truthlover

Joined

• started 43 topics
• posted 622 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by truthlover

• 
  10

  What is it like to be an elder???

  by confliction in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm not 18 yet, so i've never had the chance to become one (thank god), but what kind of things do you learn as an elder that are... different from being a regular jw or basically someone without "priveleges"?.

  .

  for example, what stuff do you hear, what books do you get, what kind of things did you see, etc..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  Designs prefaced it correctly - if you are doing it right----- the majority today are not doing it right based on personal experience and comments on the board.. if they were doing it right, they would have called on folks who appeared to be having problems, doubts, family issues, and even when asked to help, either no meetings were held for the people in stress, or were conveniently cancelled and never re booked, hence people are upset and know that if their spirituality is not important to the elders, then maybe its not important at all.

  I personally know of a recent case - a whole family -- just walked away, doing nothing out of line with the scriptures - family people, working hard, reads Bible to get spiritual help and guidance still who had never had any help at all, and when the few elders did call to visit, it was under suspicion that it was for a df... therefore, they refused visits, not wanting to be on the outside right away - its now been over a year --I would suspect they will be getting df in abstentia as a few cong R/F are saying they are apostate - from whom?? That word has ugly connotations in the org..

  SoWhat is it like to be an elder? Depends on how good you want to do the job and that involves a lot of time and stress, especially after 40+ work week, kids at home, wife, bills to pay and then the heaping amount of work the society gets for free to run a congregation that when the Co visits, doesnt have the time of day for issues that would give you strength to carry on spiritually... I think I have covered most of it

  TL
• 
  32

  2010 drama: historicity of Christians leaving Jerusalem between Roman wars

  by Billy the Ex-Bethelite in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  sorry if this has already been discussed, i haven't been around here a lot and i have this question for any history buffs.. this summer's dc is a fictionalized account of first century jehovah's witnesses (gag), leaving jerusalem right after the first attack by rome and fleeing to pella.. http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/194498/1/drama-audio-only.

  other than jesus "this generation" prophecy, the bible mentions nothing directly about this.

  even john, who wrote his gospel and letters afterward, makes no hint of events in jerusalem during that era.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  an 8 year old said" its not a true story, its just made up" --- out of the mouths of babes!
• 
  13

  Is all religion based on male power?

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  something in the news, i think, about women clergy got me thinking that all religion, particularly in the past, has been based on man's superiority over women.

  i, for one, wouldn't want to join any religion in which i was second class to penis less people.. i was after all made in god's image whereas women were not.. .

  i can't help but think that religion has been a great force for perpetuating sexual discrimination.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  JW:
  Good point- again, they had to fight an uphill battle to get recognized for their spitirual endeavours
• 
  13

  Is all religion based on male power?

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  something in the news, i think, about women clergy got me thinking that all religion, particularly in the past, has been based on man's superiority over women.

  i, for one, wouldn't want to join any religion in which i was second class to penis less people.. i was after all made in god's image whereas women were not.. .

  i can't help but think that religion has been a great force for perpetuating sexual discrimination.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  When Adam was created, Eve was created as a complement - this could mean that Adam was deficient in some way and Eve made up for that deficiency -- she was not a compliment.....two different meanings

  TC:

  also -= when God made "man" in His image, the reference is to Mankind as a whole for if you read further in same verse - its says that - in God's image, He created THEM- male and female, he created them....

  Ynot: your right -- it was only After Eden that women would be dominated by a man, knowing this, a man is not to be abusive, and is to regard his wife as something precious, as he would not harm himself, so to he would not harm his wife.

  but this did not stop God from recognizing Sarah, Ruth,the daughters of Zelophehad, Deborah - a prophetess and leader in Israel ...and knowing that God is not partial also helps.. Jesus definitely recognized their importance - the Samaritan woman at the well, Mary's, mostly it was women who stayed with Jesus, he appeared to them after his resurrection.. or so says Matt 28:5,8,9, women went to Jesus tomb -Mark 16:1,2 and Luke 24:10, Jesus spoke to Mary Magdalene at John 20:12-16 - Jesus chose those who rule in heaven from those early men and women so he has no prejudice either..

  Breaking it down, - looks like men who kept women in a slave's condition from early biblical times continued on to the 1900's when women got the vote -- since then some religions have recognized women in the lead, but still mostly, of all the 10,000 + religions - men dominate
• 
  17

  The longest prayer ever done scenario

  by asilentone in

  1. social
  2. humour

  what if a deaf brother sign the longest prayer ever recorded like one hour or two hours, do you think the audience will disappear before he signs amen?

