C0ntr013r

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Posts by C0ntr013r

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  25

  I got my Memorial invite! I got my Memorial invite!

  by Dagney in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my first one!

  even though i got it saturday, march 26, in the mail in an envelope addressed to "my dear neighbor.".

  it's the thought that counts..

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  C0ntr013r

  I also got my first memorial invitation this year. I got it on the 23d, to bad I was working, else I would have had my first JW visit too :P
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  166

  2nd amendment right ... where should it end?

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  one thing i like to do to test a theory is to take things to extremes or to their logical conclusion to see if the premises still hold.

  very often, a claim that seems to make sense at a superficial level falls apart when you start to stretch it a little.. so let's play a game.. suppose the 2nd amendment is valid, that some "well regulated militia" really is necessary to hold the government to account.. obviously when this was drafted the government had access to the weapons of it's day which would be muskets!

  so muskets all round.

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  C0ntr013r

  I don't think this is a fair view of the matter. Look at countries that recently had revulotions, a lot of people rising up against a dictator will be enough even if they don't have modern weapons. Sure, some got help from the outside but they had to do most of the legwork themselves. And the losses they sustained might have been much less if they would have had better equipment. The weapon is only half if it too, if you never used a firearm in your life it won't matter how advanced it is, you will still need practice.

  Arming the people to keep a balance is a good idea even if their weapons are inferior, I think other countries have shown that. Even those with citizens without much firearms at all.
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  31

  A poll of sorts: How long have you been a "fader" for?

  by SecretSlaveClass in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm curious about the following:.

  1) how long have you been a fader for?.

  2) how often do you still get pressure from congregation members and/or family to return as an active witness?.

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  C0ntr013r

  First I should probably say something about my situation. I was never baptized so it is a little different for me, but I decided to fade to make the transition somewhat smooth and keep the uncertainty which allows me to socialize with witnesses. I don't want them to know my true feelings about the org, unnecessary to be viewed as an apostate when you are not even baptized :P I also don't want the elders to pressure my family to distance themselves from me.

  1) How long have you been a fader for?

  Started maybe 3-4 years ago, and I was probably finished a year later.

  2) How often do you still get pressure from congregation members and/or family to return as an active witness?

  For me it is only tidbits here and there from my family, they have stopped inviting me to assemblies or the memorial but they still like to tell me the dates ;) But I would not say I feel any pressure, maybe some nudging now and again from congregation members but I rarely meet them anymore. Maybe 6 moths to a year, the frequency will probably drop future with time.

  3) What is the longest period you have ever known anyone to successfully fade? A successful fade in my view, would be someone who has faded for a period of time but no longer receives any pressure to return to active service (completely left alone).

  Not sure

  4) If you have been a fader for more than two years, do you fear you would eventually have to face DA or DF?

  Rephrasing this question to fit my situation: do you fear you would eventually be treated as an apostate because your views got exposed?

  Not really, I am very tight-lipped with my thoughts when it comes to any JWs except my family. And I don't think I could say anything that I have not told them already that would push them "over the edge". I usually update them with the latest apostate news :P Sadly they are uberdubs and always come up with excuses, at least they have realized that what I am saying isn't lies(they even agree that many apostates are genuine...), but they still defend the WT :/

  5) As faders, how many of you are being treated as if you were DF'd/DA'd?

  I am treated like nothing happened by my family and relatives but my friends in the congregation are mostly gone, but by my own choice. I distanced myself from them when I faded. When we meet however we act like everything is fine and that is nice I guess.

  6) Have you faded rather than DA'd due to the possible loss family or is it because you have no network of friends outside the Org?

  Both I guess, mostly for my family.

  7) If you consider yourself a fader how many meetings/assemblies/ field service groups do you still attend on average per month?

  I am mostly faded, the last JW thing I attended was the summer assembly.

  8) As a fader do you feel that the Org is completely powerless over your life?

  As faded*

  Yeah! Liberating isn't it? :D

  After reading your questions I am wondering if we mean the same thing with fade?

  To me it is a gradual process where you remove yourself from the JWs until you are totally out or have minimal involvement with the org. This to avoid negative consequences.

