Posts by Spiral

11

Anxiety

by BourneIdentity in

the first half of the may 2019 jw broadcast focused on anxiety.

for them to devote this much time to this issue is evidence there are many jws suffering from it.

i would assume at least half of the members from my observation over the years.

Spiral

Yes, indeed.

Several of the JWs I still know suffer significant anxiety. By their own admission, they have already found out that praying does not help.

The definition of anxiety is "a worry about future events".

How ironic that Jehovah's happy people, who have the utmost faith that he will protect them from the upcoming events of Armageddon would suffer from ANXIETY.

I'm surprised the GB would even acknowledge that their members suffer from anxiety. To me, this is admitting to an EPIC FAIL on their part.

Meanwhile, the sufferers are crying for help and wondering why their faith doesn't make them feel better.

The "bunker videos" are abusive, looked at from this context.

I was asked a while back by one JW acquaintance how I dealt with anxiety. The question was framed in such a way that I think the person just assumed everyone has anxiety every day. I did not answer completely, because yoga and meditation help keep me on track.... but if this person asks me again (might happen), I will answer correctly.

Beyond sad.

54

CO at assembly in Ohio repeatedly says great tribulation is "only minutes away"

by LevelThePlayingField in

snippets of two talks by co at ca and during his visit to a congregation in ohio.

fear mongering at it's best.

has anyone else heard their co say the same nonsense?.

Spiral

It's been minutes away my whole life.

If they really believed that, and had any ethics, they wouldn't be begging for money on one hand and building very nice (if not "luxurious") digs for the GB and the elite on the other.

Such a scam, so obvious.

26

Any ideas about what the ‘special’ talk is on Memorial Day?

by Bubbles001 in

the family are very excited because there’s a special interruption happening this friday which has supposedly only happened once before when rutherford announced jesus’ ruling in heaven.

requires tuning into jw.org.

meant to be this coming friday before the memorial.

Spiral

Tenacious, I remember that tract. How embarrassing. I remember a lot of people thought it was the "message of judgment" aimed at the world's religions (aka "Babylon the Great" in JW speech). Nothing came of it, of course.

They pull this "special meeting" message stunt occasionally. Just enough to get people excited, but not enough to draw attention/questioning from the rank and file. You have to be at least a bit "out" before you question these events.

1

Medium article mentioning the JW

by thetruelie in

i was reading medium and came across this article, even though the mention is short, i'm wondering how many blogs are posting stuff about the jw.

.

https://medium.com/@abram.oxford/how-much-has-adams-bite-cost-us-7e50ba5e164c.

Spiral

This is an interesting way of explaining the whole idea of inherited sin. I don't think people in general (all religions) ever question the basic idea that, in their view, every human problem devolves around humanity having to pay (over and over again) for Adam and Eve eating a piece of fruit.

21

It doesn’t make Sense

by HappyBlessedFree in

so my husband and i had a long conversation last night about why i no longer believe.

this is our 10th conversation about all the same things which we have been talking about for the last four months.. he says “you have let yourself be deceived”.

i try my best to show him my sincerity in my motives.

Spiral

Because he doesn't really want to. And (sorry, don't mean to be offensive) it might be easier to hide behind you, his wife that doesn't want to go. He is "Eve shaming" you.

I think you should read the article (and share it with him) that thetruelie just posted (look a few posts down in the feed) from an online publication called "Medium". I've always wondered why people buy into that original sin/now we need a sacrifice/meanwhile we all live in shame kind of thinking. This article asks the same question.

But it's a powerful bit a programming that generations of humans have lived by.

40

Holy Spirit - Present or Gone in the Congregations?

by BourneIdentity in

i was doing some reminiscing and remember the days back in the late 80s and early 90s where i truly could say the meetings were so encouraging and that i felt the holy spirit present and operating on all of us.

today when i attend, there is nothing of the sort.

is it because jehovah has withheld it?

Spiral

I believe it was all just group think or group hysteria, whichever was at work with the particular congregational group.

