Jehovah-o-lantern lit from within by "new light."
Just classic:) Thanks Terry
JakeM2012
JoinedPosts by JakeM2012
-
12
Two MORE Classes of Christians at the local Kingdom Hall
by Terry in[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:allowpng /> </o:officedocumentsettings> </xml><![endif].
[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:worddocument> <w:view>normal</w:view> <w:zoom>0</w:zoom> <w:trackmoves /> <w:trackformatting /> <w:punctuationkerning /> <w:validateagainstschemas /> <w:saveifxmlinvalid>false</w:saveifxmlinvalid> <w:ignoremixedcontent>false</w:ignoremixedcontent> <w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext>false</w:alwaysshowplaceholdertext> <w:donotpromoteqf /> <w:lidthemeother>en-us</w:lidthemeother> <w:lidthemeasian>x-none</w:lidthemeasian> <w:lidthemecomplexscript>x-none</w:lidthemecomplexscript> <w:compatibility> <w:breakwrappedtables /> <w:snaptogridincell /> <w:wraptextwithpunct /> <w:useasianbreakrules /> <w:dontgrowautofit /> <w:splitpgbreakandparamark /> <w:enableopentypekerning /> <w:dontflipmirrorindents /> <w:overridetablestylehps /> <w:usefelayout /> </w:compatibility> <m:mathpr> <m:mathfont m:val="cambria math" /> <m:brkbin m:val="before" /> <m:brkbinsub m:val="--" /> <m:smallfrac m:val="off" /> <m:dispdef /> <m:lmargin m:val="0" /> <m:rmargin m:val="0" /> <m:defjc m:val="centergroup" /> <m:wrapindent m:val="1440" /> <m:intlim m:val="subsup" /> <m:narylim m:val="undovr" /> </m:mathpr></w:worddocument> </xml><!
[endif][if gte mso 10]> <style> /* style definitions */ table.msonormaltable {mso-style-name:"table normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif].
-
-
-
165
Board of bitterness
by 1009 ini 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 inhas 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 ini'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
2013 Convention "Apostate talk" Refuted point by point
by Watchtower-Free ini found this over at https://www.facebook.com/groups/xjwrg3 its the "ex-jehovah's witness recovery group 3".
its by a member of this forum goes by the name "toledo squad" .
he said he sent it to the emails of 46 jws .. .
-
-
JakeM2012
Thanks WF
-
16
My first experience at KH
by InChristAlone inthank you to all of you who commented yesterday.
no doubt you gave me an accurate description of what to expect.
when i first walked in, i was greeted by the jw who calls on my house.
-
-
JakeM2012
After personally attending meetings for over 47 years before stopping, I appreciated your fresh perspective of the current meetings.
-
24
THE DC Hotel List
by tresdecu inso tonight finally had to make a decision about the dc.
we missed saturday and sunday of the one we were assigned to.
i was going to convieniently try to forget (been working most saturdays last few months) but she persisted tonight.
-
-
JakeM2012
Splash wrote, "And to coerce the publishers to use these hotels often at increased prices and distant locations, is far from loving or considerate."
When the rooming department first came out with the approved lodging lists early 70's I can remember very nice hotels for a greatly reduced price. It made the conventions fun to look forward to as a child, youth, teenager. All your friends stayed at the same few luxury hotels, at night you got to spend time with them at the pool, etc. I believe it was at the 1972 District Convention at the Astrodome and Astrohall. WTBTS expected 70,000 + people...only 40k showed up. They came out with the approved lodging list that did NOT have the AstroVillage Hotel, (Brand NEW and Right across the Street), I had a family member that had many young children stay there. Oh, he was so disobedient.
With so many different situations within the congregation, I never understood why WTBTS was so opinionated on where the sheep slept. You have older ones, younger families with children, etc.I can remember some years that WTBTS would get upset with a hotel over (rumored from brothers that locally did the negotiations) as little as $4-5 a night, and would tell the congregations that they were not on the recommended lodging list. The brothers and sisters had to cancel their reservations and ask for a refund.
So the situation that we now had was a mostly elderly group traveling not only in a city that they are not familiar with but, but had to travel for over an hour to and from the convention from their "approved" hotel. One brother was particularly upset because he had care of family members that required wheel chairs and other issues. Others were upset because they had several young children but couldn't use the hotel next door to the convention center and had to drive an hour away for an "approved" hotel by the mighty WTBTS.
When WTBTS decided they couldn't work with the convention site or hotel because they wanted an extra $5 per person over what the mightly WTBTS wanted to agree to, WTBTS would pull their plug on that site and move to another city requiring the brothers to personally pay out well over the $5 in extra fuel and inconvenience.
