Posts by Quendi

64

JW Manhattan Project

by Red Piller in

i received this and am passing it on email.

(nyc) area by jehovah's witnesses.

god in this project, too.. .

This "Manhattan Project" will be touted by the WTS as yet another sign of the fast approaching "end". They are already claiming it is being done under divine direction, and the reason for that direction is to preach the Witness religion to such an extent that Armageddon will have to arrive soon. The WTS will define the project's "success" and if it is implemented in other major urban centers this will be trumpeted as some kind of "two minute warning" prior to the great tribulation. You can be sure that many Witnesses will interpret this development that way, especially if the publications do a lot of drum beating for it.

I don't doubt that many sincere Witnesses will take part in the campaign, especially those in the full-time work. Few will see through this charade. Instead, they will convince themselves and others that it is a sign of progress and definitely shows Jehovah's blessing on the organization. Never mind that other groups have done the same thing in the past. All that matters is that it is being done so "deep in the time of the end" by "Jehovah's organization". I wonder if any Governing Body members will man these tables and hand out literature? After all, if this work is so important they should be spearheading it. But we all know that is not their modus operandi--not that their failure to participate in this will be noticed or mentioned.

Quendi

34

More rancid meat lovingly provided by the F&DS

by serenitynow! in

in the 2/15/2012 koolaid there is an article about finding happiness in a divided household.

i found this to be particularly offensive: .

"when facing a challenge, it is important to seek scriptural counsel from publications of the faithful and discreet slave class and from the elders.

Quendi

As a Witness I knew was so fond of saying, "There are none so blind as those who will not see." That sums up the JW cult personality as well as anything I can think of. I especially appreciated the point therevealer made. The WTS 'speaks with forked tongue' or out of both sides of its mouth. In the same article in which Jesus' example of relying on the Scriptures for his teaching and understanding, the apostate leaders of the WTS tell their readers to "seek Scriptural counsel from publications of the faithful and discreet slave class and from the elders." Yet this glaring example of cognitive dissonance will go right over the heads of dedicated Witnesses. They won't notice any contradiction. Examples like this only serve to widen the distance I am putting between me and this God-dishonoring religion.

Quendi

69

What was the last meeting you ever went to?

by lilbluekitty in

i figured out it's been 4 months and 5 days since my last meeting ever.

july 10th, it was a sunday.

i hadn't been there in 2 months or so and decided to see if anyone noticed i'd been gone.

Quendi

I have decided that I will not attend the funerals of two Witnesses I know when the time finally comes. That was not an easy decision to make for one of these is my favorite aunt and the other is a woman who looked after me as though I were one of her sons. But since I am disfellowshipped, I have decided that I won't tolerate the shunning I'd have to put up with. I will find other ways to express my sympathies to the bereaved, but attending the funeral/memorial service will not be one of them. I have always hated Witness weddings and stopped attending them long before I was disfellowshipped. So there is no reason for me to change that policy now.

Quendi

36

4 Suicides I Am Aware Of This Year, Why Elders, COs Are Not Competent To Handle These Matters. (Life Or Death, Your Choice!)

by AvocadoJake in

jw
friends

i would like to relate with the first suicide that took place this year, this was more than seven months ago.

this person was deeply distraught and was talking about killing themself.

the conduct of this person started to escalate (deep depression with morbid thoughts.

Quendi

I'll weigh in on Gubberningbody's comment as well. These other religions don't claim that their officers are put in their positions by God Himself through the operations of his holy spirit. There is a tremendous difference between being trained to handle mental health issues and being completely ignorant of all the factors treatment involves. Yes, mental health professionals don't save everyone, but they at least know the best approach to take. Elders know absolutely nothing about how to do this. Add to their ignorance, apathy, indifference, hostility and arrogance and you have a mix that does nobody any good. That stance arises from the belief/doctrine that holy spirit will assist elders in the "shepherding" work. I stand by my assertion that the WTS has a lot of blood on its hands.

Quendi

36

4 Suicides I Am Aware Of This Year, Why Elders, COs Are Not Competent To Handle These Matters. (Life Or Death, Your Choice!)

by AvocadoJake in

jw
friends

i would like to relate with the first suicide that took place this year, this was more than seven months ago.

this person was deeply distraught and was talking about killing themself.

the conduct of this person started to escalate (deep depression with morbid thoughts.

Quendi

I want to express my appreciation to all, and especially glueman, for sharing their thoughts on this very painful subject. I lost my best friend to suicide twenty-five years ago and I still miss him very much. I remember our last conversation in which I begged him to go to the elders for help. He angrily refused, telling me that they had been absolutely no use or good to him. All they knew how to do was to criticize him for not doing enough. Years were to pass before I realized the bitter truth of my friend's words.

The fact of the matter is that the elders are not qualified to handle most of thei situations they confront. And I blame the WTS for this because it has promoted the lie that these men are appointed by holy spirit and are therefore in the perfect position to render assistance when the exact opposite is the case. What makes it even worse is the elders themselves believe in their infallibility and so they make a bad situation even worse. The WTS has a lot of blood on its hands and I believe it will reap what it has sown.

Quendi

69

What was the last meeting you ever went to?

by lilbluekitty in

i figured out it's been 4 months and 5 days since my last meeting ever.

july 10th, it was a sunday.

i hadn't been there in 2 months or so and decided to see if anyone noticed i'd been gone.

