Posts by Ucantnome

70

What made you stay "in" even when you knew it wasn't the "truth"?

by mentalclarity in

so i've been thinking a lot about why i stayed a jw for so long even though i had always had doubts about the doctrines.

i was born into the religion, left and came back as an adult for another decade.

some of the things that come to mind (besides the threat of shunning-and this isn't to minimize that very real threat) was:.

Ucantnome

'@Ucantnome I have a very good JW childhood friend who is still in (although probably considered a weak JW). She also tells me she doesn't know or not know if it's the "truth". It doesn't seem to make a difference for her. It's just a social club.'

My comment in my previous post, 'Coming to a conclusion that it isn't the 'truth' isn't something I feel in a position to make.'

I never viewed my being a Witness as being part of a social club, it was my religion. I viewed it as the true religion. When I used the expression someone was 'in the truth' I usually was referring to them as being a JW. The true church or congregation I understood was the anointed 144,000 and I was associating with them.

The primary evidence of this anointing and knowing that they have a heavenly calling I understood was based on having the spirit and a sense of sonship. (Romans 8:15-17, Galatians 4;6,7)

I don't feel that I can say they have or don't have it, I think it is personal to them. All I can say is that I will not join with them in the preaching work as I am not convinced of what I understand the message to be because of what they taught me and changed. Therefore I am no longer a witness but they may still be the anointed. That is my view.

116

What is behind your choice of forum user name?

by stuckinarut2 in

jw
friends

just curious how we all think.. what prompted or influenced your choice of username for this forum?.

there are some really amazing names, and it would be great to hear the stories behind them.... mine was nothing fancy.

i just felt "stuck in a rut too" along with so many others.

Ucantnome

a conversation about Kant

70

What made you stay "in" even when you knew it wasn't the "truth"?

by mentalclarity in

so i've been thinking a lot about why i stayed a jw for so long even though i had always had doubts about the doctrines.

i was born into the religion, left and came back as an adult for another decade.

some of the things that come to mind (besides the threat of shunning-and this isn't to minimize that very real threat) was:.

Ucantnome

I didn't really stay in "even when you knew it wasn't the 'truth'"

I was raised in the truth with strict parents and left school and pioneered, I left over 20years ago. When I stopped preaching, two things were involved. One, I couldn't preach something I was unsure of and the other was it occurred at a time in my life where it was easier to change.

There was a period where I tried to resolve the problem (doctrinal) that I had and thought things may change. This was about 2 years. Going in field service stopped immediately and meeting attendance became less frequent. At first, the meeting attendance diminished due to a change in our circumstances brought about by the 'problem' and later due to the reaction of the elders in taking six months to visit me although I had requested it.

Coming to a conclusion that it isn't the 'truth' isn't something I feel in a position to make.

19

If you were a J.W. before July 2013..................

by The Searcher in

....................then you couldn't have been "in the truth" nor was "the truth in you" until july 2013, because that month's watchtower was dedicated to reversing the following 8 "truths" and replacing them with opposing "truths".

you'd been believing and teaching falsehoods.. these are for any new members and those j.w.

's who visit here who have not seen this list before.

Ucantnome

Searcher I thought this was changed in 1970 . 'The Great Tribulation started in 1914 & ended in 1918. (page 3, par 3' am I wrong?

23

How Many Here Used To Sneak Looking At "apostate" Material?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i did!

even when i was in junior high school i would go to the library and look for anything that was about charles taze russell or millenial dawn or jehovah's witnesses..... maybe i was an "apostate " in the making..

Ucantnome

no, I never looked at 'apostate' material or listened to 'apostates' while I was a witness.

2

1975 aricles in one place

by midnight in

could people post all pre 1975 articles here please , talks etc , refering to 1975 as the end .

i would be grateful as i have to be careful at computer so need quick reference without sifting around too much .

thanks m .

Ucantnome

www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/243134/1975-weak-argument?page=5

23

How Do You Get Most of Your News?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i read that many people get their news from facebook.

i look online mostly at fox news and the drudge report.

very seldom do i look at cnn.😎.

Ucantnome

BBC

36

Crossing the Elders

by Cold Steel in

few things draw my interest as much as people on this board who talk about the elders, the insidious little toadies who lurk around kingdom halls, the proverbial big fish in little ponds.

it amazes me the terror and the veneration they inspire, as well as the occasional ridicule.

it makes me wonder how they're selected and whether most of them come into the position with a sense of power, entitlement, authority and control, or whether many of them are pretty nice people and that i'm just hearing about the bad apples?

Ucantnome

From what I gather, they can counsel you regarding your personal life, scripture and its application, but that it would be improper to treat them as equals in the congregation. In other words, they can give you counsel on how to dress, groom yourself, the type of after shave to use, what to read, think and so forth, even how to interpret scripture and the articles in the WATCHTOWER, but it would not be proper to give them counsel in the same areas, right?

That is how my father felt, he was an elder.

I found them all the same, I would not say there were good ones and bad ones. In my experience, they supported each other as they were a body of elders, I understood.

82

How Far Up The Ladder Did You Go In JW Land?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i pretty much did it all.

vacation pioneered as a youngster and became a regular pioneer out of school.

i became a ms then an elder.....the organization pushes you to be somebody within the confines of their realm.

Ucantnome

I never had any desire to have any privileges in the congregation.

I pioneered when I left school because I thought it was the right thing to do. When I was living at home after baptism I have said prayers at the meetings and read the Watchtower and carried the microphone and opened the Service meeting once and led the field service arrangement as a pioneer. When I left home I attended meetings and was regular in field service and avoided any other privileges. I left 10 years later.

51

Did you ever have a discussion with an apostate that helped your journey out.

by jwfacts in

there seems to be a number of different ways that apostates try to get jehovah's witnesses realise they do not have the truth, ranging from subtle comments to aggressive attacks.

do you have any that looking back helped you finally leave.

some of the methods include:.

Ucantnome

No.