Richie

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Posts by Richie

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  3

  serving God for selfish motives

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's always so heartwarming to receive all your answers and comments in this forum which allows me to put things into proper perspective in that i have returned to a sensible life where i can show real unobstructed love and care to my "worldly" friends now instead of those who only love you conditionally.

  if you stay in line with what the borg does and teaches, then all will love you, if not then they'll shun you and the love stops, no matter how long it takes, yes even a lifetime of hurt and shunning.

  what is the society trying to prove - of course i know very well that it's purely a matter of control over you otherwise half of all the witnesses in the world would leave the organization!.

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  Richie

  Thanks Vita for the post - I agree with you that gross sinners who persist in their vulgar way of life should be excommunicated or shunned but only by the congregation. Now what could happen after a few years...the person who was a gross sinner changed his way of life, yet decided never to return to the meetings anymore. So even if the elders visit with that individual once a year but he refuses to attend the meetings, then he will stay disfellowshipped for as long as it takes, even the rest of his entire life. Now that's utterly wrong - I think it would be fair if that person can still associate with close relatives but only the congregation would shun him for a certain amount of time regardless whether he comes back to the meetings or not (Except of course if he persists in his wrongdoing, but nevertheless he should always have access to his intimate family)
  I personally believe that the wayward person should be "shaken" to his senses but not at all cost or through psychological terror...
  This was just my humble opinion, but it's done from a position of fairness coupled within the scope of enduring love.. Remember the reaction of the prodigal son and how his father accepted him back IMMEDIATELY? There is much to learn from that account in principle..

  Take care,

  :*) Richie

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
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  6

  United Nations Indeed!

  by Englishman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  your caption here:........................... englishman.. nostalgia isn't what it used to be....

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  Richie

  I only believe in what the Watchtower says! I dont want to read any apostate literature at all, because the Society says so - down it goes......
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  25

  Shunning is worse than the worst crime possible

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have come to the conclusion that the shunning practices of the jw's are in fact worse than the worst crime committed.

  just imagine, your own daughter shunning you, not wanting to see me or her first son (my grandson).

  whenever i walk around in the village i live and i happen to encounter jw's, they don't even acknowledge that i exist at all!!.

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  Richie

  Thanks so much Lisa for your post. I feel so bad for you and your mom and how her own daughter neglects her and treats her worse than a real criminal. Is this the loving thing to do? You're so right, it is NOT, and in God's eyes it's something detestable I am sure!
  I realize that your mother has more experience and perhaps is able to "cope" with her daughter's attitude, yet believe me, the older a person gets, the harder it is to endure. Why do I say this? Because, unlike children, older people or parents have acquired an enormous amount of life experience and it is this wealth of accumulated knowledge, emotion, love and compassion which has given them the maturity to understand things in a more perfect sense.
  You see, when children get hurt - they are not able to comprehend and accept it at face value because of their ineptness and unexperience in life at that point in time. On the other hand, your mother must be hurt and suffers emotionally. She may not show it outwardly, but I am sure that she is ripped apart with sadness inside of her... Doesn't the bible command us to take care of our parents, especially when they grow older and not only that; because of your dear parents do you have life, including your sister! How dare she treat her in a denegrating and disrespectful way! By turning her back on her mother, she only shows disloyalty to her God, as even the (Pharisaical) Society admits that a loving relationship with your closest relatives is a matter of personal conscience.
  The only thing that I can suggest Lisa is to stay very close to your mother and comfort her all the way, show her your love at all times, she deserves it no matter what! You were created from love and out of love you existed because of her...

  :*) Richie

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
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  6

  My happy JW parents

  by joelbear in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my mom and dad have been married 57 years as of october 14th.

  i called a couple of days after and asked them if they had done anything special.

  my dad said, yeah, we didn't talk to each other all day.. my parents are so totally fked up.

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  Richie

  Joel, your parents enjoy a sedentary kind of life, nonetheless a "faithful" kind of life. I am sure they have talked about the many experiences in fieldservice over and over again, the comments of the brothers in the KH, what the Watchtower said on this and that matter, where it once said that right is wrong, but now wrong is right but now again square, yet all in the name of "progress and that the light is getting brighter and brighter" (or shall we say "more confusing?").
  Your parents must feel that they are blessed by Jehovah so they do not want to complain too much and certainly they would not even think of doing their own research, except if it comes directly out of the mouth from the Society... How long can you talk about fieldservice, comments about the brothers, Watchtower articles and how many hours of service one has accumulated; perhaps even rounding it off to whole hours instead of counting the quarter and half-hours of time spent in the ministry.... So Joel, when you speak to them, they know and think they have nothing to say because you're in the world and you have nothing to talk about simply because you're not in the truth...
  And on and on it goes, a life of sterile redundancy and hoping each day that the end would come soon...maybe, maybe they might start doubting...., but noooo not really they cannot doubt, otherwise the Society is going to cut them off and they would be left alone not being loved forever anymore....woooow may that never happen!!! So, they are content and continue to believe and do not talk to each other because they have said everything already that has been said....
  What a tragic life, a pattern not to be proud of!!
  Joel, don't get me wrong my friend, I am sure your parents are wonderful people, but the fact is that they have been snatched away by the bodysnatchers...you cannot blame them really!

