my youngest brother is the family jw patriarch, and an elder, maybe even the po in a small northern town.
in an email i asked him if he ever hears from my kids.
i happen to know he lives in the same small town as my son, who might very well be an elder, too...by now.
So, now I'm curious...what does it say here? (I destroyed all my literature.)
God/s Love book, pages 207-208
The Watchtower of April 15, 1988, pages 26-30
"Display Christian Loyalty When a Relative Is Disfellowshipped" in the August 2002 Our Kingdom Ministry.
Thanks for your help,
satinka
my youngest brother is the family jw patriarch, and an elder, maybe even the po in a small northern town.
in an email i asked him if he ever hears from my kids.
i happen to know he lives in the same small town as my son, who might very well be an elder, too...by now.
Thanks for this information, Murray,
I am disfellowshipped by choice. I deliberately purged the old JW beliefs out of myself. My belief was that if I continued to believe the jw theology, I would self-destruct. The JW theology sets us up to fail by instilling from birth such "fear stuff" as:
I no longer adhere to the jw "punishing belief system" theology. However, my choice has caused my two children to shun me; nevertheless, I will not be blackmailed back into an organization I no longer believe or respect. I need to be true to myself.
I appreciate your help!
satinka
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Maybe people are diabetic in this lifetime because they chose to experience what it is like to be diabetic.
While some souls clearly know why they are here, not all souls necessarily know the answer to why here why now. Some people wonder their whole life what they are supposed to be doing this time around.
Isn't there a scripture in the bible that says, "My undeserved kindness is sufficient for you"? Maybe if we didn't have health challenges, our egos would get too big and we would think we are superior to someone with health challenges.
Or else god is really a cruel, punishing diety.
Just some rambling thoughts.
satinka
i joined this forum a while ago and am mostly a lurker these days, don't have much time to post.
but i have a conundrum i need some help with.
i have mostly successfully faded from the organization, and i was a witness my whole life.
Well, I'm dropping in unannounced to this "no name" thread, but no big deal. People are naturally curious. I certainly am.
I can't help you with a fade, because I went out with a bang. I got myself disfellowshipped.
Disfellowshipping was what I needed to make the clean break and move on with my life in healthy new directions.
You'll figure out what's right for you.
Life is richer on the outside of the borg because you get to choose what is right for you.
No more rules being imposed on me felt liberating.
satinka
i am trying to prove or disprove a statement that i read today.
i read a statement by someone that i trust that the wtbts purposely distorts the number of anointed left alive in their reports.. i used to be a jehovah's witness.
i know all of their teachings very well.
I know there are some anointed members on this forum who have been removed from the congregations and labeled as apostate. It seems the anointed "undermined" the authority of elders and this certainly did not sit well with the egos that be. This would bring down the society's anointed number --- and not necessarily in an accurate way. The JWs are not the only religion with anointed members, I feel sure. Furthermore, the JWs are not the authority on anointed activity. I believe there to be anointed members in all religions, but of course the JWs would never acknowledge that.
The anointed were certainly causing problems in bethel, to the point where the egos at the top did not want them around.
satinka
my youngest brother is the family jw patriarch, and an elder, maybe even the po in a small northern town.
in an email i asked him if he ever hears from my kids.
i happen to know he lives in the same small town as my son, who might very well be an elder, too...by now.
My youngest brother is the family JW patriarch, and an elder, maybe even the PO in a small northern town. He's probably the reason there is even a congregation in existence in this town. Without my brother and my son supporting and paying for the kingdom hall, it likely would not exist.
In an email I asked him if he ever hears from my kids. I happen to know he lives in the same small town as my son, who might very well be an elder, too...by now. But elder-youngest brother doesn't know that I know about elder-son.
This morning he left a message on my phone to call him. I have not called back yet, but figure he will be giving me the spiel about how I am the one who chose to "defect" so it was my choice to "get shunned." You know, it being a "family matter" and all...As instructed in the elder's manual. And how eager my kids are to have me back in their life, as soon as I "repent."
I'm curious about the exact wording of how elders and family members are supposed to be instructed...
I would appreciate a "heads up"...Anyone...?
satinka
18 if you face a similar situation, please remember that jehovah sympathizes with you.
by cutting off contact with the disfellowshipped or disassociated one, you are showing that you hate the attitudes and actions that led to that outcome.
however, you are also showing that you love the wrongdoer enough to do what is best for him or her.
Geez, I'd love a scanned version of this article!
satinka
to the intellectually honest witness, it seems like it often comes down to this principle.
"fine, if the witnesses aren't the truth, then show me the better answer and i'll consider it.
" and how do you deal with that?
That question is part of the JW brainwash. The JWs teach their members to self-destruct if they dare to leave. The cult sets us up to fail upon leaving.
I got into therapy before I left the JWs. So, when I finally got myself disfellowshipped, I had another foundation under me.
When the jws kicked out my legs from under me, I could stand on my own. I wasn't co-dependent with that religion any more.
I had a mind of my own and I could move on and walk away.
I had a therapist who knew about cult mentality. I had my dance world filled with caring friends who were there to support me through the shock of losing my children via shunning.
Another thing that helped me was the realization that in order to really heal from the jw brainwash, I had to purge all the old beliefs and replace those antiquated ways of thinking with something healthy.
I am a true Apostate because I don't believe what the JWs preach any more. They don't have the truth, in other words. I absolutely know that now.
I have my own belief system which feels healthy to me and serves me well.
satinka
i'm curious about what made you realize that your ex-religion was not "true"?.
i've had discussions with many religious people, and they're always trying to protect their beliefs, rather than allowing anything i say challenge what they believe.
was there ever something someone said to you, or something you read that maybe made you doubt your beliefs for the first time, or had a similar effect?.
Truth can stand up to questions and doubts.
For elders to constantly suppress people with doubts means they do not have much faith in their religious convictions.
satinka
has anyone seen this?
it's so similar.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b64oebuheky.
and here's their website.. http://www.iamanexmormon.com/.
Very nice!
Thanks for sharing.
satinka
