That a home bible study is good for your kids.
The bloody thing caused more fights than anything else
boyzone
JoinedPosts by boyzone
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My Bad Apostate Ass Scared Them Off!
by AK - Jeff inthis morning - a wonderful sunny spring day - grandmunchkin #3, wifey and i went 'garage sailing'.
we encountered a nice little sale, that happened to be at the house of someone we have come to know from an uptown art business in our little town.. as we snooped, and shared a little polite conversation with the owner, lo and behold - up walk two of my former good friends - marsha and sally, both dyed-in-the-wool witnesses.
marsha is partly my fault - i started the bible study with her husband that ended them up as the religious fanatics they have become.
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boyzone
Great Job Jeff! I take the opportunity to anti-witness in situations like that too. Its a regular thing for me as I'm shunned every day. Alot of the time there's an opportunity to "explain" why I'm treated like a pariah by JW's. Its always a pleasure to hear people say, "thats terrible! I thought they were christians?"
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Is there a GROWING AWARENESS among Jehovah's Witnesses that SOMETHING is REALLY WRONG with the Organization?
by BonaFide ini hope i can explain this clearly.
years ago, we all knew what a child molester was.
but there were a lot of misconceptions, mishandled situations in and out of the congregations, and just a general non-awareness of the seriousness and pervasiveness of pedophiles.. not anymore.
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boyzone
I also think there is a growing awareness but its early days yet. People are much more knowledgable and cynical than they were in the past. The internet has had a huge impact on what people know and what you can find out about. Mary posted an excellent critique of the Society thru the ages and I think it shows the growing awareness coupled with the lack of anything meaningful to say is having an effect.
I am hopeful that one day the Society will implode on itself as the unsettling feeling grows and people will begin to walk away in droves.
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boyzone
To me, it takes someone with an opposing view to test the strength & weakness of any belief.
You smart cookie. Keep reading this site. There are quite a few active witnesses that post here including elders etc. Also many very experienced ex JW's that were high up in the org including bethelites, missionaries, circuit overseers etc.
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Here more amo for the WT
by is there help out there inhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090521/ap_on_re_eu/eu_ireland_catholic_abuse.
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boyzone
people in glass houses............
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My JW Daughter's M-I-L Tries to Shun Me in Bank Parking Lot- Sad / Funny
by flipper inthe way the jehovah's witnesses treat us is so bizarre - you couldn't make this stuff up !
have i ever had two weeks from jw hell.
so i parked at the bank and as i was getting out of my truck my jw's daughter's mother in law ( also jw ) was walking to her truck.
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boyzone
HI Bonafide
I understand you are not disfellowshipped, but I think's its possible that some are being plain old mean, but that others ARE SINCERELY TRYING TO BE OBEDIENT FOR YOUR SAKE.
Remember, that's what we were taught.
Thats true. But sincerity isn't enough. People have committed the most appalling atrocities out of a sincere belief they were doing the right thing.
What shunning is, is psycological bullying and emotional blackmail, pure and simple. The Witnesses dress it up as something loving and good so they feel a bit better about practicing it. And those that return are the ones that succumb to the emotional blackmail.
It reminds me of the scripture that says, "woe to those that say bad is good and good is bad."
With the colossal amount of hurt and damage shunning has caused in the name of God, I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of a Witness on judgment day, no siree.
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My JW Daughter's M-I-L Tries to Shun Me in Bank Parking Lot- Sad / Funny
by flipper inthe way the jehovah's witnesses treat us is so bizarre - you couldn't make this stuff up !
have i ever had two weeks from jw hell.
so i parked at the bank and as i was getting out of my truck my jw's daughter's mother in law ( also jw ) was walking to her truck.
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boyzone
Hi Mr Flip, So sorry to read that treatment of you, they're just so silly sometimes.
What I'm finding is the sisters are a lot firmer with the shunning than the brothers. As some of you know, many witnesses choose to put themselves in my path when they come in for coffee where I work. Every time without fail the sisters haven't even looked me in the eye, even when I'm making their bloody cappuccino! But if a brother comes in on his own, he is usually nicer and says hello, or at least I might get a smile.
But if a brother comes in with the wife, boy, what a switch! The wife will treat me like a bad smell and you can almost see the fear on the bro's face if he tries to make eye contact with me! He gets the "Don't you DARE" look from the wife.
