Posts by DesirousOfChange

123

An Open letter to the Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses (Elders/ Ex-Elders)

by stuckinamovement in

jw
friends

if you are an elder or an ex-elder please add a comment.

i hope that the governing body will see this.

it is too bad it has to be on an anonymous forum.

DesirousOfChange

ZIDDINA WROTE: Crap... If you REALLY want to send something damning yet innocuous - something that a JW would be more likely to innocently open and read, why not send links to scholarly websites stating that Jerusalem fell to Babylon in 586 - 587 B.C. instead of 607 B.C....

If a man has become an elder, he really should be capable of grasping the REAL significance of accurate scholarly dating of the fall of Jerusalem...

Ziddina, you gotta be kidding!! Tell me the DEVIL smiley means you're being cynical.

Most JWs don't have any freaking idea about the doctrine they claim is THE TRUTH. Especially anything that would require and EDUCATION to grasp.

62

New here - hello!

by sickandtired in

i can't believe i'm actually posting here.

i've been lurking for a while and i've been having doubts about this being the "truth" for years and sometimes feel really stuck and hopeless about my situation.

i'm married to an elder (who is 110% jw) and i was for the most part raised in the "truth".

DesirousOfChange

AMNESIAN said: If you become convinced that the religion of the WT is not the true worship it is advertised to be, you must not delay planning and executing your exit. The younger you and your children are when you make the break, the greater the odds of your achieving the happy, successful life you and they desire and deserve.

I love this post and esp relate to the feelings of the original poster. It's kinda the same place I find myself in.

YET, I worry about Amnesian's statement: "the greater the odds of your achieving the happy, successful life you and they desire and deserve."

I worry because so many that I have seen fade, DF, DA (whatever) or even just go inactive (guess that could be a fade), DO NOT seem to go on to happier, more meaningful or successful lives. Instead, the majority of our friends in this situation are now divorced; their kids got pregnant or got someone pregnant; a couple of them have had kids in drug rehab; and they are not more successful (financially) -- the losers are still losers, the winners are still pretty much the same (except some gave a lot of their accumulated wealth to two attorneys).

NOT wanting to hi-jack this, but I'm I delirious about this? Is it just coincidental? Am I seeing what I "want" to see?

8

"it may delay! but it will not be late!!"

by highdose in

jw
friends

so declared a jw to me recently.

it was the begining of the classic jw guilt trip.

it was the answer in responce to me pointing out that she had spent her whole life as a jw wasting it away, telling scores of people over the years that armardegon was coming soon, telling her children they wouldn't make it to school because the new system would be here before then, seeing them grow, graduate and have children of their own, still the years tick on with no promised armargedon and slaughter of billions in sight?.

DesirousOfChange

If it's announced that it will arrive "soon" or "very soon" but it doesn't show up at noon, nor at 2:00 or 4:00 or 6:00 or 8:00 or 11:00 or midnight, then how exactly is it not "late"?

But what if it is VERY, VERY SOON?

"GRADUATION OF GILEAD SCHOOL
The principal speaker was F. W. Franz,....He appropriately asked the 27 students from eight lands: “Some 36 years of the current peace period have elapsed, so how long is it going to last? And what indications do we have that it is going to terminate very, very soon?" wt 12/15/81

Is 30 years what you'd call "LATE"?

140

The effect we are having on the Watchtower is HUGE

by jwfacts in

i was inspired by a recent thread i know i aint gunna crumble the wt, but a girl can dream to look at the effect we as individuals are having on the watchtower society.. 3dogs1husband quoted a story to show that even helping only one person is worth it.. it is encouraging to note that the one person you may have helped has lead to millions being helped, due to the power of compounding growth.. compounding growth is well illustrated by the rice on a chessboard problem.

if you start with 1 grain of rice on square one, and double it to 2 on the second, 4 on the third, 8 on the fourth, by the last (64th) square there would be 18,446,744,073,709,551,615 grains of rice.. likewise, if you help one person out of the grip of the watchtower this year, then next year you help one more and they help one, in a few years that is going to have a formidable result on the number of jehovahs witnesses.

look at the following statistics.

DesirousOfChange

I don't think the internet causes current adult JWs to leave, unless they already have one foot out the door.

The true effect of the internet is on (a) kids born into JW families and (b) potential new recruits.

I think the internet is Step #2.

First step is something has to happen to stir up doubts or questions (tho some hardliners will never question God's Org), then once they start Googling -- OMG

10

"Generation" in the new September 2011 "Awake"

by Yan Bibiyan in

in the opening paragraph of the mag:.

the worst economy in a generation.

that is how encyclopdia britannica online described the recession that hit the world recently....".

