i want to join the jw family but i am having trouble finding a hall in houston.
do anyone know how i can find one or help me by giving me one in houston.
thanks
Daniel,
If you "want to do something for [your] Lord" -- don't join the WT Society. As one who spent 11 years in the organization (and many more affiliated with it), I can honestly tell you that they do not accord Jesus the place of honor that the Bible says he is to occupy.
If a return to New Testament Christianity appeals to you, you would do better to find a Restoration Movement church in your area.
outnfree
(who would have a bad conscience if she actually helped you find yourself a KH!)
its strange now how i find such a huge contrast between the words of the gospel accounts of jesus and the interpretation of those words by the wts.
to me it seems there is little of the gospel jesus in the wts attitude to sinning and to sinners.. i recently reread lukes account of when jesus went to the home of the pharisee, simon.
during the meal a woman of the city, a sinner, bathed jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair.
Dear ThirdSon,
It was a similar line of reasoning that led me to contact my dear, DF'd friend DESPITE what the organization said to renew our friendship. Which, in turn, eventually resulted in my departure from the unloving organization which was NOT Christ-like in mercy.
Thanks for the post, which I'm sure will help others to really THINK:
What would Jesus do?
outnfree
ive often said that i believe that i am a good friend to have around in times of trouble.
tell me your problem once and ill do my best to help.
tell me it again and i start to wonder why you havent fixed it yet.. as a silver-ish surfer in my mid 50s i reckon that ive had my fair share of ups and downs, so much of the stuff that exiting jws have to cope with is very familiar to me.
Add an "f" to the end of that address Max gave you,
and hope your world doesn't look like that in the morning!
ROFLOL!!!!
outnfree
http://thetruthhurts.freeservers.com/110gilead.htm .
over 805,000 engaged in pioneering.
this includes bros in war torn, poor countries where there is little part time work.
Another couple met a woman who asked 'Are you teaching religion or the bible?' She was looking for the religion that had the ring of truth.
That's just the problem, isn't it? The JW religion has "the ring of truth" but is not really "the Truth."
Why not?
For the eaglet, the father will bring the prey and the mother cuts it up the food and feeds the eaglet. In a similar manner, Jehovah provides the spiritual food and the mother-like organization presents it in a manner that we can digest it.
Too bad "the mother-like organization" has a paucity of learned scholars among it and thus keeps regurgitating the same old pablum!
I was so BORED by the same ol', same ol'! If any missionaries really WERE to "analyze things" they would soon be begging the "bird-catcher" to take them away, please!
outnfree
"read your bible".. this phrase has been used by the watchtower society for years.. however, it is being widely used in recent years for particular.
reasons.
circuit overseers and governing body members have been.
I must pipe in to express how STUPIDLY the elders chant this "Read the Bible" mantra.
When I finally agreed to meet with my elders to discuss my "issues" I explained to them that I had actually taken the Society's constant admonishment to 'Read God's Word the Bible Daily' seriously. I had been reading it faithfully 15 minutes or longer daily for several months, and THAT was how many of my doubts were raised.
After 2-1/2 hours meeting, what was the upshot? That I should "Read the Bible" to try to prove to myself why I had believed what the Society taught when first I became a Witness!!!
How obtuse could they be?
Of course, it was also recommended that I attend meetings, and pray. (Prayer was already covered, thank you very much!) They didn't suggest field service, since I had expressed that I couldn't preach what I no longer believed. Also, there was a particular study article that I should read before we met again. Its advice? If you are having doubts, pray to God and READ THE BIBLE!!!!!
[8>]
outnfree
i have not shared my "story" with you yet.....i will give you the just of it right now, and go into further detail later.. i was baptized three months ago.
i started having doubts right away.
i am currently inactive and have no plans to return.
Dear Open_Mind,
I would suggest that if you are working for/with Witnesses that you start a job search right now. Almost anything you reply to this elder, if honest, will tip him off that you "no longer want to be a JW." You can probably stall him a short while longer, because he obviously cares for you and would take the time to try to resolve your doubts about any of the points he particularly highlighted.
