I guess I considered my religion as something like a heritage, like jews can relate to the jewish experience even if they are not religious. Or how people of ethnic or racial backgrounds have that in common. I knew before I was a teenager that if I wasn't born into this religion I would not have become one. But that didn't get me thinking that maybe I shouldn't be one...because you were taught to behave like one even before baptism so it didn't matter as much.
wisdomfrombelow
JoinedPosts by wisdomfrombelow
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49
"If I wasn't born a JW, I would never have become one."
by OneEyedJoe ini've seen it mentioned by a few on the forum that at some point there was a realization that had they not been born a jw, they never would've converted no matter how many times the jws tried to study with them.
this was my experience too, and i'm wondering how universal it is for those that were born-in but eventually left.
i think i started having this thought (more specifically that if i were not born a jw, i would surely have become an atheist by now) in my late teens.
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CO's never say thank you for the green handshakes
by suavojr inever noticed how co's and ex-do's never say thank you for the hard earned money they get from the friends?
they truly believe they are entitled to live an easy life at the expense of others.
this makes my blood boil!
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wisdomfrombelow
We can proudly say, we have NEVER given a CO or his wife a green handshake.
I agree.with that. I would have thought that it would be tantamount to simony and the thought never crossed my mind until I heard about it on this board.
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Update on everything going on in JW Land - Insider Information
by thedepressedsoul ini'd like to start off by saying that i will be very vague in everything i say.
i am fairly "high up" in jw land and have to be somewhat careful how i word and say stuff.
sorry in advance if any specific details are left out.
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wisdomfrombelow
What I would like to know is why they have keep the same business model of using free labor to hand out magazines in hopes of receiving donation witch almost never happens are they that stuck in a rut that they can't pull out of this dead end model?
Of course they have no idea how to change their business model. It is over 100 years old. It was a clever way to keep people busy so they wouldn't have time to think critically as well as generating income for them. They tied it all to a religious component that they sold as their distinguishing mark. Once they could no longer charge for literature then everything was turned on it's ear.
There is no activity that they can get everyone to do which will generate income for them. Tithing would be the only way but that doesn't keep people busy and the rank and file need to be kept busy as well.
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Can somebody explain the songs and songbook obsession?
by careful ini've been out a while and have only put in a rare appearance at a memorial or brief visit at a convention/assembly to keep people off my back, so i haven't kept up on the songbook.
but one thing i've noticed that the org.
has been doing that they never did when i was in is all these "supplemental songs" that keep appearing.
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wisdomfrombelow
I thought the reason for so many new songs is that they were thereby forcing people to the website jw.org. The epub versions of the KM and Watchtower have the new songs included so it must be a way to nudge people to using the electronic version and not the paper version -
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2015 November 19, BOE! Circuit Account Balances!
by Atlantis indelete if already posted.. .
2015-november 19, boe.
.. re: review of circuit account balances.
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wisdomfrombelow
This grab is so new that they didn't even put in the revised OD book which has the Our Christian Life and Ministry meeting in it which hasn't even started yet. Either the need for cash is so urgent or they didn't want to reveal how circuit funds are spent to the sheeple or both. Simply amazing what the flock doesn't know and shame on the elders for keeping it hush-hush. -
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2015-11/3/BOE! New Literature Delivery Schedule!
by Atlantis in.. re: new schedule for delivery of magazines and literature .
.click the green download button.. http://wwwb.fileflyer.com/view/tz1mdat.
.. .. wtunderground!.
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wisdomfrombelow
As I read the letter, it says "each Cong will receive ONE issue of the Public WT; ONE issue of the Awake; TWO issues of the Study WT; TWO issues of the KM"; along with their literature order.
Let me explain how i read it, each delivery contains literature for 2 months. They are detailing what types of literature appear in the shipment now how many are shipped. So they will get supplies to last for 2 months instead of one moth.
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What is it like to have that one true friend?
by My Name is of No Consequence inwhat is it like to have that one true friend?
growing up in the org, i never really had friends.
i had many acquaintances, some of which were worldly.
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wisdomfrombelow
Having one true friend is awesome. Having more than one is even better. There are over 7 billion people on the planet...if your wife doesn't want to be the kind of friend you need then go out and find a friend. Being a "spiritual mate" might be what she dreams of but you can also dream of her being an "awake JW". The reality is that perhaps you should not have religious discussions and just agree to disagree on that.
If you need to "vent" about things JW, then find a friend for that. I have some friends who are good for that but not good for talking about sports. There is usually not a "one size fits all" perfect friend or perfect spouse. That is an unreality that is perpetuated by so many. I can advise a good marriage counselor as he might help you both learn to communicate more effectively and more successfully. Or a good therapist who might advise you on how to make new friendships now that you are older.
Just my 2 cents...
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jw.org - online Bible - New World Translation - Study Edition
by Esse quam videri ini went into jw.org to look up a scripture in the nwt and clicked on new world translation - study edition.
i wanted to go into the book of malachi.
the different bible books were laid in a grid pattern and i clicked on malachi.
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wisdomfrombelow
They are releasing the multimedia bible in stages. All those pictures take a long time to animate :) -
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'Seek the Kingdom First' Economics
by Tornintwo inhas anyone else's family finances been victim to the 'seek the kingdom first' economic policy?.
for years, my husband and i have had our own business, my husband is not the most proactive guy, prefers to go in field service than to work, but he has always encouraged me to 'rely on jehovah and all these other things will be added to you', 'seek the kingdom first' etc etc.
there have been times, such as when i was heavily pregnant and we lost a big deal, that i have been begging jehovah on hands and knees to honour that promise, wondering why he wasn't helping us.
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wisdomfrombelow
Hindsight is 20/20 but what could have been said to you to have prevented this from happening? Some people have put off getting married or having children because they wanted to "seek the kingdom first". Once you can see that you have choices then you can start making your own. Maybe start to separate your finances from your husbands and do what you can to get out of debt and live your life the way you want to.
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"You don't go to the platform to say nonsense."
by Tempest in a Teacup insecond in a series of reminiscing disappointments that cut me off this religion one string at a time.... actually, i had a one week break which i spent quite poorly: not sleeping at night, so i could catch up on my favorite shows, eating crappy foods the whole day, booze and hangovers.
i'm an introvert and really, this for me is an ideal holiday :).
but...all the above, coupled with having too much free time has brought back some demons who had been sleeping...and snoring.. back to the topic.. in my former congregation, there's one wannabe-elder-no-education-hates-his-job-envies-others-mysogynist-ministerial servant.
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wisdomfrombelow
Tempest, why are you in a foreign language congregation? Is it because that is one way to keep your brain working in a mind-numbing meeting?