The author is known as Stillness suite on Facebook. It's a good book. I'm reading this one slowly and digesting everything. I'm about 75% completed. It really helps you to heal and recover after leaving. The scars were deeper than I had imagined.
Israel Ricky Gonzales
JoinedPosts by Israel Ricky Gonzales
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Exiting the JW Cult
by Illuminated inthere's a book i wanted to share called "exiting the jw cult: a healing handbook: for current & former .
jehovah's witnesses".
i am not associated to the author in any way.
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Wolves in sheep clothing
by Israel Ricky Gonzales ini was baptized then i was 15 years old and just entering high school.
i had been a perfect jw teenager through out my high school years, although i craved to be a little bit worldly.
when i graduated high school, i moved out and got a job working with my older non-jw brother.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
The young lady ended up moving away 6 months later but since I was DF'd, we couldnt speak. Even though she was unbaptized, any reprimands she received must have been in private. Never heard from her since. -
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Wolves in sheep clothing
by Israel Ricky Gonzales ini was baptized then i was 15 years old and just entering high school.
i had been a perfect jw teenager through out my high school years, although i craved to be a little bit worldly.
when i graduated high school, i moved out and got a job working with my older non-jw brother.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
I was baptized then I was 15 years old and just entering high school. I had been a perfect JW teenager through out my high school years, although I craved to be a little bit worldly. When I graduated high school, I moved out and got a job working with my older non-JW brother. I quickly began living a double life for nearly a year. My conscience could not take it any longer and I voluntarily went to the elders to confess and get back on the narrow road that leads to everlasting life.
I truly believed that I was repentant and that ONLY unrepentant sinners were disfellowshipped. Up until then, the only person I had personally eyewitness attend their own their DFing announcement, stood up, flipped off the elder and walked out. So, it made sense that ONLY unrepentant sinners were DF'd.
Boy was I dead wrong. I laid everything on the line, totally open and honest about everything I had engaged in, even though I was shocked at some of the questions they asked. When they told me that their decision was to DF, it was like an atomic bomb went off inside my body and I literally lost feeling in my extremities. I was 19 and innocent of the DF'ing process and procedures, so I asked if I would still get my KM's. One of the elders looked at me puzzled and said, "Of course not, those are for kingdom ministers. It says OUR kingdom ministry. You are no longer a JW." I was completely devastated and utterly shocked. Unfortunately, I would get more chances to eyewitness the wolves fangs hiding beneath sheep clothing.
After a year of giving up on ever coming back, I came crawling back and was reinstated after 6 months. Had not my family been there, NO ONE would have come up to me and given me a hug or tell me congrats. My family spared me that embarrassment. Keep that thought in mind, because history repeats itself.
I get reinstated to such a cold welcome that I knew right then and there, that God's love was not in that congregation. I decided that the second I got my privileges back, I was skipping town and changing congregations. And that I did. Funny thing is, the bible says God forgives and forgets, but JW's certainly do not forgive and forget. Little did I know that your sins stay with you forever in the JW world, especially public/private reproof and disfellowshipping.(Later on, when filling out bethel temporary worker application, it asked if you were ever DF'd and if yes, to give specifics.)
After changing congregations, the new elders didn't take too kindly to a new, handsome, (LOL) 21 year old brother who was zealous to make a new start. They falsely accused me of dating an unbaptized single sister and told me that she is an UNbaptized publisher, so she is still considered part of the world and I would not be following the command to marry only in the lord. I had barely even talked to her at meetings, let alone really flirt with her or talk to her outside kingdom hall walls. I was so enraged of being falsely accused me of something untrue, that I decided to pursue this beautiful UNbaptized sister, which ended up leading to fornication, and another disfellowshipping. That judicial committee meeting is another whole post altogether.
But it took me 2 years and 5 letters of reinstatement to get reinstated. After 6 months, I put in another letter like the first time. They told me that since I was DF'd once before, for the same "crime", that they needed more time to see evidence of my true repentance. I asked how much time and they said that they didn't know. I was pretty much more set in my ways of proving them wrong, than I was devastated of a rejection. I knew they were wrong by disfellowshipping me because they could not read my heart. I was the one to approach them, not the other way around. But that is not enough in the elders determining repentance.
Had I got rejected for a 5th time, I was prepared to give up. I had been the most faithful meeting attender in the congregation for 2 years and by the looks of everyone else's WT and books, I studied the hardest and most often. But, they decided to finally reinstate me.
This time, I didn't have my family there to lean on for support. Once they announced it, I was excited and overjoyed, but that would only last until the final song and prayer. No one came up to me to shake my hand, to give me a hug, to say congrats and welcome back. No one. I stood there after the Amen, and waited........ and waited..... and you guessed it, waited. After about a minute of what seemed like forever, and starting to feel that feeling again of rejection, I started putting my books in my briefcase as slowly as possible, putting away each pen and highlighter as slowly as possible, not looking up, but waiting for something. But all I got was cold hearted shunning, still! All that hard work and that is what I got. I left the kingdom hall in a stupor and flabbergasted that I cannot describe the feeling.
