Posts by BonaFide

70

active jw's visiting here?

by Ronnie38 in

jw
friends

i was just curious---.

i assume that there are active jws that visit here.. any idea on the percent that the board has?

does it just seem to be a very few or is it a substantial number?.

BonaFide

Active Witness here, regular auxiliary pioneer, baptized 28 years, former missionary, I am still very active.

BF

93

To SO CAL: What CO's and DO's do we all know?

by IreallydidwalkoutofaKH in

jw
friends

okay, in order it goes like this for me............brother peace 1980-83, brother rose 1984-86, brother yasko 1986-88, brother sekella 1988-91, brother billy ford 1992-95, brother davis 1996-99, brother irskin 2000-03 and then it gets kinda blurry....brother burge and another, brother hairston.

okay, that just about does it.

i have this topic becauce i tried reading the favorite co and do thread, but did not recognize any names......

BonaFide

I was out of the country for 11 years, but I was often on vacation here and I always went to meetings and in service.

Kin Suen, C.O. - Encouraged me to pioneer, I really always liked this brother, I still do. Its hard to believe that he is wrong about anything.

Bill Baxter - D.O. "The Six blind Men from Indostan." He gave that illustration a lot. Very nice also.

Steve Kormendi - C.O. - He made me a little uncomfortable because he talked about his dietary stuff from the platform.

Wilbur Filson - Old Anointed brother, passed away a few years ago. Everyone respected him.

Elmer Woodley - Younger C.O. in the 80's, he was really cool to me. Recommended me for stuff and put me on the assembly.

Brad Lovett - I only met him once I think, when I was here on vacation

Brother Hester - Extremely kind to the friends, as far as I saw, but tough to the elders. I understand he is no longer a C.O. because he disagreed with the Society on something.

Brother Rucker is the current C.O. in English around here. Seems reasonable. However at the Circuit Assembly he said he hated it when the elders called brothers and sisters into the back room. But he supports the arrangement. Doesnt make sense.

Brother Charles Velours - I went to his wife's funeral. Such a sincere brother. At a talk at a circuit assembly he said, "I understand we are all having a hard time in these last days. I wake up exhausted every morning, and I am tired all day. So I understand you brothers."

Brother Darryl Butler in the Sign Language congregations as a C.O. Also brother Adam Weigan is C.O. in Sign Language, very, very, nice brother.

Brother Gordon Merrill - In Missouri area years ago, he used to partake. Then I heard he didn't. Loved the deeper things.

BF

10

Do I know any of you in "real life?"

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so, i am so happy that so many of you have helped me, and some seem by your comments like i might know you in person, or at least have met you.

i guess i could pm them and go that route, but that would take a ton of time.

i wonder if any of you are in my circuit?

BonaFide

So, I am so happy that so many of you have helped me, and some seem by your comments like I might know you in person, or at least have met you. I guess I could PM them and go that route, but that would take a ton of time. I wonder if any of you are in my Circuit? District?

Any ideas?

BF

12

How to not get disfellowshipped even though you do not believe anymore

by BonaFide in

this has been working for me well in talking with family and friends about "the truth.".

1. before you bring up a topic, talk about how we are allowed to ask questions, and we are encouraged to do so.

i have tried saying, "one thing i like about the organization is that it encourages us to use our minds, and we don't get into trouble for asking questions, the organization loves questions like the ancient bereans did.. 2. always phrase things in the form of a question.

BonaFide

This has been working for me well in talking with family and friends about "the truth."

1. Before you bring up a topic, talk about how we are allowed to ask questions, and we are encouraged to do so. I have tried saying, "One thing I like about the Organization is that it encourages us to use our minds, and we don't get into trouble for asking questions, the Organization loves questions like the ancient Bereans did.

2. Always phrase things in the form of a question. i.e. "I don't understand why we say that we are in a lifesaving work and that it is urgent. There are billions in the world not preached to such as China and India, and here in our territory, most people don't even know that Witnesses believe in Jesus. All of them will die at Armageddon. Unless Jehovah reads their hearts and he decides they are good, so then why the urgency? Why dp we say we are saving lives when Jehovah would make sure they would live anyway?"

So when they say, "Why are you talking like this, are you saying the preaching work is useless" you can answer, "Of course not, I am just asking questions, I like to learn."

3. Eventually thought, someone may ask you, especially if the discussion gets a little excited, "But do you believe this is Jehovah's Organization and that we have the truth?" The answer should always be YES. If you say no to that question, hello judicial committee and goodbye to helping family and friends. I have seen my family and friends breathe a sigh of relief when I say, "Of course its the truth. I just like to talk, and as Christians, we are supposed to examine our faith."

I know some here say that is dishonest, but it is the only way I can think of to help my family and friends. They will never speak to an apostate, we are supposed to not say hello. One of my friends that is an elder said to me, "You know, some are saying you are bringing up things against the Organization." I told him, "What upsets me the most is that I have been loyal to the Organization all my life, it hurts me so bad when people say this gossip. How can I stop it?" Then he proceeded to hem and haw about how we are not supposed to doubt Jehovah, and all questions will be answered, and that the most important thing is the Organization."

I know also that some say to just leave the lies and deceit, but I love my family, and I have a ton of friends that can still have children and have a life, I just want to help them.

BF

99

Pioneer hours change

by JWFreak in

jw
friends

it's just a label who cares

BonaFide

One thing some of you might find interesting is that the Circuit Overseers are not required to make pioneer hours.

