"Experiences" were one of the many things that made me back away from the organization. At first, I believed the experiences and thought they were real. Gradually, as I realized I was not having similar super-success and miracles in my theocratic life, they made me feel guilty and frustrated. Then, I eventually I came to know people who told their "experiences" on stage. It was a shock to me. Import details had been left out. Facts twisted. Exaggerations to the point of lying. As an active JW it made me feel sick. And the "experiences" were just a snapshot, one frame out of a movie, without context. They didn't tell what happened to that super-good pioneer family a few years down the line (regret, illness, kids left the truth due to the bad example, and so on). And THEN I started to worry... why the dishonesty? Why would God's organization resort to half-truths and dishonesty? It made no sense, when they would be more effective if they were REAL. Now I understand, sadly, they are an attempt to create an illusion, motivate through guilt, and make it seem like life as a JW is perfectly wonderful if you shut up and do what you're told no questions asked.
nondescriptex
JoinedPosts by nondescriptex
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DC Experiences - reality vs. perception
by sir82 inat a recent dc, an elderly sister was interviewed.
she recounted how she endured through many years of her husband's opposition, never giving up, until finally he relented.
eventually, he bacame baptized and joined her in the full-time pioneer work.. end of experience.
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The practice of "Shepherding Calls" (attention ex-elders)
by Lady Zombie inthe practice of "shepherding calls" has always been somewhat of a mystery to me.. growing up, a shepherding call was for jws who were doing something that a few/some/most (didn't matter which) found stumbling or suspicious.
for instance, i remember my folks gossiping to each other about a jw couple who had been sloughing off the meetings in order to go dancing.
one of the congregation members (who were absent themselves on a particular night) saw them going into a dance club on a meeting night and promptly ran to an elder.
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nondescriptex
Everyone is supposed to get a shepherding call. Depending on the personality of your elders, you can probably continue to politely decline and they might eventually give up.
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Another One Joins JWD
by allgoodthings... ini've been reading threads off and on for about a year now so i feel almost like i know some of you.
i just thought i would take the opportunity to introduce myself to the board.
it's very exciting to join up and become one of you.
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nondescriptex
Welcome! I lurked for a long time before posting too. It's a great thing, this forum. I like the freedom of expression, and getting the inside scoop on upcoming changes, which is usually quite accurate.
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Few Jehovah's Witnesses bother to GRASP THEIR OWN THEOLOGY!!!
by Terry inkeep this one fact in mind about jehovah's witnesses.
they exist in three parts throughout their history.. 1. honest bible students attracted to the gimmicks of russell (charts, graphs, chronologies, pyramid inches, etc.
) expected the end of the world to come and they wanted to know more.. 2.contrarian hard heads under rutherford wanted to prove everybody was wrong about everything except themselves.
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nondescriptex
A couple of replies here mentioned the cross. I once had a return visit who was offended at a picture in a Watchtower showing Jesus on a stake instead of a cross. He was not trying to pick a fight, he was really hurt and offended because he felt we drew him in with some nice conversations only to attack his faith (his comments made me stop and think). I did some research, and went back with the Reasoning book. I concluded my explanation with the sentence at the top of page 90: "Thus the weight of the evidence indicates that Jesus died on an upright stake and not on the traditional cross." He sat there, and said. "You hand picked the evidence you wanted." At the same time, I realized that sentence is somewhat wishy washy. "Weight of the (hand picked) evidence".... "indicates".... which is really saying "we guess so, but we could change our minds". I was annoyed the Reasoning book had left me high and dry, and wondered how JWs got from "probably" to "ABSOLUTELY" in their position regarding the cross.
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Watchtower Comments - MISSIONARY INTERVIEW
by V inwatchtower comments interviews lance (awakened at gilead) gilead graduate (2003) and former missionary.. see all videos and subscribe to watchtower comments here.. part 1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enkkm_aa_j4.
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nondescriptex
Excellent! Very well done. So many have studied hard, with sincerity and innocence, wanting to really understand "the truth", only to gradually realize it isn't what they thought it was. That can be a huge disappointment (it was to me). Nice to see someone deal with it head on, and then move on.
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Few Jehovah's Witnesses bother to GRASP THEIR OWN THEOLOGY!!!
by Terry inkeep this one fact in mind about jehovah's witnesses.
they exist in three parts throughout their history.. 1. honest bible students attracted to the gimmicks of russell (charts, graphs, chronologies, pyramid inches, etc.
