the neighbor child came over to play with my youngest child.
i think she's about 4 maybe 5. well anyway there was some strawberries out on the counter and she asked if she could have one and i said no.
when i looked over later i saw her sneak one.
This is a 4-5 year old child! Should we demand perfection? No! I do not believe any of us here were without mischief growing up.
We know little to nothing about the one called Jesus in his childhood. He had Brothers and Sisters playmates and I am sure he got into mischief. The problem is that many have a difficult time envisioning him as a child and teenager.
He did not know he was from above until he came up out of the Jordan.
How many office pens did any of us take home?
from many of your posts ive noticed some of you, who never were df or da are practicaly shunned by your family memebers or congregation memebers.
does that really mean they wouldnt talk to you or greet you, if they meet you on the street or if you call them?.
i live in eastern europe and i never in my life heard about such attitude.
I quietly DA'd myself back in 2008. I have a few family members and friends who are JWs and they will have nothing to do with me. It is as if I no longer exist in their minds. I did not leave them, God or Christ. I left an organization
Yet, they all know that I am very godly, studious and pay close attention to details and cling to what Christ taught above what any religious organization teaches. They also find it odd that I am not disgruntled or angry.
I think they would be happy if I went off of the deep end. That way, they can say, "You see, it is because he left the organization."
But I did not go off of the deep end, I kept my senses and focus; not as a Jehovah's Witness, but simply as a Disciple of Christ as Jesus directed - no more and no less, no fancy religious organization titles. This puzzles them and they have no answer for me.
They see that I am not restricted as they are. I will greet and talk to persons they have been told not to talk to. I will read books that they have told to shun. I am free to express love and concern to ANYONE "I" choose. I even show it to my former Brothers and Sisters even though they refuse to show it towards me. This is what the Apostle Paul meant by the expression heaping "fiery coals upon his head."
It is foolish to shun anyone. It is stuck up, snobbish, and anal. Christ NEVER commanded this type of conduct out of his disciples. NEVER!
The WT is dead wrong with this shunning teaching of theirs. The way they justify its teaching is that they attribute it as a "Bible Teaching."
Guess what people! The Bible is NOT our Teacher and it is NOT the Word of God. CHRIST JESUS is our Teacher and he is The Word of God.
The reason why the WT never attributes shunning as CHRISTS TEACHING because Christ never taught such a thing.
Just as their is only one God, there can only be one Word of God. To call a book "The Word of God" is blasphemous when it is a "person" - Jesus Christ - who IS The Word of God.
No book can be elevated to such a lofty position! But that is exactly what "Christendom" and the WT have done. They have made a book holy and have minimized the one who is EXCLUSIVELY The Word of God.
So one must think carefully on this: Christ never taught shunning others. The WT organization justifies its teaching of shunning by cleverly saying "The Bible" teaches it.
This shows who it has placed above Christ, a book.
I simply do not care about what "The Bible" teaches because it is not my Head, Leader, Lord or Teacher - Jesus Christ is. I listen to him. (Luke 9:35 and 1 Cor 11:3)
If he did not teach shunning and he himself never shunned anyone, neither shall I.
Because Christ is mentioned in this book that men named, does not make "The Book" itself the Word of God.
Satan is quoted many times in "The Bible." Are his words the Word of God? Satan's words do appear in the very book many claim is The Word of God!
How much simpler is it to obey God with concerns his son at Luke 9:35.
All in this book called the Bible is Christ's teachings. Thus, know what the Bible is and how it came to be.
Only a very tiny percentage of Christs teachings are in this book named by men and called the Bible. It could have been named anything as men desired it to be named.
The bulk of what Christ has to teach us is not in any book, it is accessed by prayer to the Father in heaven (through his son) and we receive it through the same and ONLY channel that we asked: Jesus Christ.
Those desiring to be true disciples of Christ MUST NOT subscribe to the titles the WT gives them such as apostates, spiritually weak, rebellious, etc. If you do, then to you are not free because you show reverent fear of the organization to allow it to place those "foul stench" titles upon you.
You must become like "Superman" or "Superwoman" and those Watch Tower bullets bounce off your chest and you are not harmed (mentally or physically) by them.
