Posts by CitizenofEarth

for the past 1 year (more like 1.5 years) i have been quietly fading out of the hypocrisy of this organization, but since i still live in the town i grew up in it has been hard, and filled with different challenges.

CitizenofEarth

Hello there

Maybe some of you remember me, maybe not.

For general information i am now 19 years old, and living by myself. For the past 1 year (more like 1.5 years) i have been quietly fading out of the hypocrisy of this organization, but since i still live in the town i grew up in it has been hard, and filled with different challenges. Nonetheless i have been very successful up until last Sunday, where my silent and almost anonymous lifestyle fell apart. I have had two friends since childhood, who i consider my "brothers from another mother", and i would go through hell and worse for them. This feeling is reciprocated. However, they were both disfellowshipped last year - one for having a girlfriend, and the other for french-kissing a girl at a party. I have never had anything going for me in relation to girls, mostly because of my silent persona, and a weird conscience from still present jw mentality. Nonetheless, i chose to ignore them being disfellowshipped, since i would never abandon my friends, and use my friendship against them as a weapon, in order to make them live another lifestyle. I find that kind of behavior abhorrent, hence me completely ignoring them being disfellowshipped. All of us three spent our last vacation with each other in another town far from where i live (the vacation lasting from christmas to after new years), at one of my friends apartment. However, it would seem that some jw's have been stalking us, since it did not even take two days before i got home, to me being chased down by elders in several ways. Calls, my door and them going through my parents to reach me. I have ignored them for over a year with sucess, but since they involved my parents, i decided to show them a minor amount of respect and meet them at a public space (library), where they could explain what they wanted from me. They then told me how i was spotted with two disfellowshipped in another town over 130 km away. Interesting talk ensued, but i basically said that i would not bow under for peer pressure and use my friendship as a weapon against them, and furthermore i would never abandon my true friends. They explained how i was a bad example and a bad influence on the local congregation, whereafter i asked: "How can i be anything to people i havent seen or heard from in over a year?". No comments from their side. Further talking ensued, but my firm stance resulted in them saying that i would get disfellowshipped - they thought this "bomb" would scare me, but my response to this was firm and fast. I will not bow under from this peer pressure and throw my friends away just because they dont live exactly the way i live. This made them rather mad, as they they now see me as hypocritical and without remorse. But i know they have looked for an excuse to disfellowship me for a long time, but since i have been living a clean and silent life they have had nothing on me. This next sunday i will be called into the star chamber, which is why i write this to you guys. Do you have any suggestions for points i could bring forth under the judicial meeting. I know i will get disfellowshipped, but i wont go silent out, and i plan to record it for my family to hear. If i could bring up some valid points i could make show some willing souls what really goes on in there.

81

Gerrit Losch Claims JW's Attending College Are Spiritually Weak

by pale.emperor in

https://www.facebook.com/jw.0027/videos/799049613609936/.

the video was posted directly to a pro-jw facebook page.

i cant believe what i'm hearing... actually, nothing surprises be about this cult anymore.. didn't they say to the judge in the arc that they dont discourage college?.

CitizenofEarth

Is there any way i can prove the translation in a way that a witness would accept it. Fx. from witness sources?

12

The Biblical reasoning behind a judicial comitee?

by CitizenofEarth in

i was wondering today what i would say if i ever were to be called to a judicial trial in the congregation, and my conclusion was that i didn't really have any biblical defense against it.

so i was wondering what you guys would recommend.

it seems far fetched to me that the bible condones a 1 vs 3 biased trial (where you already have been judged beforehand), instead of one where you have a unbiased judge, a defense and a prosecutor/accuser.

CitizenofEarth

Hello there.

I was wondering today what i would say if i ever were to be called to a judicial trial in the congregation, and my conclusion was that i didn't really have any biblical defense against it. So i was wondering what you guys would recommend. It seems far fetched to me that the Bible condones a 1 vs 3 biased trial (where you already have been judged beforehand), instead of one where you have a unbiased judge, a defense and a prosecutor/accuser. It doesn't add up with fx. the two-witness rule, because where are those witnesses in such a trial.

Lots of confusion about it, and i know some of you know more, and have even tried being judged. Any recommendations appreciated, especially if some of you could show the Bibles perspective - doesn't matter if the Bible is right or wrong. But the Bible would be the only defense i would have in such a situation.

