"We aren't infallible or inspired", but if you don't follow what we say, even if we are wrong, you will be disfellowshipped! Huh?!?
tenyearsafter
JoinedPosts by tenyearsafter
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24
Society stating they have no special Holy Spirit
by cognac ini remember them stating something to that affect.
does anybody know where this was said?.
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WHAT JW TYPES DO YOU REMEMBER IN YOUR CONG???
by ADJUSTMENTS init seems in most congregations there is always the same personality types of brothers and sisters in each congregation.
self righteous ones.
holier than thou, exemplary, with dc/ca parts every year family.
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tenyearsafter
The goofy janitor/uber self-righteous elder
The illiterate elder
The "let's get jiggy"/"now I am unbelievably guilty over my sexual improprieties" sister or brother
The mentally unbalanced publisher
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Just finished Terry's book, "I Wept by the Rivers of Babylon"...
by tenyearsafter incongratulations terry on a great read!.
if you have not read terry's book, i would definitely recommend you give it a look.
terry is a great writer, and he bravely explores a chapter of his life that many current and ex-jw's won't even relate to...facing the draft as a conscientious objector (co) jw.
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tenyearsafter
Here is the Amazon link...I suspect it is available through other sites as well. I am sure Terry can fill in the details...
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Just finished Terry's book, "I Wept by the Rivers of Babylon"...
by tenyearsafter incongratulations terry on a great read!.
if you have not read terry's book, i would definitely recommend you give it a look.
terry is a great writer, and he bravely explores a chapter of his life that many current and ex-jw's won't even relate to...facing the draft as a conscientious objector (co) jw.
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tenyearsafter
Congratulations Terry on a great read!
If you have not read Terry's book, I would definitely recommend you give it a look. Terry is a great writer, and he bravely explores a chapter of his life that many current and ex-JW's won't even relate to...facing the draft as a conscientious objector (CO) JW. Being a CO would normally just require acceptance of alternate civilian service, but not if you were a JW in the 60's and 70's. Terry was just an innocent young man growing up in the Vietnam War Era, and as he unfolds his journey for us, he uses both humor, pathos and horror to bring us in to the experience he and thousands of young JW men faced during that time. He writes in a very readable style...I laughed one minute, and recoiled in the next. Not only does he give his compelling story, but he also gives some very interesting and informative information about the history of conscience and subjection to the "Superior Authorities" of Romans 13:1.
I am of the age that I saw and felt the turmoil these young men felt and experienced, and it caused me to re-live that discomfort. For younger ones, it will show you another chapter of the WT that may make you think if you still have any belief in the shifting doctrines produced out of Brooklyn.
Do yourself a favor, and read this chapter of history that happened not so long ago!
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I told the elders that I would take blood and donate blood
by Daniel1555 ini found it important to be honest with my wife.
so i told her about my conscience decision that in a medical urgency i want blodless medicine but if a transfusion of blood or the 4 prohibited components is necessary to save my life or health i would accept it.
this would apply especially also for our child (that is not such a problem as in our country the wts recommends to comply with doctors as they have the right to decide concerning minors).. i showed her the reasons why i came to that conscience decision (biblical and logical reasons) and that jehovah and jesus do not like anyone to die because of this wrong bible application.. .
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tenyearsafter
If your Elders are hardcore company men, you may likely face a JC for apostasy...you are sharing a viewpoint with other people that opposes the WT's position. I suspect they will expect you to have a "sincere" change of heart or you will be disfellowshipped for spreading dissension and apostate teachings. It is unlikely they will be looking to "discuss" your position...
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I'm Returing To Become A Jehovah's Witness Again
by Space Madness ina little background, i faded in 2007 and have been out ever since.
i started studying at 18 and have no jw realitives.
i'm returing because my life is heading in the wrong direction.
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tenyearsafter
Space Madness...I can understand the need to get your life "back on track", but do you really believe that just going back to the JW's will accomplish what you want? I suspect that the hypocritical life you will have to lead (not believing the Bible, doubts about JW teachings, etc.) will cause you some serious internal conflicts. It is quite likely that you will be "found out" as a non-believer over time...it is hard to keep our doubts buried forever, and JW's are notorious for "outing" their brothers. As mentioned earlier, if you need that spiritual connection to keep you on the straight and narrow, check out a non-denominational church...you won't be ostracized for having doubts or just being an attender.
In any case, good luck with your search for peace, and your decision on how to find it.
TYA
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How men become homosexuals...
by Calebs Airplane infinally, i've found the reason why some men become homosexuals.. the 1976 book "your youth: getting the best of it" explains it here in great detail.... .
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tenyearsafter
That makes perfect sense...immediately after seeing "Broke Back Mountain" I wanted to head to a tent in the mountains and rut with my buddy amongst the sheep!! Sheesh...
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tenyearsafter
Goat-weed in the wild
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Interestingly disturbing!
by DS211 ini work in the medical field and every 2 years i need 24 hours if continuing education to stay licensed.
my deadline is coming up and i am taking the classes this week and next week.
heres the thing, i scheduled them both on sundays and ive procrastinated over this two year renewal period.