Don't ask me how or why, because I cannot answer, but I stuck out that cold reception and stayed in that congregation from 2001-2014 when I was DF'd for the 3rd and final time. This time, I was DF'd for apostasy, knowing too much about "the truth about the truth".
The elders are supposed to be caring, loving shepherds. Even the elders (all elders who DF'd me moved away) whom I considered as close friends and had always encouraged me to reach out to be an elder, turned their back on me in the blink of an eye when they began to have suspicions of me and became aware of my doubts with the organization. Wolves in sheep clothing.
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Abusing the power of tears. Yet another sign of desperation
by StarTrekAngel inso i was seating at the meeting this past sunday.
the latest wt article to be studied speaks of "using our imagination" to think about the blessings of the kingdom.
the whole study was centered around how we can, and should, spent time visualizing ourselves in the new world, working along with our brothers.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
Yeah, I remember the videos being shown at the international convention last year. The die hards were emotional and sang at the top of their lungs, getting drunk with WT wine. I could barely stomach it. I really got a kick out of the international because it was like JW halloween. My 5 year old daughter dressed up in a different "costume" each day and made out like a bandit with candies, goodies, and gifts. -
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CAUGHT IN THE ACT OF LYING: True teaching cannot become Old Light if it becomes New Light again afterward.
by TerryWalstrom inwatchtower governing body leadership directly impacts 7 million members earth wide.
would he change a true teaching?
up to that point christians have obeyed the command at romans 13:1: "let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
I think the reason Rutherford changed the meaning of the superior authorities to a heavenly one was because of the prohibition. He didn't want the worldly governments telling him that he couldn't drink, so he changed the meaning and stated that we obey god as ruler rather than men. -
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Judicial committee letter to elders
by Israel Ricky Gonzales inwarning: this is rather lengthy.
i thought i would post this information that i took with me to my judicial committee.
the elders promised that we would talk about everything that was bothering me, yet, we ended up talking about less than 10% of it.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
IgnoranceIsBliss,
I have known about this site since I woke up but don't know why it took this long to be active here just recently. I am all over FB though. Send me a PM sometime. 👍
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Judicial committee letter to elders
by Israel Ricky Gonzales inwarning: this is rather lengthy.
i thought i would post this information that i took with me to my judicial committee.
the elders promised that we would talk about everything that was bothering me, yet, we ended up talking about less than 10% of it.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
Crazyguy
Yep, it was like talking to a Babylonian double wall. All they wanted to know was if I believed in the governing body. I could have said that I believed in satan, but as long as I said that I believed in the GB then everything would be OK.
Just think, I had given a public talk about 4 months earlier and totally drinking the Kool-Aid before typing this!
Clarity, I'll give ya a high five. 👍
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Judicial committee letter to elders
by Israel Ricky Gonzales inwarning: this is rather lengthy.
i thought i would post this information that i took with me to my judicial committee.
the elders promised that we would talk about everything that was bothering me, yet, we ended up talking about less than 10% of it.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
Warning: This is rather lengthy. I thought I would post this information that I took with me to my judicial committee. The elders promised that we would talk about everything that was bothering me, yet, we ended up talking about less than 10% of it. If you can bear it and read it all the way through, I give you an XJW high five, LOL.
A. WTBTS has used questionable authors and material to support our beliefs.
To begin, please read the 2011 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses, p. 9, subheading “Tracing All Things with Accuracy.”
I researched the book Those About to Die by Daniel P. Mannix. You can read many reviews of this book on Amazaon.com and other online book stores. Would this be a book you would read with your mate or children? Would you take a copy of this book to the kingdom hall and quote from it in a talk to support your ideas? Would you share it with other friends to help with their research?
You may be asking, why? Where did I find out about this book?
1. Watchtower, 1968, June 1, p.351-352, paragraph 8.
2. Awake, 1972, December 8, p.18-23, paragraph 20.
3. Awake, 1975, December 8, p.3-4, paragraph 6.
4. Watchtower, 1975, August 15, p.493-498, paragraph 20.
5. Awake, 1979, December 22, p., Under the Subheading “Is all disco bad?” Mannix is mentioned, but I doubt it is referring to the author. I just thought it was interesting to see how much things change over time in our organization, even in 34 years.
