Just read through this and enjoyed it, so thought I'd share. It is a non-JW relate article about what the bible really teaches regarding disfellowshipping:
WinstonSmith
JoinedPosts by WinstonSmith
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
Hi everyone,
Hope you are having a nice weekend!
Came across the notes below in my Evernote stash just before. I don't think I got to post them in my last Diary. These are notes from Day 3 of the current round of District Conventions.
These notes do not necessarily reflect my own feelings, they are just notes on what was said. I am reporting, not supporting.
Please feel free to leave your comments. Enjoy!
Serve Jehovah With Your Whole Heart... ...As Did Hannah
- Hannah was childless, something that was a big deal in bible times.
- Did she allow this pain to interfere with her worship of Jehovah?
- 1 Samuel 1:10. She poured herself to Him.
- Eli mocked her, but Hannah replied respectfully.
- Jehovah was watching and blessed her with many children.
- 1 Samuel 1:18. Hannah made known her request and left it in Jehovah's hands.
- This shows us that prayer is important. When you have a problem, pray about it.
- Hannah did not dwell on what Eli said to her even though he was rude and wrong. We should show the same attitude if an elder does the same to us.
- Samuel enjoyed his privelige of serving Jehovah.
- 1 Samuel 2:12 shows that all was not well in the house of God.
- Samuel remained focused on his service despite the bad attitudes around him.
- He delivered a message of judgement, and everything that as foretold to occur happened. 1 Samuel 3:19.
- Samuel was humble and loyal. If we show this same attitude we can have a good relationship with God.
- It is never too early or too late to start serving Jehovah.
- We can do this in many ways:
- Being obedient to those in authority.
- Engage in the field ministry.
- Attend and participate in the meetings.
- Will we follow Samuel's example? Make a firm stand for righteousness.
- Wisdom, courage and faith were evident in Abigail.
- Her foresight saved the lives of many in her household.
- Could you imagine being stuck in a marriage with someone like Nabal?
- She did not let her situation prevent her from serving God. She put her relationship with God ahead of her personal feelings.
- Her decisive action showed that she supported true worship.
- How did David react? 1 Samuel 25:32, 33. He recognised Jehovah's and in matters.
- She could have made other choices that benefitted her. But she put Jehovah first.
- Some among us have difficult marriages. Do we treat our marriage like those in the world? As disposable? Or do we imitate Abigail and choose the course that reflects Jehovah's view of marriage.
- She put faith in Jehovah's anointed one. We too should put faith in those that Jehovah's has appointed today.
- Elijah had a very direct message for the King.
- 1 Kings 18:1. Even though there was a drought, Elijah advised that it would soon end.
- He showed faith by waiting on Jehovah for to make it rain. The rain didn't come immediately. Elijah had complete trust that the rain was going to come. He even spoke like the rain was already on its way.
- We too are waiting for Jehovah to fulfil his promise, the end of this corrupt system of things.
- Are we praying as did Elijah? Do we have the same confidence as Elijah? Are we keeping watchful?
- Jonah was given an assignment that he didn't want to do.
- Can we learn from Jonah's mistakes?
- Jonah 3:4. He went ahead and did his job faithfully. He didn't skirt around the edge of the city. He went deep inside..
- This led to the repentance of the city.
- Jonah 4:1. When the destruction didn't come, this annoyed Jonah. His pride was hurt and he was afraid that he might be labelled as a false prophet since what he said did not come true.
- The book does not say how Jonah reacted with the lesson of the gourd plant, but the book itself tells us. Jonah wrote it and it was included in the bible, so it must have ended positively.
- Soliloquoy. Brother lamenting theft and job losses in the community. Wishes Jehovah would just bring this system to an end. Daughter shows him baptism numbers in the yearbook. Brother is now glad Jehovah is patient with people.
- The bible does not tell us much about Mary, but she was given a weighty responsibility. She was to become the mother of the Messiah.
- What would she do with the big assignment? Her fine qualities of humility and obedience allowed her to take it on.
- She obediently responded with the words of Luke 1:38.
- We can imitate Mary by having a humble attitude. She was not arrogant or self willed. Our choice of friends plays a key role in our staying loyal to Jehovah. Mary spent time with Elizabeth and they up built each other. Seek out those that are spiritually mature.
