Posts by zophar

5

Depression and Faith

by Joe Grundy in

this is only jw (should that be jw.org now?

) related in that it is connected with religious faith which dominates a person's life.

but many similarities, i feel.. i never was a dub, was raised in a 'gospel hall' tradition, have been for many years an agnostic/atheist and am a fairly cynical/suspicious individual as befits an ex-30 year detective.

zophar

Joe, you are a good friend. And that is what your Bil needs now more than ever. I feel so bad for you because I can sense how bad you feel for him.

I overheard a man in a restaurant talking to his wife and he said to her, "What is the best thing to say, when you don't know what to say?" She said, "I don't know." and he said, "Nothing."

That has been a hard lesson for me to learn. At times, just say nothing! Be there, that is all that you can do. You probably don't have the answer, I know I haven't had it many times. Despite thinking most of my life as a JW that I had ALL the answers! What an arrogant %^@ I must have been.

You have one great thing that he needs. You love him as your Bil. That is all you can give. And Brother, that is special.

I hope the best for both of you. Your comment really touched a chord with me in my life and situation.

22

Did You Believe That You Were Going To Live Forever?

by minimus in

jw
friends

in either heaven or earth?.

zophar

When I was a young pioneer, my Circuit Overseer was Mark Lett......yes, the father of Stephen Lett of the GB. It was the early 70's and Mark was convinced Armageddon was near. So was I. He was a great guy and I am convinced he was totally convinced the end was near. I remember his telling me that he felt that before Armageddon there would be a big increase of Pioneers. His thinking was that when tribulation hit we would have nothing left to do but Pioneer. I wholeheartedly agreed. My wife and I were Pioneers and bought in to the whole idea that the end was near.

I would not say we were 75'ers but did feel the end was near...... And so it is 2014. Mark Lett is dead and so is his wife. I am a Senior Citizen and there is no end. No retirement, no end in site and poor health! Who do I blame? The Org would probably say I should blame mysellf!....they are never wrong. Really, I'm just bummed. I am ready to admit when I am wrong......wish the Org felt the same way. I blame myself, and they blame me too!

This is just a screwed up way to live!

20

Have you seen "Knock! Knock!"?

by compound complex in

jw
friends

i thought it was a genuinely old silent movie.

it was prepared for the delegates of the international conventions.

a young man in a sound car goes to different homes in the neighborhood, and comes upon a bereaved husband with two young daughters.

zophar

@insidetheKH Thanks for the info.

UNBELIEVABLE! I can't believe that "Millions Now Living" is still being held up as something to be proud of. How do you boast about a failed prophecy?They are all dead! Is the older lady at the end, young girl in 1918, part of the Millions of 100+ year olds that are Living?

20

Have you seen "Knock! Knock!"?

by compound complex in

jw
friends

i thought it was a genuinely old silent movie.

it was prepared for the delegates of the international conventions.

a young man in a sound car goes to different homes in the neighborhood, and comes upon a bereaved husband with two young daughters.

zophar

"......do all I can to be a warm and loving friend to these dear people."

I really appreciate what you are going through. Sounds like you were too effective as a JW by bringing in others! Like you, I feel a personal responsibility toward such ones, especially the ones I personally helped in.

Regarding the movie. Where exactly is it from? Does anyone know? It was not shown at the 2014 International Conventions.

21

Officially parting ways : (

by Batman89 in

jw
friends

some of you might remember my first post on here about my dilemma of whether or not to remain in a relationship with my jw girlfriend after learning ttatt http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/experiences/278710/1/im-new-and-need-help#.u-kltpldvyq.

while we were taking a break, well it turned out to be not very much of a break because of our still strong feeling for each other (we eventually went from talking every few weeks to once a week and then to everyday again) and things started to get complicated.

well last night we officially decided that it would be best for the both of us to at least part ways for now and end things.

zophar

What a shame for both of you. I'm so sorry.

Had my wife watch the Texas Line Dance Video at the Kingdom Hall on YouTube. I told her that JW's will do ANYTHING they are told is OK! Knorr and Franz would be spinning in their graves ........ if they had one.

My Point? It could be in time that JW's will finally adjust their views on shunning and associations etc. What a shame if she has second thoughts then. Like I said, it is just heartbreaking for two people who sound like they are really fine people. Wish you both only the best.

12

Michael Sam Story on the ESPY'S. He was raised a JW.

by integ in

michael sam...the football player who came out as gay, received an award on the espy's sports award show last night.

they had a video presentation documenting his struggles and it was brought out in the video piece that as a jehovah's witness, he was prohibited from playing in organized team sports...but that he went and defiantly played anyway.

so, sam not only had to overcome the gay issue but also that of being a witness.

zophar

He spoke very respectfully of and thanked his mother when he received the award. Wonder if they have any kind of relationship?

