Posts by Pathofthorns

213

Governing Body Summoned For Jud Hearing

by silentlambs in

jw
friends

service committee .

25 columbia heights

brooklyn, ny 11201 .

Pathofthorns

It is inevitable that anyone in a perceived position of leadership or authority will make mistakes and some bad decisions. How those mistakes are handled usually determines the longevity of the respect of these individuals. And ultimately the time comes to make a graceful exit before public opinion fails - and it always does.

I'm not saying Bill has to go or anything, but for him to carry forward very objectively at this point and to respect the input and feedback from others - even if it might not be what you'd like to hear. This whole matter has been carried quite a distance and he should be very proud of that. But it seems to have been carried to the extent it can on allegations and the groundwork has been laid for the matter to be investigated by authorities and for trials to be carried through with.

I can't see the issue being pressed much further without these allegations being substanciated by court victories. I don't think anyone doubts the truthfulness of many of the allegations but now some legal victories are needed if attention will remain on these issues. The media has been more than gracious in giving this issue needed attention with minimal convictions against the WT.

I also think at this point patience will need to be exercised because these things take time and are often less sensational. People might be a little burnt out on the subject and just need a bit of a break. The bad press on the WT has been relentless as of late, which has been good, but maybe it is time to just take a bit of a break, think realistically where this is going and carry on very cautiously from there.

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61

Are we wrong to attack the Elders?

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

i see a number of board members alluding to the elders as antagonists.

this is amoral.

there is an inference that these ones ( elders ) can think for themselves, they cannot.

Pathofthorns

I'll concede I should have softened my posts a bit more to have made them more reasonable. I generally had good experiences with the elders and I feel they were good men. It has been saddening though to see these men many times become men I am ashamed of when their backs were to the wall. Many times it was me watching elder friends hurt other friends and trying to make some sense of how this injustice happened in God's organization and stupid me would help them pick up the pieces and carry on in the "truth".

When I watched the elders on the Panoramma video or the Australian program on child abuse, or when I think of what sort of men would have had the heart to disfellowship such good persons such as Barb and Joe Anderson or when I saw the heartless elders at Vicki Boer's trial it made me very upset to read a post saying how wrong it was to "attack" these men.

I don't see how any former elder can come here to a place of so much hurt and then try to minimize the expressions of hurt and anger against these men for what they have suffered at their hands. I found the opening post to this thread offensive and was presenting the other side (maybe the other extreme side? smile)

I don't expect former elders to feel guilty and apologize constantly for the past. I do understand the spell we were all under. But to deliberately minimize and seek to excuse it or to try to tell hurt people they can't express that anger and pain towards elders and that only the GB is a fair target, I think that is not reasonable either.

The subject is played out to death I guess at this point. Thanks for playing guys.. No hard feelings

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39

Devil's appearance in WT literature

by stichione in

i just got the october 15th 2002 issue of the watchtower magazine.

on pages 8 and 9 we see a caption reading " jesus firmly opposed the devil".

jesus is standing there pointing at a slouching, hooded man.

Pathofthorns

I recall the pic of Satan dressed in a golden outfit with the blonde hair. It was based on the scripture in Ezekiel 28 where it speaks of him becoming haughty because of his beauty. I can't recall the publication but it was in the top right hand corner with Satan in the clouds with an angry shouting expression on his face...

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61

Please forgive me...!!

by ELON14 in

jw
friends

i'm new here and this is the first post i make (i promise that more will come).

i have been following most of the posts made here quietly for about 4 months and i would like to thank all of you who are called apostates for the well documented and researched material you have presented here.thanks to you i know now the truth about the wt organization and i'm no longer blind and misled.

i disassociated myself about 2 months ago after 15 years of very "faithful" service to the society.i was regular pioneer for 12 years and an elder for 8 years, i served mainly as the service overeer.my experience was published in the 2 of the society's magazins.. as i was a very zealous and prominent elder in my circuit i zealously promoted the organizational rules and i allowed myself to be fully used by the society to promote those mind controle techniques that now i know hurt those who were my sheep.

Pathofthorns

I also wanted to welcome you Elon.

This is a place where there is alot of hurt and a post like yours means alot. I am very sorry to hear about your son.

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213

Governing Body Summoned For Jud Hearing

by silentlambs in

jw
friends

service committee .

