Posts by Apostate Kate2

7

Does anyone have a scan -Sept. 2007 Kingdom Ministry

by Apostate Kate2 in

sorry if someone already posted it.. kate.

Apostate Kate2

Sorry if someone already posted it.

Kate

30

given the often devastating consequences of disassociation and disfellowshipping isn't it fair that those studying with the jws should be explicitly warned about these precedures in advance so that they know where they walking into?

so that they would be able to better judge whether they want to become jws and potentially risk losing jw family and friends at some future time?

how many of you would get baptised into the cult if you really knew about the policies of dfing and shunning?

Apostate Kate2

This is my mother's number one regret. She says if she had known the whole real truth about how they treat you, disfellowshipping practices, she never would have joined. My mom is not a stupid person. She was outright lied to and the truth deliberatly hidden. By the time you do find out the truth you are hooked.

27

My Church Visit Today felt Strangely JWlike....

by AK - Jeff in

don't get me wrong - there were things i enjoyed.

the casual atmosphere and dress.nice people and not pushy.the christian message.wearing my blue jeans and tennis shoes instead of cheap poly suitexposing my g-kids to religious choice without any pressure to commit or conform to anything.i attended the adult sunday school program in the sanctuary while the kids enjoyed children's sunday school in the lower level.

there were only 15 or so adults in attendance.

Apostate Kate2

Mum; My lovely daughter gets physically ill if she attends a church that reminds her of the Kingdom Hall. She can attend a liturgical church, but never those churches where they have little skits and where the focus is not on worship. She panics and bolts if anything reminds her of the KH.

Like the Eagles song lyric, "you can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave" If I even think of walking into a Kingdom Hall I feel sick in my gut, it has been 15 years since I have been in one.

MJ; A-P,
You're right. Most people in general don't know the first thing about cult techniques.

It can be an easy trap for some Pastor to fall into when they find great "motivational techniques" that really start to sow "dedication" and growth in the congregation. "Kip" McKean is one such guy: http://www.rickross.com/groups/icc.html

Thanks for the site, I hadn't seen it in awhile. He has added so much since the last time I read it, sadly wacko cult mentality is growing to give him more to research.

Wednesday; it seems when power is given to someone they always overstep it

Not always! A well functioning church has safeguards in place by having a well functioning church board. They can boot the pastor out if he steps out of line. A church has; Articals of Incorporation that describes exactly how it is to be run. By Laws to protect against tyrants and nuts in power. And the Doctrine of Faith that if preacher deviates from he will get the boot. Just like there are actual families out there that are functioning well and children are loved and nurtured, there are churches that do the same. I have a set of Biblical standards I go by when looking at a church. #1. If it does not have an active community charity, at least one well functioning community charity, it is a dysfunctional church. The only exception would be a Bible College or Seminary.

27

My Church Visit Today felt Strangely JWlike....

by AK - Jeff in

don't get me wrong - there were things i enjoyed.

the casual atmosphere and dress.nice people and not pushy.the christian message.wearing my blue jeans and tennis shoes instead of cheap poly suitexposing my g-kids to religious choice without any pressure to commit or conform to anything.i attended the adult sunday school program in the sanctuary while the kids enjoyed children's sunday school in the lower level.

there were only 15 or so adults in attendance.

Apostate Kate2

Truthsearcher you described those issues exactly as it is. Hubby and I have been on all sides of this issue and that middle of the road is hard to achieve but not impossible. So much has to be delegated to deacons, boards and volunteers. Sometimes that board turns into a bitchfest nightmare argueing over trash cans. Then there is that ugly part inside people that deep down enjoys sitting at the head of the table and wearing a shiny badge. Those that put faith in the leaders more so than Jesus resulting in a biased view.

What I have found to be amazing is how much we are needed. We being those of us coming out of the org. we KNOW immediatly when something isn't right. We are above all the fluff because we had fake smiles painted on us from childhood. We are not one of the que sera sera people because we are full of deep scars and will never forget how they got there.

I don't go to churches to win friends and socialise as much as I am there to remind them what it is all about and sometimes what it isn't. By God's mercy I do keep a few close friends

Edited to say; Fedor; I can't stop chuckling at your comment...I got a vision in my head of Jeff doing just that now

53

Moshe visits a KH today- did he walk out or was he thrown out?

by moshe in

i walked in about 10 minutes prior to the start of the meeting- i sure looked like an unusual visitor wearing my best jeans a golf shirt and my yarmulke.. the first brother who approached me was an slighly built late middle age guy- he gave me a big hello and extended his hand.

i pulled out my 'end of false religion tract' and showed it to him.

"did you put this in my door?

Apostate Kate2

O Moshe you lived out my fantasy! Bravo!!

Everytime I start thinking about doing it I get a sickening knot in my tummy.

How did you feel when you were there?

29

Contemplating my end here

by Junction-Guy in

jw
friends

this has by far been the best xjw forum i have ever been on, but the time is coming when i must move on to other venues.

the net is very time consuming, and i cant keep up with every post on here, no matter how hard i try.. .

im embarking on a new journey here in the next few months, and i just have to break myself free from the internet.. .

