does anyone remember when the arrangement changed from having 1 congregation servant to the body of elders arrangement.. i have been out of the religion for so long i am getting a little rusty on the changes that happened.
i am writing down my memoirs and right now i am recounting my teenage years as the daughter of a congregation servant.
there was a big change in our family life when i was 15 because of the change in the arrangement.
birmingham--UK.
the cong my dad was in had a civil war--between 2 factions dominated by 2 matriarchs.--as a result--several servants were d/f'd--leaving only my dad deemed fit for porpose--but he wasnt keen on running the shambles. so a cong servant from a neighbouring shower was parachuted in to take over.
spirit directed.
BWAAA HA HA HA HA HA
i keep hoping and doing searches on the site for people in my area.
so far no one i recognize.
i have a few df'd friends that i lost touch with long before they were out (two who were elders actually when they got the boot) and would love to find out they were on here, but don't know if they plan on coming back.
i havent--yet. i'm in the UK--living on an offshore island. i know rhere is 1 other member living here--we are friends on fbook--but havent met--yet. others ive chatted to on here recall names we both new in the past.
this brother was sitting near me today at the hall and when the public speaker started talking about the signs of the last days this guy started whispering something to his wife and kind of mocking the speaker in a quiet voice.
his wife looked really pissed off.. i've suspected this guy before by some of the stuff he's said and done and some of the #3 talks hes given he's gone off the assigned topic quite a bit.. during the wt study i was doing mics and i happened to walk by him several times.
his wt was on the floor and his bible was opened to topic for conversation at the end of the bible at the last days part.. a little while later his wife gave him the look and said something to him and he picked up his unprepared wt and followed along.. hoser.
ask him if hes on jwn.
one of the big issues for me--back in the 60's as a teenage pioneer--and MS--was the 7000 years.
this was --back then--the cornerstone in pinpointing 1975. ok--lets say adam was created 4000 odd years before christ-- but the only thing in support of a creative day being 7000 years--was merely--an assumption !!
i approached a district servant about this--he was dismissive--simple told me to do my own research--well--he would--wouldnt he !!
its only since i joined this forum--4 years back--that i discovered the whole idea of the 7000 year day--has been quietly dropped.
how many of you lurkers or newbies have even heard of this ?
it took the better part of 15 years but i believe we have finally arrived at that point where there is now a critical mass of former witnesses.. thousands of exjws come together on forums like this one and discuss findings, ideas and research.
there have been documentaries and even a movie made about life in the jehovah's witnesses.. ex jw websites, online forums, and discussion boards that set the wheels in motion in the early to late 90s have matured into powerful tools of social change within the organization.. the lies and false doctines taught by the watchtower bible & tract society are plainly accessible with just a cursory google search.. active elders leak boe letters, often weeks before they hit the notice board in a kingdom hall.. social media has allowed exjws to connect with those still in as well as those who have left.. the society have no game plan because information is power and they have lost the information war.
all they can do is cry wolf and warn the rank and file not to listen to apostates.. i don't know what future the society will face in the next ten years, but changing world events, social trends, and reactionary change from headquarters based on their own faulty biblical chronology has got them cornered like a raging animal.. it doesn't look good..
we UK types arent really religious--some even prefer foot ball.
the watchtower society is regarded as yet another american product--up there with coca cola and microsoft.
it took the better part of 15 years but i believe we have finally arrived at that point where there is now a critical mass of former witnesses.. thousands of exjws come together on forums like this one and discuss findings, ideas and research.
there have been documentaries and even a movie made about life in the jehovah's witnesses.. ex jw websites, online forums, and discussion boards that set the wheels in motion in the early to late 90s have matured into powerful tools of social change within the organization.. the lies and false doctines taught by the watchtower bible & tract society are plainly accessible with just a cursory google search.. active elders leak boe letters, often weeks before they hit the notice board in a kingdom hall.. social media has allowed exjws to connect with those still in as well as those who have left.. the society have no game plan because information is power and they have lost the information war.
all they can do is cry wolf and warn the rank and file not to listen to apostates.. i don't know what future the society will face in the next ten years, but changing world events, social trends, and reactionary change from headquarters based on their own faulty biblical chronology has got them cornered like a raging animal.. it doesn't look good..
i cant comment on the modern day JW situation--i cut all ties back in '81. but i have family still in.
my observations are from the 60's--up to 75.
ive been ib 3 different congs--the pattern was the same.
fanatical middle aged women--with " opposed" husbands--or--at best--occasional meeting attenders. these women did most of the answering up--and door knocking. head nodders.
men who were content to sit--fall asleep--answer up if prompted. maybe a little door knocking--say once a month--or--more likely--reporting "incidental" witnessing---that no-one else witnessed ! they were called "weak" back then
a few power hungry men--usually with a rubbish career--these were the servants--before the elder idea was invented. often nasty pieces of work.
young pioneers--railroaded into it by pressure from the visiting CO--usually for a few months before the apathy wore them out.
is it any different now ?
what governmental requirements are their for full disclosure of the proceeds from sales of property made by a not for profit organization such as the wtb&ts.. how does the wtb&ts explain their charitable status when they do not provide any charitable benefits to anyone , when all their members , jehovahs witnesses are not employed by them , they are just volunteers.. does american law allow religous institutions to hide monetary transactions or is their full transparency regarding their use of their money.. how can a multi million $ publishing company , engaged in a multi million $ real estate organisation be considered as a not for profit organisation .. is their anything like an auditor general in the usa that needs to investigate these things ?.
just asking.. smiddy.
why wait for government intervention ?
it would greatly enhance the WTBTS public credibility if it was open and transparent in its financial affairs.
fat chance.
hello my fellow "apostates".
just wanted to say hi.
i'm still in the borg but mentally out.
hi FF--welcome to a new beginning.
cantleave--has left -!!-lol--i know him--and mrs cantleave----nuggett---very well.
i was a teenage pioneer--in the mid 1960's--and a MS. pioneering is THE biggest waste of time--ever.
had a conversation with an aspiring elder.
he said the end must be close because people are so discouraged that the organization can't last more than 10 years.
this is before we received the please come to the international convention letter.
i dont know why the wts didnt re-locate its headquarters to nigeria. lots of cheap land and labour there. it would be right at home in the land of the international scam.
i have been lurking for a while but was encouraged to sign up by a user on the ex jw reddit forum.
i'm a still in jw but i've been mentally out for about two months.
i'm an ms and i'm also gay so i have two lots of 'coming out' to do very soon!.
hi bluefluff--welcome to the site. i'm in the UK too---and many of us on here have now met--and got to know each other. if your on fbook--there are a few ex--jw--uk sites that might be of help to you. i know of several gay xj's---so support and understanding is out there.