You will then have power and know the freedom of Christ!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=72&v=9vvqxf9uwu0.
June Cleaver!!!
How insensitive is this?
The GB is out of touch with the common people and the unique problems, challenges and issues they deal with each day whether they be poverty, gender-related, race-related, employment, etc. They speak from the narrow periphery of so-called Western civilization. Many of my African Sisters in Africa (where I am living) are NOT sitting around day dreaming about getting married and "hope chests."
I wonder if any of the members of the GB (past or present) really had a full-time job with families to take care of and bills, etc. None of them sound "Carpenter-like."
something i have noticed over the years is how much harder it is to research the history of the watchtower society from its own literature.
people have thrown away old publications in place of the watchtower library.
i beleive soon the watchtower library disk will be discontinued in place of the online library.
The GB does not want research or investigation into the organizations history as it reveals many inconsistencies with what JWs are being taught today. For instance:
Where there is concealment, there is deceit.
i was raised a witness, baptized at 16, vacation pioneered, got married, etc.
i was very much your typical witness and believed it was the truth until last summer.
a very close relative of mine left the witnesses.
i don't have a great reference point on my observation other than my local area but i was wondering if this was a widespread thing.
... in the last two years in my former congregation there have been 6 people to disassociate for "apostasy," 6 disfellowshipped for various reasons, and numerous ones reproved.
these are just the ones i have heard about.
Please tell me, what is this "work" that is speeding up? I have heard this constantly for over thirty years.
What exactly is this preaching of the Good News of the Kingdom message that the WT organization claims that it is preaching? Where is it written?
Why do imperfect men "assume" that God will entrust them with such an important and perfect message? Are men deserving to preach it?
Explain to me why the "revelation by Jesus Christ that God gave him" at Rev 14:6 tells me that an angel (not angels) will be given the Good New to declare to those who dwell on the earth.
This I can say from my experience when I was a faithful, loyal and dedicated baptized JW, no one could lock down "exactly" what the Good News of the Kingdom message is and what it entails.
It is assumed that going door-to-door and house-to-house and passing out Watch Tower literature and making Bible Studies with a view of assisting persons into the WT organization is that Good News preaching work. Is it?
Neither God or Christ told any of us to make "Bible Studies." Rather, Christ told us to make Disciples to himself. Thus, Students of Christ not students of the Bible!
I maintain that all of Christianity - to include the WT organization - is an impostor, a counterfeit which is actually an enemy to God and Christ.
Yes, it truthfully teaches that Jesus is the Christ ... but ... it misleads many. (Matthew 24:4-5)
A false Good News of the Kingdom message is being preached today. Millions are being led to believe that is is "the truth." I submit to all who are reading this that it is not.
As a test here in Africa where I reside, I asked twenty or so JWs what is the Good News of the Kingdom message? I got different answers? I was not trying to trick anyone.
I am confident I would get different answers from any JW in any country.
The Good News of the Kingdom message has not been given yet. And, when it is given, only the angel deserving to declare it will be given it to declare.
I believe this angel is Michael (Jesus Christ) the Faithful Witness. (Compare Matthew 24:14 and Revelation 1:5)
https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/09/11/came-saw-made-zim-richer/.
if this subject was already considered i apologize for that.
it was sent to me this afternoon regarding the international convention recently held; august 22-24 in zimbabwe.
White people worship!!! Open your eyes people !!!
I am an African American who lives in Africa and I can tell you that it is all about turning Black people mentally into Black Anglo-Saxons (thinkers) and not true worshipers of God.
When I look at the racial make up of the leadership of WTBTS - that is, the GB - I am appalled! "Traditionally" it has been an all-White-mans club! The inclusion of Sam Herd does not change that tradition. I know him and have spoken to him in the past and I can assure you that he is a puppet and will speak as this colleagues do. In fact, by WT reckoning, he is not technically supposed to be of the anointed. He was born too late in the stream of time.
The invisible God is not partial of any race among the human family. Yet, if you look at the WTBTS, it is really an organization led by White men.
