thinking about this paradise thingy lately, possibly due to a@g's video.
just because wt figures out there is both a earthly hope in addition to a heavenly hope around 1936 i guess, how did they come up with the idea that all christians prior to that date were all heavenly?
there was no big date prophesied like 1914 regarding 1936, so how did they decide the number 144k were sealed then, and that everyone from then on will be stuck on earth?.
Man, the current writing staff must just hate Rutherford/Franz for all of their whacked out ideas. And they just keep covering for them, pulling one thing after another out of their backsides.
On a similar note, I read once that scholars think there were something like 1 million Christians in the first century alone. Can anyone cite a source on this? it may be most helpful in a discussion I'm having right now.
i have a friend who has been in bethel for 15 years.
he is still single and looking for the right girl.
he is a really nice guy, he tries to help people in his congregation, the young people, the older ones.
We took an older elder out for hospitality a few months back after the public talk. Got to talking about plans for a new hall that is going to be built later this year. Then he said something along the lines of "Well, thats if Armageddon doesn't come first!" with complete belief in his eyes, heart, and soul.
I didn't have a word to say, just a sharp pain right in the middle of my heart.
If your going just by WT presidents, I vote for Russell. Lets bring back Christmas, Birthdays, and Pyramids!
i have been out over 5 years now.
i feel we all start healing at different speeds depending on how much hurt we went through in exiting ; and how much we've educated ourselves about how and why we were sucked in by a mind control cult.
at first i felt anger towards the organization , but after learning about mind control within 3 years of leaving the cult i felt sorry for those who are still trapped inside the witnesses being deceived.
Thanks Mr. Flip and Scarred for Life for your kind words and encouragement. I second Homer's motion as I have come across many threads in my short time here and have seen firsthand how Mr. Flipper takes the time to answer just about everyone!
I have read Releasing the Bonds, but had to turn it back in to the library. Funny, as I read it I was thinking of how to apply it to my family, yet completey overlooked how it applied to me personally. I'll have to get my own copy for further reference.
the use of the word "soon" at the kh is used so much by jw's.
that it has almost turned into a "soon" doctrine.. i counted the word soon 15 times at the meeting yesterday during the.
public talk and wt.
How about "close" as in close to the end. I threw it out there at a witless gathering a few weeks ago that it was interesting that the number of anointed was increasing drastically. I was met by the response that "Because we are so close to the end, some Dubs are confused and think they are anointed"
Covering all the bases once again...
any ideas?.
.
african gb member.
A funny thought...meetings in the new system. I remember as I was growing up, always wishing the New system would get here so I wouldn' have meeting nights anymore.....
i have been out over 5 years now.
i feel we all start healing at different speeds depending on how much hurt we went through in exiting ; and how much we've educated ourselves about how and why we were sucked in by a mind control cult.
at first i felt anger towards the organization , but after learning about mind control within 3 years of leaving the cult i felt sorry for those who are still trapped inside the witnesses being deceived.
Right now I am only somewhat mentally free. Its actually a wonderful feeling, but its gets dampened when I go to the beatings. I spend way too much time here and on other exJW boards. Trying to limit that and work on more constructive things like actually getting out physically as well. As a born-in, I'm trying to work through feelings of stupidity and ignorance, mainly "Why was I so stupid?" and "why was I so ignorant?"
At the same time, there is that void, moving from being a know it all, to a know-nothing. I'm trying to embrace that though, considering new ideas, concepts and beliefs that I would have rejected without a second thought.
Quandry-Congrats on your daughter's progress, and your own willingness to risk it all. While I'm two decades behind you in age, I am inspired and moved by individuals such as yourself that have taken back their life and now can enjoy the simple things that get pushed aside by this religion
Its pretty dependent on the DF'd meeting attendance record over the past year or so. They really isn't much more to go off than that. A 1 month DF is just too soon, six months minimum. Usually more toward a year of regular attendance and the elders magically believe you are repentant.
it just occurred to me that i've never seen the term on the forum before.. it was pretty common in my area.
there was a group, a clique really, of regular pioneers, mostly stay-at-home mom types who placed the "try-oneer" label on newly-appointed regular pioneers.
it was their way of cementing their importance.
I've heard it, but not in that context.
The way i heard about it was as an encouraging way to try to get people to pioneer. "Hey, why don't you try-oneer for a while? Maybe it will work for you" A way to guilt housewives, retired people, and recent high school grads to waste copious amounts of time selling magazines and books.
in october of 2000, i faded away from the watchtower.
like most people, i have family and friends who are jw's (including my wife and parents).
fading is generally the best method for people in that situation.
Found this today, many thanks for your sharing your experience as I'm in the same boat. I've already had a few heated exchanges with Mrs. Dismayed, and hopefully we can reach an "elephant in the room" agreement soon.
