truth_b_known

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Posts by truth_b_known

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  20

  Letter to FB JWs after I found out I was DF'd

  by Momma-Tossed-Me in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so i said that i would post this letter that i sent out to fb jws who were still my friends on fb at the time.. a little background might be in order here.

  i was called to meet with two elders in the hall because i had filed to run for political office.

  i knew that sooner or later i would have to agree to do so.

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  truth_b_known

  The last congregation I was in, I was one of 7 brothers employed by either the city, county, or state. We were all either ministerial servants or elders. How hypocritical to say it is ok to be the second in command of a government office which employees hundreds or thousands of people, but it is wrong to be elected to the office of local dog catcher.

  I applaud you for you efforts in seeking public office. I am currently help 3 candidates with their campaigns. I have enjoyed working with my local elected officials to make my community a better place to live.
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  5

  Irony, thy name is Watchtower

  by finally awake in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  (ecclesiastes 12:12) .

  .as regards anything besides these, my son, take a warning: to the making of many books there is no end, and much devotion [to them] is wearisome to the flesh.. .

  i never could keep up with all the reading - lol.

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  truth_b_known

  Was it not under Rutherford that the Watch Tower Society published that one could not learn the truth of the Bible with out the Watch Tower publications and that reading one publication from them was like years of Bible study? Why could no one see the wool being pulled over their eyes?
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  34

  Did your spirituality improve after confessing to wrongdoing?

  by jwfacts in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i was reading this thread, http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/members/private/220730/1/had-my-jc-today-oh-sugar, and morbidzbaby mentioned their husband confessed to uncleaness because he did not feel he was getting blessed by jehovah.

  however, blessings did not increase after the confession.. it made me wonder about the whole idea of confessing so that you do not loose jehovah's blessing.

  when i was in bethel i confessed about a couple of menial things.

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  truth_b_known

  No.

  In fact, it started me down the road to being completely inactive.

  As a 30+ born-in witness, myself and my wife confessed to the elders. It wasn't sex, but it was related. It took place between our engagement and our actual wedding. Long story short; I was privately reproved for something it would be impossible for me to do again. I would have to be single again to do it.

  The elders on my judicial committee said it was to punish me. The explained I had to be punished. This confused me.

  Punishment is part of discipline and discipline is a form of correcting. Punishment is usually used for repeat offenders while counselling on a first time offense may be all the discipline a person needs.

  Like I said, it would be impossible for me to commit the "sin" I committed, again. So, why was there a need for punishment. If I was unrepentant I would be disfellowshipped.

  I found out later that the elders on my judicial committee were relatively new and none of them were born-in Witnesses. I also found out that they had no clue what they were doing because I had all my privileges restored and they said they would not mention it to the body elders of my home congregation when I moved back. I found out that they were not allowed to do that.

  I knew then that the whole thing was BS.
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  202

  I don't believe the Bible is Inspired of god - Why do you / don't you?

  by cantleave in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  many of you may know that i was brought up a witness and stayed in until the age of 42, even reaching the dizzy heights of being a congregation elder.

  i was unusual in that, even as a witness i studied to degree level, on a part time basis, sponsored by my employer.

  my first was in chemistry and my masters is in business administration.

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  truth_b_known

  When you look at the history of how the book we know as The Bible came to be it raises some serious red flags. All of these "small books" were written by many different authors over a period of time. Then, centuries after all of these books and letters were written, a council of men sat down and came up with the cannon. So, some books were put into the Bible and other were purposely left out.

  Were any of the books left out allegedly inspired?

  Were any of the books put in not inspired?

  Who knows?

  Who cares?
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  11

  i am finding it hard to pray with my children

  by Evidently Apostate in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i have been fading for 6 months but my wife is still in and always asks me to pray at dinner and when i put the little ones to bed but i am finding prayer to be more of a pretense than heartfelt.

  i have to pray for the sun or the earth but why thank him for the food, hell thank me for going to work everyday .who put us in the house we live in, god?

  its really hard for me to pray for anything anymore as i have an anger toward him and dont want anything to do with a future (mythical)paradise under his control, so why ask for it?.

