Posts by bildad

16

What are you most passionate about?

by SplaneThisToMe in

i had an interview today and was asked a question o have gotten in the past: what are you most passionate about?

it was a struggle to come up with an answer on this one.

as a jw, the things i was passionate about were chosen for me.

bildad

Giordano

Good for you. Nice post.

I don't have your mountain view but we head out for the Smoky Mountain range about 3 or 4 times a year. Certainly has a healing effect.

16

What are you most passionate about?

by SplaneThisToMe in

i had an interview today and was asked a question o have gotten in the past: what are you most passionate about?

it was a struggle to come up with an answer on this one.

as a jw, the things i was passionate about were chosen for me.

bildad

One wonders how they would have answered that question before 50 years of JW doctrination that changed their brain!

65

after much research and prayer i am returning to being a jehovah's witness i can find nothing that eliminates them from being god's directed people , in the end they will reach the end of there journey despite mistakes and errors just like the israelites entered the promised land , thanks for your input and all the best on your personal journey ☺.

midnight..

bildad

Midnight:

I noticed you joined 14 days ago although you mentioned in one of your posts that you have been observing for some time.

It reminds me that people usually have a BS for months, even years before they come to the conclusion that JW's have "the truth."

Is 14 days enough time to just decide to go back? Have you really considered all the alternatives?

I wish you well. Hope you find peace of mind.

10

The Spiritual Man According to WTBTS

by zophar in

who is a spiritual man according to wtbts?.

this post will resonate most with people who have been long associated with jws and have seen a dramatic change in the spirituality of traveling overseers over the years..

how does a man get appointed as a circuit overseer?

bildad

ToesUp

my sentiments exactly. At least we felt like there was some depth and substance. And, while the explanations might be flawed at least an attempt was made to show some Scriptural basis for them.

25

For Those of You Who Still Serve... How Do You Do It?

by Kingdom Evader in

jw
friends

new here... been lurking for some time now.... i still serve... but with each passing day, it gets harder and harder.

i'm slowly... slowly working on my wife (i call her mrs. hardcore) and even my m-i-l (who taught my wife how to be hardcore).

making some amazing progress... they are still hardcore... but unrecognizable from a couple years ago!.

bildad

Great points by ElderlNewton!

Talks provided an excellent opportunity to teach directly from the Bible (if you still believe the Bible.) You might be questioned about what you said by hardliners but if you stick to the Bible, what can they really say?

I have received counsel to stick more to the outline by some bodies of elders. However, you also hear comments of appreciation that seem to indicate that there are a number in the audience who are yearning for a true Bible message, unfiltered by WT teachings.

There is a "ministry" among some JW's. There are many who are silent but are not buying "overlapping" explanations and find it refreshing to hear a message without the WT filter.

Because of circumstances many feel they cannot DA or be DF. So do what you can where you are with what you have.

33

Baptisms only at regional ( district ) assemblies from 2014 / 15 service year?

by dozy in

jw
friends

just a rumour but i guess it makes sense - i've a friend on a circuit committee ( he knows it's not "the truth" but for family & work reasons he stays in ) & he says that the wtbts have told them not to book a swimming pool for next years one day assemblies as the plan is to have only one baptism a year at the main regional ( what they used to call "district" ) convention.. with the drop off in baptisms so that sometimes there isn't anyone baptised or just a handful , i guess this is inevitable.

i remember going to a baptism a few years ago - we had hired a municipal 25 metre swimming pool and only one person ( a rather confused and scared middle aged lady who hadn't been in a swimming pool since her youth ) was being baptised - it was all something of a farce with the "worldly" staff looking on very puzzled at such an elaborate & expensive ceremony for one person.

) also with both assemblies being one day with just short morning & afternoon sessions , i suppose it is sensible to ditch the baptism talk - it tends to be something of a snoozefest anyway at the end of the morning session.

bildad

Why should you have to wait a year & for an assembly to get baptised?

Excellent point. Many years ago a Church if Christ Minister asked me that question. I had no answer for him. Every account I researched showed an immediate baptism after learning about Christ.

That point has always remained with me.

