Posts by BonaFide

38

Did being raised a JW retard your career or cost you BIG $$$?

by The Berean in

jw
friends

i was offered a journalism scholarship at ohio state ... mom made me turn it down cause "armageddonwas near"... ended up a janitor!

.

BonaFide

I don't know if I could have ever been as successful as some of you on here. I got A's mostly in High School, some B's. But being raised in the truth, I wanted to do everything for Jehovah, I thought.

I took a special test, and got my high school diploma. Started regular pioneering. Got a bunch of part-time jobs doing different things.

Then off to MTS, then a missionary. I was happy, I thought I had reached my spiritual goals. Especially being invited into the circuit work.

Now that I am back in the States, I try so hard to make money. But with a HS education and no skill? I worked at different jobs in the last seven years, last year I got a job I thought was going to be great, but it fizzled out after two months.

So now I am going back to school to get a skill.

It's funny sometimes, people ask me, "So what is your degree in?" I answer that I don't have one. Everyone not a Witness thinks that is weird, one said to me, "Bonafide you are pretty smart, but you are undereducated."

Yes, I know.

BF

20

The structure of the Organization keeps people in

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

when i was in bethel, i noticed this, and of course more now.. there are those big buildings in brooklyn, the huge watchtower sign, that big clock facing manhattan.

everyone in bethel has those haircuts, clothes are pressed.

everyone is at morning worship.

BonaFide

Scarred for life, very interesting comment. This forum is great because it makes you think.

I am glad you got out, I am glad I saw the truth, but my point is that for so many, the routine, and the outward appearance of everything being clean and neat is what gives the illusion that all is OK in Witnessville.

But's its not

BF

20

The structure of the Organization keeps people in

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

when i was in bethel, i noticed this, and of course more now.. there are those big buildings in brooklyn, the huge watchtower sign, that big clock facing manhattan.

everyone in bethel has those haircuts, clothes are pressed.

everyone is at morning worship.

BonaFide

I don't view myself as "staying in" because I am not a believer anymore. My service time is mostly faked, I go out in the car groups to bring up subjects to help them. I do nothing other than the minimum. And my goal is different.

I don't feel sorry for the Watchtower, I feel sorry for those stuck in it that are so unhappy and don't know why.

BF

189

so they never claimed to be an inspired prophet?

by ninja in

*** si p. 9 all scripture is inspired of god and beneficial ***.

line of communication.

16 someone may ask, what has been the means of communication?

BonaFide

Renaii, please define "Refinement"

15

My undercover saga - Part 1

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

actually, this is part 8 or 9, i can't remember, but i thought i would number them from now on.. i am an active witness, and i want to help my friends and family.

i have had some success in trying to get them to reason, because i always state at the outset, and at the end of the conversation, that i support the faithful slave and gb no matter what.. so since i have a big vehicle, some of the older ones asked me to take them to special assembly day this past weekend.

i had already been, and i told you all about it, but i agreed.

BonaFide

Imagine if hundreds of us went back to the congregations and gave talks and comments that supported the Slave, but brought up other topics. What could the elders do? Nothing, as long as we outwardly claimed we believe the Slave. We could talk about the blood fractions, 1919, the United Nations, lots of fun stuff.

I think that if we could bring more stuff into the dialogue, Witnesses might start to reason. Takes time and effort, but worth it I think.

Of course, some of you have no reason to go back in, you are happy on the outside which is fantastic, and you have no family in that you want to get out.

But for those of us who do, the undercover way is what I recommend.

BF

9

Pregnant & nursing moms at conventions

by Blithe Freshman in

reading the recent posts about medical emergancies made me think of this.. we would always hear how the society put so much care into the planning of the conventions, but i remember showing up on a friday morning and there was no room prepared for nursing moms or diaper changing.after asking around i was finally pointed to a dark storage room at the end of a hallway.

there were stacks of boxes sitting around & a few folding chairs leaning against a wall.

the whole place was covered in dead cockroaches & rat poop and smelled of rodent urine.

BonaFide

Sorry that happened to you Blithe. In my foreign assignment they had no nursing room or changing rooms at the assemblies. The sisters just fed their babies in their seat, and changed them there too.

From the platform i could see several moms in the audiences taking care of their children.

Lots of noise, no one seemed to be paying much attention to the talk. Nice families, though.

BF

20

The structure of the Organization keeps people in

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

when i was in bethel, i noticed this, and of course more now.. there are those big buildings in brooklyn, the huge watchtower sign, that big clock facing manhattan.

everyone in bethel has those haircuts, clothes are pressed.

everyone is at morning worship.

BonaFide

Narkissos, I didnt notice that I wrote that "Even foreign branches are clean." I don't want to stereotype. The reason I wrote that is because in the countries in South America that I have been to, and served in for years, the countries were extremely dirty, really bad. Everyone throws trash on the ground, the walls in their houses are pretty gross, yes some of it is poverty, but some of it is just bad habits.

But the branches are always super-clean.

I will re-think that though, thanks for pointing it out.

As far as the other comments go, yes, some people are in because of the concept that we have the truth. I think also that some just follow the routine, and keep going without a thought that it might be wrong.

BF

44

The cost of going undercover to help family and friends - Is it worth it?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so all of you that are trying to help your family and friends as a disassociated person, or disfellowshipped, or sort-of-shunned.. what do you think about getting reinstated or reactivated to help them get out?.

the time invested would be two meetings a week, about 6 hours total including driving.

for those on the outside, you would have to get reinstated, so you would need 2-3 months of going to meetings making sure the elders see you and know your intention.. add field service in there.

BonaFide

I just can't shake the feeling that in a few years, if I don't help my family and friends, at least TRY, they will say to me, "Hey Bonafide, if you knew, why didnt you at least TRY to help us get out?"

That's why I am doing this.

BF

15

Why do so many on here quote the WT and Awake when Witnesses hardly ever read them?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

really people, most witnesses do not read the magazines.

i can say that because i go to the meetings, i go in service, i have been a witness all my life.

i have been in english, spanish, and sign language congregations.

BonaFide

That's why I think when we point out something in the magazines, Witnesses antennas go up. They start thinking we are up to something.

Regular Witnesses rarely mention the magazines.

BF

44

The cost of going undercover to help family and friends - Is it worth it?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

so all of you that are trying to help your family and friends as a disassociated person, or disfellowshipped, or sort-of-shunned.. what do you think about getting reinstated or reactivated to help them get out?.

the time invested would be two meetings a week, about 6 hours total including driving.

for those on the outside, you would have to get reinstated, so you would need 2-3 months of going to meetings making sure the elders see you and know your intention.. add field service in there.

BonaFide

JustHuman, I also spent my life in the Organization, but I don't think I have gone through the same things you have. I am sorry.

I feel so bad for my family and friends that are wasting their lives, I really want to help them. Yes, it may backfire, but I want to try.

I am happy for you that you found such a great church.

BF