Awakened at Gilead

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Posts by Awakened at Gilead

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  23

  Hey ! " I'M LOOKING" for email buddies too!

  by Hope4Others in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  kind, compassionate, sort of sexy gal looking for friends and a few laughs!.

  tee hee.

  cheers and have a super weekend,.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Do you like to hike, cook, fish, do "outdoor activities", etc. And are you a scandinivian gal????
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  223

  Diary of a thinking to return ex-Jw

  by reniaa in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i thought long and hard about posting this but the mis-information on this site finally persuaded me, i already accept many may not accept what i say on face value and get their appologist pens ready for making sure no pro-witness propaganda slips through the net on this site but here goes....... i've been on this forum for a few months my first post was about how i was thinking of returning to jw's and at my sisters recommendation to look at this site for both sides of the story before taking that step.. i faded from jw's 10/11 years ago now i left my hubby at the time divorced him to going on to have more relationships and kids, i was definately given the impression after asking on this site and with what i read that if i tried to return i might face df or at least a jc but definately a couple of elders questioning me over what i've been upto these last few years - none of these have happened.

  i talked with an old jw friend (yes i do have then and she never shunned me quite happily accepted an offer of coffee from me and my asking for a chat) i told her i was interested in going back and was very frank about what i done in the last 10 years but not sure how returning was done now, she quite happily said she go ask for me to find out.. result!

  she came back this week and said "all i had to do was goto meetings again" and an offer of a study was there for me if i wanted it to explore the open doubts that i had expressed i now had.. not quite the fire and brimstone welcome this site led me to believe would happen.. i will keep you posted with further updates if i feel the need to put them in future.. .

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Renaia,

  I have appreciated your posts since your are not afraid to openly mention that you are "Pro-JW" on a mostly anti-JW board.

  Regarding the elders not doing anything to you, I will quote the secret elders manual, if I may:

  Pp. 99-100:

  Under the subheading of "Baptized persons who have not associated for some time"

  "If you learn of serious wrongdoing on the part of such a person the matter should be investigated if it poses a threat to the congregation's cleanness and welfare or causes a public scandal"...

  "Depending on length of inactivity and other factors suggested above, elders may determine to hold the matter in abeyance. In such a case, a record of the person's questionable conduct should be made for the congregation file so that everything noted might be clarified when the person shows interest in becoming active again" (Emphasis mine)

  So they are supposed to address your indiscretions with you if you want to become active again. They will need to reveiw the publisher questions with you. Note:

  ***

  km11/00p.3QuestionBox***

  Question

  Box

  ? How can a person who has been inactive for a long time be helped to qualify again as a publisher of the good news?

  When an inactive person gives evidence that he has a heartfelt desire to serve Jehovah, this is a cause for rejoicing. (Luke 15:4-6) Likely, the individual allowed opposition or pressures of life to crowd out his personal study, meeting attendance, and participation in the field ministry. How can personal assistance best be given so that he will make spiritual progress?

  All of us should take the initiative to reassure this one of our genuine Christian love for him. The elders will be quick to assess his specific spiritual needs. (Jas. 5:14, 15) If the inactivity lasted for a short time, a helping hand from an experienced publisher might be all that is needed to reactivate the individual in the field service. However, if the inactive one has not associated with the congregation for a long time, more help will probably be necessary. To build up faith and appreciation, a personal Bible study in an appropriate publication may be advisable. In that case, the service overseer will arrange for a qualified publisher to conduct the study. (Heb. 5:12-14; see the November 1998 OurKingdomMinistry Question Box.) If you know of someone who needs such help, talk to the service overseer in your congregation.

  Before inviting a longtime inactive one to share again in the ministry, it is advisable for two elders to meet with him to see if he qualifies as a Kingdom publisher. They will follow a procedure similar to that used when meeting with new ones who are seeking to qualify as publishers of the good news. (See the November 15, 1988, Watchtower, page 17.) The inactive one should have an earnest desire to share the good news with others. He also needs to meet the basic requirements outlined on pages 98-9 in the OurMinistry book and to be consistent in attending congregation meetings.

  Having a good spiritual routine will do much to help the returning one to strengthen and maintain his precious relationship with Jehovah and to keep walking on the road to everlasting life. (Matt. 7:14; Heb. 10:23-25) His putting forth "all earnest effort" and developing Christian qualities that endure will prevent him from ever again becoming "inactive or unfruitful" as a Christian disciple.—2 Pet. 1:5-8.

  It's your call. But remember that the elders have every right to pry into your many years of inactivity and see if you qualify. Are you ready to face a JC?

  You decide....you have a free mind!

  A@G
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  36

  Im a newbie

  by jetery in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  baptized at 15 because forced into it.

  i left the jw 2 years ago.

  i should have left a long time ago.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Jetery,

  Welcome to JWD... I've been out 5 weeks today!!! And this site has been very helpful as a support group.... I suggest you do some reading on JWs and cults that will help get over negative thoughts...

  A@G
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  7

  B.Study already consolodated around Brooklyn....so NBD

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i posted this on another thread, but since it is slow, i thought i would make even another bs thread.. wasanelderonce: let us all rejoice at the new arrangement of three meetings in one night.. just found out from my unfortunately ever improving bethel connections that this has already been implented for awhile in many congreations tied to bethel.

  to consolidate travel costs these poor unfortunates are having their bs after the wt study or service meeting!

  while it is supposed to be full length, i would bet my bottom dollar that they are finding ways to already magically shorten the wt and climax.....well maybe they would not want to shorten the climax!..................oompa

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Nobody seems to have noticed this point made in the 2003 Yearbook...

