Posts by drewcoul

43

Hypocrisy 101 - Watchtower has Payed for College/College Courses for Bethelites!

by Crisis of Conscience in

no you did not read the title wrong.

i was out to eat this weekend with two bethelites.

one gave a talk in my hall and i was invited out to dinner with them by another family in my hall.. as the conversation always turns to "spiritual" things, the subject of education was brought up.

drewcoul

CofC,

I don't know the numbers, but I do know the society has paid for college for some Bethelites.

I can also tell you that Judah Ben Schroeder who is the son of deceased GB member Albert Schroeder went to college. I think Judah Ben Schroeder pretty much grew up at Bethel since his dad was a member of the GB for many years. I don't know who paid for it. I suppose Albert Schroeder could have been affluent enough to pay for it himself, or perhaps Judah Ben Schroeder paid for it himself. I don not know. I do know that when I visited the congregation that they each attended one time in 1995, the brother I was with told me that he was a college graduate and I thought it was the height of hypocrisy, but, like we all used to do, I just squashed it and put it in the back of my mind and thought it didn't matter.

51

Is There Anything You Like About JWN?

by minimus in

jw
friends

anything at all???

?.

drewcoul

Thanks Outlaw! I knew you'd come through for me eventually! LOL

Nice Melons!

51

Is There Anything You Like About JWN?

by minimus in

jw
friends

anything at all???

?.

drewcoul

And I like Outlaw, even though he never responds to any of my posts.

51

Is There Anything You Like About JWN?

by minimus in

jw
friends

anything at all???

?.

drewcoul

JWN Has definitely helped me! I enjoy reading about experiences in other Kingdom Halls from people who remember the good times, and the good people without bitterness clouding every memory. And I like exchanging thoughts with others from nearly exactly the same background as me.

Those of us who were born-ins probably remember how cool it was when we were kids to meet other kids our age who were also witnesses. Especially if we met them in a social setting. We felt like we were different, separate from anyone and everyone else. Now, it's the same thing. We know how we were raised, we empathize with each other and help support each other in our day to day dealings with our families who are still in, and others who will never know what it's like. Here's to JWN

41

Ostracism: anyone with legal background on this forum who could help?

by Nick! in

jw
friends

here in europe, we have started different initiatives aiming at exposing publicly and legally the watchtower on the subject of ostracism, discrimination and shunning.. in the past we have seen different manifestations held in front of kingdom halls or branch offices on issues such as pedophilia and blood transfusions policies, and even, such as in france, against building of real-estates.

now it seems that the issue of discrimination against disfellowshipped or dissociated people is gaining momentum.

we have seen the large demonstrations in brazil, and maybe the lesser important ones elsewhere.

drewcoul

Desirous of Change,

Incidentally, you will not find the term "Separation of church and state" in the First Ammendment.....or anywhere in the Constitution or the Ammendments. It's a made up term to make people think there is a Constitutional arguement against the "State" getting involved in any way, shape or form with religion. In actuality, the Constition of the U.S. prohibits the establishment of a state religion and allows Americans to practice whatever religion they choose. Anything more than that has been adjudicated and interpreted into the Constitution even though it's not really there.

That being said, I don't believe you will ever see the U.S. government get involved in the disfellowshipping/ shunning debate. There is a concept of "Freedom of association" that allows people to associate with those they choose to associate with and to not associate with those they don't want to associate with.

The only debate I can see them interjecting themselves into is blood transfusions if it involves a minor (which they have done for years), or an adult with diminished capacities. They will not force an able bodied person of sound mind to accept a blood transfusion if they don't wish to.

98

New Light

by Spade in

i've noticed quite a few dissidents of jehovah's organization that have left with some fixation on jehovah's witnesses concept of new light.

i really don't understand.

the antiquity of religion may be historically educational, but not always personally illuminating.

drewcoul

Spade:

If Jesus returned on Oct. 2, 1914, and WW1 was proof for this, and was caused by Jesus casting Satan out of Heaven.........Why did WW1 start in August and not after Oct. 2?

Please answer this question.

