Posts by pale.emperor

51

Can’t cope with being disfellowshipped…..Need some advice

by xxBettyBoopxx in

this site is great, i have been lurking for a while now.

but i can’t get reinstated and have used some of the advice already given.. i was df’d many months ago and go to all the meetings and do all the preparation for the meetings, but the jc committee keep refusing me.

tomorrow at the clam meeting i am puting yet another letter in and will be called for another dreadful jc meeting.. 1. what can i say to the elders to show that i am truly repentant?.

pale.emperor

Hi Betty
I understand where you're coming from as im going through the same thing.

For a while i went to all the meetings and studied like hell. But in those meetings, as a person being shunned you see how unloving and just plain wierd the whole thing is. These are people who are going out of their way to NOT talk to you and NOT even look at you.

If in doubt of any Christian idea, look to Jesus as an example. Because, after all, he is the model for all of us to follow. Ask yourself: who did Jesus shun? The story of the good Samaritan is a great example of how we should treat people who dont believe what we believe. Shunning is the exact opposite of that story.

Also, if Jesus chose the WT society in 1919 - why did they introduce shunning much later in the 1950s? If it's biblical it would have existed since the first inception of the WT society. In fact, the old WT magazines called shunning "a weapon" used by apostate Christianity.

The bottom line is the love you have for your family is being used as a tool to get you to submit. That's what cults do. That's not what Jesus or the true God would stoop to. Nor ever has in the bible.

There is no holy spirit involved in that JC. Period. If it were, why is there an option to appeal? And why have some appeals resulted in an overturning of the original decision? How have some apostates managed to be reinstated?

What you're feeling is understandable. But understand also that your family are still in "prison" and you're not.

56

Generation expiry date?

by pleaseresearch in

how long will it take for a jw to see that even the overlapping generation is wrong?.

the org waited and waited to see if their interpretation of it came true.

those alive in 1914 would still be alive obviously it didn't and jws have to believe in an overlapping generation.

pale.emperor

Whenever Witnesses break character and talk to me (a disfellowshipped one) about returning to Jehovah my answer is always the same:

The truth is always the truth. It doesn't change. Understanding, sure, that can get clearer. But if you look at what you believe now to what witnesses believed from the start of the last century - it's a completely different religion.

Worshiping Jesus, using Pyramids to work out Armageddons date, Beth Sarim, prophets resurrected in 1925, the cross on the Watchtower magazines, Russell being Gods mouthpiece, Rutherford being Gods mouthpiece - these aren't "clearer understandings" are they?

And their reply is always the same... "we never believed that, that's apostates lying to you!"

21

A Hard Lesson Learned

by Disassociated Lady 2 in

do you remember that my dad passed away last year and i was going back to the witnesses after 26 years?

i got reinstated after going there for 9 months.

in the 5 months since then i felt the men in the congregation didn't want me there.

pale.emperor

Sorry to hear of your troubles OP. I, like you, was grilled for two hours on my beliefs before the judicial had officially even started!

But take comfort in that now you can be free and determined to live your life the way YOU want to. Be a strong, confident, loving person - you don't need a religion for that and you certainly don't need elders.

52

People hate God?

by looter in

jw
friends

it is a pain that certain individuals pride themselves on hating god, who created everything.

like it's understandable that you choose to not believe in him because of your selfishness or thinking skills but to hate him is forcing it a bit.

i'm very thankful that those such as myself have the courage to believe in the lord.

pale.emperor

Looter, I've said a prayer to Thor for you and slaughtered some virgins to convince Him to intercede and help you. Thor will draw you to Him and you'll know the only true God - Thor.

In the meantime I'd like to offer you some free advice. Ignore it if you wish but here goes: next time you take a look at the world and notice the death, famine, rape, murders, disabilities, still born children, kids with cancer, AIDS epidemics, domestic violence... ask yourself what YOU would do if you had the power your god has. Would you just let it happen just to prove a point to "the angels watching when the devil made his claim"? It's all very well saying its a test of our faith, but while this test is in motion many many people have died some very horrific deaths FOR NO REASON.

God can kiss my ass.

Except Thor. Thor rules all.

52

People hate God?

by looter in

jw
friends

it is a pain that certain individuals pride themselves on hating god, who created everything.

like it's understandable that you choose to not believe in him because of your selfishness or thinking skills but to hate him is forcing it a bit.

i'm very thankful that those such as myself have the courage to believe in the lord.

pale.emperor

Funny, i was thinking of this today:

Thor. I will from now on beleive in and worship Thor.

He is the "mightiest" of all gods and sits in the Temple at Uppsala in the center of a triple throne (flanked by Woden and "Fricco") in Gamla Uppsala, Sweden. Thor rules the sky. He governs thunder and lightning, winds and storms, fine weather and fertility carries a hammer. The priests of Thor should offer up sacrifices especially when sickness or bad fortune occurs. Anyone who disagrees is obviously in false religion and is to be immediately lynched and burned/drowned/buried alive like what us Thor worshipers did to the English preacher, Wulfred in the 9th century.

Sound crazy? No more crazy than this "LORD" you're praying to. And mine must be true because i have a book that says everything in this book is true. So there. What more proof do you need?

Thank Thor!

