Posts by inbetween

21

Elder wants to come for shepherding call

by 2pink in

jw
friends

we are newly fading (actually, mostly disappearing).

i haven't been to meetings in about 3 months maybe and hubby hasn't gone in a month or more.

i certainly don't plan on returning, hubby is still undecided.. anyway, an elder called and wants to come do a shepherding call.

inbetween

just to set things strait: most likely its not a witch hunt, it may even be sincere concern.

however, maybe the elder is the type, that feels uncomfortable doing sheperding calls (many do), but he feels he must do the duty.

so help him out, by following the advice of the other posters, thanking him for the concern, but atm you are not able to receive him.

you may do it a few times, then he will give up, in a way even satisfied, because he thinks, he tried as much as he can.

then he has an excuse to himself (or other elders or CO).

20

Were you always honest with your reports?

by Newborn in

jw
friends

i was.... the last years i only did 4-5 hours max/month and they offered me pioneer support...huh...which i refused btw.. now i regret i didn't just put 20-30 hours every month without in fact going out in the booring service at all!!!

just to keep them happy.. .

inbetween

did the same, calling on NH, just to start time, later on, I thought thats ridicolous, and counted time as soon as I was on the way to the territory, dressed up and ready, thats were service started, not at a fake call on somebody most likely not home...

always hoped this reporting would stop one time, its not only not bible based, its even against bible principle, or do you write on a report how much you donate ?

20

Were you always honest with your reports?

by Newborn in

jw
friends

i was.... the last years i only did 4-5 hours max/month and they offered me pioneer support...huh...which i refused btw.. now i regret i didn't just put 20-30 hours every month without in fact going out in the booring service at all!!!

just to keep them happy.. .

inbetween

honest, yes, looking back, i should have been not honest, and put in much less hours than i did, would have saved me from "privileges" ;-)

14

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 11-01-09 WT Study (ATTITUDE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 11-01-09 wt study (september 15, 2009, pages 7-11)(christ's attitude).

review comments will be in red or headed by comments.

wt material from today's wt will be in black.

inbetween

thanks Blondie, always read your comments.

still, I think, the article was quite fine, in theory at least, we all can learn a lot from Jesus, especially the WTS (compare Jesus treatment of the women with the harsh blood-policy of the WTS)

19

Fade rapidly OR jeopardise the fade by helping family/friends learn the truth and remain part of our lives?

by LUKEWARM in

jw
friends

can i say from the outset that i feel grief and frustration over family/friends that are not aware of the truth about the "truth".

they are good people who genuinely believe - as we all did at one time- that they are in gods organization and that this is what he requires of them.. .

how liberating for us to have come to know the real truth and how sad they remain guilt ridden and under mind control that fosters these conditional friendships that bother us so much.. .

inbetween

well, its a tough question. Personally I could just get up and run, but it would kill my family, I have to take it slow.

I always think back, how I was a year ago, though having doubts in some teachings or practices, I did not question the WTS as being Gods organization.

I may try to slowly expose hypocrisy, and Pharisaic behaviour among the Borg.

Sooner or later I may have to stepp down from my privileges, but not yet, not yet. I may use my influence carefully to help others...hopefully no crossroads for my conscience comes too soon...

We have some great and sincere Witnesses among our congo, as well as some competitive overzealous selfrighteous ones...

17

what level of movies would you watch when a jw

by rockmehardplace in

jw
friends

i know some jw's who only watch movies with specific ratings.

some will watch only pg and g. others will watch pg-13.

but i know which ones i can watch these with and which ones not to.

inbetween

my choice of movies was my own criteria, most movies I had no problem with, just very brutal or pron movies I avoid.

however, I keep it to myself, my wife and very close friends, what I watch,

one time I got almost in trouble for stumbling somebody, since then I`m very careful,

First time I heard of the general rule of not watching r-rated movies was from American brothers..its not so strict in Europe I think.

With one exception: I heard of a case, where an elder was removed for allowing his son watching "Lord of the rings"

well, I watched them several times,and have all the dvds, love them...

75

Question for believers: How does God set priorities?

by sir82 in

jw
friends

while waiting for the bus yesterday, i overheard (wasn't trying - but due to his volume, impossible to avoid) a guy on his cell phone talking to someone about his likely imminent dismissal from his employment.. but he then went on to say that he had full confidence that god would take care of him, and he wasn't worried at all about finding new employment.. then i got home, watched the news, and found out that 4 million kenyans are in danger of starving to death because of a year-long drought there.. so i got to thinking - how exactly does god set priorities?.

the guy at the bus stop is not the first christian i've heard express his confidence that god chooses to intervene and help in the lives of individual believers.

he saves them from car wrecks, he helps them find jobs, he lends some sort of invisible emotional support to help them cope with the death of a child, and so on.. on the other hand, millions of people suffer excruciating pain for months or years before finally dying covered in mud with flies crawling on them - no relief from god in sight.. why does god help one middle-aged guy who's never been hungry in his life find a new job in time so that he doesn't miss his $3000 mortgage payment, but not send a little rain to help a land where millions of people are already living in misery and filth?.

inbetween

good question, I think, maybe God does not intervene at all, (I do not believe these stories, how he helped especially JW being save while in the kingdom hall, while earthquake etc)

however, he sends his spirit to endure things, and will fix anything bad in the future/afterlife/paradise whatever...

I also always wondered, when there are experiences, where someboidy prayed to God for the truth, and he listened by sending JW there..ok, on the other hand, we say, that anybody, who does not pray to Jehovah in the right way will not be listened to...so, was this person a JW before ? hardly, so he must just have prayed to the wrong God (according to WTS) and still he listened....kind of contradicts itself..

28

I'm getting my cat today:)

by Newborn in

jw
friends

while i'm waiting for mr. right i'm getting a cat to keep me company.

i love animals and it will be my first cat.

her name is java.

inbetween

love cats as well, we have 2, if your not home a lot, try to get a second one, they will appreciate it a lot, and its even fun watching them...

however, if thats not possible, give lots of time and love to her, cats are really amazing animals...

24

Why is Ray Franz the only GB member to have ever resigned?

by yadda yadda 2 in

jw
friends

it's always seemed a bit odd to me that ray franz is the only gb member to have ever resigned, particularly for such a controversial religion.. we know from ray franz's books that there is often debate amongst the gb about new ideas sometimes introduced and often they are quite divided in their opinions.. i am not sure when the "governing body" officially began (wikipedia's explanation is messy) but it was quite a few decades ago.

there have been dozens of members of the gb since it's creation (does anyone know the exact total number?).

one would think that there would have been a few more disgruntled gb members over the years who would have resigned if the gb voted against some proposal they felt very strongly about.

inbetween

imagine, you are probably a average guy, would never even get your 15 min of fame (warhol ), but through certain circumstances and your dedication and zeal you end up being in the government of 7 million people, and having the prospect of ruling over the entire earth (and angels perhaps)

no, its probably not money, but power can be just as sexy as riches...

on the other hand, there might be one or two like Ray, who stay, hoping to change some things from inside..who knows...

4

stupid hypocritical thinking

by wantarevolution in

jw
friends

so with the watchtower on sunday, and the no3 talk last night - it got me thinking.

both the watchtower and by default the talk last night spoke about how "christians" view life on earth as transitory, and waiting for their reward in heaven.

the tone was "how stupid are they".

inbetween

exactly, 2 weeks ago during WT I gave the comment, saying how religion used this hope of going to heaven to suppress the people, so they dont question their lot in life and the position of the powerful men in church and state....

inside I hoped some would apply it to the WTS, "remain loyal to us, and we give you paradise earth...and dont you question our authority.."