  ***yb03pp.221-223Philippines***

  AdjustmentsinViewpointsonMeetingSchedulesSome congregations, whether having their own Kingdom Hall or not, are located in remote areas. Brothers have to walk two, four, or even more hours over rough terrain to get to the meeting place. As a result, there are areas where it is impractical to come together more than once a week to a central place for meetings. Consequently, many of these congregations had all their meetings on one day except for the Congregation Book Study. Brothers came prepared to share in four meetings. They brought food for lunch. In this way, the long distance to the meeting place needed to be traversed only once a week, with other activity, such as the field ministry, being carried on in the local area on other days.

  During the 1980’s, this practice began to spread to not-so-remote congregations, even those in city areas. Perhaps economic hardship caused some to think of ways to save money. Fewer days with meetings meant less travel and less expense. Other brothers became overly concerned with convenience, perhaps using time on other days for personal pursuits, such as education or secular work.

  More and more congregations began to have four of their meetings on one day, and some congregations, even all five meetings! However, this meant that congregations in the Philippines were drifting further and further from the way things are done by most of Jehovah’s people throughout the world, who have meetings on three different days during the week. The brothers had become somewhat out of balance in this regard. During the visit of the zone overseer in 1991, this matter was called to his attention. In turn, the Governing Body was consulted. They responded by saying: "We do not believe this is a good practice unless there are extreme extenuating circumstances." This information was conveyed to the brothers, first in the cities and then in the rural areas.

  It was pointed out that besides conforming to the established worldwide arrangement for meetings, the congregations would spiritually benefit more from having separate meetings than from trying to cram all the material into three and a half to four hours. Young children and newly interested ones had found such a schedule difficult. Elders could prepare higher quality talks when preparing for one or two meetings rather than for many.

  What was the response of the congregations to this counsel? The vast majority responded positively, quickly making adjustments to have midweek meetings. Now, with the exception of the very remote congregations, most congregations enjoy a more balanced spiritual program each week.

  Interesting that the GB has now flip-flopped on this too... What will the poor Philippine bros think????
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  17

  Pioneer stroll video re-edited and redubbed, opinions?

  by Wasanelder Once in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i took the video posted of two "pioneers" and redid it.

  i have a whole series planned for it.

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajoyg4xdgmi.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Man, I've ben out for a month, and there's been new light already????

  A@G Man, the lite is so brite
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  57

  Will Women Eventually Start Being Used As Servants?

  by White Dove in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as the men in the congregations suffer from burnout and quit helping out as ms and elders, do you think the situation of shrinkage will become so desperate that the wts will be forced to start using women in positions of authority?

  they have a huge commodity that they are refusing to use.

  that makes no sense at all.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  I'm surprised they let females sit in the front seats of cars.

  Who does???? That's against the rules.... Get in the back you....
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  17

  I hate being alone ...

  by easyreader1970 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  many times i read the life stories of former jws.

  some of these jws are or have been married.

  sometimes their spouses share their doubt about the religion and at times they leave the "truth" together or months or years apart.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Just remember you're not alone... We're here..and we're going through the exact same thing. Just got off the phone with my JW wife in a big fight since I stubbornly reject JWs beliefs.... It's the same thing day in and day out.

  A@G
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  8

  Proved Dub Dad wrong

  by Ex-smoker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so any ways i lost my job last week and decided to grow a goatee.

  i stay with my dad and we were having a conversation and he pointed at my goat and said "shave that" i said no.

  he said jws dont have beards.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  I did the same thing with my wife and family when they complained about the beard I began to grow about 3 weeks ago. They couldn't say anything when they saw the Good Teacher book...

  I shaved it off since I wasn't used to it, but I made my point that the JWs make up rules as they go along.

  A@G
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  57

  Will Women Eventually Start Being Used As Servants?

  by White Dove in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  as the men in the congregations suffer from burnout and quit helping out as ms and elders, do you think the situation of shrinkage will become so desperate that the wts will be forced to start using women in positions of authority?

  they have a huge commodity that they are refusing to use.

  that makes no sense at all.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Perhaps... but they will probably come up with a quasi-Biblical term or a prophetic parallel to describe them...

  i.e.

  There were "women who were ministering to Jesus" so today they can be called "women who minister"

  Bible mentions "the bride of Christ" so if Christ had a bride, so women can help out in the cong today, "ministerial bridesmaids"

  How about the parable of the "5 discreet virgins" so unmarried women who serve can be called "ministerial discreet virgins"

  And Paul mentions that there is not "male or female" among Christ's slaves, so they can be called "ministerial slaves".

  And in the context of elders and servants, Paul mentions "older women" and "younger women". So the older women can be called "elderettes", and the younger can be called "single and spiritually sexy".

  Just IMHO..

  A@G
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  37

  New Here

  by LearningMore in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have been lurking here for a couple of months.

  i was born and raised as a witness, and am a little weirded out to even be posting on here (you know the paranoia).

  anyway, i faded about 10 years ago, and after reading so many posts, i am so happy that it was a pretty uneventful experience.

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  Awakened at Gilead

  Welcome Learning more and more and more...

  I've just been on this site for a little over a month but it has been key to my maintaining my sanity as I exit the JWs.....Not an easy task!

  Congrats on going from lurker to poster.. That's an accomplishment there.

  If you've been out for a while, then generally the elders won't touch you (per society's instructions in the elder's book)

  Welcome again!

  A@G