If there is a remnant of the 144,000 why are they not in the forefront when it comes to decision-making? Are not these persons to be kings with Christ for the 1000 years? Why have they been excluded? Why are they not known? Why only a few men? What is the basis of a Governing Body? None existed after Christs ascension?
People, could this all be wrong?
Why is the WTBTS holding up one new publication after another and not holding up the person of The Son of God?
i have just read the book crises of conscience in less than 3days!
i could not put it down!
even in front of my jw wife and her family.
"Crisis of Conscience" and "In Search Of Christian Freedom" is a must reads for all Jehovah's Witnesses.
Yet, Watch Tower indoctrination is so heavy that only the "brave" and "unafraid" dare read them.
I can say that these two books opened my eyes. They were not what I expected.
Raymond Franz was was not vindictive, angry or disgruntled. Rather, he was loving and concerned. He did not view JWs as an enemy but as innocent children doing and believing only what the parent (the organization) tells them.
His attitude - more than anything else - lent credibility and truthfulness in the things that he wrote in these two books.
I am very much like Raymond Franz. I too am a concerned person and not out to get JWs as I view them as "innocent" persons following a false Shepherd, the WTBTS rather than the true Shepherd.
The Most High God will provide a way out for those in captivity to the Watch Tower organization and all religious organization in the world. None of us need expend our energies to make it happen. God will make it happen.
Indeed, the eyes of many are already beginning to open. Many respond and "go rogue" and act as if they have some vendetta to settle with JWs. This is wrong and unbecoming anyone who would be a disciple of Christ.
Few, however, exercise wisdom and realize that the masses in the world are being held captive by "religious organizations" and those persons are indeed innocent and only believing and doing as the "parent" organizations direct them.
The wise one does not go rogue. He/She stays focused on following the "person" of The Son of God without the need of controlling religious organizations. The wise one comes to understand what "freedom" truly is. Where there is freedom, there is no fear of any religious organization and what they can do to them. They no longer dance to the tune of any religious organization.
In time, it is the religious organization who comes to fear such persons. Fearing that those within their high walls will listen to persons like Raymond Franz and respond and begin to think for themselves.
The wise respond and come out - unafraid - and they do not allow themselves to be taken captive by any other religious organization again; yet, they are faithful to Christ in every way.
They are not angry, disgruntled, or vindictive. They stay the course and come to know what it truly means to be a disciple of Christ. They are not separators of men and women, but fishers of them. They do not look at the religious organization one belongs to and uses it as a basis to reject them. They look at the individual as God does.
The wise knows that God uses some to plant, some to water, but it is God who has the power to effect the change in the individual.
No individual within ANY religious organization is the enemy. The enemy is the entity that controls them.
Thus, a world of people without a true Shepherd.
Those of you who are ex-JW have no idea how blessed you are if you have stayed the course and have come to realize that because you no longer "belong" to an organization that God and Christ have abandoned you.
Draw close to God and Christ and they will draw close to you.
"Look Ma, no religious organizations required!"
i ask because my gf, who knows all about my jw upbringing, convinced me to grow a goatee, just to see how it looks.
we both decided it looked good so i decided to keep it.
i tried to explain to her that as a jw, i wasn't allowed to grow one, but then drew a blank when she asked me why.
Here is the REAL REASON why beards are not allowed: Because they do not present an Anglo-Saxon/European image. The WT organization is all about image.
One interesting fact is in Nazi Germany, the wearing of beards among men were discouraged.
Facial hair was a symbol of pride among the Jews. Nazis would shave the heads of the captured Jews not only to humiliate them, but also to identify them should they escape.
Likewise, within the WT organization, it is easy to identify who is a JW male. If he has a beard, all in the congregation knows that he is not a JWs.
The idea is to take people of all colors and nationalities and dress them up like the Anglo-Saxon/European. Thus, African people are made to dress in a manner differently than their natural cultural norm. Shirts and neckties are placed on them. (Neckties are Victorian in origin).
Yet, The Most High God does not see the external appearance of a person, but rather the heart of a person.
The grooming standard of the WT organization is biased and it is based on a standard from one particular race among the human family.
