Posts by DanaBug

67

Your worst field service experience.

by littlebird in

my worst field service experience was this.. i didn't have a car at the time and so a pioneer sister was picking me up of service every couple of days.

she was my partner and i got a door where the woman was clearly not interested.

as i am stepping away the pioneer sister starts in with all the objection stoppers.

JW's are more obsessed with sex than most people

by jambon1 in

jw
friends

always found this bizarre.. they have printed boundless amounts of information about this matter.

they discuss sex and it's details in front of infants & young children (surely a criminal offense, no?

), they gossip about who has been doing it with who when someone has fallen into the trap of the 'sins of the flesh.'.

I was a single sister. The elders on my jc didn't ask me any details. I stated what I had done, as in I had sex, I had been drinking and smoking regularly, and had smoked pot; and no, I'm not repentant. That was it. Oh, and they read us some scriptures and told us how we could get reinstated. I think it depends on the elders and who was involved, there weren't any other witnesses involved with what I had done, except my sister and they had one jc for both of us.

I don't doubt it does happen though. That's what happens when you have arbitrary petty laws you have to follow.

310

Are they really that bad???

by anonymous4 in

had a good look into the doctrine, beliefs and practices of jws and to be honest, i don't really see anything wrong with it at all.. it's biblical and i've had such an eye opener the past year or so reading some of their books and magazines .

is there really any real reasons why i shouldn't want to get involved further?

:-).

DanaBug

well, look- if they are not the truth, where is one meant to go to find the truth. Isn't there even just ONE group out there that teach the truth straight from the bible, and are in union?

I hate to break it to you, but no there isn't. The Bible is interpreted differently by different people, that's why there's so many denominations. If someone tells you they have the truth, they're lying. But you asked where to go to find truth. According to the Bible, John 14:

6Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know b my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

15“If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be c in you.

No where does the Bible say we have to be in a certain religion to have salvation. What's important is accepting Jesus and following his example, and we learn about that example from the Bible. Just study the Bible and pray, that's all you need. It's not dependent on attending a church or being in a specific denomination, it's dependent on our personal acceptance and a relationship with God. And, imo, that makes for a much more loving, merciful God than the one the Witnesses preach.

37

Attention Born in Lurkers

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

do you feel that something has changed within god's organization?

have you noticed that in the past several years there has been a more authoritarian spirit displayed in the publications and from the platform?

i am in the beginning stages of a fade away and wanted to express my thoughts.

DanaBug

Unity of thought is not required in the scriptures. Love for God, his Son, and your neighbor is required.

It is sad that good people have to bury their sincere questions, honest feelings and thoughts to avoid being prosecuted by the Organization. The fact that you cannot question your own beliefs openly should say something to you about "God's organization". Jehovah never intended his servants to be cowed by fear of man or a manufactured religious corporation. He wants us to serve him with love and freedom. Remember, we should serve God alone, not an organization of man.

This is where I'm at. Everything I've studied in the Bible, on my own, points to accepting Jesus as the main requirement. He is the way, the truth, and the life. That's the only way to have salvation, eternal life, according to the Bible. It's actually really simple. We accept Jesus as Savior, are baptized in his name, and follow his example, namely love God with your whole heart mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself. Now the specifics of following that are open to interpretation, but that's where the bible trained conscience comes in. We do our best according to our understanding and knowledge motivated by our love for God, and certainly He takes that into account. It's completely personal, between the individual and God, not dictated by someone else. That's the freedom Paul was talking about. The Society takes that freedom and chokes it under a lot of arbitrary and petty laws based on their interpretation of the Bible, some of them not even found in the Bible; and they add a heavy dose of guilt and fear. They remind me of Pharisees.

You might lose sleep, you will be agitated, but after those things pass you will have a measure of peace because you examined the scriptures to see whether or not the things that you have been taught are true.

64

Strange, Offensive , Weird Statements on DFing Offenses in Elders Manual

by flipper in

jw
friends

you really can't make this stuff up.

but an organization like the wt society bent on controlling virtually every aspect of the typical jehovah's witness life - would make this up to keep their control through the use of fear and guilt.

so- i thought i'd share what i thought was the strangest, most offensive, weird language dealing with what the wt society calls " disfellowshipping offenses " .

DanaBug

Twinkle, did your husband own a tv at the time?

37

Attention Born in Lurkers

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

do you feel that something has changed within god's organization?

have you noticed that in the past several years there has been a more authoritarian spirit displayed in the publications and from the platform?

i am in the beginning stages of a fade away and wanted to express my thoughts.

DanaBug

Compare to Scripture, any mention of 144,000 or mediation for different classes? The new covenant was made for forgiveness of sins and no one but Jesus can, as Mediator, apply that to mankind. No one.

1 Timothy 2:5,6 "For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all"

Acts 13:38-39 "Let it therefore be known to YOU, brothers, that through this One a forgiveness of sins is being published to YOU; 39 and that from all the things from which YOU could not be declared guiltless by means of the law of Moses, everyone who believes is declared guiltless by means of this One."

Hebrews 9:15, 28 "So that is why he is a mediator of a new covenant, ? 28so also the Christ was offered once for all time to bear the sins of many; and the second time that he appears it will be apart from sin and to those earnestly looking for him for [their] salvation."

