Posts by Kensei01

28

Hello all

by Theredeemer in

jw
friends

after many years of visiting this site off and on since its inception i would finally like to throw in my two cents and opinions into the mix.. first of all, i am a born in, baptized at the tender age of 9. although i totally disagree with allowing someone at that age to get baptized, i will say that i was very imformed and i knew my dogma!

at the same time, though, i was aware of many inconsistancies with many of the beliefs and practices of the jw faith.

i was adopted by my grandparents since i was 2 months and they had been jws since 1950s.

Kensei01

Theredeemer: Welcome!! I am new here as well. I also know how you feel, I have been through similar circumstances, and anger is one of them; although I haven't gotten divorced, but that's another topic. Your elder remark is right on the money, I was told something the same as well. This religion is run just like a business; I see the same techniques there that were used at the bank I worked at. I'm glad you got out, I haven't the courage yet, and my wife still believes but is weakening. I'm also happy you are able to go to school, I also identify with your question regarding 'why did I let them take my childhood away', I'm 47 and feel like life and it's potential has passed me too.

Again welcome, you will find many intelligent, welcoming and humorous voices here.

35

Getting rid of the Book Study - a way to isolate the JW?

by skeeter1 in

the book study meeting was cancelled a while back.

the watch tower said that it was to provide for a family study night and high gas costs.

hmmm.. i thought about the cancellation of the book study meeting after listening to another pastor discus his mega-churchs dependence on small circle groups.

Kensei01

In my humble, but rather informed opinion:still in for now. The book study was incorporated into the kh meeting program because no one was going. For years this had been the least attended meeting. It was also the first meeting that was let go when ones were so called "spiritually " weak because it was not at the kh. I had heard it every co's visit from the time I was 10 until they cancelled the arrangement. Of course I found it humorous that when they were trying to convince more to go the book study that it was important to attend at others homes since when persecution would come then it would be only at small groups that the meetings would be held and you may not know where the next one would be held. This reasoning becomes immediately invalid when they decide to move it to the hall. The argument the gb gives about the third world not being able to afford to go doesn't really fly since most of those folks didn't have cars anyway, and they would have walked to the book study. The bottom line is that most people were tired of going out to ANOTHER meeting when people have families with children, hectic and varied work schedules, and other difficulties, and this was reflected in the extreme downward curve in book study meeting attendance that had been nosediving for decades . For myself it is refreshing; when I go; that the conductor is rotated, it was torture to have the same boob every week, especially during the Daniel book. As a well read amateur historian it was an absolute nightmare. The revelation book made me want to grind my teeth since the conductor just let his wife prepare it and then he would try to "conduct" it, but in reality the audience would....he offered nothing because he had nothing to offer. But he was an elder because he had "teaching" ability....what a joke.

Anyway, take care all.

Thanks for reading.

31

Let me introduce myself

by Kensei01 in

jw
friends

hello to all on this board.

thanks so much for creating it and fostering the spirit of welcoming and honesty here.

i have been "lurking" here for a while now and should really introduce myself.

Kensei01

open mind:

Thanks for your post. Yes my wife has some doubts. More critical than doubting. She believes the doctrine but thinks most of the people simply serve themselves. Again thanks for your welcoming spirit.

31

Let me introduce myself

by Kensei01 in

jw
friends

hello to all on this board.

thanks so much for creating it and fostering the spirit of welcoming and honesty here.

i have been "lurking" here for a while now and should really introduce myself.

Kensei01

Wow, thanks to all of you for the welcome. I appreciate it. I hope to post other things in future. Take care all and have a great weekend.

81

What Actually Made You Leave The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many of us needed time to get away from this religion.

i took the course of fading and it's worked pretty well for me.

after i saw sooooo many silly rules being enforced, i needed to get out!.

Kensei01

vampiredclxv :

I know exactly what you mean. I don't know how long you have been out but what you say is very true in my hall. Most are very old now, and NOTHING ever happens. No parties, no fun, no anything. Only elders hang around with other elders; and that dosen't happen much anymore; they are so afraid of any accusation that they avoid being with people other than at the hall. Then they have the nerve to get up on the platform and talk about "following the course of hospitality". The elders and others who wanted to do something all had to move away to other congs since this one is just a funeral home.

I also agree with you about if you are not a pio, elder, or ms, or the spouse of one then you are nothing. On a separate note my sister in law told me that at her DC this year a member of the gb was there who told the audience the reason the book study is not a separate meeting anymore is that the 'brothers' in other countries....not mentioned which of course; were not able to afford to travel to get to them anymore. Gimme a break. They cancelled it because for years no one was going!! It was the number one meeting that was not attended to their standard. What joke!

31

Let me introduce myself

by Kensei01 in

jw
friends

hello to all on this board.

thanks so much for creating it and fostering the spirit of welcoming and honesty here.

i have been "lurking" here for a while now and should really introduce myself.

Kensei01

Hello to all on this board. Thanks so much for creating it and fostering the spirit of welcoming and honesty here. I have been "lurking" here for a while now and should really introduce myself.

I have been a witness for most of my 47 years. My mother was babtised in 1974 and raised me in the faith. I was a slow starter but had been giving talks since I was 6, when my mom was just studying. I was babtised at 18 and went pioneering soon after. First reg aux and then regular. I burned myself out by cleaning all hours of the night and going in service all day, some mornings I would throw up from the fatigue. But hey, it's worth it isn't it?