If it wasn't so sad and pathetic I'd laugh about it too, but I'm not ready to yet. It still hurts.
We must be so wicked to create that much anxiety in people just by existing.
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How did you REALLY feel when you where out in field service?
by megaflower ini never felt comfortable knocking on door and i hoped no one would be home.
my presentation was short and to the point because i did not want to get into discussions.
as we walked from "door to door" i secretly wished i could be like all the ones i saw in the nighborhood.
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boyzone
I liked it. I was good at it too. I'd make a good salesman as I can put people at ease and banter which helped to place loads of literature It made me feel as if I was doing something worthwhile and I really thought I was working for God. Talk about working free of charge for a publishing company in NY!
Only thing I avoided was return visits. Hated those. I never knew how to progress a call to take on a bible study and I hated the responsibility of trying to find time to get back to people who were always out the next time you called, even if you made an appointment. Do you remember placing the mags and the sister you were working with saying "aren't you going to write that down"? I would go, "oh yeah - right" and get out a pencil and pretend to write the number down knowing full well I wasn't gonna waste my time going back.
So my hours and placements were great, but cos I was rubbish at RV's I never brought anyone in. Thank God.
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Advice please: Would you loan your copy of Crisis of Conscience to your JW friends or create awareness/curiosity about its existence?
by LUKEWARM inabout 12 months ago i ordered the book.
i thought i was sinning against god - showing a lack of faith in him and in his organization.
i prayed to jah to forgive me but i was curious as to why a person, who spent over 50 years in full time service, was of the anointed and served on the governing body left "gods organization".
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boyzone
Jabberwock
What about donating a copy to your local library? This makes it possible for people who are interested in the book or those who are just curious to take a look without having to buy their own copy. Also, there may be some (Witnesses, relatives, bible studies) who want to research Jehovah's Witnesses beyond the WTBTS publications that could come across this book.
Has anyone ever tried this?
Yes I did. I donated CoC and Christian Freedom to my local library. I look on the shelf now and again and they're regularly checked out. I'm very pleased about that.
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Interesting blog post about JWs knocking on a door
by passwordprotected inhttp://kristievosper.typepad.com/honestlyspeaking/2009/05/jehovahs-witnesses-and-a-better-approach-at-opening-the-door.html.
(sorry, can't make it clickable in safari 4).. .
jehovah's witnesses and a better approach at opening the door.since i just moved into my house, i had my first jehovah's witness visit this morning.
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boyzone
I had the very same thought this morning Olin. I saw 2 sisters walking along a street in the ministry (they couldn't've moved any slower if they tried!) and it struck me how little impact the witnesses have on the people in the locality. Do you remember how all the info at the meeting was to big-up the work and the H-U-G-E effect we were having in giving a "greats shout of praise" to Jehovah? How the door to door was reaching the hearts of "so many" and we were the only ones putting the kingdom first?
Yet as I saw these bored, plodding sisters knocking on empty homes, then observing all the people that were busy with their daily lives that passed these sisters without a word, the total lack of impact their message was having was obvious. It suddenly made me feel very sad for these 2 sisters and the thousands like them that totally waste their counted time on a work so ineffective and pointless.
I could only stand and wonder what on earth joe public really thought of this strange little religion. My guess is that a few have a rough idea about their odder beliefs (blood, no christmas, birthdays etc) but in the main, they haven't a clue about the kingdom message.
Why? I suppose you could blame it on the public for not listening at the door, the witnesses would use this excuse. But to be fair I don't think this is right. The blame must lie with the insipid way the message is conveyed. The public mags are simpering and patronizing and take a long time to get to the point-if ever. The witnesses are not trained to get to the point either and its ages before the kingdom message is conveyed, if at all. They carry a bible but often don't bother using it but resort to WT literature instead. Many a time I pioneered and spoke to no-one, didn't get my bible out once and placed no literature, but still counted the time.
In amongst all this you have a householder who's busy, got a job to go to, or tea to cook. They want the witnesses to GET TO THE POINT of why they're there.
No wonder the message is lost. (If its the right message at all!!) There's far too much waffle.
But if you're counting time, its best to waffle just as much as its best to walk slow. In your own eyes, Job done.