6. Brochure: Jehovah Witnesses and Education, 1983, under the chapter “Flag salute, anthems, and voting.”
7. Watchtower, 1983, May 1, p.12-17, paragraph 8.
8. Book: Reasoning on the Scriptures, 1989, p.269-276 (Neutrality)
9. Watchtower, 1993, January 15, p.25-30, paragraph 21.
10. Book: Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 1, 1988, p.1195-1196 (Incense)
11. Watchtower, 2002, September 15, p.21-25, paragraph 8.
12. Book: Learn from the Great Teacher, 2003, p.146. (Only time quoted as a “Historian.”)
13. Watchtower, 2013, January 15, p.7-11, paragraph 16.
Please look at the picture illustration in the book What Does the Bible Really Teach, p. 158. (Lollipop in the gutter)
From the 2011 Yearbook, if the WTBTS took extensive time to thoroughly research if a spider web would indeed stop an airplane, whether Gandhi or Sir Isaac Newton really said something, which has no real significance to our everlasting life, could they not do the same thorough investigation about whom or what they are quoting from? It matters where things come from, see the lollipop illustration!
Our literature is supposed to be spiritual truth and above reproach, vindicating Jehovah’s name. This book may contain true data, and that is debatable, but the real question is: Would it be appropriate for a Christian to be reading a book that goes into gory detail about the sheer brutality of Roman society: public executions, throwing women and children to animals to be eaten alive, the training of professional human and animal killers, gambling on who would die first in a fight-to-the-death match, public sexual orgies including homosexuality, and the teaching of animals to engage in bestiality?
A quote from the 2011 Yearbook: “The Writing Department looks to standard reference works, articles written by recognized experts, and books produced by respected publishers.” Would this book be considered a standard reference book, coming from a recognized expert, produced from a respected publisher? I certainly hope that a brother or sister didn’t read this sick book just to get a quote to support our convictions Jehovah’s Witnesses have today.
What is also interesting is that from 1968 until 2002, on the WT Library CD, Mannix is referred to as an author, or simply by his name 10 different times. It wasn’t until 2003, in the children’s book Learn from the Great Teacher that Mannix was referred to as a historian. Then, afterwards in the 2013 Watchtower, Mannix was referred to again simply by his name. This implies to me that adults would be able to research that Mannix is not a historian, so he was not called such. But children would never come to that conclusion, and therefore he can be cited as a historian.
B. WTBTS lied about the use of spiritistic material. They also lied about when they (WTBTS) knew about Johannes Greber.
Please research the books The New Testament: A New Translation Based on the Oldest Manuscripts and Communication with the Spirit World by Johannes Greber. Would this be a book you would read with your mate or children? Would you take a copy of this book to the kingdom hall and quote from it in a talk to support your ideas? Would you share it with other friends to help with their research?
Where did I find out about this book?
w55 10/1 p. 603 par. 33 Part 3—What Do the Scriptures Say About “Survival After Death”?
33 Is such official Catholic teaching as the above an impenetrable defense against the invasion of spiritism? No! It is an invitation to spiritism, and the conditions in Roman Catholic lands, such as Peru, Costa Rica, Cuba and Haiti, show Roman Catholicism to be no bulwark against this spreading peril. In such lands the Catholic people, even up to 90 per cent, mix spiritism or voodooism right in with Roman Catholicism, practicing both at the same time with no objection or penalty by the priests. It comes as no surprise that one Johannes Greber, a former Catholic clergyman, has become a spiritualist and has published the book entitled “Communication with the Spirit World, Its laws and Its Purpose.” (1932, Macoy Publishing Company, New York) In its Foreword he makes the typical misstatement: “The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible; for its principal contents hinge upon the messages of the beyond to those existing in the present.”
w56 2/15 pp. 110-111 pars. 10-11 Triumphing over Wicked Spirit Forces
10 Says Johannes Greber in the introduction of his translation of The New Testament, copyrighted in 1937: “I myself was a Catholic priest, and until I was forty-eight years old had never as much as believed in the possibility of communicating with the world of God’s spirits. The day came, however, when I involuntarily took my first step toward such communication, and experienced things that shook me to the depths of my soul. . . . My experiences are related in a book that has appeared in both German and English and bears the title, Communication with the Spirit-World: Its Laws and Its Purpose.” (Page 15, ¶ 2, 3) In keeping with his Roman Catholic extraction Greber’s translation is bound with a gold-leaf cross on its stiff front cover. In the Foreword of his aforementioned book ex-priest Greber says: “The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible.” Under this impression Greber endeavors to make his New Testament translation read very spiritualistic.
11 Spiritualism claims that there are good spirits and bad spirits and that it does not want to have anything to do with the bad spirits but tries to communicate only with the good spirits. At 1 John 4:1-3 the Bible says: “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.” Greber’s translation of these verses reads: “My dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to learn whether they come from God. For many false spirits have emerged from the abyss and gone out into the world, and are speaking through human mediums. This is how you can find out whether a spirit comes from God: every spirit who confesses that Jesus Christ appeared on earth as a man, comes from God. While every spirit who seeks to destroy belief in Jesus as our Lord incarnated does not come from God, but is sent by the adversary of Christ. You have been told that such spirits would come, and they are already appearing in the world.” Very plainly the spirits in which ex-priest Greber believes helped him in his translation.