23

Do you "believe" differently from what you "know"?

by compound complex in

jw
friends

greetings, all those still searching, still wondering .

.. in one of many faith-related books i have read, i recall the author declaring that there's a difference between what we know and what we believe.

while i cannot recall the author nor his commentary, i acknowledge that, while i do know ttatt and that the bible in not without error, yet there's a part of me deep inside that holds onto the so-called spiritual.. how is it for you personally as you make the transition from the invisible to the visible?

zophar

Magnum

Your friend sounds a lot like me.....except the part about being the smartest elder in the Circuit! I hope I was humble and helpful like your friend when I served as an elder.

No doubt there are a number of studious persons who are very frustrated right now. At least in the past they would give a semblance of a scriptural reason for "adjustments". Not anymore.

"Just take our word for it, there is an overlapping generation? Um I mean 2 Generations, oh, and there is a third generation involved."

Like you, I would really like to help some of the very good people I know, but you can only reveal so much of your thinking without bringing problems on yourself. I do know that when older JW's do have the opportunity to open up and discuss things, you will invariably find a great sense of disappointment, discouragement and fear. Could they have been wrong about what they believed? They used to be so sure of their faith and now the facts don't fit with what they have been taught.

It it is really sad. However, I cannot honestly tell them that I have found an acceptable alternative as to how they should express their spirituality or how they should worship. Sounds like we have a lot in common.

23

Do you "believe" differently from what you "know"?

by compound complex in

jw
friends

greetings, all those still searching, still wondering .

.. in one of many faith-related books i have read, i recall the author declaring that there's a difference between what we know and what we believe.

while i cannot recall the author nor his commentary, i acknowledge that, while i do know ttatt and that the bible in not without error, yet there's a part of me deep inside that holds onto the so-called spiritual.. how is it for you personally as you make the transition from the invisible to the visible?

zophar

I used to think I had all the answers as a JW. I even sort of bragged about it in the field service. You know, JW's can answer all your questions! Now I realize I don't even have all the questions, much less the answers!

I personally still feel a need or desire to worship God. I have not found a RIGHT way to do that. I think that comes from thinking for so long that there IS a RIGHT and a WRONG way of worship. I find I have much in common with Agnostics, Athiests and "Religious" people these days.

I've mentioned before that I put a lot of stock in 1 Corinthians 13:12 "For at present we see in hazy outline by means of a metal mirror but then it will be face to face. At present I know partially, but then I shall know accurately even as I am accurately known.

By the way, I think that same Scripture applies to the GB. They "know partially" as well.

14

Dissed by a Sister!

by finally awake in

jw
friends

i was running the cash till at the annual boy scout fundraiser yard sale yesterday, wearing my finest boy scout t-shirt and enjoying the blistering heat, when i saw a local family of witnesses browsing the merchandise.

they studiously avoided looking at me, but eventually a bargain nightgown proved irresistable and the wife was forced to approach the cash table and ask about pricing.

we avoid putting prices on each item because there is just too much stuff and we remind everyone that the money sends the kids to summer camp so the guilt kicks in and people pay more.

zophar

How friendly were you to her? Were the bystanders able to see a clear difference in the way you treated the disser?

If so you get to count double time!

Turn the report in at the next witness cart you see.

101

org is dying

by lambsbottom in

i don't understand why so many ex jws and faders think that the jws will continue to grow and thrive as a religion.

i still attend a meeting once a week and you can smell the death of the religion creeping up when you hear the talks, read the study wts and hear the letters from the gb.

the way the organization has changed is a sign that it reached its peak (in "healthy" membership) long ago.

zophar

It reminds me of the teaching on the "fall" of "Babylon the Great." According to the 1/1/200 WT:

"1919, Babylon the Great could not prevent the Bible Students, as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then known, from escaping from their inactive state and embarking on a worldwide witnessing campaign that still continues. (Matthew 24:14) That signaled a fall for Babylon the Great, just as the release of Israel in the sixth century B.C.E. signaled a fall for ancient Babylon."

They say it "fell" in 1919, but it is still alive and kicking. Especially Islam on the "kicking" part! Yet, while many churches are mostly empty, religion lives on. As already stated, same could be true of JW's. There is a core of people who hang on to their religion no matter what.

Just had a discussion with a "Partaker" who has been partaking since 50's and whose parents partook. Discussed recent "adjustments." He is clueless on explaining adjustments in FDS and other things. The longer we spoke, the less he seemed to know or have thought about regarding implications of "adjustments". I wanted to ask how it felt when he got the demotion from FDS but didn't. Seemed to me that no matter what the men in NY say, he would eat it down without thinking for self.

I was the same way for a long time. Just would not allow myself to question the rather obvious. Dissonance finally became too much.

I remember calling on a man who had devoted himself to Armstrong's Worlwide Church of God. When "adjustments" came, he was so disillusioned that he bar came an Atheist.

I think JW will be around in some form for a long time.