Posts by StoneWall

24

Hello from new member DarthFader

by darthfader in

jw
friends

i have been lurking in the shadows for a while now i just got my account from the fine administrators of this board.

i have really enjoyed reading the well thought out comments and critiques of the wts doctrine.. i have been around the wts since i was 5 i left for a while during high school got to live a little worldly/normal life then got sucked back in.

my wife has been raised in the truth and even though weve been inactive (for a while now), she still has thoughts about the earthly hope and seeing her grandparents some day.

StoneWall

Welcome to the Board DarthFader!

Sorry to hear that your wife has Asthma and had to endure the congregations form of love(or lack there of).

That is my wife's and one of my sister's biggest hang-ups with the Org is the lack of genuine love.

I was more like you. My issues was more doctrinal. Things that were taught as being from the "mouth of God" himself

or from God's own spokesman. Then they would change it and say it was "new light" and try to back that up with

scripture at Proverbs 4:18 about the light getting brighter. The problem I had with that was what about when they

changed two or three or more times a teaching by going back to what was earlier taught. They could never show me a

scripture to back that up. That it would be like a strobe light and flash on and off again. Sorta like lights on/lights off.

I always as a young kid tried to visualize the scripture at proverbs 4:18 that they would use as sorta like a light on a dimmer

switch and it was being turned slowly to the right to illuminate the room. It made sense to me that way. That it would

get brighter as time went on. But how can they explain changing a teaching then going back to the former way, then

back again. Sounds like someone is screwing with the dimmer switch. Can someone holler at them and tell them

they turning it the wrong way? (If anyone not sure what I'm referring to about the WT changing just look up how

many times they have changed who the Superior Authorities of Romans chapter 13 are,whether the dead of Sodom and

Gomorrah will receive a resurrection or not and also look up who is the Alpha and Omega of Revelation 22:13.)

9

Do you remeber being at the Circuit Assembies and District Conventions hearing those "if only" talks

by StoneWall in

i can remember being at many of the ca and dc and hearing those talks about the people that had left the org.

and then came back.

usually it was supposedly quoting a handwritten letter that we never got to see or an.

StoneWall

I can remember being at many of the CA and DC and hearing those talks about the people that had left the org

and then came back. Usually it was supposedly quoting a handwritten letter that we never got to see or an

Oral statement made by someone or quoting an earlier Watchtower or publication.

And it would usually go something like this:

If only I woulda listened to the Organization I wouldn't got pregnant or contracted AIDS

If only I woulda listened to the Org I wouldn't got lung cancer from smoking (oh and throat cancer too)

If only I wouldn't insisted on my own rights and listened to the Congregation Elders I wouldn't be in prison

If only I paid more attention at the Hall I wouldn't be in a go no-where job (instead I could be at bethel slaving away)

And I'm sure many of you can add to this list and I hope to hear some of them.

But here's my new "If Only" list and its not complete but still working on it:

If only I would read the earlier publications I coulda found out about C.T.Russells involvement with Numerology and Pyramidology

If only I had listened to others when they tried to tell me about Beth Sarim in San Diego,Calif. and J.F.Rutherfords Mansion

If only I knew that 1914 wasn't the first date that was picked for Christ return. (evidently he's returned a lot accordig to WT)

If only I had followed my Dad's advice and went to college (dad wasn't a witness but mom was)

If only I hadn't distanced myself from my non-witness family members considering them bad association according to WT

If only I woulda listened to my conscience and not kept shelving stuff that didn't make sense and instead kept looking for answers

Then and only then would so many things in life that should be,could be and that would be better have been accomplished.

But I guess I can take consolation in the "fact" "truth" "hope" "faith" that soon,very soon, any day now that it will have all

been worth it and I can run with the lions and swim with the sharks, and ride the Elephants and outlive my house that

I build with my own hands and grow younger not older (until I hit about 21 then stop, or was it 30).

