Posts by dontplaceliterature

11

My wife...

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...made an interesting comment last night.. some of you may know that she is not into digging up dirt on the wtbts.

she realizes that there are some things wrong with the organization, but wishes to just ignore them for the sake of stability and preserving friendships.

there's obviously more to it, but in the interest of staying on topic:.

My wife...

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...made an interesting comment last night.. some of you may know that she is not into digging up dirt on the wtbts.

she realizes that there are some things wrong with the organization, but wishes to just ignore them for the sake of stability and preserving friendships.

there's obviously more to it, but in the interest of staying on topic:.

dontplaceliterature

@leavingwt

4) NO, we don't think women are equal

It was no big deal to broadcast this crap Mad Men style back then. It's the way most people felt, I guess.

@QuestioningEverything

Yes, she does. She's not as blind as some spouses spoken of on this forum. Unfortunately, she's pretty resistant to change, and even though she doesn't agree with everything WTS teaches, she feels comfortable enough to stick with the program for a while, at least.

11

My wife...

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...made an interesting comment last night.. some of you may know that she is not into digging up dirt on the wtbts.

she realizes that there are some things wrong with the organization, but wishes to just ignore them for the sake of stability and preserving friendships.

there's obviously more to it, but in the interest of staying on topic:.

dontplaceliterature

...made an interesting comment last night.

Some of you may know that she is not into digging up dirt on the WTBTS. She realizes that there are some things wrong with the organization, but wishes to just ignore them for the sake of stability and preserving friendships. There's obviously more to it, but in the interest of staying on topic:

We watched the new video together (I had already seen it). The video contains clips relating old methods of "Witnessing" using a radio station, sound cars, and phonographs. I asked my wife why they didn't use mass communication anymore, because it is so affective. She said, "Because people could start recording what they say and use it against them."

DUH! If they were being guided by God, and were merely passing on his will to the people, what would they have to fear!?!?!!?

16

Shepherding Call Coming Up

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

well, my wife and i are supposed to be visited by a couple of elders soon, as part of a "regular shepherding program".

i am a ministerial servant in our congregation and our circuit overseer has been busting the boe's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for shepherding.

it was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but i guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

dontplaceliterature

As an MS, there was a big push for the elders to take MS's on shepherding calls - 'lite' ones, nothing 'serious.' So one of the elders brought me with him to 'encourage' one of the sisters in our hall. After a few minutes of 'lite' conversation, she started asking questions about oral sex. It was hilarious. The elder's face turned red and he asked to reschedule so he could bring another elder!

BLAHAHAHAH!

16

Shepherding Call Coming Up

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

well, my wife and i are supposed to be visited by a couple of elders soon, as part of a "regular shepherding program".

i am a ministerial servant in our congregation and our circuit overseer has been busting the boe's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for shepherding.

it was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but i guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

dontplaceliterature

@mrquik

I don't have a problem keeping my mouth shut, as long as I can count on my wife to tell the same story (which, I believe I can). We haven't discussed what we'll say in case certain questions come up, but I plan to bring it up this week.

The last SC I went on, the Elder did most of the talking, and only asked a couple of questions that were not really invasive at the end. Just more or less "How are things going?" and "Is there anything we can help you with?", nothing I couldn't handle.

16

Shepherding Call Coming Up

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

well, my wife and i are supposed to be visited by a couple of elders soon, as part of a "regular shepherding program".

i am a ministerial servant in our congregation and our circuit overseer has been busting the boe's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for shepherding.

it was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but i guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

dontplaceliterature

Plus, I would rather my children not have to deal with the loss of friends that would follow our family leaving The Organization. The earlier, the better, as far as they are concerned.

16

Shepherding Call Coming Up

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

well, my wife and i are supposed to be visited by a couple of elders soon, as part of a "regular shepherding program".

i am a ministerial servant in our congregation and our circuit overseer has been busting the boe's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for shepherding.

it was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but i guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

dontplaceliterature

Thanks for your concern PG. My wife went through hell becoming a Jehovah's Witness in her teen years. She says she doesn't have the motivation to go through another doctrinal upheaval, and doesn't want to deal with the emotional drama and loss of friends that would follow. She's "comfortable."

