Here's a link to a great site loaded with old publications for download:
http://archive.org/details/WatchTowerBibleandTractSocietyofPennsylvaniaWatchTowerpubs_0
Darth Rutherford
JoinedPosts by Darth Rutherford
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50
What is the most damning watchtower publication?
by zound ini want to purchase a couple of vintage watchtower publications to help in my helping jw's break free.
some of the older ones are expensive or hard to come by - i know you can buy them on cd's but i'd like to own one or two of the "classics of propaganda"- some of the ones that speak for themselves as to the ridiculousness of this religion.. of course any magazine i pick up today speaks to me of the ridiculousness, but you need something much more hardcore for the jw's.. any recommendations?.
"children" has some pretty good quotes in it..
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56
I wanted to punch this elder so bad!
by OneDayillBeFree inso i decided to attend the meeting last.
since i haven't gone in about 2 weeks, and i leave as soon as it ends, and elder decided to corner me at the end.
lately i've been through some very depressing family issues that are non-jw related so i haven't been my best at acting like i care about the org.
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Darth Rutherford
Oneday... I am impressed. You handled that very well. Under the circumstances many of us would not have been so restrained. Good job!
Billy is right. The Bible is clear that we aren't to just blindly follow without thinking. If it comes up again, here's a handful of verses that may help you:
"Do not put YOUR trust in nobles" - Psalm 146:3
"present YOUR bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with YOUR power of reason." - Romans 12:1
"For God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind." -2 Timothy 1:7
"However, when he entered the house Jesus got ahead of him by saying: “What do you think, Simon?" -Matthew 17:25
[Jesus asking] "What do YOU think?" - Matthew 18:12; 21:28
"think so as to have a sound mind" - Romans 12:3
"he has given us intellectual capacity that we may gain the knowledge of the true one." - 1 John 5:20
Best wishes my brother. They're not going to make it easy, but you will conquer!
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47
How long has this been going on!?
by Julia Orwell inok, i've suddenly got heaps of time for stuff, i can cuddle with my husband on weekend mornings, and i don't have to spend money on meeting clothes!
i've got all these great clothes i hardly wear!
we can make pancakes on saturday mornings!
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Darth Rutherford
Julia, I'm pretty much going through the same thing. It is wonderful! It's amazing how much stress the meetings, assemblies, and conventions alone caused me. I love it when there is an assembly and I know 99% of all JWs have left the county to attend... I think everyone in the whole area breathes a sigh of relief! LOL!
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18
Amazing Video, A must watch for every JW
by His Excellency inhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jespkydgizu.
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Darth Rutherford
Very well done! Love it!
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134
Who left or got stumbled over the 1995 generation thing?
by Julia Orwell inor the 2000's generation thing?.
how did you feel?
how did it help you wake up?
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Darth Rutherford
sir82... I think you're probably right. Now looking back, it seems the nineties were a turning point altogether. Factor in Franz's death, the UN NGO relationship, the king of the north (USSR) was no more, the 1995 generation change, plus the end of the 20th century (which was a benchmark where many figured the end would arrive before the end of the century). There were many changes on the world scene as well as in the organization that does seem to be a watershed dividing the earlier JW zealots from the shallow automatons in the congregation today.
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134
Who left or got stumbled over the 1995 generation thing?
by Julia Orwell inor the 2000's generation thing?.
how did you feel?
how did it help you wake up?
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Darth Rutherford
I was in my early twenties at the time. Although I was a born-in, I really became serious about the truth in the late 80's, so this was really the first major revision that I personally experienced (any earlier revisions would have just been new information to me). I was excited to learn it, and I obediently changed my thinking. However... I remember thinking how could the "old" teaching have lasted for decades if it was incorrect? Also, I noticed the fact that both the "new" teaching (at that time) had scriptural backing just as much as the "old" teaching had. That puzzled me as well. But I was faithful.
I can't say I was "stumbled", maybe I was... but it certainly added to my early cognitive dissonance. If anything, the 1995 update laid the foundation for the later changes. When the generation changed again in 2008 to be the anointed, I started asking some hard questions that made people uncomfortable. I quickly backed down realizing I was playing with fire, but the damage was done in my mind. I realized I had taught an untruth for 13 years and that bothered me. Finally, when it changed again to the overlapping-generation in 2010, all the bells and whistles in my head went off. The BS indicator pegged out.
By this time, I had just completed one personal project on the blood doctrine using just the Bible -and realized the organization was scripturally wrong. I was looking for another project, so I chose the "generation". It was stuck in my craw. If overlapping generations was the best the GB could come up with, I figured I had as good, if not better, a chance to figuring it out myself. I did a detailed verse by verse study of Matthew 24 and Luke 21. It was then that I discovered Luke 21:8. After thoroughly studying that verse, it all made sense... the organization was a false prophet... no wonder they couldn't get their stories right. God was letting them hang themselves.
I write all this to show that although one particular teaching may not be the breaking point for all, it can lay the groundwork for changes that will definitely come later down the road. That's what happened to me. I envy you who realized the 1995 teaching was wrong. Although I didn't see how obvious it was, it nevertheless did have an impact on me -subtle, but it was there. It proved to be a chink in my armor that wasn't exploited until the teaching changed again. Now it's obvious to me.
