are they pretty much left alone?
are they respected for their having been elders at one time?
are they treated like crap?.
Never believe any elder that tells you "it's all confidential, whatever gets said in this room is just between us". My ex-father in law was, and still is, an elder. I knew ALL the gossip and judicial committee news. The elders and their wives pass them around at the dinner table and have a good laugh.
At least they do in Speke congregation in Liverpool!
https://youtu.be/lfddxzipzga.
And those placards they're wearing 5 minutes in are all old light. "Bible Truth Made Clear" ??? Really? Back then their core doctrines were very different. So how the hell was it "truth" or "made clear" when they didnt have "the truth" back then???
if you get the chance, watch this documentary:.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v42r54irjbg.
substitute the name kim jong un for the governing body and it's exactly the same!
If you get the chance, watch this documentary:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V42R54IrJBg
Substitute the name Kim Jong Un for The Governing Body and it's exactly the same!!
north korea has taken president trump's recent statements as a declaration of war.
pyongyang reserves the right to shoot down american planes even if they are not inside their airspace.. i listened to trump's speech to the un with dismay.
it demonstrated a total lack of understanding of his enemy and the inevitable consequences of inflicting personal insults on kim jong-un.
Seriously though, if it came down to it the DPRK would get destroyed.
https://youtu.be/lfddxzipzga.
"See! We have fun! We're all happy!!"
Can you hear that? That was the older generation turning in their graves at this.
why i am now a faded apostate after the ridiculous overlapping teaching!.
i was raised in the trooooooooooth and both my parents were pioneers.
over the years i pioneered, was an ms and finally an elder.
Thanks for sharing punkofnice, i love reading awakening stories.
Right now I no longer know what I believe. Is there a God? I don’t know! Is there an afterlife? I don’t know! Are Jehovah’s witnesses the one true religion? NO! Now that I do know for sure!!!!
I was at the same stage for a few months after i woke up. Im in a good place now with my own beliefs, i hope your family wake up eventually.
i did try a search before posting this question and found nothing current.
pew research -2016 says approximately two thirds of those born into the religion in the united states alone, no longer consider themselves as members.
(sorry, still don't know how to link, but it's an easy google search.).
According to the exJW reddit, they use a term called "the 33% club":
The 33% club does not refer to born-ins. 33% is the number of all Jehovah's Witnesses who ultimately leave the religion, whether they are born-ins, converts or whatever. 33% of all Jehovah's Witnesses ultimately leave the religion. There is some confusion about born-ins, because (oddly) 33% also applies to them, but not in the same way. Only 33% of born-ins stay in the religion (67% of them leave) - so as you can see, this is the opposite of what the trophy is about!
As regards to there being more former members than active members, i think it's more likely there being more ex-members since the religions inception than there are active members today. So more people have left than joined.
i had an elder tell me once i was grieving holy spirit but i’m not sure how this dickhead knew..
I was told in simpler terms its "knowing it's "the truth™", but willingly going out of your way to fight against it".
Interestingly, only the 144,000 actually are sealed with the holy spirit, so us mere earth dwellers cant possibly grieve it in the first place!
Watchtower May 15th, 2010
What Paul Meant
3 First of all, note Paul’s words recorded at Ephesians 4:30. He wrote: “Do not be grieving God’s holy spirit, with which you have been sealed for a day of releasing by ransom.” Paul did not want his beloved fellow believers to endanger their spirituality. It was with Jehovah’s spirit that they had been “sealed for a day of releasing by ransom.” God’s holy spirit was and still is a seal, or an advance “token of what is to come” for anointed integrity keepers. (2 Cor. 1:22) The seal signifies that they are God’s possession and are in line for heavenly life. Those finally sealed number 144,000.—Rev. 7:2-4.
4 Grieving the spirit can be the first step leading to the total loss of the influence of God’s active force in a Christian’s life. That this is possible is evident from what David said after he had sinned in connection with Bath-sheba. David repentantly begged Jehovah: “Do not throw me away from before your face; and your holy spirit O do not take away from me.” (Ps. 51:11) Only those anointed ones who prove “faithful even to death” will receive the “crown” of immortal life in heaven. (Rev. 2:10; 1 Cor. 15:53) Christians with an earthly hope also need holy spirit if they are to maintain integrity to God and receive his gift of life on the basis of faith in Christ’s ransom sacrifice. (John 3:36; Rom. 5:8; 6:23) Hence, all of us must guard against grieving Jehovah’s holy spirit.
How Could a Christian Grieve the Spirit?
5 As dedicated Christians, we can avoid grieving the spirit. This is possible if we ‘keep on walking and living by spirit,’ for then we will not be overcome by wrong fleshly desires and will not manifest ungodly traits. (Gal. 5:16, 25, 26) But that could change. We could grieve God’s spirit to a degree by allowing ourselves to drift slowly, perhaps almost imperceptibly, toward conduct condemned in God’s spirit-inspired Word.