I totally understand her position. We live in a nice area, and our congregation is pretty laid back, very social, and fairly liberal. So, she doesn't feel like she's losing anything by sticking with the program. I'm worried about my sanity, and the future for our kid (eventually, kids). It hasn't come to the point where I've had to, but I will have a hard time teaching my children something I don't believe. Once they are old enough to tell people what we believe at our house, it will only be a matter of time before we are forced out of the congreation.

Personally, I would rather leave on my own terms. I think it would be safer psychologically for all of us.

16

Shepherding Call Coming Up

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

well, my wife and i are supposed to be visited by a couple of elders soon, as part of a "regular shepherding program".

i am a ministerial servant in our congregation and our circuit overseer has been busting the boe's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for shepherding.

it was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but i guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

dontplaceliterature

Well, my wife and I are supposed to be visited by a couple of Elders soon, as part of a "Regular Shepherding Program". I am a Ministerial Servant in our congregation and our Circuit Overseer has been busting the BOE's chops each visit lately for not having a program in place for Shepherding. It was previously done on an "as needed" basis, but I guess he cracked the whip pretty hard on this last visit so they are going to try to get down to business.

My field service time hasn't been the greatest in the last few months, but probably not enough to get me removed because of a known personal circumstance. So, the visit should be routine. However, I have been contemplating stepping down as a Ministerial Servant for some time. I really don't feel like lying to my Elders about my lack of joy in The Ministry/Theocractic Activities, but I think I'm going to have to pretend everything is "normal". I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about the whole thing though. We have never had a Shepherding Call before, and even though I've been on a few and know they are typically benign, I'm paranoid that questions will start flying and I'll say something I'll wish I hadn't. I'd feel differently about it if they were just going to be meeting with me, alone. My wife will be there too.

She will have a meltdown emotionally if I unload on them during the visit. She can't handle the gravity of my current feelings and presumed lack of spirituality. While she agrees that I have valid reasons to doubt "The Truth", she doesn't think it is worth it emotionally/psychologically to make a quick and clean exit. She wants me to keep pretending everything is A-OKAY. So, for the time being, I will probably keep up the charade.

I'm not really looking for advise, but feel free to post some. I just wanted to share with someone.

29

Blondie's Comments You Will Not Hear at the 08-14-2011 WT Study (RECOMMEND LOVE)

by blondie in

jw
friends

comments you will not hear at the 08-14-11 wt study (june 15, 2011, pages 11-15 )(recommends love).

review comments will be headed by comments.

wt material from today's wt will be in black.

dontplaceliterature

Is this working or just boring?

It's probably just boring. I didn't get any replies to my thread either, which I started just before you got yours up. Maybe we should combine forces!

Not trying to steal Blondie's thunder here, as I'm sure she will post something today, BUT....

Paragraph 3: "And what are individuals called upon to do to qualify for it?"

We've obviously heard this before. How is forgiveness of sins a "free gift" if you must qualify for it? The words "qualify" and "earn" are not even in the Bible with reference to salvation/forgiveness.

Paragrah 13: "It is not that God owed it to the apostles and others to apply the ransom because they had performed certain good works. Instead, God applied the ransom in their behalf out of his mercy and great love."

Which is it? Paragraph 3 said we had to do something to earn it? Seems like double-speak to me!

Paragraph 20: "[Those with an earthly hope] have not received "the free gift of righteousness" with heavenly life in view "through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus."...The gift such ones receive--friendship with God--differs from "the free gift" the anointed recieve."

It has been mentioned before on this forum when this article first came out for DL from jw.org, but here you have it in plain black-and-white: IF YOU ARE NOT OF THE ANNOINTED, JESUS RANSOM DOES NOT PROVIDE YOU WITH FREE FORGIVENESS OF SINS!

It is unbelievable to me that they would make such a bold statement (unless I am misunderstanding something) and expect to get away with it. Yet, I seriously doubt anyone will bat an eye at the Watchtower discussion today. It will most likely be ignored, especially since it is toward the end of the lesson and everyone will just be thinking about getting the hell out of the Kingdom Hall.

Did anyone else get a chance to look this article over? Thoughts?

3

WT 8-14-11 "God Recommends His Love To Us"

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

not trying to steal blondie's thunder here, as i'm sure she will post something today, but..... .

paragraph 3: "and what are individuals called upon to do to qualify for it?".

we've obviously heard this before.

dontplaceliterature

Not trying to steal Blondie's thunder here, as I'm sure she will post something today, BUT....