Posts by Lunatic Faith

81

Here i am....

by makersmark in

here i am - born in truth, hard-core spiritual everything all my life, early reg.pioneer, ms, elder, assembly parts, tour at bethel, etc, married now...... i'm trying to examine jw teachings a little closer...... i've spent the last two weeks reading many many posts, info , references on where ex-jw's are coming from.

i'm kind of concerned about a few things lately..... honestly - some points make sense to me - some don't - here are my general thoughts:.

-wt getting un membership for access to library - doesnt bother me - some passports and other governement documents have similar forms and requirements..... -blood issue - some counterpoints to the jw 'rules' makes sense (original intent of scripture is unbled animals, white blood cells similar in mothers milk) etc -however a lot of 'apostate' reasonings and proof are inaccurate.

Lunatic Faith

- constant attacks of old Russell, Rutherford teachings, etc.... using 100 year old watchtower quotes as proof - cmon - i know we celebrated Christmas, I know about the pyramids, i know JW have similar historical roots to other religions - the point is what we believe NOW...Those quotes from 1898 and even some 1930's 1950's quotes - we dont believe either....... dont use antiquated proof - If you want to sway me or other 'doubters' get some actual proof and ill listen.......

I am new here and my spiritual upbringing and thinking sounds similar to yours: baptized at 15, pioneered 4 years, assembly parts, multiple visits to Bethel, International conventions, foreign language territory, etc. I dismissed a lot with the same reasoning as you and find some of the more bitter members on this board rather off-putting. Sometimes I will read something on here that makes me wonder if I am making the right decision because the comment is so stereotypical for how we have heard apostates described.

That being said, you said we shouldn't focus so much on the past. That makes sense except when you consider the way the WBTS explains the past. I have read the Proclaimers book 3 times, the 1975 yearbook twice, and the Faith on the March book twice. According to the Revelation book, Jesus inspected the spiritual temple in 1919 and appointed his "good and faithful servant" over all his domestics. But if the WT was found acceptable in 1919 when jesus inspected them why does the current organization bear so little resemblance to the one inspected in 1919? They did celebrate the holidays, and birthdays, and believed the pyrmamid was God's witness, and Russell himself was the faithful slave. Rutherford taught at that time that 1925 was going to be the end and (according to the Proclaimers book) built Beth-Sarim to house the old testament princes. 1914 wasn't considered the year of Jesus invisible presence until 1943.

You can say this is all old info and unnecessary to dredge up but it's what was believed when Jesus supposedly inspected his people and raised them above all other religions. If he found those teachings "food at the proper time" why have they been changed? And if that inspection never happened, or JW's were not found to have the truth then all their claims as God's representatives are erroneous. The scriptures themselves describe the importance of a good foundation to any structure. Would you say the JW organization was built on a solid foundation? If so, why does the modern day organization bear no resemblance to the one Jesus inspected?

I will tell you what started me down this road: it was learning about William Miller, the Millerites, and the Great Disappointment. I wrote an article on it for my blog

www.lunaticfaith.wordpress.com

36

Assembly changes

by d in

i was wondering what changes have you seen with assemblies now.compared to assemblies in the 1950's..

Lunatic Faith

Yeah, older assemblies were longer. Circuit assemblies were two days each because they were usually during the school year, but District conventions were much longer. They lasted all week. Hot food was served at both CA and DC. I remember hot meals at CA, but that stopped in the early 80's. I have pictures of my dad overseeing the hot food prep at DC. It took hours and people involved couldn't really partake of the convention program. It was also a huge expense but the Bros and Sis would've been required to pay for the food.

I remember when we had the ticket system at DC and cold food. The only thing I liked was the frozen orange juice in the morning and the cheese danishes.

79

Have you given up on humanity?

by d in

i was thinking to myself today,people suck humans suck.i know that when i was younger i used to see myself helpng people.but now i could care less.the reason is because in reality things will never get better.i am not saying god is going to help us.i do not believe in god.i feel that no mattr what charity you give to an organization in the end it is all futile and pointless.this life we live is hard and can seem pointless.does anybody else feel that way..

Lunatic Faith

One of the things I have enjoyed about leaving the JW's is being able to view society on a more positive note. I have spent my life looking for the bad in society to validate our belief that things are getting worse and the end is getting closer. I decided one day to start noticing the good in people and I saw people doing things for one another that I never saw within the JW cong. Yeah, there are assholes everywhere. But there is also a lot of good, if you just look for it.

21

I'm an HBH

by Lunatic Faith in

jw
friends

i have received two visits from car-groups this week and am trying not to freak out.

i think it is because the co's visit is coming up.

i have been home-but-hiding both times.

Lunatic Faith

I have been thinking of investing in a no trespassing sign, but I am afraid that may seem a bit obvious. I am trying for subtlety!

21

I'm an HBH

by Lunatic Faith in

jw
friends

i have received two visits from car-groups this week and am trying not to freak out.

i think it is because the co's visit is coming up.

i have been home-but-hiding both times.

