Posts by john.prestor

19

Introducing myself

by Leopold theseconed in

i have been introduced to this site by my new friends that are helping me navigate through the reality of waking up and finding out that i have been lied to my whole life.

i grew up in the truth and have given over thirty years to this organization and the few years i wasn’t there my mind was certainly trapped.

the more i think about it i am really not that surprised there was a lot along the way that should have woken me up but it took till recently.

Scriptural Understanding

by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

can all explain what you understand from this verse/how it does or does not connect with the ministry that jdubs do?.

"let us hold fast the public declaration" - hebrews 10:23a nwt.

means "go door to door".

john.prestor

Ultimate axiom, I don't follow. Why do you read it that way? It could mean the initial 'public declaration' made by the apostles, the author refers to that somewhere else.

12

Scriptural Understanding

by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

can all explain what you understand from this verse/how it does or does not connect with the ministry that jdubs do?.

"let us hold fast the public declaration" - hebrews 10:23a nwt.

means "go door to door".

john.prestor

A public declaration can mean a sermon in a church, why would your mind jump to door to door?

14

Who Really Controls the Governing Body

by LevelThePlayingField in

since we neither can handle a challenge to god's power nor change the actual processes he has in place for the salvation of men, we will influence the men at our disposal.

we will use these men to formulate a religion and establish doctrines that heap reproach and shame to the very processes god has in place for salvation.

we'll establish our own process.. we’ll inspire men to change the bible and make it their own bible.

john.prestor

So when you say we, you're talking like you're what, demons? Like who's supposedly saying all this, the Illuminati, the Lizard People?

8

Awake magazine: "Help for those who grieve" ?? Appalling omission!

by stuckinarut2 in

i have just had the opportunity to read a hard copy of the awake no3 2018 entitled "help for those who grieve".

wtf?.

it really is appalling in its glaring omission of any recommendation to see a professional grief counselor!

I read through the article and I share your thoughts stuckinarut2. Some of their advice is great, take time for yourself, make sure you're eating and sleeping right, keep in contact with family and friends who support you, that kind of practical stuff people forget when they're going through something awful. But in twelve steps there's no mention of seeking professional help, exactly. Why?

I'm guessing it's because counselors, therapists, psychiatrists, whomever, can easily see the emotional damage Jehovah's Witnesses as an organization does to individual members (often, not always, and not just emotional damage, you know everybody likes socializing before the meeting, but emotional damage nonetheless). By that I mean making them live in fear of Armageddon or someone snitching on them to the elders They might even explain this to their Witness patient in terms they'll understand, helping them see things they normally wouldn't because they lack the education to read complicated psychology texts for themselves. Elitist? Yep. True? Also yep.

Because the Governing Body claims to speak with authority on human life and living in it's every imaginable facet, from how you dress to what you say to what you do in public or in private, any competing source of information presents a threat to the movement's leadership, who strives to maintain 'loyalty in thought' among Jehovah's Witnesses. I'm thinking of that recent Watchtower Study Edition article that told Jehovah's Witnesses to get their news from JW Broadcasting and jw.org, and to avoid sites like this one that 'apostates' use or even just news sites that cast the organization in an unflattering light.

The Governing Body claims to provide Jehovah's Witnesses with 'the best way of life.' But trained professionals can show Jehovah's Witnesses a better way of life, one of personal fulfillment and individual goals. And they want to avoid that at all costs, they lose enough members these days and enough money.

5

Confidential

by john.prestor in

i wanted to share a short story from my time studying that congregation (not studying with) where the elder told me 5 years to armageddon i thought some posters might enjoy, little mid-week chuckle that's what i'm going for here.. so this one elder in particular came across like he saw himself as a 'spiritual giant' (weird term cause i thought the nephilim caused all the problems before the flood but thats how jws talk about 'spiritual' people so hey, when in rome).

it just came across in how he held himself and the kinda cold, superior way he looked at you... well, until one sunday at least.. so i came into the hall for the sunday service and i saw him strutting around by the 'information board' (not bulletin board, god forbid) with a manilla folder he'd scrawled confidential across enormously in black sharpy.

he posted a couple letters and then strut into the sanctuary, where he got on stage to read for the watchtower study.

john.prestor

That's exactly how it came across. Like let me get this straight, you got information we don't, but we get treated better than you? In what universe?

18

10 years ago I woke up and found this site

by cantleave in

jw
friends

this was my first post on here...... https://www.jehovahs-witness.com/topic/177753/hi-hope-am-welcome .

there have been a lot of changes since then .. i am healthier, happier, wealthier.

i have put the jw's well and truly behind me.

john.prestor

Exactly, if they cut you off they were never really your friends, just some people you met at the Kingdom Hall. You guys look happy, glad you're enjoying your life.

5

Confidential

by john.prestor in

i wanted to share a short story from my time studying that congregation (not studying with) where the elder told me 5 years to armageddon i thought some posters might enjoy, little mid-week chuckle that's what i'm going for here.. so this one elder in particular came across like he saw himself as a 'spiritual giant' (weird term cause i thought the nephilim caused all the problems before the flood but thats how jws talk about 'spiritual' people so hey, when in rome).

it just came across in how he held himself and the kinda cold, superior way he looked at you... well, until one sunday at least.. so i came into the hall for the sunday service and i saw him strutting around by the 'information board' (not bulletin board, god forbid) with a manilla folder he'd scrawled confidential across enormously in black sharpy.

he posted a couple letters and then strut into the sanctuary, where he got on stage to read for the watchtower study.

john.prestor

I wanted to share a short story from my time studying that congregation (not studying with) where the Elder told me 5 years to Armageddon I thought some posters might enjoy, little mid-week chuckle that's what I'm going for here.

So this one Elder in particular came across like he saw himself as a 'spiritual giant' (weird term cause I thought the Nephilim caused all the problems before the Flood but thats how JWs talk about 'spiritual' people so hey, when in Rome). It just came across in how he held himself and the kinda cold, superior way he looked at you... well, until one Sunday at least.

So I came into the hall for the Sunday service and I saw him strutting around by the 'information board' (not bulletin board, God forbid) with a manilla folder he'd scrawled CONFIDENTIAL across enormously in black sharpy. He posted a couple letters and then strut into the sanctuary, where he got on stage to read for the Watchtower Study. Mid-study he announced with a kinda giddy voice something very close to 'Elders training schools are confidential of course but we're encouraged to share some things with the Brothers,' it was barely related to the study question if relevant at all, and then said 'this is the only organization where publishers are treated like kings, the only organization where the higher up you go the more you serve.'

I almost lost it right there. How do you say that with a straight face?

44

Big Announcement in Montreal

by ZindagiNaMilegiDobaara in

just got the heads up from montreal that 16 congregations will cease to exist from 1 april 2019. also 3 kh are no longer going to be used anymore.

this was a major announcement for many and upsetting.

wonder where the r& f are going to be dispersed with what sacrifices in the way!.

john.prestor

That's... a lot of congregations. Not a good sign needless to say.

16

Why do Jehovah's Witness members incriminate themselves in judicial meeting?

by RULES & REGULATIONS in

why do jehovah's witness members incriminate themselves to any judicial process?

how can three elders conduct a judicial meeting with a 15-year-old teenage girl who supposedly was rumored to fornicate, took drugs or was drunk from drinking alcohol?

can she or the parents refuse to answer any questions?.

john.prestor

That makes a lot of sense, so in other words you put pressure on yourself because they teach you to interpret any minor mishap as the grave consequences of your sin, so you confess thinking that's a 'get out of misfortune free' card...