Quendi

My last meeting was Sunday, 13 June 2010 for the Public Talk and Watchtower study. I was in the fifth year of my exile from the organization, having been disfellowshipped in September 2005. I had met with my judicial committee the previous Thursday and was awaiting their decision about my reinstatement request. The following day, Monday the fourteenth, I was refused reinstatement. I never went back to the Kingdom Hall after that Sunday meeting and have no intention of ever doing so again. As my late father used to say to indicate his refusal to do something, "I'll die and burn in hell first!"

Even if I had been reinstated, my plan was to fade. I had reached the point where I couldn't even mouth the words of the Kingdom songs anymore because I didn't believe in the lyrics. That was because I had finally embraced TTATT; so I didn't believe in the doctrines anymore and no longer wanted to be a Witness. I was tired of the false religion, the hypocrisy of the organization, its racist, sexist and homophobic teachings and practices, and the callous disregard for real shepherding the elders displayed. The only reason I sought reinstatement was to regain my friends in the organization. TTATT showed me how vain and fruitless that would be. If they wouldn't associate with me and love me for the person I truly was, then there was no need or reason for me to seek or desire their fellowship.

Once I stopped going to meetings it was amazing how quickly I lost all desire to do so. It was wonderful to have my weeknights free, not having to dress for meetings and field service, listen to dull talks from the platform, and endure the mind-numbing and specious rhetoric of WTS publications and lackeys. I've recultivated old interests and am pursuing new ones. My weekends are wide open now, and even better, I have found a spiritual community that has welcomed me with open arms. I should have done all this when I was first disfellowshipped instead of letting five frustrating years go by before finally coming to my senses.

Quendi

70

Acceptable and unacceptable dress for visiting Bethel

by smiddy in

i just came across this on another thread with pictures/photos ,is this for real ?

i couldnt beleive my eyes or ears?.

the control that this organization has over it`s members... is ..is ... well it`s a cult !!

Quendi

Even when I was a zealous pioneer I had no desire ever to visit Bethel or New York. Of course, now that I'm disfellowshipped, there is no reason to ever set foot in any Watchtower building or their grounds. This sickening display of the Society's desire to control every aspect of a person's life only makes me all the happier that I'm out of this cult's clutches. The old Negro Spiritual put it best: "FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD ALMIGHTY, I'M FREE AT LAST!!"

Quendi

6

Interview with Ex-Elder: View from the Watchtower

by leavingwt in

jw
friends

this is from september 2011. i missed it when it was initially posted online.

i enjoyed it.

of interest to me was the man's shock when he was appointed as an elder, and the body of elders brought him up to speed on the congregation's dirty laundry.

Quendi

bookmarked

43

Do You Miss Even A Little Bit Your "Friends" From The "Truth"?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i miss a few but honestly i could count them on one hand after being in the organization for almost 5 decades.

some jws are ok but most, i simply tolerated, due to being an elder..

Quendi

There are a handful that I miss and I wish they would leave this godless, faithless and accursed organization. The chances of that happening are small, however, and so I've said farewell to them in my heart. Considering the fact that I've promised myself never to set foot in a Kingdom Hall again for any reason whatsoever, I know I'm much better off on the outside. I'm learning to live my own life now and am all the happier for it.

Many of the "friendships" I had in the organization were superficial ones anyway. Many of the people I knew made no effort to cultivate a real personal relationship with me and discouraged me from having one with them. There were a few people I genuinely loved, but since being disfellowshipped, I have had virtually no contact with them with one notable exception. As for the elders, none has sought me out, made any arrangements to see me during the time of the year the organization directs elders to seek out the disfellowshipped and disassociated, nor has anyone inquired as to whether I would want to return. Seeing that our dislike is both deep and mutual, that is just as well.

Would I want any of Jehovah's Witnesses for a friend now? I can truthfully and honestly say no. That doesn't mean I think they are bad people, quite the contrary. It's just that closely associating with any devout Witness means contact with the organization, and that is something I absolutely will have no part of. So that means that a real friendship with a Witness "in good standing" is not possible.

In the meantime, I am pursuing and cultivating new relationships. That comes rather easily for me, so I am not suffering the pangs of loneliness that have afflicted others who have left the organization. If matters were otherwise, I would resume the Witness friendships I had if that were possible. Those people were among the best friends I ever had and they enriched my life in many ways. But I try not to dwell on what I lost but instead look ahead with joy and confidence. In that way I can be sure that I won't regret my decision to leave or remotely entertain the idea of ever returning to the unfulfilling and unsatisfactory life I had as a Witness.

Quendi

14

If JW commits suicide can funeral be held at KH?

by scooterspank in

jw
friends

Quendi

When my best friend killed himself 25 years ago, the funeral was held at a mortuary and not the Kingdom Hall. His widow asked the man who had originally studied the Bible with him to give the funeral talk, and this man flew out from New York to do so. He gave a wonderful talk that was a great comfort to everyone in attendance, a talk that wasn't an advertisement for JW theology, but instead focused on the wonderful man my best friend was, the tremendous pressures he could no longer endure, the tragedy of his suicide, and the hope that Jehovah would indeed grant him a resurrection.

It was interesting to me that Tom's widow refused to let any of the elders speak at his funeral. I completely understood and supported her decision. They were absolutely useless in helping Tom deal with his problems, and while I am fully aware that this suicide was Tom's decision alone, I know the elders in the congregation were a great source of pain and trouble to him. So they had forfeited the privilege to say anything at his funeral, and their decision to not allow it to be held at the Kingdom Hall only reinforced his widow's determination to shut them out of presiding or assisting in any way.

Quendi