Make Sure of All Things, p.489
w62 9/15 p. 554 par. 5 “The Word”—Who Is He? According to John
Aid to Bible Understanding, 1969, p1134 and 1669w75 10/15 p. 640 Questions From Readers (WTBTS asked its readers to compare the NWT with an occult bible!)
w76 4/15 p. 231 Insight on the Newsw83 4/1 p. 31 Questions From Readers
Questions From Readers
■ Why, in recent years, has The Watchtower not made use of the translation by the former Catholic priest, Johannes Greber?
This translation was used occasionally in support of renderings of Matthew 27:52, 53 and John 1:1, as given in the New World Translation and other authoritative Bible versions. But as indicated in a foreword to the 1980 edition of The New Testament by Johannes Greber, this translator relied on “God’s Spirit World” to clarify for him how he should translate difficult passages. It is stated: “His wife, a medium of God’s Spirit world was often instrumental in conveying the correct answers from God’s Messengers to Pastor Greber.” The Watchtower has deemed it improper to make use of a translation that has such a close rapport with spiritism. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) The scholarship that forms the basis for the rendering of the above-cited texts in the New World Translation is sound and for this reason does not depend at all on Greber’s translation for authority. Nothing is lost, therefore, by ceasing to use his New Testament.
Please read the articles listed and ask yourself: When did the WTBTS know exactly what kind of person Johannes Greber was? When did the WTBTS know what kind of bible translation they were quoting from? They knew exactly who Greber was back in 1955. Was it OK to be reading from a book about communication with spirit world, or have them in their possession in the first place? And did they live up to their promise to stop quoting from his book?
It is interesting that in the Spanish WT Library CD, in the WT 4/1/83, the Questions from Readers dealing with Greber is the ONLY article that is NOT translated. But yet, in 1987, just 4 years after promising the readers that the WTBTS would no longer use Greber as support, the WTBTS again uses Greber in support in the Spanish translation of the “Aid to Bible Understanding”, 1987, p. 1258. Being deceitful about when the WTBTS actually knew about Greber is bad enough, but to continue using a KNOWN spiritistic source after 1983 is considered a gross sin in the eyes of Jehovah.
Greber was exposed and condemned three times, in 1955, 1956, and 1983. Yet, just 4 years after WTBTS promised not to use him again since he had a close rapport with spiritism, he was use once more in a different language. How many OTHER languages has Greber been used to support our beliefs after 1983? How many other languages deleted the 1983 Questions from Readers, since it was not translated into Spanish? What is translated is another topic altogether. In Spanish, there are only 2 references to Greber. Both references use Greber in support WT doctrine, leaving the Spanish user of the WT Library CD in the dark about the person being quoted. Again, if this was just a mistake, it is a gross mistake on the part of the writing and translation department.
This is not the first time the WTBTS was caught dabbling in the occult. Even Charles Taze Russell himself quotes from sources that he claims come from demonic astrologers, and agrees with their astrology since it is in harmony with his pyramidology based prophecies. See Watchtower, 1905, October 1, page 3637, subheading Devils Also Believe and Astrological Predictions of Our Time.
Later, CT Russell sanctioned a book called Angels and Women, that was later published by Rutherford in 1924. This is a quote from the forward:
“All students, familiar with the Bible teaching concerning spiritism, will read this book with the keenest interest because it shows the method employed by Satan and the wicked angels to debauch and overthrow the human race. The reviser of this book is of the opinion that the original manuscript was dictated to the woman who wrote it by one of the fallen angels who desired to return to divine favor. It is believed that reverential persons now examining the revised edition of this book will have a better understanding of the evil influence about us and be better fortified in the Lord's word and grace to shield and protect themselves from these evil influences. Spiritism, otherwise named demonism, is working great evil amongst men. It should be studiously avoided.”
This dictation from the author is known as auto-writing, where a demon causes the person to write something down, without communicating it. This sounds eerily similar to how Johannes Greber received his information, from a spirit-medium wife.
There are also photocopied letters of correspondence between the WTBTS and the Greber Foundation, where the WTBTS is requesting additional copies of Greber’s two spiritstic books! From the evidence, the WTBTS has dabbled in the occult since it’s infancy. Even in modern times, not only does WTBTS seem to support spiritism, they engage in it as well, by implying in a belief called necromancy – the communication with dead spirits.
