in the last few weeks it seems that instead of one or two new posters a week we seem to be getting several every day.
many seem to be long time jw's who are troubled by the path of the organisation.
this is really encouraging to those of us who have been here sometime.. welcome!
In the last few weeks it seems that instead of one or two new posters a week we seem to be getting several every day. Many seem to be long time jw's who are troubled by the path of the organisation. This is really encouraging to those of us who have been here sometime.
WELCOME! Please find solace and comfort here from people who understand.
this is my first post.
i never dreamed i'd be on a site like this.
i was baptized 43 years ago and pretty much have done and seen it all.
@Makemeanunbeliever (I love how that can be read two ways.)
I bet you didn't ever dream you'd on this site either did you?
@trruthdoubter
Welcome.
warning of a long boring post ahead.
i feel like i need to vent my story out, as i feel quite helpless at the moment.. i'm 31 year old, married, father of toddler with another one on the way, due later this month.
i've been serving as elder for about 4 years now in a south florida congregation.
A very very tough situation sanchy. I feel for you.
If you want to have any chance of convincing your wife then take your time - but definitely resign. Be firm but go slow. From this moment onwards do not mention doubts until you have been announced as no longer serving. Just tell her you love her but have a lot of thinking and bible study to do.
Field attempts to "shepherd" with "thank you so much but not now; it's all a bit stessful - perhaps after the baby is born" - repeat ad infinitum and when the baby is born put it off further.
Emphasise how you need to resign so as to look after your family. Say you were too young when appointed and that you must focus on you and your wife's spirituality (which is not the same as WT rules and dogma) first before you can be any use to others.
Do not get drawn out about your doubts. Rehearse what you will say. Plan what "they" might say. Stick to the script. "I need to concentrate on my family/ it is too stressing to serve at the same time."
Between now until AFTER you have been announced as "off" spend your time being the best husband you can be. Be attentive to your wife and the new baby. Keep saying you will not serve until your baby is born and you have settled down. This can take at least a year or two after the baby has been born.
Do fun things. Keep family study non-controversial. Make the theme Acts 20 v 35 about giving. NOT MONEY but time and energy to the elderly and downtrodden. Let's make a cake for Auntie Doris. Let's go for a walk and look at the creation. Pick the flowers.
Obviously if a blood issue or a crisis hits then you may have to take the gloves off but until then "box clever". This will buy you 12 months of thinking time to plan and build up relationships outside the borg.
Your wife is scared and emotional and pregnant. Reassure her of your love.
You are scared too. Don't be afraid to admit that to yourself. I repeat. Take your time there is no rush. Armageddy isn't coming.
Best of luck. You will get much good advice on here.
Your main goal (I recommend) is that you an your immediate family remain intact and strong for each other. All else is secondary.
it seems the producers of jw broadcasting read my earlier post here at jwd.org about the swedish chef.. because they introduces the swedish chef in their program now.
.
the broadcasting is surprising me more and more every month, a must see (if you can).. compare:.
@bohm
"The Muppets" was aimed at adults?
it seems the producers of jw broadcasting read my earlier post here at jwd.org about the swedish chef.. because they introduces the swedish chef in their program now.
.
the broadcasting is surprising me more and more every month, a must see (if you can).. compare:.
lurker since 2008 when i walked out as an elder ,had all the politics i could take ,noticed a few from my area so i finally joined
My advice to any lurker:
"Use your loaf" when deciding if this represents God's holy spirit in action.
on a previous post mamacita29 pointed up the low quality of new jw converts.. is the quality falling even more as the society use lower than low meeting, talks, broadcasts etc.. when i was active initially the organisation and standards seemed totally different today.
i have seen hard working intelligent elders fall by death or exhaustion.
the younger generation that came along never really grasped responsibility hence shortage of good elders, never mind the watered down to almost nothing quality of meetings.
In the 60's, 70's and 80's the folk coming in were solid hard working tradesmen, technical bods and salesmen with "stolid" families. Even a few professional types. Convinced by the triple whammy of 6000 years chronology, 1975 and the biggest convincer of all "the generation that saw 1914 would not pass away".
"The generation" teaching kept those of the 1960's going. It made sense. Along with vulnerable housewives whose non-witness hard-working husbands put up with their fantasy of seeing their dead loved ones.
Their kids who stayed became the semi-born in elders of the 70's, 80's and 90's. And their husbands' (dead or alive) pensions and common sense kept the old sisters and widows plodding round the doors.
The early 90's was the last of the "this made sense" time - the Berlin wall came down, (peace and security) the generation was nearly gone, surely Armageddy was upon us!
But it wasn't.
The big "generation" change in late 1995 is the catalyst for when the downward spiral started. For a few more years people could keep the old and the new generation teachings in their heads together. The deceleration would have been quicker after 2000 had not 9/11 occurred to give a little boost for a couple more years. This finally petered out in 2014 when no-one could hold a real generation lasting more than 100 years in their minds.
Those that come in now are increasingly lonely old people (who rarely become publishers) and the mentally ill, vulnerable and frankly useless. I see them - no jobs, single abandoned mothers, unwashed - homeless - on benefits - on drugs.
The quality working classes and thinkers have not been coming in round our way for over fifteen years. The odd ones (very odd) who have seem to rise quickly and burn out quickly - there is always a character flaw that brings them down.
The internet being in your pocket from pre-teen upwards spells doom for any quality coming in to jw's.
I just wish the crash would be fast rather than a very slow crumbling away.
wow....has it been a while!
i hope many of you are doing good!
it's awesome to see many of you holding strong, and keeping the site going!.
Woot!
Can you tell us the backstory please?
