1Averagejoe

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Posts by 1Averagejoe

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  30

  Where you are in your life now.....What would you have preferred .... To be left in ignorance ? ...Or to know the truth about the truth

  by smiddy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i think possibly their are a few valid reasons for either options to this question ,depending on a number of factors .. such as how old you might be, how long you have devoted your life to the "truth" as you believed it .

  ?....how it may affect your mental/physical health and well being.?.

  how it will affect your financial position in your life ,?

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  1Averagejoe

  John Aquila Well put!

  If one has a desease that is sapping his life's energy it's always better to know of it earlier than later. I got in contact with the jws in my early 20's, impressed on how only they knew the "signs of the last days" and bible in general. The love bombing I received at the same time as my mother and sister were as we had just moved to a new place with no contact played its part well.

  Do I regret knowing Tatt? Wish it had been earlier but after I met my wife, (we both awake and in the fading stage.) Crisis of conscience finally confirmed what I had been feeling deep inside but not wanting to fully come into terms with. My desire to please God had been abused. Still have in laws who are jws but fading too and others not too deep.

  Being in my 50's with my youth and effort used up by the Borg, having spent most of it as a bethelite, of course there are disadvantages of being awaken late and having to start over again....but better late than never.

  Now I no longer teach the lie.
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  31

  counting time

  by Sabin in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  yesterday jw knocked on my door, i was sitting in the office with the window right next to it, they couldn't see me & i decided not to answer.

  they stood there for what seemed ages & as i watched something hit me.

  they were here only because they were on the territory.

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  1Averagejoe

  Two weeks ago we had heavy rains. The pioneer sister could not go out so she invited her pioneer partner and preached an hour or so to her male gardener for the first time ever after over a year of his being under their emploment. Making time or real concern for his salvation?
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  29

  Paint, Barney, and Jehovah

  by John Aquila in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i made a quick run to lowes to buy some paint and ran into a brother.

  he is one of those elders that is very, very, petty.

  if he drops by your house unexpected and notices that your kids are watching one of the star wars movies, he will counsel you for allowing your kids to watch any movie that has to do with war he will then make sure you are not recommended for any privilege.

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  1Averagejoe

  Even Lego star wars? We watched star wars in Bethel and shared it around to other elders...

  Barney should be informed about that to keeo him busy..
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  41

  The elders of the 1980s are now in their 60s and 70s

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  having just come back from the uk and spoke with some witnesses to find out how my old congregation is doing, i realized i am now the age that my elders were when i was a kid.

  and i wonder what the elders who are now in their 60s and 70s are thinking when they look in the mirror and an old face looks back at them.

  many of the elders in my old hall are now retired.

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  1Averagejoe

  Downright depressing this topic! Some of us feel we got out too late. And as has been said the clock is ticking. Wasted life and opportunities serving "wholesouled."

  With lessons from bible drama's like " beware of loosing faith by drawing away from Jehovah. " what comes to my mind is the part where they said Moses was taking a long time to come down the mountain... Make for us a God." or in the wilderness "3 days already! how much further do you think we have to go" answer "only Moses knows." "many died due to their lack of faith. " And now many have died living on this misguided hope!

  I am imagine that is also in the minds of the older ones with so much talk during their life time to " have faith, don't loose hope... Others have fallen by the way side."

  How does one seek to wake up to that nonsense and make a new life at such old age with no real foundation to go back to! :(

  Very Great cost indeed. The one who studied with me in my twenties died in his eighties, I remember him telling me how close the end was... And so did the one who studied with him... and so on.

  D4g said it- I believe a lot of it has to do with missed opportunities, (or what is known as the "sunk cost" fallacy), where someone that spent their lives chasing a belief at great cost to themselves,
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  20

  GB's Attitude Toward Suffering of "Foreign" Brothers

  by compound complex in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  regarding alternative service.

  ray franz received letters from branch committee members that displayed thoughtfulness and breadth of viewpoint that were in sharp contrast to the rigidity and narrowness of several members of the governing body:.

  what was the effect of all this?