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tenyearsafter
I think Blondie is spot on! My ex went ballistic when I stepped down from any "responsibilities" in the congregation. It was as if I torpedoed her plans for being an elder's wife or more. I guess that is why she is the ex...status and perception were more important than marriage!
P.S. - She ended up getting remarried to a guy who was doing substitute CO duty, with hopes of getting "promoted" to full time CO...it isn't hard to see what was important to her. I guess ambitious career climbing comes in all forms!
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Where you the door knocker encourager in your congregation?
by jam into be honest i figured until i received some pleasure, enjoyment.
in waking people up on their day off, there was no way i was going.
to pressure anyone else to do the same.
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tenyearsafter
SFPW...this might help you understand why "life-saving work" needs to be done in the most urgent and efficient way...
This is a long post, but I think illustrates what BB is saying...I can't remember who originally posted this, so I apologize for the lack of credit:
Hypothetical Scenario
You are a City Manager in a major metropolitan city with a population of 3,000,000.
One day when you come into work at 9:00 AM you are horrified to receive an anonymous message that a group of terrorists have put a poison into the City’s water supply located 10 miles from the City limits.
This chemical is extremely dangerous and will result in a painful death for any one that drinks the water. However rather than panic, you take some time and order your water treatment lab to test and confirm or deny that the system has been compromised. The tests come back positive. The tests show that you have somewhere between 6 and 20 hours before the poison reaches the City.
Immediately you realize that you have to warn the entire population of your City before it is too late and there are massive losses.
How do you inform the public? At your disposal are the entire City Staff numbering 3,000 which gives you a ratio of 1:1,000 people in the city. You also have the following ways of reaching people.
- Radio
- Television
- Telephone
- Internet
- Billboards
- Postal Service
- Door to Door
- PA systems on the Police Cars
Question: In view of the seriousness of the situation and the amount of time remaining, which methods of informing people will you use?
Your message is simple and to the point, “The water system has been compromised, to avoid death, please do not drink the water.”
A competent City Manager would assess the situation, and immediately mobilize his people. He would use all available methods of communication focusing on the ones that would be most effective with the goal of reaching as many as possible. He does this for the following reasons:
- He has a moral obligation to warn people to protect them from certain death
- He has knowledge that there is limited time to warn them
What would you think of a City Manager who had this knowledge of an imminent disaster and instead of focusing his efforts on broadcasting the warning through the television, internet, telephone etc. he instructs his 3,000 employees to each go to 1,000 doors to warn people? Even though he knows that most people are not at their houses but are instead at work, or shopping, or school? If each employee was able to knock on a door every 7 minutes, it will take him 116 hours to complete this door to door assignment once.
As Witnesses we are taught that we have life saving information and that the end is going to come at anytime. Adjectives that are used frequently when describing the nearness of the worldwide disaster are “imminent”, “shortly”, “soon”. The only hope that people have for salvation is through heeding the warnings that are given. We have divine knowledge that must reach the ears of everyone on earth.
If the Governing Body was truly convinced themselves of the impending disaster and the fact that the end is “imminent” would they not focus their efforts in spreading the message through effective means such as telephone, television, internet, social networks etc? Instead direction is given that the primary method of spreading the warning message is through calling at empty houses repeatedly.
The Apostles and Christians in the first century used the most effective methods possible to preach, including speaking in the synagogues, in the marketplaces, and in people’s homes. They also wrote letters and forwarded the letters on to others. That was the extent of technology at that time, and they used it effectively. However technology has dramatically changed in the last 100 years let alone the last 2000 years. Why is it that as Witnesses we are instructed not to use the Internet, or email, or social networks or the television to preach the warning? Telephone or letter witnessing is allowed but only as a small part of our ministry.
It is conservative to estimate that around 50% of the ones baptized are children who have been raised in the truth and do not require preaching to from door to door. It now takes almost 11,000 man hours of the house to house ministry to get an interested person to baptism. If “Joe” publisher went house to house on average 10 hrs a month, it will take him 91 years to get a student to the point of being baptized. Statistically it is impossible since we live to 70- or 80 years old.
This highlights how ineffective door to door is as a means of warning people about an impending disaster. Despite these odds why do we continue to maintain that the house to house ministry is the most effective method? The data does not support the claim.
Each Witness records his or her time and obediently submits it to the Branch every month. It is clear that the effort is what is valued, and not the results. An analogy that might be made is by imagining that you work at a gravel plant. Your job is to make gravel and the way that you do it and have always done it is by smashing rocks with a hammer. Even though machines have been invented to efficiently crush gravel by the ton at a high production rate, your boss tells you, “Ignore that machine”, “Keep using that hammer, it is the best way to make gravel.” Each time you go in service and call at an empty house, remember you are crushing rocks with a hammer.
My conclusion with these things in mind is I don’t feel that the Governing Body themselves are convinced that the end is imminent and that we as Witnesses carry a life saving message. If they were convinced that time is reduced and that people’s lives are on the line they would give direction that other methods be used to actually reach people with the warning.