Posts by skeptic1914

95

First & Last, One-time post

by journey-on in

jw
friends

i have been lurking for quite some time now on jwd.

my story is pretty much just like everyone else's, "only the names have been changed".

in reading your posts, i have both laughed and cried till tears ran down my cheeks.

skeptic1914

Welcome journey-on. Interesting thread.

30

When JW parents shun their df'd children...and grandchildren

by Paisley in

jw
friends

this seems the epitome of "lacking natural affection".

can you imagine being a parent and not being interested in how your own children are doing?

and what about carrying it even further, having nothing to do with your grandchildren, just because the parents are disfellowshipped?

Like mcsemike I am not df'd or da'd but pretty much faded. I thank God that my (2nd) wife (JW) who knows I have read COC, ISOCF, GTR and who knows I visit "apostate" websites and went to BRCI last year accepts that this is where I need to be right now and loves me anyway. If my first wife had even a whiff of this she would have hauled me to the elders and been the first one to nail me to the cross/stake. Different story with my kids and Mom. When I honestly expressed to my son a few years ago why I could not accept the 1914 platform of much WT doctrine he felt compelled to go to the elders about this. To his credit, though, he does not shun me. I wrote letters to my younger daughter and her husband explaining honestly why I could not accept 1914/dfs/gb etc. I have barely talked to my daughter or her husband since then (about year and a half). My mother, while wishfully thinking I'm still a true believer because I usually go to Sunday mtg w/my wife, still makes clear..."If you're not in the "Truth", you're no son of mine."

Skeptic1914

18

Long long loooong WT paragraphs

by Lady Lee in

i have edited a few books.

i have proof-read a few books.

i have written many articles in college and university.

skeptic1914

I too remember the loooong wt study articles. Even in the early 70's they could be 6-7 pages. But has anyone else noticed the tendency of the apostle Paul to use run-on sentences? Romans 9:22-24 comes to mind but I know there are others.

Skeptic1914

11

Climb down admitting truth at this weeks bookstudy

by stillajwexelder in

***km11/06p.7 revelationits grand climax at hand!

*** feb. 26 chap.

***km9/06p.3 adjustments for the book revelationits grand climax at hand!

skeptic1914

Thanks stillajwexelder. Although I refuse to go the study of the Rev bk on a regular basis, I probably will accompany my wife to the KH tomorrow night for the book study and service talk by the CO. Thanks for the heads-up about the material because I had no idea where they were in the book. Also for highlighting the difference between "completely exonerated" and "charges...dropped".

Skeptic1914

59

Evaluating Raymond Franz

by greendawn in

what do you think of ray(mond) franz?

i have seen here some people critisise him as not being a really heartfelt opponent of the wts, but my view is that he was quite honest about his expressed motives against the cult.

with his revelations he gave a lot of momentum to the ex jw movement (the apostate organisation according to the jws) and offered valuable assistance to those seeking to shake off the ideological and social dependance on the oppressive cult.

skeptic1914

Ditto to all the positive comments about Ray. It meant a great deal to me to read an honest, fact-based analysis of WT history and inner workings of the GB not colored by anger and bitterness. If his works were otherwise I probably would not have continued reading them. As it is I have read both his books twice. I'm with tsof...there is special place in my heart for Ray.

Skeptic1914

26

uuu2b1 gave me the courage

by skeptic1914 in

jw
friends

alright, i admit it.

i have been this close to posting a number of times.

i saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured i'd post too.

skeptic1914

Thank you all for your warm welcome.

"Well, I said I wasn't sure about it because I felt that they wanted me to paint myself into a corner with the questions they asked me. They haven't tried to do anything about it and it's been a year. "

I really believe that attitude of the local body of elders makes a big difference in how "doubts" or "questions" or even what may be taken as "apostate leanings" are handled. The PO in my current cong (I have been told) has doubts/questions of his own. In a cong with "pit-bull" elders someone with same conscientious concerns that I have could end up df'd or da'd. We probably all know of stories like that.

Skeptic1914

26

uuu2b1 gave me the courage

by skeptic1914 in

jw
friends

alright, i admit it.

i have been this close to posting a number of times.

i saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured i'd post too.

skeptic1914

There is absolutely no judgment in this question...if you don't believe it why do you do it? Three years ago I told two elders to their faces I could not accept 1914 and therefore could not conscientiosly preach the "Kingdom Message" as JW understand it. We have had several meetings since then but no action has been taken against me (although I suspect I am "marked").

26

uuu2b1 gave me the courage

by skeptic1914 in

jw
friends

alright, i admit it.

i have been this close to posting a number of times.

i saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured i'd post too.

skeptic1914

I am curious about those of you who are still "active". In JW terminology this means you are still "active" in FS. If so, what do you believe about what you are preaching?

26

uuu2b1 gave me the courage

by skeptic1914 in

jw
friends

alright, i admit it.

i have been this close to posting a number of times.

i saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured i'd post too.

skeptic1914

Thanks. I'm only up at this hour because I can't sleep.

26

uuu2b1 gave me the courage

by skeptic1914 in

jw
friends

alright, i admit it.

i have been this close to posting a number of times.

i saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured i'd post too.

skeptic1914

Alright, I admit it. I have been THIS close to posting a number of times. I saw uuus2b1 post and the welcome he received and figured I'd post too. Technically I still m1, but have been inactive for several years. Raised "in the truth". Zealous elder for almost 12 years (1983-1995). Crashed and burned and ended up divorced. Remarried four years ago. Real eye-opener was watching the happenings in the life of my employer and his wife. Both raised JW. Lost son to leukemia in 1994 to blood policy that has since been "adjusted". Some of you might know "nomoremeetings" who has posted here in the past. He is now pastor of a local community church and his story is available on a link in one of his posts.. I marvel at their Christian journey. Just yesterday they celebrated at their church the fifth anniversary of his final meeting (as WT Study conductor). They both radiate the fruit of the spirit and it is beautiful to see God working in and through them. I have read COC and Christian Freedom and Gentile Times Reconsidered. It became obvious to me that so much of the WT theology is based on 1914 and this just doesn't hold up to scrutiny. I am still an occasional attender (Sundays only provided I won't gag on the WT). My wife (who knows how I think and is EXTREMELY tolerant) and 88 year-old mother (who knows how I think and is extremely INTOLERANT-I'm the only living child) are still believers. I have no use for sarcasm about the witnesses. I believe the INDIVIDUALS are sincere and can be used by God even though they are in a "box" of human making.