My two cents
I am over the disillusionist part - now it's cold hard facts --they are not "THE WAY,THE TRUTH -many beliefs started around the same time in the 1800's - all suspect -- and yes, I do not want to leave my friends and family, what I have -- to old to change
just keep looking ahead and put a large ? mark by anything in the mags that is incorrect to my understanding of what the Bible says..
TL
i started my fade in 2004 and completely quit regular attendance in 2005. i have, however, gone to all the memorials since.
i still consider myself christian and felt it was a somewhat decent way of respecting the sacrifice.. i am thinking of not going this year.. i am generally disgusted at what the memorial observation actually entails.
there is almost no talk about what jesus went through on that day or even the tremendous sacrifice involved and the love that motivated it.
I agree with Laverite - go the the liquor store, get a bottle of kosher wine and make your own crackers without yeast, and have your own memorial at home to celebrate Jesus' memorial...
or if you go to the hall and don't partake, do it after your home, chicken way to do it but at that point, you are not following mans command not to do so either
I get a sick feeling in thinking I am rejecting Christ's death on my behalf and if I was strong enough, would be outta there.. some day til then I'm off to the L.S.
BTW: has any numbers been posted yet of this year's memorial partakers???
because it's a self fullfilling prophecy!.
if you keep women couped up and force them to have only limited contact with the outside world they are going to appear sheltered and unlearned.
therefore when these oppressed women do things that are unlearned or immature all the men go "well they are the weaker vessel.".
Weaker - hummmm not so, by my standards - I sit and hear the PO give talks and only alludes to the "Brothers" -- never Brothers AND sisters and it really boils me - so I told him about it, and nothing changed, so I must remind him again --
I was aware of this ridiculous woman bashing even when I was in the world,(all religions have this problem) the giving away by a father at the wedding to the new MAN - an exchange from one man to another and didn't like it then - although I must add that my marriage is a great one -- I could still not become a piece of property passed from my father to my husband -- just as it has been in thousands of years past -- its funny women don't see that but it has only been since 1930's that women have any kind of voice and even up to the 50's, she had to do what the old man said and could not have a voice.. now we really see a reversal in that there is not a real balance in the relationship and all hell has broken loose - the weaker vessel is doing her thing and life has become a lot harder to deal with cause the guys are just flustered at it all...
It's been a mans world for along time and they really don't want the status quo to change
Mostly the WTB$ refers it to a physical thing, not able to do the heavier jobs, etc. but as far as spiritual and intellectual, she is the equal of man, just a lot lower on the superiority scale
just saw this posted on watchtower uncensored .... .
want to hear the latest debacle?
the po in my mom's congregation told them that at the next 1-day-assembly it will be the responsibility of every publisher to put 3 in the box towards the running costs at the assembly hall.
It's a given in Canada -- same format -- boxes, take in contrib..read report..get more monies., send leftover to society -- why??? It should be placed in a fund for next assembly..the society does not need it --
and along the lines of what Snakeface is saying, yes there is a lot of upkeep -- but guess who does that? and who pays for that.... The publishers -- and then pays the society back for the lend of the money to keep up the assembly hall, so the society is making money off the hall, and the DO/CO/elders will still send the leftover to the society... and we still have to take care of the expenses for our regular halls and the CO and the DO, and and and........
I do no give anymore as I used to, I give to the ones who need some help in the congregation.and know what is being done with it
he was in a very bad motorcycle accident on tuesday and is in the icu.. i think we could all send our oompa good vibes, prayers and healing angels.. .
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Never good to hear of a bike accident -- so many things to go wrong without some protection--its now been 14 hours ++ and no word, hopefully Oompa will be coming out of it soon and someone will give an update -- its mostly his closest relative, is it not? Would that be his wife?and if he is out, then who would fall in line after that? This password - was that from the family so no JWN could contact him?
Hope all will work out well with Oompa! Miss his rantings... all the best
not sure if this was previously posted...but how many partakers were there this year?
thoughts on if they are headed to making this number symbolic while still stressing earthly hope?
or simply leaving it as a literal number and claiming both groups gathered concurrently throughout time?
What I don't understand is:
they tell us that somone who is partaking for the first year is not counted.... they have to pull that person aside and find out their reasonings..especially if they know the person, and hadn't partaken previously ---that being so...how come the numbers have been going up steadily yet the society says they are decreasing??
There was a person in our hall who had been a pub for years and then, bango, took the emblems for the first time -- they did not count it on the report that was sent to the society for tracking purposes...said the person was tending towards apostasy
TL
this thread is your chance to participate in an investigation... google is your friend..use it... .
the "bilderberg group" is a publicy known group..they don`t hide... they are the worlds "most" powerful people.. they influence your life everyday... they will influence your future... they have an agenda..and..have made a public statement about it... i will make the 1st post... of a public statement made by the "bilderberg group"... .
denis healey.
Well IMHO our race is doing it to themselves now anyway -- abortions, reduced birth rates will give the Muslim folks control of the world within 20 years as they are having 8 children per household on average vs 1.3 of the "christian" households.. so the Builderburgs won't have a leg to stand on.... the Muslims would not allow it
i got baptised about 25 years ago and was told the new system would be here by now.. along with a lot of other false promises.. so the answer for me would be no!!
!.
I really don't know -- now the new baptismal question ignores "baptized in the name of the Holy Spirit" so when I was baptized, it was included -- does'nt the holy spirit need to be in the questions asked now -- Matt 28:19.20 and as I am still in, do I just comply with this erroneous question to be answered with a "yes" ??
So maybe my baptism is not valid now....
i just thought that i would share an observation regarding par 3 of this weeks wt study.
the paragraph says in part " jehovah's witnesses find genuine refreshment through up building christian fellowship".. .
i am wondering if any readers / posters on this forum that still do or used to attend meetings have any thoughts on this.
I sit there and say -- again -- we have heard this over and over --but isn't that the reason for the repetition -- indocrination -- many dictators used the same rhetoric
Now I fully am well aware, there is no new information they can garner -- just revise what they have and throw the masses into utter confusion and then utter the words -- new light -- new understanding -- well Jehovah/YHWH doesn't change -- His word hasn't changed, it still has the same message -- so why cant the FDS just leave well enough alone, take the hit and say "WE DON"T KNOW!"
it saddens me greatly to see all that has happened and to see my friends in this position.
for me its a great loss but i hope that it will only be temporary.
please allow jehovahs discipline to mold you and youre way of thinking.
One quick question tho for WHEREAMI :
How long did it take you reach this point and did the loving elders watch you go slowly downhill without any shepherding calls and follow up to encourage you??