Posts by Incognigo Montoya

23

My Bible Study Conductor's Letter to Me

by ohnightdivine in

jw
friends

recently, i wrote a sister, my bible study conductor, an email just telling her that i thought of her, and i thanked her for being a part of some milestones in my life many many years ago.

(for those who are reading my post for the first time, i was a very impressionable teenager at that time and i had the chance to live in their country for a while, spent much time with her, got to know her way of living, and essentially she became my life's mentor.

closer to me than family.

Incognigo Montoya

It's funny, out of all the people in your congregation, you formed a friendship, a very close relationship by your admission, with her. Just because you were her BS (funny how Bible Study shares an acronym with what it truly is...), doesn't guarantee a residual friendship, let alone a close family like connection. Personalities and interests are undoubtedly more important factors, when forming a friendship. This is why any one of us is drawn to another. Even within the congregation, while most everyone perceives and refers to the other congregants as "friends", there are close friendships formed while others are not pursued or even avoided, on the basis of interests and personalities. When it could have been anyone else in the congregation you formed a close bond with, it was her. Her nurturing undoubtedly played a large roll in your connection as well. The description of your connection with her, sounds as if you view her as a mother. There are, however, a great many people who love their parents, but dislike them. They still talk to them, associate with them, respect and love them, despite differences in belief or opinion. So this bond you have with her obviously goes beyond that, especially since she's not biologically related. So, if the close bond, between the two of you, was only formed because of your belief and adherence to Jehovah, and more specifically the JW doctrine, why is it that there isn't this bond between you and any other congregant? Something that she fails to recognize or at least acknowledge. Something the FaDS prefers their sheep to ignore. If your friends and loved ones no longer adhere to our teaching, shun them. Put aside all of the reasons you loved that individual, ignore your natural instinct. Put them out of your mind. Jehovah will provide other friends, sons, daughters, and parents for you...

Sorry you lost your friend. Remember a real friend doesn't hinge their friendship with you on whether you believe what they believe. Some of my closest friends have different belief systems than I do, but we share other interests, and focus on those, allowing philisophical differences to just be. I hope you have friends who accept you for who you are, and continue to cultivate those true friendships, that are not in jeopardy of being severed by a mere difference of opinion, or belief.

16

Why do Jehovah's Witness members incriminate themselves in judicial meeting?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

why do jehovah's witness members incriminate themselves to any judicial process?

how can three elders conduct a judicial meeting with a 15-year-old teenage girl who supposedly was rumored to fornicate, took drugs or was drunk from drinking alcohol?

can she or the parents refuse to answer any questions?.

Incognigo Montoya

When you're taught that Jehovah is the ultimate authority. He sees all, knows all. That he's the sole decision maker when it comes to your everlasting life, and ultimately that's what matters above all else, his view of you trumps anything a secular judge or jury could possibly do to you. I grew up with a healthy respect for authority, judges and such, but they dont make decisions on my soul... I was also raised to be honest in all things, whether it benefitted or hurt me. So, while I would never lie to a judge, and never have, I certainly wouldn't lie or be deceptive to god. The difference between me now, and back when I was a young JW, is I dont believe imperfect men need to mediate my business with God. And frankly, at this point, I am agnostic anyway.

And by the way, you get out of more tickets being honest than you ever will lying about them.

16

Why do Jehovah's Witness members incriminate themselves in judicial meeting?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

why do jehovah's witness members incriminate themselves to any judicial process?

how can three elders conduct a judicial meeting with a 15-year-old teenage girl who supposedly was rumored to fornicate, took drugs or was drunk from drinking alcohol?

can she or the parents refuse to answer any questions?.

Incognigo Montoya

...and especially so if you're going through a difficult time in your life, as you are taught that if you've sinned gravely, Jehovah's spirit is taken from you. Therefore he's no longer protecting or blessing you. A believer will equate the sin they've committed to whatever calamity befalls them, there on out. And this vicious cycle of guilt and shame, compounded by anything that goes wrong in your life, continues to eat at you, until you go to the elders. That's what you're told will happen. That's what you believe will happen. Thats what you'll live. The only way out is to incriminate yourself.

16

Why do Jehovah's Witness members incriminate themselves in judicial meeting?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

why do jehovah's witness members incriminate themselves to any judicial process?

how can three elders conduct a judicial meeting with a 15-year-old teenage girl who supposedly was rumored to fornicate, took drugs or was drunk from drinking alcohol?

can she or the parents refuse to answer any questions?.

Incognigo Montoya

You're not being brought up on criminal charges, you're being brought up on spiritual charges. Sins against God. Lawyers and 5th amendments do not apply. Lol. I think most confess their sin because they feel guilt. Tremendous guilt. We were taught from an early age that the only way to fix this and make it right is to come clean, confess our sin to the elders, and ask for jehovahs forgiveness. But serious sin, as you described above, such as fornication, could only be forgiven through the elder arrangement. We couldnt recieve forgiveness directly from god. So, as painful as it is, many who commit "serious sin" feel a strong urge to confess, there by incriminating themselves. When the sin is repetitively brought up at every meeting, multiple times, from the platform, it creates a great shame within you. And you're constantly admonished that the only true way to a clean conscience, repentance, and forgiveness, is to go to the elders and confess.

Crazy, I know.

Brainwash city.

43

Who would you like to be the next President of USA?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

any takers?.

Incognigo Montoya

Anyone who votes for a woman, or a minority, or anyone else, "because its time", is an idiot. I cant believe the number of times I heard a person say they were voting for Hillary because it was time for a woman to become president. Ludicrous!!!

Look, I would love to see a woman become president. But based on nothing more than her qualifications. I couldn't care less about race, gender, or sexual orientation, as long as the person has the right ideals, proven leadership skills and qualifications to become president. Too many idgets out voting based solely on getting Anever Hadbeen into office, just so they feel like they've (whatever special group they belong to) arrived. Get there based on your abilities and qualifications. Once you get there, if you're a woman, a minority race, or any other specialty group, we can celebrate that for one night. It can go into the record books and the history books. But after that, it's back to work!

43

Who would you like to be the next President of USA?

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

any takers?.

Incognigo Montoya

Ben Shapiro. Dude has all the right ideas. He's not afraid to admit when he's made a mistake, though he doesn't often.

30

Legal concerns about: "picnics"

by Darth FayDehr in

"congregation picnic"2.

"congregation gathering"3.

"spontaneous gathering of jws”.

Incognigo Montoya

If they're so concerned about congregation picnics, what about field service car groups getting into an accident? Or, more to the point, a Jehdophile sitting in a car, alone with someones child, while the others make a return visit? Or a Jehdophile going from door to door?

Perhaps we'll see them do away with d2d activity all together, as it opens the organization up to liabilities, as it's a sanctioned event... 😆right.

To the point, they are setting this policy to cover their asses, as to avoid liability in lawsuits, primarily child abuse suits, where the perpetrator has a good opportunity to nefarious activity. Everyone is having a good time, everyone's guard is down. It's an open, unfamiliar, somewhat chaotic environment, where a person can sneak off for a few minutes, without being missed. Calling it a congregation picnic makes it sound sanctioned.

Unless they make some serious, publicly announced changes, as to reporting any allegations of pedo activity to be investigated by proper authorities, they will continue to be attractive to pedo's looking to exploit their rules and become jws, using their insulary structure to sheild them, and give them opportunities to prey on children. The organisation can create all the policies they wish, in an effort to protect themselves from lawsuits. But until they acknowledge and take appropriate action, it is all gamesmanship on their part. They will continue to see themselves as defendants in civil suits, and in the witness stand (how ironic), being questioned by lawmakers and government officials.

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