) expected the end of the world to come and they wanted to know more.. 2.contrarian hard heads under rutherford wanted to prove everybody was wrong about everything except themselves.
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nondescriptex
The fire's gone out, it ain't like it used to be. There used to be more conviction, more sure fire confidence. There are a few who can give you a run for the money. But the passing of 1975, and the 1994 generation change, really took the wind out of their sails. 6,000 years and the thousand year reign and the 7th creative day... it fit together perfectly like a jigsaw puzzle. When that didn't work out, 1914 (607 +2520 days/years) + 70-80 years until the end (Ps 90:10), was so easy to prove, or so it seemed to a JW. I'm skipping details here but you guys know what I'm talking about. Now, nothing is so crisp and absolute. Not even sure what a "generation" is (keep changing the meaning).
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The contagion is spreading - lots of people quietly leaving JWs
by truthseeker infrom reading reports on jwd it seems that many are in the process of quietly leaving the watchtower organization.. it's almost become disease like - and spreading rapidly, even acutely in lands where access to information is greater.. people who i've known for years have suddenly disappeared - it reads like a stephen king novel.. what have you noticed?.
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nondescriptex
Family ties keep many from leaving completely. If the organization would ever let people leave without forcing the family to cut off association (disfellowship), many more would leave. I think everyone would be better off in that case. Makes no sense to force people to stay in. "God doesn't force people to serve him", right?
Here is an attempt to sell this "new light" to the organization - so I've tried to put it in their point of view... It would help the org if they got rid of dead weight. Less time wasted trying to make people do things they will never do (more meetings and service) because they really don't want to be JWs anyway. Let those who leave serve as an example, since surely they will suffer. Many will learn their lesson and come back with more zeal than ever before. It would remove a major "apostate" weapon - because "apostates" are rather effective with exposing the pain and ruthlessness of breaking up families. It would let people be in the organization for the right reasons, not simply for maintaining family ties. It would be in harmony with the shift from the way of worship in ancient Israel, toward the Christian way. (well, that idea wouldn't help sell the idea, but anyway) -
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Tossed out of the District Convention! What did I do wrong? I exist!!
by Terry inthis is a stupid story if it is a story at all..... quentin and i decided we'd go to the district convention since it is right here in our home town.. why?.
oh, curiousity.
a desire to find my old prison buddies.
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nondescriptex
You were curious about stopping by for a while, that's normal. Thought maybe you could catch up with some people you hadn't seen in a long time, that's normal. Quietly left the scene when confronted with two religious fanatics with chips on their shoulders who imagined you were a threat, that's normal too, a reasonable response. You were the man, they were the wimps. You were normal, they were screwballs.
To lurkers... see how silly it is? Attendants pushing people around, acting tough, hurting feelings. You have to admit, it's not right. Is it more like Jesus, or more like Pharisees? -
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Elder calling around
by Am ha·a'ret ini'm a new member as i've not completely left the org yet and being a "good lil jw" would never have looked at a site like this previously!
there is one elder in the cong who calls around every so often to "chat" as i only stopped attending meeting a couple of months ago.
i've spoken to him about certain subjects - eg the un thing and the misuse of quotes - but he has no useful answers for me.
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nondescriptex
Extended family still in, yes, that makes it annoyingly difficult to just up and walk away. As for speaking to elders about things, I find it best to say little. Miss the phone calls, be a "not at home", etc. They eventually get the hint or give up or get distracted by something else. Elders see a lot of people fade and know there is little they can do about it.
Welcome to the forum. Take your time and enjoy the open communication. As you've already noticed there are many different opinions and viewpoints. It's great. -
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Disfellowshipped for Beavis and Butthead
by donny ina friend (who no longer attends meetings) told me about an incident about seven years ago in north carline involving one of her male friends.
this friend has ceased believing the society's diatribe for some time and was only staying in it in order to associate with friends and family.
he had visited a friend in a town about 30 miles away and heard a sunday talk from one of that congregations elders.
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nondescriptex
Some years ago, I heard that happened in the Chicago area. The convention cancelled the FM radio broadcast because "apostates" had their own talks going on the same station. Might have been in the late 70's or early 80's. I remember thinking it was interesting that alot of people hadn't noticed they were listening to the "wrong" talks. Lots of folks were listening to the radio because it was fun, or to tape record the program without distracting noises, or because the sound quality was better.
Beavis and Butthead - awesome. Even when I was a good strong JW I enjoyed that wicked corrupting TV show. Probably what ruined me. LOL