Posts by JakeM2012

17

When Jehovah's Witnesses changed from Society to Religion and why

by Terry in

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judge j.f.

JakeM2012

Thanks Terry,

Wouldn't it be nice to go back in time and combat the "religious tax exemption" given to the WTBTS?

12

Asking for money...AGAIN

by raymond frantz in

i live in the uk ,a letter was read as local announcements on thursday about the relocation of london bethel and the need to donate (yes they are blatantly asking the flock )..more money .considering the fact the london bethel is located in one of the most expensive areas of london ,the sale of of these buildings will bring in hundrends of millions of pounds in revenue.there is no need asking for more money .as one poster posted here 11 years ago on the same project that nows seems to be going ahead the conservative estimates are that they will get approx 193.5m for the site (inc bittacy hill) and the new greenfield site (whichever) wil cost less that 35m.

whip up the building committes and up it goes foc (materials are estimated @ 9.23m).that was an estimate 11 years ago..so my question is did you had this letter read in your local announcements recently?

i see a pattern emerging also the sale and relocation of bethel houses build in prime land that are worth alot of money to less expensive areas and the generation of million of pounds in income .so not only makinf money off local refurfrfbrisment projects but milking it off bethel homes sale.

JakeM2012

Yes, all the branches we helped build in central and south america that were to support the preaching and "educational" work thru armageddon have been sold in the last few years because of simplification. Uhmmmm.

Perhaps, Jw's would be financially better off if they figured out how to re-harness the construction talents they have into money making profits. Oh, excuse me, that what the rest of the world does in everyone being paid for their work and skills as needed. Forget it. Maybe they just need to get a real job. ukooo...

120

Why do the GB need a new Bethel compound if the end is so close? Here is the "official" answer

by sir82 in

jw
friends

as most of us know, the society is spending 10's of millions of dollars on a giant, state of the art, secluded bunker country club headquarters in very remote, isolated warwick ny.. the question that "some" have is, why?

if armageddon is coming "very soon", why go to all that time & effort & expense?

why have thousands of jws dedicating their time to this massive effort instead of the "lifesaving ministry"?.

JakeM2012

Smiddy says, " Going back more than twenty years ago they have said , it ( new buildings /expansions etc. ) will be used in the new system of things to provide spiritual nourishment for the survivors of armageddon and the resurrected ones."

They made that comment about all the branches in central america when we were building them, "to encourage us". Now, they have sold most of them. ummmm.

19

Dysfunctional witness families

by concerned2 in

jw
friends

being raised as a jw i feel dirty even posting here.

my life growing up was one filled with fear.

armageddon was preached to us day/night.

JakeM2012

Concerned2, I appreciate your story very much because I have joked for decades said that I had a dysfunctional family, but from your description, you win.

I wouldn't take too much from your family's actions personally, to the point it disrupts your immediate family's peace or somehow you carry some guilty feelings that you are to blame for their dysfunctionality. The reason for this encouragement is the behavior of my dysfunctional family.

For example, my family has the judgemental and punishment aspect of Jehovah's Witnesses professionally down pat. They are very good at imitating the hate that Watchtower teaches, they are not only haters of what is bad, but anything inbetween of being an angel, or Jesus Christ himself to somewhere between most human behavior.

To illustrate, if you had a brain tumor, my family would angrily say, "you don't have a tumor, you have a demon." My extended family is still very active in "the truth" acting like the "example" family in the circuit/district, with one of my brothers as chairman of the RBC, one brother is long-time ex-bethelite, one brother is still in bethel, brothers have talks regularly at the circuit and district conventions. etc.

However, with all that so called "spiritual" fluff there is absolutely NO LOVE between the families. IMHO, They have all had their souls (hearts) ripped out by the WT organization and been taught by WT to maintain a highly judgemental system within the congregation and family. This system of condemnatory judgement does not produce peace. Although I have not been disfellowshipped or disassociated, (and I do not know that they know of my inactivity), my mother will not talk with me, return calls after leaving messages etc. This has been going on for over seven years, and I've learned not to blame myself for any of the families problems including the "strained relationship" with my mom or siblings.

The problems that exist in the family were from before I was born or from when I was just a child, and I will not take ownership of the families problems nor blame myself. I haven't led a life of debauchery, I am still married to my wife and have excellent loving and normal children etc. As far as the family fueds, I went out of my way to treat all honorably and not get into their fights or take sides.

However, After I had experienced the full wrath of my family when my brother launched a full on character assassination I consulted with a family councilor to try to understand what was going on. The professional councilor listened to me for less than 45 minutes when she said, "I don't need anymore information, I know what's going on".

