the congregation i attend had it's watchtower study on thursday night because of l.d.c work this week-end, and another congregation i have some not very spiritual friends in had their watchtower study on wednesday.
from what i have delicately prised out of people, the congregations loved the watchtower study this week, saying it was so encouraging and all the usual stuff, with no-one seeming to realise the g.b.
said they're not inspired, so the spirit int he past has moved them to teach wrong things, and all the other ideas excellently summed up on reddit.. today's watchtower will wash over the heads of most j.w's like it never even happened, the all remaining as loyal as ever, and it makes me so, so sad..
When i think back to my JW days, it would've washed over my head too. I still would have following the governing body simply because of herd mentality. I used to use thought stopping phrases in my head like:
So and so is smarter than me and he's a JW
Other religions arnt humble enough to admit they're failings
Look at JW's around the world, we're united just like Jesus said, this HAS to be "the truth".
Sad. But that's what i was like and what those JW's in that KH are most likely like too.
as the title says, i spoke to two sisters at a witnessing cart today.
i didnt approach them, as circumstances would have it i was out in liverpool city center with my 3yo and she was carrying a teddy and a balloon.
she caught the balloon on something sharp and it popped and so she started crying.
Well those two from outside the circuit or two, have the WT got to bus carters in! Thought that to be a carter you needed express approval, location specific, and signed to accept Public Liability for the cart. Not aware of any meetings due round here that those from Preston area would attend. Are the Liverpool sisters carting in Preston. Most mysterious.
I dont get it either. I thought maybe they were friends and one was helping out the other... but still Golbourne is a good 20 miles away. Makes you think, are they that desperate to get their hours in without doing it the old fashioned door knocking way? I reckon too many people are asking to do cart witnessing and so they're sending them all over the place, way out of territory.
as the title says, i spoke to two sisters at a witnessing cart today.
i didnt approach them, as circumstances would have it i was out in liverpool city center with my 3yo and she was carrying a teddy and a balloon.
she caught the balloon on something sharp and it popped and so she started crying.
As the title says, I spoke to two sisters at a witnessing cart today. I didnt approach them, as circumstances would have it i was out in Liverpool city center with my 3yo and she was carrying a teddy and a balloon. She caught the balloon on something sharp and it popped and so she started crying. Trying to cheer her up i started blowing bubbles with a soapy bubble set she had in her bag. This just so happened to have happened within 6 feet of a witnessing trolley. The sisters were very nice and pleasant and were talking to her and trying to cheer her up.
99% of the time i'd debate with witnesses but im so over it. At this phase of my life im just thinking of myself and my kid. After explaining about her balloon and why she was crying i mentioned that my mum does the carts too. They were surprised and smiley and asked who she is. I told them but they had no idea who she was. These two women were from wayyyyy outside the territory: Preston and Golbourne. Preston is about 40 miles away and Golbourne 20 miles. I told them my sisters live in Golbourne, one of the sisters knew her. I asked how she is. She told me. I then asked how my nieces were because i haven't seen them in a while (how sad that im getting info on my 3yo and 6yo neices from a complete stranger).
I tried to not talk about religion and keep it pleasant as i only stopped because my daughter was crying. But they asked about my beleifs. I said "i was raised in - i was gonna say "the truth" then but i dont think it is..." and, i cant explain it in words but their faces changed from smiles to stone faced. To make them smile again i asked if they were pioneers. They said yes and i said "i know all the lingo" and laughed and so did they. I ended it by saying there's many things i dont agree with but i hope you have a nice day. And i left.
I wasnt nervous at all, which i usually am when i walk past them (i don't know why). But lately i've been so into myself and what i think and what i want to do with my life that i couldn't care less if 8 million people want to follow 7 men in America who they've never met. As long as my daughter doesn't join im happy. I dunno, maybe i'll change again and be militant anti JW.
some bibles use the term "worship" when refering to jesus...at times people did fall down and bow to him........this doesn't show he was god!
the greek term; proskeyneo, means to prostrate oneself, to bow down and show honour.
now, this was done for jehovah.....and his representatives....jesus israelite kings and priests....but for the honour of jehovah not as creature worship which even angels would refuse.. also i studied the non-biblical early church gospels which really does show a slow decline over 150 years, into the trinity as the watchtower claims...........although i still hate the watchtower society at least i learnt something that wasn't a lie..