Romans 3:21-30 "But now apart from law God's righteousness has been made manifest, as it is borne witness to by the Law and the Prophets; 22 yes, God's righteousness through the faith in Jesus Christ, for all those having faith. For there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom [paid] by Christ Jesus. ? 29 Or is he the God of the Jews only? Is he not also of people of the nations? Yes, of people of the nations also?"

Ephesians 1:7 "By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of [our] trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness."

Romans 6:23 "For the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord."

Hebrews 7:25 "Consequently he is able also to save completely those who are approaching God through him, because he is always alive to plead for them."

Hebrews 8:10-12 "'For this is the covenant that I shall covenant with the house of Israel after those days,' says Jehovah. 'I will put my laws in their mind, and in their hearts I shall write them. And I will become their God, and they themselves will become my people. 11 "'And they will by no means teach each one his fellow citizen and each one his brother, saying: "Know Jehovah!" For they will all know me, from [the] least one to [the] greatest one of them. 12 For I shall be merciful to their unrighteous deeds, and I shall by no means call their sins to mind anymore.'"

Matthew 26:27-28 "Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: "Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28 for this means my 'blood of the covenant,' which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins."

Added

John 6:53-56 " 53 Jesus said to them, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58 This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.”

37

Attention Born in Lurkers

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

do you feel that something has changed within god's organization?

have you noticed that in the past several years there has been a more authoritarian spirit displayed in the publications and from the platform?

i am in the beginning stages of a fade away and wanted to express my thoughts.

DanaBug

What do you mean when you say Jesus is NOT our mediator, despite what 1 Tim. 2:5,6 says? Can you point me to evidence to that statement?

No problem!

"Likewise, the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ, is not the Mediator between Jehovah God and all mankind. He is the Mediator between his heavenly Father, Jehovah God, and the nation of spiritual Israel, which is limited to only 144,000 members." Worldwide Security Under the "Prince of Peace" pp. 10-11

"Is Jesus the "mediator" only for anointed Christians? ? So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the "mediator" only for anointed Christians. ?The "great crowd" of "other sheep" that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the "little flock" of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant." Watchtower 1979 April 1 p.31

"They recognize that they are not spiritual Israelites in the new covenant mediated by Jesus Christ, nor part of the "chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation."-1 Pet. 2:9. 24 Yet they do benefit from the operation of the new covenant. They benefit from this just as, in ancient Israel, the "alien resident" benefited from residing in among the Israelites who were in the Law covenant.-Ex. 20:10; Lev. 19:10, 33, 34; Rev. 7:9-15. 25 To keep in relationship with "our Savior, God," the "great crowd" needs to remain united with the remnant of spiritual Israelites." Watchtower 1979 November 15 p.27 Benefiting from "One Mediator Between God and Men"

"He mediates the new covenant between God and those taken into the new covenant, the congregation of spiritual Israel. The total number of those who are finally and permanently sealed is revealed in Revelation 7:4-8 as 144,000." Insight on the Scriptures, Volume 2 p.362 Mediator

104

KM (Elder School) Brief Highlights

by XBEHERE in

jw
friends

besides the usual drivel there were a couple interesting things.

1. an entire 1 hour discourse on helping our children become little innocent martyrs for the wt via.

their flawed and unreasonable blood doctrine.

DanaBug

Dozy quoted

w92 11/1pp.19-20 pars.16-17 Education With a Purpose So when parents and young Christians today, after carefully and prayerfully weighing the pros and cons, decide for or against postsecondary studies, others in the congregation should not criticize them. If Christian parents responsibly decide to provide their children with further education after high school, that is their prerogative.

Policy 2011 So when parents and young Christians today , after carefully and prayerfully weighing the pros and cons , decide for or against postsecondary studies , others in the congregation should criticize them. If the father is an appointed man , the rest of the body will automatically have an elders meeting and after discussing ten questions from the Society will decide whether or not to delete the brother. If Christian parents irresponsibly decide to provide their children with further education after high school , that is not their prerogative and is against the societies instruction.

What's interesting to me is if a r&f is considering this by researching publications, comes across this and thinks it's okay. But this other information, that their not privy to, says otherwise. But I don't know, have more recent mags said otherwise too?

8

Who Owns Kingdom Halls & Land?

by InterestedOne in

jw
friends

i was just in a service meeting where the elder announced that the kh had been sold.

he gave the dollar amount and said it would be split between the two cong's currently meeting in it.

the cong i attend will move to another location which currently has a building with another cong in it, but there is also enough open space on the plot of land to build another edifice.

DanaBug

If I understand correctly, the congregation owns it until the mortgage is paid off and then the WTS owns it.

This is what I found:

http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/201286/1/Kingdom-Hall-Mortgages-and-ownership-transfer-to-The-Watchtower

60

I'm having a baby!

by AwSnap in

jw
friends

im just about at 14 weeks.

whooohooooo!

i thought i had the answers to all, until i got that "positive" on the pregnancy test.

DanaBug

Yay!!! And congrats, Awsnap! Nothing changes you like a baby does.

I don't have any advice about the JW grandparents, we're still working on that too.

The book leavingwt suggested is great. It covers pretty much everything you could think of.

We never used a changing table or a diaper genie, so you might consider whether you will really before you spend money on it.

And do try breastfeeding. It's probably the strangest thing I've ever done, but it's so worth it! It's cheaper, gets the weight off fast, and I found it really convenient especially in the middle of the night. I kind of miss it--the bonding and I actually had cleavage, lol!