one thing that has intrigued me are so many who have left, who are wholly convinced everything in existence is merely by chance now, also claim they wouldn't want to live forever, and perfectly fine if this is the only life.
now, i would understand that if you were raised into the religion.
i was raised into it.
Remember "Is there a God who cares ...?"
I'm at the stage where I think that pretty much the answer is "I don't think so, no evidence of that."
However, if there is a God who cares then my eternal future/next life won't depend on what 8 men in New York say; more on whether I live by decent human values as I believe them to be.
i was appointed jan 1 1980 and back then it was a big deal to“qualify”.
i was the youngest elder appointed in the district!
i actually studied everything from the societies publications and listened to anything i was told to do.
A pulse, loose fitting trousers, a brown nose and no brain.
Oh ... gotta have a willy.
i have been out a good 10+ years and until recently didnt pay much attention to what the jehovahs are up to.. why have they taken this turn with the bunker videos and making all the brainwashed people like my parents pack a go bag.
now let me just clarify.
im a military man i believe everyone should have an element of preparedness canned goods,bottled water and a bug out bag is a great addition ( ill stop waffling on about that now).. but what concerns me is the fact they are advising elderly people to bug out.
Go bags - what a laff!
A PIMC (Physically in Mentally Confused) mate who is more PIMO by the day told me about his aged devout parents "Go Bags" - these older folk are late 80's, one has had a stroke, another is on a zimmer frame (walker frame with wheels) - they had a "Go Bag" the size of a camping rucksack PLUS two 5 litre bottles of water.
He asked them how they were going to cope "with carrying that lot"? His father said he would wear the rucksack and his mother would carry the two five litre bottles of water.
He told me that he said they wouldn't even make it to the end of the garden before the armed police carted them off for three squares a day in the local jail so not to worry!
a bit of context on the situation that occurred 8 years ago.. i grew up with this woman.
beautiful person, not hat asthetically, just such a great human being.
we always had feeling for each other.
I really don't know ... is she the type you could (for example) say ... (and mean it sincerely although choosing a subject that you believe is closest to her heart)
I respect your beliefs but could you explain how you can go along with a religion that I can prove ...
Hides child abuse for reputation and financial gain.
Has leaders who time and time again over more than 100 years predict the end of this system and gets it wrong.
Calls itself Jehovah's Witnesses when according to their own doctrine Isaiah 43 v 10 was superceded by the new covenent and now Acts 1 v 8 applies.
Encourages no further education.
Treats women as of little consequence, not allowing them to wear trousers to meetings, run microphones or help out around the kingdom hall on departments.
Makes up rules and regulations beyond scripture. (No beards on the platform at assemblies, all men must wear a tie and suit when on the platform)
Replaces articles with depth with kiddie cartoons and manipulative videos.
i want to send a letter to the main office with the questions.
for example, ask a question about the rolex watch from hert.
about unfulfilled prophecies and so on.
Rearrange these words.
waste your Don't time.
hello, recently, i talked with the witness of the united states.
"jehovah's witnesses" in the united nations.
as far as i understand, the organization had to fully accept the un charter and cooperate with the un.the jehovah's witness replied to me that there is no contradiction in this.he said that witnesses are allowed to apply, for example, to courts or other organizations for help.when i told him that the organization is participating in the osce, he is said to be normal too.he said that they are not affected.
Well look how JW's describe the United Nations in their own literature ... (bold text added by me)
*** w89 5/15 pp. 5-6 Babylon the Great—Her Execution ***
How False Religion Will Perish
In highly symbolic language, the book of Revelation describes the destruction of Babylon the Great. At Revelation 17:16 we read: “The ten horns that you saw, and the wild beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her devastated and naked, and will eat up her fleshy parts and will completely burn her with fire.” “The ten horns” symbolize all the political powers now on the world scene and that support the United Nations, the “scarlet-colored wild beast,” itself the image of the Devil’s bloodstained political system.—Revelation 16:2; 17:3.
You might ask ... "Why would you want to join that?"
this article won’t change your mind - the facts on why facts alone can’t fight false beliefs.
brilliant article in the atlantic by julie beck discussing the phenomena of cognitive dissonance and how it affects religious and political beliefs.
it includes some interesting thoughts on how social media has magnified the problem.. spoiler - she is not optimistic about the possibility of successfully reasoning with members of religious cults.. the article also has a link to the 45 minute audio version.. link....
When the "social reasons" at a personal level for staying a jw fail (child abuse/family DF'd) or accumulate (false promises/haughtiness/cliques/lack of love/looked down upon/mistreated) then facts can also accumulate, creep in and help liberate.
the whole idea of a great apostasy means that jesus was lying [or he was a crazy fool] when he said that he would be with his church until the end of the age.
matt 28- 18then jesus came to them and said, “all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
19therefore go and make disciples of allnations, baptizing them in the name of the father,and of the son, and of the holy spirit, 20and teaching them to obey all that i have commanded you.
Does the WTS think Jesus was a liar or a fool?
They don't care - they just use him as a tool.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nzsk2k9y7qs&t=835s.
the talk of the cry for "peace & security" from the sunday morning program.
I remember that jws. (Bold added by me but italics are in the original text)
*** tp chap. 7 p. 85 pars. 30-31 When Will the Foretold World Destruction Come? ***
30 Yet one more event will come as an unmistakable signal that world destruction is imminent. Of this the apostle Paul wrote: “Jehovah’s day is coming exactly as a thief in the night. Whenever it is that they are saying: ‘Peace and security!’ then sudden destruction is to be instantly upon them . . . and they will by no means escape.”—1 Thessalonians 5:2, 3; Luke 21:34, 35.
31 The world’s leaders know that a nuclear war means virtual extinction. Also, critical problems such as pollution, the population explosion, and domestic problems demand attention and money. So they want to relax the strained international relations. An evidence of this is the proclamation by the United Nations of 1986 as the ‘international year of peace and security.’ This, no doubt, is a step toward the fulfillment of Paul’s above-quoted words. Of course, political negotiations and treaties are not making any real changes in people to cause them to love one another. They are not putting a stop to crime, nor are they eliminating disease and death. Yet the prophecy shows that the time will come when the nations will declare that they have achieved a measure of “peace and security.” When that happens, then “sudden destruction” will come “instantly” upon those misleaders of mankind, along with all who put their trust in them.
yep, taps out, throws in the towel, waves the white flag!
in today's watchtower it basically said don't expect any results due to widespread apathy and opposition.
but you can still bear fruit just by going through the motions of being regular in field service.
Yep - I had a discussion with another PIMO who went to this and he said that the WT conductor said the fruit of the work is scattering seeds not the actual fruit that grows.
Most of the answers were self justification about how "this article makes me feel good even though I don't get much in the way of results."
So a big pat on the back for sitting on your derriere watching the world go by and having the bus driver call out "Good Job!" and a kiddie "waves" on her way to school.
And the only really commendable thing that happened was that some "worldly" gave them a bunch of flowers.
5 hours a day, six days a week on a trolley in your eighties. 30 hours and no response;
#HOPELESS WASTE OF A LIFE.
