BonaFide

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Posts by BonaFide

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  42

  The meetings at the Kingdom Hall now are positively scary

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what was i thinking my entire life?

  during the first part about submission, everyone gave the same comments about being obedient to the elders even though you may not agree with them.

  and they talked about submission to the organization no matter what.. no one, i mean no one raised the possibility that the counsel or instructions might be wrong, or harmful.

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  BonaFide

  What was I thinking my entire life? During the first part about Submission, everyone gave the same comments about being obedient to the elders even though you may not agree with them. And they talked about submission to the Organization NO MATTER WHAT.

  No one, I mean NO ONE raised the possibility that the counsel or instructions might be wrong, or harmful. Nobody.

  Everyone just repeats the same things they have heard their entire life. I raised my hand and I said, "We as JW's are not robots that obey without thinking. If in a rare case the counsel is not based on the Bible, we can go to another elders, or perhaps in a nice way, we can ask for clarification."

  The brother conducting looked at me like I was an alien from outer space.

  No one after the meeting said they liked my comment.

  BF
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  7

  I am on page 52 of Combatting Mind Control

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yes, i finally started reading that book.

  he mentions jehovah's witnesses several times, and uses it as an example.. there is no way in the world i could have read this book before, and even if i did, i bet i would have thought that other groups are cults.. not anymore.. thanks, people.

  bf.

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  BonaFide

  Ha ha oh yes, its Releasing the Bonds. I was looking in the library and when I saw Steve Hassan's name I just grabbed it and opened it. I worry a little if another Witness sees me.

  Am I reading the right book first? Or should I look for Combatting Mind Control?

  BF
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  15

  It's AMAZING How JWs Accept Things!

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm sure you can think of many different examples of how witnesses simply accept a point of view or a lifestyle and just live with it!.

  think of something that all jws must accept.....no blood.

  no matter how you scripturally rationalize it, witnesses do not follow their own interpretation of "abstaining" from blood.

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  BonaFide

  Good point Outlaw. "All I know" Wow, how many times have I heard that in the past two years.

  BF
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  24

  JW urban legends

  by kurtbethel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i scraped these off of a jw message group, and they are too over the top to not pass along.

  it is interesting to see that jws pass along these yarns just as their worldly friends do.

  most of them have that vague "friend of a friend" quality that urban legends are well know for having.

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  BonaFide

  I have heard all of those several times. I believed them too.

  Another one I heard: This sister was preaching to this guy who was known as a rapist and murderer. He was polite to her. Later, two elders came to his door and asked him why he didnt attack the sister. He said, "What, with those two giant guys standing right behind her?" (Angels)

  A thief was ransacking a house when the person came home. He hid under the bed, and he heard the Witness reading the Bible. About stealing. So he waited until they left, then he looked up the Witnesses and became one

  BF
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  7

  I am on page 52 of Combatting Mind Control

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yes, i finally started reading that book.

  he mentions jehovah's witnesses several times, and uses it as an example.. there is no way in the world i could have read this book before, and even if i did, i bet i would have thought that other groups are cults.. not anymore.. thanks, people.

  bf.

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  BonaFide

  Yes, I finally started reading that book. He mentions Jehovah's Witnesses several times, and uses it as an example.

  There is no way in the world I could have read this book before, and even if I did, I bet I would have thought that OTHER groups are cults.

  Not anymore.

  Thanks, people

  BF
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  16

  What did you think about "apostates" when you were JW?

  by Albert Einstein in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i spent 17 years in jws, first 11 were very zealous.

  i feel very stupid now to admitt - but until several months ago i really believed "apostates" and all people who left jws were kind of arogant, nasty, agresive, proud and i was afraid of getting in touch with them.. i remember finding coc book in a bookstore and (since i was very curious...) i touched it (with a great guilt feeling), opend it, and read it for maybe 2 minutes.... i was so afraid it will affect me somehow badly .... and that i will displease god by doing it .... i felt so bad by sining this way .... now i see there are more kind people among those who left, than in wtbs..... i started meeting some "apostates" in my town, i see they are more reasonable and often more spiritual than jws ... it is like coming out of the darkness ...... could you believe i was such an idiot?.

  what about your experience?.

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  BonaFide

  I didnt even like this site when I first came on here. I was still programmed to think everyone that left the Witnesses was evil. But something made me keep reading.

  BF
• 
  16

  What did you think about "apostates" when you were JW?

  by Albert Einstein in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i spent 17 years in jws, first 11 were very zealous.

  i feel very stupid now to admitt - but until several months ago i really believed "apostates" and all people who left jws were kind of arogant, nasty, agresive, proud and i was afraid of getting in touch with them.. i remember finding coc book in a bookstore and (since i was very curious...) i touched it (with a great guilt feeling), opend it, and read it for maybe 2 minutes.... i was so afraid it will affect me somehow badly .... and that i will displease god by doing it .... i felt so bad by sining this way .... now i see there are more kind people among those who left, than in wtbs..... i started meeting some "apostates" in my town, i see they are more reasonable and often more spiritual than jws ... it is like coming out of the darkness ...... could you believe i was such an idiot?.

  what about your experience?.

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  BonaFide

  I didnt even like this site when I first came on here. I was still programmed to think everyone that left the Witnesses was evil. But something made me keep reading.

  BF
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  9

  Difference between Spirit Inspired and Spirit Directed?

  by onefootout in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the title says it all.. what arguments have you heard in people trying to defend the org in saying they are 'spirit directed but the writers and gb are not spirit inspired'?.

  i have never seen much of a difference.

  this seems to be the crux of the matter.

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  BonaFide

  I am an active Witness. So my way of talking to the friends about stuff like this is to first say I believe the Slave no matter what. THEN I bring up the question.

  This is the way I would do it with your question:

  I would first ask ANOTHER question like, "How many were in the Governing Body in the First Century?" Then everyone gives an idea, and I would say, "Eighteen." And I would quote some publication or whatever. Any kind of a sample question that has a good answer that requires some WT research. Makes me look like I am very supportive of the Organization.

  AND THEN, when their guard is down, I would say, "Here's a question for the service group. What is the difference between being "spirit-inspired" and "spirit-directed?"

  The bro's would give their answers, thinking I am supporting the Organization, and then I would say, "Well, there really isn't any difference, either Jehovah directs the work or he doesn't. You can't have both. But we have to phrase it like this because worldly people wouldnt believe it. So the Society is really inspired just like the Bible writers were."

  That is what I am having some limited success doing, being extra-positive about the Organization, and introducing topics and questions until THEY THEMSELVES QUESTION THINGS, NOT ME.

  BF
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  10

  Why do Witnesses think the world is so bad? Here's another reason

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i know the fact that the publications say the world is bad, and the beginning of so many public talks.

  and the introductions in the field ministry.. but here is something i have been thinking about.. jw's are not exposed to people from all walks of life.

  growing up in the truth, most of the bro's in my hall worked in construction, cleaning, office workers, or ups.

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  BonaFide

  Yes, everyone as a child accepts their family as normal. They don't know anything else. Even if that family is abusive in many ways.

  BF
• 
  33

  So, how many of you stayed single or childless for the sake of the Kingdom? And how many people in your Hall are single or childless for that reason?

  by BonaFide in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  in my hall growing up, i remember 6 childless couples.

  some have died, some are still alive.. i stayed single for the kingdom, hope to change that.. presently in my congregation, there are 4 brothers over 30, two over 40, that are single for the kingdom.

  and about 10 single sisters over 25.. three of the five married elders have no children.

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  BonaFide

  Wow, its almost too sad for them to realize there is no New System with a perfect mate wating for them.

  BF