Posts by skeptic1914

26

Did YOU Really Care about "The Friends"?

by minimus in

jw
friends

honestly, did you really care about everyone in your hall?.

everyone gripes about how the majority of elders never cared but were you one who regularly showed how much you cared for the "brothers and sisters"?

i'll bet we all share some guilt in this.

skeptic1914

Overall, I cared for most everyone, and took my responsibilities as an elder seriously.

I wish I had taken my responsibilities as a human being with more seriousness.

Ditto that...Skeptic1914

27

today, as i wait for the grout on the kitchen floor to dry, i began to ponder...... i wonder looking back just how insensitive to reality i could have been to have spent the vastness of my youth and midlife believing the obvious lies of jehovah's witnesses.

though i enjoy my freedom, i have no foundational background upon which to prop it.

though having a sense of being reborn, that rebirth has taken place late in life, and has left me feeling somewhat empty.

skeptic1914

I'm not on here every day but I'm glad I caught this topic. Can relate to SO MUCH. BTW, you might find the book "Crazy for God" by Frank Schaeffer an interesting read, especially his comments at the end of the book on where his thinking is today.

Skeptic1914

35

DOES RAYMOND FRANZ 'CRISIS' BOOK TELL THE TRUTH?

by whereami in

jw
friends

this person continues to try to discredit ray franz.

for a person that is not a jw he really does not give up.. .

http://www.topix.com/forum/religion/jehovahs-witness/tsrv22ro5585t9asm/p8.

skeptic1914

What Ray wrote certainly had the "ring of truth" to me.

Skeptic1914

17

He Needed Jehovah's Witnesses [or at least religion]! A True Story.

by AK - Jeff in

i was a dyed in the wool jw.

he was a 'call' turned over to me by my best friend when he headed off to bethel in '73.. the first time i called there, i nearly gagged with the filthy living conditions.

i hate the religion of jehovah's witnesses.

skeptic1914

This experience highlights something I personally struggle with. On the one hand, I see the "man behind the curtain" and have felt compelled (in the past) to expose him (for example to my own active JW children, who now shun me even though not df'd or da'd).

On the other hand are those who benefit from the structure of the org. To pull the rug out from under someone w/o considering the consequences to that individual is shortsighted, I think.

I have a lifelong friend who sees many of the flaws in this religion (actually she is much closer theologically to a BA Christian) but who feels that the exposure of the lies of the WT to some of her adult children (by others) has left her a couple of these children w/o a life anchor. Maybe not better off.

Skeptic1914

29

Jehovah's Witnessees and the Truth vs the Lie

by AllTimeJeff in

there are several places on the internet where the hypocrisy of jehovah's witnesses is on full display.

what i am about to write is not new, but it is on my mind, so i thought i would write about it.

(disclaimer, i am an agnostic writing this, using the bible against jw lies.

skeptic1914

TRUTH is of secondary importance to most in the org, I think. When I learned that much of "the truth" was not, in fact, TRUTH I naively thought that others (my wife, my kids, even some elders) would hold TRUTH to be of greater import than "the truth" when I brought these things to their attention. Boy was I way off.

Skeptic1914

15

me invited to wife's bookstudy farewell party at elders...GOING!

by oompa in

jw
friends

i just kind of like the irony.

these are all old friends of mine who i have told all about my issues with wt and my subsequent exit.

since they understand, i still get to "associate" with them occasionally.

skeptic1914

I haven't been to a book study in probably 3 yrs. I would need a straight jacket. Since we moved about a year ago we have had ZERO social contact with any of our "friends", the exception being a wedding we were invited at the last minute. Like you:

They all know i am a "lost sheep" and would not doubt if some consider me an apostate...so for those who i do still consider friends...i will be careful...however i was loud as hell at first and they let me slide..

Funny thing...at the wedding we actually sat at the head table with the family of the bride. I wonder how many of my "loving Christian" friends (none of whom had shown any indication of giving a damn about me for the 9 months I had been out of sight by that time) were grumbling about that inactive, "apostate" brother sitting at a place of honor at a JW wedding.

Skeptic1914

11

Letter of Introduction

by IMHO in

jw
friends

does anyone know about the legalities of sending a letter when you move congregation, that in many cases contains a pack of lies about you and claiming they can't show you it as it's 'confidential'?

skeptic1914

My wife and I moved about a year ago and I can count on one hand the number of meetings I have been to since. What I don't want to do is "join" any of the local congs precisely because a "letter of introduction" would be sought. The elders in my last cong knew I no longer bought 1914/1919 FDS/GB and other issues but I have to say they were pretty tolerant. If I was in other congs in this area I would have been put out with the trash a long time ago. You could say I have successfully faded and only go to the occasional mtg out of consideration for my wife.

Skeptic1914

13

Does seeing the number 1914 make you giggle?

by mtsgrad in

jw
friends

whether is during a sports game or seeing 19:14pm i just can't help but smirk.

on a bad day it works with 19:19 and 19:25 too.. .

does this happen to you too, or am i just a freak of nature?.

skeptic1914

Giggle isn't the right word. Gag is closer.

And so does seeing "607". Actually 607 is the one that really gets me.

Skeptic1914

26

I've corrected the video... watch it here... What woke up A@G?

by Awakened at Gilead in

i've realized the errors of my ways and i hope this version is fixed.

click below to see the new improved video, and i appreciate all your feedback.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4y4l3g9qfhm.

a@g.

skeptic1914

Thanks A@G. I like the way you present your experiences and the appropriate Wt refs w/o sarcasm or bitterness. I"m going to PM you.

Skeptic1914

21

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 12-14-08 WT Study (WATCHES)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 12-14-08 wt study (october 15, 2008, pages (7-11)(watches).

review comments will be in red.

wt material from today's wt will be in black.

skeptic1914

I know an older sister who was so depressed that she tried to kill herself

Back in 1994, while serving as an elder, The "body" of elders met with me to discuss, among other things, the fact that my wife wore a denim skirt while translating the meetings into ASL for the deaf. I bring this up because at the time she was suffering from serious depression, suicidal thoughts and all. They were aware of this but the denim skirt apparently was more important.

Skeptic1914