my name is christian and my wife is katja, and we have been out of the organization for a year and a half.
we were both regular pioneers and i was a ministerial servant.
we were very much happy to be witnesses and doing our best to do more for the organization.
I know who you are Christian! I follow you on facebook and commented on one of your post just the other day. Good luck with your mission in Canada.
I love all your post and love seeing you and your girl living life after Watchtower. Its a breath of fresh air!
I was never a Witness, only a study but I stopped studying.
Keep posting Christian on FB and welcome to JWN!!!!
in his last couple of vlogs, john cedars is wearing a t-shirt saying shunned.
some people liked it and asked him if they could purchase one.. in his last vlog (#111) he is advertising it and mentioned the link www.apostee.com, based in the us.
comments attached to vlog # 110 mentioned the fact that this company will close in april and that the business will be continued by cedars itself, who has also a stock of anti-witness items.. besides that, he was not the owner of jwsurvey.org, but since january 16, 2016 he is.. it looks (as mentioned before by simon in an earlier thread), this guy is making a living from his activism, a paid career.. one should seriously question his true motives, demonstrated in his activism.
I love Cedars! He wakes up so many people. If I donated to him and he used that money to support his family or activism that is cool with me.
He should be paid for the work he does! It takes time away from his wife and daughter and time doesn't just fall into his lap.
I don't care if he is making $1 a month or $1000 a month. I see people all the time on forums and comments state "Cedars helped wake me up!" I was one of them!
Thats all that should matter!
it's amazing how the expression "the truth" has become such an ingrained term used by witnesses.. "we have 'the truth'".
"is he 'in the truth'?".
most here have found out so many facts about the organisation, and felt the effects of being "gut-punched" as we realised these facts.. so how do you feel about the expression "the truth" now?.
The term when used gives me shivers because there are so many lies and dishonesty within "the truth" they refer too!
I never use that term when I talk with JWs. I ask things like:
"How long have you been in the orginization for?"
"So why choose the Watchtower doctrine as your chosen religion?"
"When did you return to the orignization? (Not Jehovah.)
I never say "the truth." It just helps reinstate their mentality that it is.
i've noticed that each wt lesson really only has one or two points they want remembered.
normally they build up to these by about the third subheading.
this week's lesson though was different, the main point was insidiously made through an experience in the first paragraph:.
i posted in another topic a few hours ago.
it is my first time on here or any website like this, ever.
i was dfed back in september for adultery.
Some ways to help you get reinstated.
1: Sit in the back and alone. This will show that you "know your place" in the hall and shows that enjoying the meeting with others isn't on your list of things to do!
2: Attend EVERY meeting. No exceptions. Attendance is taken and your name should be on it every time!
3: Do the Watchtower studies and mid-week meeting studies. Make your tablet/paper colourful!
4: Sit on the edge of the isles. This makes it easy for Elders walking up and down the isles to see you are involved by peaking at your Watchtower underlined or highlighted.
5: Make a donation in the donation box. Do it by check ALWAYS. That way the Elders can see and know how much and how often you donate. Money is a key thing here. Never make donating money anonymous.
6: Report those who try and associate with you. You are supposed to be shunned. This helps the Elders know that you do understand the disgellowshipping arrangement.
7: Show up for the field service meeting. Don't talk to anyone or at all. Explain to the Elders that you are showing your support for those in the ministry.
8: Enter after social time is done during the meetings and leave right when the meeting is done. This shows you don't want others to feel akward.
9: Always dress for the meeting. Never slack on this. Any wrong outfit (to short, to colourful, to tight ect) may be seen as trying yo rebel against Jehovah.
10: Remember its Elders you have to please. When it comes down to it, dont be afraid to lie and act. Tears are not a bad thing!
Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
i have been thinking, it is a lonely place in the real world knowing ttatt but if we have a phrase we can unite, support and help each other.
the question we will ask is:.
what's your favorite bible verse?
Sitting at the meeting wondering "I wonder who is on JWN on their phones right now? They better like this comment!."
Maybe not talk in JW lingo? I am not even a JW and when someone talks to me not using the common JW lingo it gives me red flags.
Common questions that would give me red flags as a "study/visitor."
If a JW asked me if I have found anything I disagree with so far in my studies I would think "Apostate!" disagreement on doctrine can never be on the mind of a good standing JW ever.
"What do you think of the Governing Body? Have you learned each one by name yet?"
-Another red flag question. No one cares about the identity of the GB...except apostates!
"How do you like studying the publications? Are you understanding scriptures okay?"
-Red flag! They focussed on the study being centred around publications, not the bible.
Of course these things cant confirm whether one is an apostate or not but if you feel nervous talking to a fellow JW, talk to a study or a new one. You will be surprised how many are awake and aware!
I am one of them!
i wanted to relate an experience that happened this morning.
it is regarding the new format for the meeting on thursdays in my area.
its not word for word but im summarizing what i heard, the best i can remember.
I went to the introduction to the new layout at the meeting. The first talk given that night the poor elder almost passed out on stage. He couldn't even finish the talk. His hands were shaking and he was dizzy.
It was a scary thing to see.
Not everyone does well at keeping their inner stresses a secret.
after severe pressure from my family, i have decided to attend to the nearest kh.
and a little history regarding my self: i became inactive and lost completely contact of the wt changes and "new light" 17 years ago.. everything seemed so odd and strange during the meeting.
latest technology, animated movies, watchtower web tv, a website that you can download everything, including km and wt study articles.
I went to both meetings in my area introducing the new meeting layout. The comment from the 2013 Watchtower talking about obeying instructing whether they come from a human stand point or not.
Funny enough since I went to both meetings back to back the elder from the first meeting said to be able to live up to this we need not to rely on our own "imperfect reasoning." The second elder said all we need is true faith to live up to this standard.
The new song reminded me of the Jurassic Park theme song. Anyone?
The talks centred around donating and building stuff.
Where is Jesus in these meetings now-a-days?
i'm not sure why i was thinking this but does anyone else find it an incredibly rare coincidence that geoffrey jackson just so happened to be in australia attending to his father when the arc happen to be at the exact stage for him to be deposed as a witness?
what are the chances of him being in the country at that precise moment?.
divine intervention?
just a little disclaimer: english isn't my first language (i'm from france) thus the poor writing skills.here is the situation: i'm not a jw.
however, i'm in the process of becoming one.
in fact, i'm studying with the jw's, and i'll proceed to become an unbaptized publisher as soon as i finish the first book.to make a long story short i was introduced to the truth when i was 18een.
I was NOT raised a JW and have no family in the religion. I was a study for two years (much like yourself). I aimed at being in the theocratic ministry school and an unbatized publisher. I visited about 5 conregations and many of them are no different from one another.
These Witnesses try and act like they are friends with you but they are not. As long as you proceed in changing your life according to their rules, they will be friends with you. Many will feel like you are not up to a certain standard and will shun you....even if you haven't done anything.
The core of that religion you call "the truth" is anything but truth. The core is lies, hurt and sacrefice. I would urge you my friend to look up the BITE model by Steven Hassan. Check off anything that describes the JW religion. If you have a lot of checks you may be in a high control group.
I had to learn with tears. I dont want that for you. If you must learn with tears as well then so be it, but research, research, research!
Yours truly:
An ex study.
