Posts by passwordprotected

5

I feel like my JW past was lived by someone else

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

it's been almost a year since i became inactive.

i had the initial "we miss you and please come back to the meetings" phase and then slowly, very slowly it became a trickle and then nothing.. i attended the memorial for the last time and silently said to myself, this is it, it's really over.. going to the memorial was really confirmation for me that there is no real love among the witnesses and that most are just acting a part they have played thousands of times over.. i was already missing meetings when i became inactive, but now a year has gone by, i feel completely detatched from the old life i used to lead and it feels that someone else lived that life.

i must be healing and getting better.. i'm sorry if this upsets any of you who are still in and forced by circumstance to keep going.

passwordprotected

I agree with your sentiments; I feel that same. I believe, for me at least, it's important to remember the journey, remember what the life was like, and draw on that to continue to pray for those who are still 'in'.

It's almost a year since I 'woke up' to the truth about "the truth". It's been a fantastically life changing experience. But I always try to remind myself - not all the time, btw - what I've been able to leave behind.

I particularly agree with this;

"I truly believe that the organization is on the verge of change, but not for the better. There does seem to be a consciousness, perhaps an ill feeling that something, somewhere is very wrong."

The fist is tightening. The fear is rising. The paranoia is palpable. Those who claim the WTS isn't changing and won't change, please open your eyes! The friends and family we've left behind are soon going to be even more tightly locked into the WTS compound. The Governing Body knows about all of us who've left, they know our reasons for leaving, they know about all of the malcontents who're now taking the emblems and claiming to be anointed. And they need to do something about it. The Governing Body does not have a history of easing up on the R&F. Rather, their modus operandi is lock the doors and slaughter the young.

42

Friday DC Releases

by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

end of morning program, dvd video released: "the wonders of creation reveal god's glory".

end of afternoon program, announced upcoming release of a new songbook: "sing to jehovah".

excuse me while i go barf now.. b the x.

passwordprotected

I'm with wha happened.

Look how they boast about removing songs about Jesus in the last song book. Look how the Governing Body is increasing the height of it's own pedestal in every new Watch Tower article. Combine the two together....

Will they be singing songs about Splanes' comb-over hair do or the wonderful burr of Barr's brogue?

Perhaps the songs will contain new light and reveal the fact that it was actually Losche who "died upon a tree to set the Governing Body free".

For some reason, I've got Dylan's refrain, "oh the times, they are a changing'" bouncing around my head this morning.

12

Well you know that it's a fool

by beksbks in

jw
friends

who plays it cool,.

by making this world a little colder..........

passwordprotected

lol @ this being lost on some...hehehe ;-)

Nice one, beksbks

20

Long Time Reader

by wantarevolution in

jw
friends

where do i start?

i suppose with "me".

i am mid 20's, born in and live abroad with my wife, "serving" in a foreign language congregation.

passwordprotected

Welcome!

49

Can't believe I am doing this

by rockmehardplace in

jw
friends

i am shocked i am even writing this.

for about a year or so, i have hid in the darkness peeking at this site and following everyone else's story.

i have learned more than i expected from so many.

passwordprotected

@Piercingtheveil81 - great to see you here too! Great additions to the community.

49

Can't believe I am doing this

by rockmehardplace in

jw
friends

i am shocked i am even writing this.

for about a year or so, i have hid in the darkness peeking at this site and following everyone else's story.

i have learned more than i expected from so many.

passwordprotected

Fantastic to have you here and to see someone with intelligence, compassion and faith. PM me anytime.

21

The Bible or the Watchtower--by request!

by Atlantis in

the bible or the watchtower--by request!

request from researcher: i know i read it somewhere but can't remember exactly where.

wouldn't jehovah want those he trains to be studying his word the bible instead of a watchtower or awake!?

passwordprotected

Fantastic stuff, well researched.

