so at last nights ministry school we had 2...yes that's right two that had parts and gave them with beards.. i found it interesting.
i thought the consensus was that you couldn't have any extra privileges if you wore one.. maybe the school is different?.
anyway, anybody else seen this in the u.s.?.
For the last year that i was a JW i had a beard. I was 50% awake about TTATT at the time.
I gave a talk with a beard and was the first to do so since 1970s. Now, most men in my old congregation are sporting beards. Not the elders though.
It seems individual congregations are unable to use common sense and think they must wait for permission from the GB popes before they let beards on the platform.
CULT!!
i just watched the live feed from the russian court room and followed the updates on the russian exjw forum.. just waiting for confirmation from other sources...but, it looks like the final (and expected) result is:.
banned.
which means that the wts property in russia now belongs to the russian state..
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/04/20/doug-stanglin/100698348/
“They pose a threat to the rights of the citizens, public order and public security,” she told the court.
True. WT would have it's members forgo their personal goals and aspirations to slave for them. They would hide molestation against children to protect their image.
Borisova also said the Jehovah’s Witnesses’ opposition to blood transfusions violates Russian health care laws.
Again, true. And according to Ray Franz half of the GB when he served thought it should be a matter of personal choice.
During the hearing, one witness, identified as Natalia Koretskaya from St. Petersburg, testified that she was a member of the group from 1995 to 2009, TASS news agency reported. She said top church officials purported to enforce church rules "but in real fact the talk is about total control of an individual’s personal life — his intimate life, education and work."
VERY TRUE (as we all know personally)
Im torn. Im glad they're banned but it's bad on the Russian JW's that dont know they're in a cult. The JW's outside Russia will be so happy, "armageddon is closer!! Return to Jehovah!!"
april 15, 2017 to all bodies of elders re: kingdom hall and assembly hall construction worldwide.
versions: us, great britain, ireland.
Carefully weigh the desire of your congregation to donate along with its financial circumstances.
So they're just telling them in no subtle terms to donate more than they already are.
i am sure you have stories as well of elders being a hard ass on many, yet turning a blind eye to the 'sins' of their own family or close connections.
cheers everyone!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gma1auaur2o.
In my old congregation (Kirkby, Liverpool) there was an elder who beats up his wife. He's still serving as an elder there. His wife left him because she couldn't take the abuse anymore, she used to turn up to the KH with black eyes and a broken arm.
was watching an episode of the young pope yesterday (really enjoyed the series), at at the end there it dealt with the theme of "unconditional love".
it made me think of the love i have for people i know.. i looked up the wikipedia intro of unconditional love and it reads:.
unconditional love is known as affection without any limitations or love without conditions.
Was watching an episode of The Young Pope yesterday (really enjoyed the series), at at the end there it dealt with the theme of "unconditional love". It made me think of the love i have for people i know.
I looked up the Wikipedia intro of unconditional love and it reads:
Unconditional love is known as affection without any limitations or love without conditions. This term is sometimes associated with other terms such as true altruism or complete love. Each area of expertise has a certain way of describing unconditional love, but most will agree that it is that type of love which has no bounds and is unchanging. It is a concept comparable to true love, a term which is more frequently used to describe love between lovers. By contrast, unconditional love is frequently used to describe love between family members, comrades in arms and between others in highly committed relationships. An example of this is a parent's love for their child; no matter a test score, a life changing decision, an argument, or a strong belief, the amount of love that remains between this bond is seen as unchanging and unconditional. Unconditional love is garnered and shared by those who love themselves first.
Contrast this with what the Watchtower teaches: https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20150415/disfellowshipping-a-loving-provision/
Family members can show love for the congregation and the erring one by respecting the disfellowshipping decision. “He was still my son,” explains Julian, “but his lifestyle had put up a barrier between us.”
All in the congregation can show principled love by avoiding contact and conversation with the disfellowshipped person. (1 Cor. 5:11; 2 John 10, 11) They thus reinforce the discipline that Jehovah has given him through the elders. Furthermore, they can give extra love and support to the family of the disfellowshipped one, who suffer considerably and who should not be made to feel that they too are excluded from association with fellow believers.—Rom. 12:13, 15.
“Disfellowshipping is an arrangement that we need, one that helps us live according to Jehovah’s standards,” Julian concludes. “In the long run, despite the pain, it brings good results. Had I been tolerant of my son’s bad conduct, he would never have recovered.”
Doesn't it make you sick?
we're currently watching leah remini's series about scientology and the main thing she seems to focus on is the shunning policies of the scientology organization which let's face it are very similar to jw procedure.. i was wondering with all that's in the media recently about bullying could a petition be put together to get the goverment to consider making religiously mandated shunning illegal?
has such a thing been tried before?.
https://petition.parliament.uk/help says the following - .
Unfortunately, the shunning policy is carefully worded so that if it ever went to court it would show that the individual is choosing to shun you and that it's not a commandment. And they themselves would think it was their own choice too. Brainwashing at it's finest.
that life needs a purpose, in my opinion is why many remain witnesses.. yet it occurs to me, if only witnesses could simplify their life, they would regain their sight, look at themselves and see the " miraculous " organisation and the unforseeable future is not as important as enjoying the spring day of today.
this is why i have simplified my life.
my purpose in life today is simply to play a little football with my son, and appreciate the spring day.. but of this i am sure, today will be a good day, better than the " purposeful" days i spent in the " miraculous " organisation, living on the a hope of an unforseeable future..
I agree.
Looking back over my life the memories that have stuck are the ones were i've spent time with family or friends, did things together and things i've did to entertain others and make them laugh. None of that need be in any religious organization.
dear all,.
i have been a member here for some years although mostly in the background.
many of you have bravely shared your own experiences and i am very grateful for that but i have never been open about my own experience.. nevertheless, i would be very grateful to those of you who would now take the time to read about my own personal journey from the jw religion and the circumstances that caused me to abandon that way of life and how i landed up where i am.
oh erbie i just want to reach through this monitor and give you a hug. Thanks for sharing. I think you're doing the right thing in filing for divorce. You're gonna be ok, feel free to come here and share more of your thoughts and feelings.
howdy guys!
so how long has it been since you have seen your jw family or friends?
or do you even care to have them in your life anymore?
It's been 10 months for me, but feels a lot longer.
Unfortunately, i came from a "good" JW family that lovingly cut off all association with their own non-JW family, so i don't even know who my non JW cousins/aunts/uncles are.
It sucks discovering the real world with absolutely no one. Trying to meet people and make friends but it's weird when they ask who my friends are because i dont have any. And when they ask about family... i don't have any.
my wife (unstuck) just saw a new 2-3 min video in her ex jw facebook feed, depicting a "paradise" scene preview.. it was complete with aerial shots and slow motion montages, with moving music.. scriptures were quoted across the screen, such as rev 21:3,4. i shazamed the music, and it came from another "worldly" album called "world of dreams.future world music" (you should see the song titles from that album!).
is it an official wt video, or some private persons production?.
if it is official, they seem to have once again resorted to desperate emotional manipulation tactics..... anyone else know?
It's not very well done is it?
