Posts by inbetween

126

Bethel have just DENIED Jehovah's Witnesses shun ex members!!!

by Amelia Ashton in

jw
friends

i can't believe it.

probably haven't been out long enough to know they lie like this.

now i just heard it with my own ears.

inbetween

I agree with black sheep, to be careful what to say, otherwise holes in the argument are quickly spotted and the whole thing may crash.

Current policy regarding dfd ones is:

1) not related, if you continue having contact, despite (repeated) warning, you get yourself a JC with eventual dfd (happened in a case I personally know)

2) close relative not in the same household, no sanctions, if contact remains private (not being promoted), but no privileges in congo (and you will be considered weak by others, who know about it)

3) close relative living at home, privileges of servants may be reviewed, otherwise no sanctions. Strong advice, not to associate spirtually .

Still the argument of the Bethel speaker regarding the mother, shunning her son, being a private matter is deceiving. Granted, she is not threatend with dfd, if she would have contact, hwoever, there is lots of literatur, that stress the point, how more important loyalty to jehovah is than to a family member. The stance of the society is clear: To remain faithful you should (have to) shun dfd ones, whether they are related or not. Otherwise you loose relationship to God and endanger your eternal outlook. Mindcontrol at its best.

29

picture of JW child baptism ... link to news paper

by Aussie Oz in

jw
friends

i won't post the picture as it may breach some copyright or something.

here is the link.

http://www.caller.com/photos/galleries/2010/aug/21/jehovahs-witnesses-baptism/.

inbetween

thats so typical, the theory was in last weeks watchtower, the reality in the pictures above, its infuriating, really....

43

Who or What Helped YOU Get Out Of The Watchtower Mindset?

by minimus in

jw
friends

was there a person, a book, a situation that helped you see that the "truth" was not what it was supposed to be?

?.

inbetween

for me it was all little steps during a longer peroid of time.

While growing up as JW, I never got inot serious trouble, but on the other hand , I never was fond of service, but I agreed, that it is important. What i never undertsood was reporting, didnt seem right anyway.

Later on, after learning aout 75, I was always disturbed, not that 75 happened as wrong prediction (false expectations excuse) but the fact, that the society long time never admitted their mistake, and blamed it on rank and file.

despite my little concerns I advanced to MS and later to an elder.

I considered myself always more liberal, and the point, that made me long time not really question the borg, was that sometimes the literatur seemed to be more balanced and open minded (in the 90`s mostly) than many elders in my old hall.

Just one example: even as teenager I never agreed and undertsood the no-beard rule we had in the hall, however, searching our litertur I enver found a clear prohibition of wearing a beard.

For a while, things in literatur seemed to move to a more liberal approach. i remember the Awake about pinatas, were it stated, that origin of customs alone does not matter, if today it is not connected to pagan things anymore.

I liked books like ´Daniel and revelation, because at least they offered something interesting without meddling into personal affairs of Christians.

But this course changed (at least my impression)

A few years ago, articles were published, with rules and regulations again (what is uncleannes, toasting is unchristian, gods love book etc). Also the blood doctrine sounded strange, the diffreence between fractions and components.

The tone at assemblies, as well as in some WT study articles seemed to become more condescending.

This all led to an uncomfortable feeling, partly with guilt and fear.

This i turn led to questions, which in turn led to research (particularly about blood), were I ended up at ajwrb.org, a webside I initially thought is from the HLC.

What I read there opened my eyes tremendously, next came jwn, and what was so surprising, not only beliefs I had doubts before, crumbled, but also many other things, i was sure of, were refuted with often much more convincing logic, than the WTs ever employed.

27

I finally made and account...

by AiAi in

jw
friends

hi everyone, i have checked this site out every once in awhile as i was on my way out and as i found myself coming back more and more recently i decided i should probably become a member....

inbetween

welcome, whats your story ?

69

Could ''boredom'' at the Kingdom Hall be one reason why some members leave?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

you'll find boredom where there is the absence of a good idea earl nightingale quotes (us motivational writer and author, 1921-1989).

let's forget that most members leave due to the wrong beliefs,doctrines and practices of the wts!.

i was bored out of my mind from the repetitive: talks,prayers,ministry school demonstrations,field service talks(peddle magazines),assemblies,special talks and watchtower magazine study articles.

inbetween

why they still keep up the service meeting, i dont know, its sooo incredibly boring and repetitive.....