25 columbia heights

brooklyn, ny 11201 .

Pathofthorns

I would think it is time to abandon "theocratic procedure" and focus on lawsuits and media coverage of these. It's time to stop playing games.

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61

Are we wrong to attack the Elders?

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

i see a number of board members alluding to the elders as antagonists.

this is amoral.

there is an inference that these ones ( elders ) can think for themselves, they cannot.

Pathofthorns

You have never seen publishers crying in the back rooms in front of you while you and 2 other guys were trying to determine his or her repentance with their "everlasting life" hanging in the balance telling you they were "sorry and ashamed"? Being a publisher is a life of being sorry and ashamed.. being made to feel guilty by the "theocratic elite".

I'm sure you were one of the better elders HS who tried to lean toward mercy. But I don't believe most publishers viewed elders in the same light as others or acted "normally" around most of them. They simply grew out of touch with the publisher "class" and I don't believe many xjw former elders can even comprehend how many xjws feel for how they were treated by elders.

I have stated my shame many times for my part in the arrangement and I still feel sick to think of some moments where I hurt someone. I also have already acknowledged that I am in all probablity being unreasonable and biased in this thread. But I still can state my biased opinions because you can bet there are lots that feel the same.

I have to congratulate former elders like the recent post by Elon14 where they at least accept responsibility for what they did and have the courage to offer an apology to any he hurt by his position or those hurt by everything he represented. That's received alot better than the innitial post of this thread crying the blues that we are "attacking" elders and that they shouldn't be somehow held accountable for the hurt they caused.

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61

Are we wrong to attack the Elders?

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

i see a number of board members alluding to the elders as antagonists.

this is amoral.

there is an inference that these ones ( elders ) can think for themselves, they cannot.

Pathofthorns

It is funny how many xjw's that were once elders still sound like elders. You know u can walk into a KH and usually within minutes pick out who the elders are and of those who the dominant and influential ones are. You can sort of spot the same thing on these discussion boards. These guys have just been JW's too long and I wonder if they can ever change who they really are. Raised and bred in a culture of male dominance and submission to fake authorities and where priviledge and prestige is attatched to rank and position.

Rarely have i ever known an elder to say "I was wrong and I'm sorry and I'm ashamed" and I think it is too much to expect xjw former elders to do any more than pass the buck most of the time too.

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Edited by - Pathofthorns on 4 October 2002 7:18:38

22

Lets blame the belief system

by A Paduan in

jw
friends

i've just been reading a post about elders, and how the 'belief system' is the blame.

talk about an extension of jwism.. "but the woman you gave me".. each and every jw that told lies at someone's door, actually "told lies at someone's door".

simple as that.

Pathofthorns

What lies are you talking about?
...I do not know of any Witnesses that get up in the morning and say "let's go lie to these people". To the contrary, their motivation is in saving lives. We are not out to destroy others faith, as opposers do, but to build peoples faith in Jehovah God and his wonderful promises. His promises are not lies for God cannot lie.

Sword of Jah

This comment reminded me of the Awake magazine before 1994 where it mentioned in the forward of the "Creator's promise that the generation that saw 1914 would live to see the conclusion of the system of things". That is what I believed and that is what I taught.

Then when the Society changed their understanding of the scripture, "God's promise" regarding the generation that saw 1914 also changed. In other words what I had been teaching before was no longer true. I had been spreading untruths to people. If I was stating God's purpose was something it wasn't, then would I not have been lying?

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29

My Redemption Against the JW's

by Reborn2002 in

jw
friends

quite a while ago i made a promise to myself not to allow the organization known as jehovah's witnesses to have an effect on my life any longer.

i had washed my hands of them and their disgusting propaganda machine disguised as a religion.

an old addage says the best revenge is to live life, and to live it well.

Pathofthorns

I enjoyed that post. YOu can be sure those young men will not forget what they heard you say and when they are doing their own "research" one day your words will be very clear to them.

The old guy knows exactly about what you are talking about, but for guys like that there is little hope. Good job for standing up to them.

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61

Are we wrong to attack the Elders?

by MARTINLEYSHON in

jw
friends

i see a number of board members alluding to the elders as antagonists.

this is amoral.

there is an inference that these ones ( elders ) can think for themselves, they cannot.

Pathofthorns

Great post Brummie

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