Greetings

Me

18

Forcing a meaning?

by CitizenofEarth in

i was looking for the word that jwfacts.com used for "forcing a meaning" into ex.

a scripture.

fx.

CitizenofEarth

Thanks to you all. Eisegesis was exactly the word i was looking for.

33

Study with an Elder - propose a question.

by CitizenofEarth in

hello there.. as some of you might remember i am keeping my facade up by "studying" with an elder.

this study however is more of a session where i put hard questions about the org, doctrine and so on, on the table.

the time has come for the next session in a couple of days, and i have quite frankly lost the will to keep digging up things that just shouldn't be happening.

CitizenofEarth

Steve2 - His intentions are praiseworthy, as he considers me his brother and refuses to abandon me. I wouldn’t say the feelings are reciprocated, but I do consider him my friend, as he has helped me when I was younger and needed to get to the meetings. Now I haven’t been to the meetings for almost a year, only once or twice as far as I can recall. The questions I have raised have been some of the heavy ones from jw.facts, and the one with the kangaroos and Noah’s ark, but alas... To no avail. I will not go into a lengthy argument with him, since he is experienced in life, whereas I am only 18 years old. My age is on this point not to my benefit, as my lack of skill in the field of argumentation haven’t been used for more than.. well... A year. Yes – he has read CoC and many others, and have still somehow managed to keep his current mindset. To clarify - he is not a defender of the GB’s actions, but he is a defender of their claim to be the faithful and discreet slave.

I am putting myself through this because it keeps the questioners away. This is the minimal I can do, while keeping my parents. If my parents were forced to shun me it would destroy them completely – why? Well… that is something I can’t share here. I moved out on my own about 40 days ago, still have one more year in my hometown before I move on to further my education, so I am not so inclined to create havoc in my life atm. I do not have a girlfriend, but I do have a friend who is a girl, as I mentioned before in the context of what my daily life interest are - Which was misunderstood as girlfriend (maybe in the future… who am I to know).

My quest is not to win over the Elder, that would be his own choice. He is the strongest and most devout witness in this part of my country, so if he “fell” there would be a small revolution – I do not intend to be a part of a revolution unless they target my life, or the ones I hold dear.

33

Study with an Elder - propose a question.

by CitizenofEarth in

hello there.. as some of you might remember i am keeping my facade up by "studying" with an elder.

this study however is more of a session where i put hard questions about the org, doctrine and so on, on the table.

the time has come for the next session in a couple of days, and i have quite frankly lost the will to keep digging up things that just shouldn't be happening.

CitizenofEarth

Steve2 - One study every second week for almost one year now. The studies have gone nowhere in the grand sheme of things, as i find the explanations given to me lacking, or biased. Other discussions have been interesting – but that was only when we moved into philosophical questions about life.

As an example for what i find lacking and biased. The explanation for carbon dating which didnt align with the Orgs beliefs was that the water canopy consisted of water vapor/frozen water - and since water is a good protector against radiation, carbon dating was not to be trusted when looking at subjects like archeology.

Allright, i will adhere to your advice next time i bring this up – which wont be long. Thank you.

33

Study with an Elder - propose a question.

by CitizenofEarth in

hello there.. as some of you might remember i am keeping my facade up by "studying" with an elder.

this study however is more of a session where i put hard questions about the org, doctrine and so on, on the table.

the time has come for the next session in a couple of days, and i have quite frankly lost the will to keep digging up things that just shouldn't be happening.

CitizenofEarth

Thank you guys for all those insights. Yes, you are right Jo-Ho, the credit should go to the Author, so thanks to him/her.

OneEyedJoe. Well no it was not exactly what i meant with that one girl. Nonetheless, it could very well be that the scenario you describe would unfold in the future. However, i myself find that unlikely given the situation we are in - but i will bide my time and finish my education, which is of paramount importance to me, and then take it from there.

I do not believe you should feel silly. I appreciate the advice, and would appreciate it anytime it would present itself. Thank you.

33

Study with an Elder - propose a question.

by CitizenofEarth in

hello there.. as some of you might remember i am keeping my facade up by "studying" with an elder.

this study however is more of a session where i put hard questions about the org, doctrine and so on, on the table.

the time has come for the next session in a couple of days, and i have quite frankly lost the will to keep digging up things that just shouldn't be happening.

CitizenofEarth

Thank you Wake Me Up Before You Jo-Ho. I did not know anything about nr. 8 and 9, so those will be very, very, useful!