If you have a business contract with JWs, they will honor it even if you are DA'd or DF'd because it is a legal obligation. But you will receive no further business from them.
I'm really sorry for your situation. And I wish you spiritual peace.
outnfree
serious questions for every serious believer in jehovah (or god).. .
i hope they will be helpful to jehovah's witnesses on this board, as well as to all who believe in god.
i think i have phrased the questions fairly, without emotionalism, and have not distorted the meaning of the bible stories (comments?)..
Philo!
I'm with Francois. "Yes" only to the first question, because I feel sure that God has no organization on earth that speaks for Him.
Interesting post, and I wanted to bring it back up to the top to give "Any JWs" another shot at a reply.
(Where are LaraK and Johnathan when you need them?
outnfree
for those of you who haven`t been following it,the wts is in a downward spiral here in japan.fs hours are down,memorial attendance.
is down,pioneers are down,studies are down,donations are down,number.
of congregations is down and the number of publishers continues to.
Hi, JWD!
In that case, what you might be referring to is the "Health-Care Directive and Designation of Patient Advocate" form which is a 5-page form here in my particular state (apparently each state has its own applicable laws and so the forms have been vetted for validity). This is something that JWs have been advised to have in a very accessible place for relatives, to make copies of for the said Patient Advocate and physician files, and to submit to the hospital to be part of their chart in advance of any surgical procedure or admittance.
If, in fact, that is what you are looking at in Japanese, there is NO NEED TO TRANSLATE IT for the Board. If it seems others on this board are unaware of this form (which is several years old now), I will be happy to post it in a new thread.
Part 1 of the form does narrow down a Witnesses choices as to whether or not any, some or no blood fractions at all are acceptable, what type of "non-stored autologous blood" procedures/equipment are acceptable, whether or not one desires one's life prolonged or not in cases where recovery seems hopeless, and space for any other health-care instructions.
Part 2 is the designation of a patient advocate who would not be consulted unless matters of care came up that were NOT COVERED under the choices outlined in Part 1. Then the patient advocate (or alternate patient advocate) would be consulted as the Witness would expect them to make decisions in their best interest and in accordance with what they know of the Witness' conscientious stands.
The Advance Medical Directive ("Blood Card") that is carried in each JW's wallet and the children's card have not changed much over the years.
JW's here do not generally carry the Health-Care Directive and Designation of Patient Advocate form around with them, although many keep a copy in the glove compartment of their cars.
outnfree
simon did away with the sex forum - so i must take the tradional route and post under "make new friends.
" how mundane!.
fyi ---- for all of us, please take the time to write a sentence or two about yourselves, and encourage new ones to do the same.
Gopher,
Golgotha,Are you really a Brit or is it "hanging about" with all these Brits and Aussies that's done this to you?Hi & welcome to the board. Your comments about Ray Franz and his book "Crisis of Conscience" are spot on.
Above, I almost told Missy her gut was "spot on". In another response, I almost used the (British?) "in hospital" as they used to say in Canada rather than "in the hospital"...
I wonder if it works the "other way round?" LOL
Keep smilin', Goph'!
outnfree
P.S. Welcome to the Board, Golgotha! It took a LOT of "digesting" and rumination for me to come to terms with all that I read in CofC, too!
the may 1 and june 15, 2001 watchtower issues have reading articles about helping widows through their trials and look after orphans and widows in their tribulation.
both articles contain very healthful counsel, tips and recommendations to the grieving and needy and to those around them on how, and when to offer help and support.. the problem with these articles is not that the average jw or local congregation elders are not doing their part in helping out the needy.
in fact, most individual jws are as compassionate and supportive as the average person.
I like the way you think, Defender!
It always aggravated me that visits to the sick or needy weren't counted as "time" in the ministry! It frustrated me both when I was the sick one (and hardly anybody came to see me) and when I was visiting others in the hospital or bringing groceries or providing transportation. THESE are the very minimal types of ways we should have been loving one another, "especially those related to us in the faith!"
Thanks again for your post. It will be helpful to many, I'm sure, as they reason with their friends, relative or their very own selves.
outnfree
