be ones going to meetings, possibly counting some hours (valid or not) but probably there mostly/totally due to JW family members, and possibly having a double life with thoughts swaying back and forth. I don't criticize this position because I know it would be so difficult to do for very long, as I myself tried off and on for a few years. I consider it a time for some in developing a "personal conscience phase" As JWs, we ,in reality, were not allowed to exercise our personal conscience totally.
Glad you have come on site,,it looks like you've tapped into good sites already. There are many others and those are often pointed to by members giving updates.
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1975 -What the Watchtower doesn't want you to know, new Video
by JWMediaFilms inin light of the new convention going on; some of the topics were 1914 and 1975. the society is realizing their members are dropping like flies because of these lies.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaxbbvvoeeq.
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to subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/jwmediafilms.
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Gayle
This is why it is so good now that conventions can be taped (video and audio) to prove what is said in talks at conventions. "1975" emphasis was in literature but the talks of circuit/district overseets and at assemblies really brought in the hype.
I, too, know Fred Franz' voice when I hear it that were from assemblies and being at Bethel '69-'74. There were plenty of "1975" remarks in the morning text, which Fred Franz and others spoke. There seems to be many here that can attest to the tapes. Will most JWs accept these tapes,,not if they don't want to,,but some will or at least may think about it as other things in their reality stack up.
I hope, at least, new people and JW young people investigating will see such tapes to see all this evidence. I know I have had recent contact with one gal investigating JWs and one JW insisted to her that the organization definitely does not discourage college, that the JW had a child going to college presently. I was able to forward to her an audio tape of a recent assembly to verify a program that JWs clearly proving discouraging college.
Thank you so much for all your work on this tape! Outstanding!
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103
Further Punishements
by passwordprotected inpraise gathering 2009 is taking place in glasgow this weekend.
we've been given tickets to tonight's concert as a gift.
to explain, praise gathering is a concert with a full orchestra and 400 singers.
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Gayle
My nephew just graduated high school with honors and planning to go to college. He was throughout the years made aware (had seen, heard and read letters) of his JW grandmother's judgmentalism toward my nephew's mom and his dad who he totally respects and appreciates. For his graduation, he made it informed that grandma was not invited to come to his graduation. Maybe she wouldn't have come anyway because of her JW opinions but apparantly she was surprised. My nephew is a loving and respectful person, but grandparents have to realize also what goes around for the comes around.
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My E-mail to Sherri Shepherd of The View
by snowbird inwho knows where this may lead?.
hi, sherri.. i want to thank and commend you for your efforts in exposing the watchtower society for its history of deception, doctrinal flip-flops, and false prophesying about the end of the world.. i belong to a discussion board of mostly ex-jehovah's witnesses, and your revelations about the wts on the view have caused many to seek out our site.. one thing i'd like to ask, are you aware of the wt's past view that black people are inferior to others?.
you can find the details about this at randy watters' site, freeminds.org.
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Gayle
Very good, Sylvia!! I've seen you post that information also on a e-news article as well. Very important information all verified in Watchtower literature. Thank you.
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85
Not having a paradise earth in the future makes me sad - What about you?
by BonaFide inyes, i am enjoying realizing the truth about the truth.. but there is another side to it.
the world as we know it didn't seem to me to be the way that god intended it to be.
i know i was brainwashed, but it felt good believing that all the bad things would be changed.
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Gayle
I like the thought that my loved ones (though not JW "select" partakers) have gone on to a better life already. Not just in the "ground of nothingness" waiting till the resurrection, as the WTS teaches.
Now what is depressing is looking toward the future on this earth being in a paradise and 99% of people getting killed first and then all that cleanup work all those years (vultures and all) and still not guaranteed eternal life and then have to go through another 1000 yrs. and to go through a tremendous horrible time again after all that, now that's truly depressing!!! (Hey,,where does the WTS have that printed? I forget)
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24
After you left JWs, did you join another organized religion?
by Albert Einstein inif yes, how did you choose it?.
if no, why?.
albert.
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Gayle
No, I consider myself simple Christian, not doctrinal (then it gets so judgemental), not organized, just the "love, joy, peace" parts.
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Have you forgiven your parents for bringing you up in the JW cult?
by Gayle ini had to sort through that for some years ago.
i concluded my parents were victims of the watchtower society too.
dad was a prisoner of war, under nazis at 19 yrs of age, almost died there due to no medicines or antibiotics and lost almost half his weight, his nerves were shot and he was drawn to the jws promise of a new world without war.
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Gayle
I had to sort through that for some years ago. I concluded my parents were victims of the Watchtower Society too. Dad was a prisoner of war, under Nazis at 19 yrs of age, almost died there due to no medicines or antibiotics and lost almost half his weight, his nerves were shot and he was drawn to the JWs promise of a new world without war. He felt he needed to have a relationship with God but unfortunately, not having much knowledge, education-wise and especially no knowledge of the organization, he fell for it. Mom, coming from a very disfunctional family, just wanted a strong marriage and family, initially just went along with dad. I don't think she would have ever been drawn to the JWs otherwise.
However, both fell for it totally, hook, line and sinker. Thus, we five kids were strongly commanded , "as for me and my household, we will serve Jehovah!" We all "toed" the line, 4 of 5 of us were regular pioneers and 4 of 5 of us went to Bethel also. Mom died in '70 with cancer. By mid '70s, we finally started analyzing the Watchtower Society and by mid-80s, we were all out, took longer due to JW marriages with the extended family issues. Fortunately, we siblings were all very open with each other, which helped the process. Dad, an elder for many years, would get upset with us kids and our conversations were touch and go with him for awhile. Dad had been questioning things for sometime privately but caught in the "where else is there to go" syndrome.
Finally, Ray Franz' book "Crises of Conscience" came out. That helped Dad, and then Dad was disfellowshipped for apostasy. So, that helped to see Dad willing to leave the WTS.
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15
Why are you glad to be out of the BORG?
by cognac inas i sit here, holding my precious baby girl, i'm grateful that the blood issue and d'ffing will never come between us.
i'm grateful in the way that i can love my baby unconditionally because this cult won't ever come in between us.
a love much bigger then me that i can't even comprehend but that i can simply take in and enjoy because i was lucky enough to be able to escape!.
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Gayle
I am glad that I can love more people, not just a very small group.
I am glad that I don't have to be so judgemental as I was taught in the organization.
I am glad my children could have free minds and that all five have graduated college.
I am glad I could enjoy this life more fully, not waiting for a new JW world to come.
I am glad I could develop my own conscience fully.
I am glad I don't have to spend so much of my time in something so unproductive and unfulfilling as door to door work and going to boring unstimulating meetings.