Posts by Lost in the fog

7

Christmas Trees.

by Lost in the fog in

we are all very familiar with the fact that jws do not celebrate xmas.

we probably used the same speech as we had been told from the platform that since xmas had its roots in paganism everything associated with it was a big no-no.

xmas trees, definitely a no-no!

We are all very familiar with the fact that JWs do not celebrate Xmas. We probably used the same speech as we had been told from the platform that since Xmas had its roots in paganism everything associated with it was a big no-no.

Xmas trees, definitely a no-no! However I was talking to a new friend of mine who attends a Baptist Church and it was enlightening to get his take on the subject.

Here's a link that he sent me. See what you think of it. It is quite a balanced approach.

https://answersingenesis.org/holidays/christmas/do-christmas-trees-have-pagan-roots/

33

Besides Everlasting Life What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Offer To Anyone?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i have been thinking... why would anyone want to join the religion or actually stay in the organization.

i understand that people don’t want to lose their loving family and dear friends so some stay in.

but what does anyone really ever get because they are jehovah’s witnesses??.

Lost in the fog

We used to have a circuit overseer who had a phrase he used over and over again. "In the world it is get now but pay later. In the truth it is pay now (with our time, goods, finances, energy, youth, etc) and get later."

Promises, promises.

4

Fast and Furious Actor, ex-JW.

by Lost in the fog in

luke evans still finds birthdays ‘weird’ after being a jehovah’s witness.

.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/13/luke-evans-still-finds-birthdays-and-christmas-weird-after-being-a-jehovahs-witness-for-16-years-11097283/.

Lost in the fog

Luke Evans still finds birthdays ‘weird’ after being a Jehovah’s Witness.

https://metro.co.uk/2019/11/13/luke-evans-still-finds-birthdays-and-christmas-weird-after-being-a-jehovahs-witness-for-16-years-11097283/

24

I got a Sympathy Card in the mail

by Butterfly607 in

i haven’t been to a meeting in months.

just got a sympathy card in the mail from a “sister”.

i don’t know her beyond her face.

Lost in the fog

We used to have a brother in our congregation who suffered from a serious mental health issue. He was well intentioned and if he heard a talk from the platform about sympathising with the brothers and sisters who were not well he was genuinely concerned and moved to action.

The only trouble was he would buy Sympathy cards to send... as in the cards you buy offering sympathy following a death. You can imagine how freaked out some of the recipients were getting those in their mailbox!!

The elders took him aside and instead of acknowledging his good intentions and suggesting that he buy Thinking of You cards instead, they read him the full riot act and put restrictions on him. He tried to kill himself, and ended up in hospital. When he was well, he was then chastised for trying to kill himself.

In the end, he left the religion. I don't blame him. But I always think about him because he was treated badly especially in view of his emotional state by power hungry men.

16

are the witnesses now considered "clergy " ?

by lancelink in

years ago when i was a jw, one of their cornerstone teachings was that they were nothing like babylon the great.

i remember being taught that the witnesses not using any type of clergy class distinction was proof that they had the right religion.. well, recently we had this article in the local paper, and an elder who was no doubt the presiding overseer tried to use the clergy class excuse to get out of answering questions regarding a child abuse case.

here is the statement that really got to me.

Lost in the fog

I know that you can choose to opt out of doing jury duty in the UK if you are a minister of religion.

So brothers and sisters were stating on their application form that they were so they could get out of doing it. Then the WT Branch sent out a letter saying that only congregation elders could use this cop out clause.

So the irony is that on the one hand every witness is told during the baptism talk "today you are qualified as ministers of God" they aren't allowed to say so in any secular setting until they have qualified as an elder.

Elders can choose to use their rights as a Minister of Religion to not be on a jury, BUT it is a conscience matter. The brother who is the coordinator of the congregation I used to be in, was twice on jury duty. He told us about one case which was a murder with his words "but we nailed the bastard!" I reckon you can all guess what he is like on judicial committees as well...

1

It isn't only the witnesses.

by Lost in the fog in

at last we have a statement that it's not all about the jws because to listen to them you would think that it was.

u.s. commission on international religious freedom database lists religious prisoners across globe - washington times.

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/6/us-commission-on-international-religious-freedom-d/ .

Lost in the fog

At last we have a statement that it's not all about the JWs because to listen to them you would think that it was.

U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom database lists religious prisoners across globe - Washington Times

https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2019/nov/6/us-commission-on-international-religious-freedom-d/

41

Creepy display

by neat blue dog in

.

i dunno about you, but if i walked up to this display at an expo i'd be a little creeped out..

Lost in the fog

We saw a similar creepy photograph recently. Talk about fixed denture smiles, although the girl 3rd from the left is definitely having to force her smile.

A friend said that they looked like 5 aliens, adding "Are they really tracts in their hands and not stun guns!" Lol.

23

Did You Ever Get Hit On By An Elder?

by minimus in

jw
friends

the organization stresses to elders to be careful with members of the opposite sex.

never be alone with a sister whether it be in field service or paying a visit by means of a shepherding call.

do you know of any elders that flirted or were overly “touchy” with females?

Lost in the fog

I used to find it hilarious that older elders would hand out this advice to younger elders, but had no problem giving lifts to an entire car party of sisters. Who knew whether the last one was dropped off at the roadside or inside.

And for the ministry we had one Service Overseer who would only work with teenager sisters, putting a helpful arm around their "shoulders" to steady them at the door. Mind you it caused several to stop going out on the work, and a couple to leave the religion entirely. But when it was raised at an elders meeting, all his cronies had a holier than thou attitude and how dare you impune this fine upstanding older man....

Excuse me while I go outside and throw up.

12

Update/Change In OD Coming Soon

by mr_doubtful in

there will be an update/change in the od book coming soon.

i have it on good word that this change in the od book has already been pushed out & notified to the “higher ups”.

newwww light!.

Lost in the fog

I don't think most witnesses read any of the books now that they are online. It's not like having a real book.

It used to be that when you qualified as an unbaptised publisher you were given the OD book as if it was a golden key to baptism.

It doesn't hold the same excitement to say OK you qualify and you can download this book if you haven't already done so but please be aware that if you download all the books you need to study you'll have no gigs left on your device.

4

Not official representatives?

by Lost in the fog in

just copying this article from a us newspaper website.

it was the section of the article that said, ".

when a reporter asks about jehovah's witness beliefs, a church elder refers her to the website jw.org, explaining that the quinoneses and wellses aren't official church spokespersons.".

Lost in the fog

Just copying this article from a US newspaper website. It was the section of the article that said, "

When a reporter asks about Jehovah's Witness beliefs, a church elder refers her to the website jw.org, explaining that the Quinoneses and Wellses aren't official church spokespersons."

So despite the fact that they were baptised as MINISTERS and are REPRESENTING Jehovah and ADVERTISING the Kingdom from door to door, they are NOT actually spokespeople for the (church) congregation.

Makes you wonder why they bother going out!

Making a 1.5 minute heavenly pitch - Laredo Morning Times.

https://www.lmtonline.com/local/article/Making-a-1-5-minute-heavenly-pitch-14803641.php