Posts by GapingMouth

6

Intelligent JWs only outside the KH?

by GapingMouth in

jw
friends

hi to everyone out there and thanks for all the amazing posts on here i read every day.. there are a few people in my area that i would consider intelligent - there is one guy who used to be a chemistry teacher, for example.

another one knows his sciences too, and his job revolves around that knowledge.. but he confuses me a little... he knows all this stuff and then at the same time he completely ignores it and casts it aside and says the earth is only 7000 years old.

(yes, he holds to this - he told me himself and grew annoyed when i tried to show that the new wts leave it a little more open for explanation -- the bible agree with science 'special' one for example).

GapingMouth

Yes cantleave, which is why it is so annoying - you cant even reason with him from the WTS point of view!!!!!

6

Intelligent JWs only outside the KH?

by GapingMouth in

jw
friends

hi to everyone out there and thanks for all the amazing posts on here i read every day.. there are a few people in my area that i would consider intelligent - there is one guy who used to be a chemistry teacher, for example.

another one knows his sciences too, and his job revolves around that knowledge.. but he confuses me a little... he knows all this stuff and then at the same time he completely ignores it and casts it aside and says the earth is only 7000 years old.

(yes, he holds to this - he told me himself and grew annoyed when i tried to show that the new wts leave it a little more open for explanation -- the bible agree with science 'special' one for example).

GapingMouth

Hi to everyone out there and thanks for all the amazing posts on here I read every day.

There are a few people in my area that I would consider intelligent - there is one guy who used to be a Chemistry teacher, for example. Another one knows his sciences too, and his job revolves around that knowledge.

But he confuses me a little... he knows all this stuff and then at the same time he completely ignores it and casts it aside and says the Earth is only 7000 years old. (Yes, he holds to this - he told me himself and grew annoyed when I tried to show that the new WTS leave it a little more open for explanation -- the Bible agree with Science 'special' one for example).

He also, despite this knowledge, refuses to give his 10 month old daughter vaccinations (it is NOT the blood issue) because he believes the risks are higher to take them than not. His wife works in the medical profession. This might be a point of opinion and I can concede that some would choose this course of action even if I wouldn't.

My point is, how can JWs like him just ignore science when it gets tricky and contradicts JW beliefs? I can understand your normal everyday average Brother Joe who doesn't know what he is reading and takes the WTS at face value. But the smart ones, with good educations... *sighs*

It just gets frustrating when you get told off by him (I believe he just got put as a smelder) for discussing 'dinosaurs' or that 'neanderthals are not our ancestors but a separate evolution' or the variety in dogs because anything that even mentions the theme of evolution, genes or the like he actually gets ANGRY and makes you be quiet for fear of being kicked out his house!

Hypocrisy is rampant in the JW congregations but I think the annoying part is someone so SMART being so STUPID at the same time. It makes his ignorance and arrogance that little bit more irritating.

Thoughts and comments?

GapingMouth

31

how are the JW's viewed from the outside?

by tigeress in

jw
friends

i know while in the org we get told alot to tell everyone that we are jw's, cos its reputation is so good.

but that dosn't explain why people still refuse to answer the doors to them, or hide when they come aknocking.. so how are jw's really viewed by the outside world?.

GapingMouth

I saw a top ten strangest religious practices list today on listverse. Number ONE was JW refusal of blood. I think outsiders view them as strange. Also I think kind of like they view tha Amish... Like they are in their own little world.

11

My poem about the meetings

by BorgHater in

jw
friends

i wrote a little poem about being at the meeting.

i apologise beforehand if all the commas and full stops are in the wrong places, i'm not very good with punctuation .

it's 10am, i'm bleary eyed,.

GapingMouth

That was a great poem, funny! Thanks, made me laugh out loud at work.

18

I've just seen Smurfs 2 minutes ago

by jookbeard in

this is no way a lie, i'm sitting here typing on my laptop, and a big group of smurfs walked through my garden, over the fence into the next garden all speaking in a demonic way, anyone else seen this phenonima?.