I get even more bored preparing, when I have a part...

agree with MSE, highlights are my highlight as well, actually the TMS is not so bad, some talks end up being quite interesting.

my suggestion to the GB: (sure they listen to me ;-):

merge the TMS with half hour talk and shorten the Watchtower study to half hour (by leaving all that nonsense and contradictory stuff, as well as the rules and regulations out of it) and make one meeting on the weekend.

by this, the mental sleepiness will at least reduce a bit...

123

An Open letter to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (Elders/ Ex-Elders)

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

if you are an elder or an ex-elder please add a comment.

i hope that the governing body will see this.

it is too bad it has to be on an anonymous forum.

inbetween

completely agree, well written SIAM

all this things are on my list as well, maybe two more points:

a) hypocritical frowning upon higher education

b) babtism of minors

26

Observation -- Posters Don't Seem Clueless

by Band on the Run in

jw
friends

i'm impressed with sophisticated thinking on this site.

after all it is an ex-witness site.

i wonder what changed in the former witnesses.

inbetween

there are certain things you just normally never question:

for example, you would never question those who raised you are your biological parents, unless !!! something happening from outside makes you question....for example that your mother was unfaithful, or that your father came to know your mother when you were already born etc...

among those things as a born in is the claim, that WTS is Gods only org. Unless something "outside" happens, you never question this. You may realize some things do not fit, but in your mind you make them fit, and explain them away, since you have no doubt in WTS being Gods channel.

According to my observations (please take it at what it is, a single viewpoint) it even seems that those born-ins with a higher IQ even seem to resist doubts or problems more than others, since they find ways, to explain away many failures of the WTS and to excel in being an apologist.

57

To all lurking JW elders

by Mickey mouse in

jw
friends

come on in, the water's fine.

you may even realise you have close friends and family here.

.

inbetween

thanks TheLoveDoctor

its true, venting here helps keeping sanity while being still in...

57

To all lurking JW elders

by Mickey mouse in

jw
friends

come on in, the water's fine.

you may even realise you have close friends and family here.

.

inbetween

couriousconfused, welcome !!!

The deeper you are in something , the harder it is to get out.

I serve as an elder as well, and I still try to sort things out.

learning many things here and on other websides, it was and still is a liberating and the same time disturbing process.

In my mind, there is an ever changing list of pros and cons of JW. But what I am fully convinced after a lot of reading is, that the claim of being Gods only channel of communciation just doesnt add up. There is soo much nonsense (among valuable things) that we have been taught and force to believe, its almost incredible. On the other hand, there are people, I truly care about, and I have the feeling, as being a member of the conscious class, i can soften the load for them. And in my case, an exit is not possible either, due to family reasons. However, I consider steppping down seriously, just working out the plan and time table (this year, next year, depends...)

One advice please: Do not get scarred at some comments of posters here. While I try to understand their feelings, its not always fair and balanced, what people say here, but just view it at what it is: Their opinion. not more and not less.

But the forum here really shines bright, when certain weird things appear, like the guy from Bethel calling to sixscreens, and people, even though against the WTS religion, express their sentiments and doubts about such conspriacy theories.

So far, I have not been involved in a JC since my awakening. Most I attended in the past though, were individuals that commited fornication and were repentant. I felt like helping them more than judging them. But I always felt uncomfortable. Who knows, what the future holds, but being at an JC might be a breaking point for me. Definetely I could not attend on a case of "apostacy", but this seems anyway very unlikely to happen here.

PM me if you like, its good to know somebody in the same situation.

inbetween

310

Are they really that bad???

by anonymous4 in

had a good look into the doctrine, beliefs and practices of jws and to be honest, i don't really see anything wrong with it at all.. it's biblical and i've had such an eye opener the past year or so reading some of their books and magazines .

is there really any real reasons why i shouldn't want to get involved further?

:-).

inbetween

anonymous4:

go ahead, study with them, use the counsel in the first few paragraühs of the first chapter of "Bible teach" book to your advantage, and keep asking question.

Listen to their answers, even come here and post them, get the other side, then, and only after that, make up your mind.

I wished, when i studied with my parents, babtized at 16, I had the freedom and opportunitiy to just to that, I would have never become a witness,

The quest for the truth, if it exists as such, is not an easy one, and by no means completed by hearing only one side of the story.

Remember, witnesses have the answer for almost everything, which at first glance looks impressive, but dont stop there.

eveluate, critical rethink their answers, and you perhaps see most of it is either nonsense, inconsistent, illogical or at best just one interpretation among many...