OrangeBlossom

Joined

• started 14 topics
• posted 100 times   see topics posted on
• send a message

Posts by OrangeBlossom

• 
  8

  The handwriting on the wall

  by Skimmer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the best leading indicator of the jw membership count is the baptism count as it directly measures the efficiency of the field service.

  the baptism numbers represent the combined result of total hours, total literature, and total bible studies; it is the most reliable predictor of future membership counts.. and this is what has the wtbts worried.

  they see the handwriting on the wall in nearly all of the developed countires and also some lesser developed countries.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  quote:
  "Baptism numbers are more closely related to the number of youth who have been raised in the "truth" getting baptised."

  I find that part of the problem in my neck of the woods (southeastern US). I know for my part, none of my 4 children are baptised, the oldest 2 are now adults and want nothing to do with the organization. Unfortunately, they want nothing to do with God, the bible or religion in general. They've seen too much hypocrisy. My oldest calls the Kingdom Hall the "go to learn how to be a hyporcrit place." Most of their friends, however, are kids that grew up in witness families and are no longer associated or disfellowshipped/disassociated.
• 
  16

  Dreams: Portals to the Afterlife?

  by Mulan in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  now this is a neat subject!!

  i am a genealogy freak, and have researched my family back to the middle ages and beyond, on both sides.

  i so much want to know about them, and what they looked like, and how they lived, that i have dreamed it.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  It is really strange that this topic posted at this time. 2 nights ago I had a really intense dream of being with my father. It was actually traumatic because I was re-living his sickness and death. I woke up crying and continued upset for some time. However, at the same time I was comforted by being with my dad again. For those that do not know, he disassociated himself about 10 years before his death. I, at the time, being the good little dub wouldn't have much to do with him. A few years after his death, I started having doubts, probably seeds planted by him. Anyway, I kept having this internal nagging to keep searching about whether or not I had "the truth." For some reason I have often felt like my dad was somehow encouraging me to keep digging. The part of me that was raised a JW, however keeps telling me that he is sleeping in the grave.

  The only person in my family that I have confided in about my true feelings is my older brother who has been inactive for years. I told him that I have tremendous guilt over the lost years of association with my dad and that I must have really hurt him. I use to be really close with my dad. Anyway, my brother told me that dad always felt that I would eventually come around. So a small part of me feels that if there is an afterlife, I feel like my dad is responsible for opening my eyes.

  And now this post appears. Thanks!
• 
  20

  DECEPTIVE JW ELDERS - CASE#2

  by Amazing in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  deceptive jw elders case#2 .

  appointing spiritually qualified men to take the lead and serve as elders and overseers has been a feature of watch tower congregational organization since about 1972. jws were told in talks at conventions, in literature, and finally in the two versions of the organization book that the biblical criteria is used when elders meet to consider some men for appointment as an elder.

  jws are also told that these qualified men are already appointed first by holy spirit, and then as the congregation is lead by that spirit to recognize them, the elders meeting is a confirmation of what god has done.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  Very interesting post, my husband and I have always had a problem with "spirit appointed elders." Case in point...

  My husband was in business with someone who was a real butt-kisser at the hall, perfect meeting attendance, high hours on his service report (inflated) very friendly, personable, you get the picture. However, away from the hall, he was known in the business world as one of the biggest liars around. Actually, the guy was a pathalogical liar. Anyway, it wasn't too long after he moved into a new congregation that he was appointed a MS. He must have suspected they were considering him because a few nights before the CO came around he asked my husband not to reveal certain things to the other elders that he had been doing, such as, lying, stealing, saying the "F" word constantly, etc. My husband was already hanging on to "the truth" by a thread and when they announced him as a MS, we both wanted to puke.

  To make matters worse, he was appointed an elder a couple of years after that and remains one to this day.

