Posts by dontplaceliterature

21

My 1-Year Anniversary as a JWN Member

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...is today.

it's been a wild 12 months.

i went back to look at my introduction post, and my how things have changed!

dontplaceliterature

@Vidqun

Thanks for the advise. Mum is the word with regard my true feelings about The Bible/God around my wife. We still study and discuss publications together. It gives me an opportunity to plant seeds, and I'm not going to give that up just yet.

85

Introduction

by dontplaceliterature in

before i begin my introductory post, i would like to mention that a number of my initial comments here may be viewed by several of you as watchtower apologist or as sympathetic to the views of the jehovahs witnesses.

the last thing i want to do is incite a flame war regarding my legitimacy or intentions in joining this forum.

mostly, i would describe myself as on the fence.

dontplaceliterature

The Bible is a fantasy book, IMHO. Thanks though. Go witness to someone else.

21

My 1-Year Anniversary as a JWN Member

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...is today.

it's been a wild 12 months.

i went back to look at my introduction post, and my how things have changed!

dontplaceliterature

@ BOTR

I wouldn't say I worry about it. There is no sense in worrying about something I have no control over, I suppose. But it is a shame that there are probably some lost Jehovah's Witnesses out there who could have been helped by us but were scared back into The Organization when they came across this site. The radical/exceptional/sensational topics that are highlighted on this forum and the emotion with which they are sometimes brought to the fore may only confirm in the minds of Jehovah's Witnesses that apostates are dark, satanic, slanderous, and hateful. In the words of my wife: "I've read some of the things people write on their, and they are childish and crazy!"

I appreciate your thought that this thread is as much for us as it is for anyone else. It is nice to see new members join the forum and it would be nice to have even more joining. However, we also need a place to vent and express anger sometimes. It would be nice if people were more careful about posting angry or extreme topics in public parts of the forum. I'm sure I'm just as guilty as the next guy/gal.

85

Introduction

by dontplaceliterature in

before i begin my introductory post, i would like to mention that a number of my initial comments here may be viewed by several of you as watchtower apologist or as sympathetic to the views of the jehovahs witnesses.

the last thing i want to do is incite a flame war regarding my legitimacy or intentions in joining this forum.

mostly, i would describe myself as on the fence.

dontplaceliterature

Vidqun

I do find the participation, even as an NGO, with the United Nations pretty hypocritical - especially concerning what had to be done in order to gain that status. "Faithful & Discreet Slave" is and idea that is discussed frequently in publications, it is nothing more. The Governing Body has absolutely all the control and they do not answer to said slave, and do not represent anyone but themselves. Crisis of Conscience offers some nice discussion points on this issue. Read it if you haven't.

21

My 1-Year Anniversary as a JWN Member

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...is today.

it's been a wild 12 months.

i went back to look at my introduction post, and my how things have changed!

dontplaceliterature

Thanks for your brilliant contribution, Jeffro. Point taken.

21

My 1-Year Anniversary as a JWN Member

by dontplaceliterature in

jw
friends

...is today.

it's been a wild 12 months.

i went back to look at my introduction post, and my how things have changed!

dontplaceliterature

...is today. It's been a WILD 12 months. I went back to look at my introduction post, and my how things have changed! If it interests you: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/beliefs/204091/1/Introduction

I remember feeling really insecure about being part of this group, and also thinking that most of the JWN members were totally nuts but I was willing to have an open mind.

The deeper I dug, the more I realized that I barely knew anything at all about the WTBTS history, scandals, and the extent of the abuse of power of The Governing Body. I have spent more time reading books (apostate and otherwise) in the last 12 months than I have read in the last 6 years. It is amazing how almost 30 years of training and indoctrination as a Jehovah's Witness can be undone in such a short amount of time. I had a healthy amount of optimism with regard The Organization when I started here, but it is now completely gone. I have absolutely no desire to remain a Jehovah's Witness anymore and I generally can't stand to be around them. Though I still love them very much, my secret knowlege and emotions haunt me when I am in their presence and it is too much work to keep quiet when they discuss something in front of me that I know is total garbage.

This has also been the hardest year in my life. I'm not a cryer, and boy how I've sobbed over and over this past year - sometimes with my wife, sometimes with my mom, mostly alone. My wife is in no way interested in learning anything negative about the organization, has no desire to leave, and will not talk to me about it. As some of you know, it's very hard not to be able to share your most intimate struggle with your closest friend and partner. There hasn't been a week that has gone by that I haven't thought of just leaving her out of fear that I'm only delaying the inevitable, and I should just get it overwith so I can get on with my life before things get too messy. Now, with a child, that's a much more complicated proposition.

Everyday, I feel trapped and hopeless. Somedays (the good ones), I feel a flash of courage and determination to break free and live my life. However, the reality of losing my family and destroying them emotionally in the process brings me crashing back down to Earth.

----------

I would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone on this forum for helping me open my eyes, realize that I was not crazy to question The Organization, and have hope that I can lead a normal life as an Ex-Jehovah's Witness. I've read some amazing stories here, both heart-warming and heart-breaking. I've made some friends that I hope to meet face-to-face one day (even though I still think most of you are totally nuts ). It's been hard, but it has been enriching.

I wish all of you the best in 2012.

64

Help a lurking dub with doubts

by undercover in

i've been lurking about, checking out some of the evidence against the wtbs.

i am currently inactive but still an approved/baptized member.

i have seen all the 1914/607bce evidence; the blood transfusion quandry evidence; the current child abuse problem evidence and several other things that are damning to the wt doctrines.

dontplaceliterature

I Thought the same thing, NC. I believed you have confused the two.

8

What were the "anointed" doing from John to Russell?

by Ding in

in watchtower teaching, what were the "anointed remnant" doing between the death of the apostle john and the coming of pastor russell?.

during all those centuries, there was no visible organization publishing watchtower literature so as to enable people to understand the bible.

there was no organized worldwide door-to-door preaching work being done (who assigned territories and kept track of time records, for example?).

dontplaceliterature

They will blame it on "The Great Apostacy". Next question, please.

34

This would come in VERY handy for some of us with JC's on the horizon...

by Morbidzbaby in

jw
friends

http://www.livescribe.com/en-us/smartpen/echo/.

this is awesome...and pretty inconspicuous, i'd say....

dontplaceliterature

I think the smartest thing to do would be to hide it in the lining of a jacket/coat. Set it to record before you arrive. Take your coat off immediately when you enter the room. Leave it in the room when you are asked to walk out.

6

What About Long Time Witnesses Who Don't get Invited to Zone Meetings........

by BrendaRob in

what about long time witnesses who don't get invited to zone meetings........ we're preparing for another round of zone meetings in our area.

my gf and her hubby have two daughters.

due to the financial cooperation and support of their parents who are actively preachers of the good news, both of these young ladies are full pioneers - never worked a day since high school.

dontplaceliterature

If someone in your congregation was invited or not, it was directly a result of a decision made by your COBE.

Each congregation was sent two tickets for each Elder and Pioneer in the congregation. Each Elder and Pioneer were given first priority. Obviously, some of them are single, or are both an Elder and a Pioneer (4 tickets), or are married to someone who is also an Elder/Pioneer. So, there were several extra tickets in some cases. Who received those tickets? Whoever the Coordinator wanted to give them to. It wasn't micromanaged by The Branch.

This is what my Coordinator told me. I did not accept my ticket. I had better things to do with my weekend.