40

Tech49 has the CO over for lunch

by Tech49 in

so awhile back, during our last circuit overseer visit, vic and i decided to bite the bullet.... there seemed to be very little support for the mid-week lunch plans for the co and his wife, so we signed up to host.

we definitely didnt want it to be awkward, so we invited a few others along, as a nice little group affair.

they were excited, and offered to do the cooking, so i said i would play along.. just some background.... this particular co is kind of a tool (big surprise right?

bildad

One CO, later DO, Dick Moreland set great example. A wealthy brother was used to discreetly giving contributions. Moreland told him, in a nice way, he didn't really need it. He said he would just put the money in the contribution box. A pretty rare example.

41

How many have read 'Crisis of Conscience'?

by tornapart in

jw
friends

for me it was the book!

it opened my eyes.

i started it thinking it would just enlighten me about how the organisation works.

bildad

Guess I went off track earlier! CofC is a VERY balanced and fair book. It is absolutely nothing like we were led to believe it was by the Org. I believe what Ray wrote that any of those members of the GB that he served with would have been welcome in his home.

Had he been full of bitterness, the book would have been far less effective. The ring of truth of the book had a huge effect on opening my eyes. Thanks Ray.

41

How many have read 'Crisis of Conscience'?

by tornapart in

jw
friends

for me it was the book!

it opened my eyes.

i started it thinking it would just enlighten me about how the organisation works.

bildad

SFPW

The book Faith on the March was endorsed as a true history. The Forward written by N H Knorr. Here is what he had to say:

"WHY MY FAITH ABIDES

When I first began to look for these answers they were not nearly so apparent as they now are. In fact, the evidences we now accept as everyday occurrences did not even exist. They were at that time only prophecies of the Bible that were being interpreted in many different ways by different groups. But one group of earnest Bible students presented matters in a way that made sense to me. Now I see my confidence was well grounded.

You ask me why I am still an active part of that movement, why my zeal is keener and my conviction stronger than ever? I'll tell you. It's because I've lived to realize already much of the hope that so filled my young life. It's because I've lived to see prophecies of the Bible which we held dear and sacred— yet which were mocked and scorned by unbelievers—already come true. It's because I've lived to see this same movement hunted and persecuted by those who claimed to serve God until it lay beaten in death—only to survive and come to rebirth in a new way of life, reorganized for an even more powerful work, yet dedicated to the same standards of righteousness which have characterized its operation from the beginning. I have seen this movement hold fast to those standards, refusing to compromise them for the sake of expediency. I have seen ambitious men rise up within the organization and seek to pervert it, only to meet with complete defeat because the majority of those associated with this movement are unalterably dedicated to serve Cod, not man. I have found companionship, yes, real brotherhood, with people of all races and nations. These are the things I have desired from my youth.

Can you tell me why a man who—not once, but many times—has seen things come into existence that he was told he would see; why a man who has watched the outworking of God's foretold purpose and the fulfillment of prophecies;— can you, I ask, tell me why such a man should not have faith? My faith is stronger each day. And having seen so much come true already I am more and more confident that those things for which I still hope will some day be realized as well."

Excerpt From: Macmillan, A.H. “Faith On The March By A H Macmillan.” iBooks.
This material may be protected by copyright.

I was baptized in late 60's. I have NOT "seen things come into existence" things I was told I WOULD see come true. Things I told people the yrs we spent as Reg Pioneers, things I said in TV interviews where I represented the Org have all changed and are no longer believed as "Truth". One thing I was told DID come true. I never had a successful career in this system! Of course, not because I couldn't have but because I was convinced that it was fruitless with so little time remaining.

I used to use Macmillan's quote above in Public Talks. Now Insee how different my experience was from his. Just hope Jehovah doesnt judge me to harshly for all the falsehood...according to present "Truth" ....I taught in my ministry and talks!

32

The NWT is almost readable now (some random thoughts)

by slimboyfat in

i guess there will be lots of interesting little changes, but perhaps the most significant change in the new version of the nwt is overall readability.

there were many, many passages of the old nwt that were virtually incomprehensible unless you had read some watchtower commentary explaining what on earth they were trying to say.

take 1 cor 7:36 in the old nwt for example:.

bildad

I agree Slim. If you just pick it up and read, it definitely "flows" much better. The footnotes allow for the "literal" translation where needed.

The New Living Translation struggled with this and the newer version was a big improvement ...in my lowly opinion.