- Mary was a student of Gods word. People today look at study as old fashioned and boring. Reading Gods word brings us closer to him.
- Martha was close with Jesus and lived with Mary and Lazarus.
- Jesus enjoyed spending time with them. On one occasion Jesus counseled Martha on what she she should better focus her attention on.
- She was no doubt overjoyed when Lazarus was resurrected.
- John 11:25-27. Those who are faithful are rewarded.
- Martha felt that hospitality was very important. Are we the same? Do we follow the course of hospitality?
- Demonstration. Sister makes five courses and dessert for CO meal. Had to ask two other sisters to help. Missed field service in order to prepare. Felt guilty. Brother reminds her of Martha and says it is better to focus on spiritual things. Sister says she will read the passage about Martha and change the way she does things.
- Peter was well known for making mistakes.
- What did Peter learn from his mistakes? He never gave up on his desire to serve Jehovah. Luke 24:33, 34.
- Jesus even appeared to Peter personally. No doubt Jesus offered comfort to Peter at that time.
- He went on to play a key role in setting up the first century congregation.
- When he made mistakes, he didn't isolate himself. He spent time with his brothers and sought strength through prayer.
- He didn't dwell on the past, but focused on the future.
- Jehovah forgive us for our mistakes. Proverbs 23:16.
- The world faces a perfect storm of famine, financial pressure and unrest.
- When these things come up into our heart, they are a heavy burden. The bible promises that in the near future the problems of this world will be done away with. Isaiah 65:17.
- Can you imagine what life will be like to have no burdens? How will this come about?
- The bible talks about new heavens and new earth, these represent new ruling powers and a new society.
- The new heavens spoken of in Isaiah was Zerrubabul. The new earth was the Israelites that reinhabited Israel.
- Peter talks about another new heavens and new earth. Following the template of ancient Israel, this will mean new rulership and a new society.
- Revelation also talks about new heavens and new earth.
- The current ruling powers and society will soon be a past memory and the new heavens and new earth will be present. This will be the final instalment of new heavens and new earth. Revelation 21:3, 4.
- As a member of the public, you might read Revelation 21:3, 4 and think this is talking about heaven. But it says that death will be no more. Where does death occur? On earth. This is why we know there will be an earthly paradise.
- Do we know the names of the ones that will make up the new heavens?
- Revelation14:1,3 - There will be 144,000 who come from the earth.
- Revelation 5:9, 10 - These ones will rule over the earth as kings.
- Matthew 6:9, 10 - The new heavens is Gos's kingdom.
- Isaiah 65:21-23 - The earth will be the location of the subjects of the kingdom.
- God's government will soon be here. World events prove that we are in the time of the end.
- Matthew 24:14. This is part of Jesus' composite sign and we are seeing this fulfilled today. JWs preach in more than 230 lands. Never before in human history have people had such a chance to hear the good news.
- The new heavens will clean up the earth. Proverbs 2:21, 22. Can you imagine living without fear? Can you imagine what life would be like to feel completely safe?
- Isaiah 65:13. Our spiritual needs will be catered for in the new earth. Everything need will be care for.
- Each day we carry heavy burdens around with us. Can you imagine what life would be like to slowly shed all the baggage?
- Members of the public, have you ever had questions that you have been unable to find satisfying answers to? JWs can show you those answers and what the future holds.
- Personal question: Are you hurting? Is your pain evident? Don't give up. Hang in there. The time is coming when the things if this world will be fine.
- To access this we must do what Jesus advised at John 17:3. Doing so will mean that very soon, the things that hurt you now, will no longer come up into your heart.
- There are many things that can impact on our figurative hearts.
- When we get anxious, strange things happen to our body. We might panic, be paralysed, our heart palpitates. We can feel the physical effects on our figurative hearts.
- From a spiritual perspective, we must guard our hearts.
- 1 Chronicles 28:20. We have Jehovah's backing. We have to have the same attitude as David in this scripture.
- There are several reasons why we should have this attitude:
- We are imitating Jehovah and Jesus.
- Cowards are condemned in the bible.
- When we panic, we don't make good decisions.
- Panic can lead to inactivity.
- Satan is trying to make us stumble and panic. He will target our weaknesses. 1 Peter 5:8.
- He will use everything at his disposal to take us down. We can witnstand these attacks. 1 Peter 5:9.