Other situations that should be considered; some people that travel alot can get their own free or reduced rates if they stay in the same hotel chain. Some people use the credit cards for hotel rewards they could use for a convention. To get their rewards though, the publishers had to to have the freedom of using the rewards of the hotel chain chosen and not necessarily WTBTS approved lodging. Some brothers cars are in poor mechanical condition, they don't care about an extra few bucks a night if they don't have to drive the car that much. The problem was dumping the hotels and insisting on the "friends" driving for hours on end to "approved" hotels. The brothers were just praying that their cars would make it to and from the convention cities. Several families that I picked up blamed that rotten Satan for trying to keep them from the convention, when it was just their lack of maintenance.
One of the last times I even looked at the list was 7-8 years ago when I was traveling and went to a convention in the Fort Worth, Texas area. I went to the "rooming department" and asked for the approved list. The brother sheepishly gave me a list of Motel 6's with a price of $89.00 a night. Motel 6's are one of the cheapest motels. I immediately checked on the internet and Motel 6's were $59 a night. I thought it was Motel 6's way of telling WT they didn't want them there. For the $89.00 I could stay in an upscale downtown hotel within walking distance of the convention. But I enjoyed my stay in the downtown hotel, walking back to the room for a nap when I was tired, having breakfast in the hotel, etc.
Oh the hoops we jump through with this high control group.
-
24
THE DC Hotel List
by tresdecu inso tonight finally had to make a decision about the dc.
we missed saturday and sunday of the one we were assigned to.
i was going to convieniently try to forget (been working most saturdays last few months) but she persisted tonight.
-
-
JakeM2012
God Bless Hotwire.com and his simplifying of the arrangement. You can use your smartphone in the car to the convention, at the convention, even at the bar, to book your room.
Oh, and Losingit, yes WTBTS has theocratic arrangements for sending or recommending certain hotels in exchange for money or other favors like rooms. In this day, other than money, why would they go to all the trouble? If you really want to blow your mind check out the threads on why these international conventions cost two to three times more than if you just used a travel agent.
-
20
had another conversation with my wife this morning
by Crazyguy inshe was getting already for service so i asked her "how do you do it?
" "how do you still go and do all this spiritual stuff now that you know that my research and letter to bethel shows that the jw religion denies us the messiah"?
she got all defensive and disagreed again with what i wrote to bethel and then i had to step in and tell her that its "its them that teaches that we don't have a mediator in christ and were not under the new covenant".
-
-
JakeM2012
Crazyguy,
I don't know how long you've been into this scenario, and everyone's situation is different. I don't know if my experience will help. But here it is.
Five years ago I sat down with my wife and told her that I thought that there were fundamental flaws to our beliefs and that I was going to resign my position. She listened to me patiently as I explaned that I felt that we were on a snipe hunt of 130 years, and that now the Society was changing teachings because nothing happened. I didn't hit her with everything I had discovered and kept it simple.
But I waited, took a job that made it easy to miss all the meetings, and I stopped cold turkey attending meetings. She continued for about a year attending on her own, going by herself with our daughter, before she herself stopped. This was the part that really killed me, seeing her march off to the meeting like a good christian sister.
I thought that it might be a case that I don't have to convince her of much, if she got away from it long enough she would see the light. By my not attending meetings it made it more her decision to keep going. She got tired of the elders hounding her about my not coming, and she changed congregations, and then she stopped.
This last week we had a nice discussion about some recent conversations with her mom and dad. They are still active as witnesses as is all her family. But she has been more outspoken to them about our situation than I thought.
It has been a slow process, and I know that there are conversations that I talked too much, disclosed too much, etc. It was better for me to say just a little and then change the subject. There have been several times that she has corrected me about my attitude, and I knew then that I needed to shut up.
-
14
My Story So far
by ILoveTTATT ini hope i have not fully screwed up, it seems like my friends whom i have told my true feelings realy, really, deep down inside, love me, and that's why they have not gone to the elders.
also probably because they know that i love them and would never tell them something if i wasn't 100% convinced and knew that it wasn't true.. .
i guess i can tell you a bit of my story so you can help:.
-
-
JakeM2012
IloveTTAT, I appreciate your story, from my experience, don't try to process it in one setting. I'm still trying to read Hannsens book.
I'm only in my fith year of non attendance/support of JW's and I stuggle with who to talk to about what. My wife has not attended in years either, and she is beginning to recognize things that we have not even talked about but she will bring up, and I don't believe she is reading any outside material either. But when I talk with her its best to keep it to a minimal, if it comes from me it's "negative" but if she thinks of it it's ok.
I have a sister that I would love to wake up, but I have pushed too hard in some emails lately, and she replied about "the organization being made up of imperfect people trying to do the best, don't give up on the organization."
I'll agree, once you know the TTAT, it is hard to keep a lid on it. But as mentioned, too much talk will get you DF'd for apostasy. That is an individual decision that some are ready to make, others, maybe not. For me, I'm not so concerned about wakeing elderly witnesses up, with much of my family, it is a waste of time. But if someone is young I'll take extra time to try to get them to think and do research so that they don't complicate their lives anymore with falsehoods and subsequent decisions.
Thanks again for your story.