Now If Only I knew how to end this

StoneWall

18

Bound volumes free for the taking

by jukief in

jw
friends

we have several nearly complete sets of watchtower and awake!

bound volumes, from 1960 through the early 2000s, that we need to get rid of quickly.

you can have them for the shipping cost.

StoneWall

jukief,

I sure wish I was closer to where you are and I would take them off your hands.

Sometimes the printed books and magazines are our only hope and chance of showing some people the flip flops,

"light getting brighter then dim", and complete reversals on doctrine and policies that the Org has published over the

years. A lot of folks just won't accept scans or digital downloads or uploads of the various pulications for fear that

they may have been tampered with or not an accurate duplicate.

I know cause I was one of those type people. I had well intentioned people try to tell me there was many errors

the society had made over the years and some things that were maybe covered over but it went in one ear and out

the other. But the one thing that I couldn't deny was when i seen it in print off of the WTB&TS own presses. Thats

when it made the big impression on me about digging deeper and seeing what else had been printed over the years.

I so hope that you don't trash any of them. If you get no takers on here, as hard as it might be for ya contact

the local Kingdom hall and volunteer to donate them if they want them. I'm sure someone there would like to have

some of them to build their "theocratic" library. Just think someone getting ahold of those older publications might

start checking into whats in them or comparing with whats taught now and see the inconsistencies. This in turn

could lead to their first doubts or crisis of conscience regarding the Org.

If you got the 1969 Awake! bound Volume that in itself is a treasure trove because of the article in it about the

ones in school then wouldn't grown old or fulfill a career in this system of things. I believe that must be why the society's

CD-Rom only goes back to 1970 in their bound volumes. Kinda embarassing for them I guess.

But please try any and every option available to you to get these into the hands of someone that can use them

for the most benefit for us. I can understand if you are moving or needing the room for other things but hopefully someone

can relieve you of them and still be able to show others from their pages the ever "changing truth" from their pages.

And just think you can count them all as book placements...LOL (ok that was a vain attempt at humor)

Regards,

StoneWall

15

You know your an ex-JW when......

by restrangled in

jw
friends

you set out the trash on the night before friday...the biggest batch you've had in a long time and wonder why in the hell hasn't any other neighbor set out there's as usual?!!!!!!.

i get back in and am informed its good friday tomorrow.

r. (i am not dragging all this crap back in!

StoneWall

LoL @ Greenhornet.

That is so true. Every movie i see of NYC or even the early morning programs on T.V. live from N.Y. I always look for

those white square buildings near the water. Creature of habit hard to break the cycle

42

The Potter: Do You STILL Want to Worship This?

by WTWizard in

jeremiah 18 starts like this:.

1: the word which came to jeremiah from the lord, saying, .

2: arise, and go down to the potter's house, and there i will cause thee to hear my words.

StoneWall

Bob1999 I can appreciate and understand partly what you are trying to say but there is one scripture that really

answers it all for me and thats in Revelation 22:17

And the spirit and the bride keep on saying: “Come!” And let anyone hearing say: “Come!” And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishestake life’s water free. [NWT]

So I can never really buy into that predestination or foreordained mindset that many people have...there are other scriptures

but that is the one that kinda puts the icing on the cake for me. Any one that wishes come take lifes water free.

Regards,

StoneWall

11

I always loved the Memorial

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

i am about to leave for the memorial in a few minutes.

family and friends in, you know.. i was raised "in the truth.

" i grew up really thinking the memorial was such a big deal.

StoneWall

I hear ya BonaFide!

I have to admit that every year when the memorial rolled around I kinda looked forward to it. Friends and family that

never came to any of the other meetings would be there for this one and we would always go out afterwards as a group

to a restaurant or even like a Pizza Hut and set around the table and laugh and talk about all kinds of things going on

in each others lives. And as pointed out on other threads you usually got a new suit if you were a guy or a

new dress if you were a girl and got to show it off and feel special for a day.(this was big since we didn't celebrate b-days)

91

The Official What happened at the Memorial thread

by truthseeker in

jw
friends

i thought rather than everyone start their own topic relating their experience of attending the memorial, we keep it simple and have just one thread.

if anything, it's saves bandwidth.. i will be going to the memorial tonight and will post my experiences afterwards.. all the other memorials i attended, i was an active jw, so this will be my first experience as a submarine witness.

it's weird being on the other side so to speak.