6 If we continually went contrary to the direction of holy spirit, we would be grieving it and Jehovah, the Source of that spirit. An examination of Ephesians 4:25-32 will show us how we should conduct ourselves, and it can help us to avoid grieving God’s spirit.
so this is an honest question that i have been thinking about for some time.. do regular jehovahś witnesses in other countries (other than the usa) take the governing body in new york seriously?.
i mean, i cant help but wonder about the publishers in japan, or south africa, or mexico, or new zealand, or even the uk, or spain, or italy...... or russia?.
not you and i (we know what you think of them), but the regular jwś...... do they take these american buffoons seriously?
My family take them seriously 100% absolutely.
Even to the point of defended them to the hilt when I've proven to them the lies and twisted words at the ARC and producing the UN letter and Gerrit Lösch claiming in writing that he's "not part of Watchtower".
"They're imperfect men" is their get out of jail free card.
here is an article in the current study copy of the wt.
tell me your thoughts and i will tell you mine.!
this is a topic that i am very sensitive about, as i could never see not protecting my family, even if that meant using whatever means at hand to do so!
In Jehovah’s eyes, life—especially human life—is sacred. The psalmist David knew that Jehovah “is the source of life.” (Psalm 36:9) Hence, if a Christian chooses to take reasonable measures to defend himself or his property, he would do everything in his power to avoid taking a human life and becoming bloodguilty.—Deuteronomy 22:8; Psalm 51:14.
Yet you should reject a blood transfusion, because the symbol of life is more important than the actual life right?
[Footnote.] * A Christian might decide to own a firearm (such as a rifle or a shotgun) for hunting animals for food or for protection against wild animals. When not in use, though, such weapons are best kept unloaded, perhaps even disassembled, and safely locked away. Where gun ownership is illegal, restricted, or regulated in some other way, Christians obey the law.—Romans 13:1. [End of Footnote.]
Very patronizing tone don't you think? Like we needed permission first to these things? Like a previous poster said, if your home is being invaded by rapists and thieves your gun isn't gonna be much help disassembled in the garage is it?
When Jesus told his followers to equip themselves with swords on the final night of his life on earth, he did not have protection in mind. (Luke 22:36, 38) Rather, Jesus had them bring a sword for an object lesson to teach them not to resort to violence, even when confronted by an armed crowd. (Luke 22:52) After Peter wielded one of the swords against the high priest’s slave, Jesus commanded Peter: “Return your sword to its place.” Then Jesus stated a fundamental truth, a principle that guides his followers to this day: “All those who take up the sword will perish by the sword.”—Matthew 26:51, 52.
No evidence for this at all. Jesus tells them to take a sword with them. And if they dont have one to sell their cloak and buy one. If i were alive in Judea in AD30 you can be your life i'll be carrying a sword at all times. Especially in a garden at night. Wild animals my ass, robbers and murderers galore back then.
Christians consider life to be far more valuable than material things. “Life does not result from the things [a man] possesses.” (Luke 12:15) Thus, if a mild tongue fails to stop an armed robber, wise Christians heed the principle embodied in Jesus’ words: “Do not resist the one who is wicked.” It may even require that we give up our inner and outer garments, so to speak. (Matthew 5:39, 40; Luke 6:29) *
Yes, if a rapist wants to take your wife or daughter, and he doesnt stop when you ask him nicely - you should just let him. Heaven forbid you might be bloodguilty for caving his head in. I'd have zero guilt on my conscience for putting a rapist 10 feet under.
[Footnote.] * Regarding the matter of defending oneself against rape, see the article “How to Prevent Rape” in the March 8, 1993, issue of Awake! [End of Footnote.]
The best strategy, of course, is prevention. If we shun “the showy display of [our] means of life” and are known by our neighbors as peace-loving Witnesses of Jehovah, we may avoid being targeted by violent criminals.—1 John 2:16; Proverbs 18:10.
Yes, it's your fault for having nice things in the first place brothers! No wonder they wanted to rob you. If only you'd live simply and sent all your cash to us this wouldnt have happened.
Christians respect others’ consciences. (Romans 14:21) If it became known that a member of the congregation kept a gun for protection against humans, some fellow believers might be shocked, even stumbled. Love moves us to put others’ interests ahead of our own, even when that means putting aside what we may feel is a legal right.—1 Corinthians 10:32, 33; 13:4, 5.
In other words, if some interfering busybody in the congregation doesn't like you owning a gun you should get rid of it. Put others interests ahead of our own? What sort of life is that?
Christians strive to be exemplary. (2 Corinthians 4:2; 1 Peter 5:2, 3) After receiving Scriptural counsel, a Christian who continues to keep a gun for protection against other humans could not be considered exemplary. He would therefore not qualify for responsibilities or special privileges in the congregation. The same applies to a Christian who continues to carry a firearm as part of his secular work. How much better to seek other employment! *
Same for sporting a beard. Its your choice, but just so you know, you wont be considered to be an exemplary christian even though you may be the most loving, giving, kind person on the planet.
IDIOTS!!