  .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  MS:

  Mine isnt exaggerated -- and I have witnesses (pun intended)
• 
  31

  Apparently the WTBS is going high tech to catch Apostates infiltrating the congregations

  by gubberningbody in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this video is in german, but you can see a young elder demonstrate how these tempest devices will be deployed to catch any and all online apostate communications which may take place.. the wtbs ss in germany have developed a more compact version with an incredible rf gain which can be deployed in the spines of any publication.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvoaievgrfw.

  have they no shame?!!!

  fortunately, you've been informed.. the solution is to use one of these faraday cages to engage in online subversive communications.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xm_j9al13wg.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  Probably the only real way is to sign on to their website, they have your IP address, then they can track any log ons that you may go on i e JWN ... send your name to a local cong where you are living and have the elders follow up.. the drive around would not work -- many elders dont take the time to do shepherding calls, let alone get one to drive all the neighbourhoods where the cong lives... too much time invested --- especially in congs that are spread out i e rural areas -- might work in the closely packed city neighborhoods -- anyway, they would not really do anything -- the growth numbers would start declining and that would be a negative for the R@F
• 
  34

  Weird Prayer at Last Year's DC - GB Worship

  by LostGeneration in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  at the last dc i will ever attend in 09' some elder was called up to do the morning prayer.

  i dont recall him being introduced as a co or anything thats why i say elder.. he starts off slowly and 20 seconds in i realize this is his moment of glory, giving a prayer at the dc and he is going to take his sweet time.

  i know the closing prayers are like at least 5 or 10 minutes, but this guy is going to kick off the morning with a long rambling diatribe..... so part way in he gets to the "slave" and he starts naming them off one by one.....ya know thanks for splane, pierce, barr, loesch....so on and so on....til he gets through them all.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  I have to agree -- last year there was this "brother" from Bethel giving the final prayer, and he must have gone on for 15 minutes - everyone was upset - he gave thanks alright, for all the anointed, again and again... I was so frustrated, as was a lot of folks, you could see the anger..

  This year I timed some of them and they were close to five minutes --- but that is still a long time to hold a baby or be able to stand while you cannot.. so I guess folks just sit down and get thru it

  So yes Titus -- it does happen..
• 
  25

  Feeling really sad

  by NiceDream in

  1. social
  2. relationships

  my husband and i have been married for almost 10 years.

  we were married really young, and tried to make the best of it.

  recently, i began listening to my lingering doubts and realized i've been so unhappy because i was living a lie.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  Hi Nice Dream:

  Its so difficult when you begin to have doubts - its almost like when your coming into the "truth" and your full of zeal to spread the word!

  Then, your eyes are opened and you have a zeal to tell what you have figured out for yourself.. I can only say to put a hold on the zeal.. if hubby is not at your understanding yet, its going to take time, a lot of time perhaps, but you have to "pick your battles", humbly and slowly, not overbearing, as he is still in "the head of the house" mode. If he has little association outside the home, he will rely on you, and now maybe he feels he is losing you to something he does not understand quite yet, therefore, you have to make him understand the love you have for him and your child and nothing separate you from that. If you still believe the bible and in Jesus and Jehovah, tell him so, a lot of people still do, just dont believe in a worldy org run by 8 men who have dictated their laws to the rank and file.

  The last thing you would do is talk to the elders - they are schooled deep in the org. and this may cause both of you a lot of stress.. think this out--pull together as a family - have date nights, go to the beach , go on hikes, do everything as a family unit and grow stronger towards each other.. why would he say he is unhappy in the marriage? Is there more he can do to help you? Seeing you are 29, or thereabouts now, the 10 years of marriage was a learning process - rather than giving up, you both should be working together.Can you move closer to family? If he feels alone and hard to communicate, maybe having family close could help you, even if it were your family. Many young people in the truth are low on self esteem - does he have any interests- golf? can u play? If not, learn to tennis, etc. anything couples can do - start cooking meals and doing things for him - I dont know what your situation is but the more you give, the more you will receive -- in this case, love.
• 
  98

  My sucky situation

  by brotherdan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys,.

  sadly some of them had been in bethel for 5 - 10 years and were still cleaning toilets.. after about 2 years of it i couldn't do it anymore.

  i always knew something wasn't quite right with this organization.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  BD:

  If the baby is only 4 months old, would your wife be reacting due to stress - both of her faith and having a new child to care for??

  Your announcement could put her over the top if the baby is causing her some anxiety post nataly.. for some people, faith is life, and if you lose your faith in the org, her "head" is gone spiritually, maybe a lot of things are going thru her mind, how can she bring up the children in the "faith" by herself - no husband to study with them, to help her at the meetings, to help her in service, to be able to attend a party or get togethers for the family, all the things a Spiritual head can do - give her some positive feedback - you will get her to the meetings, you will be there for the kids and her - she wont be alone in this but your transition from the org is something you both have to deal with and come to a neutral stance to save your life -post org.
• 
  49

  Michael Jackson---What Was Your Opinion Of Him?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a year ago, mj suddenly died.

  for years, multitudes of people said michael jackson was a "sicko" a "wacko", a "child molester" and an "addict".. once he died, the man was glorified by people, the media and his family.. what did you think about michael?.....personally, i thought he was an eccentric ultra-gifted artist who was childlike and brilliant.

  i was never convinced that he was a child molester but i will say i thought his behavior was "weird" with kids (and adults)..

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  truthlover

  His family was not all witnesses - only Rebbie, Latoya and Katherine and Michael - Joe was never a witness, nor were the boys or Janet -so I would think Katherine had a balancing act as Joe was the "head of the house".....

  I thought he was a great talent, I dont believe he molested any kids and would have loved to see the O2 show