StoneWall

I already commented on a thread of one I had earlier after i got back from the memorial but will also copy it to here

since this is the "Official" after Memeorial thread. :) (to tired and lazy right now to re-type it so if it looks familier to any

one its off my other thread)

UPDATE:

Made it back alive and in one piece :)

We had the late memorial since two congregations meet in the KH and stayed for a bit and talked to some I haven't

seen in a while. Have to admit it went better than I thought and was even nice talking to a lot of them.

Didn't really affect my viewpoints and opinions on things but at least got to see once again that there are some in

that really are sincere and made it a point to go out of their way to come talk to me and family and hug us and let

us know they still think of us often. So from my perspective it wasn't too bad.

And yep there was the pep talk also after the memorial talk to all in attendance to come back for the special talk

on April 26 that would be delivered around the world at all KH's and also to come for the other meetings as well.

4

Just received my third memorial invitation on my door while I was in shower. Then about 20 minutes later my best friends wife called

by StoneWall in

jw
friends

evidently i had visitors while in the shower because soon as i opened my front door the invitation fell inside onto the.

living room floor.

one from family member and one from the coboe(formerly po position).. not real sure who this one is from that was left on my door.. i had barely gotten completely dressed when the phone rings and find out its my best friends wife on there.. she was inquiring if i was going to the memorial tonight because her husband didn't think i would.

StoneWall

UPDATE:

Made it back alive and in one piece :)

We had the late memorial since two congregations meet in the KH and stayed for a bit and talked to some I haven't

seen in a while. Have to admit it went better than I thought and was even nice talking to a lot of them.

Didn't really affect my viewpoints and opinions on things but at least got to see once again that there are some in

that really are sincere and made it a point to go out of their way to come talk to me and family and hug us and let

us know they still think of us often. So from my perspective it wasn't too bad.

And yep there was the pep talk also after the memorial talk to all in attendance to come back for the special talk

on April 26 that would be delivered around the world at all KH's and also to come for the other meetings as well.

12

What is the best thing about getting old?

by I quit! in

jw
friends

you can hide your own easter eggs..........

StoneWall

It means you'll always get to be someones Elder even if not in a congregational sense

4

Just received my third memorial invitation on my door while I was in shower. Then about 20 minutes later my best friends wife called

by StoneWall in

jw
friends

evidently i had visitors while in the shower because soon as i opened my front door the invitation fell inside onto the.

living room floor.

one from family member and one from the coboe(formerly po position).. not real sure who this one is from that was left on my door.. i had barely gotten completely dressed when the phone rings and find out its my best friends wife on there.. she was inquiring if i was going to the memorial tonight because her husband didn't think i would.

StoneWall

Evidently I had visitors while in the shower because soon as I opened my front door the invitation fell inside onto the

living room floor. I had already gotten two. One from family member and one from the CoBOE(formerly PO position).

Not real sure who this one is from that was left on my door.

I had barely gotten completely dressed when the phone rings and find out its my best friends wife on there.

She was inquiring if I was going to the memorial tonight because her husband didn't think I would. I told her

sure that I was planning on going and she was like good we can walk in together, that way everyone can see

we're still alive and kicking even after missing well over a year of meetings. (I honestly can't remember how long its been)

I have to say that this friend is one of those that is a true friend, if you ever wanted anyone to have your back it

would be him. Both he and his wife have been so close to us over the many years and its funny how they have their issues

with certain things either with teachings,procedures, or individuals and we have ours. I can remeber when he quit going to

meetings for a while and I encouraged him to come back and then i quit for a time and he encouraged me to come back.

Now we both missing and this will be the first meeting other than last years memorial that either of us has attended.

Funny how life changes and things turn out.

Regards to all,

StoneWall