She indicated that that since I had a great relationship with my father when he died, the other siblings and my mother, (that did not get along with Dad), projected their hatred of the deceased father onto me and my family. It was a simple case of jealousy, like experienced in the bible story of Joseph. The councilor explained to me that since I had a good relationship with my father before he died, (when my brothers and sisters did not), their reasoning was that I "may have had influence with my dad and been his favorite, but they have influence with my mom now, and she is alive, not dead". To set it straight, my father and I did have some problems over the years, but he mellowed somewhat and I got to know him at a golden time when he was actually fun to be around, he was not perfect at all though.

The councilor indicated to me that with the lack of human "qualities" of my siblings, to not even attempt any relationship with them, it was not worth it. Further, she indicated that the "character assasination" and continued hateful attitude towards me would not stop, reguardless of how I tried to make it work.

Like a cat that had played with the mouse to the point of its tiring, when the mouse caught its breath and tried to leave, the cat would just paw the mouse back into submission. I felt like I was the mouse, exhausted by their games of condemnation, but whenever I tried to go about my business they would attack again.

Their behavior got old but I tolerated it for a few years and realized that my family councilor with was 100% correct, and that the situation would not improve reguardless of what I would try to do to improve it or just not bother them. Therefore, I moved out of town.

I didn't just move down the street, I made a major move to another part of the country. The result is at first I did take a hit financially getting reestablished, and lost many "conditional friends", however, my immediate family has an abundance of peace and happiness and we are building other friendships. Until I read someone's post like yours and I am reminded what sore shape I was in staying around them I rarely even think of them. I have learned to minimize and compartmentalize my thoughts of my family, they are simply not worth the pain.

My advice to anyone younger and old enough to live independently either single or just getting married, is to leave your JW family behind and make your own life. If you have family members as J witnesses, move as far away as you possibly can afford to and you nor your family will be influenced by their negativity and dysfunctionality. This may sound like overkill, but I had a brother tell me this 30 years ago, and I truely believe it is the best course, and regret that I didn't do this when I first married. I believe that the husband and wife have to, not just resist, but fight these negative influences.

Thanks for venting about your family and I hope the best for you.

12

Two MORE Classes of Christians at the local Kingdom Hall

by Terry in

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JakeM2012

Jehovah-o-lantern lit from within by "new light."

Just classic:) Thanks Terry

165

Board of bitterness

by 1009 in

i always was a critical jw, now df and agnost.

but still this religion fascinates me.

in my eyes most jw are very sincere, but dumb sheep.. this board is filled with ex-jw.

JakeM2012

1009, I don't appreciate your accusatory tone and condemnation, and your reasoning is as flawed as WTBTS's.

When visiting this site, one must give consideration that many are at various stages of recovery and reconstruction. The vast majority here are sincerely trying to move on with life in a peaceful and non-retalitory way. Many of us are in the process of reconstruction of our lives after realization that what we had worked so hard and made personal sacrifices for and with has been nothing but lies. Some have devoted the best years and even the majority of their life to the efforts of Watchtower Bible Tract Society with nothing to show for it other than regrets, not even in any supposed spiritual way of storing treasures in heaven.

When I consider this group of individuals compared to the investors of the King of Ponzi Schemes Bernie Madoff, I see similarities and differences. Quite frankly, you have no qualifications or divine appointment for your judgmental attitude either. You state that if we don't claim to have the truth we cannot judge who is right and wrong. I may not know the full truth of the universe, but I can with confidence tell you that Watchtower Bible and Tract Society's teachings are not only incorrect, but intentionally fabricated lies, even they admit that by changing their teachings regularly claiming "new light". So basically, shut your trap up.

10

CO over for dinner Tuesday thru Friday

by A question in

jw
friends

has anyone had a co over for dinner during their visit on any of the nights from tuesday thru friday?

that seems hard to do because those nights usually have meetings.

if you did do it, how long were they able to stay after finishing eating?.

JakeM2012

I've never heard that they were available at those times because of meetings, elders meetings on friday night, sheparding calls on Wednesday, Saturday afternoon or night he has to write his report about the congregation.

I've seen them on Saturday nights and Sunday nights at homes or gatherings over the years. When we had the CO's stay with us in our house they would generally have diner with us, it was nice conversation but after family diner they either went to their room or sometimes he just watched TV with us, well we let him have the remote. LOL

206

i am a regular pioneer in my cong reading crisis of conscience.here goes...

by MsGrowingGirl20 in

jw
friends

i'm on page 90 right now...the info is definitely new and gives me a totally diff view as to how i used to think of faithful and discreet slave.

i was thoroughly disgusted with the way the brothers handled the oral sex and leadership problem and the insight on the scriptures book...... still have alot of questions though.

JakeM2012

MsGrowingGirl20, I have enjoyed reading your experience. You've mentioned about a sign from God that this is the religion. I remember thinking this and praying for a sign to help with making decisions during several stages in my life. There are several experiences that my wife and I both have had doing this. But I would say that waiting for a sign is like reading your horoscope. It is not conclusive by any means, even if something happens it is just coincidental. Please keep us updated.

17