Posts by Maria Nieves

64

Havent gone to the kingdom hall in ten years but may have to go back...

by Joliette in

made a big mistake of talking about being raised as a jehovah's witness to some old friends and family.

people have told me that i am still a jws even though i've never been baptized.

i'm in school for social services, dealing with student loan debt, and a lot of other debt.

Maria Nieves

It sounds like you are grieving something that you feel that you have lost and I am not sure that you will find the healing that you are seeking at a congregation.
Being a Jehovah Witness is not easy if you don’t believe what is being presented to you. I was able to remain a study for as long as I did because I believed what was being presented to me. As soon as I started having doubts, it was no longer easy to study and I started looking for a way out.
The help of a good therapist might help you cope with what you are currently going through. I am not sure that being baptized is the answer and if you decide to go that route, you might end up making your current situation worse.

64

Havent gone to the kingdom hall in ten years but may have to go back...

by Joliette in

made a big mistake of talking about being raised as a jehovah's witness to some old friends and family.

people have told me that i am still a jws even though i've never been baptized.

i'm in school for social services, dealing with student loan debt, and a lot of other debt.

Maria Nieves

You are human and bound to make mistakes. What do you think will happen if you become baptized and sin?
I was a study and began to have doubts about the religion as I continued to grow in my studies. Well, one day, I sinned and it was not sexual. I felt really bad about the sin and it weighed heavy on my conscious and I could not bare it. As a result, I told my study conductor of my sin and I was demeaned, berated, belittled and insulted by her. I questioned myself as to why she felt that she had a right to speak to me in such a manner? I also questioned myself as to where her anger was stemmed from? After all, my sin had nothing to do with her. I thought that I was going to get shunned by her and the congregation but I wasn’t and I wondered why? I quickly learned that in the Jehovah Witness religion, you really can not be yourself.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@Longhairgal,

My previous Bible Study Conductor began a Bible Study with an elderly woman whose adult daughter was battling cancer. I believe that the lady found comfort in having someone who she could speak with regarding her grief. Her daughter soon passed after the Bible Study began and the lady continued engaged in Bible Study for many years until she herself passed. The lady never got baptized and never visited a Kingdom Hall. I believe that she never had any intention of becoming baptized.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@stan livedeath,

I think that many Jehovah Witnesses know that the elderly Bible Study Student who is studying with them will never become baptized.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@Longlivetherenegades,

It’s interesting because Jehovah Witnesses speak of themselves as being so righteous. They state that lying is a sin and that a white lie is still a lie. Isn’t it a white lie to tell a future Bible Study Student that they can engage in Bible Study without being pressured to become baptized?

82

Prediction: What Will Happen To Trump Now That Biden Will Be President?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i think he will have to deal with the attorney general of new york amongst other things.

i do think he will not simply go away quietly ..

Maria Nieves

@Pistolpete,

That was hilarious. I was not expecting to see that.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@Longlivetherenegades,

What Jehovah Witnesses say amongst themselves and what they say to their Bible Study Students when beginning Bible Study is very contradictory. I am sure that if Jehovah Witnesses were to tell their future Bible Study Students that before they begin Bible Study, the goal is for them to be baptized, many future students would not agree to the study.

@Biahi, it amazes me that someone would be shunned for not continuing with Bible Study. After all, people have a right to not continue with the study. Furthermore, Bible Study Students are not Jehovah Witnesses so what is the logic in shunning them for not continuing with the study?

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@Overrated,

I remember that. When the pandemic began, the belief was that we were living in the end times and there was an attempt to get those who were disfellowshipped or faded to return to Jehovah.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@mickbobcat,

I never pioneered. Therefore, I don’t know if there is a demand for a study. However, I did notice that approximately two years ago, the congregation that I used to attend was teaching on ending unproductive Bible studies. There was a video that was shown. Now, they have returned to discussing ending unproductive Bible studies.

33

Are Jehovah Witness willing to end studies?

by Maria Nieves in

https://www.jw.org/en/library/magazines/watchtower-study-october-2020/how-to-conduct-a-bible-study-that-leads-to-baptism-part-two/.

i recently came across the above watchtower article which spoke about conducting bible studies which lead to baptism.

it progressed to say that if the bible study instructor does not see growth within the student or the desire to work towards baptism, then the studies should end.

Maria Nieves

@Longlivetherenegades,

I am no longer a study. However, when Bible study was first offered to me, what I was told was that I could study without pressure. It wasn’t up until I progressed in my study that I came to realize that the goal was for me to become baptized. By the time I reached that realization, I was already having doubts about the religion.