Apostate Kate2

Hey JG

Looking forward to meeting you in PA!

I go through cycles. If I try to give all my different interests and passions equel attention I'd go mad. My makeup doesn't allow it. I have to completly stop the activity and move on to the next. If you noticed I had to make a new log in name here because I was away so long I lost my password when hubby cleaned my computer out and I no longer use that email account attached to it.

I would log in as a guest to scan for important info like Barbara's CD then look away. I get addicted! I had to take time to get the Adopt A Senior ministry going. Now it's summer and me with heat intolerance I have to stay indoors with the ac on so more time to sit here. Winter I'm out and about.

Bite the bullet my friend if it is time for you to take a break. There are many people in "real life" that need people like us. Christians who don't understand JW's, JW's you will run into, many charities like you mentioned, new hobbies, new friends, I am shocked at how little the people I meet know about JWs.

There is a social worker I work with in a senior facility that really enjoyed me teaching her about dubs. She told me that she did not understand why the dubs that die in her facility leave all thier money to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. Just by me spending time to talk to her, she in turn will pass the information along. If you think about it, why would a person bother to do research online about something they don't have that much interest in? It is different when you are having a conversation face to face with someone like us with an almost unbelievable tale of woe.

Be Seeing You,

Love, Kate

27

My Church Visit Today felt Strangely JWlike....

by AK - Jeff in

don't get me wrong - there were things i enjoyed.

the casual atmosphere and dress.nice people and not pushy.the christian message.wearing my blue jeans and tennis shoes instead of cheap poly suitexposing my g-kids to religious choice without any pressure to commit or conform to anything.i attended the adult sunday school program in the sanctuary while the kids enjoyed children's sunday school in the lower level.

there were only 15 or so adults in attendance.

Apostate Kate2

That sounds really creepy Jeff. What church was it if you can say.

One thing that is different when it comes to this kind of thing is you can go to the church leaders and voice your concerns. Recently something happened in one fo the churches we work with. Hubby went to the pastor for a face to face sit down. The pastor could have easily said well if you dont like it maybe another church would suit you but he didn't. He said the harsh truth from a friend is better than gossip behind your back and he told me how much it meant to him.

The next Sunday he preached a really good sermon that included what hubby had talked to him about. They have a tough job and get tired of the endless complaining over stupid stuff like; so and so didn't greet me when I came in, there wasn't enough donuts, the coffee was too strong wwaaawaawaaa BUTwhat you experienced was something that cannot be overlooked.

I am sure that the Sunday school teacher if he has the guts to do so, or one of the others you said it did not sit well with, went to the church leadership to complain about that already. The lovely difference is you will not be disfellowshipped, shunned and they will not form a judicial committee. If the church leadership does not listen, time to move on.

32

Point out biblical principles JW's omit to follow

by JH in

jw
friends

jesus said these words:.

"if you desire to be perfect," replied jesus, "go and sell all that you have, and give to the poor, and you shall have wealth in heaven; and come, follow me.".

i never heard elders ask jw's to reach out into their abundance and help poor jw's....have you?.

Apostate Kate2

Matthew 25:35-36 for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.'

The Watchtower has no charities, no food banks, no orphanages, no homeless shelters, no prison outreaches (some people in jail around the world need someone to bring them basic necessities not Watchtowers), no charities of any kind.

There are Christian charities around the world doing what they don't. There is one that goes all over Africa to drill holes and put pumps in so that they have clean water.

46

What does your city/town smell like??

by horrible life in

jw
friends

while on vacation, we drove through amarillo.

the smell of cattle was everywhere.

for the citizens of amarillo, texas, that is the smell of money.. in my town, we have the nearby paper mill, weyerhaeuser.

Apostate Kate2

My favorite smell is the fragrance of the Joshua Tree forrest I live in after a light summer monsoon. If they made it into a perfume I would wear it. It is sweet, a hint of musk, with a beautiful fragance . Very hard to describe.

The way you describe those mill towns reminds me of growing up in Torrance California. There was a huge plant that was Farmers Brothers as I recall that emmited this rank putrid stink. I would always think, how could making coffee smell that aweful.

28

Need photocopy of 1967 WT, p. 262 on 1975

by cabasilas in

i was listening to the lecture posted here by alphaomega and sinutko quotes the 1967 wt, p. 262 with a very strong quote about 75. i went to the wt's cd-rom and looked up the reference and it reads entirely differently.

but, sinutko says he is quoting, not paraphrasing.. the transcript of the lecture has sinutko saying this:.

"well, we dont have to guess what the year 1975 means if we read the watchtower.

Apostate Kate2

They have flip flopped so much on the meaning of "generation" in relation to 1914. "This generation" that witnessed the events of 1914 will not pass away before Amageddon comes. One would have to be a certain age before they could witness something you would think? So looking at numbers they know they are in trouble.

1914 - 2007 = 93 So when the last person on earth dies that was born in 1914, they are in deep trouble. The new light will have to get pretty darn bright, or have they already got something planned?