.
98 years later, the 1914 date is still important to the watchtower organization.. .
below is a screenshot of a portion of page 19 from the may 15, 2012 watchtower magazine.. .
they believe their own lies.
I believe this. I think that the GB simply HAS TO BELIEVE. They have Roger Clemens Syndrome. Just like he has truly convinced himself that he has never taken steroids.....they have convinced themselves that they HAVE to be right. Even if it involved covering over errors, quoting out of context and suppressing evidence. These things MUST be done in the name of theorcratic warfare. It is fucked up but I think they've truly convinced themselves of this.
the insidious bind the watchtower religion places on their members is unconscionable.. holding family and friends "hostage" as an extortion strategy may be their most potent weapon of enforced conformity.. .
in effect, like an armed criminal who points a gun at you and threatens "your money or your life", the watchtower leadership.
holds the power to separate dissenting members from those whom they most cherish.
Terry.....I've said it before. Any elder will tell you that you have the "Christian Freedom" to decide for yourself whether or not witnesses have the truth. But look at the expense such "freedom" comes with? I believe very much that deciding no longer to be associated with the witnesses is very similar to deciding not to pay your property taxes or your electric bill. Yes...you have the "freedom" to make those decisions. But not paying your property taxes can result in losing your house. Not paying your electric bill can result in losing your electricity. So do you have the "freedom" to pay such expenses? Technically yes.....if you want to face those gruesome consequenses. Being a witness is no different. You have the "freedom" to disagree and walk away....but at what price?
When consequences of freedom begin to outweigh the benefits of freedom....then is it really freedom at all? Or is it a facade? A world wide, organized emotional blackmail strategy?
yes, the may 15th watchtower is now available for download from jw.org.. the final study article, on page 26, directs another salvo at apostates - and warns witnesses not to try arguing with them on the internet:.
indeed, we ought to move as far away from wrongdoing as possible and not see how close we can get to it without being overcome by sin.
for instance, we need to guard against succumbing to apostasy, a sin that would make us unfit to glorify god.
Dear Brothers
Listed to US and obey our teachings implicitly! If you choose not to or if you dare challenge our authority.....you are DISHONORING God!
*Please also keep in mind that we are not infallible which means that current teachings may not be correct. Regardless it is your bounden duty to HONOR God by following these teachings anyway. If you happen to disagree with a teaching of ours and we later change our teaching so that it matches your point of view....please keep in mind YOU HAVE STILL DISHONORED GOD by being right too early.
Your HUMBLE brothers,
The Governing Body
yes, the may 15th watchtower is now available for download from jw.org.. the final study article, on page 26, directs another salvo at apostates - and warns witnesses not to try arguing with them on the internet:.
indeed, we ought to move as far away from wrongdoing as possible and not see how close we can get to it without being overcome by sin.
for instance, we need to guard against succumbing to apostasy, a sin that would make us unfit to glorify god.
I am beginning to believe the rumors that they are drawing a line in the sand. Either you are all in or you are all out. No more fence sitters
good day,.
this week is the super special week of activity with one of our favorite jw celebrities...the circuit overseer!!!.
in last night's talk, he gave sooooo much encouragement...just hearing him made me want to fall to my knees and worship him!
God protected them.
Except of course for those that died that day. But for THEM.....well.....it was time and unforseen occurrence.
Watchtower double speak at its best!
i think it has to be the way they treat disfellowshipped persons.
as another thread, they simply ignore the person as if they're dead!.
Elder 1 was on a judicial committee. Elder 2's daughter was the culprit in that committee. Elder 1 said to elder 2 "I'll go easy on her if you promise the same if you're ever in this position with one of my kids". This was coming from elder 2's daughter after elder 2 told told her about it many years later.
i think it has to be the way they treat disfellowshipped persons.
as another thread, they simply ignore the person as if they're dead!.
"It was reported that when 9/11 happened, Brooklyn locked its doors and turned away "worldly" people who sought refuge there."
Minimus, can you substantiate this? I only ask because 6 months after the attacks, a "brother" from Bethel came to our KH to give a talk. He raved about how loving God's organization is because they opened up their doors and took in and fed all those that were fleeing across the Brooklyn Bridge.
i still go to meetings (sometimes) mostly to acompany my wife and kids.
i have known of jw friends of mine that have gone to elder's for family problems, dispute's with other cult member's or those hemroid's that just won't clear up.
whatever.... i personally never ever told an elder or elder's a stitch of info about my personal life or trouble's etc.
It all comes down to the elder himself. I know of several that like to talk about others behind their backs. Guess what? These are likely the ones that spill the beans to their wives. I also know of several that take it very seriously and would never speak of what goes on to their wives.
I think the honest answer is .....some do and some don't
indeed thats just what witnesses are.
everyone hates them.
is there any other group in "christendom "that are hated as much as these.?
Celestial - You may have indeed found some hurtful and/or propagandistic threads on this website. I for one do not approve of JW bashing. But I do approve of pointing out their hypocrisy and false teachings. However there is one thing you need to remember. This forum consists of many ex-jws that have been screwed over by a cult. Whereas the JWs are supposedly directed by God.
Therefore.......it would stand to reason that this forum will contain posts from those that have their facts straight as well as ones that don't. What is inexcusable is for the society to publish the June 22, 2000 Awake article regarding propaganda.....when they themselves are guilty of the exact propaganda techniques that they condemn in the article. If they are directed by God....then there is no excuse for their literature to be even remotely propagandistic.
Check out this thread for examples within their own literature of what they condemn.
many people who" become jw`s" through the ministry are people who are , at the time , in a vulnerable state.
{ lets face it had you been in your right mind you would never have accepted it right ?}.
many of the people who are" born in" are by that very fact vulnerable they never had a chance and were indoctrinated from an early age .. of course their going to have a lot of issues to deal with that history shows can take many years to shake off,if at all.. all i`m saying is i think we should give people a lot more space,and allow them to see the bigger picture that we can show them on this site,give them time to absorb the information thats available on this site,some of the things you learn here is a bit much to take in at first,beleive me i`ve been their .
Agreed 100%.
While it is natural for those of us that have left the borg to feel anger towards a cult that destroys families and squelches critical thinking skills.......I think we all need to TRY to be a little more understanding when it comes to dealing with a new poster. Some of us come out with guns a blazin (in regard to criticizing JW beliefs) and for a newbie that is just starting to actually think for him/herself.....it can be a turn off. Especially those that are athiest or agnostic. When a person is just starting to question the authority of the WT.....personally....I don't believe that is the best time to start athiest or evolutionary POV. Questioning the WT is a big enough step by itself....let alone being bombarded with an onslaught of negativity PLUS shaking the core of everything they've ever known (i.e. - God does not exist).
I've said it before....but.....thankfully I read COC and went to www.jwfacts.com before I ever came here. I learned the truth about "the truth" from credible sources that presented logical arguments in a non-abrasive way. By the time I found this website....I was already detatched from the Society's big ugly teet. This is only speculation.....but had I visited this website first.....I may very well have been scared back into the borg....because.....with my mind still controlled....I would have focused on the negative threads and reasoned in my JW mind "wow....all these ex-witnesses sure are hateful. The society is right...this stuff is poison!"
By no means would/do I advocate censorship. But if your goal is to help others see the fraud that truly is the WT society.....just remember how fragile your mind was when you first started to doubt the organization.
