Posts by jeremiah18:5-10

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Out Of All TV Shows Over The Years Which Were Your Favorites?

by minimus in

jw
friends

the sopranos was my number one show.

to me it was the best series ever.

for a good laugh, i still enjoy the beverly hillbillies reruns.

jeremiah18:5-10

Great topic!

From oldest to newest

Chips

Moonlighting

Seinfeld

Lost

Breaking Bad

Dexter

The Walking Dead

Better Call Saul

House of Cards

Naked and Afraid

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Witnessing Work to Stop?

by Sea Breeze in

my 87 year old dad called me for the first time in 16 years the other day .... just to chat.

i was floored to say the least since he didn't even bother to call me when my mom died several years ago.

he called again today to inquire how i felt about jehovah's witnesses.

jeremiah18:5-10

A couple of questions come to mind:

1) How did the JW's respond when the Spanish Flu was rampant 1918-19, infecting @500 million people? Did the preaching work stop?

2) If they put their money where their mouth is, why would they be afraid of death anyway? Isn't death a direct ticket to paradise? Not sure I understand why they comply with this but not with governmental orders not to preach in countries under ban...

30

Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

by jeremiah18:5-10 in

i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

jeremiah18:5-10

So I guess it fits with their ironic model of earning undeserved kindness, dressing up somehow makes them deserve undeserved kindness, go figure

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Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

by jeremiah18:5-10 in

i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

jeremiah18:5-10

@hoser- will there be a return to "normal" or is this the new normal like so many other things in life?

30

Do Jw's Dress up in meeting clothes for Zoom meetings?

by jeremiah18:5-10 in

i am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through zoom?

such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc....

jeremiah18:5-10

I am just curious if anyone knows whether the "friends" still are required to wear "meeting clothes" for attending meetings through Zoom? Such emphasis on dressing in a godly manner over the decades, would be interesting if some attend in pajamas or their work clothes, no makeup, etc...

16

Just wondering. . .for those that are Ex-Elders . . .

by HappyBlessedFree in

did your conscience ever bother you when you were counseling/reproving/disfellowshipping ones in the congregation?

did it feel extreme or justified based on your biblical understanding at the time.

also are there any ex-elders here that dealt with child abuse accusations?

jeremiah18:5-10

I served as an elder from age 28-33, looking back, I was woefully underqualified to be determining such things as being DF'd. I felt self conscious in the hearings and looked for reasons NOT to DF rather than reasons TO DF, this was unpopular, and I often relented due to worrying about how the other elders would view me, embarrassing now to think about.

I did serve on one committee regarding alleged child abuse. The accused was maybe 15 and the victim maybe 2 or 3, too young to speak yet. I advised the victims parents to consult authorities as I felt we were unqualified to determine this matter. The committee's focus seemed to be mainly to settle between the families and to not reflect badly on Jehovah. We called the Service department and were advised to handle as discreetly as possible, with sensitivity and to be cautious since no witness to the event. The "evidence" causing concern was the little girl being sensitive in her private area and having redness. The boy had been babysitting the girl. Ultimately he was reproved and told to not be alone with kids. The victim family changed congregations. I cautioned my wife as were parents of 2 young children and were neighbors of the boy. I was unable to warn others, in retrospect, I should have ignored that direction.

Irony, this boy later worked at one of the restaurants I was in charge of and was witness against me for smoking that led to me being DF'D. This was a couple years later after I had been deleted for stated reason of not presiding over my household (my wife had stopped believing and stopped attending and was very bitter over the organization). I had become depressed, desperate, lost, and disillusioned, and sought worldly friendships, this led to drinking and smoking.

Anyway, my two cents on your question.

6

Conversation with my Dad

by jeremiah18:5-10 in

my 73 yo dad called me tonight.

he had just returned from the convention.

he proceeded to tell me he can't believe that a smart and successful man like myself can be so dumb so as not to believe that jws have the truth.

jeremiah18:5-10

My 73 yo dad called me tonight. He had just returned from the Convention. He proceeded to tell me he can't believe that a smart and successful man like myself can be so dumb so as not to believe that JWs have the truth.

I let him talk freely for a while without interruption, he's a lifelong witness and I do not wish to bring his world crashing down at this age.

He did however end up opening a door a had to go through. He asked how can I read the Bible and not believe in the earthly hope and what JW's teach. I said, "I don't wish to debate you or to insult you, but my answer is very simple. I started reading the Bible without assumption of truth. I don't read it to support the WT, the WT should support the Bible. That changes everything". Awkward silence, then I decided to bring the call to an end by telling him I'm grateful that he cares and that he shared his convictions. I told him I respect his beliefs and right to believe and that I have never and would never call him dumb for doing so.

Overall, it was nice to hear from him, he made me chuckle with his cult reasoning, but I simply can't unlearn what I now know about this organization. I had to share this with someone, people who can relate. Thanks for any feedback.

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