Revelation chap. 20 pp. 124-125 par. 17 A Multitudinous Great Crowd ***
From the time of the apostle John and on into the Lord’s day, anointed Christians were puzzled as to the identity of the great crowd. It is fitting, then, that one of the 24 elders, representing anointed ones already in heaven, should stir John’s thinking by raising a pertinent question. “And in response one of the elders said to me: ‘These who are dressed in the white robes, who are they and where did they come from?’ So right away I said to him: ‘My lord, you are the one that knows.’” (Revelation 7:13, 14a) Yes, that elder could locate the answer and give it to John. This suggests that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today. For their part, those of the John class on earth got to learn the identity of the great crowd by closely observing what Jehovah was performing in their midst. They were quick to appreciate the dazzling flash of divine light that emblazoned the theocratic firmament in 1935, at Jehovah’s due time.
w07 1/1 p. 28 par. 11 “The First Resurrection”—Now Under Way!
11 What, then, can we deduce from the fact that one of the 24 elders identifies the great crowd to John? It seems that resurrected ones of the 24-elders group may be involved in the communicating of divine truths today. Why is that important? Because the correct identity of the great crowd was revealed to God’s anointed servants on earth in 1935. If one of the 24 elders was used to convey that important truth, he would have had to be resurrected to heaven by 1935 at the latest. That would indicate that the first resurrection began sometime between 1914 and 1935. Can we be more precise?
The Governing Body believes that resurrected 24-elder group from the 20th century communicate, or reveal spiritual truth to them. Greber stated that good spirits revealed truth to him also. The author of Angel and Woman stated that an evil spirit communicated with her. Where does the bible say that these resurrected elders would reveal spiritual truth to the Governing Body left on earth?
1 SAMUEL 28:3-25
Remember, Saul sought out a spirit medium to seek advice from the prophet Samuel, who was already dead. The spirit looked and sounded like Samuel, but it was a wicked demon misleading him. In verse 9, the witch said she feared for her life because Saul had rid the land of spirit medium and fortune tellers. But Saul promised in the name of Jehovah she would not incur guilt. Is that really how Jehovah felt? Again, Jehovah tells us that this kind of communication is detestable to him. This is strikingly similar to how Greber received his “inspired” truths, how the author of Angels and Women receive her inspiration to write, and from which the WTBTS sought to support our similar teachings to Greber’s and their communication with the 24-elders who have died and are in heaven.
After researching about Daniel P. Mannix, is it a coincidence that he also has ties to the occult? Mannix wrote a biography about the occultist/satanist Aleister Crowley. This man is thought to be Satan in the flesh.
DEUTRONOMY 18:9-13
Again, please look at the picture illustration in What Does the Bible Really Teach, p. 158.
It was extremely difficult to find information on Johannes Greber that isn’t tied to spiritism, or wasn’t written in German. When I typed his name into an internet search engine to research about him and his books, numerous websites were spiritistic or dealing with the occult. As I was scrolling through these websites to find a suitable one to read from, I could see descriptions of these spiritistic websites. Without clicking a spiritistic website, one description stated: Jehovah’s Witnesses champion our occult bible!
C. The International Bible Students and WTBTS have been wrong on numerous occasions such as the rapture, Armageddon and Jesus Christ’s invisible return.
· 1897 "Our Lord, the appointed King, is now present, since October 1874," (Studies in the Scriptures, vol. 4, p. 621).
· 1899 " . . . the 'battle of the great day of God Almighty' (Revelation 16:14), which will end in A.D. 1914 with the complete overthrow of earth's present rulership, is already commenced," (The Time Is at Hand, 1908 edition, p. 101).
· 1916 "The Bible chronology herein presented shows that the six great 1000 year days beginning with Adam are ended, and that the great 7th Day, the 1000 years of Christ's Reign, began in 1873," (The Time Is at Hand, forward, p. ii).
· 1918 "Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly those named by the Apostle in Hebrews 11, to the condition of human perfection," (Millions Now Living Will Never Die, p. 89).
· 1922 "The date 1925 is even more distinctly indicated by the Scriptures than 1914," (Watchtower, Sept. 1, 1922, p. 262).
· 1923 "Our thought is that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures. As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his faith than Noah had upon which to base his faith in a coming deluge," (Watchtower, Apr. 1, 1923, p. 106).
· 1925 "The year 1925 is here. With great expectation Christians have looked forward to this year. Many have confidently expected that all members of the body of Christ will be changed to heavenly glory during this year. This may be accomplished. It may not be. In his own due time God will accomplish his purposes concerning his people. Christians should not be so deeply concerned about what may transpire this year," (Watchtower, Jan. 1, 1925, p. 3).
· 1925 "It is to be expected that Satan will try to inject into the minds of the consecrated, the thought that 1925 should see an end to the work," (Watchtower, Sept., 1925, p. 262).
· 1926 "Some anticipated that the work would end in 1925, but the Lord did not state so. The difficulty was that the friends inflated their imaginations beyond reason; and that when their imaginations burst asunder, they were inclined to throw away everything," (Watchtower, p. 232).