  Take care my friend..,

  :*) Richie

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
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  25

  Shunning is worse than the worst crime possible

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have come to the conclusion that the shunning practices of the jw's are in fact worse than the worst crime committed.

  just imagine, your own daughter shunning you, not wanting to see me or her first son (my grandson).

  whenever i walk around in the village i live and i happen to encounter jw's, they don't even acknowledge that i exist at all!!.

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  Richie

  A very precise application of 1 Cor. chapter 5!! Thanks Englishman - it is so clear how the Society has misapplied it to their own benefit by administering the fear factor in all of its members...
  Vita, you were mentioning the fact that the bible indicates that associating with unbelievers is some kind of a sin. Of course in the context of hanging around and socializing with individuals (unbelievers) who are known to be criminals, fornicators, thieves and the like, it is very wise to flee from these persons. However, when one does not have the "truth", of course it has always been awkward to be "close" to Witnesses and their regimented form of life cannot go hand in hand with a non-witness, but those conditions are self-imposed by the Borg and not by the individual who is serving God in his free capacity without being part of the Society.
  So in answer to your question, the Bible's context of not associating with unbelievers would pertain to those who persist in deliberate sins. In that sense I certainly agree with the bible, but in my case and in so many other cases (most of them), the disfellowshipping procedure is so misdirected that it always includes the total disassociation from close family members as well.
  In addition to all that; the only thing I am doing "wrong" is being df'd and not going to meetings anymore, but at the same time I am leading a life free from adultery, thievery, mischief and focus myself in helping others in any way I can... Should my family stay away from me?? This question is self-explanatory in that it doesn't merit any answer because it is so grossly ridiculous and unloving!
  Welcome to the real world where love abounds...

  :*) Richie

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
• 
  3

  serving God for selfish motives

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's always so heartwarming to receive all your answers and comments in this forum which allows me to put things into proper perspective in that i have returned to a sensible life where i can show real unobstructed love and care to my "worldly" friends now instead of those who only love you conditionally.

  if you stay in line with what the borg does and teaches, then all will love you, if not then they'll shun you and the love stops, no matter how long it takes, yes even a lifetime of hurt and shunning.

  what is the society trying to prove - of course i know very well that it's purely a matter of control over you otherwise half of all the witnesses in the world would leave the organization!.

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  Richie

  Forgot to ask: what's your opinion on this?

  :*) Richie

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
• 
  25

  Shunning is worse than the worst crime possible

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have come to the conclusion that the shunning practices of the jw's are in fact worse than the worst crime committed.

  just imagine, your own daughter shunning you, not wanting to see me or her first son (my grandson).

  whenever i walk around in the village i live and i happen to encounter jw's, they don't even acknowledge that i exist at all!!.

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  Richie

  Many thanks for your replies from the heart!
  I understand that we all try to erase the underlying anger we carry, but eventually we have to let go and accept a different life without your close family. For a couple of moments I was so angry that I was contemplating mailing my daughters a funeral card stating that I have now died. I wanted to show them what it means to be non-existent and let them "feel" the pain....
  I am glad I decided not to do that as it would probably have backfired negatively and I probably would have become the laughingstock in the congregation....
  But knowing that I did the right thing by quitting that organization and become free again is worth more than the psychological terror the Borg is trying to heap upon all departing witnesses and myself.
  Yes, the truth will set us all free - free from the shackles of a man-made organization of rules and heavy loads which have oppressed many people from the beginning of time....

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
• 
  3

  serving God for selfish motives

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  it's always so heartwarming to receive all your answers and comments in this forum which allows me to put things into proper perspective in that i have returned to a sensible life where i can show real unobstructed love and care to my "worldly" friends now instead of those who only love you conditionally.

  if you stay in line with what the borg does and teaches, then all will love you, if not then they'll shun you and the love stops, no matter how long it takes, yes even a lifetime of hurt and shunning.

  what is the society trying to prove - of course i know very well that it's purely a matter of control over you otherwise half of all the witnesses in the world would leave the organization!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Richie