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  truth_b_known

  I have the same issuer with the OP. I have a hard time even believing in gods or a Jehovah. I feel silly and stupid, but for some reason my wife feels the need for it. I refuse to pray to Jehovah when I do pray for the family at meal times.
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  18

  Did you DF yourself on purpose?

  by Evidently Apostate in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  lately i have been thinking about saying something apostate to my elder father in law.

  he is an uber witness and actually believed that god interveined and saved him when he had a heart attack and kept him alive, until he told me that and i asked him why jehovah allowed jws in nazi concentration camps to suffer horribly and die but he loved an alcoholic more than them.. i havent been to a kh in 6 months or in service in years.

  i grew a beard and basicallyhe avoids talking to me.

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  truth_b_known

  If you're DFed, the rank & file members of the congregation will believe you committed a sin that you were unrepentant for. By DAing yourself it will be announce that you are no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses and their will be no guessing. In addition, the more people DA themselves, the louder the message will be to the Popes of Brooklyn.
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  3

  Large Congregations or Smaller Congregations

  by Pitchess Co-Gen in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  when i was younger ( from 9-13 ) one of the best congregations i attended was a congregation that got dissolved because of low numbers.

  tell me your experiences with large congregations or smaller congregations..

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  truth_b_known

  If you want elders who will be able to manage shepherding the congegation, smaller is better. That was the whole point of the book study arrangement. The last congregation I attended was so large the brothers were oblivious to new members. Your chances of answering at a meeting were slim to none. You might get 1 ministry school assignment a year.

  On the flip side, smaller congregations make it easier for everyone to know your personal business.
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  13

  Why the house to house preaching work never works

  by RULES & REGULATIONS in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i dislike when people come knocking on my door ''cold calling'' with their sales pitch.

  do you need a new roof?

  do you want to donate to a local school so they can pay for a trip?

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  truth_b_known

  My father is a devout Jehovah's Witness and has been a salesman for as long as I can remember. He always told me that a great salesman has to do little work because the product will sell itself. That is is to say, you market your product to those who are in the market to buy that product.

  What we forget is that there are secondary purposes to the door-to-door preaching work. We are told we would be blood-guilty if we didn't do it. It is our moral duty to warn people.

  The fact is, you could literally go from door to door telling people, "If you do not become one of Jehovah's Witnesses you will be killed at Armageddon" and technically fulfill your obligation.
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  24

  Annoying JW Stories

  by What Now? in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

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  so we had a conversation with my in-laws last night that thoroughly ticked me off and this is the only place that i can vent about it, so here goes!.

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  truth_b_known

  It isn't stupid. It is serious. Your sanity is at stake.

  Your in-laws will attempt to use your child as a tool to keep tabs on you and your husband. Further, you should not put your child in a position where his innocent answers to their inquisition will create a negative situation. It will scar your child for life.

  My situation was different. It was my parents. The bottom line in my case is I had to decide if I wanted a happy life with a happy family or is I wanted to be miserable to please my parents.
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  77

  I have allegedly been charged with apostasy

  by Igot2bme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recieved a letter today and it reads:.

  sister jennifer b****,.

  we request your presence for a judical hearing.

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  truth_b_known

  You need to do what you feel is best. If you have been just going through the motions, but no longer buy into the Watch Tower way of life, you might as well pull the pin and begin living. If you just cannot live without the family and friend who are Witnesses you need to prepare yourself and go along with the program.

  If you have said or done something (usually it is said something) that would cause a body of elders to go forward with a judicial committee please listen to the prior posters. A judicial committee's purpose is not to judge whether or not you committed a sin. They have already convicted you of that. The purpose is to determine, based on their opinion, whether or not you are "worth keeping" (actual words used at my JC). They will judge you to see if your are "repentant".

  The first big mark against you is what the allegation is - apostasy.

  The second biggest is the fact that you didn't voluntarily come forward and figuratively fall on your sword. Someone else went and tattled on you to the elders.

  The elders will most likely not reveal who your accusers are and, even if they did, you will not be allowed to face your accusers and cross-examine them at your judicial committee. Elders have to protect their snitch system in order to keep it going. There would be very few judicial committees if accusers had to face the people they have alleged wrongdoing to the elders.

  If you do not want to be disfellowshipped you must:

  1) Admit everything

  2) Deny nothing

  3) Bring a laundry list of things you have done to show repentance

  You are on this website for a reason. If any Witness is here, actively participating or just lurking, the best advice I have is stop cold. You're on this site because you no longer buy into the Watch Tower Society's doctrine. When it comes to Jehovah's Witnesses, you are either all the way in or all the way out. Anything else will bring you misery.