· 1931 "There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah's faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1917, 1918, and 1925, which disappointment lasted for a time . . . and they also learned to quit fixing dates," (Vindication, p. 338).
· 1968 "Why are you looking forward to 1975?" (Watchtower, Aug. 15, 1968, p. 494).
The “Proclaimers” book and the new book, “God’s Kingdom Come!” state that The Bible Students pointed to 1914 decades in advance as the invisible return of Jesus Christ in heaven as King decades, when in reality they taught that the last days started in 1799, and that Jesus began ruling invisibly as king in 1874. When these dates were not fulfilled, CT Russell received “new spiritual light” and adjusted his prophecies that the rapture would begin in 1910 and culminate with the war of Armageddon in 1914.
DEUTERONOMY 18:20-22
It is interesting when reading the Reasoning from the Scriptures book under the topic of "False Prophets", that these scriptures are not mentioned. In fact, one would think that there would be a subheading, a paragraph, or even a sentence about how to identify a false prophet, because that is what the topic is all about. There is plenty of information on how to identify a true prophet, but you cannot find information on how to identify a false prophet.
D. WTBTS was involved as a member of the United Nations, under the branch called Department of Public Information / Non-Government Organization, from 1992 to 2001.
In 2001, a newspaper called The Guardian, based in the United Kingdom, published an article that exposed the WTBTS as being members of the UN for the past 9 years. Due to the high number of inquiries to the UN about this matter, the UN posted their response to the inquiries that the WTBTS applied in 1991 for membership and was required to renew membership each year. WTBTS claimed that their membership was solely to have access to their extensive library. Another WTBTS representative in Spain admitted that it was part of a humanitarian work in third world countries.
Do we need to review who exactly the UN represents in the book of Revelation, and who is riding that beast? Without going into detail, this scarlet-colored wild beast is full of blasphemous names, and is under the control of the Great Harlot, the world empire of false religion. Yet, WTBTS thought it was OK to “pet” such a wild beast full of blasphemous names by having a “library cared” or claiming “to do humanitarian works in third world countries.” Does the UN have books that can only be found in THEIR library? You judge for yourself what constitutes hypocrisy.
WTBTS decided to disassociate themselves with the UN (DPI / NGO) when their membership was made public in 2001 through The Guardian newspaper story. If their membership was just for a library card, or to help in aiding third world countries, why the sudden disassociation just before a newspaper was going to publish the story?
Upon researching about this, there are plenty of free public UN libraries, including several in the New York and New Jersey area that were available without signing a membership with the UN as an NGO. So, they didn’t need the library card in the first place. I also find it hard to believe that, after having to sign a membership form with its creed on the very first page that the WTBTS were ignorant as to what they were signing, especially with a legal department readily available each year the membership was renewed. Part of the stipulations were that the NGO provide printed material that supports the UN. You can see a difference in the style of writing in the Awake articles as opposed to other publications that were written about the UN during 1991-2001. In fact, to this day, there are still MANY other legal corporations worldwide that are still members of the UN disguised as NGO’s. This is unacceptable and hypocritical in my viewpoint, as it appears that the WTBTS is trying hard to have a seat at Satan’s world political table, behind the backs of all its faithful followers.
E. The WTBTS founder, Charles Taze Russell, may have been involved with the Freemasons and promoted teachings that are diametrically opposed to what is taught today.
Although there is no concrete evidence of CT Russell’s membership, he did say in his own words in a 1912 convention that he was a “Mason.” Freemason teachings and terminology are clearly seen through symbols and expressions used in his publications: Millennial Dawn, Golden Age, New World Society, the crown, cross and wreath, and the knights Templar were used on the cover Watchtower until the 30’s. The Egyptian winged-sun-disk symbol was used on all six of the Studies in the Scriptures and The Final Mystery.
CT Russell had an obsession with the pyramid of Giza and used the pyramid figure when explaining prophecies. First, in his book “Thy Kingdom Come” p. 342, he uses a measurement of the Great Pyramid to calculate his 1914 prophecy. He then began prophesying that the Rapture would begin in 1910 and end at the end of 1914 when Armageddon would happen. He claimed that these were God’s dates and not his, and that if he were silent on these matters, Jehovah would cause the stones to preach these dates. When these prophecies were slowly not being fulfilled, he used another measurement to push the end out another year. Since Watchtower, 1907, October 1, p.4067, and an even bigger retraction in Watchtower, 1911, January 15, p.4751, the WTBTS has been constantly changing the Armageddon date and updating their understanding, even blaming the Lord and the friends for incorrect dates that were "surmisings",“based on faith alone” and not based on chronology or facts, with no blame going to the prophet for sounding an incorrect warning.