  At that point, I think we both had confirmed for us that elders are not appointed by holy spirit, but, merely personality and politics.
• 
  33

  How to Leave WT and Intact

  by JT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one of the most painful things i continue to see here on this forum as well as all the others is that many who want to leave wt simply don't know how to leave and remain "intact" as it were.. i recall talking with jw who "formally disassociated themselves back in the 70s and it was not till the 90s and the net did they finally feel free.

  or many who jump up and write a letter off to mo larry and curly (congregation service committee).

  while i feel there is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a letter for many it is a matter of.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  Oldhippie,

  My most recent shepherding call was last Saturday. I just nod and act like I appreciate that they are trying to encourage us to attend all the meetings. I know that my mum-in-law put them up to it, they are in her bookstudy. They always seem to come by when my husband is not here, damn him. Anyway, they are not going to let up, they want to set a time when husband will be here so they can go over an article about the importance of meeting attendance. I have decided that I won't get into any discussions about how I really feel. But, lately I have felt like I don't really care anymore, they can DF me or consider me DA'd, it really doesn't matter to me. The only thing I care about is hurting my mom, don't really want her to have to go through it. She given over 50 years to this organization, she will not give it up.
• 
  33

  How to Leave WT and Intact

  by JT in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  one of the most painful things i continue to see here on this forum as well as all the others is that many who want to leave wt simply don't know how to leave and remain "intact" as it were.. i recall talking with jw who "formally disassociated themselves back in the 70s and it was not till the 90s and the net did they finally feel free.

  or many who jump up and write a letter off to mo larry and curly (congregation service committee).

  while i feel there is absolutely nothing wrong with writing a letter for many it is a matter of.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  I agree with what you say about people leaving photocopying items for the elders. When my dad disassociated he sent a 20 page letter to all of his family still in, myself included, of which I did not read. I quickly threw it away and cried. It wasn't until years later and after his death that I started investigating things on my own. I am now considered inactive, attend only a handful of meetings per month (which has the elders making regular shepherding calls on me. My hope is to eventually drift off into JW oblivion. That is difficult at this time because of so many of my family is deeply entrenched in this religion.

  But, I do agree, if my dad had quietly drifted off into inactivity, it would have been much easier on him. However, the type of man he was, determined to stick to his principles, it was necessary for him to formally disassociate.

  It is truly an individual decision, based on one's personal circumstances I guess.

  Enjoyed your post.
• 
  29

  Did the elders keep secret files on us?

  by XJWBill in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  howdy all,.

  i've recently discovered all the great ex-jw sites on the internet, and i've enjoyed reading other people's stories.

  but a few passing comments in some stories have made me wonder: do or did the elders keep files on individuals in each congregation?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  I guess we don't know each other, I was thinking more of the Orlando area. Anyway, nice to meet you now.
• 
  29

  Did the elders keep secret files on us?

  by XJWBill in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  howdy all,.

  i've recently discovered all the great ex-jw sites on the internet, and i've enjoyed reading other people's stories.

  but a few passing comments in some stories have made me wonder: do or did the elders keep files on individuals in each congregation?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  Welcome to the board.

  It has always been my understanding that any judicial matter is kept in a sealed file. I remember a while back something going around about the elders in the UK being told to get rid of the secret files, something to do with molesting cases, I think. Perhaps Englishman can enlighten you more on that.

  By the way, you didn't live in Florida during your years as a witness did you?
• 
  12

  What was the spider's web ORIGINAL PURPOSE?

  by JW72 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  well, can anyone answer that??

  ?

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  I give up!
• 
  12

  June 1,2001 WT Who Has Gods Backing?

  by ISP in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  june15 wt contains some very helpful assistance in identifying those having gods backing.

  having read the article......i am no wiser!

  well....no surprises there i guess!

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  Re: paragraph 8 regarding God's name. There are several web sites that would dispute that. I've checked them out and was quite puzzled after pondering over some of the info contained there. According to www.eliyah.com (my favorite) using the name Jehovah is actually very dishonoring the Creator. I printed out some of the info and gave to our P.O., he didn't have much to say about it, just kind of glazed over it. Anyway, if anyone is interested it is a very enlightening web site IMHO.
• 
  71

  My Identity!

  by qwerty in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  that got you to read this!

  what country are you from?.

  i find it encouraging to see where different posters are from in the world, especially for me, if you are from the uk or europe.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  OrangeBlossom

  Hi, I'm from Fl/USA. That's as much as I choose to reveal. I am still considered a member of the BORG and for personal reasons I have to stay that way for now. I know some of you think I'm a coward for not leaving, but I do not feel that this is the right time.

  Anyway, it's nice to find out where everyone else is from.

  BTW, it's Saturday morning, I'm not in field service and I'm guilt-free. That's a step, isn't it?

  OB