Posts by Truthexplorer

70

Any funny stories of when a"brother" giving a talk, said something "funny" or "questionable", and didn't even realize it?

by Dunedain in

there were always all types of speakers in the org.

myself, growing up a "witness", must have heard all types of talks, and given by all manner of speakers, especially on sundays, when almost every week we would get a "visiting" brother giving the public talk.. sometimes, you would have a "great" speaker, all fluent and animated.

other times we would get a comical speaker, one who would maybe purposelly get a few laughs outta the audience.

Truthexplorer

Can you imagine saying to a house holder ' hey today we call this our S.H.I.T day......and give a a big cheesy smile.

33

If you are a current active JW, What rules do you deliberately break?

by Truthexplorer in

do the lottery.

celebrate my child's birthday.

sign workmates birthday cards.

Truthexplorer

READ APOSTATE LITERATURE!

Ha Ha levelthepayingfield. I confess I do that too

33

If you are a current active JW, What rules do you deliberately break?

by Truthexplorer in

do the lottery.

celebrate my child's birthday.

sign workmates birthday cards.

Truthexplorer

I 'confess' that I

do the lottery

celebrate my child's birthday

sign workmates birthday cards

Put the occasional bet on at bookies

Enjoy a piss up now and again

That's just to start things off. What rules do you deliberately break?

TE

35

Hello from an exmormon

by Cold-Dodger in

jw
friends

someone named john free popped in on one of my posts at exmormon[dot]com and mentioned this website.

i have a lot of questions.

i never knew much about about the jw church.

Truthexplorer

Hi Cold Dodger,

I really enjoyed your post. In many ways we are similar to Mormons in that we too are UNDER CONTROL by a few men.

You asked the following

Tell me about what it is like growing up as a Witness. What is family life like? What are JW parents typically like? Share the culture with me and also, what is it like becoming a member of the JW church?

I can tell you from my own experience what it is like to become a JW. My mother became one when I was 16. She used to speak to me about all the bad things happening etc and being young and impressionable would chat with her about the bible etc. When I was 23 I made a decision to have a bible study. I was living in London at the time. I absolutely 100% thought I had the truth. I couldn't stop talking about my beliefs. At work, at home etc....I was an absolute zealot for about a year plus. I gave up my good paying job and moved back to my hometown where I earned peanuts doing menial work. But hey I had the truth!!!

However, the honey moon period soon wore off. It began when an elder pulled me aside and mentioned to me that brothers didnt grow beards. At first I was annoyed him telling me in other words to shave it off. But, being humble and actually then thought it was scriptural. I did a lot of reading into it and towed the WT BS line and followed the principle on grooming.

Being in a small congregation and constantly being indoctrinated with bad associations spoil useful habits, I didnt go out on the town with worldly friends. I dropped them all like hot potato. Oh btw. JW's do not have any groups in place to cater for children, young people etc. It is left to the individuals in each hall to do that, which on the whole is on rare occasions. So as you can imagine. Week in and week out, I was stuck at home, whilst all my old pals were going out and having a good social life. From the age of 23 till now (in my 40's), I cant say I had much of a social life. Yes the brothers organised a few get together s, some bbqs, walks, cheile dances etc which were great, but they were too far and few between.

As a result, I ended up drinking at home and have done so ever since. I was reluctant to get baptised as was beginning to see the control aspect and wanted my social life back. I told my mother that I didnt want to get baptised as felt I was jumping straight in. This was a few weeks before I was to be baptised. BTW JW's also do everything they can to bag a baptism....just like the Mormons ie love bombing etc.

One very early morning, I was having a lie in. It was about 9.30am. The brother who studied with actually came to our door. My mother explained to him that I didnt feel ready for baptsim. He persuaded her to come in and then came into my bedroom whilst I was in bed and stood there for an hour debating with me about how baptism is the right thing. Its Satan that is putting you off...this was expected blah blah blah. In the end I foolishly gave in and 2 weeks later was baptised.

After 12 more depressing months, I decided to move back to London. I hated being a JW in a small town having no social life whatsoever.. When I got to London, I went back to my old hall expecting the same attention I got before my baptism and at least have a semi normal social life which I always considered important. It was like being in a hornets nest. The hall was full of regular and baptised pioneers (basically anyone doing 40 plus hours a month in the ministry. It was full of cliques. If you were shy, timid, or weren't out in the ministry very often, you were considered week. Someone who only gave a token service to Jehovah. An expression very often used at our meetings and book study. Again, I rarely got any invites to social occasions, despite the fact I was in a very large hall.

That time in my life was hell. I fell into a deep depression, because I never felt good enough. I thought Jehovah had pushed me aside and was going to be destroyed at Armageddon. I got no practical help from the elders when I was needing some kind of support in dealing with tenancy matters. Just told to go out in the ministry etc

Once you are baptised....like yourselves, you are suddenly someone or no one. If you are out in the ministry all the time, or become a pioneer, ministerial servant, Elder....you are someone. You are no one....if not seen to be doing works.

It also depends on the hall. Some Congregations are very cold, some friendly and warm, some very clique.

It is only years after you become a JW, like the Mormons, you start to see things that aren't right. We studied a book called 'Revelation...its grand climax at hand' I was looking forward so much to studying this book and on a number of occasions had to conduct the bible study as was ministerial servant at the time. This book was full of what I would call craziness. What struck me most about it was that the society (aka watchtower Org) tried to explain every single scripture away. The obvious scriptures were fine. But when It came to the difficult scriptures and their meaning, they would say this date / books/pamphlets pertained to this or that scripture. I was like thinking....that is nuts!