Russell borrowed language and artwork from the Adventists, Freemasons, Egyptians, John Taylor (the pyramids.) He even looked to astrology in support of God’s prophecies in Watchtower, 1903, May 1, page 3184, An Astrologer’s Outlook.”
So, from researching from the publications themselves, the Bible Students believed in: paganism, Egyptology, pyramidology, astrology, numerology, as well as engaging in greedy commercialism by swindling thousands of dollars selling miracle wheat and miracle beans. Russell was buried in a cemetery owned by the Freemasons. A 7ft pyramid was built as a memorial for Russell. Engraved on it are Masonic symbols.
The Israelites in bible times were also borrowing and copying from false religions, though not seen to the public. Notice how Jehovah felt about their actions, although hidden from plain sight, in Ezekiel chapter 8.
Russell also believed in phrenology, mental ability based on the shape of your skull. He also believed in a form of rascim, that dark skinned people would be restored to lighter skin tone when Jehovah’s Kingdom is fully established on earth. He also went to court for pedophilia, for which his own wife testified against him and eventually divorced him for infidelity.
Did Jehovah select this man as his mouthpiece? Did Jehovah select this organization as His visible organization and only channel for communicating and dispensing spiritual truth?
F. This is just scratching the surface as to our religion.
I have also researched the topic of the Gentile times and 607-537-1914, the use of the name Jehovah in the Christian Greek Scriptures, the Tetragrammaton YHWH, the history of Jehovah’s Witnesses and other things we base our religion on. I urge you to do an honest and thorough examination of these subjects. We claim to be the ONLY true religion, but we are far from it. Jesus did not select this organization as the only religion dispensing food at the proper time. They were neither faithful, nor discreet, but as Deut 18:20 says, presumptuous.
Why is our understanding on certain bible doctrines constantly changing? In fact, looking at our religion today as opposed to our early beginnings, our religion today looks nothing like our beginnings.
Many of these changing doctrines mostly have to do with Armageddon and the structure of our organization.
The new, clearer thinking is attributed to “new light.” (Proverbs 4:18) Outdated teachings are discarded and considered “old light” and not to be taught anymore. This means that, as newer light was revealed, we were being led with old light. Some teachings have been discarded as old light, only to be re-taught again as new light, such as the teaching of “this generation” and the “superior authorities.”
Ask yourself: Has Jehovah EVER led his people with old light, or changed his thinking? (Malachi 3:6) Would you not agree that being led by “old light” would amount to being misled?
w76 5/15 p. 298 Preaching Christ—Through Envy or Goodwill?
“It is a serious matter to represent God and Christ in one way, then find that our understanding of the major teachings and fundamental doctrines of the Scriptures was in error, and then after that, to go back to the very doctrines that, by years of study, we had thoroughly determined to be in error. Christians cannot be vacillating—‘wishy-washy’—about such fundamental teachings. What confidence can one put in the sincerity or judgment of such persons?”
G. Other teachings
No amount of works for ANY religious organization, true or false, can earn the gift of everlasting life, for it is ONLY through Jehovah’s underserved kindness that we receive that gift.
ROMANS 11:6
Organized religion has been, and will always be corrupt because it is run by imperfect men. Even though Jehovah chose the Israelites as his special property, they were discarded because of unfaithfulness, idolatry and apostasy. Since the birth of Christianity, we do not need an organized religion to worship Jehovah acceptably. Our perfect exemplar, Jesus Christ himself, tells us this.
JOHN 15:1-5
This makes sense that organized religion is not needed to worship Jehovah acceptably. We have Jesus Christ. He is the vine and we are the branches. There is NO need for another mediator. Apart from Jesus, you can do nothing at all. Our salvation is dependent on our relationship with YHWH and our faith in Jesus’ ransom sacrifice, not dependent upon living up to the standards of a man-made organization. We will never feel true refreshment living up to man-made religious standards and rules.
MATTHEW 11:25-30
Have you ever wondered about the great crowd mentioned in Revelation? How is it that the Apostle John says no man would be able to number them, yet we have yearly reports on all of our work, even the number of hours spent in the ministry, the number of pioneers, the number of publishers, how many auxiliary pioneered? Do you remember what happened to King David for taking an unauthorized census?
Also, the great crowd is also mentioned as “standing before the throne of Jehovah”, along with the 24 elders, the angels, the Lamb Jesus Christ. (Revelation 7:13-15) Jehovah’s throne is in the heavens. The 24 elders are in heaven, the Lamb is in the heavens. But it is interesting that nowhere in that chapter does the Apostle John “see” the 144,000. He only hears the number. He does see the great crowd, and they are standing BEFORE the throne of Jehovah, along with the angels, 24 elders, and Jesus Christ himself. So, are there really two different hopes, anointed and other sheep?
