@ - Olivia Wilde - Gotcha, that clears it up for me. I hadnt realised about the "must" read scriptures. I do remember all the scriptures that were quoted, and or put after the paragraphs, but i didnt remember there being "mandatory" to be read out load. I dont think that was around when i was there, but who knows, lol.
Dunedain
JoinedPosts by Dunedain
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20
WT Mtg "read scriptures" are only to be read by a 1 brother???
by Olivia Wilde inwe had co visit recently & it appears that the co told the elders of the congregation that the scriptures indicated on the wt to be "read" on the watchtower study are only to be read by 1 brother in the entire study.... the elder conducting the watchtower announced that at the wt mtg... i was like what???
only men?....
has anyone else had this occur in their congregation?
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Where are you from?
by BeautifulMind ini know we are all anonymous for our own personal reasons, so i understand if you would rather not say.
but if you don't mind sharing that would be cool.
i currently live in georgia, usa.
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Dunedain
I am born and raised on Staten Island NYC. Not too far from Rutherfords retreat, and the WTS old radio station WBBR. In fact there use to be a very elderly "brother" in my cong, when i was younger, who personally knew where Rutherfords gravesite was, on some old land in Staten Island.
I currently live 15 minutes from the house i grew up in, but in New Jersey, a little bit over the Outerbridge.
So, Staten Island NYC/New Jersey, thats where i am.
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WT Mtg "read scriptures" are only to be read by a 1 brother???
by Olivia Wilde inwe had co visit recently & it appears that the co told the elders of the congregation that the scriptures indicated on the wt to be "read" on the watchtower study are only to be read by 1 brother in the entire study.... the elder conducting the watchtower announced that at the wt mtg... i was like what???
only men?....
has anyone else had this occur in their congregation?
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Dunedain
Excuse my ignorance, here guys, but i havent been to a meeting in over 15 years, but what do you guys mean by reading the scriptures at the wt study? I always remember it being that there was a conductor, and a reader of every paragraph of the study article. After the reader would read the current paragraph, the study conducter would ask the questions for that paragraph, and anybody could answer.
Is it no longer like this?
Whats up with the "reading of scripture" part, or am i not remembering correctly, its been awhile, lol?
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Handing out candy
by mikeypants ingrowing up my parents would barricade our home off by parking vehicles bumper to bumper - you would have to crawl under the cars or over the bumpers to get to our door.
also, we would turn off all the lights and hide in the back room away from the street.. that was the norm for me.
isnt that insane?
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Dunedain
My parents, growing up, would disconnect the doorbell on Halloween. We grew up in a big 2 family house in one of the boroughs of NYC. So having someone not answer the door, was not a big deal. My grandparents, who were NOT witnesses, lived in the downstairs half of the house, and we were in the upstairs. So when people would come to the door, my grandmother would hand out candy, and just tell the kids, nobody was home upstairs. If the kids rang our bell first, though, it didnt matter cause my Dad disconnected the door bell.
I have been Trik or treatin with my daughters for over 10 years now, and handing out candy for just as long. I, myself, however, have never gone trik or treating as a child. It was JW BS, my whole childhood for me, oh well, i make up for it with my daughters, and i get joy out of that at least.
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I bought property, not that far from Watchtower land in Warrwick NY.
by Dunedain ini wound up buying 26 acres of land in upstate ny, a few years ago.
i bought it strictly as an investment, due to rumors of there going to be huge development of the area.
it seems like casinos, walmart, and tons of building have started in the area, or are now breaking ground, since i purchased it.
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Dunedain
@ - Village Idiot - It cost me $96,000, for all 26 acres WITH electric on the property, and a small hunters cabin/quarters. It was an "inside" deal, done privatelly, so it wasnt "listed". Thats why, i beleive i got such a sweet deal, also, this was quite a few years ago, like 5 or 6, maybe even ayear or 2 more. -
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I bought property, not that far from Watchtower land in Warrwick NY.
by Dunedain ini wound up buying 26 acres of land in upstate ny, a few years ago.
i bought it strictly as an investment, due to rumors of there going to be huge development of the area.
it seems like casinos, walmart, and tons of building have started in the area, or are now breaking ground, since i purchased it.
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Dunedain
I wound up buying 26 acres of land in upstate NY, a few years ago. I bought it strictly as an investment, due to rumors of there going to be huge development of the area. It seems like casinos, Walmart, and tons of building have started in the area, or are now breaking ground, since i purchased it. I never planned on living there myself, as i live closer towards NYC, but i always liked the idea of knowing i owned a lot of land, that i could eventually do whatever i wanted on, and would increase in value as an investment.
Crazy thing is, i had never realised, until only recently, that my property upstate is not that far from the new WTS headquarters, in Warrwick. Who knows, maybe all the "building" the WTS is doing up there, will wind up putting money in MY pocket, as it helps increase my property value, lol. That certainly could be one good thing, for me to be "happy" about the WTS, but who knows, lol.
Also, maybe when i go up and use my property, which i only do occasionally as a "getaway" to camp and fish, and be out of the city and in "nature", i could use my property as a "base" to "spy" on the BORG, lol. I can do whatever i wish up there. Its very rural, quiet, hidden, and secluded, and borders on 7000 acres, owned by the state, that can NEVER be developed. However, i can develop, and build, pretty much whatever i wish on my 26 acres.
Imagine, if i invited all of us "apostates" here in this community, and we built an "anti-warrwick" headquarters, up on the property. We can make it OUR headquarters, and use it as a centralized place to "print" apostate literature, associate with each other, create a library of teachings that expose the WTS, film videos there for youtube, and even make our own website, like an anti-jw.org. We can have apartments up there for visiting apostate brothers, discuss faith, and fellowship, NO shunning, and all are welcome.