37

If The Watchtower discourages Greek language study, why did they publish the KIT?

by VM44 in

if the watchtower discourages the study of biblical languages, then why did they publish twice, in 1969 and 1985. the kingdom interlinear translation of the greek scriptures?.

would this not actually encourage the study of the greek language?.

drewcoul

Two things:

First: I use the KIT at times when I'm studying some bible subject and want to know the difference in NWT, KJ, NIV and other translations that I have. I'm still in the process of trying to find out things for myself, and am still full of the things I learned as a JW for nearly my entire life. I know many of you can relate.

Second: When did the Society discourage the study of biblical languages? Can you give a quote and reference?

149

Johnny the mysterious bethelite .. Six Screens conference call tonight Sat.Jan 15, 2011

by koolaid-man in

jw
friends

announcement........ http://sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/upcoming.html.

we are all anticipating the return of the active bethelite ,johnny, who was hiding in a closet talking to us from the world headquarters of jehovah's witnesses.

link to jan.1,2011 call.... http://www.sixscreensofthewatchtower.com/conferencecall-1-1-11.html .

drewcoul

It's the same old same old. He's a Liar.

RICK- WHY WON'T YOU ANSWER QUESTIONS??!!?? How about the question about the voice changer you said you were using on the original call? Were you using it or not? Does it exist or not?

How about Mr. Mustard's question which I've cut and pasted below?

By not answering questions like this, you are destroying any credibility you may have had.

Here's the cut and paste from Mr. Mustard's direct question:

@koolaid-man:

You wrote:

yourmomma I had no idea that Johnny was coming on the call. He surprised me as much as everyone else. To be honest, I do not remember talking to Johnny . But hundreds of people come on the conference calls and Johnny at some time previously may of come on to the call using an other name and getting advice from from me.

Do you mind clarifying something? If you go back to the recording of the first call, starting around minute 59 (start there), Johnny is talking about the poor mental health of Bethel members, and speaking of "Jarrod", head of the waiter crew, having a breakdown and taking a knife to another brother's throat. He then says he feels very fortunate he found your site. Then he said, "..when they told me about looking into people's facebooks and stuff, I asked Rick about it, and he gave me some good council, and it pushed me into the right place."

This seems to indicate that he was in contact with you prior to the first call, and that you had even given him advice. You don't remember talking to him prior to this call?

Thanks,

MeanMrMustard

15

2 Witnesses spoken of in Revelation

by Kimberly090 in

hey everyone!.

i was looking on facebook and came across a page called facebook.com/wefoundthem and they were speaking about the 2 witnesses.

i have seen a little bit about a witness in the watchtower but not much.

drewcoul

41

A Beloved and Compassionate Elder Trapped in a Cult Just Died , What should I do?

by TastingFreedom in

jw
friends

i just heard the sad news that a very loving and kind elder for the congregation that i belonged to for 15 years just died from a heart attack.

he was someone that i had great admiration and deep respect for, even now that i'm out from the jws.

he was my mentor and an inspiration to me as an elder, and in many ways he showed me the contradictions of the wts, he was a breath of fresh air within a cult.

drewcoul

I know that when my father died, seeing people from his past there, people I hadn't seen in decades made an impression on me and brought home the point of what a wonderful person he was and that he had touched people's lives so much even back in the '60's before I was born, that they paid their respects to him by showing up at the funeral or the showing. I know they weren't there for me, they didn't even know me or my mother. They were there to show their respect for my dad.

I think you should do the same thing. If I were you, I would even go through the line and express your condolences to the widow. No need for a lengthy conversation, just tell her you loved him, and you miss him. No witness in their right mind would have a problem with that. As for having to listen to the talk, who cares??? It's what HE BELIEVED!!! You don't have to believe it, but it is being given because he would want it to be given.

I hate to go back to my dad's funeral, but I had put into the memorial pamphlets two scriptures. Daniel 2:44 and Rev. 21:3,4. Not because I wanted people to know what the Witnesses teach about it, but because HE would want something said about God's Kingdom and something said about a paradise earth......whether it's true or not, it doesn't matter.

I appreciate your problem here, but I say go for him. You will only regret it if you don't go.

I am sorry for your loss. May our Heavenly Father give him his reward.