When Jesus spoke the words at John 10:16, he was speaking to Jews. In fact, he himself said that he was not sent to preach to the Gentiles. So when he said that he has other sheep which are not of this fold, and that he would also bring these into him, he was speaking of Gentiles. He was not speaking of another hope, only that Gentiles would also enjoy the same privileges as Jews, thus fulfilling the Abrahamic covenant.
Ephesians 4:4-6 One body there is, and one spirit, just as you were called to the ONE hope of your calling one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
True, in speaking these words, Jesus was speaking of those with the heavenly calling, which at that time were all Jews. But let me ask: Are you led by Holy Spirit? I feel that on an individual basis, yes, I am led by that spirit. I hope that you too feel the same way.
Notice what Romans 8:12-16 says: So, then, brothers, we are under obligation, not to the flesh to live according to the flesh; 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you are sure to die; but if you put the practices of the body to death by the spirit, you will live. 14 For all who are led by God’s spirit are indeed God’s sons. 15 For you did not receive a spirit of slavery causing fear again, but you received a spirit of adoption as sons, by which spirit we cry out: “Abba, Father!” 16 The spirit itself bears witness with our spirit that we are God’s children. 17 If, then, we are children, we are also heirs—heirs indeed of God, but joint heirs with Christ—provided we suffer together so that we may also be glorified together.
Yes, all who are led by the Holy Spirit are considered God’s sons – HIS children. We suffer with the anointed ones together. We follow the rules given to the anointed. But to not enjoy the benefits of the anointed goes contrary to what Jehovah has promised to all those who are led by the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 23:14)
Hebrews 2:10-12 10 For it was fitting that the one for whom and through whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the Chief Agent of their salvation perfect through sufferings. 11 For both the one who is sanctifying and those who are being sanctified all stem from one, and for this reason he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12 as he says: “I will declare your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will praise you with song.” 13 And again: “I will put my trust in him.” And again: “Look! I and the young children, whom Jehovah gave me.”Imagine Jesus huddling up the myriads and myriads of angels with his great authority, announcing YOUR name (an imperfect human who makes mistakes and feels unworthy of being in heaven with him) to all his brothers, singing a song just for you, telling all the angelic family that he, Jesus Christ himself, trusts you, and that you are now part of Jehovah’s family as one of His children! What a grand introduction! This is what Jesus promises to those who are led by Holy Spirit, since all who are led by it are God’s sons. Yet, WTBTS takes away this from all the members of the great crowd.
CONCLUSION
It pains me to come this this conclusion about the religion I have spent my entire life dedicated to. I went on a deep search for spiritual truth and tried my hardest to prove the WTBTS true, but in doing so it seemed all too easy to disprove them as false.
Romans 9:1, 2 - I am telling the truth in Christ; I am not lying, as my conscience bears witness with me in Holy Spirit, 2 that I have great grief and unceasing pain in my heart.
Romans 12:1, 2 - Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason. 2 And stop being molded by this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, so that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
1 Corinthians 2:14-16 - But a physical man does not accept the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot get to know them, because they are examined spiritually. 15 However, the spiritual man examines ALL things, but he himself is not examined by any man. 16 For “who has come to know the mind of Jehovah, so that he may instruct him?” But we do have the mind of Christ.
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The Religion Of Rejection - And Now That Includes Me
by dubstepped indue to some recent developments i find myself in a new place, and at this point i've lost all of my family and fri....oh that's right, i never really had any friends in the organization anyway.
just people that wanted something from me and a few people that i would invite to do things that occasionally said yes.
the recent rejections of me got me thinking, so let's take a rejection inventory.. i had to reject all of the holidays when my parents started studying.. i had to reject any worldly friends that i already had.. even family became rejected, and the new religion had some place in that.. i was rejected in school and bullied all of the time, not just because we were poor and i made good grades, but for jw reasons too.
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
It could be worse. Your wife could still be indoctrinated and no family to talk to.
I often feel like an orphan on an island. All of my family have rejected me. I am the only one to ever have been "punished" by Jehovah. Many of my in-laws are JW, and even the non-JWs have rejected me. No family. No friends. And a JW wife that is barely hanging on. All I have are my 2 kids, 8 and 6 years old, who are barely getting the grasp of disfellowshipping.
Instead of wallowing in pain and hurt, it has hardened and toughened me up. It's made one tough SOB and I'm not going to let that cult get the best of me.
sorry for my rant. Didn't mean to derail it. I enjoyed your post dubstepped.
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exJW Billboard is up.
by cappytan inwaiting on higher resolution photos from wifibandit.. but here is the (redacted) notification from the company.
apparently they take photos with a potato.. (the billboard directs folks to http://jwawake.com ).
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Israel Ricky Gonzales
I think this location was picked on the way to a convention site. Praise Jehobah!