I was the resident protege in my hall, I did it all, mikes, sound, platform, all by myself in a hall with about 90 pubs. The elders, we had 12 at that point did nothing to help and just "used" me.....we all know that term, "use". Later on after getting married to my wonderful wife; who was a pioneer too; I became appointed as a ms. Now the load really kicked in. I did the aforementioned things as well as, accounts, territory, subscriptions, (later these were cancelled), as well giving a public talk at least every other month, sometimes more. When it comes to public speaking and reading I have superior ability; it's all natural; not bragging or anything, and the other brothers weren't as able so they piled it on. I really did enjoy giving talks though.

This went on for 5 years, then in 1997 I was accused by a girl who has shall we say" issues" of swearing and allowing swearing to take place at congregation sporting events that I organised sometimes or just attended. A kangaroo court was held since I didn't do the swearing although I had heard plenty from others and said something to them when I could. The CO, aka Torquemada; who had it in for anyone playing sports; he succeeded in screwing over some ms's in other halls later; brought so called witnesses of me swearing over 10 years prior. What a joke. They had no hard evidence of any kind at all. The most difficult thing for me was that my elders did NOTHING to defend or help me, they just let the ship go down. I saw the writing on the wall and basically told them at the judicial meeting later that she must have heard me mutter something under my breath, and thought I meant it toward her since I supposedly called her a stupid ---itch....which of course she is lol.

She went around and told everyone she could about it and I was removed as a ms since it had become so widely known....not because of me..but because of her gossip.. Nice. Of course her father is an elder and you all know the rest of that story. The so called "rules" were bent into the shape of a pretzel and I got sold out so an idiot CO could further his agenda and get away with it because the elders were scared to stand up.

I vowed never to be used again. Over time I started to think about it more and more and realized that these clowns could not be appointed by holy spirtit at all. That's when the doubts came crashing in and I found this board. Ever since I have been emotionally flatlining at the meetings, since I still go now and again for my wife. She is harboring some anger too since this hall couldn't care less about her either, if you're not "in" with the cool people....well you all know how the rest goes I'm sure. I haven't been to a meeting now for 3 months and service for 6 and hoping to stretch it out.

Any way feel free to message me or reply to my post, thanks for letting me longwinded and I hope everyone has a great weekend...

12

why give the elders power over your lives?

by dawntodaylight in

jw
friends

hey everyone!!

happy friday!!!

its been a while since i have started a topic so here it goes..... when i joined the org i came in knowing that i would never go to the elders for advice or to confess any wrong doings.

Kensei01

The bottom line was fear. Fear of displeasing God and not getting into the new system. Funnny thing; and of course I didn't invent this concept; if there is no afterlife, no hell, just nothingness, then how could you miss not being in the new system? Ouch, try that one with an elder and look at the confusion on their face. The "ability" bar is so low now that most elders are unread and uneducated buffoons who don't even know how to construct a logical argument let alone help someone who has approached them for sprititual healing.

81

What Actually Made You Leave The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many of us needed time to get away from this religion.

i took the course of fading and it's worked pretty well for me.

after i saw sooooo many silly rules being enforced, i needed to get out!.

Kensei01

Franklin Massey:

Thank you very much for your post; as well may I say I have enjoyed reading yours in the last few weeks as well. I believe I will post an intro thread when I have a little more time.

Have a great day!!

55

Email exchange between myself (MS) and Elder...getting myself in hot water?

by Lied2NoMore in

Kensei01

Hi Lied2nomore:

I feel your pain my friend. I know your not asking for advice but if I may say so you may want to just tell the boe you don't want to be a ms anymore; you are NOT required to say why; I have just recently resigned from the ministry school, when they asked why I just told them it was irrelevant, that all they need to do is comply with my request. However I can see your need to stick it to them a little. As for flying under the radar, I would say you have attracted some attention, but not enough to remove you. They would probably do that as a last resort as the org is DESPERATE for elders and ms's. You should see the absolute imcompetants they have appointed in my cong in the last few years. Anyway let us all know how you make out.

81

What Actually Made You Leave The Organization?

by minimus in

jw
friends

many of us needed time to get away from this religion.

i took the course of fading and it's worked pretty well for me.

after i saw sooooo many silly rules being enforced, i needed to get out!.

Kensei01

Hi Minimus:

This is acutually the first post I have made after lurking on this site for over a year. I am currently in the process of fading. My dear wife is still faithful although I strongly believe that she see's what is really going on but still hopes for the best. For me the real reason that I am going to leave is that I truly cannot believe that this joke religion is from God. I am a lifelong jw...since my boyhood and I believed all the tripe, however as I became an amateur historian over the years I wanted more and more "raw" data, and as that became more and more available through the internet I started to see a very disturbing picture developing.

I remember very clearly the 1975 debacle; and after "objectively" examining 1914 I found this date was arrived at with pure historical hucksterism. After that the floodgates of doubt opened. As well, like many others who have left something happened to me that showed that a body of elders is nothing more than a bunch of pharisees too afraid for their own position to stand up for anyone. More details are available if anyone is interested, I don't feel like giving you all information overload.

That's it I guess, thanks to one and all of you who have contributed to this site, it really opened my eyes, and it is really good to see former elders like yourself; I am a former ms; stand up and show what these ass clowns really are.