GapingMouth

That's it. I don't go to meetings anymore but will have to go to assemblies for a while... Next assembly I am taking my toy smurf in my pocket. I'll have my phone ready to film when it jumps out my pocket and runs outside before bursting into flames. And if that doesn't happen, it can conveniently fall out my pocket at the feet of the CO... Oops how did that get there.. "Come back Satan and stop it, this isn't the place!!"

37

Serving Jehovah Doesn't Take Much Effort

by God_Delusion in

when you where at the demon hall, did you ever get a talk about how easy it was to serve jehovah?.

i was having a conversation with a friend recently about this and i wrote down what is expected of a jehovah's witness;.

go to 4 meeting per week.

GapingMouth

Thanks Angel Eyes, and if you do decide to leave the forums, best of luck to you. If you find yourself disheartened by the congregation, then just keep your mind open. It's those that are truly sincere that come to the best conclusions about religions they are in.

37

Serving Jehovah Doesn't Take Much Effort

by God_Delusion in

when you where at the demon hall, did you ever get a talk about how easy it was to serve jehovah?.

i was having a conversation with a friend recently about this and i wrote down what is expected of a jehovah's witness;.

go to 4 meeting per week.

GapingMouth

AE,

Please read this post honestly and answer the questions objectively. Your initial reaction may be to defend against what I will point out, but please take a minute, pause, and then look at the questions again because I think you made a big point here.

"but im sure you have been presured to do more,yet that isnt Jehovahs way of doing things."

Question 1: Who is it that tells JWs all the things that need doing?

Your initial answer: The brothers and sisters

Your second, more reasonable answer should be: In every Watchtower, Awake!, book, meeting and assembly, there is a lot of reminders for daily bible reading, meeting attendance, ministry... yes it is the WTS that pressures the usual JW to do all those things. Pressure? Yes - by saying so many times, over and over again what needs to be done, a JW will feel pressure to do them. With the way they also stress that you need to do those things to be spiritually strong, they also make you feel spiritually weak should you not do them. This adds more pressure for someone truly wanting to serve God, or more pressure from other JWs who may judge you. You might not mind that, but for many it adds pressure.

Question 2, and thanks for carrying on reading: If that isnt Jehovah's way of doing things, can the WTS be Jehovah's chosen people?

Your initial answer: It isn't like that, it is the brothers and sisters who put on the pressure, not the WTS themselves,

Your second, more reasonable answer should be: Christ condemned the Pharisees for demanding things of the Jews that were not required and putting undue pressure upon them. Those who prayed on the corners as a public display were also condemned. The WTS puts a lot of requirements on a person, unduly, as we saw in the answer to the previous question. By your own reasoning from "its not Jehovahs way of doing things" and the Governing Body directly claiming to be God's channel to Earth, a contradiction is made and we reach a logical conclusion: The WTS are not doing things Jehovah's way and therefore do not have his direction.

You may consider me an apostate now, and may never read another post, but I think I have at least shown how not all apostates are evil slaves of Satan but actually have used reasonable logic to come to their conclusions. At least take some time to think of what I said, and the next time you go to a meeting, listen to how many times they say from the platform things that you should be doing. You'll be surprised once you pay attention to it just how much pressure there actually is.

Thanks

37

Serving Jehovah Doesn't Take Much Effort

by God_Delusion in

when you where at the demon hall, did you ever get a talk about how easy it was to serve jehovah?.

i was having a conversation with a friend recently about this and i wrote down what is expected of a jehovah's witness;.

go to 4 meeting per week.

GapingMouth

Angel Eyes

Thanks for seeing my point. I would like to comment further. I was thinking about what you said. "but ive had many many more times when i have wanted to be at a meeting rather than not want to be there,and ive never not wanted to do the ministry...never. People can make it hard,we arent living in a God loving society but hey Jesus suffered for us and never thought of backing out."

