a pet peeve of mine is that there are numerous christian denominations (other faiths with their 'holy' books too), all claim that their interpretation of their 'holy' book is the correct interpretation.
my conclusion is that either their god is a very poor communicator or simply doesn't exist.. i used to believe all this stuff when i was a jobo and later a church going christian.
i simply cannot, in all honesty subscribe to it all any more.
I always wondered why people wanted to worship a God that made everything so hard, and tested them constantly (for his own amusement?). If God were really a God of truth and fairness, he'd make the truth easy to determine for everyone.
After I really woke up, I realized at heart I am an atheist. None of this God stuff throughout history makes any sense to me.
i have an uneasy feeling inside that something is coming this year or the next.
perhaps a new big announcement that turns jwdom on it's head.. we've seen the statement in the watchtower november 15th, 2013 which said:.
watchtower november 15th, 2013 - page 20, paragraph 17.. .
I have been thinking that they are going to have to tithe as well. Setting everyone up with an account online so they can contribute directly (and NOT anonymously, records can now be kept) and bypassing the local congregations.
Consolidation of halls and making people drive miles away looks good on paper, but I am certain that, where I am, no one will do that long term. The congregation here is so reduced (and poor) but the hall is pretty new and in a great location, so I can see them thinking that they will sell this hall and make everyone drive 30 miles to the next town, which has an older hall not in a good area, not very valuable at all, also with an older, reduced congregation. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
i think i read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in".
is that true?.
i just realized that mr. spiral and i haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years.
Hi All,
Thank you for all the responses. I'm not too worried about the few here that still know me from years ago, they don't seem to care one way or the other. They don't come check on my Mom either. That's sad but she doesn't seem to notice. They have their own problems that keep them busy.
Mr. Spiral and I have moved around a lot, so the record of our existence in the bOrg might be gone. Funny thing is, you would think the super spiritual relatives would want to help us see the error of our ways, but they do not. One in particular was the aggressive by-the-book type, so I thought that he might try to get local brothers to come and "help" (read: bother) me. I am surprised, but not unhappy. But given how he used to be (as mentioned above, the bully type) I thought there might be some sort of rule in the secret elder book that comes into play.
i think i read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in".
is that true?.
i just realized that mr. spiral and i haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years.
I think I read somewhere that if you have been inactive for ten years plus, the elders will not try to meet with you and corner you to get you back "in". Is that true?
I just realized that Mr. Spiral and I haven't gone to meetings or reported time for over ten years. Recently some uber dub relatives have made some friendly overtures. We are not sure what to think (or if we even care, but that's another story). Hoping that some of the former elders here can comment? Is that why no one is trying to "shepherd" us (ugh, hate that term)?
Thanks for any info you have,
Spiral
just read this over on jw talk:.
will we be willing to leave unbelieving mates and unresponsive kids behind when given direction on what to do???
what about grandkids who fall under their parents who are not witnesses???
So I am guessing whoever wrote this is getting the "go" bag ready and waiting to be told to run to a bunker.
There was a bit of talk about this recently where I am...... but it's a problem, because no one has a bunker. Just sayin'.
If the local JWs leave their ex-JW family members here they'll starve. No one to take care of them or loan them a car to "go" in.
Perhaps something was said lately at a meeting, IDK. Seems like the bOrg stirs this pot every few months to keep everyone on their toes. The extra cultish ones get all excited.
i'm noticing what seems to be a higher incidence of the above among the local jws than in the "general" (read: worldly) population.
i don't say this lightly, my wanderings around the fringes of jw society locally is revealing an alarming trend here.
the poverty doesn't help (there are good jobs, but you need a degree or qualifications to get one).. anyone else see this?
I think a couple of my JW friends are just hanging on because of the resurrection hope. Having a hard time functioning day to day but can't let go of being a JW because of wanting to see deceased parents or spouse in the "new order". Living in dread of Armageddon yet hoping for it.
Sad.....
i'm noticing what seems to be a higher incidence of the above among the local jws than in the "general" (read: worldly) population.
i don't say this lightly, my wanderings around the fringes of jw society locally is revealing an alarming trend here.
the poverty doesn't help (there are good jobs, but you need a degree or qualifications to get one).. anyone else see this?
Hi All,
The suffering that people go through to stay in this religion! And if that's not bad enough, they are conditioned to feel worse when they even think about leaving.
Sail Away - the subject of giving talks and speaking came up the other day. I just said (here's a new thought!) that I didn't see the purpose of it so therefore hadn't given a talk in years. Since everything is set out before you give the "talk", there's really no point, is there? Why make anyone do that, if they aren't comfortable with doing it? Practicing a sham type of "public speaking" isn't something I need to do. Now THAT was a conversation stopper.
Lost in the Fog - thank you for the link, reading the article now. I hadn't thought about that aspect as yet.
Pale Emperor - the porn cure! Absolutely brilliant.
But here's the thing about this congregation, they obviously are off the anxiety charts, and by now it's so bad that several of them (including two elders) live in houses that are just falling down, dirty and cluttered inside and out. One is so bad it could be on a TV show. So, even the effort to control the anxiety by constant cleaning, which I have seen before in sisters I knew, is just gone.
Having all this anxiety and trauma, and then denying it by saying you are happy and relying on Jehovah, is just excruciating.
i'm noticing what seems to be a higher incidence of the above among the local jws than in the "general" (read: worldly) population.
i don't say this lightly, my wanderings around the fringes of jw society locally is revealing an alarming trend here.
the poverty doesn't help (there are good jobs, but you need a degree or qualifications to get one).. anyone else see this?
@Giordono, yes, expectation (hope) postponed makes the heart sick (I think that's in the Bible somewhere). False hope is just cruel. It feels like watching a train wreck in slow motion.
i'm noticing what seems to be a higher incidence of the above among the local jws than in the "general" (read: worldly) population.
i don't say this lightly, my wanderings around the fringes of jw society locally is revealing an alarming trend here.
the poverty doesn't help (there are good jobs, but you need a degree or qualifications to get one).. anyone else see this?
@JaniceA: Exactly! When I was in being a good housewife and being neat were paramount. But I've noticed lately that has really broken down where I am (Mom's congregation). So the hoarding just seems to be a huge red flag.
Anxiety was prevalent in the congregation, but now more than ever.
I'm thinking things are breaking down from the inside out, and finally the cracks are showing.
so let me get this straight, emphasis on cart witnessing and jw.org website with their flashy videos and such has brought in about 680 new publishers in the united states?
out of which 600 are probably children?!
well that certainly speaks for itself!
Yes. Most watching the website for the first time would probably be turned off. I certainly would/am. As for the cart witnessing, it's a real non-starter.
