Posts by winstonchurchill

49

Can't believe I am doing this

by rockmehardplace in

jw
friends

i am shocked i am even writing this.

for about a year or so, i have hid in the darkness peeking at this site and following everyone else's story.

i have learned more than i expected from so many.

winstonchurchill

Welcome, RockMeHardPlace.

I could entirely take your post and sign it and post it as mine. Exactly.

I joined a few weeks ago, after -like you- lurking for a long time. This bunch is just lovely. Here you'll find brilliant and balanced people (and yeah some nut-jobs).

What I can tell you is that when you shift your focus from upholding the 'organization' and its rules, to supporting the people, you earn a remarkable peace of mind. That's how I stay in (I have my reasons) and even hold responsabilities as an elder: I just stopped caring about the WTS and its representatives. I don't hate them, I don't antagonize them... I simply ignore them. I care for the people. I know that down the road I'll be put in a situation were I won't be able to hide my real beliefs. I'll cross that bridge when I reach that river.

For whatever it's good, count on me.

426

One of the Governing Body had a stroke yesterday

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

on may 19th, theodore jaracz had a stroke.

he's in very serious condition in the hospital.. that's all the information i have for now.. barb.

winstonchurchill

but I personally feel that the leadership of the organization is what is reprehensible.

Jeff, you captured what is my stongest feeling. But I come a bit closer to the field. GB -as reprehensible as they are- live in a bubble, disconected from everyday life. I can see (not that I agree) how they become oblivious to the realities that R&F JW's face, and the practical effects and implications of the decisions they make from their towers.

To me the most reprehensible buch has to be the traveling O's. Maybe I'm biased because i was one. But these guys and their wives are on the streets, they see brothers and sisters everyday. They should know how it is; they should be a bit (just a bit at least) more reasonable, more compassionate. But all I see is ego trips, stupid rules left and right, total lack of personal interest in people. In our congregation we have widows, orphans, people battling cancer, old folks in homes, but everytime the CO comes is seems like he's here just to give us a hard time, insisting in the minutiea (e.g. Elders and MS should not sit on the same seats all the time, the microphones, kids running, the lenght of sister x skirt -and forget about who sister x is and what problems she may be facing-, the cards and the paperwork and a very long etc.), while totally overlooking the needs of the congregation. Their 'comfort words' are so hollow, pre-fabricated and un-sincere that it's sickening.

426

One of the Governing Body had a stroke yesterday

by AndersonsInfo in

jw
friends

on may 19th, theodore jaracz had a stroke.

he's in very serious condition in the hospital.. that's all the information i have for now.. barb.

winstonchurchill

Barbara, you just earned an(other) amdirer!

While I understand the feelings behind some comments, I see that some people here get easily carried away and start acting in the way they so much critize the WTS for acting.

For nearly two decades, as an elder, temporarily at Bethel, as a Traveling Overseer, I saw many times -almost all of the time- the WTS taking care of people, myself and my family. Even after we had to leave the circuit work, and go to a 'normal life' (not in the 'full time service' at all), they had an extremely generous gesture and gave us practical ($) help when our family faced an adversity.

Yes, I also know (and have seen) stories of people treated not so fairly in my view. As an active witness an elder, I am at the point where "I have come to doubt / all that I once held as true" (with regards to Paul Simon). But I refuse to oscillate to the other end and become a JW hater. I admire people like you, who take a stance but keep balance. Believe me, an objective critic is a rare gem.

4

Who was the guy...

by jamiebowers in

jw
friends

that was the first non-anointed one to be put in charge of one of the wt's corporations, and what was he in charge of?.

winstonchurchill

Max Larson, who was factory overseer for decades was made president of WTB&S of New York in 2000, I think that at the same time Don Adams was made President of the WTB&TS of Penn

28

Mouthy's Birthday Coming Up

by Outaservice in

jw
friends

be sure to wish our dear friend, 'mouthy' a big happy birthday this friday, may 22nd!

wishing you many more, and wish we could .

outaservice.

winstonchurchill

A birthday?

Who are we going to behead?

22

Is there a GROWING AWARENESS among Jehovah's Witnesses that SOMETHING is REALLY WRONG with the Organization?

by BonaFide in

jw
friends

i hope i can explain this clearly.

years ago, we all knew what a child molester was.

but there were a lot of misconceptions, mishandled situations in and out of the congregations, and just a general non-awareness of the seriousness and pervasiveness of pedophiles.. not anymore.

winstonchurchill

To directly answer that question, I'd have to say 'yes'. More and more you can feel some discomfort within the org. As soemone pointed out, the mere existence and support to sites like this one, the quality of the participants in the forum, in which ex or current insiders are more than a few; how elders and CO's drop personal views here and there, questioning current doctrine... yes, definetly things have changed.

That being said, I have to admit that is a slow growth. I will also go with the 95% figure Jeff gave, and would even be less optimistic. Why? Well maybe in U.S., Britain, Germnay, Spain, etc. there a considerable proportion of those who actually think and become critical of the org. But don't forget that a very big chunk of JW's are meddling in third world countries, with little access to internet and many sources of information. So the porportion of Kool-Aid drinkers there could be close to 99.99%, thus offsetting the porportion in more 'advanced' countries.

18

Oral sex and pedophiles

by verystupid77 in

jw
friends

i have a question.

why dose it take two witnesses if a child says someone molested them.. but with oral sex it only takes the one spouse to get the other mate in trouble.

why the difference.

winstonchurchill

If your spouse takes you before three men to acusse you and disclose your sexual activities, you have bigger fish to fry!

Of course, I agree that under such circumstance I wouldn't admit to anything, not for hiding anything, but because it's none of their business.

11

Excuse me, but this is sickening (DA Contributions)

by winstonchurchill in

jw
friends

a letter from the wts was just read to our congregation: during upcoming district assemblies, there will be credit card terminal available so people can donate using their credit/debit cards.. maybe it's old news, but i just found out last monday, and i find it terribly disturbing.

the wts/jw's is becoming more and more mainstream, not different at all form those churches that are only after your money... oh, wait!

maybe tey are only after our money.. .

winstonchurchill

Thanks, WidwichCuckoo.

I'm speechless... I had never seen that website. Very upseting!

11

Excuse me, but this is sickening (DA Contributions)

by winstonchurchill in

jw
friends

a letter from the wts was just read to our congregation: during upcoming district assemblies, there will be credit card terminal available so people can donate using their credit/debit cards.. maybe it's old news, but i just found out last monday, and i find it terribly disturbing.

the wts/jw's is becoming more and more mainstream, not different at all form those churches that are only after your money... oh, wait!

maybe tey are only after our money.. .

winstonchurchill

A letter from the WTS was just read to our congregation: During upcoming District Assemblies, there will be Credit Card terminal available so people can donate using their Credit/Debit Cards.

Maybe it's old news, but I just found out last monday, and I find it terribly disturbing. The WTS/JW's is becoming more and more mainstream, not different at all form those churches that are only after your money... Oh, wait! Maybe tey are only after our money.

Man, things must be really bad financially for WTS.

43

Who is going to the District Assembly this year?

by asilentone in

jw
friends

i do not think i will be there!

.

winstonchurchill

Gotta go. I have a talk. Was planning on going weekend only, but they assigned me a talk friday morning.

But I told my wife I'm not eating sandwichs. I'll go out to eat, even if it's against the 'slave's' instructions. They make everybody eat crappy food while standing or in the auditorium seats, while the CO's, DO's wives and all the 'important' ones eat at their very comfortable apartments within the Assembly hall.

It's a yearly nightmare with three kids.