Posts by Xanthippe

100

Is it Time to Declare that The Great Tribulation Has Started ?

by OnTheWayOut in

i don't really engage in doctrinal discussions about jw's anymore.

they seem to say some pretty crazy stuff.

but i have read some threads discussing doctrinal changes and how watchtower is really out of ideas and money at the same time.

Xanthippe

Yes I said on another thread they are going to say soon the GT has started and blame all their money worries and persecution on fulfilment of this prophecy. I said :-

I think they have reached critical mass with donations and income from real estate. They don't need any more recruits so they don't care what the outside world thinks. They are intent on keeping 'awake' ex-JWs out by shunning adult children who rebel against the cult; young people who realise they are gay, and members who leave because they know intellectually it's all rubbish.

The bunker mentality they are developing in people is, I think, to turn all the negative publicity such as the ARC, the Charities Commission investigation in the UK and child abuse court cases in the U.S. into 'persecution' and fit it into Bible prophecy as the start of the great tribulation. They could drag out this great tribulation for many years.

17

Is JW.org being played?

by jw07 in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wackkicmf4k.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b5lsyndc1me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fnk52bu92oe.

Xanthippe

I think they have reached critical mass with donations and income from real estate. They don't need any more recruits so they don't care what the outside world thinks. They are intent on keeping 'awake' ex-JWs out by shunning adult children who rebel against the cult; young people who realise they are gay, and members who leave because they know intellectually it's all rubbish.

The bunker mentality they are developing in people is, I think, to turn all the negative publicity such as the ARC, the Charities Commission investigation in the UK and child abuse court cases in the U.S. into 'persecution' and fit it into Bible prophecy as the start of the great tribulation. They could drag out this great tribulation for many years.

42

"Just don't overthink the truth"

by stuckinarut2 in

jw
friends

so after almost a year of complete inactivity and non attendance, i ran into a nice brother from the local congregation.. after some nice chit-chat, he says "we really miss you and your family...etc...you were always the kind and supportive one, the approachable and encouraging one in the congregation.

your absence has confused so many".

i thanked him and said "oh no, no individual has stumbled us.

Xanthippe

It's not always comfortable being a thinker. It's easier to follow the crowd but as we all know seven million people can be wrong. Trusting yourself and the knowledge you've gained through doing some deep thinking will set you up for life but it doesn't always make you popular.

20

Which Public Talks did you enjoy giving/hearing? And which ones did you dislike giving or hearing?

by humblepotato in

jw
friends

i was just going through some of my talk outlines and i've decided to git rid of quite a few of them.

i'm still serving, but as time goes on... there are many subjects i will not teach anymore.. i got rid of the outlines dealing with blood, the field ministry, and ones talking about 607 and 1914. i can barely stand hearing them let alone give them.

in fact, talk 41 "stand still and see the salvation of jehovah" is one i got rid of because its whole point was about having blind obedience toward the gb and the elders during the great tribulation, and that we need to start practicing obedience now if we want to survive.

Xanthippe

I hated the ones about marriage and the family. Men going on about how emotional women were and making allowances for their vicissitudes, the dear little things, yuck.

50

Does the governing body know what they are doing?

by Gefangene in

what do you guys think?.

are they only some uber religious zealots or do they pursue hidden agendas beyond religiosity?.

Xanthippe

The GB know if they say it's all bullshit they lose their homes, their daily food, their families, friends, social status, prestige, foreign travel ...... their cognitive dissonance must be intense. They're blocking out so many parts of their brain it's a wonder they don't sound totally ridiculous ....oh wait

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

Xanthippe

any discussion of topics that touch on religion in any way is of course valid. In fact, we have subject areas for most things totally unrelated to religion so anything goes

Thanks for clarifying that Simon.

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

Xanthippe

I was disagreeing with your point that the purpose of this forum is to discuss religion. The purpose is support, friendship and tolerance for exJWs, no matter where they are in their journey since leaving the cult, according to Simon's intro.

147

Challenge to Creationists

by cofty in

in response to the 37 threads in my evolution is a fact series - see bottom of op for links - perry posted a link to an article "44 reasons why evolution isn't true".. i offered him a challenge on the thread and by pm.

predictably he is totally ignoring it, so i am offering the challenge to any evolution-denier who thinks they have evidence to support their position.. please present one specific piece of evidence for creationism.. my task will be to refute it with evidence within 24 hours.. then i will present one piece of evidence for evolution and your challenge will be the same.. all posts must be as succinct as reasonably possible.

entirely in your own words, without copy-paste, videos or links.. please post your interest to take part and we will set it up before the first actual post in the exchange.

Xanthippe

This is a religious discussion forum

Well not quite, according to Simon anyway. It's mainly about support, friendship and tolerance, sharing information and feeling free to ask questions.

'we're an independent community site offering support for both current and former Jehovah's Witnesses and anyone else who has been affected by the beliefs, doctrines and practices of the Jehovah's Witness religion as governed by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (WTB&TS).

We are not affiliated with the WTB&TS in any way and we take your privacy and security veryseriously doing our utmost to protect your identity and provide a friendly, tolerant and informative environment where you can ask questions, share information and make new friends. Membership is completely free and anonymous so why not join today!'

27

Embracing, Not Running From, My Repressive JW Heritage, Finding A Few Things Worth Salvaging

by TMS in

yes, we could have been born in an alley in calcutta or with the physical deformities associated with thalidomide.

instead, we were born into or introduced to a repressive, american, religious cult, that shielded us from the warmongering game of chess, the militaristic boy scouts, fornication-inducing sock hops, the twist, as well as the hokey pokey.

we heeded the warnings, avoiding the greedy self-worship associated with masturbation, decadent rock 'n roll and anything preceded by the word "extra-curricular.".

Xanthippe

I learned that it wasn't a rhythmic scanning of the audience, but speaking to one person for a moment or two, then moving on to another and another.

This is a totally male perspective. I was not allowed to talk to the audience- ' I do not permit a woman to teach '.

You have SOMETHING in common with everyone else on planet earth

I agree with this. We all have more similarities than differences, but the WTS don't really believe this. Finding common ground is simply a strategy to lure people into the cult. They think the world is filled with evil, not ordinary humans just trying to live a happy life as best they can.

Yes I agree we could have been born physically disabled or terribly poor in a developing country. There are so many ways to have a very difficult start in life. Very true. Bellyaching about a cult upbringing instead of moving forward is pointless.

27

Old Relative Not Happy About Push To Use Ipads Etc

by disillusioned 2 in

i was in a close relatives house yesterday and she was having angry and resentful at the push to use electronic devices at the meetings.

she was talking to another relative of mine who has just got an ipad to use.

this relative of mine is very elderly and obviously prefers to use her bible and other books.

Xanthippe

They would still reduce costs for printing, but it's like they need a black or white pronouncement: print is bad, electronic is good. - GreatTeacher

Print is old light. Paper comes from trees and we know what happened when a certain scantily clad couple got too near a tree. Tools of Satan trees are.