  It's always so heartwarming to receive all your answers and comments in this forum which allows me to put things into proper perspective in that I have returned to a sensible life where I can show real unobstructed love and care to my "worldly" friends now instead of those who only love you conditionally. If you stay in line with what the Borg does and teaches, then all will love you, if not then they'll shun you and the love stops, no matter how long it takes, yes even a lifetime of hurt and shunning. What is the Society trying to prove - of course I know very well that it's purely a matter of control over you otherwise half of all the witnesses in the world would leave the organization!
  For those people who are disfellowshipped and come back to the Borg afterwards: they mainly do so because they want to return and be close to their family members again after re-instatement. So would these witnesses go back with an ulterior motive? Yes of course, they mostly do not go back for wanting to serve God again, no they want a "normal" life once more where they can resume their relationship with their close family members by association!
  Suppose the Society would decree that when somebody is df'd you would still be able to associate and have close contact with your family members, but only the congregation would shun you...well in that case I am positive that those who will then to the Borg would do it for the right reason of wanting to serve God. That is one way of showing fairness and balance on the part of the Society by letting honesthearted people decide for themselves whether they want to return to God and serve him or be hypocritical and serve men... Of course the Borg will never agree to such logic..., they are more interested in letting their members remain in darkness in order to further embrace their agenda of manipulation and control...
  How sad and destructive a course!!

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
• 
  25

  Shunning is worse than the worst crime possible

  by Richie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have come to the conclusion that the shunning practices of the jw's are in fact worse than the worst crime committed.

  just imagine, your own daughter shunning you, not wanting to see me or her first son (my grandson).

  whenever i walk around in the village i live and i happen to encounter jw's, they don't even acknowledge that i exist at all!!.

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
• 

  Richie

  I have come to the conclusion that the shunning practices of the JW's are in fact worse than the worst crime committed. Just imagine, your own daughter shunning you, not wanting to see me or her first son (my grandson). Whenever I walk around in the village I live and I happen to encounter JW's, they don't even acknowledge that I exist at all!!
  No, I don't want pity because I am a strong person and I will certainly get over all this in time, I am sure of it. But just the same this practise of shunning is so misplaced and grossly unbiblical!
  Imagine if someone out of free will wants to disassociate him or herself, why in God's name should that person ever be disfellowshipped??? (No biblical reference whatsoever again and again)
  I had lunch with a longstanding friend of mine - he has never been a JW - he told me how sad he was since his 2 daughters moved away from him, one went to California and the other one to London England..Yes I can readily understand his sadness as he loves his children and he wants to be close to them! Then I look at my situation: I have 3 daughters, one of which is my stepdaughter...2 of them are in the "truth", the youngest one is not anymore (although she made it known to me recently that she is thinking of going back!!! - I almost got a heart attack when I heard that). They all live within 10 miles of my house and just the youngest one visits me from time to time.
  Yet the other 2 do not want speak with me let alone see me at all since I was disfellowshipped more than a year ago... How sad that families are torn apart because of this rotten man-made organization which have inundated their members with rules, regulations and decrees on how exactly to live and at the same time pretending to follow bible principles!!
  I know and I swear to this with all my heart that their Organization cannot be from God....The single most powerful reason why they are NOT God's Organization is the very fact that they have NEVER apologized and taken the blame for the many disastrous decisions, predictions and agreements and schemes they have been involved in, the latest being the UN-debacle!!! People who are truly guided by God certainly will not show such a callous attitude as the Governing Body has shown!!! When I look at all the false prophets in that Organization, I think back of all the lost years of faithful service to a silent God, as in reality I served an image...yes, only an image of gigantic proportions, I served an emptiness, yes I served for nothing at all...

  Richie :*)

  You are the music as long as the music last...............
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  26

  HELP - Elders want to talk about Disassociation

  by Steven in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i thought that this was all out of the way when 2 weeks ago my wife & i handed in letters of disassociation.. we have been since then trying to adjust & just when i thought i was getting somewhere - starting to feel normal again - i got a phone call 1hr ago from our presiding overseer saying that they haven't announced it yet & wanted to talk.. he is a very nice guy & i was caught totally unprepared so i put him off - said i would ring back later - 2pm'ish uk time.. now i have that horrible feeling in my stomach again - help!.

  basically, when it comes down to it i don't think we want them to come over - it will open us up too much & i don't want that.. also, though, i want to sort it out; so i am thinking of just chatting to him for a bit on the phone.. i didn't really want to do this since it could knock their faith & also i am not fully ready to argue all of the facts with elders.

  however it looks like i will have to.. anyway when it boils down to it they can argue away all of the facts like the un thing etc.

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  Richie

  Steven,
  As an ex-elder, let me mention to you that when the elders make the announcement in the congregation, it's exactly the same as being disfellowshipped with the resulting burden that you will be shunned for the rest of your life by your "JW-friends". I personally believe that being DA'd is worse in the eyes of the witnesses than being DF'd for immorality, as the latter is a matter of sin of the fallen flesh and they expect that you will be reinstated at some time in the future...However, when you DA yourself, most witnesses correlate this with some kind of apostacy which is considered worse and reinstatement rare... Sorry Steven, I just wanted to bring you to reality as there is absolutely no honorable way out of the witness grasp... But don't despair, you will now be able to think freely as time goes on and you'll acquire many sincere and loyal new friends in the "world" whom you can trust, yet they won't stab you in the back but help you be free as a human should be in all respects!!!

  Take care my friend,

  Richie :*)

  You are the music as long as the music last...............