XBEHERE

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Posts by XBEHERE

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  15

  Why the Watchtower Bible & Tract Society BAN against Peace Officers serving as "Elders " for Jehovah's Witnesses ?

  by Balaamsass in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  in the early 80s the watchtower society began to forbid any police officer from serving as a ministerial servant, elder or even viewed as "exemplary".

  at the time i was told it was because of firearms, possible bloodguilt, and being men of violence- "smiters".. as a young person it just didn't make sense to me.

  i knew and liked a few peace officers who served as elders.

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  XBEHERE

  Interesting post.. I always wondered this myself. Police Officers are exemplary in their desire to protect and uphold the law but you are correct about not using them in the congregation. Why is that? I need to do some research and find out why. It certainly cant be the gun thing because I know elders and ms's who own rifles and crossbows for hunting.
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  3

  Unbelieving Mates or Dating "Worldlings"

  by XBEHERE in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just curious if anyone here is or knows of individuals who accepted "the truth" just so they could marry a jw.

  how did it turn out?

  i know of one case where a jw sister started dating a wordly man.

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  XBEHERE

  Just curious if anyone here is or knows of individuals who accepted "the truth" just so they could marry a JW. How did it turn out? Are they still in now?

  I know of one case where a JW sister started dating a wordly man. Her family of course insisted that she either stop or he start studying. Eventually he studied, got baptized, they got married, he became an MS, she became a pioneer, he then became an elder....and all of a sudden she leaves him for another "worldly" person.

  To this day this former elder has not spoken to another JW, he essentially became "worldly" again and she and her new hub are back in the truth... TRUTH, lol makes me feel dirty to even say it sarcastically.
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  38

  "Evidently" the New Watchtower Propoganda Buzzword is "Clearly"

  by LostGeneration in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  we have seen hundreds of examples of where the watchtower uses the word "evidently" to make their doctrinal point.

  (page 9, para 6).

  (page 19 para 5).

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  XBEHERE

  Good points made. The average JW will never see it as a ploy to backup what they say with no evidence though. So sad...
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  18

  Donations = iPads?

  by Emery in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i had my co visit not too long ago and in our conversation on technology (i'm an apple guy) he stated that within the last year the branch supplied all traveling overseers with free ipads to use.

  he then proceeded to tell me he doesnt personally bring his to the meetings as not to stumble anyone (or maybe because we might see his high score on temple run).

  i was pretty surprised by this and began wondering... are jw donations towards the world wide work going to ipads for do's and co's to use in their spare time?

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  XBEHERE

  At the risk of sounding like an apologist, iPads are pretty useful to have at meetings and to read the PDF and ePub literature from jw.org. Additionally all correspondence to elders/Traveling overseers from the branch is in PDF format, they very seldom send letters anymore and iPads are pefect for reading those also.
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  67

  Is their a slackening off / lack of zeal in the witnessing work that I am observing or is it just the area I`m living in

  by smiddy in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  last saturday i was home with my wife,having a leisurely brekky pottering around in the kitchen ,then i noticed her standing still pondering ,what`s up i asked , wife :i thought i heard someone knocking ,i looked out the window to see two middle aged guys exciting my front drive.why didn`t you tell me they were their,i didn`t hear them.

  i would have engaged them in conversation , but my wife doesn`t think i ought to,just let it go ,is her motto.. but my point is : i`m not deaf , and i didn`t hear them at the door , we were both in the front room ,my wife only thought she heard someone at the door only to be proved right observing them leaving i was in my pj`s and dressing gown so was not going to pursue them.

  we have been living here nearly 5 years now and i can honestly say they have never been on our doorstep more than 4 times if that , i personally have only encountered them 3 times at the most.

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  XBEHERE

  Well I can't speak for all "active" witlesses but in my case I cant stand field service and miss every opportunity that I can. When I do go out I do "calls". Overhearing what others are saying in my cong. I'd say many feel the same way that I do, even the pioneers. There are pioneers in my hall that only have like 4 or 5 rvs and no studies. When I was pioneering 20 yrs ago that would've been grounds for deletion. There is no sense of urgency for many anymore.
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  31

  DC Ramblings: A non-comprehensive review of some lowlights

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  recently attended the dc.

  there have been mny threads already on this, but here are some random thoughts giving my take on what i saw & heard.... .

