Reminds me of how JW look at their organization. If you want to see something beautiful you will, but only if you look thru the filters they put on it for you. if you look at it for yourself you'll see....nothing but a rock. Nice rock though.
allelsefails
JoinedPosts by allelsefails
-
15
The Virgin Mary Stone
by jimlandress inthe virgin mary stone .
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbqbgnfwaby.
history.
-
-
-
22
New member - My story
by allelsefails ini've been reading for a little while, but really "studying" for a couple of years.
figure i could share my story and listen to what you guys have to say.
i was "born" into jws in 1976. my mother was baptized in 1975.. ouch.
-
-
allelsefails
Thanks for the replies. I don't feel as alone now! Too many good posts to respond individually, but know you've all helped me in my process already. Someone asked about my wife. She does still go to meetings - she likes rigid rules even though she believes more like me than the JWs. She is open minded and will listen to me, but thinks I'm over analyzing things. She has put a lot of pressure on me because I "broke my promise" to her that we would worship together as witnesses. I love her, but being pressured is not good for me right now, you know?
-
22
New member - My story
by allelsefails ini've been reading for a little while, but really "studying" for a couple of years.
figure i could share my story and listen to what you guys have to say.
i was "born" into jws in 1976. my mother was baptized in 1975.. ouch.
-
-
allelsefails
A few stories ... yeah. My whole life all I've wanted is peace. Now I have my mother telling me I have to hold on to "Jehovah's Organization" so I can see my brother again. Think how disappointed he would be if I wasn't there. Guilt on top of fear on top of guilt. I'm tired. Thanks for the welcome hope to more when I wake up (literally - I think I'm awake figuratively already).
-
22
New member - My story
by allelsefails ini've been reading for a little while, but really "studying" for a couple of years.
figure i could share my story and listen to what you guys have to say.
i was "born" into jws in 1976. my mother was baptized in 1975.. ouch.
-
-
allelsefails
Yes an "Older man" at 24. Funny now right? Inactive but still attending meetings until a few weeks ago. My wife told me I was a distraction to her. I was just going to support her anyway. Pretty lonely right now.....most of you know how it is straddling the fence. My nuts hurt. (sorry for the crude imagery)
-
22
New member - My story
by allelsefails ini've been reading for a little while, but really "studying" for a couple of years.
figure i could share my story and listen to what you guys have to say.
i was "born" into jws in 1976. my mother was baptized in 1975.. ouch.
-
-
allelsefails
I've been reading for a little while, but really "studying" for a couple of years. Figure I could share my story and listen to what you guys have to say.
I was "born" into JWs in 1976. My mother was baptized in 1975.. ouch. She is a wonderful, loving woman ..... but didn't finish High school and has been mistreated by her mother and father as well as my own (worldly) father making her really naive and open to manipulation. Growing up with a worldly father made life interesting. I always had 2 lives in front of me.......but I digress. I was always taught the end was any day now. I had no need of education or anything "worldly". When I was 13 my older brother who was 20yrs old was killed in a car crash. (He refused a blood transfusion, but that is another story.) My life fell apart, but it was all about seeing him in the new system. My mom divorced my dad and married another worldly man. She was disfellowshipped for having 2 husbands. (Another long story - full of BS). I lived on the edge as a teenager, but knew this was the "truth". At 20 I married a 33 year old woman with 3 children. It sounds crazy, but I'm crazy about her still. She's my best friend and confidant with her own weird ideas. (Another long story) I was MS after marriage and then an elder 4 years later. I served as an elder for 6 years secretary and then school overseer.
I had some personal issues with an elder who hit on my wife and offered to run away with her when she left me. This same elder had written pornographic e-mails to a married sister a year before and not been removed (dispite my fervent recommendations). This didn't really affect my spirituaility.
I finally started studying the "bible". When I did I realized first the lie about 607 BCE then 1914 then 1919 selection of FDS, 144,000, great crowd, etc..... Now I don't believe any religion has absolute truth, and I'm offended by the "faithful slave" concept. I'm not sure I even believe in the New Tesatament at all. But I do still believe in God as revealed to Moses. Crazy right?
Now I'm trying to find a new job. Trying to save my marriage. and I'm awake at 4am. My life is a jumble of crazy emotions.
