"discretion should be used in determining what, if any, assistance might be given on a humanitarian basis to those not having a good standing in the congregation.
("pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock" wtb&ts 1991 p. 22).
i was associated with the watch tower bible and tract society of new york and pennsylvania, also known as, jehovah's witnesses.
Dear Garybuss,
Your story is heartbreaking.
How sad that they profess to know God, his personality, but do not not act in harmony with God's principles!
1 John 4:8 : " He that does not love has not come to know God, because God is love."
Christian Love,
AwakenedAndFree
sharon mcdaniel kennedy
january 27, 1942 - september 6, 2001
(we called her "the rose", affectionately, .
Dear Mulan,
Please accept my heartfelt sympathy on the loss of your very dear cousin.
Christian Love.
AwakenedAndFree
i am sooooo very sick.
i am serious, sick and miserable because of it.
must be some nasty virus, or something i ate.
Hi Vivamus,
Warm hugs.
Get well soon!
AwakenedAndFree
well, i guess u can say that i've dodged the proverbial bullet.
now only if i could've dodged that damn rim yesterday!.
yesterday at work a tire and rim application that i had been workin on came apart under about 60 lbs of pressure and smacked me right in the face.
Hi Bigboy,
Get well SOON!
AwakenedAndFree
i found out the other day that i have endometrial cancer.
needless to say, i'm shocked, angry and desperate.
i blame this on my incompetent doctor who did absolutely nothing when i first went to him two years ago and said "there's something wrong here.
Dear Mary,
I'am greatly saddned by your diagnosis.
Please seek a second medical opinion - don't settle just for one solely medical opinion! I would not trust a medical doctor who had been negligent about my plea to investigate my body's warning symptoms.
My prayers are with you.
Warm hugs.
AwakenedAndFree
i have been reading posts here for several months, which has helped me to keep from going insane.
my doubts came when i finally got the nerve to leave a bad marriage, why did i stay so long.
because i was ashamed and really scared of what "jehovah" would think of me.
Hi livingagain,
Thanks for posting your Watchtower story.
I'am a newbie here too.
WELCOME to the forum.
Christian Love,
AwakenedAndFree
i am just barely hanging on to my sanity again.
going through one of my terrible.
panicky periods.
Hello Joelbear,
Sorry to ear about your recurring panic attacks.
Please seek medical help. I agree with Mimily as to seek a second medical opinion.
Please let us know how you are doing.
Get well SOON!
AwakenedAndFree
i was 13 at the time that my only brother and his new wife introduced jehovah's witnesses to my family.. it was christmas time and we as a family were coming together to celebrate as we had done for as along as i could remember.. my brother said that him and his family would no longer celebrate and that we could discussed it at a later time... i was so upset.. my brother throwing away something that was so important too me...well i needed to know.. so my sister-in-law took me to my bedroom and showed me where we as christian shouldnt celebrate a holiday that is not of god.. again i was so upset and confused..... later the blood issue came up..my mother and father was upset by the thought that if anything happend to my niece and nephew that they would go to court to make sure they were taken care of.. and i told my mom why shouldnt she find out what they are being taught and then she would have grounds to fight if she had too...3years later my mother and father became a jw.... i struggled with this.. i never felt worthly of jehovah and his love.. i was so bad of a teenager.. so into the world.. how could he love me.....at 16 i was hooked on cigerettes and wanted to quit... i went to my parents and they went to the elders of their congregation.... one of the elders agreed to speak to me.. wheni went to the meeting i poured out my heart to this man.. and what he told me is that he could use me for time because i wasnt baptised... i was so hurt and turned off .. that it took many years and tears before i could get over that insult... years pass quickly.. and i am now in my 30's .
i just came out of an abusive relationship and was then practicing wicca... i was in a battered woman shelter.. and met a woman of the christian faith.. .
she gave me a book that talked about spiritual abuse.. here i was feeling abused and used and this book told me because i wasnt sharing god with my children that i was committing spirirtual abuse against them.. i got so scared i called up the local kingdom hall and started a study with one of the elders wife.. it didnt take to long to quit smoking and dedicate my life to jehovah... i was bapitised 5 months later and my oldest daughter bapitised a month after me.. life was great.. except i still felt as if i wasnt doing what i should for jehovah.. i was being told that i needed to get off welfare.. get a job.. when i did.. it was with a store that had catholic backing.. because it was tied to the beast.. i was made to quit as not to stumble a sister.. my daughter was working the field for 40 hours a week.
Hi ivoryroses4you,
Welcome to this forum!
Thanks for sharing your story with us here on the board.
I'am a newbie here too!
ROMANS 15:4 : " For all the things that were written aforetime were written for our instruction, that through our endurance and through the comfort from the Scriptures we might have hope."
Christian Love,
AwakenedAndFree
hey everyone, great site!
at last ex jw's can express themselves and be heard!
i came out of the watch tower about four years ago, best thing i ever did.
Hi Tzu,
Welcome to the forum.
AwakenedAndFree
in the new special assembly day program, the wts once again affirms that "true christians" receive their salvation by their works.
the theme is "be rich in fine works" and starts with the circuit overseer discussing what it means to "exert themselves to acquire spiritual riches".
the bethel speaker's first talk is "fine works in this time of harvest" - encouraging the r&f to "share even more fully'.
Hello Ozzie,
The scriptures show us that everlasting life is a free gift from God to mankind - it is not an earned gift, but a gift given to man by God's loving grace.
From my observation while I was still an active member, I do not recall the society classifying acts of kindness as works - their emphasis regarding works was always focused on field service "worked hours in the field". Hosea 6:6:" For in loving-kindness I have taken delight, and not in sacrifice; and in the knowledge of God rather than in whole burnt offerings."
Boasting is very much encouraged within the organization to proclaim their achieved goals. They boast their accomplished goals in their publications as well among themselves. The book of Romans 3:27, 28 says:(27):" Where, then is the boasting? It is shut out. Through what law? That of works? No indeed. But through the law of faith." (28):" For we reckon that a man is declared righteous by faith apart from works of law". The book of Proverbs 27:2 says: "May a stranger, and not your own mouth, praise you; may a foreigner, and not your own lips, do so." The book of Matthew 9:13 says: Go, then and learn what his means," I want mercy, and not sacrifice." For I came to call, not righteous people, but sinners."
AwakenedAndFree