This is another example of teaching and practicing what Christ did not.
i have heard a lot about disfellowship from forums, blogs & youtube clips.
and all of them are real experiences from ex-jw.
however i have never physically met an ex-jw before.
I am an ex-JW (disassociated). I was a JW for over 30 years.
Disfellowshipment is not something Jesus taught. It is not even an expression he used. Disfellowshipment is a "control" mechanism employed by the WTBTS to keep its membership fearful and "in a box." It equates to information control.
The way the WTBTS cleverly makes it appear as if the practice is from God and Christ is by using "The Bible" as the reference rather than "Christ" as the reference.
JWs and those associated with them have been duped. The Most High God did not send into the world "a book." He sent into the world of mankind "His Son." And, it is to that son, The Most High God has commanded us to listen to. (Luke 9:35)
Yet, what has happened is that an impostor - an idol god - has crept in and usurped everything Jesus Christ is. That impostor and idol god is a book called the Bible. Just think of it for a moment: (1) It comes on the scene conveniently after Christ ascends into heaven (2) It was men who gave it its name (3) it was men who gave it the lofty title of "holy" (4) it was men who "authorized" it and (5) it was men who gave it a title that can only belong to Christ: The Word of God. (Which is blasphemous).
No other person or thing can have the exclusive title of "Word of God" other than Christ. Yet, a book has been elevated to that holy and lofty position and it itself is being listened to, not Christ!
Followers of Christ are commanded to be "his" disciples (students), not disciples (students) of the Bible! The Bible does not teach, so how can one be a student of it?
The living Son of God is our only Teacher, thus, one becomes his disciple.
The official Watch Tower website is evidence as to who that organization views as its teacher. Visit the website and notice in the menu the link that says "Bible Teachings."
Is anyone getting this? One would think the link would read "Christs Teachings."
The WT indoctrination is such that one comes to view a book as "The Word of God" rather than the one who actually is.
Personally, when anyone approaches me with the expressions "The Bible says" or "The Bible teaches" I automatically reply to those persons, "Why should I care about what "The Bible" teaches when Jesus says that he is my only Master, Leader, Lord and Teacher?"
Only a small portion of what appears in the Bible are utterances of God and Christ. Disfellowshipment - among many others - is not one of them.
I do not follow the Bible, I follow Christ and what "he" teaches.
Then there are those who say, "Well, how else can we learn about God and Christ if we did not have the Bible?"
I say to them, "You have no faith."
God is an invisible Spirit and so is His Son. As such, we cannot trust and rely upon what we can "see" in order to worship the Father and serve the son (books, persons and organizations) as it is no different than idol worship. We MUST trust and rely upon what we cannot see. That is exactly what faith is according to the Apostle Paul at Hebrews 11:1.
Christ is very much alive and is willing and still able to teach us from his seat in heaven. He proved this on the Day of Pentecost 33 CE. There was no Bible!
So it is a weak excuse to say, "How else can one learn about God and Christ without the Bible?" You have been duped and made reliant upon men, their organizations, and a book that God did not send you.
You have not used the most powerful gift God has given mankind to communicate with Him (through his only authorized channel): Prayer. Prayer has no been used as it was intended.
A false mantra today is: "The Bible is the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father except through it."
Another false mantra in existence today is: "The Watch Tower organization is the truth, the way and the life and no one comes to the Father except through it." (In fact, that is essentially what the baptismal vow says).
My advice: Stop being in fear of men and their organizations. Do not bow down and serve them! Fear God instead.
Why worry about some organization "disfellowshiping" you? Neither God or Christ has rejected you.
One will NEVER find any instance where Jesus condemned anyone.
Yes, one can scour "The Bible" and attempt to make a case that in "The Bible" disfellowshipment was practiced. Yet, I say to those persons: Who do you follow and listen to, The Bible or Christ?
Christ never did such a thing.
I suggest engaging in the "practice" of prayer and relying upon the source of all wisdom, knowledge and understanding and letting him infuse us with those things (because we ask for them) through the ONLY WAY POSSIBLE, His Son Christ Jesus.
No book can give us what God can through his son.