  Hope my contribution helps you even if it is lightly different :)
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  27

  I am losing

  by NoMoreHustle in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i haven't posted anything for a bit, but wanted to express how i am losing this battle.

  it has been over 3 years now since i woke up about watchtower.

  the battle that i am talking about is the tug of war with my wife (i adore her immensely), watchtower is winning, she simply will not give in to my so-called negative thoughts about the religion that we are in.

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  C0ntr013r

  I don't know how you have approached the situation, maybe you already know this but..

  Don't make it your goal to get her to understand that the JWs are wrong, instead make it your goal to help her learn to think for herself and draw her own conclusions. That way she can try her believes with her reasoning instead of someone else shoving her how it is done.

  You can rarely wake someone up, they have to wake themselves up :)
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  24

  Please, tell me.

  by andrewlya in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  hi, i am a christian and i would like to know jehovas witness's belief in god and whether you believe jesus is god.

  please, any statements back up with biblical verses,thank you and god bless, in jesus's name.. i am new on here, so please be patient with me :).

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  C0ntr013r

  Everyone is welcome JWs and ex JWs but JWs can get into trouble if they post/read here. That is because there are ex members here who JWs need to avoid like the plauge. Also JWs are not allowed to read negative information about the WT and there is a lot of that here.
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  18

  Latest on Greg Stafford

  by Nitty-Gritty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  for all those who know who greg stafford is/was.

  the former "apostate/apologist and author of three dissertations and other books, is on page 2 of the march 2016 meeting work book.

  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/jw-meeting-workbook/march-2016-mwb/meeting-schedule-mar7-13/welcome-memorial-guests/.

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  C0ntr013r

  Not sure it is him, maybe someone who looks similar?
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  38

  Greg Stafford no longer a JW

  by My Struggle in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this may be old news to some while most won't even know who he is.

  in case you don't know him, he was a jw that defended many of the jw doctrine publicly.

  he did this mainly in the form of two books, jw's defended and three dissertations on the teachings of jw's.

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  C0ntr013r

  Not sure
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  6

  Part 3- Finale- Settlement Meeting with Circuit Overseer

  by Randy M. in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  this is the finale of my meeting with watchtower's circuit overseer henry turner in an attempt to reach a settlement agreement with some kind of resolution .

  if you watched the 1st 2 parts you will need to see this because it is in my opinion the best part.

  i have also included more still shots of the players so that it will be easier to follow.

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  C0ntr013r

  That ending prayer thou... Disgusting!!
  
  Full of agenda and manipulation
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  37

  My experience with the people in my hall

  by Freeandclear in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i've been awake now for about 6 months i'd guess and a member here for a couple of weeks.

  it's been eye opening to read other peoples experiences on here and i appreciate all of you.

  i've noticed in many, seemingly most, of your comments that you were not treated well at your hall or you have had very negative experiences in the "org" so i thought i'd like to share mine.. in all my time as a jw i have to say for the most part i always loved the people.

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  C0ntr013r

  My experiences are similar, I think there are many genuine people trapped in the Borg...
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  475

  What is the alternative to JW?

  by Formerbrother in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.

  im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?

  the the bible is word?

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  C0ntr013r

  So if not the Mormons, who else is nearer to the truth from the bible? There must be some other religion that ticks most of the boxes?

  One important thing to remember is that religons make their own boxes. The bible can be interpreted in many ways.

  For example, the scripture:

  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

  JWs interpret this as a command to come together at the meetings and worship.

  But I could instead interpret it as encouragement to socialize with fellow believers.

  Many of the boxes JWs say they "check" are based on their own interpretation. Another religious group might have other boxes that are based on their interpretation.

  "We are the only religious group fulfilling the requirements that we made up"

  "The ring of truth" is a very interesting concept. I believe that it has a direct link with how our brains interpret the world. If something surprises us or shocks us, we have a tendency to disbelieve or question it.

  Example:

  "descended from aliens, could that really be true??"

  Since it does not fit our world view, we will automatically question its validity.

  And it is the same thing with things that we do expect.

  "I have a dog in my house" is much easier for you to accept at face value than "I have elephant in my house". And psychologically that could be called "the ring of truth". If you where brought up a mormon, their views would have the ring of truth and JWs would not. This is a bit oversimplified since your believes and world view aren't static but I hope you get the idea.

  Something that fits into "your reality" (how YOU see the world, your worldview) will have the ring of truth and vice versa.

  Hope this helps :)