It could be the anti-warrwick, and it would be just like a half hour away from the actual WTS headquarters, lol. How funny would that be? Just wanted to share with you all my "happy" Saturday "dream", i know it could probably never happen, but it is fun to think about, and i DO own the property, so ya never know, lol.
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CO Comes Up With A New Way To Be Judgemental...
by JW_Rogue inat the latest co visit something very strange happened.
during the meeting with the elders and servants he passed out a copy of a hypothetical publisher card and asked us what we could learn from it.
upon receiving it i saw that the average hours were pretty good, it had return visits and quite a few bible studies.
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Dunedain
These MEN are crazy. The CO's spend there "careers" moving from congregation to congregation, and being treated like untoachable "rockstars". They have the "power" to make or break elders, and elder bodies. It gives them a FALSE sense of power and privilege.
They are use to NOBODY confronting them, and or telling them that they, ARE UNRESONABLE. They have giant "heads", and bloated egos. Their dicks get hard, thinking how everyone in the congregation is "scared" of them, and hanging on their every word.
The sadistic thing, is that they do NOT use their, perceived, "power" or "status", to upbuild the flock, or help those that need it. NOPE, they are there to "sniff" out the dissenters, find the weak ones, but NOT encourage them, but to SQUEEZE them. To hurt them, to chastize them, to push them out further from the "loving" care of the congregation. ITS BULLSHIT, company men till death. Well their "death" is coming soon. Their unloving words of HATE, are slowly undermining their own power. People ARE waking up, and they do not want to be "beaten" down by these MEN, anymore.
The "old" Governing body members were BETHELITES, and were bethelites for YEARS. The "air" about them was a bit different. The current Governing Bodys are EX CO's, and their "air" is clear. Fear us, DO WHATEVER WE SAY, WORSHIP US, BEAT DOWN THE FLOCK, and KEEP EVERYONE IN CHECK.
Guess what guys, it aint working, you idiots have done the MOST to push people away, than all the other years combined. The proof is in the "fruits" of this org. The money is drying up, the work is slowing down, the building is grinding to a halt, and the masses are leaving and questioning.
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My experience with religion
by Cota Samuel inhello, i am sam(samuel).
i am 18 and i live in romania.
my english is not that good and i find it hard to express myself even in my language xd.. i'm not an open person and i would've probaly never talked so open of my life but this "event" had so much impact on my life and it damaged me so deeply that i do now write this.. i came to this site to help myself fight the problem that destroyed my life for the past 2 years.
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Dunedain
Hey CotaSam, your intelligence, and at such an early age, is AWESOME. In fact, i would bet that it WAS your intelligence that first drew you to the "truth", and then led you to see that it is NOT the "truth", as well.
Do not be so hard on yourself, its actually OK that you were interested in the BORG, and its perfectly fine that you are mentally free from it. It seems like you learned this quickly, and that is a good thing. You learned this BEFORE you became further "trapped" by the borg, and maybe got married in it, or had children in it. Once you want to leave, but then with all the extra "baggage", it would be even more depressing. You did good, and you dodged a bullet.
I know that everything, at the time, seems so intense, and that the "pain" or "heartache" you are experiencing, may seem like it will never end. But, i promise, it WILL.
Look at your experience with the WTS, as a positive, not a negative. You ARE free of it, so look at it as "stage" in your ever changing life journey, that you are on. You have SO MUCH ahead of you, maybe some down, but so much more positive. Have fun my friend, you have a GOOD life ahead of you, especially since you are smart enough to be free.
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obsession to count
by menrov injust returned from a funeral service for the (non-jw) husband of a jw in a funeral home.
it was rather crowded.
no jw discourse.
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Dunedain
@ - Halfbannana - Is that true, there were only 4 people at Rutherfords funeral? -
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I could sue the WTBTS
by shattered_origins inever since my sister gave me an " awakening," i have been somewhat obsessed with the failings of the religion i was born into.
i am especially outraged at the article i read about how the elders are supposed to deal with accusations of sexual abuse (jwfacts.com/watchtower/paedophelia.php).
i myself suffered sexual and emotional abuse from a family "friend"/ministerial servant in a neighboring congregation.
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Dunedain
@ - Shattered origins - I am so, so sorry that you were treated that way. Both by the horrible actions, of your abuser, and the way the "elders" handled your situation. It must have been so faith crippling for you, to think that the, supposed org that "God" was running, did NOTHING to protect you. If God WAS there, he would have protected you, before, and after, but instead MEN hurt you, and i am sorry for that.
There is probably nothing that can take that pain, and old memories, away from you. That being said, if you have the "strength", and "ability", to pursue this by SUEING the WTS, i cannot recommend enough, that you DO THIS. It WILL take courage on your part, and may be very hard, to have to re-live certain memories, but if you are willing to, then it may be a worthy cause for you.
It is easy for someone, like myself, who has not experienced personally what you went thru, to say " YEAH SUE THEM", so ONLY you can make that decision, but i am sure many of us would stand behind you.
You ARE right, the WTS DOES owe YOU, and you should "stick it to em". Besides the perhaps, monetary benefits that you could, right fully, receive, but maybe your pursuing this, could help someone else, NOT have to be abused in the future by this cult.
I do not know the specifics of what lawyers are out there that can really help you, in the specifics of your situation, but i know that there ARE lawyers that WILL help you, specifically to fight the WTS. You are not the first, you would be one of many, that are now waking up, and going after this abusive WTS, and there IS strength in numbers.
I am SURE that there are some, right here on this forum, that KNOW of the people, agencies, lawyers, and resources, that you can contact, and WILL help you. Good luck, and if it is YOUR will to do this, PLEASE do it, and ask HERE for the help, and you will be helped.