11

Idiotic elder training video

by CookieMonster in

so i stumbled across this the other day, please excuse me if it has already been posted.

don't know what you think but i found this idiotic, casting stereotypes and dangerous.

so the scenario goes something like this, young brother finds himself in the company of a young lady at a bar.

pale.emperor

Two things here:

1. Terrible acting from "the brother", why does his remorseful face look exactly like his "come face"?

2. Shouldn't ALL videos and books be freely available to every congregation member? There's no hierarchy

29

Lying In Wait At a Bed & Breakfast

by Cold Steel in

a few years ago while traveling in the northeast, my wife and i stopped in new haven, connecticut, at a b&b we'd reserved for the night.

no sooner had we unpacked and moved into the living room for tea and treats, our hosts began to talk about religion, and we learned they were jehovah's witnesses.

i didn't mind so much, but my wife was outraged that our hosts would use their place of business as a launching point to do missionary work.

pale.emperor

I would have said "oh yeah i used to be a Jehovah's Witness. Im an apostate now". That would be the end of that conversation im sure.

Personally, i cant wait for my first JW door knocker or street dealer. I have a pletherer of topics to bring up.

20

Every time I see one of them loving their kids, I think....

by jambon1 in

jw
friends

every time i see photos of new jw parents cuddling up to their new babies.. every time i see people giving the parents new baby cards & gifts.. every time i see them having fun with their children.. i think to myself; 'you would shun your kids' .

if they don't end up being jw's.

if they simply publicly declare that they don't believe.

pale.emperor

I'd love to have seen some of the conversations that took place after the convention videos. Particularly the one where the parents cruelly refuse to even answer the phone to their daughter.
Theres bound to have been kids or young adults who questioned their parents on why this is seen as acceptable parenting.

My mum actually does this to me now. Before the convention she would answer the phone if i called because it could be an emergency. The day she went to that convention she stopped. Doesnt reply to my texts or voicemails either.

I happened to bump into my younger brother today in town. He stopped when he saw me and was about to walk in the opposite direction but i just approached him like i always have done and asked what he's up to, how his music is going etc. He was apprehensive at first even saying "i have to stay loyal to Jehovah". So i pulled out a photocopy of page 116 of Shepherd The Flock Of God (i carry it around in my bag in case i bump into my family, that's how sad this all is). The page basically says if family have undue association with a family member they should be counciled but it wont be dealt with judicially unless they criticize the DF arrangement or we have spiritual conversations. I have zero interest in talking about religion so he calmed down and went for a coffee with me. I dont expect that to happen all the time though. As soon as my mum gets wind of it she'll report him im sure.

43

Help Please - Finding It Hard Adjusting To The Real World

by pale.emperor in

im asking for you guys help in a phase im going through right now.

im sure it’ll pass but id appreciate your advice..

born in, my family consists of mum, dad, two brothers and two sisters.

pale.emperor

Hi everyone. Im asking for you guys help in a phase im going through right now. Im sure it’ll pass but id appreciate your advice.

Born in, my family consists of mum, dad, two brothers and two sisters. My family were good JW’s who made sure we had NOTHING to do with non JW’s – even non JW family. So I have no idea who or where my non JW cousins are (something I deeply regret). One of my brothers isn’t baptized but he’s studying.

I have aunts and uncles and cousins who are still in.

Im disfellowshipped for apostasy. I was trying to fade but my cover was blown and in my JC I voiced my concerns over the ever changing doctrines (from their own mags). I don’t consider myself an apostate, simply someone who’s looking for truth and is humble enough to follow evidence rather than superstition or wishful thinking. Anyway, that made me “an apostate”. So my family think im disfellowshipped because I am trying to draw people away. Which im not. I told them I don’t talk about religion as a rule. So there’s no reason for any JW to be fearful of me.

Anyway. Im obviously being shunned by all of them. Because I was a good JW I had no “worldly” friends. None. So I feel like im starting my life again at 31yo. I passed up going to medical school when I was in my early 20s because Armageddon was so close. Now, it’s too late to start down that path. My brother who is studying is shunning me too but he still smokes. So it’s annoying that he’ll gladly follow the rule of shunning me but wont give up his cigarettes.

Im finding it really, REALLY difficult living in the real world. I imagine this is the point most people go back to the witnesses. It was comfortable. I mean I was miserable but I somehow felt comfortable. Im happy im out of that cult and that I can finally think for myself. But thinking for myself somehow feels wrong. Like the other day I was in a store and saw a T-Shirt that had Harley Quinn from the latest Suicide Squad movie on it. Rather skimpily dressed she was. I liked it but my JW brain clicked in “no you cant have it, its pornea”. But of course I CAN have it if I want to.

Then I written “happy birthday” on someone’s birthday card that was being passed around the office. I felt like a bad person. I know that sounds silly but it’s true.

It’s like there’s a nagging voice at the back of my brain calling me on the things I do.

Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings I feel like someone’s going to knock on my door asking why I wasn’t at the meeting. I have a new girlfriend now and although I don’t feel guilty staying over at hers I DO feel guilty in that my family don’t know about it. I mean, I would tell them, im not ashamed of it, but because they’re shunning me they don’t know anything about it. They likely think im “enjoying a sinful life” but in reality im the same person I was before. Only now im true to my inner self and I have my own morals.

Any born in’s relate to this? How long until this passes? Am I supposed to do something to speed up the transition to a normal life?

31

Ideas to discreetly identify the awoken among us

by Truthexplorer in

jw
friends

ok. i know this has been brought up in the past, but i have often wondered who in our halls are awake (for those of us who attend).

there are some i would consider a 'maybe', but no way of ever really knowing.. so here is my idea.

i hope it doesn't sound too masonic,.

pale.emperor

I know at least one awake person in my old hall. It's a damn shame because his wife and kids are fully in and we used to have some great conversations one on one and laugh at the BS that is Watchtower.

Unfortunately, he made the mistake of befriending an elder. Who promptly ~~pressured~~ assisted this brother to reach out. He and his family now go on holidays with all the elder families, spend bank holidays on walks and picnics with the elder families and is now too far in to be able to leave quietly. Even though he knows it's all rubbish.