When I was a C.O., from 1993 to 2000, I put in 90 plus hours each month. I went in streetwork and evening witnessing. I have a lot of energy and I liked to support the pioneers. Then my District Overseer showed me the letter, it said that while Circuit Overseers are pioneers, they have other responsibilities, such as to shepherd the flock, so the 90 hours was not a requirement. They "encouraged" us to put in at least 80 hours, though.

BF

13

How do I get past the fear?

by Quester55 in

i';ve been indoctrinated for a long time.

i have a residual fear that maybe, maybe, just maybe they (jw's) might be right.

but my logical mind says they are so far off into left.

BonaFide

You hang in there Quester. I am in the same boat, and I served as a missionary and a circuit overseer. My stomach used to hurt so bad after elders meetings, so many things I just didnt feel right about and I didnt know why. I blamed myself.

I came on here and they helped me so much. I cried a lot, I mean I have spent my life in this organization. You will be ok. They are trying to disfellowship me, but not successful yet. And now more than ever I see the lies and the control.

When I post about my own situation, I wait for a day or two, then I print out the responses, and I keep them in my folder. Then I take them to the Kingdom Hall. They look like the CD-rom notes, ha ha. Just dont print out the Watchtower logo on the top. But they help me so much.

I am an active witness, I have a talk next week. So don't worry, you are not alone out there. A guy named Gilead on here helped me, so did Seeker4 and Flipper. SnakesintheTower helped too, and others, really kind people.

The Witnesses mix the good stuff like love and kindness and forgiving, then they mix in the other teachings. The one I hear the most now is, "We are imperfect, thats why the elders make mistakes." All the Witnesses repeat that same phrase when you point out an inconsistency.

I will say one thing though, if anyone asks you, like elders or family or friends, if you believe this is God's Organization, always say, "Yes of course." If you say no, you will be disfellowshipped that same week.

I have three friends now that I am talking to, and I am using the reasoning found on here, they are really taking it in. I would never have been able to do that from the outside.

You can PM me if you want. I am not as good as those other guys, but at least I know how it feels to sit at the meetings and realize everyone is wrong.

You can do it.

BF

20

The tipping point

by JeffT in

jw
friends

from wikipedia: "the term tipping point describes a point at which a slow gradual change becomes irreversible and then proceeds with gathering pace.

it is derived from the metaphor of a rigid solid object being tilted to a point where it begins to topple.".

has the watchtower reached such a point?

BonaFide

I never, ever, ever thought I would lose my faith as a Witness. I lived and breathed the "truth." I still go to meetings and I have a talk next week, but wow, what a difference.

It seemed so strange to me at the assembly, the lack of applause except the final talk. Plus the way no one talks about the program after it is over like we used to. And I could be wrong, but it seems like the speakers are nowhere near as dogmatic as they used to be.

Well, I should say some of them. I have some friends who are just as zealous as ever. They are in and in all the way. They just love it, and anything bad is explained away, just like I used to.

But seems things are changing fast for a lot of people. I hope the snowball effect, or the tipping point happens soon.

BF

5

Is there a "high-ranking" bethelite on this site?

by BonaFide in

i am wondering now if brothers like j.r. brown, or perhaps someone in the service department might do a ray franz.

the more i think about the convention this past weekend, and how desperate brother pierce sounded, the more i think things are really getting weird in new york.

when i was there, it was like a fortress of faith, at least to me.

BonaFide

I am wondering now if brothers like J.R. Brown, or perhaps someone in the Service Department might do a Ray Franz. The more I think about the convention this past weekend, and how desperate brother Pierce sounded, the more I think things are really getting weird in New York. When I was there, it was like a fortress of faith, at least to me.

I think this has been commented on before, but is there anyone on this site that is currently at Bethel in New York? Or is there anything "brewing" since Barbara Anderson left?

BF

12

Update on my situation

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

at the bookstudy on thursday, one of the elders that is "investigating" me called on me to comment.

he didn't call on me to pray though.

afterward, he gave me a km.

BonaFide

Thanks everyone for being so supportive. I never realized that this could happen with my family and friends. When i was a missionary, I used to be able to almost ignore a lot of the stuff I thought was weird, because everyone liked me.

In kind of a bizarre way, I am sort of glad to be accused of gross misconduct, because it is showing me so much about how it feels to be on this side of being accused. I used to be the big C.O. with the briefcase and the notes and the letters from the Society and the power to change someones life. What a terrible thing to have over another person.

I did try to be nice though, and I tried to be fair. But I still kicked people out.

Now I realize I was never better than anyone.

BF

22

ok does this letter to congregation sound ok?

by dobbie in

jw
friends

following on again from my posts re elder not leaving wheni asked etc i am sending a letter to the elders about it and saying not tocall.

could you cast your peepers over it please and let me know what you think?of course they may d'f hubby if i get him to sign it also but its what hes waiting for so than won't matter!.

this week (elders name) called on our house whilst 'working' our street, despite our having a sign stating 'no religious callers' that he has seen before.. i asked him politely to put his bible away in view of this, he rufused as i am "not the head of the house".

BonaFide

When they come to your door, have you tried bringing up the child abuse policy? Or the 1914 generation teaching? I remember I used to love to stay at people's door because I really thought I had the truth and could help them. The more they resisted, the more I thought I was right.

But when someone brought up something that made me uncomfortable, I would do my best to explain, but then I would mark that house as a Do Not Call. Wow, I remember how nervous I used to get when their questions seemed to make sense.

I am assuming that you do not want to waste your time, but its questions like that that help people to see the false teachings they have been fed.

BF