And so... the teachings right now that are changing, like who the F&DS is, although obvious to us, may not be the breaking point to some, but they do have an impact that may not manifest itself for several more years. I love the July 15 2013 Watchtower! We couldn't have done a better job ourselves! Trust me, if people aren't leaving over these changes right now... I promise you that they will in the future. And that makes me smile.
Honestly, the organization writes the best apostate literature.
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28
Sad Discussion Regarding Beards
by turtleturtle inso both my wife and i are awake to ttatt.
we are still active, patiently waiting for the org to implode.
being active, it is evident this is happening as a quickening.. we were having a discussion regarding shaving & beards.
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Darth Rutherford
I've grown a beard and love it! I get so many compliments on it too. Had a few women threathen me NOT to shave it!
Yeah, you'll be judged by the dubs... but, they ALREADY judge you (and everyone else) for anything you are or are not doing. I once told a JW friend: if the hair on my face stumbles you, then you weren't much of a Christian to begin with. He agreed.
Life is short man... if you want to grow it, DO IT! So, don't go to your grave with a beard as a regret... now THAT would be sad!
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26
What do you think a witness would say when shown this quote?
by BU2B inwhat do you think a witness would say when shown this quote, then the proof of the 1914, 1925 predictions?.
"true, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world," even announcing a specific date.
yet nothing happened.
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Darth Rutherford
I've also heard the excuse that they won't acknowledge older publications... 'truth has changed since then'... 'we don't believe that way anymore'... etc, etc.
When that happens, I like to use Matthew 7:26,27: “Furthermore, everyone hearing these sayings of mine and not doing them will be likened to a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain poured down and the floods came and the winds blew and struck against that house and it caved in, and its collapse was great.”
The point: How important is a house's foundation? Should the foundation be ignored when living in a house? Of course not! The foundation will determine the longevity and strength of the structure. In fact, Jesus says a house built upon a foundation of shifting sand is not strong. Likewise, we cannot ignore the foundation of the organization. If the organization was built upon a foundation of truths that have since shifted like sand, then what does Jesus say will eventually happen to it? Would you trust a house built upon sand? How, then, can we trust the organization?
It makes them think...
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30
What to Say When a Witness Comes to Your Door
by Darth Rutherford injw: yes thats right.. me: good!
jw: yes, thats true.. me: good.
jw: yes, sure do.. me: tell me, john, what would you do if jesus christ told you that you shouldnt follow jehovahs witnesses?.
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Darth Rutherford
Love the video idea! I'll investigate that... need to find me a couple of actors.
I know what some of you mean... my initial temptation, too, is to tell a JW to get lost. But, we all know that if they go back to their vehicle feeling like they were persecuted, it just reaffirms their faith.
However, if we take a few minutes to ask the right questions and show them a scripture that exposes the organization as a false prophet not to be followed, then they go back to their vehicle a totally different person. That's what I personally want to do. Being liberated from the organization and its belief system is such a blessing. I want others to experience that as well. Also, when you consider that the organization gets evermore weaker with every person they lose who learns the truth about 'the truth', I believe it's worth taking five minutes to ask them a few questions and show them a pivotal scripture like Luke 21:8.
Also... like scary21 said... it's fun to watch them squirm!
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30
What to Say When a Witness Comes to Your Door
by Darth Rutherford injw: yes thats right.. me: good!
jw: yes, thats true.. me: good.
jw: yes, sure do.. me: tell me, john, what would you do if jesus christ told you that you shouldnt follow jehovahs witnesses?.
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Darth Rutherford
ssn587… wow! What a great experience! Although there are so many scriptures that can be used to show the organization isn’t correct, IMO Luke 21:8 is one of the most powerful verses I’ve found. The fact that you could hear a pin drop in a van full of psyched-up JWs out in FS testifies to the verse’s power. Undoubtedly it had an effect – and I bet it still haunts the dubs who haven't left yet.
Crazyguy… Absolutely! It has a big effect on new ones, but also on older ones too. I’m a 3 rd gener. I totally bought into it -drank the koolaid... hardcore. I served as an elder for years. Though I saw and knew many things that didn’t add up, I’d loyally push it all to the dark corners of my mind out of sight because the org just had to be true. However, when I read this verse, it all came crashing down. There was no denial anymore – no ignoring the facts. I had to make a choice: either the organization or Jesus Christ, because there's no way Jehovah and Jesus would use an organization that identically matches the ones Jesus said to avoid. This is a powerful verse – and very effective even on those who have been in the org all their lives.
clarity… thanks! I hope you get an opportunity to give a try... you won't regret it!
Phizzy… LOL, thanks for the good mark on my counsel sheet. Breathing was always something I had to keep working on (and I was the TMSchool Overseer)!
You are right, it all adds up to a breaking point. Cognitive dissonance won't last forever. Even if Luke 21:8 isn’t the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back, it certainly is a heavy load that can't be ignored. If a person doesn’t wake up immediately (like I did), it stays nestled in the recesses of their mind. They’ll eventually wake up.
If you get a chance to use this verse... please share your experiences. Newbies and Lurkers... if this verse had an impact on you, share your experience as well. We'd love to hear from you!
Everyone have a great day!