Posts by gsark

ex-catholics, ex-mormons, ex-scientologists, ex-christian scientists, ex everybody and everything are doing, as far as I have been made aware, a wonderful job of promoting improvements within their former organizations.

In fact it has been a wonder to many many non-jw's and other interested community members that ex-JW's have waited 50 and 60 years to demand change. I am sorry that I waited so long to make myself aware of JW policies in many matters, and believe me there are days I would like to make up for lost time.

I can't believe people still can be missing a point I believe Silentlambs is trying to make. (Correct me if I'm wrong Silentlambs):

While it may be true that
1. people have the right/responsibility to research a religion before they join it,

2. and they may have the right/responsibility to keep themselves apprised of any changes to those policies

3. and a person may have the right/responsibility to leave the organization if they do not approve or abide by those policies...

But...if a religious organization keeps their polices SECRET from its own members and from the public, then that religious organization should pay the price for any damage done to someone because of its SECRECY, for which in my opinion there is no privilegd from suit.

Believe me, I did not know that crime victims such as myself and Erica could be expelled from the JW just on that basis alone, show me where it is written in any JW literature or revealed to the public. And show me where the behavior described by Silentlambs above is written in anything put out by the organization.

Yet can any rational person deny this is being done?

As I said above, other ex-religious members are solving their organizations problems, and many jw's and ex-jw's feel it is WAY past time to start solving ours. Everyone who is participating does so according to their abilities and resources, and God bless them all. They are really starting to make a difference.

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

94

Meet Silentlambs In Person!

by silentlambs in

i am going to be at a trial in ritzville, washington.

the town is about an hour southwest from spokane, wa.

i will be there on august 14th, which will be on a tuesday.

gsark

."The molester was reinstated in six months two day before his daughter's wedding and walked her down the isle at the kingdom Hall, I do not recall any brothers and sister protesting this."

When my JW daughter married her JW fiance, she had to have the wedding at a private home because she was told if she wed at the KH her Df'd father and mother could not come. So the dear child choose to have the wedding elsewhere. Go figure.

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

9

DFed Persons - Some Questions

by Stephanus in

jw
friends

regarding dfing policy:.

is it true that those wishing reinstatement sit up the back?.

in an average congregation, how many dfed would be sitting up the back?.

gsark

I was df'd in 89, and like Chuck D said, rarely are there 2 in a Hall at any given time. If there are 30,000 people df'd each year, and 91,000 congregations, that is, I believe, 1 person df'd for evey 3 congregations. (Of course, my Kingdom Hall has 4 congregations...)If only half of those are seeking resinstaement, then that is one df'd person in every 6 congrgations.

But as everyone on this board knows, these are only numbers and they don't tell the whole sory.

I go to the Hall late, the back rows are always full, and I sit wherever there is an empty seat. Mind you, my meetings are always 1/2 to 2/3 empty, but the back rows are always full. I also go stand by the door during the concluding song, and slip out immediately after the concluding prayer. Been doing this all these years.

I am looking very much forward to attending meetings during this time of turmoil in the organization. Gotta see me some o' dat damage control in person..

I've talked to many a df'd person, but always in private, far away from prying eyes...and ears. I always felt that the Witnesses pay rent/mortgage for their Kingdom Hall, let them have it their way, it's their 'house'and 'castle'.

And we can have our 'way' here!

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

3

WHAT Kinda Light?

by Big Jim in

jw
friends

what kinda light?.

to all congregations united in jehovah's service, .

the organization has been under a concentrated criticism lately for our position on new light.

gsark

Big Jim you go, go, go!

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

3

Thanks to all who responded to my post!

by Sarah in

jw
friends

i am really amazed at the number of responses i received from my post.

you don't even know how much your kind words have meant to me and my husband (he did read all replies, and said "wow what a bunch of nice people") i do want to know what is the pr thing some of you mentioned?

where are those articles on families ties aren't severed?

gsark

your welcome. And thanks for the opportunity to repond again!

This board is the most amazing little 'family' I have ever come across. Welcome to it and stick around please.

love and friendship to you and yours...

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

7

Picture's from Dub-dom

by philo in

jw
friends

annual meeting of the wtbts members .

.

philo

gsark

...and viewers, to the right, just off your screen, are the pile of stones with which to Kill this years apostates;

to the left, just off your screen, is the roaring bonfire for the burning of all of this year's unapproved literature.

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

12

New member

by scotland in

jw
friends

i've been checking out this forum for a while now, and decided it was time to become a member.

anxious to begin adding my 2-cents worth.

good day to all.

gsark

hi, welcome Scotland to our little 'family'. We get a little passionate here now and again, but that's how families are, have been and always will be. Feel free to give as good as you get!

Looking forward to your 2 cents' worth...

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

9

Are Elders Out of Control?

by metatron in

jw
friends

i remember a time when the society exercised a significant.

degree of discipline over elders.

brothers were commonly.

gsark

Perhaps that is another, maybe even truer reason there was no df'ing/shunning before the fifties. The quality of the membership was just too high prior to those days.

And I agree with you on another thing; I'd have to ask why anyone would join a religion like this today, what kind of person would be comfortable in an organization like this? And someone who knows it's history?

Sheesh.

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!

9

Are Elders Out of Control?

by metatron in

jw
friends

i remember a time when the society exercised a significant.

degree of discipline over elders.

brothers were commonly.

gsark

Aways back my JW son-in-law was interviewed with the goal of being recomended eventually for the position of elder. I beleive they outright asked him to be an MS, but you know they question everyone on 'loyalty' etc.

He was 19 at the time.

He respectfully refused, saying he was thinking of moving, and sick, and wanted to work full time and every excuse he could think of. The congregation hardly recognized his existance for some time after that.

The bottom line, and what ties the 'out of control' elders and my son-in-law's experiences together is the obvious fact that the WT is loosing its brightest and best in near hemorrhage numbers. The org is merely protecting at all costs a vanishing and endangered species. ('qualified' elders).

What the org will end up having is quantity insteady of quality.

My son-in-law told me (through my non-JW son) that he never wanted to be in front of a judicial commitee, and so he will never sit on one. A very lovely boy.

Life is a roller coaster. Get in, sit down, shut up and hang on!