Gopher

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Posts by Gopher

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  21

  History of JWN

  by El_Guapo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys,.

  i was going through some old threads (love this site) and i came across someone mentioning in a post that this site started as gathering place for jw's and somehow became an "apostate" site.

  lol .

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  Gopher

  Simon did post a series, and Minimus must resurrected part 5 of the history of this site.

  Enjoy: http://jehovahs-witness.net/jw/experiences/180139/1/My-life-and-how-JWD-came-to-be-Part-5
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  52

  I had cataract surgery on Feb 12

  by Lady Lee in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i cannot believe the difference in my vision.

  even with glasses my vision in the left eye was poor.

  but i can now read a 12 font fairly clearly without the glasses.

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  Gopher

  Glad this worked so well for you, Lee. It's reassuring to know that this isn't a difficult process. The main hurdle is mental (or for us in America, possibly there's a financial hurdle).
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  21

  History of JWN

  by El_Guapo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys,.

  i was going through some old threads (love this site) and i came across someone mentioning in a post that this site started as gathering place for jw's and somehow became an "apostate" site.

  lol .

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  Gopher

  Simon started the forum in 2000 because he had questions about Watchtower doctrine and the answers he was receiving back then were unclear, unsatisfying, or even absent. He was still a JW in good standing then. More like-minded people who had questions or doubts joined on, and pretty soon it becamse clear to the earliest posters including Simon that there were no good answers to some of the questions about the WTS.

  Some really good and thoughtful posters joined and put up some very detailed and convincing discussion of Watchtower-related issues. Before I joined in early 2001, it was clear that this website was primarily critical of the Watchtower Society, and this site confirmed a lot of the doubts I had plus added a few new ones. Then in years shortly after, the UN/NGO scandal broke primarily on this website and this was the last straw for a lot of doubters who had been lurking at this site. Also there was a lot of discussion in 2002 about the pedophilia scandal which broke on news programs in several countries including the USA, Britain and Australia. (It was Dateline NBC in the USA.)
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  21

  The ransom sacrifice contradicts the "issue of universal sovereignty"

  by yadda yadda 2 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  if jesus is the exact representation of his heavenly father, and if "god is love", and if there is no greater love than to give up one's own life for others, then if jesus gave up his life for mankind as the greatest act of love ever performed, why would jehovah be more concerned about his own name being vindicated and his rule being proven to be superior to man's rule than preventing untold millions of innocent persons over thousands of years from suffering and dying horribly?.

  wouldn't jehovah be just like his son, jesus, and choose to sacrifice his own name and reputation out of his great love for mankind rather than permit so much suffering for thousands of years?

  why would the almighty creator of the universe care so much about being 'slandered' by a rebellious spirit creature that he would have to permit so much suffering for so long?

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  Gopher

  The WT's Universal Sovereignty doctrine is an attempt to explain the existence of evil when there is an all-powerful God. One must suspend one's disbelief to accept that doctrine. Because of the WT's carrot of future paradise, Kingdom promises, etc., many people take the bait and suspend any disbelief - if they ever saw the irony of claims of an all-powerful, all-knowing, all-everything deity who sits idly by while terrible suffering goes on and on for centuries.
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  4

  When is the memorial this year?

  by I quit! in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i normally don't care when they hold their yearly anti-eucharist, anti-communion or whatever you want the damned thing but this year i'm going on vacation around that time.

  if it falls within my vacation time i think my wife will want to go somewhere and attend it and that would suck but we could work it out.. .

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  Gopher

  Their website says March 26.

  http://www.jw.org/en/jehovahs-witnesses/meetings/
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  125

  my worst fears were realized

  by magotan in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  im on my phone, so im really limited.

  i came out to my family about my doubts and my sexuality.

  shit hit the fan.

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  Gopher

  Hope that your future now gets brighter because you are being true to yourself now. That's worth it, even when the price is high (speaking as someone whose elderly JW parents won't have anything to do with him).

  Your dad "stepped down" - was it voluntary? It's entirely possible he didn't want the responsibilities of being an elder any more.