Lunatic Faith

Thanks everyone! Appreciate all the helpful advice.

HBH does mean "Home-But-Hiding". I used to write it on my territory record slip when I knew someone was at home and not responding.

Baltar447--I am baptized and have been since 1988. I have always been one of those super reliable, very knowledgeable JW's and I think people are confused as to why I have just fallen off the face of the earth. What I am finding surprising about people is that they have no concept that there are two ways about it. In talking to my brothers (who are still in-step with the celestial chariot;) it never enters anyones mind that it's not the truth. So it never enters their mind that someone would choose to leave.

50

Don't you DARE to get up!!

by stillin9 in

interesting points from this week's wt study (dec 15 2010 study edition):.

par 12: "do i encourage my children not to view the song between the theocratic ministry school and the service meeting or the one between the public talk and the watchtower study as a sort of intermission,an opportunity for them to leave their seats unnecessarily, perhaps just to stretch their legs?".

why do they have to make such a big deal out of everything?

Lunatic Faith

It's not actually the first time they have encouraged JW's to memorize the lyrics of songs. I remember reading that in a yearbook in 2002. I actually memorized a few songs because of it. I always thought I would be able to repeat them while I was in prison.

21

I'm an HBH

by Lunatic Faith in

jw
friends

i have received two visits from car-groups this week and am trying not to freak out.

i think it is because the co's visit is coming up.

i have been home-but-hiding both times.

Lunatic Faith

I have received two visits from car-groups this week and am trying not to freak out. I think it is because the CO's visit is coming up. I have been home-but-hiding both times. Can I keep this up? What if they call to ask if they can bring by the CO? How many phone-calls and doorbell rings can be ignored before they either leave us alone or get more persistent?

I wish I could say this was the first time in my life I have been HBH when the JW's call, but it's not. Even though I am a 4th generation JW, I actually hid from them when I was a kid. My mother was an invalid, my father was a removed elder. The elders in the congregation would call to "encourage" my mother whenever my dad would ask for privileges for him or his sons. The elders would call to find out if our house was still a mess. When they would find the inevitable clutter because my dad worked full time, my mom was bed-ridden, and us kids were trying to take care of her and didn't know any better, they would call a meeting with my dad and his sons, tell them they were pigs and unworthy of Jehovah's love, and dismiss their requests to handle the mikes or answer at the meetings.

So, one day, I was about 12 and considering suicide because of the way we were always treated at the KH, when an elder showed up with some flowers for my mother. I looked out the curtains to see him standing on the porch and, God help me, I didn't let him in. Even though he had flowers for my mom, all I could think was how he would use the condition of our house to pummel my dad and brothers. At 12 I decided the lesser of the two evils was to pretend no one was there to let him in.

I have felt guilty about that ever since. Now I have come full circle and am HBH because I don't want their help, or their condemnation. I just want to be left alone.

65

New ex-JW memoir coming out...

by brizzzy in

jw
friends

i don't post a ton here because i'm kinda shy.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/0373892357?tag=thegirsguitoh-20&camp=14573&creative=327641&linkcode=as1&creativeasin=0373892357&adid=038ez4bjpam7bcsze5mq&.

that's the amazon link (which is currently the most affordable, i believe, but it's also available for preorder at b&n, borders, indiebound, and indigo-chapters if you're in canada, if you prefer one of those retailers).. .

Lunatic Faith

I have pre-ordered my copy! As a fourth generation JW I look forward to reading your experiences. Congratulations on your first book!!

179

Were you 'alive in '75' and how was that year for you?

by punkofnice in

i was a junior borgite in 1975. i remeber looking at the calendar at work in october and thinking: 'armageddon isn't here yet.....and it doesn't feel like it will be here anytime soon either!'.

i was surprised that jehovah hadn't obeyed the superior command to bring the big 'a' as instructed to him by fred franz.

how dare god disobey the jw leader!!!!!.

Lunatic Faith

I was three years old, but my dad would tell how he (being an elder) had to fight the other elders to keep from announcing from the stage that A would be arriving in 1975. He always claimed the society never said that. Years later, when I was in my 20's, a friend who remembered that time said the society was more guilty of misleading people than they ever let on. That was news to me. I am looking forward to that part in CoC.

I do remember people whose houses we would spend time at, because they had lots of kids, who left right after that. I grew up with the kids in school, and always remembered them once coming to the KH, but they stopped when I was too young to really know what was going on or why we couldn't go visit them any more. Now I wonder what they think of the rest of us that hung on so long.

41

Elder Missing 24 hours...

by sleepingbeauty in

jw
friends

a brother i know of was made up as an elder only some mere 6 weeks ago.

out the blue he has gone total awol and has now been missing over 24 hours.

i wonder if the stress of becoming an elder at 27 yrs old got to him !!!

Lunatic Faith

Hmmm, 27 seems about to normal to me. I had a cousin training as substitute CO at 26, and my Presiding Overseer in the Spanish Hall I attended was 28.