- What can cause us to be terrified?
- A doctor might say to you that if you don't take a blood transfusion, you will die.
- We might lose our job.
- We might get offered a job that clashes with our spiritual routine.
- We might face issues in our marriage.
- It takes courage to stand up to Satan.
- When Satan roars in our face we should follow the advice of Isaiah 30:21. Listen for the word of Jehovah. From our study of his word, we learn what can help us be successful in living a faithful course.
- Thinking about what we will face at the end of this system, we can be worried about how things will unfold. Does our imagination get us into trouble and allow us to imagine the worst possible things happening to us?
- The encouragement from Jesus was to not be anxious. Just worry about what we need to worry about now. Leave the future in Jehovah's hands.
- When we have a load that is too heavy, it can have an effect on us. Proverbs 12:25.
- Think on positive things. If we went in field service and viewed the next house ias a potential witness, it will be more successful than thinking that there is going to be a grumpy person there.
- If we allow ourselves to be discouraged, it can bring us down. Use our imagination in a good way to keep ourselves positive.
- Use our imagination when reading the bible. This can make the bible come alive. This makes it have more meaning for us.
- There are four qualities that have been discussed at this convention that will prevent us from being terrified:
- Faith. Weak faith opens the door for Satan to get in. Strong faith keeps that door firmly shut. Hebrews 13:6. We strengthen our faith through study, prayer, and association. The stronger our faith, the stronger our courage.
- Hope. This helps us to see beyond difficulty. Psalm 27:14. Any trials we may face are only temporary compared to the eternal future that is held out to us.
- Peace. The knowledge of the future makes us calm and prepared for what is coming. John 14:27. When we throw our anxiety on Jehovah, we feel a release. Philippians 4:6, 7.
- Love. There is no fear when we have a genuine love for Jehovah and our brothers. 1 John 4:18.
- Letter from the Governing Body re France. The ECHR ruled favourably on behalf of JWs with regards to tax laws. The French government did not comply and kept charging the tax. The JWs appealed and the court ruled again in favour of JWs.
- There has been a merge of the NZ and Australian branches. Jehovah is breaking down national boundaries in preparation for the end.
- Keep making wise decisions. The scriptures tell us that our enemies will not prevail. We just have to hang in there until it is all done. Never let our hearts become terrified.
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Well, I talked with two active JWs about the latest understanding of the F&DS.
by Theocratic Sedition ini know a brother who went to the most recent annual meeting.
older brother, non-annointed, elder, wife a pioneer, and overall a pretty good dude.
he let me take a peak at the new awake dropping in 2013, which by the way i have to give credit where it's due as i like the new 16 page format.
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WinstonSmith
I think the key thing to remember is that in all the info that has leaked out, I don't think the speakers at the meeting explicitly stated that the GB is the FDS. The term used was something along the lines of 'group of faithful anointed ones preparing spiritual food'. So even if there was no official GB, there was a 'group of faithful anointed ones preparing spiritual food' from 1919. Through careful use of words, they have covered their backsides. Still, it doesn't explain why the 'group of faithful anointed ones preparing spiritual food' up until 1919 are now considered to not be part of the FDS.
Plus a bunch of other questions too. I guess we will have to wait for a letter or WT article to get the 'official word', and then we can pick apart properly.
With regards to the choir, Cedars started a thread in which he noted that he had added to his recent article some notes that were taken at the meeting. In there it mentioned and showed a photo of a choir of children who sang 'Listen, Obey and be Blessed'.
I cannot communicate clearly enough just how much I despise that song. But thats another subject for another day on another thread....
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
Don't tell anyone, but Mrs Smith and I may or may not have just danced Gangnam Style to a Boney M song in our lounge and then fallen on the ground giggling and laughing like two year olds......
I'll deny everything in a court of law :-D
Speaking of denial, (did you like the segue?) how's this for a classic case of the WTS living in denial:
The May 1st 1997 WT, on page 8 says "Jehovah God is the Grand Identifier of his true messengers. He identifies them by making the messages he delivers through them come true."
Based on the WTS's own words, would you call them God's true messengers?
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
By the way, what is the logic behind this?
Happy birthday - Death at Armageddon
Merry Christmas - You just missed out on everlasting life
Happy Halloween - No resurrection for you buddy
Happy Hannukah - You made God unhappy
Happy anniversary - Totally okay
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
Thank Phizzy and Tootiredtocare!