DesirousOfChange

The article stated that in recent times in some countries(of course the country wasn't mentioned or the "recent times") might have been the late 80's or 90's when interest was high. Anyway the Awake stated that in just 10 years the interest exceeded the principle invested.

That would require receiving an interest rate of over 7.2%. That hasn't been paid in a long time (except TO a credid card company).

28

Considering Shunning my JW Friend

by InterestedOne in

jw
friends

i had a discussion with my jw friend during which i asked her why a rational person should believe the world is run by demons.

in response, she questioned the existence of objective rationality.

she said that we should "agree to disagree.

DesirousOfChange

Considering Shunning my JW Friend

Don't shun her because she's a witness.

Shun her because she's FREAKING NUTS!

15

A thought about the "imperfect men" excuse for false teachings.

by WontLeave in

in researching and writing this, a thought occurred to me.... has anyone ever asked this: if the society is "the faithful and discreet slave" of mat 24, they have been given authority over all of christ's belongings (including the people), are spirit-led and god's sole means of communication, and are entrusted with revealing "food at the proper time", why are they held to a lower standard than the "other sheep"?.

if they blatantly violate scripture, if they make false prophecies, if they reverse their decisions repeatedly, if they go way beyond what is written, if they hold a position for years or decades which is obviously and finally admitted to be false, they are given a total pass as "imperfect men" and "not infallible".

meanwhile, if you or i have a belief jws feel is "wrong" - we're not spirit-directed mouthpieces of god - why are we "apostates"?

DesirousOfChange

I can't think of one occasion where he called out someone who wasn't in a position a a teacher on being an "apostate", "of your father the Devil", "whitewashed graves", "offspring of vipers", etc.

So true! When it came to the disciples, everything was forgiven. Peter denies CJ himself, not once, but THREE TIMES. Is he labeled "apostate"? Nope. Shunned? Nope. Removed from position? NOPE...... He's forgiven and continues on as an apostle.

36

what am i in for? i have 5 jw employees and now im dfd...

by oompa in

jw
friends

only one is a guy...a mini serve .

one is a reg pioneer.... all are actually pretty key to my biz....three have been there over 20 years (ya...i am a great boss!!!).

how much pressure are they going to get to quit working for me???.

DesirousOfChange

I suppose you should count on them finding empoyment elsewhere. If I we you, I'd begin interviewing new people for all five posistions immediately. Don't make it a secret. tell the current employees that you are planning for future expansion and unexpected contingencies.

Sorry, but I think this is bad advice. Any hint that YOU are thinking of replacing THEM because of the religious situation could be made to look like discrimination. (Assuming you are in the US.)

I would meet with each one of them individually; express that you understand this may or may not be an issue for THEM, but it IS NOT for YOU; explain that you feel they are valuable, dependable employees; and that you intend to keep business separate from the religion, and that you will respect their position to keep it all on a "professional" level (and especially if you can buffer your one-on-one contact with them).

Tell them that if THEY feel they can no longer work for YOU, that you would appreciate the courtesy of a reasonable notice, and that you would of course, be honest in giving them an excellent referral/recommendation to any new employer who would inquire about them.

In this economy, if I was one of them, I would be working things out in my mind as to how to explain or defend keeping my job there.

20

Just heard JW's make 750 million a month!

by foolsparadise in

jw
friends

my friend who still goes to meetings to please family said he was listening to cnbc today.. he said the government is talking about taxing religions.

the one religion they did focus on was the jehovahs witnesses.

supposedly they said why is this group making this much tax free money and they never pay any clergy or help members with any finances.. maybe they will realize it is just a publishing company using people for free labor to get richer and richer.

DesirousOfChange

Personally, all religions should pay tax.

ALL RELIGIONS and ALL NON-PROFITS.

Give exemptions ONLY for what they give TO the community.

If over 10% goes to salaries, remove their status.

The US and every State and Munincipality is looking for every way possible to increase their revenue. TAX THE BUSINESS OF RELIGION, DUMMIES!

34

MS shuns Witness parents

by EmptyInside in

jw
friends

i just wanted your thoughts on this situation.

there was a young boy from my former congregatioin,he was about 5 years younger than me.. and his parents were overly strict with him.

but,i think the combination of being witnesses plus being raised the old-fashioned,southern way themselves was a bad combo for their son.. anyway,he got a lot of beatings at the meetings.

DesirousOfChange

Good things his folks don't live in Texas these days...........

http://www.cbn.com/cbnnews/us/2011/June/Judge-Gives-Texas-Mom-Probation-for-Spanking-/