  Even if he was forced out - that's just a problem that the organization forces on itself because of its own stupid rules. I don't think that someone leaving the home and choosing his own life should affect his position in a publishing corporation like the Watchtower. But oh well, c'est la vie. That's their problem now.

  You will hopefully be able to focus on making the most of your bright future ahead, as the past and yesterday's firestorm slowly recede into the rear-view mirror.
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  4

  Why is it such a Big Deal when Religious Leaders (i.e. Pope) resign ?????

  by RubaDub in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i really don't get it.. in most aspects of life, people can be at the top of what they do and then at some point resign from their duties.

  you can look at leaders in government, military, businesses, education, etc etc .... at some point they generally step aside, often due to age, since they are no longer strong or healthy enough to perform the required functions.. in business, a person may be referred to as "former ceo of xyz company.

  " in government, a person may be referred to as "former president or former senator.

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  Gopher

  This case is a big deal because of the controversy involved, because papal resignations are so rare. There's controversy. Is he hiding something? Or is he setting a new "noble" precedent about stepping down before becoming incapacitated? It's really interesting because it's so unusual - and because Catholic leadership still wields an outsize influence on world affairs.
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  43

  May 15 2013 WT: "REAL elders skip meals and lose sleep!"

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  finally we have the society's expectations of elders in print.. this is from page 9 of the may 15th study edition.... "as indicated by the experiences of the apostle paul, our ministry may result in sleepless nights and times without food.

  (2 cor.

  6:5) these expressions paint a vivid picture of self-sacrifice and may well remind us of pioneers who give their ministry first place in life while supporting themselves financially.

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  Gopher

  Very true Gopher. I wonder when was the last time Anthony Morris III or David Splane skipped a meal?

  When did they actually go in service without being photo-shopped into the picture?

  I was visiting NYC in 1990. I was walking the streets near Brooklyn Bethel with a Bethelite friend after dinner. We came across an old man walking slowly, holding up the Watchtower and Awake magazines. My Bethelite friend was inclined to introduce me to him because he was on the Governing Body. I only remember that he was foreign-born, might have been George Gangas.
  
  Anyway the man saw us approaching and quickly asked if we were Witnesses. We said yes, and he waved us away - he was too busy preaching.

  So I won't assert that all of the Governing Body NEVER go out in streetwork or some form of public ministry. I think it isn't for very long - mostly to get a taste of what it's like. I still think they have a generally cushioned, comfortable life at headquarters.
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  43

  May 15 2013 WT: "REAL elders skip meals and lose sleep!"

  by cedars in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  finally we have the society's expectations of elders in print.. this is from page 9 of the may 15th study edition.... "as indicated by the experiences of the apostle paul, our ministry may result in sleepless nights and times without food.

  (2 cor.

  6:5) these expressions paint a vivid picture of self-sacrifice and may well remind us of pioneers who give their ministry first place in life while supporting themselves financially.

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  Gopher

  I know of a missionary couple from Minnesota who went down to some jungle country in South America (forget which one). He was the zealous uber-Witness, she was a daughter in a family where everybody (including the children) pioneered and the dad was an elder.

  After a very short while, she got extremely ill due to some sort of parasite. They had to quit, her health ruined possibly for life - and he ended up so shaken by the whole thing that the marriage ended and he left the organization.

  As if the WT Society really cared much - they seem to have a ready supply of willing couples from their Gilead school who will go anywhere like that.
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  23

  What are the things you dislike most about JW's?

  by Chariklo in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  top of my list has to be hypocrisy.

  it runs right through, from elders downwards.

  the literature and the gb are bad enough, but the bit that touches ordinary people, householders, students and ordinary rank and file is the false goodness that they put on like a raincoat.

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  Gopher

  The first answer that came to my mind is "control". They seek to control or strongly influence every aspect of the lives of their minions. They seek to control the information available to them. Anyone who gets out of line can be harshly treated, and they even attempt to control access to your nonbelieving or formerly-believing family members.

  The WTS leadership are super control freaks. Almost as bad as Scientologists, who are the worst sizable/influential cult.