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  1Averagejoe

  The next member recognized by the chairman might take up a totally different point, leaving the previous member's question hanging in midair.

  Just described the body of elders I was part of.

  From what I know the brothers in africa did not have to buy the political cards as time went on, they were being handed out to whoever desired one. They didnt even have to be signed. Simply having the card would suffice. Besides there was no other opposing political party so the cards could have been viewed just as an identity card.
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  28

  Is the Watchtower Corporation guilty of purposely infusing a overwhelming amount of fear to control people ?

  by Finkelstein in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  if you were to pin point out the workings of the wts., of what attracts people to the.

  organization and what is the catalyst that controls them once.

  they are inside of it, the conclusion would most likely be drawn that fear is the paramount.

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  1Averagejoe

  I remember the audio cassette dramas, I used to listen to over and over again, such as "beware of loosing faith by drawing away from Jehovah. " Some scary stuff used in there to instill obedience. And now they have short video clips for our young ones still getting them to feel the fear that Jehovah will not be pleased with them for breaking some recently made up GB rules.

  Pictures in the publications and words depicted to the mind are not subtle either as even old timers can vividly recal gruesome dipictions of prophecies applied to those not within the fold, from old publications like "From Paradise lost" one brother close to 60 years old commented that it gave him the shudders.

  Fear + guilt = religion
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  9

  Mr Jackson said we would notice if the GB said things outwith the scriptures????

  by notsurewheretogo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  in the rc yesterday mr jackson said that if wrong direction was given by the gb, the rank and file would notice it.

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  i see plenty of things that the gb say that is not in scriptures but if i say the gb are wrong i'm df....

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  1Averagejoe

  Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and to remove all doubt.
  — ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

  Or Proverbs 17:28 " Even a fool who keeps silent will be considered wise, And the one who seals his lips, discerning."

  There's another quote I can't recall who said it but it goes something like "Those who try to fool others do so because they view others as stupid."

  Seriously GB needs to know how stupid they look and sound. Unprepared by the "holy spirit" so as to give sound answers to those asking.

  They are molded to make utterances that are unchecked and unchallenged by the millions of those under them so they are totally unprepared to face the simplest of questions they are being subjected to.

  Perhaps JAMES 3:1 Has escaped their knowlrdge.. “ Not many of you should become teachers,.. Knowing that we will receive heavier judgement. "

  What utter nonsense!

  
  
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  33

  new WT rule: no holding hands durning public prayer!

  by leftchica in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  so i just caught a glimpse of this new wt magazine(study edition) of course.. from dec 28th titled.

  "what do your prayers say about you".

  so now they are focosing on every aspect of our lifes even our actions during prayer.

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  1Averagejoe

  Haven't read the wt yet, is it a rule or suggestion? No doubt now they attendants and elders and all involved will be on a watch out to see who breaks their ridiculous "guidance"? What, are we teenagers to be overly aroused at holding hands during prayers? What about a couple during their wedding, will they have to stand apart so it's clear to all they are not holding hands? Or worse yet a funeral during prayer will couples including those who may have lost a loved one not hold each other? Nit picking on EVERY aspect of an individuals life! Way to go Borg, keep showing just how juvenile you are in your thinking. Wife has vowed she's going to do it more "visibly" so there's a plus for me! ;D
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  44

  Question for those still attending...is anyone talking?

  by ToesUp in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  we haven't been to a meeting or jw event in several years.

  we have been following the rc closely.

  it is fascinating!

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  1Averagejoe

  A congregation we share the hall with actually had an elder comment during the meetings that the brothers should not tune into news or net cover on Jw's as it just negative publicity. Which means he's aware of it and hope his comments backfire on him and get the curios searching. This especially since we have'nt had any news coverage here about it.
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  23

  ... and keep fighting

  by nevaagain in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  last week we had the cos visit and i wanted to share my experiences with you.

  some background info on me, i knowttatt and am fully awake, my wife also knows my doubts and read a few things on the internet but she is still 100% commited to the truth, saying everything on the apostate sites are lies.

  so right now i am in just to keep the status quo.

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  1Averagejoe

  In a cult.... Trust no one.