Posts by JWoods

Exactly. Another "idol" is the constantly displayed YHWH. They make constant fun of the Catholics, for example, having religious carvings in their churches - but curiously see nothing at all wrong in having all kinds of imagery in the Watchtower and other printings - even going to the trouble to make up those color artwork calenders (at least back in my day; I suppose they may have dropped them now out of cost considerations). You know, as long as we are on the subject, didn't that ugly GREEN bible become a very ubiquitous JW symbol? As well as the WT and Awake cover symbology, etc.

35

Is the "torture stake" dogma a reverse idolatry in itself?

by JWoods in

jw
friends

witnesses have famously (and gleefully) tossed the usual christain "t" cross symbol overboard after having used it themselves for quite some time.

one common arguement is that "if christ had been shot by a rifle, you would not worship the image of the gun" -.

and yet, they do not shy away from insisting on the notion of the upright torture stake.

JWoods

Witnesses have famously (and gleefully) tossed the usual Christain "T" Cross symbol overboard after having used it themselves for quite some time. One common arguement is that "if Christ had been shot by a rifle, you would not worship the image of the gun" -

And yet, they do not shy away from INSISTING on the notion of the upright torture stake. This includes making pictures of the torture stake. They insist that (unlike the churches) - they do not hold onto it as a religious symbol. I am not so sure: How can they so dogmatically claim that only an upright stake is a worthy representation for true Christians? Would it not be just as well to simply say that "we just do not know"? I will stake a claim that if you refused to blindly accept the upright stake because there really is no way to know, you could in fact be disfellowshipped for apostacy.

By seeming to be so unreasonably sure that it was an upright stake, are they not in fact making the upright stake (almost unique to JWs, BTW) into their own little bit of crucifixion symbology? Sort of like the brick watchtower image - in itself a symbolic JW icon.

45

New here

by goldensky in

jw
friends

dear all,.

i discovered this site only a couple of weeks ago and i already feel affection for you.. i am a 48-year-old woman and i live in spain, where i was born and raised, so i apologize in advance for my inevitable lack of style and possible grammar mistakes, due to english not being my native tongue.. i grew up in the truth and jehovah and the congregation have filled my whole life.

i've had little contact with the outside world.

JWoods

I agree 100%, Besty. If we can put up with all the 607BCE ranting and the "WT is still the TRUTH trollers", then surely we can take Goldensky on at least face value.

I see nothing alarming in what she has posted - but would like to know more.

196

The struggle against the immediae danger from false teachers

by mrsjones5 in

jw
friends

golly, i feel like a householder.

you're counting time here, aren't ya?

.

JWoods

My GAWD how this thread serves to remind us how truly tiresome this Witness wrangling over this or that scripture really was.

Most of the time I hardly think about it any more.

45

New here

by goldensky in

jw
friends

dear all,.

i discovered this site only a couple of weeks ago and i already feel affection for you.. i am a 48-year-old woman and i live in spain, where i was born and raised, so i apologize in advance for my inevitable lack of style and possible grammar mistakes, due to english not being my native tongue.. i grew up in the truth and jehovah and the congregation have filled my whole life.

i've had little contact with the outside world.

JWoods

I for one am fascinated by what must have gone on under the surface of this story.

Usually there is some key trigger event that begins the process, and this is not clear yet - could it be just a slow decline in belief in the God concept itself?

If so, this would probably be completely unique from my experience with JWs who left for whatever reasons.

Maybe we will hear more from this poster in days to come?

Thanks, James

33

Dead JW found in bath after 6 days

by wouldacouldashoulda in

jw
friends

hi guys.

i was a witness in sunny old london and was in a congregation where a brother was found after being dead 6 days (estimated).

he was an older publisher who had no family and was a fairly odd character.

JWoods

I was told by a sis that houseobund ones have elders who are assigned to them to visit and encourage....is that true?? Maybe thats why they too busy for other things??

I never actually saw this done formally...there were a few good elders who would make the effort on their own. Generally, if you were not well enough to get to the meetings, you were pretty much ignored (except for your family or special friends).

51

Everything About Being An Elder is Weird (my misc rambling memories of being an elder)

by AllTimeJeff in

for any brother who is a jehovah's witness, the goal is put before them to reach out for the privilege of being an elder.

i can only speak for myself, but being born into the religion, i wanted to be an elder since i was 5. i would have much rather wanted to be a doctor or engineer, but those are the breaks..... i'll skip the part about what it takes to reach out, all the crap you have to put up with as a ministerial servant to get appointed, and go straight to the reality.. i know many elders who sincerely just wanted to be shepherds.

i did want the spotlight.

JWoods

I had much the same situation - I was assistant cong. servant already when the elder deal came about, so I was grandfathered in at about the same age as ATJ.

What he says about it is absolutely right on. There was always much politics and BS. This was especially true when they were still doing the "rotation of elders" and everybody was maneuvering around to get to be overseer for a year...pathetic, really.

There was very little about actual practical assistance to the people in the congregation. Much ado about getting everybody out into service, etc.

11

I am thinking about buying a new car

by asilentone in

jw
friends

i was thinking about getting 2010 toyota corolla, a very quiet car.

.

JWoods

How about a Tesla? They make so little noise that some say they are dangerous to pedestrians who cannot hear them approach...

Seriously, the Corolla is an OK car - but is quietness really the only criteria?

159

Breaking News: Big Trouble with the Watchtower

by Bethelite Elder in

jw
friends

a couple of weeks ago, an ex-bethelite(10 years) by the name of mel smith was disfellowshipped.

i understand that he still lives in ny are and has a mortgage company.

evidently, he was hurt while serving at the farm and watchtower did some horrible things to him.

JWoods

And??

And found several other topics started which were about people who left Bethel. Some phrased as if it were breaking news when actually the events were a couple of years ago or such.