Anyway, around about 1999/2000 I began searching the internet as everyone was beginning to get computers. A few years later, I came across this website forum and it was then that my eyes were truly opened. It wasn't just me had all these deep personal thoughts about my religion. Someone on their site mentioned Ray Franz's book Crisis of conscience. He was once a governing body member for many years who was disfellowshipped for eating a meal with a dissociated person. I managed to get the book out of the library and read it twice within a week. I was both shocked and angry whilst reading this book saying to myself...I knew it....it just bloody knew it. All the nagging doubts, all the reasons why I felt the way I did....was in this book.

Jehovah's Witnesses are a high control religion. I personally do not feel any liberty n Christ as a Jehovah's Witness. Yet as a Christian (which I tell everyone)...I do feel liberty in Christ.

My family and I still attend the meetings. I now keep a low profile....as it is now more about a social thing funny enough. My wife is very popular and has a huge circle of friends. Despite the delusion they are under, The brothers in my hall are very friendly and it is a very warm congregation. If I were to leave, it would turn my families world upside down.

So that's pretty much it I guess. Thanks again for sharing your own personal views Cold dodger and wish you all the best.

My apologies for not saying my name.....but am sure you are likely in the same boat in that you cant be found out, re facing the consequences etc.

TE

362

No 'Tight Pants' policy is now official - classed as 'disturbing'

by wizzstick in

in short:- tight pants is no longer just a am3 hang up (or is that a hang up on the well hung?

)- brothers who have effeminate body language are flagged up- as are sisters with 'masculine' hair styles or dress- such dress is 'disturbing to the congregation'- the above must heed the (repeated) counsel from the elders...or they get stripped of the right to share on the ministry- however...this will not be revealed (announced) to the congregation.

wow.

Truthexplorer

ha ha oubliette. I mustnt forget those too

362

No 'Tight Pants' policy is now official - classed as 'disturbing'

by wizzstick in

in short:- tight pants is no longer just a am3 hang up (or is that a hang up on the well hung?

)- brothers who have effeminate body language are flagged up- as are sisters with 'masculine' hair styles or dress- such dress is 'disturbing to the congregation'- the above must heed the (repeated) counsel from the elders...or they get stripped of the right to share on the ministry- however...this will not be revealed (announced) to the congregation.

wow.

Truthexplorer

For a laugh I'm going to buy the tightest pair of suit pants. Stuff a well placed rolled up sock down my crotch and mince up that hall like I just won the lottery

32

Impressions of the Governing Body; who's smart, who ain't?

by Room 215 in

jw
friends

based on what we've seen, it seems to me that of the seven, splane and jackson are the smartest; herd, lett and morris the least intelligent; and sanderson and losch somewhere in the middle.

.

what's your impression?.

Truthexplorer

Imagine if George Dubya Bush was on the GB, do you think he would outshine tight pants Tony :-)

11

Ways to raise an eyebrow or two with bro/sis perfect!

by Truthexplorer in

jusmy wife and i were out in the ministry today and she was expressing her annoyance at brother perfectionist in our hall and how he is beginning to annoy her as nit picks over everything that the more liberal witnesses view as ok. so we were having some fun about what we could say to him that would really raise his eye brows.

she then suggested i say ' hey brother perfect, you'll never guess what happened to me.

i was sitting on the toilet when to my shock and horror, there was no toilet paper left.

Truthexplorer

Heu commiteechairman. I like the idea about creating gossip among the sistets idea lol. My missus is quite a gossip anyway and will lilely already be doing that about this dude. and yeah he is an elder btw. gteat ideas though. .mamamamia well funny :-)

11

Ways to raise an eyebrow or two with bro/sis perfect!

by Truthexplorer in

jusmy wife and i were out in the ministry today and she was expressing her annoyance at brother perfectionist in our hall and how he is beginning to annoy her as nit picks over everything that the more liberal witnesses view as ok. so we were having some fun about what we could say to him that would really raise his eye brows.

she then suggested i say ' hey brother perfect, you'll never guess what happened to me.

i was sitting on the toilet when to my shock and horror, there was no toilet paper left.

Truthexplorer

Am not an aussie secret slave class. I live in the uk. My brother stays out in Australia and loves it out there and the aussie humour. Hopefully get out there for a holiday soon :-)

11

Ways to raise an eyebrow or two with bro/sis perfect!

by Truthexplorer in

jusmy wife and i were out in the ministry today and she was expressing her annoyance at brother perfectionist in our hall and how he is beginning to annoy her as nit picks over everything that the more liberal witnesses view as ok. so we were having some fun about what we could say to him that would really raise his eye brows.

she then suggested i say ' hey brother perfect, you'll never guess what happened to me.

i was sitting on the toilet when to my shock and horror, there was no toilet paper left.

Truthexplorer

Jus

My wife and I were out in the ministry today and she was expressing her annoyance at brother perfectionist in our hall and how he is beginning to annoy her as nit picks over everything that the more liberal witnesses view as ok. So we were having some fun about what we could say to him that would really raise his eye brows. She then suggested I say ' hey brother perfect, you'll never guess what happened to me. I was sitting on the toilet when to my shock and horror, there was no toilet paper left. However, rescue was at hand. There was a watchtower lying on the unit next to me that I was able to use.

That really made us laugh.

So what would you love to say to brother or sister perfect that would certainly raise an eyebrow or two? just for fun.