outsmartthesystem

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Posts by outsmartthesystem

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  32

  The UNFORGIVABLE Sin: What Is It?

  by Cold Steel in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  jesus said: .

  verily i say unto you, all sins shall be forgiven unto the sons of men, and blasphemies wherewith soever they shall blaspheme: but he that shall blaspheme against the holy ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation.

  (mark 3:28-29).

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  outsmartthesystem

  The unforgivable sin is daring to question the validity of the "faithful slave"
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  30

  I'm just tired

  by joe134cd in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  you know i'm just tired about all the bull shit that goes on.

  i'm sick of trying to please others.

  i loath pissing people off on a saturday morning.

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  outsmartthesystem

  I agree with Cedars. For your own welfare you need to start making an exit plan. Maybe you'll fade and maintain only a few family relationships. Maybe you'll announce it from a mountain top and get DFd. But you have to make a stand
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  28

  My Jehovah's Witness broke up with me :(

  by jws in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a few months ago, the jws came knocking on my door (see thread).. this discussion continued and the next time she brought a man along with her.

  i told them that i'd study with them if they could prove to me god exists and the bible was his book.

  for our next visit, only the man showed up.

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  outsmartthesystem

  "Those scriptures you refer to about God punishing children for the sins of the parents are being misinterpreted by you, I think. I think the verses say that the sins of the fathers will be visited on the sons even to the third and fourth generation. I think that means that when parents don't do the right thing, it has an effect on the children and grandchildren. "

  But mum, what about when Noah woke up from his drunken stupor and cursed Canaan, the SON of Ham? Canaan wasn't even involved.
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  28

  My Jehovah's Witness broke up with me :(

  by jws in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  a few months ago, the jws came knocking on my door (see thread).. this discussion continued and the next time she brought a man along with her.

  i told them that i'd study with them if they could prove to me god exists and the bible was his book.

  for our next visit, only the man showed up.

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  outsmartthesystem

  JWS - Do you have a copy of that document in electronic format that you'd be willing to email to me?
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  50

  Were U Surprised To Learn Anything About The Witnesses That U Didn't Know??

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i was a kid, i researched the origins of the religion and realized that the witnesses were an offshoot of adventism.....we're you surprised to learn something about the witnesses that you didn't realize?.

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  outsmartthesystem

  Yes. I was surprised by virtually everything I read. I had no idea about Ray Franz. I had no idea about Russell's pyramidology. I had no idea about the plethora of failed predictions. I had no idea the writers consistently quote mined authorities. I had no idea of the Walsh Trial.

  I had no idea it was one big lie and that I was kept in a protective bubble
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  90

  Can this logic be refuted?

  by notsurewheretogo in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i was an elder until march 2012 until i resigned.

  i then stopped going to meetings in october 2012 and have enjoyed 9 months of freedom that i have found to be jouful!

  i loved learning ttatt and sites like this and jwfacts.com have been excellent.. i told the elders that i needed a break and that they should not contact me unless it was a social visit and true to their word they have done that.

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  outsmartthesystem

  I agree with you in that your logic is spot on. But I also agree with the board. Your logic will be overlooked. All the elders will hear is that you are daring to question the legitimacy of the "faithful slave". They do not have to answer your questions.

  Avoid them at all costs.
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  29

  just got an email from a jw friend

  by outofthelionsden in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hi guys, so i got an email form an old jw friend that i haven't seen in a long time , i moved away to another state a few years ago.

  so she sent me an email to tell me that she found out that i had left "jehovahs organization" and that she has been crying for weeks because she always looked up to me ( i was always that kid that pioneered & always had demonstrations and experiences in the district and circuit assemblies) she said that she's not judging me but that she cant believe i would do that , that i know better and that there is no reason ever to leave and hopes that we wake up before its to late..... i have to respond but i know she wont hear ttatt there deep in, so any suggestions would be appreciated on what to respond.. ( im so heart broken and tiered at this point.

  i know she is doing it out of love, she's actually the only person that has contacted me, not even my family has done that.

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  outsmartthesystem

  This is rather long and probably won't help to someone that is completely immersed but.........

  The book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life (p13) says "We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught by any religious organization". The Awake of October 22, 1973 (p6) says "Reasonable persons agree that the only fair method is to examine the evidence on both sides, both for and against a disputed theory. That is how one arrives at the truth." The bible tells us to "make sure of ALL things". Not SOME things. The bible mentions the Bereans in the 17th chapter of Acts. Yes, they accepted the word, but not without careful examination.

  Yet conversely you can also find the following sentiments within the society's publications: " Since our Lord has used the Faithful and Discreet Slave to convey to us the saying of everlasting life, why should we look elsewhere?" (Nov 1, 1987 WT p20). Or the Jan 15, 1983 Watchtower (p22) that says "Avoid questioning the counsel provided by God's visible organization".