Whenever i read the bible it's abundantly clear to me that Jesus is not god. But then the bible is a mass of contradictions and fairy tales so who cares what it says?
the watchtower magazine of january 1st, 2000, which was preached worldwide, made clear that "the anointed" at watchtower headquarters "have shown lionlike courage in exposing false religion", false religion being any and all religions other than jehovah's witnesses.
this same issue made clear to you, that we "god's watchman class" have used the watchtower "magazine in vigorously proclaiming to mankind that the vindication of jehovah's sovereignty by christ's kingdom is at hand.
as far back as the watchtower of december 1, 1966, we, god's spokesman, warned that armageddon could not be avoided.
Watchtower has a 100% prediction failure rate. And yet people still stay and more join to replace the ones that wake up. <shakes head>
at last night's clam the circuit overseer made this comment, "we elders sometimes have to act as judges in the congregation.
but we (the elders) are imperfect, and so cannot know everything about judicial matters.
that is why we (the elders) have the biblical rule that there must be at least two witnesses to wrongdoing.
"eventually Jehovah will address any wrong in his perfect manner."
Yeah, since when has Jehippetybop ever done anything? He turns a blind eye to children starving to death everyday. If he does exist he's not worthy of us.
those of you who know my story are aware that i'm currently disfellowshipped and living with my parents.
up until now, my plan has been to be reinstated and then fade, but recently my plans have changed.
in a conversation with my mother a few days ago and she made it clear that she would not be okay with me getting reinstated with the purpose of going inactive.
You're doing the right thing. Im only 10 months out and if i could do it again there are a few things i'd do differently. Im with you on the letter writing, i don't write any but i did send txts to my family explaining my beliefs and WT's cult features and that i wish them no harm or ill.
Don't hold out any hopes of a normal family relationship in the future though. It'll only get you more and more frustrated. Don't tell them anything about your new life whether it be good or bad. Because they'll latch onto the bad and say "see what happens when one leaves Jehovah's organization".
This next year is gonna have so many changes but SO worth it i can tell you.
over many years i have been pondering how mental illness has impacted upon jw's due to the effects of indoctrination.
in my case; when i was 21 i had a breakdown and was hospitalised for 6 weeks.
i was diagnosed with anxiety tension state disorder.
To be attracted to the JW message, an individual in some crucial ways, likely already feels at odds with life and the world, is probably already cynical about "this system" and "the churches" and just wants out. Again, the Witnesses message has huge attraction for people who feel beaten down about life. Their message seldom, if ever, appeals to people who are already engaged in leading happy and successful lives.
Steve2, you hit the nail on the head there. How many times on the door to door ministry did we notice the big rich families with nice houses and cars were NEVER interested? And we'd walk away and say "they're having their paradise now" etc.
over many years i have been pondering how mental illness has impacted upon jw's due to the effects of indoctrination.
in my case; when i was 21 i had a breakdown and was hospitalised for 6 weeks.
i was diagnosed with anxiety tension state disorder.
Lets see, of the JW's i know personally...
My mother has been on antidepressants for about 15 years
One of my sisters is depressed and signed off work because of it
Both of my brothers are on strong antidepressants and probably will be for life
My mother in law is on antidepressants
My ex wife suffers from chronic OCD and anxiety extenuated by fear and guilt of not being good enough
My daughters best friends mum in the KH is on antidepressants
And on top of all them, from when i was an active JW a year ago i personally knew 9 others in the Kingdom Hall that suffer from depression. Not older ones, young people, 20yo-30yo. The worst thing is, rather than looking into the problem seriously they're all waiting for the new system to come along and "wipe out every tear from their eye".
Yeah, it really sounds like "the best life ever" doesn't it?
https://www.jw.org/en/news/releases/by-region/japan/volunteers-repair-over-300-homes-following-earthquakes/.
it made me fell like, la ti da!
you helped members of your own church..
Unbelievable. How did we not see this when we were in?