Growing up, we went to two congregations that were like going to a funeral every meeting. We were then transferred to a different congregation that had a great vibe - but that was a reflection of the people themselves.

I've personally been to business meetings that had a great vibe and been more productive than any WT study I've ever attended.

And of course, we've all been to meetings at work that were so boring you lost your will to live.

It's all about the group. I don't believe in God or that "he" has ever had anything to do with it. Look at the International Conventions - those that are "privileged and chosen" (UGH) to go are so happy. Frequently, they've never traveled much before so it is a big, happy event for them, especially because they were "approved" to go. But that doesn't mean there's a supernatural spiritual force at work.

12

Jws don't really have "communities" or "functions" like churches do?

by nowawake14 in

jw
friends

i've noticed how this religion is kind of narrow.

all they ever do is preach, study the watchtower, or their meeting or convention.

no other organized functions that i know of.

Spiral

Truthlover, I haven't seen any real "get-togethers" in years in any of the congregations I've been around.

We were in one congregation around 2000 that did parties including dancing and skits. A new CO came in and put an end to ALL of it. Boom! Worldly! Bad! Stop the fun NOW!

Where I am now, someone will host a pot luck occasionally, but they are drab, solemn affairs. Not even any ball playing for the kids. (That might spark a "competitive spirit" - bad!)

The only other time the congregation gets together is either after a funeral, a wedding, or an anniversary party. The anniversary parties are probably the next thing to get stopped.

But again, these are so boring most JWs don't even want to go. The people who do go comment on how things aren't like they used to be.

I saw an ex-JW the other day (kinda POMI still) who even commented on this, and how boring meetings were, especially for the children. It was like she knew she should go back, but couldn't face going to the boring meetings.

I think this is a big part of the shrinkage being experienced in the US. In some places, where individual JWs have some money, there are groups that do things (including going on cruises together), but as mentioned, you'd have to be in their clique and have the money. For the more humble JWs, there's not much real socializing left.

22

Meanwhile...in Argentina

by OrphanCrow in

jw
friends

http://www.criba.com.ar/en/works/116-asociacion-de-los-testigos-de-jehova.

project detail.

type: special projects.

Spiral

Yep, sounds like an escape plan to me. If it's not needed, it will be worth a lot of money or be a great source of income (because it will be built professionally, and be appropriate for its location).

7

Brief Encounter

by snugglebunny in

jw
friends

the witnesses knocked on my door yesterday.

a married couple, 70's probably, and introduced themselves by giving their first names and stating that they were jehovah's witnesses.. it's 5+ years since we left our old address and moved a few hundred yards away.

no-one visited us back then.

Spiral

"Do you mind if I don't?"

I love it. Do you mind if I use that if they ever come to my door?

108

New Upcoming Changes - No More Publisher Record Cards & Reporting Hours

by thedepressedsoul in

publisher record cards and reporting hours will be going away.

.

coming soon.. made this post 4 years ago, it happened - https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/24020002/kingdom-consolidation-sales-coming-reliable-source.

Spiral

I don't think they would eliminate reporting of field service as we know it (which we all, including them, know is pretty worthless) unless there was a real reason to do so, such as some sort of legal issue. (Wait -- they have many legal issues....) If they have to eliminate it as we know it, I'm sure they'll spin something in its place to keep everyone in line.

Having everyone report online should be pretty easy to launch for them at this point. It might be useful to change the reporting parameters as well, that could cover the shrinking numbers without being too obvious and appear to be an adjustment that accommodates the cart work. (I personally don't trust their numbers, it could be the bOrg is much smaller now than we all know.) It also might make the consolidation of congregations easier, and they might think fading in that situation would be a little harder for people to do.

On the other hand - those of us who have moved around in the last few years might be harder to trace, and can disappear entirely, not a bad thing.

Sadly, I know more than one pioneer sister who would lose their only real status in the congregation if that title was eliminated.

I know if this happens they'll spin this as an urgent adjustment for the time of the end. (Bahhh!) There is so little real change in the bOrg that any change is exciting to the R&F.