Thanks for reading this.
Allelsefails
-
44
The cost of going undercover to help family and friends - Is it worth it?
by BonaFide inso 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.
-
-
allelsefails
reniaa - it is not honest to go to a door and tell people that you are not there to change their religion... that's exactly what JWs want to do. I don't know how "deceitful" JWs have to be to help people see the truth, but i'd like to give an example. My JW wife and I were having a discusion about salvation. I told her JWs teach that only JWs will be saved at Armageddon. She said she never was taught that and doesn't beieve it. She told me she never saw that in the "Live Forever Book". Of course it is on page 255! At the very end it says this: "You must be part of Jehovah’s organization, doing God’s will, in order to receive his blessing of everlasting life." She is very open minded, but can't see the dishonesty in such teaching. Not to mention the actual lies that have been told: Greek word for temple (Naos vs. hieron), UN NGO, and misquoting themselves. Ask to see a copy of WT charter without (...)(skipped words) or [through](added word)and you'll see they worship Jesus, but disfellowship people for worshipping Jesus. My studies have led me to the one truth JWs uncovered: Religion is a Snare and a Racket. All of them. Faith in God does not require religion. It requires the right heart. Keep asking questions - the TRUTH will set you free.
-
20
The structure of the Organization keeps people in
by BonaFide inwhen 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.
-
-
allelsefails
I agree with the concept you presented here. It works for most organizations. Catholics stay Catholics because they never question it. People in this country think they live in a Democracy because there are voting booths. Every one has a "hook". The witnesses are very persuasive with their kind and loving attitude ... if you fit in properly. And using "the truth" to describe your religion is mind control at its best. (I still use the phrase and kick myself every time.)My wife tells me "Brother .... has been faithful since the forties". She knows that gets to me because I love him so much. So I say what about Mother Teresa or Ghandi. Was it there "religion" that made them great or their own personality and love for people? Fear does keep people in once you start to question. I'm still "a member", and I hold back from DA because of my mother and children. It seems better to fade away...... One thing JWs got right: Religion is a Snare and a Racket.
-
24
Word on the street is that Facebook is going to be banned...
by middleman in...at the next assembly.
i've heard from various sorces that the gb are planning on making it off limits, like they have already done for myspace.
has anyone else heard this?
-
-
allelsefails
As far as I know when they mentioned Myspace it included things "like it" obviously facebook included. The only time it matters is when it is an elder, servant, or pioneer. They could be removed from their "positions" if they or their children have a page on any social networking site. At least that is how we viewed it in my body of elders. I agree the "banning" comes from the peer pressure - that is what the "organization" is. A big ball of peer pressure that rolls forward even the Governing Body are under its thumb. Individuals are afraid to bring up changes they think are right to avoid the "Ray Franz" treatment.
-
7
Birthdays and my six year old
by Rocky_Girl ini am divorced from a jw and we have two children.
i have been out for 10 years but we both were raised 'in.
' we share custody so the little ones are a little confused as to why mommy gives them a b-day party, has a christmas tree and takes them to an hour of church mostly spent singing but daddy just drags them to 5 hours of lecture a week and won't let them be friends with the neighbor kids.. sunday night, after a week with his father, my six year old told me that he can't celebrate his b-day because a guy got his head cut off in the bible at a b-day party.
-
-
allelsefails
It is tough with a kid that young. If you still use the Bible you can use Romans 14:4-6 and explain that the bible says no one should be forced to stop celebrating a day they want to celebrate. If Daddy doesn't want to celebrate birthdays that's OK, and If you want to celebrate that's OK too. But I've never tried to explain the idea of a decision based on "conscience" to a six year old. I like the response you already gave though. Straight and simple is where "truth" is really found.
-
10
What should I say next?
by asilentone ini know one elder that has a habit of saying "let jehovah take care of that" "just wait on jehovah", etc..., what should i say back?
he is pretty good conversation stopper.
i want to change that!
-
-
allelsefails
When I hear that "advice" - to do nothing about a problem you see in your own religion - I respond with "If everyone had that attitude we'd all be Catholic." Did Martin Luther wait for God to fix his church? or Wesley or Calvin? What about Russell? He was a Presbyterian, then an Adventist, but he didn't wait for Jehovah to fix his religion he decided to start his own.