22

Question about "marking" in the congregation

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

can one of the resident scholars settle a disagreement about the current jw practice of "marking"?.

my understanding is that marking works this way: suppose annie is a jw who persists in an activity that is strongly frowned upon by the society--but is not a df-ing offense (for example, she is dating a non-witness), then annie gets counseled by the elders.

if annie continues to date the unbeliever, then the elders may decide to "mark" her.

passwordprotected

From what I was told, by an elder in reference to a specific situation he was dealing with, if the person married the non-Witness they would be, for all practical purposes, unmarked (or is it demarked?). Since dating was the offense, after the couple was married it was, " clearly evident that the individual has abandoned his disorderly course "

And here-in lies the problem with marking; inconsistency.

Marrying the non-JW does not lift the marking. The marking stays in place until the elders start inviting the person to their homes or include them in some social activity. That serves as a sign that the person is no longer marked.

So, what lifts the marking on a person who married a non-JW?

Public testimony that they regret disobeying Jehovah.

If there's a WT article on only marrying in the Lord, the marked person could answer that the best course is to obey Jehovah and only marry another Jehovah's Witness. This would serve as public acknowledgement that they regret their course.

However, that would also mean that they're publicly saying they regret marrying their spouse. Side-point, I know of sisters who've married fantastic guys, really great people who are good husbands. However, because they aren't JWs, the sister has to publicly state regret over marrying them.

One sister in our former congregation was marked for dating a non-JW. She's been married to him now for around 3 years. She's still marked. This means that, other than the meetings and ministry, she has no social contact with her "Christian brothers and sisters".

Once again, true Christian love in action.

It should be noted that marking is mentioned once (?) in the Christian scriptures, but the WTS has created a whole doctrine and law out of it.

22

Question about "marking" in the congregation

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

can one of the resident scholars settle a disagreement about the current jw practice of "marking"?.

my understanding is that marking works this way: suppose annie is a jw who persists in an activity that is strongly frowned upon by the society--but is not a df-ing offense (for example, she is dating a non-witness), then annie gets counseled by the elders.

if annie continues to date the unbeliever, then the elders may decide to "mark" her.

passwordprotected

"because I'm marked....brian and sharon gault won't allow their kids near my house......even though all the other kids at the hall are allowed....not to worry....their kids are a couple of brats anyway.....he he"

Yeah, sounds like you had a lucky escape.

22

Question about "marking" in the congregation

by Olin Moyles Ghost in

can one of the resident scholars settle a disagreement about the current jw practice of "marking"?.

my understanding is that marking works this way: suppose annie is a jw who persists in an activity that is strongly frowned upon by the society--but is not a df-ing offense (for example, she is dating a non-witness), then annie gets counseled by the elders.

if annie continues to date the unbeliever, then the elders may decide to "mark" her.

passwordprotected

Here's a story about marking.

A young girl in our area started dating a guy whose parents were JW and he'd studied over the years but had never been baptised. When it became time for her to marry him, she was 'marked' for not marrying in the Lord, and this caused all sorts of problems in the congregation and in her family, as you can imagine.

Sadly, just a few short months after their wedding, he was killed in an accident.

So, was she still marked? Afterall, she wasn't married to an 'unbeliever' anymore. How could she express regret (yes, that's what's expected of JWs who marry outside 'the truth'; they need to publicly express regret or remorse for getting married to a person who doesn't follow the Governing Body. In other words, they need to make it know where their loyalty lies; not with their spouse (with whom God yolked them together), but with the Organisation) when her husband was dead? The answer is yes, she was still marked. So, at a time when she would surely need the full support of the local congregation, all JWs were still to withhold fellowship from her.

3 years later, her younger brother is getting married. Most in the congregation are invited to the wedding reception. But, his sister - the marked one - is going to be there! Agh! What should we do? Letters to the Society from the body of elders ensued, elders meetings were convened, and was decided that a definite ruling cannot be made. However, all appointed men and their families should be united in not going to the wedding, as there would be a marked person in attendance. This would then, in turn, set the example for the rest of 'the flock'.

So, because this young widow who had married a non-JW years before was going to be at her brother's wedding, 95% of the local congregation did not attend the wedding.

Such a display of balanced, Christian love.