1. I specifically said you could find fulfilment in it, and I also didn't specifically say that the majority of times you like it and only a few times you won't. My point was that when you said "its easy", it was a gross generalisation. Thank you for coming half way with me though and seeing sometimes it actually is hard work.

2. You have NEVER not wanted to do the ministry? I find that hard to believe, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt. I never said you didn't WANT to do it - my point was that it is still DIFFICULT to do. If not for you particularly, I personally always felt embarrassed or shy to speak to people I didn't know. I was a regular pioneer - I wanted to be out there too for some time - but even then, it was HARD and BURDENSOME. It was tiring walking around in 35 degree celcius heat for example. I only had a part time job then too, and I was a teenager. For many, with busier schedules, it is even harder. Motivation wasn't the point. Besides, if it wasn't hard, we didn't make a sacrifice, right?

3. We are actually living in a God loving society. It's a common misconception many JWs have, and I was once one of them. The majority of the Earths population believe in, and LOVE him. Extremist Muslims love Allah so much they'd die for him. Jews mutilate their baby boys for Him. The idea that all religions outside JWs aren't sincere simply isn't true. Even if you can find fault in every religion, the majority of its followers are sincere and do love God.

Further, meetings and ministry were only a small part of the schedule of a JW. If you were to do EVERYTHING the WTS asks of you - personal and family study and all the other things on the list, there would be NO time to do anything else. No TV for an hour before you go to bed. No time to post here on JWN. Motive wasn't the point - the workload was. It really does contradict two points - that Jesus load is light and also having a spiritual BALANCE.

If nearly all your free time (and it should if you are a full blown JW who adheres to all they want from you each day, and never take a night off from exhaustion), then it is not balanced at all. I heard an expression - 8 hours a day is for work, 8 for play and 8 for sleep. If you do all the JW tasks (and I was a JW all my life, so I truly know what that entails), where is the 8 hours for play gone? That expression is old and now people have to work more than 8 hours. Then they get home and have to clean the house, look after the baby or take the dogs for a walk... then you do your spiritual side... it ISN'T by any stretch of the imagination 'balanced'.

I am not having a go, I am actually very calm, but I know some of my writing may read aggressively. I actually wish your family all the best to keep to this tough schedule and if you find fulfilment in it (that's another thread), well then I am happy for you. Just please don't deceive yourself that it is easy.

37

Serving Jehovah Doesn't Take Much Effort

by God_Delusion in

when you where at the demon hall, did you ever get a talk about how easy it was to serve jehovah?.

i was having a conversation with a friend recently about this and i wrote down what is expected of a jehovah's witness;.

go to 4 meeting per week.

GapingMouth

I just so happen to be the friend God_Delusion refers to. Angel eyes, I disagree - it isn't easy. Even when I was a believer it wasn't easy. Have you never felt like staying at home would be so much easier than attending a meeting one night... Ever had a hard time on a door on the ministry? I can't believe you haven't. While some find it fulfilling to do all that, it actually is contrary to what they say - it actually IS burdensome, otherwise you haven't made any sacrifice at all and Jehovah wouldn't care you did it anyway. He likes our efforts (well I am atheist now but you get the point?) Fajw fjt ftgb and yes our CO is sooo gay and instead of being free to act on it, tries to hide it because JWs don't accept them... Poor guy.

10

Disfellowshipping reasons

by GapingMouth in

i grew up as a dub, and i was taught that there weren't specific reasons why people got disfellowshipped.

i was taught they didn't announce what the wrong was as they were df'd because they were 'unrepentant'.

now i know the wts is full of **** and i see a few posts about tattoos and piercings etc being cause for df'ing.

GapingMouth

Blondie: I think if you read further, other posters said that tattoos and piercings are NOT df'ing offenses.

Yep, I had read it, and I appreciate you pointing it out. Thats what got me thinking though as someone could say something is or is not a df'ing offence where I had been taught there was none. Guess I got taught wrong. Thanks also for the great info you provided.

Thanks also to you OnTheWayOut for that interesting reading.