I think a lot of good comes from just sitting and listening to others. Listen to what they say. Measure it against what you know and what your experience has taught and then accept it or reject it. Just because you reject it, doesn't mean the speaker is necesaarily wrong, just that you and he have a different opinion.
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336
The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
What does Luke 21:8 tell us?
It says don't follow those who go around saying 'The end is near!'
For well over a hundred years the WTS has been saying 'The end is near!'
Based on Jesus words, should you follow the WTS?
Better it is to live a life of humility, not going around like you have some sort of special knowledge. Rather, treat others how you would like to be treated. Then when the 'end' comes - whatever that means and entails - you can present yourself before Jehovah and Jesus and say you did your best to live by their standards. And if, when the 'end' comes - whatever that means and entails - it turns out all this bible stuff was wrong, at least you will have lived a good life of kindness, honesty and compassion.
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PDF of annual meeting notes now available on my article
by cedars inhttp://jwsurvey.org/cedars-blog/governing-body-says-we-are-the-faithful-and-discreet-slave.
it's on a link at the bottom.
i've updated my article accordingly.
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WinstonSmith
Thanks for the update Cedars.
Are these someone's personal notes that have been collated along with the photos?
I must admit that I chuckled at the part that said 'Matthew and Luke use the definite article HO with reference to the FDS.' Where I come from 'ho' is slang for prostitute, and I must agree, those that call themselves the FDS have indeed sold whored themselves to their delusions of grandeur.
Oooooooh I'm so baaaaaaaaad.
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The New Diary of Winston Smith
by WinstonSmith inwe had to go off grid for a time, time and half a time as we thought we had been outed.
fortunately it was a false alarm, but it was a stressful time.
i asked for my original diary thread to be deleted in case there could be anything on there to identlfy mrs smith and i. i am always very careful when posting, and am sure there was nothing on there, but felt it best to have it removed in order to be as cautious as a dove.
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WinstonSmith
Aussie Oz: Did you crack the Winston Smith Code? Unfortunately there is no Holy Grail at the end of it :-P
Sickandtired: I understand that feeling of aloneness. In the period from when it all fell into place for me, and when Mrs Smith also worked it out was a lonely time. You just want to burst out everything you have figured out. Ripping the band aid off though, is not always the wise course, and it takes gut wrenching patience and hours of tongue biting to slowly grind down the cult mountain. You have us here as friends and support, and we are with you all the way. It is wise to pull back if hubby is a bit sensitive lately. There will be other times and opportunities. As Biggles used to say 'He who runs away today, lives to fight another day' in other words we have to pick our battles. Fog is the right word, and our loved ones can be deep in it and have no idea how lost they are. It is a testament to our love for them that we grit our teeth and look for ways to make some headway, however small. Let us know if we can help in any way.
Phizzy: Thank you for your kind words. I hope that others can take something away from what gets posted. It takes a lot of intestinal fortitude to sit through a meeting. Like recently when talking about Paul preaching to those who came to him while he was under house arrest a sister said 'the lesson for us is that even if we are stuck at home, sick or whatever, there really is no reason to miss any opportunity to preach' Oh dear. Pack your bags, we're going on a guilt trip!
QC: Thanks for sharing you info mate. I recommend to everyone: GET READING. You biggest ally is knowledge. You learn that there are many points of view, and that this is totally okay. These different points of view are what makes life interesting. I'll check out your site.
Wannaexit: Sounds like there are some great similarities! Lovely to hear your story. You are right that it all hits you at once. What a ride! Keep in touch.
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Intro/fellow abuse survivor
by jwabusesurvivor inim new to the site, as my username implies i am an abuse survivor, it was more then sexual, it was a very horrific type of abuse and no surprise the jw's that were involved were and still are being protected.
i have found posts here to be encouraging and glad to see i am not alone in my struggle and my fight.. i have a constant struggle/battle with emotional and mental health issues from the many many years of abuse but i am a fighter and try to keep on going, but am so glad to have found this site, it seems to be a source of encouragement :).
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WinstonSmith
Welcome to you, our new friend!
Sorry to hear that you have had an awful experience. I am certain that here you will find plenty of kindness and understanding.
Stay strong, fight on.
WS