  I was calling on a return visit one day who had studied with witnesses in the past. He posed an interesting question. He asked, "why is it that you folks tell others you meet in your ministry that they shouldn't be afraid to examine their religion, their beliefs, their faith etc....because if their religion is true.....then careful examination should prove that. Yet when it comes to examining your own beliefs, you will only consider information that is expressly approved by your leadership? You're not allowed to look at anything from a former member. You're not allowed to look at anything that is critical of your religious beliefs. Even reviewing older publications that were written by your own members is frowned upon because it isn't up to date! That is hypocritical, isn't it?"

  He made a very good point. I didn't want to look at anything that could be considered even remotely apostate, so I did just as he said I would. I refused to read anything written by apostates or anything critical of the society. But to prove him wrong......what i did do is research within our own literature. Our kingdom hall library had copies of some of the real old publications. I read the Divine Plan of the Ages and found that CT Russell engaged in the spiritistic practice of pyramidology to help him come up with the year 1914. I read Millions Now Living Will Never Die and The Finished Mystery. These were the publications that were produced right around 1919, when Jesus selected the brothers as the ONLY organization that was fit to be called God's.

  Simply put, so much of what was being taught as truth back then was flat out dead wrong. Truth does not change. Jesus is supposed to have made his selection of the Bible Students because they were providing the RIGHT food at the PROPER time. There is no PROPER time for WRONG food. These publications were eye openers for me.

  In the society's video Faith in Action part 1, Geoffrey Jackson is quoted as saying “once the people saw they were being taught falsehood, it was only logical to withdraw and not give support to religious institutions that were teaching falsehood.” Wouldn’t the same be true today? If I can pick out falsehoods that have been taught by the society over the years, wouldn’t it be logical to withdraw my support? If not, is the reason because the light gets brighter and I should be content to wait for such light? If that is the case can’t any religious order claim the same about their doctrines both past and present? Furthermore where is the scriptural precedent that says that Jehovah would send forth his holy spirit to direct a falsehood, to act as a makeweight, until the actual truth could later be revealed? Read Proverbs the 4 th chapter again. Read the entire chapter. What is it about that chapter that makes you believe that it is more than just a proverb? What is it about that chapter that makes you believe it should be applied as though it were a prophesy? What is it about that chapter that makes you believe it should only apply to the governing body? If the light truly gets brighter and the truths that Jesus approved as “food at the proper time” back in the early 20 th century can no longer be trusted as being “truthful” today, then how can I be sure that the “truth” I am learning today won’t similarly be regarded as outdated a few years from now? And if you cannot guarantee that the “truths” I am learning today won’t someday be regarded as “past truths” that should no longer be followed, then why should I or anybody else be subject to disfellowshipping for failing to follow them?

  These are questions that nobody has been able to answer for me. In fact, I've been told that I shouldn't be "critically thinking about the past". But when the very foundation of my faith rests on it, how can I not?
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  43

  I'm New... and I'm running...

  by running_away in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's some kind of funny... i was the perfect little ass, even that i never believe it all.. there was something that doesn't sound right... but, i was little, i was with my family, i never believe that my family will make me adopt a cult.

  well i get batized in my mid teen years, i was the exemplar, ms at 19, even serve my time at bethel.

  get married to a pioneer, start a spiritual family, get my 2 kids.

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  outsmartthesystem

  Welcome and great to have you here. Tread lightly at first with your wife (if she isn't on board with you already) or you may have a real mess on your hands
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  18

  Some odd developments

  by dissonance_resolved in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so things are not making sense at all here in my fade.

  as i had posted earlier, i had a long intense talk the other night with my husband where i thought it was crystal clear just where i'm at right now with the wtbts.

  then, the same week, he's not feeling well and asks me to take the kids to the mid-week meeting.

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  outsmartthesystem

  Isn't it sad......yet very telling of the authoritarian control structure exhibited within this group.....when you.....as a grown adult....feel the need to supply excuses for being absent from church?

  Your parents' failure to address the missed meeting was an abberation. They'll be back on track soon. Your husband hasn't fully digested what you've told him. He heard "I'm a little depressed the end isn't here yet".
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  74

  Got a angry letter from our oldest son today we are very hurt from it.

  by TotallyADD in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  when i got home today from work my wife showed me a 5 page letter from our oldest son.

  he basically said he does not what anything to do with us because of all the wrong things we did as parents to him and his brother.

  he blames us for not being there for him and we are toxic parents.

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  outsmartthesystem

  I am very sorry to hear this. It is sad to hear stories of family dysfunction being cause by the Watchtower. It is sadder yet to hear that families are breaking apart for no other reason than that SOMEONE had the courage to LEAVE the abuse.