  -- attendance was about the same as last year, averaging around 8000 per session.

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  XBEHERE

  I'm going next weekend. Sir82 I am surprised you even listened that much. I pretty much play with my iPhone the entire time and claim to my wife that I am looking up the scriptures on it. I wish I could promise to post notes the following Monday but I wont have any.
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  34

  Is the 10 Hour Per Month Requirement Still In Force?

  by Conan The Barbarian in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  are there any active elders/ms or higher out there who can advise if one of the requirements for appointment is that the person's fs time is equal to or greater than either the congregation's average or the national average?

  this used to be the case, but may have been relaxed.

  also is the branch still approving appointments?

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  XBEHERE

  Not in print anywhere but the CO still compares the congregation average when he comes to:

  1. The circuit average

  2. The National Average

  In our cong. meeting attandance is well below 100% and he keeps asking us why...lol because people are sick of meetings. SICK of them, but nobody will every reveal that to the average person in the hall. To close, close friends or relatives maybe.

  If you are already appointed an MS or elder and your f/s hrs are between 7-10 nobody will care. If its consistently below 7 or so the rest of elders will discuss it via email/side disucssions, and 2 elders will be sent to speak to you about it.

  To be appointed you have to be in the 9-12 range 1-2 mos prior aux pioneer service helps out.
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  70

  How many ex-jws poster here now believe in Hellfire, immortality of soul, trinity, etc;

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am just curious about this because although i agree with many of the posters here that the wt society is guilty of many horrible deeds, i still believe they are right when it comes to doctrinal things as i mention.

  especially hellfire.

  i just don't see how anybody that has studied the bible for many years like many of the ex-jws here can make an about face and go back to believing hellfire.

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  XBEHERE

  I am not sure to be honest and this is a good question. One of the things I have been toying with is the diety of Jesus. I simply don't agree with the org. that Jesus is simply an angel and first born son of god. While I still like the bible its mostly for the principles of kindness and love that are promoted within it. Doctrinally I think you can make it prove whatever you want it to with some careful thought and cross references. I have done this and I have come to the conclusion that Jesus is more than what the WT says he is. They also have managed to change meanings of some verses with some substitutions and omissions of their own, the same things they have accused other translators of doing.

  Other than this I havent really given most of their doctrines much thought
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  39

  Is the FDS losing control?

  by Hermano in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i believe there is growing unrest amongst jws.

  they may not be very cohesive or organized, but the rigorous demands for obedience coming from the leadership and the unbending, never ending list of rules, not to mention the end that has been ever so-close for so long yet never climaxes, has a lot of jws frustrated.. don't get me wrong.

  i know there are some jws that will hang in there no matter what they're told to do and will obey without question.

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  XBEHERE

  I do think that many JWs are "main-streaming" it. In other words they go to meetings, out in service, etc. but really dont care. Remember its a social club also, friends, family, something to do. I know many JWs who watch violent movies, play violent video games, have a little too much to drink, stay home from meetings on occasion for reason, etc., etc. It will take a tremendous, earth shattering event such as a GB member being caught on video with a man or a hooker and evidence that the others tried to cover it up to shake some people up. Even then many will not even pay attention.

  Its a pyschological hold that being a part of a congregation holds over you that causes the... whats the term cognative dissonance? I would guess that in a given congregation 25-30% or more dont care about the religion anymore. However each of those people would never reveal their doubts because of fear of retribution and being cut off from the rest of the group to shut you up. Its sad because if all these people in every cong around the world would reveal themselves then we would see a big change. Fear prevents it from happening.
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  79

  How ManyYears Did You Waste Being A Jehovah's Witness?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was raised as a jw and i haven't been to a meeting in about 8 years..

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  XBEHERE

  If counting from baptism then 24, but was raised a wit-less.